#marian carlyle

[s10127470]

AU Idea: X-Spiders

Have you ever wondered what if would be like if other Marvel characters had spider powers?

No? Well too bad!

I stumbled upon this incredible artwork done by the incredibly talented Marcus the Visual, which as you can see, depicts several of the X-Men with spider powers, but done in a way that combines that with their already existing powers.

And after seeing this, this gave me the idea of make an entire AU around this concept.

And I figured now would be the best time to do so since this month not only marks the 60th anniversary of the X-Men, but also because there's been notable rise in Spider-Man AU concepts and Spidersona AUs thanks to the recent release of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.

So without further ado, let's jump in!

-Immediately, when fleshing out this concept, the hardest part of it was trying to figure out how the X-Men would get their powers. When it comes to power origins, Spider-Man and the X-Men are about as different as you can get. Spidey got his powers from a radioactive spider bite, whereas the X-Men (along with the entire mutant race as a whole) are born with their powers. So after some long thinking, I decided on this. In the universe of the X-Spiders, mutants sadly don't exist. But you're probably wondering, how would characters like Nightcrawler have their iconic looks? Well I decided to have this AU set in the distant future, at least several centuries from now. During that time, it would make sense that there would some physical changes to occur to the human race. I could imagine that would some type of genetic oddity developed during those centuries, causing some humans to appear….well, non-human. As for how the X-Men got their powers, first we got to discuss their standing in this world. X-Men initially ran a foster home for orphaned and abandoned children founded by Charles Xavier and Wolverine (who are longtime friends in this universe), particularly for those who were born with the genetic oddity. As for the powers. Well sometime ago, Oscorp created a species of genetically-modified spiders, with each one having their own unique abilities. But an accident caused to the spiders to get loose. And overtime, each of the X-Men would find themselves getting bitten by one of these spiders. Like how any normal person would react, the X-Men freaked out about their newfound powers and decided to hide them. But overtime, they found themselves in situations where they inadvertently used their powers, and as a result, helped someone in need. Because of this, the X-Men became superheroes and decided to use their newfound powers to help the people around them. Yeah…..their origin isn’t as shrouded in tragedy as Spidey’s.

-As for the X-Spiders themselves, the group consists of Cyclops, Wolverine, Storm, Gambit, Jubilee, Nightcrawler, Jean Grey, Beast, Rogue, Colossus, Iceman, Psylocke and Shadowcat. They all have the standard spider powers: superhuman physicality, the ability to stick to and scale any surface, Spider Sense, and the ability to shoot organic webbing from their wrists. What's unique about each X-Spider, apart from the fact they each have their own special powers, is that with some of them, their webbing is made up of different properties, to correspond with their powers.

-Cyclops (Scott Summers, 26, 6'2, 192 lbs, Scott Porter): As you would expect from him, he's the leader of the team. He was the very first kid taken in by Charles and Wolverine at age 8, alongside his younger brother Alex, after their parents died in a plane crash. Personality-wise, he's more like his iteration from X-Men Evolution, being far more outgoing and confident than most of his other iterations, while still being a disciplined and hardworking leader. His special power allows him to shoot ruby-colored beams of concussive force from his eyes. He can also combine the energy of his beams with his webbings, for an extra crunch. He's currently in relationship with Jean and when he's not doing hero-work, works as a DJ for a local radio station.

-Wolverine (James "Logan" Howlett, Unknown, 5'4, 305 lbs, Steve Blum): The co-founder of the foster home and a longtime friend of Charles. Just like Cyclops, he's pretty similar to his X-Men Evolution iteration, being more laid back and a mentor to the kids. Out of all the X-Spiders, he has the best endurance and senses. His special power allows him to eject retractable bone claws from his knuckles. The bite also caused his entire skeleton to become coated in metal. He can also shoot metal webbing, which is very hard to cut through. When he's not doing hero-work, he works as a police officer.

-Storm (Ororo Munroe, 26, 5'11, 127 lbs, Danielle Nicolet): Found as an orphan on the streets of Kenya, she was taken in by Charles at age 10. Personality-wise, she's what you would expect from any version of Storm. Her special power allows her to generate bio-electricity from her body. She can also glide, shoot electrical webbing and even control her hair (which is BIG as HELL and in form of dreadlocks in this universe) as if they were spider legs. She's currently in a relationship with physician Donald Blake and when she's not doing hero-work, works as a meteorologist for the local news.

-Gambit (Remy LeBeau, 24, 6'3, 193 lbs, Troy Baker): Found as a thieving orphan on the streets of New Orleans, he was taken in by Charles at 13. Personality-wise, he's what you would expect from any version of Gambit. Out of all the X-Spiders, he's the fastest. His special power allows him to generate kinetic energy from his body and use it charge anything he touches. He can also shoot kinetic energy webbing. He's currently in a relationship with Rogue and when's not doing hero-work, he's working as a cook for a local Cajun restaurant.

-Jubilee (Jubilation Lee, 13, 5'0, 90 lbs, Haley Tju): Found living as thieving orphan in a Beverly Hills mall, she's the most recent addition to the family, having been taken by them just last year. Personality-wise, she's what you would expect from any version I of Jubilee. Her special powers allows her to shoot burst of energy that resemble fireworks. She's also able to shoot multicolored energy-charged webbing. When she's not doing hero-work, she's attending the local junior high school.

-Nightcrawler (Kurt Wagner, 25, 5'9, 161 lbs, Liam O'Brien): Found as a homeless orphan in Germany, constantly on the run due to his demonic appearance, he was taken in by Xavier at age 9. Personality-wise, he's what you would expect from any version of Nightcrawler. And yes, he's still deeply religious. Out of all the X-Spiders, he's the most agile and flexible. His special power allows him to teleport. He can also become nearly invisible in shadows. He's currently in a relationship with fellow housemate Wren Worthington (a female) and when he's not doing hero-work, he works as a delivery boy for GrubHub.

-Jean Grey (26, 5'9, 122 lbs, Jennifer Hale): After her parents died in a car crash at age 9, she was taken into the foster home. Personality-wise, what you would expect from any version of Jean. Her special powers is telepathy and psionic energy manipulation. She can also glide like Storm and shoot psionic-energy webbing. She's currently in a relationship with Cyclops and when she's not doing hero-work, she works as a surgeon for the local hospital.

-Beast (Henry McCoy, 28, 6'6, 410 lbs, Fred Tatasciore): Abandoned at birth by parents due to his animalistic appearance and forced to live in the wild, he was found at age 11 and taken in by Charles. Personality-wise, what would you expect from any version of Beast. Just like Nightcrawler, he's the most agile and flexible of the X-Spiders, as well as the third strongest. His special power is a venomous bite that can paralyze his foes. He's currently in a relationship with S.W.O.R.D. agent Abigail Brand and when he's not doing hero-work, he works as a professor for the local university.

-Rogue (Marian Carlyle, 23, 5'9, 133 lbs, Melissa Disney): Having spent most of her life going from foster family to foster family, she eventually found herself at the X foster home around age 10. Personality-wise, what you would expect from the best versions of Rogue. Out of all the X-Spiders, she's the second strongest. Her special powers allows her to copy the powers and abilities of those around her. She can also climb like Storm and Jean. She's currently in a relationship with Gambit and when she's not doing hero-work, she's working on the local farms.

-Colossus (Piotr Rasputin, 22, 6'11/7'6, 265 lbs/505 lbs, Chris Cox): After his parents died due to illness, he, his older brother Mikhail, and his newborn sister Illyana, would find themselves out on the streets. They would eventually be found by Charles when Colossus was about 6. Personality-wise, what you would expect from any version of Colossus. Out of all the X-Spiders, he's the strongest. His special power allows him to convert his skin into organic steel, granting him even greater strength and durability. He can also shoot metallic webbing, similar to Wolverine. He's currently in a relationship with fellow housemate Emma Frost and when he's not doing hero-work, he's attending Empire State University, majoring in the arts.

-Iceman (Bobby Drake, 21, 5'8, 145 lbs, Robbie Daymond): After his parents died in a skiing accident at the age of 9, he and his younger brother Ronnie found themselves in the care of Xavier. Personality-wise, what you would expect from Iceman. His special power allowing himself to convert the moisture in the air into ice. He also has a strong resistance to freezing temperatures, can cover his entire body in ice, and shoots icy webbing. He's currently in a relationship with Johnny Storm and when he's not doing hero-work, he attends Empire State University, majoring in accounting.

-Psylocke (Betsy Braddock, 25, 5'11, 155 lbs, Grey Griffin): A Japanese girl who initially grew up in an abusive orphanage in England, Betsy ran away at age 14 and found her way to the states. There, she would be taken in by Charles. Personality-wise, she's a adventurous thrill-seeker with a witty attitude. Her special powers are telepathy and being able to create constructs out of psionic energy. She's also shoots psionic energy webbing just like Jean. When she's not doing hero-work, she's working as a martial arts instructor.

-Shadowcat (Kitty Pryde, 19, 5'7, 114 lbs, Danielle Judovits): After her parents were killed during a mugging at age 9, she found herself on the streets, with her only companion being her pet iguana Lockheed. She would eventually be found by Wolverine and brought into the home. Personality-wise, what you would expect from any version of Shadowcat. Her special power allows her to phase through most soldier objects. She's currently in a relationship with Doreen Green and when she's not doing hero-work, she attends training in order to become a firefighter.

Well that's all for now!

Let me know what you guys think about this AU idea and if you could, give me some ideas for some of the villains of this AU.

I'm most likely gonna make a part 2 to this and I want the villains of this AU to be a mashup between the X-Men villains and some of the iconic Spidey villains.

#au idea #marvel au #x-men au #spider man au #xmen #scott summers #logan howlett #ororo munroe #remy lebeau #jubilation lee #kurt wagner #jean grey #henry mccoy #marian carlyle #piotr rasputin #bobby drake #betsy braddock #kitty pryde

[ultimateanna]

My favorite comic book covers Ultimate X-Men

#x-men #ultimate x-men #ultimate x men #comics #robert drake #bobby drake #iceman #marian carlyle #rouge #jean grey #marvel girl #kitty pryde #shadowcat #scott summers #cyclops #professor x #charles xavier #mystique cat #lorna dane #polaris #james howlett #wolverine #kurt wagner #nightcrawler #dazzler #alison blaire #warren worthington iii #angel

[fatummortem]

Roleplay History!

The rules are simple! Post characters you’d like to roleplay as, have roleplayed as, and might bring back. Then tag ten people to do the same (if you can’t think of ten, just write down however many you can and tag that number of people). Please repost, don’t reblog!

Current Muses

Kinney Ryouta/ (Daken/Fang) [Earth 616]

Bobby Drake / Iceman [Earth 616/Occasional plotted mix of movies]

TJ Wagner / Nocturne [Earth 2182, Adopted Earth 616]

Billy Kaplan / Wiccan [Earth 616]

Rose Worth / Ravager [DC Pre N52, Quiet]

Somnus [Earth 616]

Marian Carlyle / Rogue Malicia [Earth 1610, Displaced to Earth 616]

Cloud Strife [FFVII Remake/Crisis Core, Quiet]

Kyle Beaubier-Jinadu [Earth 616, Discord]

Want To Write

Megan Gwynn / Pixie [Earth 616]

Death of the Endless [All incarnations, Hiatus]

Robbie Reyes / Ghost Rider [Earth 616 & MCU]

Anna Marie / Rogue [Earth 616]

Roxie Blaze [OC, Earth 4321, Displaced]

Have Written

Soranik Natu / (Yellow Lanter/Green Lanter) [DC Pre N52 & N52]

Kory Anders / Korand'r / Starfire [DC, All incarnations]

Jane Foster [Earth 616]

Chasity Marks / Chastity [Chaos Comics]

Carin Taylor / Velocity [Image Comics]

Robert Lane / Burnout [Wildstorm]

Roxy Spaulding / Freefall [Wildstorm]

Abigail van Alstine / Necromancer [Top Cow]

Unknown / Enigma [DC, Pre N52]

Jennifer-Lynn Hayden / Jade [DC, Pre N52]

Harley Quinn [DC, all Incarnations]

Todd Rice / Obsidian [DC, Pre N52]

Oliver Hampton [How to get Away with Murder]

Connor Walsh [How to get Away with Murder]

Steve Rogers / Captain America [Earth 616 & MCU]

Wanda Maximoff / the Scarlet Witch [Earth 616 & various AUs]

Natalia Romanova / Black Widow [Earth 616, MCU & Various AUs]

Kirishima Ayato / Black Rabbit [Tokyo Ghoul]

Rose Wilson [Various AUs]

Fenris [Dragon Age]

Kaiden Alenko [Mass Effect]

Ignis Scientia [Final Fantasy XV]

Noctis Caelum [Final Fantasy XV]

Andrew Minyard [the Foxhole Court]

Various OCs

Other's I forget

Would Write Again

If there's a plot of some kind, I'm normally game to writing old muses. Most of them didn't last long on tumblr for an unknown fandom or what not, which happens. Other's I moved to discord just haven't writen them in years but the servers are still active for OOC chats. My Jane was just a self writing challenge & to fuck with an old friend So I probably won't write her again. I drifted many of my female muses ages ago when I came out or just switched platforms. Though there are a few I'm just not interested in writing.

