#one of my most favorite characters ever i fear. saddest thing ever that she lives in such a bad video game franchise

[blazeball]

ohhhhhhhh athena i miss you athena [she is in a video game that i can just start playing again at any moment]

#one of my most favorite characters ever i fear. saddest thing ever that she lives in such a bad video game franchise #its fine though. closes my eyes and thinks about her with a smile on my face #quincy.txt

[lovee-infected]

The saddest thing about humans and fairies is fairies will always outlive humans and fairies will always remember. Yuu: I would grow with you. However we're changing. I'll be with you always. Malleus: You swore that you would go with me ,Yuu! And you said you'd be here tomorrow! You've always had my love and ... since that's not enough... Where you are going, let me follow... (1)

Dawww I do remember this!! I've been really into Greek mythology over the past few years and Homer's lliad had always been one of my favorites!

You know- as a matter of fact that's something I indirectly referred too when I talked about the dark side of Malleus x reader. The thing is, the plot is technically Malleus x human and the immortal x mortal imbalance is kinda...depressing. The main thing I noticed is hoe most of the writers (including me) use nicknames such as 'child of man' or 'human child' or 'precious little human' when Malleus is trying to refer to (y/n) and honestly, we can't really find a replacement for this 'child of man' themed nicknames because they're somewhat of a Malleus-only thing but at the same time it's so adorable and sweet.

(y/n) is often considered to be Yuu in Malleus x reader fics and the dynamics are awfully beautiful and lovely. I know not many often see the dark side of this sweetness since 1) It's just fanfic & 2) The point is often getting to enjoy this cute romantic moments with Malleus in present and not the future, so that isn't much of a problem! Unless you think about the dynamics too deeply-

www this reminds me, I once wrote an angsty Malleus thingy I never finished because- it got too dark and I felt like I couldn't write anymore sooo- here we are!

But here's a small summary of what it was mainly about so, undercut because- ahhhhh

Warning(s): Major character death, angsty themes, dark themes, fem! reader

This is just the small summary of an old wip!

(y/n) is a mortal and the new Queen of Valley of thorns, Malleus's wife. They have a newborn daughter named Melrose, a beautiful fae child with dark hair, pale skin and her mother's (e/c) eyes. Several years pass and Malleus is living his best life ever with the one and only love of his life and their beloved daughter, unaware of a bitter truth: (y/n) is aging.

Soon enough, (y/n) breaks down, realizing that her life is coming to an end while her dearest Melrose is still a baby. To think that she'd soon be leaving Malleus and Melrose forever...without even getting a chance to see Melrose grow up and turn into the fair princess she always wished her to be.

Soon as (y/n) passes away, Malleus breaks, the one only thing Malleus can hold on to now is his daughter, your greatest gift to him. He cares and loves her more than anything in the world as she's the very last person he's got by his side, therefore he becomes overly protective; to the point of never letting Melrose leave the castle.

Melrose craves to see the world outside of his father's dark castle more than anything else, of course he does love his father and understands his pain and frustration after her mother passed away, yet... It doesn't hold her back from seeking a way out of these walls each and everyday.

One day, young princess, who is now a well-grown lady finally gets a chance to discover the world outside of this eternal cage, but it doesn't really go as expected; because young princess secretly gets to meet someone.

Melrose has been on her own all over her life, and the stranger she unexpectedly got to meet is the very first alive being she's talked to in years.

Princess slowly begins to become overly attached to her secret friend, to the point of going against his father's word and secretly leaving the castle at night just to meet the creature she desires.

Soon enough, Malleus realized the sudden change in Melrose's behavior, she look quite lively and...happy. Nothing could make his cold heart any happier than Melrose's smile does, he becomes lowkey curious to discover what the reason behind this beautiful happiness might be, but the answer is nothing he could be the least happy about: Melrose has fallen in love.

The bitterness and Malleus held after (y/n)'s death is brought back to him and all of a sudden, the fae can feel shiver running down his spine.

To think that Melrose, his one and only daughter and all that is left for him after these years would one day go through the same pain as him, all because of craving and needing another creature...

Malleus just can't let that happen, no, he just can't lose Melrose after he lost you.

He forbids her from leaving the castle and meeting that human ever again, just to meet her daughter's painful begs and cries.

She reminds her father of you, everything you once used to tell her about how you met Malleus and fell for him when he was going through the most desperate and loneliest moments of his entire life, just like what Melrose is going through now.

Malleus is terrified, on one hand, Melrose's words did shake his heart a bit, reminding him of each and every second he had beside you. Your secret meetings at ramshackle dorm, those glamorous seconds spent under the light of fireflies at the dead of the night. All of a sudden, he totally understands what Melrose is going through and hoe she's feeling, but at the same time, he's even more terrified of this now.

Melrose is going to end up just like him, even if he ever agreed to let go of her daughter after all these years, then what would he be turned into?

The pain, the isolation, the loneliness. If Melrose too leaves him he'd end up being just as isolated and feared as the witch of thorns herself.

He thought he'd found a way to change his fate... he thought falling for you had finally saved him from turning into the moster he's always been afraid of becoming.

Malleus is scared, bitter and confused, lost in the thoughts without knowing what is right and what is wrong anymore.

All he ever wanted was to be saved from his loneliness, but if he listens to Melrose's desires and allows her to find the happiness and love she deserves to feel, is he just to give in to that isolation and pain he'd always feared by his own will..?

#answered #twst #twisted wonderland #malleus draconia #malleus draconia x reader #tw/angst #Ahhh and I'm depressed again 💫💫💫 #twst x reader #twisted wonderland x reader #wip #tw/death

[m4tthewmurd0ck]

100 poems for 100 followers!

~ a collection of my favorite poems for writing inspiration~

this is such a huge achievement to me and i’m so thankful to anyone that has checked out my page, liked / re-blogged / commented on any of my writing, and asdfasdfasdg i’m so happy! on to the point of this post, i have a board on pinterest dedicated to lyrics / quotes / poems that i’d love to write something based on. i know i’ll never get to all of them (the board is currently up to 2.2k pins). i wanted to do something to celebrate, so i thought i’d share some of my favorites for anyone who might need the inspiration or just likes reading poetry. i’ll use the #tags for some of my favorite characters to read for, but these can all be used for anyone / any fandom! 

this is by no means a challenge but if anyone writes based off of or using any of these please put me in the tag list as i’d love to read!

i’ll put them below the cut because it’s quite a lot :)

one day, whether you are 14, / 28 / or 65 / you will stumble upon someone who will start a fire within you that cannot die. / however, the saddest, most awful truth you will ever come to find— / is they are not always with whom we spend our lives. | ~ beau taplin

i will not have you without the darkness that hides within you. / i will not let you have me without the madness that makes me. / if our demons cannot dance, neither can we. | ~ nikita gill

and so it seems i must always write you letters that i can never send | ~ sylvia plath

i wish you could feel what i feel when i look at you. / and maybe then, you could have an understanding of why i can’t look at anyone else. | ~ jmstorm

his arms are strong enough to hold every fear, every beautiful broken piece of me. this man doesn’t just make me feel complete, he completes me. | ~ s. marie

part of her mystery is how she is calm in the storm and anxious in the quiet. | ~ jmstorm

i have tried loving less / but that hurts just the same | ~ gemma troy

this is my confession. / as dark as i am, i will always find enough light to adore you to pieces, with all of my pieces. | ~ johnny nguyen

sometimes you have to stop being scared and go for it. / either it will work or it won’t. / that’s life.

the most painful thing is losing yourself in the process of loving someone too much, and forgetting that you are special too.

tell me the story about how the sun loved the moon so much / he died every night to let her breathe

my darling, / you will never be unloved by me / you are too well tangled in my soul.

i loved you as icarus loved the sun - / too close, too much. | ~ d.j.

read to me a page from your soul, one night at a time | ~ jonny ox

he is the thought behind the feeling, / the swelling in my chest; / the starlight in the evening, / the yearning when I undress. // he is the sound behind the sighing, / the song of every bird; / the tears in all my crying— / the ache in every word. | ~ lang leav

the heart was made to be broken. | ~ oscar wilde

he gave me wings when i wanted fire. / ‘rise, not burn,’ he whispered. | ~ saru

when thinking about life, remember this: / no amount of guilt can change the past / and no amount of anxiety can change the future.

you flood my thoughts / and wide awake dreams / i adore you to depths / beyond the eye can see. | ~ perry

we never started as strangers / we saved that for the end

your hands are scarred from murder and yet i trust them completely

i crave touch, yet i flinch every time someone is close enough.

for a star to be born, there is one thing that must happen: a gaseous nebula must collapse. / so collapse. crumble. this is not your destruction. / this is your birth. | ~ n.t.

i knew i was playing with fire when we met, so i couldn’t blame you when i got burned. | ~ bridgett devoue

her salty eyes told me stories, / that made my heart weep. / i wanted to wrap her in a blanket, / and tell her she was safe forever— / and so i did. | ~ atticus

even though we never said it to each other / we knew

how can i love someone new, when every night i dream of you? | ~ d.j.

some memories never leave your bones. like salt in the sea; they become part of you. / — and you carry them | ~ paper wings

at least our paths have crossed / ~ j.b.

i exist too much: i feel too much. / think too much. / reality is crushing the life out of me. | ~ d.j.

we weren’t soulmates but we were something pretty damn close to that | ~ j.b.

there were magnets in my bones / for that iron in her blood. | ~ atticus

do not pour your sunshine into someone who does not think of you as their sky | ~ gemma troy

you watch her walk away / and it hits you / that she is an entire ocean / and you were wrong, / so very wrong, / because you let her go / thinking she was just a girl. | ~ nikita gill

meeting you will never be my regret / tolerating the ways you hurt me always will be | ~ j.b.

in a world where everyone wears a mask, it’s a privilege to see a soul.

i don’t regret a single moment spent believing you were right for me. | ~ f a r a w a y

i want you. / so badly. / but i do not want this. | ~ l.e. bowman

stop trying to breathe life into something that has already died. | ~ r.h. sin

your heart isn’t made to settle… / you must choose the greatest love, / and you have to chase the greatest life | ~ butterflies rising

too much of anything could destroy you. too much darkness could kill you, but too much light could blind you.

he looked at her the way she needed to be looked at / like the whole world could crumble and he wouldn’t blink | ~ atticus

you wandered off too far, / you’ve forgotten who you are; / you’ve let down the ones you love, / you’ve given up too much. / you once made a deal with time, / now it’s slipping by too fast— / you can’t borrow from the future, / to make up for the past. / you forsake all that you hold dear, / for a dream that is not your own; / you would rather live a lie— / than live your life alone. | ~ lang leav

we’re a mess you and i, / but the truth is, / you captivate me in ways no soul ever will. | ~ perry poetry

now i have to remember you for longer than i have known you. | ~ c.c. aurel

“you make me feel… you make me feel,” he said quietly, fiercely, “and i don’t like it. i want it to stop. now.”