Tagged by: Stolen from: @positivelybeastly Tagging: if ya wish to, just steal it & tag me in it so I can take a gander c:

#dash games #mun speaks #long post for ts #wow my net didn't eat this! o.o #it's been eating things all weekend! may write later we'll see

[entangledmuses]

MOBILE MUSES- CANON

By Fandom

9-1-1: Lucy Donato

The ARTFUL DODGER: Belle Fox

BAD BOYS: Kelly Lewis

BITTEN: Elena Michaels BRIDGERTON: Daphne Bridgerton                                                     Kate Sheffield/Sharma Sophie Beckett

BUFFY/ANGEL: Cordelia Chase                                                          

CRAZY RICH ASIANS: Astrid Leong

DCEU Harley Quinn (Selective) Dawn Granger

DIVERGENT Christina

FANTASTIC BEASTS Lally Hicks

FEAR STREET Cindy Berman

GAME OF THRONES: Margaery Tyrell

HANSEL AND GRETEL:WITCH HUNTERS: Gretel (With AU verses)

HARRY POTTER: Astoria Greengrass          Demelza Robbins                     Ginny Weasley Hermione Granger          Padma Patil                                                           Parvati Patil Pansy Parkinson                 Victoire Weasley     Lily Evans/Potter      Rowena Ravenclaw                                       

HEMLOCK GROVE: Letha Godfrey

The HOST: Melanie Stryder

HUNGER GAMES: Madge Undersee

JAMES BOND: Paloma

Jurrasic World: Claire Dearing

KINGSMAN: Roxy Morton

LAST KINGDOM: Eadith of Mercia

LITTLE WOMEN: Amy March

LOCKWOOD AND CO: Lucy Carlyle

MCU: Maria Hill Michelle ‘MJ’ Jones                                               Natasha Romanoff Sharon Carter              Yelena Belova

The MUMMY: Evelyn Carnaham

MUSKETEERS: Anne of Austria Constance Bonacieux

MYTH/LEGEND/LORE: Amphitrite (Greek)                                                 Artemis/Autumn (Greek) Hera/Helena (Greek)               Persephone (Greek)            Athena (Greek) Aphrodite (Greek)      Mina Harker (Dracula) Guinevere (Arthurian)

NARNIA: Susan Pevensie

OUTER BANKS: Kiara Carrera

REACHER: Karla Dixon

REIGN: Mary Stuart Lola Narcisse

ROBIN HOOD (BBC): Marian of Knighton

The ROOKIE: Bailey Nune Grace Sawyer Lucy Chen

SECRET CIRCLE: Diana Meade (Book based)

SHADOWHUNTERS: Sophie Collins (Infernal Devices) Tessa Gray (Infernal Devices)           Izzy Lightwood (Show based)

SHAMELESS: Fiona Gallagher

The SOCIETY Helena Wu Kelly Aldrich

STRANGER THINGS: Chrissy Cunningham Nancy Wheeler

SUPERNATURAL: Bela Talbot                                         Claire Novak Lisa Braeden                                     Jo Harvelle Donna Hanscum        Sarah Blake      

TEEN WOLF: Braeden Lydia Martin             Hayden Romero Cora Hale Laura Hale

THE SUMMER I TURNED PRETTY: Belly Conklin Taylor Jewel

TRUE BLOOD: Jessica Hamby                           Nora Gainesborough Sookie Stackhouse

VAMPIRE ACADEMY: Jill Mastrano - Dragomir Lissa Dragomir Rose Hathaway                       Sydney Sage

VAMPIRE DIARIES: Bonnie Bennett Caroline Forbes Katherine Pierce Rebekah Mikaelson

VIKINGS: Amma Katia Lagertha

WEDNESDAY: Wednesday Addams

The WITCHER: Yennefer of Vengerberg

+++++++

SINGLE SHIPS: Rose Larkin Clarice Fong Emma Brunner Connie Matthews Ariel Megara Alice Chambers Zoey Miller

#Mobile muses list-Canon #jst updating links and shit!

[legends-of-time]

Thorn Bush (Doctor Who Story)

Chapter 4: Robot of Sherwood

Masterlist

Kathy was left to explain to Ashildr that she is a Human-Mire hybrid and is practically immortal as the repair kit will keep fixing her and so she'll be functionally immortal barring accidents. Like with her son, Kathy keeps in contact with Ashildr over the next few centuries. She cannot remember everything that happens so Kathy often tells her the stories of what they have done together, for example, when she became a medieval queen and Kathy had to help her fake her death and then get out of the coffin and out of the window. Though Kathy told her that perhaps she should write her life down so that she can look back and what she has done.

Kathy introduced Carlyle to Ashildr after the medieval queen incident and it is not long before she sees a spark between them. They have been together ever since if you don't count their off years when they argue and do not talk.

In their spare time, Carlyle, Ashildr and Kathy went with a different group of Vikings and they reached the new world, what will one day become the United States of America. She was quite excited to explore further than Europe as she hadn't been able to go beyond the continent in her last life. It was a mostly uneventful trip except at one point when they angered a leader of a local tribe. Long story short, Kathy ended on the other end of one of their weapons causing her to have to use that regeneration energy to heal herself. She couldn't help but wonder if there was a limit to this or it was different considering her added Human and Apalapucia genes.

Kathy didn't know much about the Doctor's travels through earth history before his ninth incarnation so she's often worried she might accidentally bump into him but thankfully that hasn't happened so far.

In the 12th century, Kathy decided to journey to Nottingham, England, particularly Sherwood Forest to meet another legend. She knows that in the Doctor Who world Robin Hood exists and that she'll meet the Doctor at the right point in his timeline. When she met them, they seemed a little judgey but she proved her worth with the arrow as she's had centuries of practice though she didn't tell them this. Kathy told them her name is Daveigh. She had arrived a few years before the Doctor and Clara turn up. It is stressful as she knows she can't stay too long as they'll get suspicious that she's not ageing. She found it fascinating to meet them and see more of them outside of the show.

——

Kathy had witnessed Marian taken away from her village, away from Master Quayle, who is murdered, by the Sheriff and his men when out scouting and I hurry back to camp to report to Robin what she has seen. The scene reminded her of the Doctor Who episode so she knows that it likely has begun or will soon.

When she gets to camp, the raised voices alert her to the fact that something is happening, that and the familiar faint snap of the mental link.

"Let me introduce you to my men." Kathy hears Robin say. She peeks her head over the edge where the land dips down to the hideout to see Clara, in 12th Century clothing, and Twelve there along with the gang. Kathy smiles at the sight; it had been a few centuries since she had last seen them. "This is Will Scarlet. He is a cheeky rogue with a good sword arm and a slippery tongue."

Will bows. "My lady." They laugh though the Doctor then plucks at Will's hair and scans it with his sonic. "Argh!" Will exclaims. Kathy remembers the Doctor being a sceptic for most of the episode. "What do you want with my hair?"

"Well, it's realistic, I'll give you that." The Doctor says.

"And this is Friar Tuck." Robin continues. "Aptly named for the amount of grub he tucks into."

"You skinny blackguard." Tuck thumps Robin on the arm laughing but he stumbles as the Doctor grabs one of his sandals. "What are you doing?"

"This isn't a real sandal." The Doctor tells him.

"Yes, it is," Tuck yells, annoyed.

The Doctor sniffs it. "Oh. Yes, it is." Tuck grabs his sandal back.

"This, er, is Alan-a-Dale. He's a master of the lute, whose music brightens up these dark days." Robin says gesturing to the next man there.

Alan strums his instrument and sings, "Stranger you are welcome here, in Sherwood's bonny glade. Ow!"

The Doctor holds a syringe. "Sorry, sorry, sorry. Blood analysis. Oh. All those diseases. If you were real, you'd be dead in six months."

"I am real," Alan says, unsure of what is happening.

"Bye."

Robin gestures to Much, who is a large and dominating figure. "And this is John Little. Called Little John. He's my loyal companion in many an adventure." Kathy rolls her eyes knowing what he is up to and she's right as the actual Little John then appears causing Clara to jump.

"Oh!" They all laugh and Kathy joins in quietly.

"Works every time," Will remarks. Kathy decides to head down to them to say hello.

"Isn't there someone else?" Clara then asks.

"Here," Kathy says. Everyone spins around to look at her.

"Kathy!" Clara exclaims cheerfully. Kathy smiles at her but gives the gang an awkward glance as that wasn't the name she had told them. The Doctor is now frowning at her, probably cause she's buying into this 'false' world.

"Ah this is our loyal but sneaky and mysterious companion, Daveigh," Robin says gesturing to her.

"No way! You're Daveigh of Doncaster!" Clara says.

Kathy raises an eyebrow, "Well that's interesting to know."

"Another alias!" The Doctor complains. Considering this Doctor is younger than the one she had last seen; she must have a few names. "Why are you part of this?"

Kathy shrugs and gives him a smirk. "Why not?" He rolls his eyes at her.

Clara is extremely excited. "Oh, I cannot believe this. You, you really are Robin Hood and his Merry Men."

"Aye!" Robin cheers. "That is an apt description. What say you, lads?"

"Aye!" They cry, including Kathy.

The Doctor on the other hand is very annoyed. "Stop laughing. Why are you always doing that? Are you all simple or something? I'm going to need a sample."

"Of what?" Robin asks.

Clara clears her throat and pulls the Doctor away, "Excuse me. Sorry. What are you doing?"

"Well, they're not holograms, that much is obvious. Could be a theme park from the future. Or we might be inside a miniscope." The Doctor rambles.

"Oh, shut up." Clara hisses to him. She looks to Kathy for help but she says nothing and simply rolls her eyes at him.

"A miniscope. Yes, of course. Why not?"

"Or not," Kathy remarks.

"Your friend seems not quite of the real world," Robin says.

"No. No, he's not really. Not most of the time. Dark days?" Clara questions trying to move the conversation along.

"My lady?"

"You said that these were dark days. What did you mean?"

"King Richard is away on crusade, my lady. His tyrant of a brother rules instead." Will explains.

"And the Sheriff. Cos there is a sheriff, right?"

"Aye," Alan says. "It is indeed this jackal of the princes who seeks to oppress us for ever more."

"Or six months in your case." The Doctor remarks.

"It is a shame to dwell on murky thoughts when there is such beauty here," Robin says.

"Why are you so sad?" Clara probes.

"Why do you think me sad?"

"Don't lie, Robin, you gave yourself away when you began laughing too much," Kathy speaks.

Robin sighs. "You know, I do not live this outlaw life by choice. You see before you, Robert..."

"...Earl of Loxley." They both say at the same time.

"Yes."

Robin looks at Clara shocked. "Yes."

Kathy laughs awkwardly, "Oh Clara you say too much!" she looks pointedly at her.

"Sorry." She mutters. "Do go on."

"I er, I had my lands and titles stripped from me. I dared to speak out against Prince John. But I lost the thing most dear to me."

"What was she called?"

Robin startles. "You're so very quick. How does the Doctor stand it?"

"Marian?" Clara asks instead.

"You know her?"

"Oh, yes. I have always known her."

"It was Marian who told me that I must stand up and be counted. But I was afraid." Robin explains. "Now this green canopy is my palace and the rough ground my feather bed. Maybe one day I will return home but until that day. Until that day, it is beholden on me to be the man Marian wanted, to be a hero for those this tyrant sheriff slaughters."

"What time is it, Mister Hood?" The Doctor buts in.

"Somewhat after noon." Comes the reply.

"No, no. Time of year? What season?"

"Oh, Dame Autumn has draped her mellow skirts about the forest, Doctor. The time of mists and harvest approaches." Robin answers.

The Doctor dismisses this remark, "Yeah, yeah. All very poetic. But it's very green hereabouts, though, isn't it? Like I said, very sunny."

"So?" Clara asks.

"Have you been to Nottingham?"

"I did. Uni." Kathy pipes up.

"Was it like this in autumn?" The Doctor asks.

"Well, no but different time," Kathy says, dismissively waving her hand. She knows why the weather is off, she just needs to get the Doctor to realise.

"Climate change?" Clara suggests.

"It's 1190." The Doctor points out.

"You must excuse me." Robin interrupts. "The Sheriff has issued a proclamation and tomorrow there is to be a contest to find the best archer in the land. And the bounty, it's an arrow made of pure gold."

"No! Don't, don't go. It's a trap." Clara exclaims. He needs to go for the plot to move along and to save everyone.

"Well, of course, it is!" They all laugh. "But a contest to find the best archer in the land?" Robin chuckles. "There is no contest." They all laugh.

"Right, that isn't even funny." The Doctor snaps. "That was bantering. I am totally against bantering."

"Banter is bullying." Kathy quips unhelpfully, thinking about the talk she had at school about it.

"How can you be so sure he is not the real thing?" Clara questions him away from the others.

"Because he can't be. Right, Kathy?" The Doctor says rhetorically, expecting her support.

"No." He looks surprised. "But, hint, you're right something is wrong but it's not them."

"When did you stop believing in everything?" Clara asks, diverting the Doctor's attention.

"When did you start believing in impossible heroes?" He demands.

"Don't you know? In a way, it's rather sweet."

——

The crowd cheer as more attempt to win the golden arrow into the targets. Kathy watches it standing next to Clara and Robin, who is wearing a large hat and cape. The Doctor has wandered off but she knows he's only preparing for his overdramatic entrance. She doesn't really need to do much in this scene and they do need to be arrested to even start learning what the Sheriff is up to.

The Herald speaks, "In the contest for the golden arrow, after ten rounds, the battle is betwixt our Lord Sheriff..." The man waves a hand from his seat in the stand to muted cheering. "And the stranger known as Tom the Tinker." There is raucous cheering as Robin steps forward, bowing to the crowd. Kathy observes the guards surrounding the competition knowing many of them aren't human nor is the Sheriff, not completely.

"Take your places." The Herald says. The Sheriff walks down the steps of his stand to stand next to Robin.

"Shall we make the contest a little more interesting, my Lord? The targets seem a little close." The Sheriff collects his bow and arrow from a guard, a normal one. "What say you? Another twenty paces?"

"Why not?" The Sheriff waves his hand and a target is moved further back.

The Sheriff draws back his arrow, aims, fires and hits the target dead in the middle. "Now, Tinker. Let us see thy true face."

Clara shakes Kathy's arm excited. "This is tense!"

Kathy rolls her eyes. "Not really for though, is it? I know what's going to happen."

She tuts. "Don't ruin this for me!"

Robin draws back his arrow and fires, splitting the Sheriff's arrow. Clara jumps up and down cheering and Kathy laughs and joins her infectious cheering.

"Ye Gads! He has split the arrow! Truly, he is the finest archer in all England. Come forward, Tinker. And claim your prize." The Herald announces. Robin bows to him as the cushion with the arrow is presented. But as he reaches for the arrow, another shoots through the air and splits Robin's arrow on the target.

Kathy looks away from Robin to see the Doctor holding a bow and smirking smugly. She groans irritably even though she knew this was going to happen.

"I'm the Doctor. My skills as a bowman speak for themselves. I claim my reward." The Herald turns to him and kneels, presenting the cushion. The Doctor picks it up and after a moment says, "A mere bauble." Kathy shakes her head laughing quietly at his theatrics. He chucks the arrow causing the crowd to gasp. "I want something else."

"Name it." The Sheriff says daringly.

"Enlightenment." But as soon as he says this, Robin fires an arrow splitting the Doctor's. The crowd cheers.

The Doctor, realising the challenge, fires another arrow from a different angle and it pings off a guard and splits Robin's arrow. More cheers erupt. However, Robin doesn't back down and instead succeeds in splitting the Doctor's arrow without looking.

"This is getting silly." The Doctor turns and buzzes his sonic at the target causing it to explode. The crowd gasps and crouches in fear. Kathy, instead, rubs her head, feeling a headache coming in from all this showing even though it isn't all true on the Doctor's side.

"Fascinating. Seize him!" The Sheriff orders. The guards draw their swords.

"C'mon Clara!" Kathy exclaims, pulling over to the spears. She and Clara grab big spears each and huff as they drag themselves over to the Doctor.

"What are you doing? Put that down." The Doctor demands.

"I'm fine. I take Year Seven for after school Tae Kwon Do." Clara says.

"And I've had centuries of practice." Kathy defends. "With these skills, we are clearly going to save us all."

Robin has his sword drawn and stands between them and the guards. "Don't worry, Doctor. I'll save you."

"I don't need saving."

"Your honour is safe."

"I know." The Doctor mutters, irritated he's not being listened to.

"For I am Robin." He throws off his hat and the crowd cheers. "Robin Hood!" Robin is clearly in the running in beating the Doctor when it comes to over dramatics.

Robin rushes forward and engages the guard in battle. After a few clashes, Robin slashes the guard's arm and it falls revealing the machinery behind the chain mail. Clara glances at Kathy anxiously.

"Witchery! Witchery!" Somebody cries.

The Doctor runs forward and Kathy follows him. He picks up the arm. "Robot." It turns to him and opens its helmet to reveal a metal face. A noise of a weapon preparing itself with a purple light in the middle of its face. "Now we're getting somewhere." Kathy then hears him speak in her head. "You're right Kathy, something else is wrong too."

"Well, technically I said that it wasn't Robin and his gang that was wrong but something else. Not both!" She cries indignantly though it doesn't matter right now.

"Whatever."

"Take them. Kill the rest. Kill them all!" The Sheriff cries and the robot guards step forward and begin shooting. People scream and flee. The Merry men group together ready to fight.

"He surrenders!" The Doctor says.

"What?" Robin exclaims. Clara and Kathy simply put their hands up, going along with the plan though Clara doesn't know what it is.

The Doctor hits him in the stomach. "Hai!"

"You miserable cur. I had them on the run." Robin whines. He calls to the gang, "Flee, lads, flee! Live to fight another day!"

They are grabbed by the robot guards and the Sheriff orders, "To the dungeons with all of them."

Clara questions the Doctor and Kathy as they are led away, "What are you up to?"

"Quickest way to find out anybody's plans, get yourself captured." The Doctor replies.

——

"Splendid. Enchained." Robin complains as the four of them sit on the floor of their cell in chains that are attached to a few wooden posts.

"Yep," Clara mutters.

"Trussed up like turkey-cocks. Thanks to your friend." He whines.

"Shut it, Hoodie. I saved your life." The Doctor snaps.

"I had the situation well in hand."

"Long-haired ninny versus robot killer knights? I know where I'd put my money."

"If you had not betrayed me, I would have been triumphant," Robin responds. After this, they can't seem to stop and Kathy just feels a headache begin to creep up on her as she listens to them.

"You would have been a little puff of smoke and ashes."

"Oh, ha!"

"You'd have been floating around in tiny little laughing bits in people's goblets."

"Balderdash. Ha!"

"Oh, right, here we go. It's laughing time."

"Well, you amuse me, grey old man."

"Guard! He's laughing again! You can't keep me locked up with a laughing person."

"Oh, I find that, I find that quite funny. Do you know, I feel another laugh coming on. A-ha-ha-ha!"

"Guards, I cannot remain in this cell. Execute me now."

"You heard him. Execute the old fool."

"No, hang on. Execute him."

"I do not fear death, so execute away."

"Execute him. I'd like to see if his head keeps laughing when you chop it off!"

"Oh, Robin Hood always laughs in the face of death."

"Yes, rolling around the floor laughing, I would pay good money to see that."

The Doctor & Robin start yelling together, "Guard! Guard! Guard! Guard! Guard! Guard!"

Finally, Clara snaps, "Oh, you two, SHUT UP!" They fall silent.

"Thank god!" Kathy exclaims. "I was tempted to split my head open by banging it on the floor."

"No, you weren't." Clara retorts.

"You don't know that."

Clara rolls her eyes. "Do either of you understand, in any way at all, that there isn't actually a guard out there?"

"Oh."

Robin takes the chance to one up the Doctor. "I did, in fact."

"No, you didn't."

"I said, shut up." Clara snaps. "The Doctor and Robin Hood locked up in a cellar. Is this seriously the best that you can do? You're determined to starve to death in here squabbling."

"Well, I'll tell you one thing. I'd last a lot longer than this desiccated man-crone." Robin says.

"Really?" The Doctor says disbelievingly.

"Really."

"Jesus," Kathy mutters. How could she have forgotten how irritating this would be?

The Doctor leans over to him. "Well, you know what? I think you'll find I have a certain genetic advantage." Clara yanks the chain, pulling him towards her. "Oh!"

"It is not a competition about who can die slower," Clara says.

"They're men Clara. It's all they can do." Kathy pipes up.

"Not helping!" Clara utters.

"It would definitely be me, though, wouldn't it?" The Doctor says, reminding them of the other two's competition.

"There was supposed to be a plan. Do either of you two have a plan?" Clara demands. "I would ask Kathy but I don't think she's had a chance to think with all this squabbling."

Kathy sees Robin look confused then. She then realises she had forgotten that he only knows her as Daveigh. This is definitely going to help with how much he trusts her.

"Yeah, of course, I have a plan." The Doctor says.

"I too have a plan," Robin says though whether he is just saying cause the Doctor did or he actually has one, is unknown.

"Okay. Robin, you first." Clara orders.

"Why him?" The Doctor demands.

"Doctor, shut up." Kathy snaps. "Robin, your plan."

"I am biding my time."

"Thank you, Prince of Thieves." Clara sasses. "Last of the Time Lords?"

"Yes, I have a plan." The Doctor says smugly.

"Can you explain your plan without using the word sonic screwdriver?" The Doctor's smugness dims as Clara speaks. "Because you might have forgotten the Sheriff of Nottingham has taken your sonic screwdriver, just saying. It's always the screwdriver."

"Okay, let, let, let, let's hear Robin's plan first."

"Oh, for God's sake!" Clara groans.

The sound of the door being unlocked diverts their attention.

"See? There was a guard. There was guard listening the whole time, I knew it. Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!" Robin cackles.

A guard enters. "The Sheriff himself commanded me to listen, to find out which of you is the true ringleader."

"Ah, so he can do the interrogating. Very wise." The Doctor says.

"Excellent. He will get nothing from me." Robin adds.

"No, no, no, no. no. He will get nothing from me, because interrogation, that's where I always turn the tables. You see, that's my plan."

"Just hurry up and take me to him."

"No, no, chop-chop, come on."

Instead, the guard unchains Clara and helps her up with his hand wrapped around her arm. Kathy lets out a snort at the two men's faces.

"Seriously," Clara says to them.

"Come on." The guard pulls her to the door.

"No." The Doctor whines.

"What are you doing?" Robin demands.

"Don't be ridiculous!" The door slams shut and locks.

"You only have yourselves to blame," Kathy tells them. They both grumble.

——

"I'm sorry?" The Doctor says in disbelief.

"No. Beat your breast. Moan. Groan as though twenty devils possessed your guts." Robin says.

"What for?"

"He thinks it'll attract the attention of that guard," Kathy explains. It's nice knowing what will happen, particularly when it's funny.

"Well, it's your plan. You moan." The Doctor states.

"No, no. No, it won't work." Robin decides.

"Why?"

"Oh, because you're clearly more advanced in years and you have a sickly aspect to you." Robin comments.

"I have a what?" The Doctor's face screws up to resemble an offended look.

"You're as pale as milk. It's the way with Scots. They're strangers to vegetables."

"Now you're being rude Robin," Kathy speaks.

"Exactly! So, with that attitude, you moan." The Doctor declares.

"Oh, like you have a better attitude," Kathy adds.

"Fine. If you want something doing." Robin moans loudly. "Can I rely upon you to do the rest?"

"Yes, yes, I know the drill." The Doctor mutters. Kathy nods in agreement. Robin continues moaning.

Guard peaks his face through the little window on the door. "What is this din?"

"No business of yours, cur." The Doctor calls to him and then speaks loudly to Robin. "Speak up. I can't hear you." Robin moans in response.

"What ails him?" The guard asks.

"None of your business," Kathy calls this time.

Guard enters. "I said, what ails him?"

"Well, if you must know, he's having a nervous breakdown." The Doctor answers. Kathy lets out a snort.

"A what?"

"He's like this whenever he's in any kind of danger. He just can't seem to cope. He gets so afraid. He goes into a kind of fit." Robin glares at him through his moaning. "I honestly believe that he may die of sheer fright, like some tiny, shivering little mouse." Robin lets out an irritated groan. "Oh, God, I think he's soiled himself."

"Let him die. It will save us the trouble of executing him." The guard turns away.

"And what will happen to the reward?" Kathy yells.

"Reward?"

"Oops," Kathy shrugs, "shouldn't have said that."

The guard rushes over to them. "Tell me!"

"He carries a vital message. The Prince has promised a bounty." Kathy explains.

"A big one?" The guard leans close.

"An enormous one." The Doctor adds this time.

Robin grunts, catching the guard's attention and he goes over to him. "What's that? Say again?"

Robin mumbles something. "What?"

Robin sits up and looks directly at him. "Your breath stinks like a serpent, has anyone ever told you that?" Robin's head hits him and the guard falls. "Soiled myself?" He demands.

"Did you?" The Doctor remarks. "That's getting into character. Okay, keys."

"I'll get them." Robin stretches out his leg.

"No, no. I'll get them." The Doctor stretches out his own. Kathy watches in amusement.

"I'll get them. I'll get them."

"I'm fine, no, no worries. I've got them!"

"I've got them! I'll get..." The keys rattle then fall tapping as they fall then they land in the water at the bottom of the cell.

"Well, there is a bright side." The Doctor comments.

"Which is?" Robin asks hopefully.

"Clara didn't see that."

"But I did!" Kathy singsongs.

——

They are able to get out of the dungeon but they are all still chained to one another.

"Now what?" Robin pants as they walk through a passage. He's carrying the weight that holds their chains together.

"First, a blacksmith's forge." The Doctor says.

"So as to remove our chains?"

Kathy rolls her eyes. Due to how irritated she's become, she seems to find every little thing annoying now. "Obviously."

"No. So, I can knock up an ornamental plant stand. Of course, it's so we can get rid of our chains. I don't want to be manacled to you all night." The Doctor snaps. Robin laughs. "Oh, no. Please, don't do that."

"Ornamental plant stand." Robin chortles.

"It's not even that funny." The Doctor complains.

"For once today I agree with you," Kathy says to him.

"You're an amusing fellow, Doctor!" Robin continues.

"Oh, don't! Can you just stop?" The Doctor snaps. The laughter continues. "You'll give yourself a hernia."

——

Kathy knows they are getting somewhere when they reach the door that leads to the spaceship the Sheriff is hiding.

"At last. Something real. No more fairy tales." The Doctor says as he walks in.

"What is this place?" Robin asks, gaping at the unknown world.

"A spaceship," Kathy explains. "People can travel in them."

"More twenty ninth century than twelfth. Data banks, data banks, data banks. Where was this ship headed?" The Doctor reads the information the ship provides. "The Promised Land again. Like the Half-Faced Man, but more sophisticated." Robin and Kathy walk over to watch the computer display how the ship disguised itself. "It disguised itself as a twelfth century castle. It merges into the culture, tries to keep a low profile, so no one notices. That explains the robot knights."

Kathy looks over at the glowing dome that is the engine. "But the engines are damaged. They're leaking radiation into the local atmosphere."

The Doctor snaps his fingers in her direction. "Of course! It's creating a temporary climate of staggering benevolence."

"I beg pardon?" Robin splutters.

"I told you. It's too sunny. It's too green. And there is even an evil sheriff to oppress the locals. This explains everything, even you." The Doctor declares.

"It does?"

"No, it doesn't Doctor, I keep telling you!" Kathy exclaims but she gets ignored.

"Well, what does every oppressed peasant workforce need? The illusion of hope. Some silly story to get them through the day, lull them into docility, and keep them working. Ship's data banks. Full of every myth and legend you could hope for, including Robin Hood." The Doctor continues. The computer displays images made on the legend.