the most beautiful part is, i wasn’t even looking when i found you. | ~ a u t u m n

i’m not used to being loved / i wouldn’t know what to do | ~ f. scott fitzgerald

in the end, only three things matter: / how much you loved, / how gently you lived, / and how gracefully you let go of things not meant for you | ~ buddha

there are plenty of ways to die, but only love can kill you and keep you alive to feel it. | ~ leo christopher

i was already complete when i met him / he just filled my life with so much color / to go on without him seemed absurd | ~ b. diaz

your scars are not your shame / he said / they are your story, and i love stories | ~ atticus

don’t set yourself on fire to keep someone else warm

you are my love story, and i write you into everything i do, everything i see, everything i touch, and everything i dream, you are the words that fill my pages. | ~ a.r. asher

fight for those who keep you, even on your worst days. | ~ perry poetry

i miss you but i know you will fix nothing. / so strangers we will stay. | ~ s e e k e r

i will look for you in every lifetime, until we finally stay | ~ butterflies rising

“you.” / and just like that, the greatest poem was written, / in one word. | ~ clinton

and if love be madness, may i never find sanity again. | ~ john mark green

maybe one day we’ll find that place where you and i could be together. / and we’ll catch our dreams within the waves of change. / so smile for me one last time and believe that we’ll meet again. / until then, i’ll be missing you. | ~ r.m. drake

cause you never think that the last time is the last time. / you think there will be more. / you think you have forever, but you don’t.

i let her go because i knew she could do better / and now she’s gone / i wonder if i should’ve just been better. | ~ atticus

don’t forget: / somewhere between hello and goodbye, / there was love, so much love. | ~ f a r a w a y

i might be the writer / it you’ll always be the words | ~ ben mayfield

can’t you see that i’m lost in a sea of you. / i’d rather drown in your shadows / than swim in someone else’s light. | ~ perry poetry

who were you before they broke your heart?

the stars twinkled in his eyes, / and the sun itself warmed his smile. / i knew i might burn. / but i just had to inch a little closer. | ~ the dreamer

but i must admit i miss you quite terribly. the world is too quiet without you nearby. | ~ lemony snicket

when i can’t sleep at night— / i stare at my empty side of the bed, / and wonder about the things i would tell you, / if you were laying next to me. | ~ a.s.

there was never going to be an us / because you wanted to be missed / more than you wanted to be loved. | ~ beau taplin

i told her i was lost in this world / and she smiled / because she was too / we were all lost somehow / but we didn’t care / we had in each other’s chaos / found each other. | ~ atticus

there was a look in his eyes i had never seen before. and it took me a few moments to recognize it for what it was. remorse. / i don’t deserve you, he said, half-defeated, half-hopeful. / it was the most honest thing he had ever said to me. / and he was right. he didn’t deserve me. not by a long shot. / but he had me nonetheless. | ~ lang leav

you’re important to me. i think if there’s anything that will last forever, it’s that. / whether we separate, stay in touch or rarely speak again, you will always be that little something i really do care for, / that i would sacrifice everything for to protect and keep safe. | ~ beau taplin

how beautiful it feels / when they want to know / all about the worlds you hold / inside of you | ~ butterflies rising

there is my heart, and then there is you, / and i’m not sure there is a difference. | ~ a.r. asher

but we were something, don’t you think so?

fall in love with someone / who feels like the warmth of the sun / on a cold january morning, / but soothes your heart/ like the cool waters of the sea / on the hottest day of june. | ~ nikita gill

one day / someone will walk into your life. / and the sublimity of their presence, will pour upon you, like an antidote. / because— / in light, you’ll find splatters of darkness / in darkness, there are layers of light. / some people will do you wrong; / but this one, will make it right. | ~ clairel estevez

collapse into me. just once. i promise you’ll never have to fall again. | ~ perry poetry

when i’m upset. / i shut myself down. i have no motivation for anything. / i tell myself that nobody cares, even though i know some do. / i think about all of the negative things i could possibly think of. / i give myself all the pain, thinking i deserve it. / i’m not sure why i do that, but that’s just how i am. | ~ sameer pradhan

maybe we are meant to be / but just not at this time | ~ j.b.

tomorrow i’ll cry for all the world, / for all the things gone wrong; / i will cry for every tethered bird, / who has lost her joyful song. / tomorrow i’ll cry for every heart, / that is broken, like boughs, in two; / but today, my love, you have my tears— / today i will cry for you. | ~ lang leav

you / my fairytale / my book to never finish / let me in linger in your pages / a little ever longer | ~ atticus

i miss you all the time. so much, that it’s turned into a dull kind of miss and i start to think i’m used to it. then i’ll be out and i’ll see something funny and i wonder if you’d laugh about it too. and suddenly i’m thinking of your sarcasm, then your smile, then how your voice cracks when you’re trying to talk and laugh at the same time. and all that pain of missing you comes rushing back, and i realize i haven’t gotten used to it at all.

to know that i miss you so much when you leave; / to know that i need you like the air that i breathe. / to know that i want you with a passion so blind, / is to know that i love you— / with no doubt in my mind. | ~ lang leav

what if, you and i were meant to part ways, / only so that we could find each other again

and in the end i will seek you out amongst the stars. / the space dust of me will whisper “ i love you” / into the infinity of the universe. | ~ d.j.

i have faith that i held purpose in your life; / that we both impacted one another for the better / even if we couldn’t stay together | ~ ntm

i know it hurts, but i promise you this: / you will breathe again, and you will breathe more deeply than you ever have before. | ~ f a r a w a y

the saddest word in the whole wide world is the word almost. / he was almost in love. / she was almost good for him. / he almost stopped her. / she almost waited. / he almost lived. / they almost made it. | ~ nikita gill

constantly, consistently, continually, you. | ~ perry poetry

you’re somewhere in this world, / and i’m somewhere else in this world, / and there’s this feeling in my soul, / and i hope it gets to you | ~ butterflies rising

you said it was a great love / one for the ages / but if the story’s over, / why am i still writing pages?

on my silent days, i miss you a little louder | ~ c.c. aurel

i think some souls have a way of connecting without our knowledge. / that’s why you can meet someone for the first time, but inside you just know. / you know it is not the first time you’ve felt them. | ~ jmstorm

if you love something, love it completely, cherish it, say it, but most importantly, show it. / life is finite and fragile, and just because something is there one day, it might not be the next. / never take that for granted. / say what you need to say, then say a little more. / say too much. show too much. love too much. / everything is temporary but love. / love outlives us all. | ~ r. queen

i was loved in my dreams last night. it echoed through me like thunder— i felt it thought and through. / when i woke up, i couldn’t shake the feeling. his arms around me and his voice, already half forgotten. / the loss was indescribable. and i couldn’t help feeling that i have felt this way before, the certainty stemming from somewhere deep below. / somewhere in time, throughout the ages, it as loved— i was loved and my eyes were wide open. | ~ lang leav

today i decided to forgive you. not because you apologized or because you acknowledged the pain you caused me, but because my soul deserves peace. | ~ najwa zebian

if you came to me with a face i have not seen, with a voice i have never heard, i would still know you. / even if centuries separated us, i would still feel you. / somewhere between the sand and the stardust, through every collapse and creation, there is a pulse that echoes of you and i. / when we leave this world, we give up all our possessions and our memories. / love is the only thing we take with us. / it is all we carry from one life to the next. | ~ lang leav

i am not the first person you loved. you are not the first person i looked at with a mouthful of forevers. / we have both known loss like the edge of a knife. we have both lived with lips more scar tissue than skin. / our love came unannounced in the middle of the night. our love cam when we’d given up on asking love to come. / i think that has to be part of its miracle. this is how we heal. / i will kiss you like forgiveness. you will hold me like i’m hope. / our arms will bandage and we will press promises between us like flowers in a book. / i will write sonnets to the salt of sweat on your skin. i will write novels to the scar of your nose. / i will write a dictionary of all the words i have used trying to describe the way it feels to have finally, finally found you. / and i will not be afraid of your scars. / i know sometimes it’s still hard to let me see you in all your cracked perfection, but please know: / whether it’s the days you burn more brilliant than the sun or the nights you collapse into my lap / your body broken into a thousand questions / you are the most beautiful thing i’ve ever seen. / i will love you when you are still a day. / i will love you when you are a hurricane. | ~ clementine von radics

#matt murdock #charlie cox #daredevil #sebastian stan #bucky barnes #winter soldier #chris evans #steve rogers #captain america #robert downey jr #rdj #iron man #tony stark #peter parker #spider-man #tom holland #andrew garfield #writing prompts #prompt list #writing inspiration #poems #quotes #love #matt murdock x you #bucky barnes x you #steve rogers x you #peter parker x you

[simplyclary]

Winnie The Pooh: Childhood Characters In Reality

Do you remember these iconic characters from your childhood? Did you have plushies of at least 3 of these characters? Did you feel a sense of nostalgia when these characters re-appeared in a live action movie? If your answers to all these questions are yes, well good to know as I have the same experience as you. If your answer is the opposite, well, then let me introduce them to you.

These characters in the picture above are the characters from the fictional world of the Hundred-Acre Wood. They are known as Winnie the Pooh, Piglet, Tigger, Eeyore, Kanga, Roo and Rabbit. As simple as these characters may look like, they give me a sense of nostalgia as I spent most of my childhood days with them, and even now, being 21 years old, I still feel like a child everytime I see them. I felt like I really knew their characters, but surprisingly, there are still a lot of things that I don't know about them. It surprised me when I read a post that stated that each character represented a specific mental disorders. Below, I will tell you what mental disorder each character and my personal representations of them.

Winnie The Pooh- Winnie the Pooh or simply Pooh is a cute yellow bear who always wears a red shirt that almost looks like a crop top. His yellow color comes from his favorite food which is honey. Now, while Pooh can be the cutest bear one has ever laid eyes on, he represents the "Impulsive Eating Disorder". This is his representation as he is always seen to eat nothing but honey, which he is seen to have an obsession for. My interpretation, on the other hand, is a bit different because I think that Pooh represents the innocence of a child. Seen as to give some "wisdom" to his friends sometimes, Pooh is a character that while still having a lot to learn in life just like an innocent child, he can be seen to persevere to learn about these things.

Piglet- Piglet, by the name, is a small pig that represents the "General Anxiety Disorder". This is his representation because he is seen to be scared during situations and always fears to leap into action, even when it's not that scary. In my mind, Piglet represents the shyness of a child, especially an introverted one. Fearing to what the future holds, one tends to be shy and introverted when to uncertain situations. I see much of myself in Piglet, as I am a shy and introverted girl growing up so I really relate to him as a young girl and sometimes, even now.

Tigger- Tigger, as stated, is a tiger who has a tail with a spring that he uses to bounce around the place. As energetic as he is, he represents the "Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder". Tigger is the perfect representation for this disorder as he can never be seen sitting still and always wants to do other things. My thoughts on Tigger is that he represents energy and excitement of someone, especially when an exciting day is nearing. While Tigger's energy seems to be like someone who just downed 10 cups of Starbucks coffee, it can also be noted that with this energy, he is happy and filled with serotonin that could lift up anybody's day, which makes him one of the happiest characters of childhood.

Eeyore- Eeyore is a blue donkey who can be considered as the exact opposite of Tigger. While Tigger is one of the happiest characters, Eeyore is one of the saddest characters, which makes him the perfect representation for "Depressive Disorder". Eeyore is a character with such a negative and bleak view in life and he can never be seen to be positive and happy. My representation for him is the sadness of people. While this may be similar to his actual representation, it means differently. My representation simply means that while one can be sad and negative at times, it will not last forever.

Kanga- Kanga is a character who is the mother of little joey Roo. While her motherly traits can make her seem like the best mother in the world, she apparently represents the "Social Anxiety Disorder". This can be categorized because of her overprotectiveness for her youngling and never letting Roo make decisions on his own. My representation for her is the love and care that mothers possess towards their children. As a "mom friend" in my friend group, I could relate to her as I always care for the well-beings of my friends. I can also be protective at times, just like a mom.

Roo- Roo, the young joey of Kanga, is a character who represents the "Autism Spectrum Disorder". He is categorized under this representation because he lacks awareness to danger and can be seen to always be comfortably sitting in his mom's pouch. In my own opinion, he represents the excitement and youthfulness spirit of children. Of course, being a youngling himself, he is seen to always be excited about something. One is not a child forever, so enjoy youth while it lasts because the adult life is harder than it looks.

Rabbit- Rabbit, in all honesty, is not really my cup of tea. He is seen to be this strict character who is therefore, the perfect representation for "Obsessive Compulsive Disorder" or OCD. He is always seen to want everything in order and nothing is messed up. In my own opinion, he simply represents the want of people to be organized and clean. Especially during times of outbreaks, people want nothing dirty and messy as it can attract germs and viruses. While Rabbit is not everyone's favorite character, he can also be a perfect representation of strict parents and teachers who want everything in place for the benefit of others.

And of course, let us not forget the only human character in the story, Christopher Robin. Christopher represents the disorder of "Schizophrenia". He represents this because he basically sees himself in a place that is not real. In my own interpretation, he represents the imagination of a child. Children in their youth desires to go places, both fictional and real, and they will do everything to achieve that goal or to at least make that experience real. Children playing pretend and dressing up is a big indication of their imagination coming into play.

There we go, here are the actual representations and my own personal representations. It is important to note that at times, our favorite characters may represent ourselves, our values and our characteristics. In a way, these characters are not only representations, but also reflections. Fiction indeed reflects reality.

Experience the nostalgia once again by watching Disney's Christopher Robin starring Ewan McGregor, Hayley Atwell, Mark Gatiss and of course, your favorite characters from the fictional place of Hundred-Acre Wood.

#winniethepooh #piglet #tigger #eeyore #christopher robin #childhood nostalgia #childhood #nostalgia

[beeblackburn]

Ghosts for the fandom ask as well! 👀

The first character I ever fell in love with: Thomas Thorne. “Ah, she’s gone” remains one hell of a delightful line delivery. And his following melodrama was just amazing to sit through. I love dramatic™ bitches.

A character that I used to love/like, but now do not: I... honestly don’t know? Like, I generally like every character in this series and that’s not particularly a small feat. I suppose if I had to choose... the Captain or Mike, and only because I’ve come to realize their later more self-centered/forcible moments were there from the get-go, from the Captain’s complaining about Fanny’s screaming and Mike taking out a loan without talking about it with Alison while she was in a coma, not necessarily because I dislike them.

A ship that I used to love/like, but now do not: Ummm, none! I generally agree with the ships in this series. 

My ultimate favorite character™: Thomas Thorne, he usually guarantees a laugh with any line reading, he looks good, he usually holds back before his crush on Alison gets too creepy, The Thomas Thorne Affair and Free Pass helps explain his more romantic tendencies and the former genuinely floored me with some of its twists and that last revelation broke my damn heart. Poor Isabelle and Thomas. They lost so much because the first Lord Button was a selfish arse. And I adore that Thomas was the first one who sung along In the Bleak Midwinter with Alison. I hope all the best for him.

Prettiest character: Kitty or Thomas. Kitty’s more my type, and I love her dress, but Thomas has those floofy locks to die for.

My most hated character: FUCK LORD BUTTON THE FIRST WITH A MUSKET BALL. That being said, I don’t come out of the Christmas Special respecting Mike’s sisters. And, depending on how Kitty’s backstory goes, her sister’s set to replace Lord Button the First. Honestly, I feel like I come out of this series hating cousins and sisters.

My OTP: Mike/Alison. Aside from some hiccups, Mike’s genuinely supportive and follows Alison’s lead and Alison grounds Mike’s eccentrics or flights of fear. They’re not friction-less, but they feel lived-in, have little jokes with each other, and are a couple who love each other and work through their problems.

My NOTP: Yeah, still none.

Favorite episode: Man, there’s a spoil of riches in Season 2 alone, but I keep revisiting Happy Death Day, Getting Out, About Last Night, Redding Weddy, The Thomas Thorne Affair, and Bump in the Night. If I had to narrow it down... The Thomas Thorne Affair, Bump in the Night or The Ghost of Christmas all vie for favorite.

The Thomas Thorne Affair is the best flashback episode Ghosts got, given it’s got a ton of narrative room to breathe around the death in question (I love Redding Weddy, but I wanted more scenes between the Captain and Lieutenant Havers), allowing for multiple perspectives to see the death, and I love how many holes get plugged up by POVs like Kitty’s or get misdirected off-track like Robin’s or get made into a more interesting imaginary scenario like the Captain’s (real talk, his take never fails to make me laugh, bless you, Captain). It’s all hilarious (that bird getting shot by Thomas’ gun as he falls is my second-guiltiest laugh of the series) but it also speaks to a very real idea of our memories: that we edit, we revise, we look back with nostalgia or clean up the messier bits. Add in the twists and the Mike subplot and it all adds up to a tragic tale whose theme is about how another man’s utter selfishness is capable of destroying a relationship between two lovers through violence, either directly or by proxy. It’s delightfully hilarious, but it hits so hard and Thomas’ words about the truth making it all worse twists my heart.

I feel Bump in the Night is the funniest episode Ghosts’ got. It’s not particularly serious, there are no real stakes, given one of the burglars is terrible at theft, it’s just a bunch of total morons fumbling through a breaking-and-entering and it’s amazing. Fanny complaining that the burglars are terrible at theft, the Ghosts calling for 999, only to not think through how to communicate, them trying to communicate with Mike via a creepy doll’s eyelids, Alison immediately realizing Mike’s in the wardrobe, Julian writing “2 of them” instead of 2 like a non-dumbass, MIKE IN THE SUIT OF ARMOR, it’s all amazingly funny, but at the same time, it’s all underlined by the emotional truth that Alison, Mike, and the Ghosts have come far enough that the Ghosts are willing to help them out because they like them, instead of scaring them off or causing problems like in Season 1. Alison verbalizes it, but the more touching scene is how she thanks Robin, the Ghost that first scared her because he had nothing better to do, for getting Barclay to help them and he just nods humbly back. This episode is full of idiots, but it’s got a decent amount of heart in it that gives it weight beyond the laughs.

The Ghost of Christmas probably has one of my favorite theses on why we endure the holidays with our families, despite it never being as magical as can be. There’s stuff to nitpick like how I don’t like how Mike’s sisters delight in Mike throwing a fit, going so far to film it, and some of Julian’s scenes with the baby run a bit long for my taste, but I really do like Julian’s summation of Christmas: that it’s perfect because it’s not perfect and that we should be grateful of any time we spend with family, because it will all go away someday, as the ghosts can testify. We take the good with the bad. There are some delightful humor bits like the Ghosts needling the Captain and Thomas to join in on Twister, Fanny looking up at the tall tree from the seeds they planted, Mike’s dad having a chainsaw, and Julian waving off his daughter being a MP of the Green Party (screw you, Julian, she rules because of that), but there’s also the theme of family in the emotional scene. When Mike’s dad tells him they’re overbearing because someday they won’t get to do things for him, there’s a heartwarming irony that, even past death, the Ghosts are there for Alison, their newest family member. This episode made me realize just how... barren Alison’s biological family connections are from the first episode’s mentioning that there were no other direct relatives. And In the Bleak Midwinter is a gorgeous song that cuts as a certain truth: just because others can’t see your family doesn’t make them any less real to you. 

Saddest death: Thomas dying all alone at the tree, no one living by his side, feeling the sting of being rejected one final time at the end because his cousin was a selfish arse who capitalized on a woman he didn’t love for her estate? God, this bears repeating, but fuck Lord Button the First.

Favorite season: Oh, definitely Season 2. I love Season 1, but I’m not a huge fan of second-hand embarrassment and seeing Alison get embarrassed by her reacting to ghosts that others can’t see made me wince quite a few times. I much prefer Season 2′s handling of Alison and the Ghosts and how they work.

Least favorite season: Season 1. I don’t take to the more second-hand embarrassment humor of that season, but I do love every episode except Free Pass. It’s still a great season with episodes like Happy Death Day, Moonah Ston, and Getting Out. Special mention to Happy Death Day, which was the first time I realized Ghosts could balance the comedy and the darkness with sincere emotion without them undercutting each other at the wrong time.

Character that everyone else in the fandom loves, but i hate: Now? Not really. In the first season though, I sometimes found Kitty a little too grating, possessive, and intrusive. Not that I don’t get where she’s coming from, her childhood sounds lonely and painful in ways she doesn’t fully comprehend and ghosthood hasn’t exactly made her any less lonely in some ways, most times I understand, but sometimes, like at the start of Getting Out where I feel she really should pump the brakes. 

That being said, her backstory’s gonna break me. I just know it.

My ‘you’re piece of trash, but you’re still a fave’ fave: Fanny or the Captain. They really can be abrasive or domineering in that first season, the Captain steamrolling over Pat from time to time and Lady Fanny’s nitpicking and homophobia, but I do get why they are that way and they do get better.