"Isn't it time you came clean with me?" The Doctor demands. "You're not real and you know it. Look at you. Perfect eyes, perfect teeth. Nobody has a jawline like that. You're as much a part of what is happening here as the Sheriff and his metal knights. You're a robot."

"Doctor!" Kathy calls.

"Don't worry Kathy, I've got this!"

"You dare to accuse me of collusion with that villain, the Sheriff?" Robin exclaims.

"I dare."

"You false-tongued knave. I should have skewered you when I had the chance. Do not get me started on so called Daveigh." Robin cries.

"Hold on!" Kathy exclaims, holding up both of her hands. "I'm not the one accusing you of being in league with the Sheriff and a robot!"

"He wouldn't succeed in skewering me anyway." The Doctor declares. Before Robin can utter a response, lasers are heard and flames light up around the door, which collapses. "Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah."

Robots walk in with the Sheriff dragging Clara with him. "Surrender, outlaw."

"Very good." The Doctor casually says.

The Sheriff ignores him. "Kill him. Kill Robin Hood."

"You can drop all that stuff now, Sheriff."

"Doctor?" Clara calls. "Kathy?"

"He's in fantasy land, Clara." She replies. "I tried to talk him out of it."

"No, I'm not!" The Doctor exclaims, behind him, one of the robots prepares its weapon to fire at Robin. "He is not what you think he is. This is all play-acting."

Clara barges past the Doctor. "We can't just let them kill him!"

"I agree!" Kathy follows her. Hopefully, Robin will see she's still trustworthy.

"You're not fooling anyone, Sheriff." As the words are out of his mouth, the robot fires at Robin, who rolls out of the way.

Clara stands in front of Robin to protect him with Kathy beside her but he wraps his arms around her. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Surviving." Robin then throws himself out of the window they had been backed up against.

"No!" Clara cries as they fall.

"No! Clara!" The Doctor shouts. The Doctor, Sheriff and Kathy all go over to the window. There is a loud splash and no one rises.

"Yeah, sorry about the girl. Such a pretty thing. What a queen she would have made." The Sheriff walks away.

"It's okay Doctor. She's alive." As Kathy tells him this, Robin is seen carrying Clara out of the water at the edge of the moat.

The Doctor turns to the Sheriff. "Stop pretending. You and your fancy robots. I get it. I understand."

"Oh, so you too know my plans?"

"You and your robots plundering the surrounding countryside for all it's worth. Gold." Then he realises and clicks his fingers. "Gold. Of course. Gold. You are creating a matrix of gold to repair the engine circuitry."

"This is the scheme the Mechanicals have devised. Soon this skyship will depart." The Sheriff explains. "Destination, London. There I will obliterate the King and take my rightful place as ruler of this sceptred isle."

"Why does the bad guy always tell you their whole plan?" Kathy calls to the Doctor.

"I don't know but it sure is handy." Comes the reply. Out loud he says, "It won't work. There's not a chance. I've seen the instruments. There's been too much damage. You are stoking up a gigantic bomb!"

"Shush." The Sheriff then points to the side and they see the fist of a robot coming towards us. Oh, she had forgotten about that.

——

They wake up in the lower part of the castle in chains and on the floor.

"Engine capacity at forty eight percent." A man screams. "Engine capacity at forty eight percent." Kathy sees gold shaped to fit the ship being carried around.

"It's not enough. That's not enough. It'll never make orbit." The Doctor mutters. People wail, there is a small explosion, electrical pulsing.

"Yep," Kathy replies, wiggling into a sitting position. "And that's the engines, building in power."

"Ah. Stupid, stupid Sheriff." He grunts pulling at his chains. "Argh! Go on, give! Give, you stupid things. Why didn't you tell me this would happen?"

"I forgot," Kathy says sheepishly.

"Well, that's stupid." She rolls her eyes. The Doctor strains at his chains but collapses due to the effort. "What are you looking at?" He says to someone behind me.

Kathy turns and sees a very familiar girl staring at her. "Marian." Lunging towards her but due to the chains, she doesn't get far.

She smiles at her. "Daveigh."

"Of course, she's Marian." The Doctor murmurs irritably to himself.

Despite his grumblings, the Doctor is happy to explain the situation, with my help, to Marian. The woman is very receptive in listening to them explain what the Sheriff is actually up to.

"I think I understand you. The Sheriff's using the gold to replace something." Marian concludes afterwards.

"That's the principle. But he's a moron. If he tries to fly this ship, it'll explode and wipe out half the country." The Doctor replies.

"Exactly so what we need is a little riot," Kathy adds.

"Time to reflect on lasers and gold. Spread the word." The Doctor remarks.

——

A robot walks over to them. "You are fit for labour. Stand aside while these peasant units are freed."

"I'm afraid you're a little late." The Doctor says.

"Explain."

"We are already free!" Kathy cries as all of them show their free hands. The robot's weapon, which had been preparing, fires but Kathy grabs a gold plate next to her and holds it up in front of them. The laser reflects and hits the wall behind the robot as it had moved out of the way. However, they are ready when it fires again when Marian takes her turn in deflecting and the laser hits the robot in the head, destroying it.

They beam at each other and quickly stand but they are then confronted by another robot and more and more, however, they had been ready for this as every captive around them holds up their plates and they begin to fight back.

There is screaming as lasers shoot everywhere causing fires as well as the robot's destruction.

"Everyone, the last one!" The Doctor calls. They rush forward with their plates. They form a circle, which causes the robot's laser to fire around repeatedly until it hits it. Everyone cheers.

"Right out you go everyone." Kathy cries.

"Out, out!" The Doctor adds. The people listen and begin fleeing.

"You've saved us all, clever ones." Marion kisses the Doctor's cheek and hugs Kathy. "Thank you." She runs away.

"Engine capacity at eighty two percent."

"You are indeed an ingenious fellow, Doctor." The Sheriff calls to them, he stands a few metres away with two robots behind him. Kathy rolls her eyes. She helped as well! "But do you really think your peasants' revolt can stop me?"

"I rather think you're the revolting one around here." The Doctor says before muttering to himself. "I'm bantering. I'm bantering."

"Doctor focus." Kathy turns to the Sheriff. "Listen to us. You don't have enough gold content to seal the engine breach. If you try and take off, you'll wipe out half of England."

"Liar!" The Sheriff exclaims, holding one of the robots' helmets. "From my sky vessel, I shall rule omnipotent."

"You pudding-headed primitive, shut down the engines." The Doctor cries. "What you're doing will alter the course of history."

"I sincerely hope so, or I wouldn't be bothering." The Sheriff chucks the helmet underneath the pot of melting gold. He gestures for the two robots to come forward and likely grab the Doctor and Kathy.

"Listen to me. It doesn't have to end like this. Shut it all down, return Clara to me and I'll do what I can." The Doctor offers. He is seriously still on the same wavelength.

"I don't have Clara." The Sheriff tells them.

"Robin's one of yours." Kathy rubs her forehead, feeling a headache come on.

"What did you say?"

"He's one of your tin-headed puppets, just like these brutes here." The Doctor continues.

"Robin Hood is not one of mine." The Sheriff replies.

"Told you!" Kathy says to the Doctor.

The Doctor isn't detected. "Of course, he is. He's a robot, created by your mechanical mates."

"Why would they do that?" The Sheriff asks looking genuinely confused.

"To pacify the locals, give them false hope. He's the opiate of the masses." The Doctor explains.

"Why would we create an enemy to fight us?" The Sheriff questions- quite logically she might add. "What sense would that make? That would be a terrible idea."

"Yes! Yes, it would. Wouldn't it?" The reality seems to dawn on the Doctor then. "Yes, that would be a rubbish idea. Why would you do that?"

"Exactly," Kathy utters.

"But he can't be. He's not real." The Doctor mutters.

"But he is Doctor! We can't you get that in that supposedly big brain of yours!" Kathy exclaims, poking his forehead with her finger as she does so.

"He's a legend!" The Doctor is desperately clinging to his fading reality.

"Too kind!" They look up to see Robin on one of the upper platforms. "And this legend does not come alone."

"Hiya!" Clara calls, stepping out from behind him.

Robin and Clara climb over the railing, Robin sticks his sword into a flag draped on the fall and they both slide down.

"You all right?" Robin asks.

"Hell, yeah."

"Good." Robin disarms the Sheriff with his sword. "My men have taken the castle."

"No!" The robots prepare to fire.

"Now I'm going to take you."

"This one's all mine!" The robots wind down. "What do you say, outlaw? A final reckoning?"

"Oh, yes." The two face each other with their swords. Clara rushes over to the Doctor and Kathy.

"Are you okay?" The Doctor asks.

"Fine, yeah." Comes the reply.

"Told you she would be." Kathy reminds him.

"Well, we don't have long." The Doctor says. There's rumbling in the background.

"I shall avenge every slight, outlaw." The Sheriff cries.

"Doctor, Kathy," Clara says looking around concerned.

"I know. The whole castle's about to blow." The Doctor replies.

"He's right, we need to do this quickly," Kathy adds.

The Sheriff and Robin move around the room as they fight. The Doctor, Clara and Kathy stand and watch. Robin suddenly cuts the rope next to him and he is flung up in the air until he lands on an upper beam that is directly above the large pot of melting gold.

"I'm too much for you, outlaw." The Sheriff shouts. "The first of a new breed. Half man, half engine." He too cuts a rope and lands opposite Robin and their swords begin to clash with one another again. "Never ageing. Never tiring."

"Are you still talking?" Robin sarcastically remarks. However, the Sheriff gets the upper hand and cuts Robin's right arm causing him to let go of his sword and it falls to the floor in front of them. After a moment of silence, Robin straightens up and holds his arms wide. Kathy smirks as she recalls what he's doing.

"Bow down before your new king, you prince of knaves!" Sheriff lunges towards him but Robin spins so they are back to back and push the Sheriff into the car of gold. There is screaming then a splash.

Robin uses the rope to land back on the ground. "Sorry. Was that, er, was that showing off?"

"That was amazing," Clara says, but then rumbling returns, only this time it's louder and the walls begin to crumble.

"Run! Come on, run!" The Doctor yells. They all bolt from the room.

——

Robin, the Doctor, Kathy, Clara, the Merry men and anyone else who made it out gather at the edge of the woods as the castle falls apart as the ship takes off.

"It's never going to make it. Not enough gold. It'll never make it into orbit." The Doctor yells over the noise and wind.

Kathy turns to Tuck hoping to hurry them along. "Tuck we need the golden arrow!"

"You took it?" The Doctor exclaims as he takes the arrow and gets a bow.

"Of course, we did. We're robbers." Tuck replies.

"I love you boys." The Doctor says.

"Doctor, what are you suggesting?" Clears questions.

"Golden arrow. It might just be enough gold content to get the ship into orbit and out of harm's way." The Doctor explains then hold up the arrow and bow to Robin.

The man shakes his head. "No, it has to be you. My arm is injured." The Doctor raises them towards the ship but struggles.

"You're good at this. I saw you. You won the tournament." Clara encourages.

"I cheated. I made a special arrow with a homing device." The Doctor admits.

"Oh, brilliant. Right, let me have a go." Clara says taking them.

"You? You do Tae Kwon Do. That's not the same thing as this." The Doctor says.

"Well, I shall do it then!" Kathy exclaims and she grabs the bow and arrow from Clara.

"You?" The Doctor questions.

"I've had a lot of practice." She remarks as she aims the arrow toward the ship.

"Go on Lady Daveigh! Or should I say, Kathy?" Robin cries. She flashes him a smile as she lets go of the arrow and it shoots through the air towards the ship. It successfully hits it and the ship increases in power and shoots out into outer space where it explodes. They all cheer.

"One awful day in Nottingham, Brave Robin Hood was in a jam." Alan sings on his lute. " The arrow flew it true... "

Will steals it from him. "Give it a rest, Alan."

"Give me my lute!" Alan cries. They all laugh.

"Still not keen on the laughing thing?" Clara remarks at the sight of the Doctor's disgruntled face.

"No, no, no, no." Clara and Kathy laugh at him.

——

They return to the river where the TARDIS sits. Robin is giving Clara some archery lessons and says goodbye as the Doctor and Kathy chat to the other Merry Men.

"Goodbye, Kathy. Always good to see you." The Doctor says.

Kathy smiles. "Goodbye Doctor. Till the next time."

The Doctor nods and walks over to Robin as Clara has stepped inside the TARDIS. Kathy had said her goodbyes to her earlier. They briefly talk and shake hands then the Doctor turns and steps inside the TARDIS.

The metallic thrumming sounds as the TARDIS fades away. Kathy watches with a small smile on her face knowing what the Doctor has left behind for Robin. It full fades to reveal Marian.

"Robin? I've found you at last." They run towards each other.

"Marian?" After a moment they kiss and the rest of them all cheer. Robin runs to a hillier part of the ground and calls, "Thank you. Thank you, Doctor! Ha-ha-ha!" He shoots an arrow into the sky.

——

A/N: I based Kathy's name on David of Doncaster who, according to Wikipedia, 'appears only in "Robin Hood and the Golden Arrow". He warns Robin against going to the Sheriff of Nottingham's archery contest because it is a trap.' I thought it be cool to have Kathy be a part of the legend.

Please leave comments on how you're enjoying this story and what you think.

#doctor who

[storyofmorewhoa]

Ultimate X-Men #8 (2001)

#ultimate x-men #ultimate rogue #marian carlyle #anna marie raven #anna raven #anna marie lebeau #rogue #marvel comics

[girlsofcomics]

Rogue

-Real Name: Anna Marie

-A.k.a.: Ace, Anna Lebeau, Anna Raven, Anne-Marie Rankin, Carol Danvers, Dr. Adler, Dr. Kellogg, Irene Adler, Legacy, Malicia, Marian, Marian Carlyle, Marianne, Marie D´Ancanto, Miss Smith, Mrs. Lebeau, Ms. Marvel, Mutate #9602, Reaper, Thor.

-Publisher: Marvel

-Type: Mutant

- Afilliations: A-Force, Advocates, Avengers, Avengers Unity Squad, Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, Cosmic Champions, Exiles, Genoshan Mutates, Jean Grey Academy, Red Guard, The Vi-Locks, X-Men, X-Punks, X-Treme Sanctions Executive.

-Powers: Absorbs a living being´s essence with physical contact and powers,agility, berserker strength, empathy, energy absorption, flight, invulnerability, leadership, psychic, siphon abilities, siphon lifeforce, stamina, super speed, super strength, unarmed combat.

#character #rogue #anna marie #ace #anna lebeau #anna raven #anne-marie rankin #carol danvers #dr. adler #dr. kellogg #irene adler #legacy #malicia #marian #marian carlyle #marianne #marie d´ancanto #miss smith #mrs lebeau #ms marvel #mutate 9602 #reaper #thor #marvel #Marvel Comics #mutant #a-force #advocates #Avengers #avengers unity squad

[wadewicons]

LIKE OR CREDIT @johncosntantine ON TWITTER IF YOU SAVE/USE

#marian carlyle #rogue #rogue icons #xmen icons #ultimate xmen #marvel icons #icons

[doesithavetobeaspider]

The (entire) saga of Ultimate Beak: Birdguy. Cataclysm: Ultimate X-Men #1-3

#beak #barnell bohusk #Ultimate rogue #ultimate marian carlyle #blackheath #ultimate plantman #ultimate samuel smithers #ultimate storm #ultimate ororo munroe #ultimate amp #ultimate pixie #ultimate megan gwynn #wasted gems of the 1610 #marvel comics #ultimate beak #ultimate barnell bohusk #X-men

[themattress]

OUAT AND ME: SEASON 4

Story - The story for the first half of the season is the Frozen Saga and the story for the second half is the Operation Mongoose Saga. The Frozen Saga is about Elsa from Arendelle crossing over into Storybrooke in search of her sister Anna, bonding with Emma in the process and helping her face another Snow Queen who has a secret connection to both of them, while the Operation Mongoose Saga is about heroes and villains alike searching for the elusive author of Henry's storybook so that he can give them their happy endings.

The Frozen Saga is noteworthy for being the last time that OUAT was big in the mainstream, due to the ubiquitous nature of the Disney phenomenon it was capitalizing on not even a year after its release in theaters. And despite the initial apprehension of many, it's actually the Frozen elements that are the strongest part of this story. The flashbacks tell an interconnecting tale serving as the backstory of the present-day events much like the flashbacks of the Dark Curse Saga did, making excellent use of both Frozen and OUAT's established mythology. And the present-day story is all about the unexpected yet perfectly natural bond between Emma and Elsa, and it's honestly one of the strongest depicted friendships the show has ever had. The way the two of them are further linked through the Big Bad is also ingenious, bringing about a great feeling of cohesion to the narrative.

In fact, rewatching this arc after Frozen 2, it's kind of funny how I actually prefer it as a sequel to the original movie than the actual sequel! Like Frozen 2, this arc deals with why Elsa and Anna's parents left on their fateful voyage, the discovery of a secret from their mother's side of the family, a revelation of what the source of Elsa's power is, Elsa making peace with herself while Anna learns to be more independent and ends up marrying Kristoff, and a location called the Enchanted Forest. But it does so in a way that feels more true to the characters from the original film and avoids all of the pratfalls that Frozen 2 stumbled into. There's no over-its-head political message, no sisterly separation ending, and no Olaf.

Unfortunately, there are two subplots that put a damper on things. The first subplot starts off well enough, with Rumpelstiltskin returning to his former villainous glory as he sneaks and schemes and manipulates his way through a plan to obtain the power of the Sorcerer's Hat of Fantasia fame, but it sadly fails to stick the landing in a way that matches the build-up and there end up being no lingering consequences to it when there really should have been. The second subplot is horrendous, focusing on the increasingly skeevy romance between Regina and Robin Hood while also pushing Regina forward on a ridiculous quest to find the Author of Henry's storybook. Why? She believes some cosmic rule is preventing her from having a happy ending  because she was written as a villain in the book (and not because, y'know, she was actually a villain in the past), and if she's rewritten as a hero she thinks that will change. Yes, that is the absurd idea that this whole subplot is founded upon, and the fact that everyone goes along with it as if there is an ounce of logic behind it is cringe-inducing.

Sadly, that subplot ends up becoming the plot of the Operation Mongoose Saga, which on the one hand gives Season 4 more connection between its two arcs than Season 3 had, but on the other hand it's so fucking stupid. Now, whenever it's Rumple leading around his villainous team, "the Queens of Darkness", to find the Author before the heroes can, things are fun and watchable in spite of the plot's stupidity. But whenever it's Regina and Robin's continued relationship angst or a horrendous new subplot about Snow and Charming having secretly been villains in the past by causing Maleficent to lose her child, it's tiresome and insulting. The finale, a two-parter actually named "Operation Mongoose", is highly enjoyable, but it can't fully wash away the taste of what came before it....or what it sets up to come after it.

Characters - Heroes and villains everywhere, and not always where you expect.

* Remember how in Season 3, Emma had a great character arc in the Neverland Saga but then it came to a halt in the Wicked Saga until the two-part season finale finally picked it up and resolved it? And that the Wicked Saga did her dirty by building her up as the only one who could defeat Zelena only for Regina to defeat her instead? Season 4 does kind of a repeating of these problems, except this time around they are a lot more glaring.

For most of the Frozen Saga, Emma has a great arc that's essentially her and Elsa's shared journey toward self-love; learning from each other to accept themselves and their innate powers without having to always rely on the approval of a loved one. But then, after a huge broo-ha-ha is made about how Emma must be the one to defeat the Snow Queen....she doesn't, and Anna barges in to help the Snow Queen see the error of her ways before Emma can lift a finger. She isn't even the one to save her own boyfriend from Rumple afterward, Belle does it instead. It makes Emma look like the definition of a Boring Failure Heroine.

And things don't improve for her in the Operation Mongoose Saga. Her roles are being subservient to Regina in spite of the abuse Regina had thrown her way in the previous arc, being unreasonably angry at her parents for keeping a secret from her, being vilified for daring to kill a heinous villain in defense of her son, going back and forth between being a friend or an enemy to her "dark half" Lily, and being hyped as the key to restoring reality to the way it was in the season finale...only for Regina, yet again, to end up taking that role away from her. I think it was Disney's insistence that Emma be tied to Elsa and have that arc in the Frozen Saga, because Adam and Eddy clearly couldn't care less about her.  

* Snow and Charming....SIGH. In the Frozen Saga, Snow is the new mayor of Storybrooke...until the Operation Mongoose Saga, where she suddenly isn't anymore and Regina takes up the mantle again. Through both arcs, Snow reaches new levels of bad motherhood toward Emma while continuing to coddle Regina, which is not touching, it's creepy. Charming, meanwhile, is revealed to have been a long-haired coward during his shepherd days and owes his bravery and swordsman skills to Anna, which neuters just about any coolness he ever had. And then, of course, there's the egg-napping subplot from the Operation Mongoose Saga, where Snow and Charming are revealed to have stolen the egg containing Maleficent's baby, transferred Emma's darkness into it while Emma was still in Snow's womb, and then sent it away in a portal. All because of some nebulous prophesizing and interference from Isaac. And this revelation means, according to the show, that they were villains all along and thus all this time have been pious hypocrites who just do things the easy way rather than the right way. Doesn't Regina look so much better in comparison to them now? Because that's clearly the intent behind this fucking writing decision. Character assassination at its finest.

* Henry sucks, Henry sucks, Henry.....doesn't suck? Yes, for most of the season Henry is lamer than he's ever been, still being treated like a precocious kid character even though Jared Gilmore has clearly entered puberty. But then he ends up as the leading character of the season finale, and shockingly rises to the occasion. It concludes with him becoming the new Author, and this marks a turning point in Henry's character that has been a long time coming, which I will go more into detail about when I talk about the next two seasons.

* This is the season where Regina officially crossed the line into Mary Sue territory. She decides that Marian's reappearance means that she is being punished for being a villain...not because she actually was a villain, but because some Author dared to write her as a villain in a storybook, and that he needs to rewrite her into a hero so that she can get the happy ending that she's entitled to. And in true Mary Sue fashion, she warps the plot and characters around her so that nobody objects to this idea and instead whole-heartedly embrace it.

Every good guy in Storybrooke fights to help Regina get her happy ending, constantly repeating that she "deserves it" and has "come so far" even as she continues to act in ways contradicting that notion. In the end, she doesn't even need the Author since she gets Robin Hood back, gets the adulation of being a "Light Savior" who restores reality back to normal, and has Emma sacrifice herself to the Dark One curse in order to save Regina and her "hard-earned" happy ending. I think the scene that best displays the problem is in the flashback of the episode "Mother", where we see Regina in the past remorselessly murder a groom on his wedding day for no good reason, then immediately go cry over Daniel's grave since this is the anniversary of his death, and then we cut to present-day Regina mention how life always "kicks her in the teeth". Yeah, I kinda think life kicked that groom in the teeth WAY more. So where the Hell is the Author who's gonna give his poor widowed bride her happy ending?

* Rumple, for the most part, is great in this season. In the Frozen Saga, we see him going back to his Dark Curse Saga roots as he plays the role of the true villainous mastermind behind the female Big Bad, dealing and manipulating his way toward one single objective - in this case being to use the power of the Sorcerer's Hat to "cleave" himself from the Dark One dagger. And in the Operation Mongoose Saga, he steps up as the direct Big Bad who leads a team of other villains in pursuit of the Author, under the promise that he can give them their happy endings. It helps that Robert Carlyle is clearly enjoying himself; that fun is infectious.

Unfortunately, there is a problem: Rumple fails to stick the landing in his last three episodes of both arcs. In the Frozen Saga, his failure to absorb Emma into the Sorcerer's Hat seems to drive him bonkers because he then rips out Hook's heart, relying solely on commanding him to do his dirty work all while ranting and raving repetitively about how when the stars in the sky and the stars in the hat are aligned, he will cleave himself of the dagger and he will kill Hook to do so, and that Hook better enjoy so-and-so because it'll be his last and blah blah blah. It's boring and silly, and Rumple's arrogance as he keeps saying it just makes his failure that much more pathetic. And in the Operation Mongoose Saga, his suddenly revealed heart condition ends up taking its toll on him and he is ultimately unable to mount a final assault against the heroes on his own, requiring the far less impressive Isaac to do so instead. The "Light One" version of him that Isaac overwrites him with manages to put up a fight, but that's not nearly as good. Rumple as the Big Bad should have gone out with a bang, not a whimper.

* Hook remains one of the best characters in the ensemble, forced to reconcile his pirate past with his heroic present in both the Frozen Saga and the Operation Mongoose Saga. In the former, his fears of regressing allow Rumple to manipulate him into servitude, which Hook ends up fighting against until Rumple rips out his heart. In the latter, he contends with the way in which he'd wronged Ursula in the past, and with the help of Ariel (whom he also finally does right by), he is able to rectify his mistake and grant Ursula her true happy ending. I'm not really a big fan of his new modern leather jacket, though. The pirate coat was iconic!

* Following such a good Season 3 performance, Belle looks like she's on track to become even better at the end of the Frozen Saga when she finally sees Rumple for who he is and dumps his ass all the way across the town line. It was a powerful scene with some great lines from Belle, and by all logic it should have been the end of her and Rumple as a romantic pairing. They needed to be done after that, with Belle now being free to develop her character entirely apart from Rumple. But of course, Adam and Eddy would never allow that, so all she does in the Operation Mongoose Saga is date a man she doesn't actually love to soothe her heartbreak, fall passed out on the floor, have her heart stolen by Regina and then have it recovered by Rumple which causes her to inevitably crawl back to him at the end of the finale. As the next seasons will show, this damaged Belle's character beyond repair, turning her into the very Stockholm Syndrome-afflicted abuse victim that stupid detractors of the Disney version always claimed she was. This isn't a love story anymore. It's a horror story.

* Robin Hood is a regular for this season in all but title, being present for many episodes in the Frozen Saga and even getting his own focus episode in the Operation Mongoose Saga. If there was any chance of salvaging this horrendously misused character, it died the moment it showed that he still desired a relationship with Regina even after learning that she was the one who killed Marian, which would have stuck if not for Emma and Hook's time travel adventure. I'm sorry, who does that!? That is not realistic human behavior! And it only gets worse when he ends up deliberately and vocally throwing away his honor code by cheating on Marian with Regina while Marian is frozen solid and could possibly die! Oh, but Marian ends up being Zelena anyway, so all's cool. No! All's not cool! Why did this show make Robin Hood into such a lame character!? It's especially a disservice to Sean Maguire, who's a smooth and funny guy in real life and the Robin Hood he plays utilizes none of his charm.

* And then we have the regular in title only, Robin's former associate Will Scarlet, carried over from Once Upon a Time in Wonderland. Of all the screwed-over regulars the show has had, none can compare with Will Scarlet. He does little of interest in the Frozen Saga except for enticing viewers with various mysteries about who he is, why he's here and what's he up to...and those mysteries get absolutely no pay-off in the Operation Mongoose Saga, where he barely shows up and when he does is mainly just Belle's new boyfriend (whom she scarcely interacts with directly!) so that Rumple can get jealous and more determined to find the Author. In the end, Will Scarlet is a nuisance who has fuck-all to do with anything that's going on in the season, leaving viewers scratching their heads as to why he was included to begin with. I can't believe that in his last speaking appearance, the show actually has him deliver the line "I warn ya, I'm scrappy", to which Rumple replies "All right, Scrappy." It's funny because Scrappy, in the TV Tropes usage of the word, perfectly describes Will here.