My ‘beautiful cinnamon roll who deserves better than this’ fave: Kitty, who deserves all the blankets for that childhood. Mary, who likely has a mental illness and got burnt because of that. Humphrey, who doesn’t deserve being ignored by the Ghosts.

My ‘this ship is wrong, nasty, and makes me want to cleanse my soul, but i still love it’ ship: Thomas/Alison. Thomas, sometimes, your behavior can get a little too much regarding Alison. That first (thankfully only) peep at her in the shower, I know you’ve been frustrated for years as a Ghost, but noooooooo. That being said, when Thomas respects her boundaries and is a supportive friend (have I mentioned how touching In the Bleak Midwinter is?), I dig them.

My ‘they’re kind of cute, and i lowkey ship them, but i’m not too invested’ ship: Pat/Cap. Not that I don’t get it, and it promises heartwarming feels and heartbreak (Pat moving on after they hook up and Captain having to watch another leave him again, but this time, Captain got to admit his feelings before the leaving) and they are rather adorable together, but I’m more waiting for the narrative to acknowledge the possibility before launching myself into the ship full-time.

#bbc ghosts

[kiss-my-freckle]

Rewatch 8x6: The Wellstone Agency

This episode was gorgeous. 

Alina should've had breakfast with Red. They could've knocked that crossword out together. She seriously needs to be TeamRed. I like that they opened with the crossword puzzle. Three letter word for "It has benefits." JOB. Yeah.... a benefit to have Red cleaning your mess. Red offers her an omelet. Another egg reference. I'm waiting for the egg Krilov scrambled. She asked if he's giving her a case or a history lesson. Seriously... they've opened up her character for so much possibility with her background. She could totally play his girlfriend or his daughter. She doesn't have a Tom Keen in her life that could taint the education he provides. She lies about Cooper being in a meeting. She actually went to Red herself to tell him she thinks what he's doing with Liz is wrong. A bad case of "Girl has no idea. Girl speaks anyway." She doen't know Red is Liz's mother. Best she not think like everyone else... as if she knows what's best for Liz. Red has to pursue Liz because she's the one making it worse.

"Agent Park, next time you feel the urge to unburden yourself, you can rest assured... I've heard it all before. It's a luxury to stand on the moral high ground and critique those of us on the low ground. A lot of people do exactly that. Until they need my help." We saw how this turned out. Alina said she'll never ask for his help, but she did. Ressler said the same in S5. I wonder if they'll be pushing Ressler's in at some point. He didn't ask for Red's help in S5, Red simply offered it. Alina's storyline with this friend of hers feels similar to Ressler's with his brother. Borrowed money from the wrong people. Ressler turned to Liz, Alina turned to Red.  

Red knows very well who works for him. He knew Aram spoke sign language, and he knew Aram would be the one they sent undercover because he can speak more languages than they do. An agency that breaks the language barrier between criminals. Hilarious for Cooper to say sign language definitely doesn't count when it's exactly what Red needed. He needs to speak to the owner who's deaf, best put them on the blacklist. An FBI mole storyline for The Wellstone Agency to parallel the KGB mole that stole the Sikorsky Archive in 1990. The Sound of Silence. The deaf owner of Wellstone. Aram speaking sign language. It all reminds me of Lady Ambrosia and Newton Purcell... silence and screaming.

Marylouise Burke was a great choice for Glen's mother. I love how Dembe lets Red vent about Glen. It's hilarious. He just sits there and listens. They throw in a parallel for Liz, despite its context.

Red: “Huey is, in a word, the reason." Two words. "Which is why his failure to attend my memorial would be seen as a snub so great that I'm afraid it may send Mother into a heartbroken tailspin which she may never recover from."

Basically showing Red was referring to Agnes. 

Red: She might. Some day. But before then - I fear she may do something that she can never recover from.

They also throw Glen in parallel with Kate despite its context.

Dembe: It's his dying wish. Red: No, it's one of his dying wishes.

Red fulfills both dying wishes for Glen.

Nik: I can’t help you. Tom: Whoever is in here, this is the dying wish of a good woman, alright?

Red: I understand the temptation acting on a fine woman’s dying wish. But your quest has cost Nik Korpal his life, and persisting will put whomever you involve in harm’s way.

Liz: She killed herself so I could get the duffel bag. It was her dying wish. Feel free to honor it.

Kate's dying wish has yet to be fulfilled. Liz doesn't know Red's truth because she still doesn't know his identity. Liz is still trying to honor Tom's dying wish.

Red: You won’t miss a day more with her than is absolutely necessary. You have my word. Liz: And you have mine. That I’m gonna honor Tom’s dying wish. For me to know your truth. Before this is over, I’m going to find out what it is.

That's why this story isn't over.

Aram's conversation with Red's contact reminds me of S5. The pill reminds me of Earl King and The Djinn. The blacklister is a great storyline as they cross into the Russian language for Red's KGB background and the thumb drive. Cooper's scene with Alina about her friend's death feels a lot like his scene with Ressler over Audrey’s prior to him going after Mako Tanida. 

Another parallel despite its context. This one, to Red being Ilya.

Red: He told his mother he inspired you to record "Workin' for a Livin'" after a rousing game of beer pong in the back of a bar in Teaneck. Huey: And she believed him?

Ilya: What I can’t figure out is Dom. Why would he tell her all that? Red: In an attempt to help her move on. Ilya: And she believed him?

Aram is getting better out in the field... at thinking on his feet. No Turning Back by Claire Guerreso... great soundtrack for the scene. So dramatic. One of my favorite scenes of Aram... ever. Such a great performance.

"Evidently, Reddington was wearing a wire. One we'll tell the Justice Department that you were wearing." I think Red chose to wear the wire because he's not gonna let The Freelancer's release happen for another blacklister. He's done playing around. It basically removed Red as a CI, leaving the FBI to act as their accusers instead. It not only protects the FBI, it protects Red in the criminal world. His name will no longer come up should others want to face their accuser in court. He gives them a name, allows them to infiltrate, gets the proof they need, and makes it look like they got to these blacklisters on their own.

Cooper is playing a dangerous game with the thumb drive. Making sure Aram keeps it hidden from Red, yet claims to be working with Red at the same time. 

Cooper: As if I'm not already asking you to do too much, I need you to try and open this drive. Aram: Okay. Is this about a case? Cooper: I'm not sure. Which is why I need you to keep this between us. Nobody knows. Especially Reddington.

Aram: Mr. Reddington told you the name? Why? Cooper: Because we're on the same team. And because he knows we have to work together if we have any hope of bringing Keen home safely.

Skipping out on his halfsies, taking control as if Red works for him. 

Aram: Mr. Cooper, um - about, uh - this drive you wanted me to decrypt. Uh, I can't. I reached out to a friend at the NSA. Cooper: Do you trust him? Aram: I do. Cooper: Good. Because if he tells anyone about this, his life could be in jeopardy. Keep me posted. 

I believe this thumb drive will play out like the suitcase of bones, and it will most certainly put Liz’s life in jeopardy just as the suitcase put her in a coma. And I think it will be the NSA friend that makes a move rather than Cooper. I don't think he's gonna be anything like Jennifer's friend checking through Koehler's files. After Cooper said to keep it between them, Aram chose to reach out to his NSA friend. Big mistake. Totally different from the Fulcrum, which Aram handed directly back to Liz. He should've given the drive back to Cooper, but he didn't. That'll be his mistake.

Red: Her husband wasn't who he appeared to be. She was in jeopardy. I had to intervene. Cassandra: And... is she still in jeopardy? Red: I hope not.

I think the opposite of 3a could run through 8a. Ressler putting Liz in danger, Aram saving her life. Aram putting Liz in danger, Ressler saving her life. 

"He gets her hopes up, and I have to be the one to dash them. Glen at his finest." A great dialogue with double meaning. There’s also a parallel for Tom Keen and Ressler, despite its context. 

Huey: And I got to know 'cause I can't get my head around it. Why in the world is Raymond Reddington running errands for a DMV desk clerk?

Ressler: I'm just I'm trying to run my head around all this. So Reddington's not Reddington. 

Red: There is one thing that I can't seem to... wrap my head around. Tom. After all the lies, all the deception and humiliation, how you can just forgive and forget.

Rederina is my favorite parallel with Glen because it’s the part of the episode that I find most beautiful.

Death and rebirth.

Paula: Glenn... transitioned. Red: I don't know what that means.

Ilya: It is a mystery, right? So, we give them the answer. Katarina: What does that mean?

It’s complicated.

Huey: I - I didn't ask you what he did. I asked what made him special. Red: That's a bit more complicated. Huey: Ah, I'm sure it is. I'm sure it's incredibly complicated.

Red: It’s complicated.

Red: Oh, I think you’re very special. 

Weird and strange.

Huey: And weird and strange. But - I like weird and strange. You said I could ask for any favor... that's the favor. Red: You want me to tell you about how weird and strange Glen was.

Waters: Raymond Reddington. Wow. What a name. What a man. And people think I’m weird.

Liz: You have a picture of my mother in your weird, little apartment. Why?

Denner: You must have known how strange all of this was. Liz: Of course I did.

Huey: That'd be good. Uh, but the truth is, you can't do a bigger favor than revealing somebody's [heart and soul.] Red: No, I don't suppose you can. [Insert Dembe.]

I view Red's eulogy for Glen just as much a eulogy for Katarina Rostova - the person Red used to be. That's why I felt the Statue of Liberty was perfect. The glorious feet of two grande dames, Queen Rostova and Crowned Liberty. One of the saddest differences between Glen and Katarina - they can talk about Glen whenever - wherever they choose. Even saying the name Katarina Rostova has consequences, so her memory fades. Like Katarina, Glen was unafraid. I feel that's the biggest reason Red worries about his memories of Glen fading. Because Red's memories of his former self have, which gives reason for Glen's fearlessness to be the thing he'll miss the most.

Earl Fagen: Living a lie was worse than prison. The day I confessed was the day I went to jail. That was also the day I was set free.

I love the bag Red put Glen’s ashes in. It says "thank you" ... as if thanking Glen at the same time he's spreading his ashes. As they pan to the photo of Glen with his mother, I consider the mother-son parallel, still predicting Scottie and Halcyon being the next big bad because of Tom’s death. 

Scotcheroo... a great nickname for Red, I think. 

#Rederina

[eemapso]

Hey everybody~! I figured that while im at it, id upload and properly introduce some my babies on here ^^ (eventually i’ll get around to a c t u a l l y uploading the full pages too smh)

So yeah! Here’s a partial character roster from our story “Rampid”~!