So, what went wrong? Well, originally the Wonderland spin-off was meant to take place during Season 2 of the main show, with the originally filmed pilot making this explicit. So Will in Season 4 was to be the Will we have after the Wonderland Saga's conclusion, meaning somehow he'd gone back to Storybrooke and regressed back into a selfish, self-esteem lacking, seemingly heartless thief separated from his true love Anastasia / the Red Queen. Highly unoriginal of Adam and Eddy, but whatever, there were still plans to move forward with him as a character on the main show. But those plans failed to materialize and Michael Socha spent a lot of time on set doing nothing, a miserable experience which he was very vocal about afterward. And what was Adam and Eddy's excuse? "It’s just, you know, there’s just so many…there’s just so many people that it’s like, it’s sometimes hard to do that story and sacrifice Regina’s story. That’s just showbiz." It all comes down to Regina. Of course.

In the end it's for the best that the confirmation of the Wonderland Saga as taking place in Season 2 never happened in the pilot we actually got, since Will's existence in this season only makes sense now if it was happening before the Wonderland Saga rather than after, thus my headcanon will always be that Will's fateful break-in to Granny's was after it closed up on the night "Operation Mongoose" ended on rather than the night of the wraith attack.

* Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, Sven, Hans, Grand Pabbie, Oaken, the Duke of Weselton, and the former King and Queen of Arendelle are all lifted from Frozen to OUAT, and for every character that required an actor they got an actor who perfectly brought the animated movie character to life. They are also written accurately as well, with Elsa naturally being the stand-out given how much she gets to do and the bond she forges with Emma. And then there are the new Frozen characters invented for the show: Elsa and Anna's aunts - the deceased Helga and the icy-powered Ingrid, who is also the Frozen Saga's Big Bad, the Snow Queen. Ingrid, played beautifully by Elizabeth Mitchell, is essentially what Elsa might have become if Anna hadn't been so unconditionally loving toward her - her mind warped by her past pain and trauma, embittered toward all normal people, and willing to cross any moral boundary to find a family and place to belong to. Her connection to Elsa and Anna is perfectly exploited, her interactions with characters like Emma and Rumple are fascinating, and her ending where she realizes the error of her ways and sacrifices her life to reverse the damage she's done is the show's most beautiful, emotional send-offs for a villain since Rumple's death.

* The Queens of Darkness are Rumple's cohorts in the Operation Mongoose Saga who also desire the Author to write them a happy ending. The initial group is the trio of Maleficent, Ursula and Cruella De Vil, and it's later revealed that not-so-dead Zelena is also a member.

Maleficent, in spite of being played competently by Kristen Bauer van Straten and having great fashion sense in both worlds, is the weakest of the initial trio, since she is saddled with the mind-bogglingly stupid eggnapping subplot. Ursula isn't actually reflective of the Disney version of the character (Regina already did that in Season 3) and is more like a dark version of Ariel in regards to her backstory. She also isn't nearly as villainous as her peers and naturally she is redeemed rather quickly and easily as a result. And then there's Cruella De Vil, who is not a fairy tale character so everyone feared how she'd come off. Well, she's not only the best of the trio but one of the show's best villains, period. Victoria Smurfit looks, sounds and moves like the cartoon character made flesh, backed up by strong writing that makes her both funny and menacing - especially the latter when it comes to her backstory, a twisted little tale that subverts the show's usual "evil isn't born, it's made" mantra HARD.

Zelena.....SIGH. Like I said before, Adam and Eddy were dropping obvious clues that she wasn't really dead at the end of Season 3, which begged the question why they did a fake-out death to begin with. Apparently, it's because of this season's twist where, with almost no foreshadowing whatsoever, Marian is revealed to actually be Zelena in disguise, having traveled back in time with Emma and Hook and then killed the real Marian in order to take her place. She's revealed to then be pregnant with Robin Hood's child (since he slept with her thinking she was Marian...therefore, she raped him) before being hauled right on back to Storybrooke prison again. It's awful writing, salvaged only by Rebecca Mader's performance.

* We get some welcome returning characters this season, including Sydney Glass, Blackbeard, Ariel, Cora, and against all expectations August Booth. There are some interesting new side characters introduced as well, such as warlord Bo Peep (yes, really), Ursula's father Poseidon played by the great Ernie Hudson, and the Sorcerer's Apprentice, keeper of the Sorcerer's Hat and the Author's boss, meaning he naturally plays a major role throughout the season. The Author himself is Isaac Heller, played by Patrick Fischler, and he turns out to be a surprise villain who abuses his powers to influence events, which an Author is not supposed to do. While I wish he didn't take over the Big Bad position to such a degree in the finale, Isaac is still a very entertaining villain, especially when he's playing off of Regina and Rumple. His sardonic and cynical attitude also make him the perfect foil to Henry.

And then there's this season's biggest waste of a new character: Lilith "Lily" Page. There are three major problems with Lily. First of all, her origin - she's Maleficent's child that Snow and Charming kidnapped, passed all of Emma's natural-born darkness onto, and sent through a portal when she was still in an egg. It's so utterly stupid. Second, she is played by a Latino actress as a child only to have a white actress playing her as an adult. How does that work!? Finally, for all of the build-up she receives, she and her story go absolutely nowhere after she is reunited with her mother. They even make a point of giving her a scene toward the end about wanting to find who her father is, and that never gets followed up on. Even worse, the next story arc is all about Emma going dark, which Rumple had been trying to make happen throughout this arc and Lily was linked to, and yet Lily, her literal dark half, ISN'T involved!? Honestly, Mal from Descendants made a better "daughter of Maleficent" character! MAL!

Atmosphere - The Frozen Saga's atmosphere is very...Frozen-y; I don't really know another word to describe it. At least whenever it's focused on the Frozen characters. The Rumple subplot gets progressively darker to the point of becoming unpleasant, while the Regina subplot is just romantic and existential angst 24/7. These atmospheres don't fit in with the Frozen one at all, which is a testament to how Adam and Eddy are going the wrong direction with this show. Once the Operation Mongoose Saga happens, the atmosphere of the show goes insane, flip-flopping back and forth between family fairy tale wholesomeness to dark and disturbing and depressing to campiness on a level that feels off even for this show.

Episode Quality - For the most part, the Frozen Saga's episodes are perfectly fine and entertaining, although stretching out the 8th episode, "Smash the Mirror", into a two-parter was a horrible idea that cost the show terribly in the ratings. The only two standouts of badness are the 5th episode, "Breaking Glass", which introduces Lily in the flashback story while the present day story is all about Emma just having to sit back and take Regina's verbal abuse in spite of doing nothing to deserve it, and the final episode, "Heroes and Villains", whose only redeeming quality is the scene with Rumple and Belle at the town line, which doesn't even have lasting consequences. For the rest of the episode, we either spend time giving the Frozen cast a rushed, underwhelming send-off, having Rumple continue to abuse Hook while none of the idiot heroes catch on, fixating even more on Regina's angst as she has to let Robin Hood leave town in order to "save" "Marian", and watching a stupid Rumbelle-based flashback introducing the Queen of Darkness trio. In short, the episode is more the start of the Operation Mongoose Saga than it is the end of the Frozen Saga, which feels like a slap in the face to the last thing that made this show relevant to the mainstream.

And the Operation Mongoose Saga's episodes....actually got a lot better on a rewatch!? Don't get me wrong, this story arc is BAD. But when you detach yourself emotionally from the show and its characters, it becomes So Bad It's Good. It's as if the entire saga is Isaac's fanfiction; after all, it truly got started in "Heroes and Villains", and that's the name of Isaac's book in the "Operation Mongoose" two-part finale. Some episodes are unironically fun: "Darkness on the Edge of Town", "Poor Unfortunate Soul" and "Sympathy For the De Vil", but the other episodes are also fun when you just embrace how batshit crazy this whole story is and just enjoy watching how these poor actors are struggling to make something out of the material, and it's just as much fun when they fail as it is when they succeed. "Heart of Gold", the Robin Hood focus episode that reveals the Marian = Zelena twist, is one I have a soft spot for, because between Mader and Carlyle's acting, the scene of that reveal is hilarious.

Overall -  Season 4 is basically the inverse of Season 2. Whereas Season 2 was horribly structured but a lot of strong material in either writing or acting was able to make it stronger than the sum of its parts. Season 4, on the other hand, has a solid structure with two inter-connected story arcs, but the material gets so increasingly shoddy that it doesn't matter. Until Seasons 6 and 7 came along, this was definitely the weakest season the show had to offer. If you don't mind a So Bad It's Good quality, then you should stick with the entire thing. But if you only want something that's actually good, then just watch all of the Frozen material.

#Once Upon a Time #ABC #OUAT and Me #Opinion #Analysis

[locksleiarchive]

ive  never  seen  ouat  in  my  life  (  i  lie  i  watched  s1  bc  one  ,  rob  carlyle  &  two,  got  to  support  australians  [  looking  at  u  ms  emilie  ]  ),  so  going  thru  the  robin  hood  tag  &  finding  out  rob’s  w  regina  &  not  marian  ,,,,,,,,  im  stressed

#IM STRESSED #ᴠɪɪ. — ➸ ৲ ﹙ if she would have once again her forest days › ooc ﹚

[lady-detectives]

The lady detective series that I’ve read, specifically modern ones set in the early 20th century, with very short reviews that do not reflect the quality of the series, but definitely reflect my biases:

- Phryne Fisher Mysteries - Devoured them. So much queer. Gotta love Phryne, who apologizes to no-one. God. Occasionally the series has embarrassingly silly bits, but the good stuff was addictive. - Daisy Dalrymple Mysteries - Dropped after one book, but I may get back to it. This was early days, where my distaste for the heroine having a boyfriend at all was greater. - Edwardian Murder Mysteries by Marian Chesney - Dropped almost before I finished the first book. Lady Rose was silly and reckless, the real detective was her boyfriend. Ugh. - Maisie Dobbs Mysteries - I read a couple, but then stopped. They’re fine? They’re just a little boring, and Maisie is still so unsure of herself, always referring back to her mentor. - Violet Carlyle Mysteries - I am torn between absolutely loving them, like Pringles or popcorn (nice, snack-size mysteries with a cast of bright young things!) and absolutely hating the love interest. So... so much. And he just doesn’t go away. - Kate Shackleton Mysteries - My jaaammmmm. She is so sensible, and though she dates an inspector for a while, she dumps him when he gets too bossy. Kate needs to sit Violet (and a few other ladies in this genre) down for a chat about the value of retaining one’s autonomy. - Murder Most Unladylike - Schoolgirl detectives, combining my love of old girls’ novels with my love of cozy mysteries. And there is so much queer. So... much... queer. I buy every one as they come out. - Dandy Gilver Mysteries - They are more Agatha Christie in a way? A lot of the above are like yummy chocolate bars with cracker and nougat, Dandy’s 70% dark choc with raspberry and chili filling. I have read two, out of order, and intend to read more in the future.  - Ginger Gold Mysteries - Dropped after one book and I already almost forgot to add this to the list. It wasn’t bad, I guess... Just short, with some characterisations I found less than astute, and with another (sigh) sexy inspector. Had Ginger dated that best friend of hers instead, I would have read more. I am a simple woman with simple needs, Etc.

#sexy inspectors get off my lawn #lady detective mysteries #personal opinions #books #queer

[ultimateanna]

My favorite comic book covers Ultimate X-Men

#x-men #ultimate x-men #ultimate x men #comics #kurt wagner #nightcrawler #james howlett #wolverine #marvel girl #jean grey #ororo munroe #storm #eric lehnsherr #magneto #gambit #remy lebeau #rouge #marian carlyle #piotr rasputin #colossus #robert drake #bobby drake #iceman #scott summers #cyclops

[onceuponaseriesrewatch]

Once Upon a Series Rewatch Press Release: 3x21 Snow Drifts

3x21 Snow Drifts

Synopsis: While Mary Margaret and David celebrate the naming of their son at a coronation in Granny’s Diner, Emma and Hook are pulled into Zelena’s time portal and find themselves in the Enchanted Forest of the past.  But in their quest to discover a way back, they must be careful not to change anything or risk altering the lives of their friends and family.