Yukiko Tanimoto

A girl who’s emotions were sealed away from her at a very young age. Now, many years later, she regains her ability to use them. Not only that, she’s now able to speak the very personification of the human emotions! With their help, she aims to one day be a friend and a hero to anyone who may need one. Along the way, she has to relearn the “proper” social context in which certain emotions can shine through.

She can be a bit spastic and erratic behavior wise as she’s trying to relearn when and where to use her emotions.

Angela

An angel who has been around since the beginning of time. She loves humans and wishes for them to be at peace and happy as they live on the mortal plane. But of course, with influence from the underworld humans are in danger 24/7. As a result, she has the personified human emotions to help defeat the attackers from the underworld. 

She is very quiet and calm and most of her words are passed through her halo, Calum. One of her favorite pass times is kicking back and playing a song on her little lyre harp.

Chaviva

The personification of the human emotion Love. A passionate fellow who likes long walks on the beach, romantic dinners, and practicing his archery skills. He loves everyone around him and has a tendency to jump through hoops for his friends. In his spare time he tries to rekindle his relationship with his estranged lover.

Adrina

The personification of the human emotion happiness. A hyperactive little ball of pure giddy energy. Adrina wants to spread happiness to everyone so that they can all give the most beautiful smiles. She likes to train her Giant Mallet abilities with her own makeshift “whack a mole” course.

Venin

The personification of the human emotion anger. A flaming slab of angry angry beef. When he’s not exercising his lungs he’s literally destroying his exercise equipment. He’s here to pump you up or kill you trying. Those shackles on his arms are for your protection.  Trust me.

Namida

The personification of the human emotion sadness. The saddest little water drop you’ll ever see. She tends to stick loom around like a rain cloud. Any attempt to get her to cheer up will more than likely lead to more tears. But attempts are always welcome. One of her favorite pass times is drinking straight out of multiple bottles of liquor (of which she has a v e r y high tolerance.)

Rita

The personification of the human emotion bravery. She’s tall, She’s strong, and boy does she love to tell you stories. She enjoys recounting tales of how heros of the past with her emotions went on to do the most heroic things. Earning their place as legends among the stars. When she’s not doing this she’s leading the charges for the other emotions against the enemies from the underworld. Sword in hand she aims to take the offensive rather than the defensive.

Folvos

The personification of the human emotion fear. You’re more likely to find this little guy huddled in a corner hidden behind his magic spell book. Dont approach him too quickly or you may find yourself being picked up by invisible ancient hands and tossed across the room. He wont mean it of course, its only reflex.

Thats just a general overview of the really main main characters. I’ve still got plenty to show off in the future, but for now, if you have any questions please dont hesitate to ask~ I love telling people about my kids ^^

#anime #manga #comic #cartoon #colored #oc #original character #original story #original manga #original anime #original comic #original cartoon #character sheet #character refs #character reference #project rampid #projectrampid #pothe Love #pothe happiness #pothe anger #pothe sadness #pothe bravery #pothe fear #angela #yukiko #chaviva #namida #folvos #venin #rita

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #275

i’m anxious and my head is hectic so i can’t think of a single song lyric to put here lmao

Have you ever dated anybody online? Yes, but we met up in person for a week+ at a time multiple times. Ever been stalked? No. Ever stalked someone? No. I never got to that point with him because shit’s creepy. Have you ever been called a slut, hoe, skank, whore? Only playfully by close friends because that’s how we show affection sometimes lmao. Have you ever snuck out before? No. Do you eat meat? I wish I didn’t, but I do. If so, do you like meat? Yes. If not, do you have anything against people who eat meat? N/A Have you ever gotten a manicure or pedicure? I went with my old friend and sisters on rare occasions just to hang out. Have you ever been close to getting kidnapped? Jc no, thank fuck. HAVE you ever been kidnapped? No. I’d be so goddamn terrified. Do you listen to Lykke Li? Never heard of ‘em. Have you ever self-harmed? Yes. Do you have any eating disorders? No. Have you ever met a celebrity? No. Do you like Monster Energy or do you prefer other energy drinks? Astonishingly with how much I love soda, I am nooot an energy drink fan. They taste like straight-up poison. Describe the best day of your life? I don’t really know what that would be. About how many times a week do you skip class or just school in general? When I was in school, I’d fake sick as a kid rarely, then in high school I had quite a few mental health days. College, too. Have you ever been suspended from school? No. Have you ever been expelled? No. Do you role-play? Only on designated forums and in serious stories. I need substance behind it. Irl, sexual, and pretty much any other RP doesn’t interest me. Do you watch Degrassi? I never did, no. What is one of the saddest novels you’ve ever read in your lifetime? Johnny Got His Gun by Dalton Trumbo. Jesus fucking Christ. Orbit or 5 Gum? Honestly can’t even remember their tastes… but I THINK I preferred the latter. Have you ever been in a love triangle? No. How bad are your hangovers? I’ve never had one. Do you think Taco Bell is nasty? No. Do you have a jacuzzi? Definitely not. Have you ever broken a bone? If so, what was the cause of it? No. Do you think vegans/vegetarians look down on people who choose to eat animal products? That’s a very generalizing statement… You can’t say that of them all. Some absolutely do, others don’t. Do your friendships tend to last a long time or are they short-lived? Definitely the former. Name the best and worst things about your current or most recent relationship. The best thing was absolutely that I felt accepted for entirely who I was, like I needed to hide not a single thing. The worst thing was easily distance. Fuck distance. How are you? Aggravated at a lot of things. What part of your body are you most insecure about? Absolutely my stomach. What’s one food you would be surprised to hear that someone doesn’t like? Chocolate. I mean I know at least one person who doesn’t, but boy does it catch you off-guard. Do you think your voice is higher or lower than average? It’s definitely lower than the average woman’s. Do you and your parents like any of the same bands/singers? Oh, loads! I couldn’t even begin to list them all. Is there any food in your bedroom? No. Do you know anyone who has road rage? MY YOUNGER SISTER. GOOD LORD. Riding with her is always a trip. How far away do your grandparents live from you? My only (barely) living one is in New York with family, probably until she dies. It’s like ten hours away. What kinds of cereal are in the cupboard? We have chocolate Special K, Honey Nut Cheerios, a Food Lion rip-off of Rice Krispies, and… maybe one more? Is your mom a big health freak or your dad? Or neither? Neither, really. Given her cancer, high blood sugar, and diabetes though, Mom is much more conscious of what she eats. Do you know anyone who wants to be the president one day? Not that I’m aware of. What kinds of chips are in the cupboards? We don’t have any. Mom and I try to keep snack foods out of the house because we know ourselves well enough to know we WILL eat them too fast. Do you have your mom’s or dad’s hair? Absolutely my mom’s. It’s thick as hell like hers was. What’s the first thing you see when you walk into your bedroom? Probably my massive Nightmare Before Christmas poster above my bed. Do you have any friends who have naturally red hair? Yes. Have you ever cried when a teacher retired? Yep. I’m never going to forget my first band teacher; he was a real comedian with a massive heart. We all adored him and got so excited when he would come back to substitute if our instructor had to miss and he was able to come. Oddly enough, I don’t remember his name… When’s the last time you wore heels? Oh Christ. Maybe Ashley’s wedding? Did I even wear heels? Do you have your mom’s or dad’s eyes? Neither. What’s the best date movie? I am such an average white bitch in how my answer to this will always and vehemently be The Notebook. How long has your current best friend been your best friend? Around three years. Have your parents ever been out of the country? No. Do you swear and yell while playing video games? No. I might curse under my breath. Is there any alcohol in the fridge? Oh I WISH. Do your pets chase after bugs? YUP. Roman loves hunting flies. When’s the last time you were so excited you couldn’t sleep? Why? Excited? Probably not since I was going to see Sara. I don’t know. What is your mom’s favorite movie? Oh shit, good question. How much older is your dad then you? Don’t make me math, please. 30-something years. Do you have any relatives who really spoil you? No. Do you know anyone who has security cameras in their house? Probably. What was the last movie to make you cry? No clue. Has anyone you know ever pulled the fire alarm in school, joking around? I think so? Who was the main character in the last book you read? Starflight. Is the last person you said goodbye to single? No, he’s married to my sister. Who are the last people you saw kiss? Like romantically/on the lips? Ummm probably a couple on Facebook or something. Have you ever posted a fan fiction on a website? No. Do you ever fantasize about your future wedding? Who’s the bride/groom? Not anymore. Do you have any relatives who are expecting a baby really soon? No. My high school friend did just announce she’s pregnant with her second child though. When you get married, who will be the maid of honor/best man? My mom. Does your best friend get along with their parents? Yes, they’re fantastic. Have you ever been in a wedding? What were you? Yes; I was the hideous bridesmaid that just cried all through my sister’s wedding. That was a fucking nightmare. Does it matter to you what kind of shampoo you use? I don’t really care, no. Do you have a sensitive gag reflex? Like STUPID fuckin sensitive. Where are you the most ticklish? Don’t touch my fuckin feet. What was the last situation to upset you? It was a petty envy thing that shouldn’t have upset me, let’s move along. Have you ever had an online argument? I’ve been socially on the Internet since I was 11 and am now 24, take a guess lmao. The general subject of your last text conversation? Asking Sara for permission for something RP-related. What is just down the hall from where you’re located? There’s not really a hall at all; my room opens up into the living room. Do any of your friends know you fill out surveys? Well besides the online friends I have here, no. Do you like the controversial/political surveys? ”It depends on if I have enough opinions (and energy) to give good answers or not.” <<<< Exactly this. Who/What did you last spend time worrying about? Myself and my future and my newfound fear of ending up homeless and hopeless after my parents pass away because I’m a very sorry Adult™. What was the last thing you prepared in the oven? Whoa, who knows. The oven scares me, so I don’t use it myself. When were you last offered something illegal? I don’t think I ever have been, actually. Did you accept or decline that offer? N/A When was the last time that you saw fire? On the way home like a week back or something. Someone was burning stuff in their backyard. Have you ever seen somebody get shot? No. What are you listening to? “Little One” by Highly Suspect. Gorgeous song. Do you chew on your hair? Um no???? Can you talk on the phone while having the tv/radio on? No. What size are all the televisions in your house? I don’t know the measurements, but it’s a large Vizio. One of the few really nice things we got when my parents were together. Do you have health insurance? Yes. How many times have you been pulled over by the cops while driving? Zero. What is one of your favorite movie lines? I don’t know, they’re not really something I memorize. What is one thing you look forward to every day? My morning Mountain Dew lmao it’s my coffee, essentially. What is one thing you dread every day? The inevitable part where I’m bored shitless by early evening. Ever lived through a natural disaster? Lots of hurricanes. What’s the longest you’ve lived without electricity? I wanna say around two days? Maybe even three? I don’t remember. Name all the drugs you have tried: None. Name all of the alcoholic beverages you have tried? Margaritas and sangrias with different types of alcohol that I don’t know. Oh, hard lemonade. Oh yeah, wine too, which was fucking repulsive. Name all the types/brands of cigarettes you have tried: None. What is one thing you stand strongly for? Fucking TRY ME on gay rights. What does your doormat say? We don’t have one. Who was the last person you were on hold with (on the phone)? I don’t remember. Who do you know that’s had a baby recently? Ummm I don’t think any *very* recently. Do you know anyone who got married recently? Again, not very. Do you know anyone who has died recently? No. Do you change songs in the car often? I use my iPod to play over it, where I select the songs to play, so I let them play through. However, if I was actually the driver, I definitely wouldn’t; it wouldn’t really matter because I’m so terrified of driving that I need almost no radio at all. What street sign do you find totally pointless? I’m not familiar enough with them all. What drinking games have you played? None. What made you pick up the last book you started reading? Sara got me into the series. Have you received any bad or troubling news lately? Welcome to 20fuckin20, y’all. When was the last time you were relieved about something? *shrug* What about your life concerns you the most? That I’ll waste it. Is there a common thing most people seem to do without trouble, but it scares you (talking on the phone, driving, interviews, etc)? When was the last time you had to do one of these kinds of things? When I went to the doctor a couple weeks ago, I signed myself in. Yes, that sets my anxiety off because I don’t know how to Talk. When was the last time you went somewhere for the first time? Uhhhhhhhh good question. I don’t go anywhere. What is a situation that makes you feel especially confident? Talking about meerkat behavior ha ha. If you’ve moved out from home, what was the scariest thing about it? What was/is your favorite thing about it? N/A Are there any fictional characters you like even though they’re “bad” or “evil?” What qualities draw you to a character? BITCH yes. I just like charisma. For villains, I really like when there’s a *reason* they’re bad, too, and not so just for the sake of it. And I am a SUCKER for sarcastic lil shit villains. What are your thoughts on “forgiving” murderers, rapists, attackers, etc? Do you think it’s even possible to forgive these people? This is a tough question, after I looked past my initial “hell no.” Like, people change. I suppose it varies case-to-case. What was the last series you finished watching? Do you have any plans to begin another? Actually finished, Ginga Densetsu Weed. I’m sure Sara and I will keep watching Avatar: The Last Airbender next time we see each other. What is one way in which you are different from a year ago? What is one way in which you are still the same? I definitely hate myself more than I did. And that’s the problem: I haven’t developed at all in a year’s time. Is there anything you’ve promised yourself you’ll never do again? Multiple things. Do you prefer fake tanning or real tanning? I prefer not tanning at all. Would you date someone who was addicted to drugs? No. I’m not getting into that shit. If the person was recovered, yes, but I wouldn’t hesitate leaving if they relapsed and didn’t seek help. Sounds brutal, but I’m serious about the damage drugs do, and not just to the user. Do you still talk to the person you had your first kiss with? No. It’s probably best we never do again. Can you make yourself cry? I’ve never really tried, but I don’t think so. Are you ready for kids? I’ll never be. Have you ever woken up crying from a bad dream? Plenty of times. Thanks, nightmares every fucking time I sleep. Do you eat breakfast? Yes. Cannot relate to people who don’t like wtf that’s the best part of the morning. Have you ever trusted someone too much? BOY OH BOY OH BOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How did you get your last bruise? I don’t recall. Last time you got a text message and smiled? Idk. What was the last kid’s movie you saw? Ummmmm good question. Have you ever shared a shower or bath with someone as an adult? Noooo, not into it. Sounds dangerous but also just… weird to me. Like let me clean myself in peace??? Are you bitter about anything? Oh, am I. Do you use emojis? Occasionally. I’m too biased to emoticons, growing up using those every sentence, lol… but I’m starting to move towards them depending on the platform, and the ones I use are very limited. Do you have any hidden piercings? (this includes bellybuttons) No. I took my snake eyes out. Has anyone called you perfect before? *lips against mic* that was a motherfuckin lie Have you ever liked someone that was in a relationship? Yes. Have you ever gone through a period of mass weight-gain/weight-loss? What was that time like for you? Both, actually. First, mass weight-gain happened due to a medication I was on that murders metabolism + I was a bad emotional eater after the breakup, and those two don’t mix. Then, through recovery, I lost over 50 pounds in around a year from being off of that fucking medicine and my eating habits returning to normal. What’s one incident that has majorly affected your self-esteem? Was it for better, or for worse? THE BREAKUP. It made me feel like an absolute waste of space and time. Do you have a close bond with your sibling(s)? Was it always this way, or has it been better/worse? Not really, but I wish I did. Ashley and Nicole are very close, then I’m like… awkwardly on the sidelines trying to find times where I can insert myself and be a proper sister. Ash and I ARE closer than we were as kids, while it’s a harsh opposite with Nicole. We shared a room and were very close, but now I feel like she doesn’t even like me. Have you used Limewire before? Ha, yuuup… Who do you envy the most, if anyone at all? I’m uncertain about the most.