Written by: David H. Goodman, Robert Hull

Directed by: Ron Underwood

Starring: Ginnifer Goodwin (Snow White / Mary Margaret Blanchard); Jennifer Morrison (Emma Swan); Lana Parilla (Evil Queen / Regina Mills); Josh Dallas (Prince Charming / David Nolan); Emilie de Ravin (Belle French); Colin O’Donoghue (Captain Killian ‘Hook’ Jones); Michael Raymond-James (Neal Cassidy); Jared Gilmore (Henry Mills); Robert Carlyle (Rumplestiltskin / Mr. Gold)

Guest Starring: Tony Amendola (Marco / Geppetto); Lee Arenberg (Leroy); Beverley Elliott (Granny Lucas / Granny); Chris Gauthier (William Smee); Anastasia Griffith (Kathryn Nolan / Princess Abigail); Rebecca Mader (Zelena); Sean Maguire (Robin Hood); Charles Mesure (Blackbeard); Meghan Ory (Ruby Lucas); Alex Zahara (King Midas); Mik Byskov (black knight archer); Faustino Di Bauda (Sleepy); David Avalon (Doc); Gabe Khouth (Sneezy); Christie Laing (Marian); Hannah Longworth (adopted little girl); Abby Ross (young Emma); Iris Truong (little girl); Colleen Wheeler (group mother)

Snow Drifts airs May 5 at 8:00 pm

#ouasr #once upon a series rewatch #ouasr press release #3x21 snow drifts

[entangledmuses]

MUSES

BY FANDOM:

9-1-1:

Lucy Donato Harvin Jacobs (OC)

BAD BOYS:

Kelly Lewis

BITTEN:

Elena Michaels BRIDGERTON:

Daphne Bridgerton                                                     Kate Sheffield/Sharma Sophie Beckett Emma Ashwell (OC) Eliza Montgomery (OC)

BUFFY/ANGEL:

Cordelia Chase                                                           Faith Lehane 

CHICAGO FIRE:

Stella Kidd Sylvie Brett Lucianna Garcia (OC)

CHICAGO MED:

Jenna Isaacs (OC) (v)

CHICAGO PD:

Hailey Upton Kim Burgess                                      

CRAZY RICH ASIANS:

Astrid Leong

DCEU

Harley Quinn (Selective)

DEMI-GODDESS

Cleopatra Kent (OC) Daughter of Ares Mika Bishop (OC) Daughter of Athena Alba Murphy (OC) Daughter of Iris Lorelai Lakes (OC) Daughter of Hecate Sullivan Thromby (OC) Daughter of Hades

DISNEY: (live action fcs)

Princess Jasmine                                                     Megara

DIVERGENT

Christina

FANTASTIC BEASTS

Lally Hicks

FEAR STREET

Cindy Berman

GAME OF THRONES:

Margaery Tyrell                                                       Seraphina Varley (OC) (v)

HANSEL AND GRETEL:WITCH HUNTERS:

Gretel (With AU verses)

HARRY POTTER:

Astoria Greengrass          Demelza Robbins                     Ginny Weasley Hermione Granger          Padma Patil                                                           Parvati Patil Pansy Parkinson                 Victoire Weasley     Lily Evans/Potter      Rowena Ravenclaw                                        Everly Keeler (OC) Violet Kerrington (OC)

HEMLOCK GROVE:

Letha Godfrey

HUNGER GAMES:

Madge Undersee

JAMES BOND

Paloma Becka Leithold-Bond (OC)

KINGSMAN:

Roxy Morton

KNIVES OUT: THE GLASS ONION:

Whiskey

LAST KINGDOM:

Eadith of Mercia Katri Mäkinen (OC) (v) Magna Sigurdsdottir (OC) (v) Renia Leifsdottir (OC) (v) Seraphina Varley (OC) (v) Freya Rixon (OC) (v) Rosalia Menendez (OC) (v)

LITTLE WOMEN

Amy March

LOCKWOOD AND CO:

Lucy Carlyle Rylie Theakston (OC) (v)

MCU:

Kate Bishop                                          Maria Hill Michelle ‘MJ’ Jones                                               Natasha Romanoff Sharon Carter              Yelena Belova Amelia Hudson (OC)                                             Peyton Coyle (OC) Seraphina Varley (OC) (v)

MUSKETEERS

Anne of Austria Constance Bonacieux Bea Browne (OC) Prudence Mallorey (OC)

MYTH/LEGEND/LORE:

Amphitrite (Greek)                                                 Artemis/Autumn (Greek) Hera/Helena (Greek)               Persephone (Greek)            Athena (Greek) Aphrodite (Greek)      Mina Harker (Dracula) Guinevere (Arthurian)

NATIONAL TREASURE: EDGE OF HISTORY:

Jesusita Valenzuela

NARNIA:

Susan Pevensie Freya Rixon (OC) (v) Seraphina Varley (OC) (v)

NIGHT AGENT:

Rose Larkin (Currently Single Ship)

OUTER BANKS:

Kiara Carrera Kelsey Heyward (OC) Cece Roachford (OC)(v) Morgan Kendell (OC)(v)

REIGN:

Mary Stuart Lola Narcisse Katri Mäkinen (OC) (v) Rosalia Menendez (OC) (v)

ROBIN HOOD (BBC):

Marian of Knighton Seraphina Varley (OC) (v)

The ROOKIE:

Grace Sawyer Lucy Chen

SECRET CIRCLE

Diana Meade (Book based)

SHADOWHUNTERS:

Tessa Gray (Infernal Devices)           Izzy Lightwood (Show based) Sawyer McIntrye (OC) (v)

The SHANARA CHRONICLES

Eretria

The SOCIETY

Helena Wu Kelly Aldrich

STRANGER THINGS:

Chrissy Cunningham Nancy Wheeler Nicole Holloway (OC) Katherine Hopper (OC) Cassandra Meyer (OC) Audrey Meyer (OC) Flora Cartwright  (OC) Morgan Kendall (OC) (v) Walker Benson (OC)(v) Heather Ryder (OC)(v) Eva Timothee (OC)(v) Leah Teverson (OC)

SUPERNATURAL:

Bela Talbot                                         Claire Novak Lisa Braeden                                     Jo Harvelle Donna Hanscum        Sarah Blake       Alana West: (OC)                          Grace Harrington (OC) (v) Oria Hernedez (OC) (v) Gretel (Canon with Verse) Henley Knight (OC) Sawyer McIntrye (OC) (v) Harper Tripp (OC) (v) Isla Perkiss (OC) (v) Rylie Theakston (OC) Maya Rallings (OC) (v)

TEEN WOLF:

Lydia Martin             Hayden Romero Cora Hale Laura Hale Julia Hale (OC) Dani Delgado (OC)              Harper Tripp (OC) (v) Emmy Janson (OC)(v) Rylie Theakston (OC) Maya Rallings (OC) (v) Sofia Perez (OC) (v)

THIS IS US

Sophie Inman

TITANS:

Dawn Granger                               Donna Troy

TRUE BLOOD:

Jessica Hamby                           Nora Gainesborough Sookie Stackhouse

The UMBRELLA ACADEMY:

Sloane Hargreeves Lila Pitts                       Samara Akerman (OC)

VAMPIRE ACADEMY:

Rose Hathaway                       Sydney Sage Lissa Dragomir

VAMPIRE DIARIES:

Bonnie Bennett Caroline Forbes Katherine Pierce Rebekah Mikaelson

VIKINGS:

Amma Katia Lagertha Katri Mäkinen (OC) (v) Magda Sigurdsdottir (OC) Renia Leifsdottir (OC) Seraphina Varley (OC) (v) Freya Rixon (OC) (v) Rosalia Menendez (OC) (v)

VIRGIN RIVER

Mel Monroe

WEDNESDAY

Wednesday Addams Astra Kernals (OC) (v) Violet Kerrington (OC)- can fit into fandom

The WITCHER:

Renfri Seraphina Varley (OC) (v)

WOLF PACK:

Luna Briggs   Emmy Janson (OC) (v) Sofia Perez  (OC) (v) Maya Rallings (OC) (v)

OTHER OC’S: though all OCs can be fandomless too

Sidney Hemmingway: Abilities- Sense and Water Augmentation Sloan Hemmingway: Abilities- Camouflage and Projection  Adrian Houston - Cop - works in - stranger things, 9-1-1, One Chicago Paige Temple: Paleontologist/Archaeologist Lara Matthews: Abilities: Empath Jenna Isaacs - Med Student Ava Jackson: Bartender/Owner of the Cellardoor Bar Cameron Yates: Bartender at Cellardoor Bar Meredith Price: Museum Curator Gabriella Diaz: Mechanic Sierra Wesley: Traveller  Odette Sevigny: French Heiress Harper Tripp: Phoenix - works in: Supernatural, Teen Wolf Avery Collingwood - Marketing executive Lizzie Marsden - Vampire Sawyer McIntrye: Nephilim - works in: Shadowhunters, Supernatural Juliana “Jules” Silva: Teacher Keely Sumners: Art Dealer Taylor Brockhart: Multiverse (Powers, Werewolf, Fandomless) Sofia Perez: Werewolf - works in: Teen Wolf, Supernatural, Wolf Pack Brooke Wilsher: Witch Kate Steiner: Fandomless - works in: Cobra Kai Charlotte Deighton: CEO Isla Perkiss: Witches Familiar - works in: Supernatural, Charmed Emmy Janson: Wolf - works in- Teen wolf, Supernatural, Wolf Pack Lucianna Garcia - EMT OC  - works in - One Chicago, 9-1-1      Grace Harrington - Witch OC - works in: Supernatural Oria Hernedez - Demon OC - works in Supernatural Kennedy Waite - Single mother/waitress OC  Walker Benson - Precog OC - Verses in - Stranger things, Supernatural Tallulah Spencer - Abilities- Elemental Sadie Hart - Half Fae Faye Sibley - Journalist OC Delia Costillo - Events Planner Rylie Theakston - Abilities - works in - Teen Wolf, Supernatural, Lockwood &Co.  Quinn Ashwood - Student Norah Parrish - Yoga Instructor/Fitness Instructor Greyson Ferris - Marine Biologist Amy Hartwell -Single Mum Clara Pennington - Interior Designer Kamile Acer - Hotel Manager/Receptionist Kayleigh Brunton - Singer/Songwriter Blair Kytes - Movie trailer producer Selene Underseth - Water Nymph Maya Rallings - Werewolf Sarah Foster - Photographer Morgan Kendell - Lifeguard - works in - Stranger things, OBX, has Nymph verse Beatrix Browne - Historical OC - works in - Merlin, Last Kingdom, Musketeers Aiyla Kartal - Multiverse - Harry Potter, Royalty, fandomless

SINGLE SHIP Winnet Mallorey: (Single Ship) Second Gen Musketeer child Olivia Isaacs: (singleShip) Chef May Page:  (Single Ship) Abilities: Gravitokinesis Ryan Loughman: (Single Ship) Cop Ember Rodriguez:  (Single Ship) Pyrokinesis Alyson Kent: (single ship) English Professor - Mother of Cleo Nicole Robinson (Single ship) Sister of Cassie Robinson Zoey Upstead (Single Ship) Ex Fiance of Peter Sutherland

#mobile muse list #cause the page isn't working #so lets hope this does :D #long post

[theonceoverthinker]

OUAT Rewatch 4X11 - Heroes and Villains

Wow, now that the Frozen Arc’s complete, all I can say is...HAT’S ALL FOLKS!

Don’t leave, Belle! There’s a lovely review just under it! XD

Main Takeaways

Past

I’m of a mixed mind about this flashback. On one hand, it provides some nice setup for the Queens of Darkness and provides a good plot reason for Belle to find the real dagger in the present line. In short, it connects to Belle’s character. Not only, that, but narratively, it works, it’s as long as it needs to be, and it sets up the counterpoint of Belle feeling betrayed well enough. It’s a solid as hell segment.

That said, given what happens in the present, I’m not sure this flashback is what the episode necessarily needed. And I feel bad about this because Belle gets so few episodes that focus on her and the ones she’s had haven’t really worked for me, so I don’t want to put down another one (especially when it’s pretty freakin’ solid as far as episodes go).

But, my mind goes back to (or rather forward to) the scene at the town line and the emotions we’re supposed to be feeling. And I just can’t help but feel like for that scene to be complete, something akin to seeing Rumple suffer under the dagger’s power would’ve been so much more appropriate here because it really paints how Rumple could’ve fallen so quickly from his Season 3 heroism without forcing the audience to bend over backwards to create theories to explain the change. Hell, given that Zelena comes back in the next half, having a Zelena flashback would’ve worked as foreshadowing for her return AND an establishment of just why Rumple’s so gung ho about his plan and the lengths he goes to to achieve it. And because of that, I can’t help but have a twinge of resentment towards this flashback because of that. We get a good enough introduction for the Queens of Darkness in the next episode and Belle surely could’ve found out about the dagger situation  through other means (Maybe when Henry knocks stuff down, it destroys the fake dagger and Belle then breaks into Rumple’s safe to find the real one?), but this was really Rumple’s last chance to flesh his motivations out in a way that narratively struck a chord. While I’ve pointed out glimpses of these motivations before, that’s just it: they were only glimpses. For a character like Rumple and for something that drives his character’s motivation for half a season in such a sharp twist to his character’s moral trajectory just a half season before, they really needed to do more than just glimpses here and there. And in this episode, the one where it should have the most focus, we only get a sentence discussing it. That’s not good enough.

Present

Like in “Family Business,’ the most interesting part of this episode can really be boiled down to a single moment, and that’s Belle banishing Rumple from Storybrooke with the dagger. It’s the most memorable part of the episode and if you’re reading this review, this is what you want me to get into. So here goes nothing!

Before I get into my feelings about Belle’s decision itself, I want to touch briefly on the moment from a storytelling perspective. But before that, because i’m gonna be a little negative here, I want to say that I do like this scene in a lot of ways. This is some of Emiliee de Ravin’s best acting on the show and the scene nails its tone, Additionally, as someone who likes Killian, this scene has one hell of a catharsis value after seeing him pushed around by Rumple for these past few episodes.

That said, I think that this scene is kind of messy.

It is framed as one that is tragic for Rumple and a tough, but necessary choice for Belle to make, and while the element of tragedy is present, the two parts lack potency. First, let’s go into Rumple’s share of the scene. Simply put, with everything Rumple has done and the real lack of focus on his motivations for going as dark as he did during this half season, I don’t feel sorry for him in the way the episode wants me to. This is something Rumple deserves for eleven episodes of lying, manipulation, kidnapping, and attempted murder and no amount of Robert Carlyle blubbering (Despite how good he is at it) is gonna make me change my mind about that. Additionally, Rumple’s lines are just not sympathetic. If they didn’t want to make this a sympathetic moment for Rumple, that would be one thing, but the music paints this as something tragic, even after Belle is out of Rumple’s sight. They want us to feel for Rumple to some extent, but he’s not talking about his weakness after losing Bae and his freedom for a year. He’s talking about how he wants his power and how they can have it all, and it doesn’t make this a complicated situation, but instead pushes the morality in this scene overwhelmingly in Belle’s favor.

And speaking of Belle, I wish that instead of going for a twist where Belle surprisingly stopped Rumple, that she had a bit of time to process the lie. I say this because Belle is very dramatic at the town line and while the buildup is good enough, Belle should get more focus beforehand as she discovers what Rumple’s really been up to as to really emphasize just how much he’s hurt her by lying to her so much. Her words in this scene are so powerful and speak of this moment as one of culmination as she realizes all of his sins, but the lack of focus on her in the present doesn’t set up the gravitas that’s needed to give birth to these words. He told a few big lies and the audience feels the weight of these lies because we spent eleven episodes seeing him lie, but Belle has seen that Rumple gave her a fake dagger and that Rumple was about to kill Killian. The first bit -- the most important one by the way the text is written -- happens off screen and the latter is presented as a twist, but is otherwise basically ignored by the scene, and that’s not even counting Rumple’s other lies. Do you see what I mean here? The heart of this banishing scene happened off screen and because of that, for all this scene’s gravitas, it feels a little narratively hollow.

Okay, now how do I feel about the banishing itself?

I think you’ve gleamed it by now, but I do agree with Belle’s decision. Granted, her scope of information is small unless in the intervening time, she learned about Rumple’s inaction during the casting of The Shattered Sight curse, but Belle does know Rumple is a threat. He lied about giving her the real dagger, nearly killed a man, and literally tried to take over the world (I’m gonna say she was able to piece that together). And not only that, but when given the chance to explain himself, he defaults to excuses. Belle was protecting everyone through this decision and herself too, and I can’t find fault in it.

Stream of Consciousness

-Okay, so is the king of the Southern Isles really okay with all of his thirteen children running off to go face a Snow Queen? Like, send a few, but ALL of them?! Like, isn’t he afraid of losing all of his heirs to a woman that his son most likely described as dangerous and mad?

-”I wanted to see how the mouse would play while the cat was away, so I lied.” Rumple is such a douche in this segment and I’m all here for it! XD

-”It’s time for you to see the world.” Welllllll, not just yet.

-Robin, your wife just came out of basically a coma. BE HAPPY ABOUT THAT. Seriously, CRACK A SMILE. Love who you love, but seriously, Robin acts like he HATES Marian in this scene. And it really sucks! Marian -- whether you love her or not, Robin, is the mother of your child. How can you not even be a little happy that she’s alive? It really does a disgusting job of painting Robin.

-I know the actress didn’t know she was actually Zelena at the time, but Christie Lang does such a job playing this scene with Regina at Granny’s so sympathetically and I just can’t help but imagine Zelena internally holding back laughter because of how she’s going to twist the knife when she fakes her side effects so that she and Robin have to leave town! XD

-”I want to be chosen.” Wow, Rumple’s right: When you can see the future, there’s really irony everywhere.

-”In the next life, things won’t be so pleasant for you.” ...Wow, Rumple’s right: When you can see the future, there’s really irony everywhere. XD Like SERIOUSLY! HOW DID THEY KNOW?!

-”He [Merlin] brought the Snow Queen from Arendelle to this world, which means his magic is strong enough to move between that world and ours.” It’s interesting how Merlin (And possibly The Apprentice) can move between realms and a reason why I understand why Merlin needed to ultimately die (Basically, he’s OP, but we’ll touch on that in Season 5).

-”So, I figured it out, why you collect so many magical objects. It’s because you have a hole in your heart.” ABC, I’m in this line and I don’t like it! XD

-I really like that we get a Belle and Henry scene! When this episode first aired, I was so surprised by its presence and I just adored the scene simply for having a dynamic like this. And together, they’re charming and cute! Honestly, given how Henry becomes the author later on, I’d have loved to see the two of them interact more as an author and a book fanatic! That said, this scene also goes to show how fucking pointless it was for Henry to work at Gold’s. Not only is his part in saving Killian only accidental (Something that was possibly implied by Gold seeing the hat and saying not to go into the back room), but in terms of his original goal of finding the Author, he’s not even snooping or working in this scene: He just blatantly asks about the Author. And it’s not like Henry and Rumple bonded at all in between these two scenes so why he’s not still snooping is weird. So why make Henry work here in the first place as opposed to Rumple just being a last option? Like, Rumple tells Regina he knows Henry was snooping, but they could’ve just had Regina bring up the Author instead or had Henry be more direct. I know it’s a small thing to get riled up about it, but yeah, it was kind of pointless.

-You know, I really FEEL for the writers. They build up these honestly pretty great twists, but the marketing exposed them prematurely.

-”Having Marian back in his life means so much to Roland.” Look, why can’t you smile like THAT for a fucking second when Marian came back?

-”If I went back to Marian, I’d be living a lie.” And setting Roland up for a life of his parents resenting each other, which wouldn’t be healthy.

-I really like Rumple and Regina’s conversation in the car. Rumple very clearly cares for Regina and wants her to be happy. As you can see by the harsh and honest way he gives her advice. He knows it sounds villain-y and kind of disturbing, but he’s sure it would be the way he could be happy.

-XD I kind of forgot that Mal could form herself via birds!

-I love Ursula’s tentacles! They’re slimy, scaly, and still malleable, giving them this gross yet cool sense to them.

-I love how Cruella has the most understated entrance, but is the most dangerous of all three of them! XD

-”Shall I get you a stepstool so you can look in my eyes when you threaten me?” Fucking iconic, Cruella.

-You know, we never did find out what the Queens of Darkness even want! XD

-I kind of wish we got more out of Emma and Elsa’s goodbye. Elsa says a lot, but Emma really doesn’t get the chance.

-Damn, the Sorcerer’s Hat is BEAUTIFUL when it goes off! I love the use of stars and the shades of purple! It’s just lovely!

-I know this is a super emotional moment, but I am curious. Given that humans are...well, humans, what would happen if we unknowingly built a town over the clearing that cloaks Storybrooke? Like, ordinary people can’t pass through the town line into Storybrooke, but what happens if they just build a town in the free space they enter when they do so?

-”Two.” Tow what? I know they’re getting shots, but what kind of stuff do you want to get drunk off of? If I were the bartender, I’d charge you for top shelf shots for such vagueness!

-I’m very glad that Regina and Emma didn’t drink before driving! XD

-Why are all these fairytale creatures moving to New York? I live in New York and it’s expensive as hell!

-”Demanding a ransom from the Dark One is not a deal. It’s a deathwish.” That is such a Rumple line and I love it!

Favorite Dynamic

Rumple and Killian. These two drive the tension of this episode flawlessly. This is the dynamic we worry about. The past is a foregone conclusion and the Queens of Darkness are at least a little distant. But Rumple having control over Killian’s life is what we worry about and serves as the ticking clock that makes this episode as exciting to watch as it is. It’s with Rumple and Killian that we get a good balance of plot and story. Rumple gives a lot of exposition about the Sorcerer and because he’s about to kill Killian, he can tell him anything he wants with no fear, allowing for this really intriguing honesty which we rarely see with Rumple. And Killian’s biting back at every chance he can, really showing off that hot headed personality of his. And let’s talk about Killian’s scene with Emma at Granny’s because EVERYTHING with them works and I would be remiss to not talk about it. The scene shows just how powerless Killian really is and builds the tension of how much control Rumple has. It’s where this dynamic shines the brightest and it brought to new heights by the terrifying music and the editing cuts between Rumple and Killian. It also shows just how both well and horribly Rumple knows Killian. While he can impersonate Killian’s speech patterns well enough, it’s the more down-to-earth mannerisms and subtleties that make it clear before we even first cut to Rumple that this is a facade and make it clear to Emma that something’s up. And once it’s revealed that this is indeed a facade, the scene grows so much creepier as we see Rumple literally putting words in Killian’s mouth. It’s an actual masterpiece of a scene.

Writer

Adam and Eddy conclude our half season. It’s definitely not their best episode, that’s for sure, but not at all their worst. Just maybe to this point. Anyway, I’ve been throwing around the word “gravitas” like a tennis ball to a puppy lately and that trend continues here. If emphasis is put onto something being set up or paid off, it at least needs an emotional backing that is reasonably strong. When characters make big and sharp decisions, there needs to be a good deal of substance to those decisions.

Culture

So, how about that Frozen Arc?

I went into this rewatch knowing that despite keeping an open mind, I would most likely dislike two episodes (The present segments of “The Apprentice” and “Breaking Glass”), but otherwise love the hell out of the arc as a whole. I left it...basically feeling the same way. While I didn’t adore “Family Business” in the way I used to, I still like it and the same goes for this episode too. Overall, the Frozen Arc succeeds more than it fails for me. It features two interesting villains with interesting schemes, more of a reminder that whoever runs OUAT’s casting is a god amongst us puny mortals, interesting uses of those characters, and boobs.

Now, let’s talk about the Frozen characters and balance. This is an incredibly unpopular opinion, but I think that the Frozen cast had fuck all to do with the balancing issues of this arc. Apart from the flashbacks in “The Tale of Two Sisters, “Rocky Road,” “Smash the Mirror,” and “Fall” (all of which were setup for the events in the main storyline), each flashback either didn’t involve them at all or had their characters act as support or a counterpoint to one of our mainstays. And these served as overall good moments of development for the characters they worked off of. Rumple got the most sympathy in his brief moment bemoaning his defeat at Anna’s hands then he did for basically the entire half season and David’s past with Anna not only was a great character episode for him, but unknowingly led to an entire arc for him later on. And in the present, it’s pretty noticeable to me that Elsa and Ingrid’s troubles are what give way to Emma, Regina, Belle, and everyone else working out their own shit with her as an excuse to be together. Some may say that makes them a plot device, but they’re given enough character and contributions to the story to not become that.

Anna, Elsa, and Ingrid’s stories were not at fault for the lackluster storytelling in some cases (Rumple’s motivation, Robin’s...just everything, Killian’s entire character in “The Apprentice,” Emma and Regina’s fight). Throughout my reviews, I’ve been posing small changes that didn’t need to even touch the Frozen segments to be enacted that would have better aided the storytelling for the characters and arcs as a whole. Now, that’s not to say they didn’t impose at all. I think when it came to Ingrid’s defeat, Emma and her magic should have played more of a part, even if it was just as someone who could protect Anna. But it was the minority of cases. Overall, the Frozen cast acted as support and led to interesting character moments. We see Emma learn to accept and love her magic as a part of her through Elsa, a different aspect of her magic that hadn’t been taught to her at this point. We see David grow into the hero he is through his lessons with Anna and struggles overcoming her grief. We see Rumple and Ingrid play a cat and mouse game with all of Storybrooke as their arena. We see Belle grow as a more selfless person through her friendship and somewhat betrayal of Anna. These are all interesting character moments that I don’t know could’ve been done without either the Frozen cast themselves or some other side characters and I’m glad it was the former. Not only did they make the arc more cohesive through having a more intimate cast of secondaries, but it ended up creating something visually striking from the rest of the series because of all of the ice imagery.

To sum it up, the Frozen saga’s pretty tight.

Rating

8/10. ...I feel like sometimes, these reviews don’t do my feelings justice. I feel like I do a bad part communicating during episodes where I have a lot to say negatively that most of the time, I am enjoying myself and the only reason I make it a point to elaborate on my rating for any given episode is so that I can discuss more positive elements. Because I did have a fun time watching this episode. While my criticisms were what they were, I was grinning like a dope for the entire thing. I liked the extra bit of focus on Belle, Rumple being Rumple, Rumple and Killian’s full on dynamic, and basically the entire flashback.

Flip My Ship - The Home of All Things “Shippy Goodness”

Rumbelle - Rumple waking Belle was cute as fuck! I love how he not only prepares breakfast for her, but basically tickles her nose until she wakes up. Also, I love Rumple and Belle banter in the beginning of the episode, too!

Captain Swan - Killian Jones can fight his heart being stolen so he can communicate for a second to Emma that something’s up and I LOVE IT! Like, it’s not even a second, it’s closer to three, and this is with the freakin’ DARK ONE in control of him! Also, THE NOSE SQUISHES!!!! That’s my fucking JAM!

Outlaw Queen - I definitely haven’t been the biggest fan of this relationship lately, but their goodbye at the town line really did get me. I felt so sorry for both of these two because they were so close to making things work and the circumstances that tore them apart were tragic, but (seemingly) necessary and the scene with them prior to this showed that they were going to handle their relationship the right way. Because of that (and the stellar and emotional background music), the scene really worked. I really felt bad seeing them have to separate and teared up a bit seeing Regina rip apart page 23.

Swan Queen - I love how supportive Emma was of Regina here! It feels really organic to them and the relationship they have to chill out over shots. And I love Emma’s enthusiasm to join Operation Mongoose! That was just too fucking cute!

-----

Another episode has come and gone and now finally, i can move onto the Queens of Darkness arc!!!

Thank you for reading and to both @watchingfairytales and @daensarah! See you guys next time!

Season 4 Total (95/230)

Writer Scores: Adam and Eddy: (24/60) Jane Espenson: (20/40) David Goodman and Jerome Schwartz: (30/50) Andrew Chambliss: (14/50) Dana Horgan: (6/30) Kalinda Vazquez: (14/40) Scott Nimerfro: (14/30) Tze Chun (8/20)

Tags: ouat, once upon a time, watching fairytales, ouat episode code, ouat rewatch, jenna watches ouat, ships mentioned, triggers mentioned

*Links to the rest of my rewatch will no longer be provided. They take posts with links outside of searches and I spend way too much time on these reviews to not give them that kind of exposure. Sorry for the inconvenience, but they still can be found on my page under Operation Rewatch.

#ouat #once upon a time #watching fairytales #ouat 4x12 #darkness on the edge of town #ouat rewatch #jenna watches ouat