#survey #quiz #questions #questionnaire

[tsukihimeyfan]

To Undertale

In honor of its 4 year anniversary, I would like to talk a bit about Undertale (I know I’m a bit late, but bear with me). Apologies ahead of time for the long post, and to anyone who reads it in its entirety; thank you. Also thank you very much to Toby Fox for giving birth to this masterpiece that has touched all of us so much :) I will be discussing several important details in the story, so SPOILER ALERT (just in case)

I came upon Undertale very late. It had already been out for about a year when I first heard about it, but everyone said such wonderful things and I was curious, so I decided to watch a playthrough on youtube, just to sate my curiosity. But Oh Man, I was not prepared for what I found: a gorgeous soundtrack, dozens of memorable characters, an amazing story, an incredible journey, and a veritable fountain of feelings sprouting in my heart. I fell in love.

For at least several weeks afterwards, the words “stay determined”, “everyone can be better if they just try” and “despite everything, it’s still you” bounced around in my head. Also, the idea that “even if its painful, even if you are going through a hard time, you can always choose to be kind, and happiness can always be found there, for others as well as yourself” became embedded in my soul. Even now, thinking about the True Pacifist ending fills me with joy. It was only fairly recently that I finally completed my own playthrough of the game, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that there were still many little secrets to uncover (for example, did you know that the  “gauntlet of deadly terror” bridge is just a rock formation that Papyrus painted over to make it more dramatic? He also added the rope for safety LOL😂)

The best part of the game, in my opinion, are the main characters. They are all more complex than they appear, they all have their struggles, and I would like to talk a bit about my opinions and theories about all of them.

Let us start from the beginning and talk about everyone’s favorite goatmom, Toriel. Of course, we all know her sadness at the death of her children, new and old, but if we really think about it there are signs that the situation may have been even worse than it seems... Namely, the shoe box in the room Toriel prepares for Frisk. If you check it, it says there are several shoes “in a disparity of sizes”. Presumably, these are the shoes left behind by the human children before they left the ruins, but they surely didn’t leave the ruins barefoot, right? And if they only stayed with Toriel for a day or so like Frisk does then she wouldn’t have had the opportunity or the need to go out and get some for them. This implies that each human child that fell probably stayed with Toriel for a while, long enough for her to need to buy them new shoes, maybe even because they outgrew their original pair. This, in turn, means that she had a chance to really get to know them, take care of them, and love them, unlike Frisk, who she only took care of for a little while before we leave. This might explain why she is so angry at Asgore, why it is unlikely that she will ever forgive him. If this is true, he not only killed random innocent human children that she didn’t really know, which is bad enough on its own, he might have killed her children, children she treasured. This also explains why she is so obsessive about protecting Frisk from everything and keeping them in the ruins no matter the cost. And yet, despite her pain, her “loneliness and her fear”, she still is one of the most gentle, kind and caring characters you meet, even willing to try to prevent Asgore’s death as well as Frisk’s. Toriel is best goatmom <3

Then we meet the star of the True Pacifist run (especially if you call him often); the Great Papyrus! He is my second favorite character for good reason. He is so much fun from the very beginning. Although he might appear to be a bit narcissistic at first, you quickly realize that in truth he is just lonely and desperate to impress in a misguided attempt to make more friends. Even so, he is always attentive to the feelings of his friends and tries his best to make them feel better. His relationship with Undyne is also quite adorable, and there are signs that he knows more than he lets on about everything (he is at the very least great at gauging the emotional state of people and manipulating them a little to push them towards self improvement, as Frisk’s date with Undyne and his warning about Alphys can demonstrate). Also, the way he always tries to believe the best of people, even in the worst circumstances or when he is scared, is truly admirable. I really love that precious cinnamon roll

Then there is Sans. Oh my god, Sans. He steals the show in the genocide route, truly. He is my favorite character of all, and there are so many things about him you don’t find out if you don’t dig deeper and talk to several people. First of all, he is a wonderful brother. Although he always teases Papyrus, he does his best to cheer him up all the time (for example, in the Genocide route he says that Junior Jumble is the hardest, even though in other routes he says its the crossword, just to make Papyrus feel a bit better when the human refuses to play along with his puzzles), he pays the bills for the house, he probably gave Papyrus his action figures (Papyrus tells you santa gave them to him, but there is a thank you letter to santa in Sans’ room), he made sure Papyrus’ room was super cool and comfortable when he doesn’t even have a bed frame himself, he was probably the one who bought Papyrus his car on the surface (one of the guys at Grillby’s tells you that he spends most of his time checking out car magazines), he helped  him build his sentry station and battle body, and he reads him bed time stories every night. Second of all, although he seems to be a comic relief character at first, he is struggling with major depression (you can find out that he is eating less, he doesn’t sleep much at all at night, he feels hopeless all the time, he seems fatigued all day, and he doesn’t see a point in doing anything at all) and is probably using humor to cope. Finally, there is Sans’ heroism as well as his tragedy: he is one of the only characters who is aware of the resets. First he had to live through Flowey’s endless resets, when he first befriended everyone and then proceeded to kill them all in a variety of ways, presumably being the one to stop him from getting the human souls several times (Flowey tells you that Sans has caused him “more than his fair share of resets”). Then there is YOU, who manage to free the monsters, begrudgingly earn his trust/friendship, and then rip it all away (even worse, he is completely aware of your betrayal; if you reset after a True Pacifist ending, you can find a picture of Frisk smiling happily with all of your friends together, and the only time such a picture is taken is when you all make it to the surface, so he certainly knows that you freed everyone and then returned them to the darkness for your curiosity). And yet despite all of that, despite knowing that fighting you is pointless (especially since he can tell every time he kills you and you load your save file), despite not having hope anymore that he will one day see the sun and remain under its light, he still fights you fiercely on the genocide route, again and again, employing all of his considerable power, but not for himself (he doesn’t hope for anything anymore after all); its because he still wants his brother and his friends to have a better future, because he knows that if you win the world will end and no one will ever return, because he still wants you to reset so that everyone will come back and have another chance at happiness, no matter how brief. Jesus christ, this character gives me all of the feels. I love him so much

As for Undyne, I love how she seems so rough but is actually very sweet to her friends and loved ones, and she cares so much for her fellow monsters, always trying her best for their sake. Also, her crush on Alphys is the cutest thing ever, particularly if you take the time to call her often (you’d be surprised how often she talks about Alphys. Papyrus also tries to encourage her several times to be honest with her feelings, and their dynamic is frankly the best mentor-student relationship I’ve ever seen)

In the case of Flowey, I really like how he is a sort of reflection of the player ingame, especially for those who chose to go through the genocide route (“‘I don’t like this’, I told myself, ‘I’m just doing this because I have to see what happens’ Hahaha, what an excuse!”). And the Asriel twist was truly masterfully executed.

I really empathize with Alphys in a lot of ways, since I struggle with social anxiety myself. Her journey to overcome her self hatred and be honest about her mistakes is really touching. I love how her friends understand that she only had the best of intentions at heart and continue to stand by her when she comes clean about what she did. Friendship can really make all the difference in the world for those of us who are struggling like her in one way or another. Her apparent suicide if you kill Mettaton or Undyne, her pillars of support, is one of the saddest things in the game I think. I also really admire how during genocide she presumably opens up the true lab for the evacuating monsters despite her fears, and if you abandon the genocide route in Hotland she takes charge in order to protect all monsters in Undyne’s stead

When we first meet him, my opinion of Mettaton is the same as Undyne’s; “I don’t really like that guy, but I admire his lifestyle”. However, I really enjoyed his growth as a character after Frisk beats him and his fans remind him of what is truly important. He becomes so much more supportive of his friends, and I really like how he always stays true to who he is, even going so far as to find the body/look that perfectly represented how he felt inside, and later encouraged others to do the same (like giving that one lion his dress)

Finally, we come to one of the most interesting characters, even though they are rarely mentioned and not really seen except in the ending of the genocide route: Chara. Truthfully, I think they are often misunderstood because the biggest impression they make is in said ending, when they take control of Frisk and destroy the world. However, I do not believe Chara was inherently evil. After all there are clear indications that Chara is the narrator of the game (the most obvious being the mirrors in Genocide). They tell you that your determination awakened them from death, and I believe that their spirit becomes attached to yours at the beginning of your adventure, which would explain how you, a human new to the underground, can understand the monsters that can’t speak normally like the Froggits and the snails (notice that their text starts with a noise they make, like “ribbit”, and what they actually mean is in parenthesis) as well as the ancient writing on the walls. After all, Chara lived in the underground long enough to become a sibling to Asriel and become known by all the monsters, it would make sense for them to have learned their language, and then they translate for you. This would also mean that all the funny commentary whenever you check an object or a monster comes from Chara. Also Chara being the narrator would explain why they go silent at one point or another during the battles with Asgore and Toriel (when the description says only “...”). Many people argue that their plan to cross the barrier with Asriel and kill humans means they were evil, but I do not think so, even if they did hate humanity. After all, if they only wanted the power to kill humans they could have killed one of the Dreemurs in their sleep, taken their soul and crossed the barrier with it. Instead, they killed themselves, gave Asriel their soul in order to break the barrier and made a plan to free all of their monster friends and family. Death from buttercup poisoning is not an easy one either (it includes bloody diarrhea, abdominal pain and blistering of the intestines); they had to suffer in terrible agony for days in order to achieve their goal, all for their monster family. People also argue that the fact that they laughed after accidentally poisoning Asgore means they did it on purpose or enjoyed causing him pain, but Undertale shows us many times that sometimes you laugh when the only thing you want to do is cry. There is also this during the fight with the Snowy amalgamate which proves my point: (look below) . Finally, during the battle with Asriel in True Pacifist, you use your memories with your friends in order to save them, but you don’t know Asriel at all, so how do you save him? The answer is simple: Chara shares their memories of him with you, and since they are the narrator, they are also the one who encourages you to use the last of your power to save your friends. In conclusion, I think in the beginning Chara is just a slightly bitter, slightly misguided, sometimes unnecessarily violent child who tried to do their best to protect those they loved, even though in hindsight it might not have been with a good method. In many ways, they remind me of Undyne (specially after MK says that maybe she is mean, not cool, in the True Pacifist ending. That really breaks my heart, when I think about all she has done for monsters in general and MK in particular in other routes. It would also explain why Chara seems to admire her so much, calling her a heroine in every route and seeming horrified by the state of her body when she is killed in neutral routes). This means that what they become in the Genocide route is because of you, and they even tell you so at the end (you are the one who makes them think the only meaning of their reincarnation is acquiring power). It makes sense that seeing everyone they know and love being killed systematically right in front of them would twist them, turn them into something they were never meant to be in order to cope with what is happening. Also, Sans does say that gaining LV causes you to feel less and hurt others more easily. Your actions take that well-intentioned but misguided child and turn them into a demon.

I am so in love with these characters that I cannot do a Genocide route myself. I only know about it from watching playthroughs but I don’t have the heart to destroy their happiness. I only ever did a single run, without resetting once, all the way up to True Pacifist. I like to think that in some universe where they are real, they are living happily on the surface, Sans has had the chance to restore his lost hopes, and resets are no more.

I would also like to thank the Undertale fandom for giving me a home, and so many wonderful ideas to explore. Since Deltarune practically confirms that the Multiverse exists in canon, the possibilities are endless, and the amount of detail and dedication you guys have devoted to building those other realities is truly outstanding. I specially love Underfell, Aftertale (and its close relative Errortale), Underswap, Handplates, Endertale, and Underverse/Xtale. To their creators, thank you for the ideas, the art, and the possibilities. And most of all, thank you Toby Fox for starting us all on this wonderful journey.

And to all my fellow fans: Remember, Always Stay Determined ♥️

#undertale #stay determined #happy anniversary #despite everything it's still you #toby fox #thyf rambles

[libralita]

Week of Bookblr - Top 5 Best Books of 2018

So, while I did read some really bad books there were also some really great books this year. I actually narrowed my list down to the top five books that I thought were really great. So without further ado let’s get into my top 5 books of 2018

#5 Scythe by Neal Shusterman

Shusterman always has these great premises and this book is no exception. In this world humanity has basically cured death. The only threat is overpopulation so you have these people called Scythes who’s job it is to maintain the population. Shusterman some how figured out my greatest irrational fear is immortality so that’s terrifying. Along with a creepy AI, some really great characters, and an appropriately asshole-ish villain this book deserves the number five spot. Rest in peace Shawn Dobson.

#4 Fullmetal Alchemist Vol. 8 by Hiromu Arakawa:

Words cannot describe how much I love Fullmetal Alchemist the series. It probably the closest thing to a perfect series. I absolutely adored it and my favorite volume of this series was the penultimate Volume 8 (the omnibus version). First of all the van Hohenheim and Father stuff was amazing. I love seeing Mustang’s crew and the Briggs troops take over the city. It is so cool how clever these characters are. Mustang going absolutely nuts with Envy and that talk was so beautiful. Then when Mustang apologizes to Riza, I just teared up. It had my second favorite fight scene with Greed and Wrath. So awesome to see Greed and Ling work together. But it also had the best fight scene in the entire series which is when the Armstrong siblings and Curtis couple fight against Sloth. I did not know I wanted to see these four characters fight together but it was the most epic thing I have ever seen. I loved it so much. It was bad ass and powerful and SO AMAZING! I loved it.

#3 The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick:

I read and listened to this on audiobook and it was unbelievable. It was a mixture of the wonderful writing and the sound design that made this story come to life. Selznick was a new to me author and I so happy that I found his books. This one especially was whimsical and charming. It had beautiful artwork. The characters felt so real and it was so heartwarming. This is something that you need to read when you’re feeling down and need to put a smile on your face. It’s a classic in the making.

#2 Skyward by Brandon Sanderson

Yeah, yeah I have to put Brandon Sanderson on this list. I think the real shocker is that he isn’t number one on this list. Nothing this year really felt like it deserved the number one spot. Legion and White Sand Vol. 2 were both five star stories but I think Skyward is the best that he published this year.

The reason that this book does deserve to be on this list is the characters, especially Spensa. If you saw my Top 5 Worst of the year list you’ll see that I hate overly aggressive main characters. When I first read this book, I had the kneejerk reaction to hate Spensa. She was aggressive and violent. However, I actually really liked Spensa. I cannot believe it. Brandon Sanderson took the trope that I hate the most and made it something I liked. I’ve talked with other people who HATE this trope as well and they were shocked at how well Spensa’s character was handled.

I think there are three reasons why Spensa works. First is that she is given a logical reason for acting this way. First when she’s young it’s more child-like and then as she gets older it’s because she’s an outcast in this society for what her father did. Second, it’s a lot of talk. She generally never really physically hurts anyone. She’s never really mean. There’s no mean-spirited-ness to her. Third, and this is the most important thing: she is not automatically great at flying. Spensa loves flying and wants to do it more than anything in this world. But she is not automatically amazing at it. She has to work her butt off to become great. Which not only ties into the theme of meritocracy but also shows a character having to work for things.

I also really loved most of the side characters. Jorgen was a tad bland for me, I hope that we get to see a little more of him, maybe even add his own POV chapters. I was really sad when someone either left flight school or died (and man do a lot of characters die in this). The story is portrayed very realistically to how you’d think flight school would work. It also gave Spensa a chance to grow and realize how dangerous this path could be. M-Bot is obviously the best character. He funny, sarcastic and an obvious self-insert.

#1 The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

I am so mad at myself for waiting so long to read this absolutely brilliant book. This book is about a girl living in Nazi Germany where her adoptive family hides a Jewish man in their basement. I know, so uplifting! This story is absolutely heartbreaking (no surprise there). Towards the end I was just crying nonstop at everything that happened.

First of all Zusak really humanizes the Germans, even those who belong to the Nazi party. He doesn’t make them all evil and cruel. All of these characters are human beings. These are people who are just trying to survive and you really feel for all of them. This plays into the Death being the narrator. Death does not discriminate and thus he can have an objective point of view when it comes to what is going on. He is so alien yet relatable. Despite being Death he brings some light heartedness to this story. Zusak pulls no punches. When Liesels parents die it is the saddest thing imaginable. I am tearing up right now as I write this. Zusak made me feel like I too had lost someone. It is so heartbreaking. I am glad that Max had lived and found Liesel. It was the most beautiful thing.

This book is truly a classic. A book that will never leave me and that why it deserves the number one spot.

#2018 #Top 5 Best #Week of Bookblr #WoB #Bookblr #Scythe #Arc of a Scythe #Neal Shusterman #Fullmetal Alchemist #Hiromu Arakawa #The Invention of Hugo Cabret #Brian Selznick #skyward #Brandon Sanderson #The Book Thief #Markus Zusak

[incomingalbatross]

Fandom ask: Doctor Who, Gravity Falls, Psmith

Ooh, THREE of my fandoms? Thank you! This got very long, though, I’m afraid… I think I’m going to split it into three posts. Hopefully that’s okay!

1. Doctor Who

Favorite Male Character: Ahh,  so many amazing ones… Overall, I guess I’d have to say the Doctor. But it’s not just because he’s the main character! He’s got so much depth and complexity, and he’s such a good person and–especially post-Time War–tries so hard to be one. And he cares about individual people so much, all the time! And he manages all this while being a chaotic, childish, idiot dork, which I love so much.

Favorite Female Character: Hmm… Again, so many amazing ones! This is very hard… Today I think I have to go with Sarah Jane? There’s a reason she got a New Series appearance and her own (amazing!) spin-off. So yes… either Sarah or the TARDIS. (Yes, the TARDIS is a character. I love her.) But I love a LOT of the female companions. (Donna is probably my fave in the New Series? Under the loudness and brashness, she’s just a beacon of compassion and maturity in pretty much all of her stories.)

Least Favorite Character: …ROSE. I’m sorry, but this is not a hard choice. Just… Rose. For many, many reasons.

Favorite Ship: Ian/Barbara, maybe… They’re certainly the most unanimous ship in the fandom. :) But I also like Harry/Victoria, which I made up myself and started shipping by accident. (New Series might be Doctor/River, especially since seeing her with 12? They were just… so married together, and really conveyed the pain and the love of that tangled relationship. I also support Amy/Rory and Martha/Mickey.)

Favorite Friendship: OOH. Again, so many… Probably the Doctor & the Brigadier. It’s just… so unchangeable and timeless and good. The Brigadier supported him from the moment they met, just about, and gave him a home in his third life, and is always so incredibly accepting of him? And the Doctor snarks at him and the military and humanity, but I’m pretty sure he trusts and respects the Brig more than anyone in the universe. (Also they’re fun. One of the least angsty relationships out there–just look at the Brigadier’s return appearances!)

Favorite Quote: Depends on the day… “There’s no point in being grown-up if you can’t be childish once in a while!” “There are some corners of the universe which have bred the most terrible things. (…) They must be fought.” “Laugh hard, run fast, be kind.” “Just go forward, in all your beliefs, and prove to me that I am not mistaken in mine.” “Nothing is ever forgotten, not completely. And if something can be remembered, it can come back.“

Worst Character Death (if any): This may be cheating, but… some of the Doctor’s deaths, probably. :P The Fourth and Sixth in particular deserved better endings–oh, and David Tennant, as well.

This made me so happy you have no idea Moment: Basically any moment in the New Series when they reference continuity? Off the top of my head, hearing him mention Susan in Rings of Akhaten was AMAZING. So were the old-school Cybermen in The Doctor Falls. And, of course, the end of Day of the Doctor.

Saddest Moment: Maybe the end of Hand of Fear, when Sarah leaves… Companion departures are usually the saddest moments. (In the New Series, maybe the Brigadier’s death?)

Favorite Location: THE TARDIS. I love the TARDIS. It’s so big and mysterious and weird, but also one of the safest places in the universe… It’s perfect and I want to live in it.

(Gravity Falls and Psmith answered as well, now!)

#isfjmel-phleg #doctor who #classic who #new who #asks #ask meme #i really do love this show a lot #and writing this helped remind me of all the reasons why #so thank you!

[ahopefuldoubt]

somehow-you-will had asked: Aw yeah! *rubs hands together* First of all, The Prince of Egypt?

Send me a fandom and I’ll tell you...

the first character i ever fell in love with: Aaron — The well scene did a lot for me in terms of just seeing both his vulnerability and strength: specifically the way he uses himself as a shield to protect a family member, from another family member.  Moses is someone Miriam believed in, whose return she’d been looking forward to, and for Aaron to be unsure of it all, and then to watch, rather powerlessly, as this semi-mythical brother-prince throws her to the ground…  I have such a love-hate relationship with this scene.  It’s emotionally exhausting — the three of them interacting like this — but it’s also the moment Aaron became my favorite character.  (And it’s one of the reasons why my feelings towards Moses were ambivalent for a long time.  I feel for his confusion, but what he does to Miriam here makes me twitch.) I still identify with Aaron the most: his anxiousness, his reaction and approach to the reunion with Moses, his relationship with God.  He’s a compassionate person — so aware of the power structures in place yet still so inclined to protect and do for others — and I admire that about him.  I love that he’s the one who takes those first steps into the Red Sea (with that slightly dorky, lopsided little smile).  I’ve always found his journey the most powerful.

a character that i used to love/like, but now do not: none

a ship that i used to love/like, but now do not: none

my ultimate favorite character™: Aaron ♥ — I’m not exactly shy about how much I love him :)

prettiest character: Oh, Miriam and Yocheved for sure~!

my most hated character: Seti (shit parent to both sons, shit human being)

my OTP: none

my NOTP: Moses/Rameses, because it’s incest

favorite episode:

saddest death: Well, the movie opens with infanticide, but there’s also Yocheved’s off-screen death… (Everything hurts, nothing’s okay :\)

favorite season:

least favorite season:

character that everyone else in the fandom loves, but i hate: Rameses — Intellectually, I know the movie wants me to feel sympathy for him, and “hate” might be too vague a word.  The film gives him layers, such as the pressure he feels to live up to (to eclipse because he’s the morning star) his father’s legacy, but I feel those layers actually reveal/emphasize the fact that he makes some pretty dang awful decisions.  Rameses doesn’t see the Hebrew people as people, which is terrible enough but also implies that he doesn’t see Moses either… doesn’t accept or love him as unconditionally as the fandom seems to think he does.  That he is wrong — that his father was wrong — never enters his realm of understanding, and that kind of blindness frightens and angers me.

my ‘you’re piece of trash super disappointing omg why, but you’re still a fave’ fave a complicated character i will endlessly debate about: Tuya — I won’t call her a “piece of trash.”  It’s more that I’m frustrated with her for lying to Moses, and that that pain feels sharper because I love her: She’s caring, comforting, and such a(n adoptive) mom, with all her flaws.  It’s clear that she loved her son, and that’s why I wanted her to do better.  (Seti and) Tuya’s erasure of Moses’ identity/culture/family is neglect.  It’s not okay when it happens in real life, and in this story it’s particularly gross due to the massive power imbalance between the Egyptians and Hebrews.  I don’t think she’s doing a revolutionary or subversive thing by raising a Hebrew child.  [2019 note] At this point, it’s hard for me to say that I love Tuya unequivocally (the operative word being “unequivocally”).

my ‘beautiful cinnamon roll who deserves better than this’ fave: (I’m not a fan of the “cinnamon roll" meme, in general.)  Anyway, my answer is Miriam, Aaron, and Moses.  This is certainly true in a story sense, but the way they’re treated (ignored, misread, to varying extents/depending on the character) by viewers and the fandom is…. weird, too, to say the least.  (Also I’m going to write about them not in the (birth) order I just listed them…)

Moses gets cast as Rameses’ bully; it’s rare to find a review that doesn’t say or suggest that Moses betrays Rameses.  However, and for one thing, adoptees don’t owe their families their undying loyalty.  And Moses’ goal, his desire, is to liberate people from actual slavery/oppression.  That’s not ignoble.  That’s not something he does to Rameses or to get him into trouble.  I imagine it’s upsetting, it’s difficult, for Moses to learn that it’s his brother who’s been working the Hebrews (including his biological siblings) to the bone in order to build “a greater Egypt than that of [his] father,” and to watch that brother repeat the mistakes of the past.

Miriam may receive respect, but she seems to suffer because she’s not an acceptable Strong Female Character (a label that’s limiting and limited in itself).  Her admirable qualities of compassion and moral strength only go so far (“It’s lovely that she’s so kind, but she’s too kind to really be ‘strong’”), and that’s incredibly frustrating because these are such amazing, potent, and hard-to-cultivate-and-maintain traits, which she uses to, well, move mountains.  Furthermore, any notion that she “ruins” Moses’ carefree life with Rameses/his adoptive family by telling Moses about his identity is just totally off the mark.  That information was his adoptive parents’ to tell, and they failed to do that for him.

…I still don’t know what to make of the consensus out there that Aaron is a jerk or a coward, and/or that he doesn’t add anything to the story.  (I have far more stuff in my head and heart than I can put into words.)  People seem to take the mud pit scene as the sum total of his character, or they characterize him as a misanthrope, to the point of being constantly belligerent, because he represents doubt (it doesn’t work that way, not in Aaron’s case, not to that extreme — and on a related note, Miriam and Aaron’s dynamic doesn’t work that way).  His compassion and courage get completely overlooked.  It’s… odd… to me that when Moses, Rameses, Tzipporah, Miriam, etc. express things like anger, fear, and doubt, they’re not defined by these emotions, yet when Aaron expresses anger/fear/doubt, he’s often reduced to them, is lifted out of the story and his family.  Why do Rameses’ insecurities garner sympathy, while Aaron’s worries get met with indifference?  Is Aaron inferior because he doesn’t follow the standards of his gender?  Does he need to be more like anyone else, or anything less than himself, in order to be considered valid or valuable?

my ‘this ship is wrong, nasty, and makes me want to cleanse my soul, but i still love it’ ship: none

my ‘they’re kind of cute, and i lowkey ship them, but i’m not too invested’ ship: none

Originally from 2017.

#the prince of egypt #aaron #my stuff #my writing #incest mention #* #ah man i remember the writing process for this and just ahh

[flightandsurvival]

‘bout him

Crush/Significant Other/Whatever Survey

1: Do they drink coffee? Yes, but he’s a caffeine wimp. He has a few sips of the coffee I make and he’s got jitters lol. 

2: Are they left or right handed? Right.

3: How do they do their hair? Facial hair? (If they have it) He uses product to spike his hair a bit. He doesn’t have facial hair, my baby’s got a baby face. 

4: What’s their favorite animal? He loves cats. 

5: What is their relationship status? He’s in a relationship, with me. 

6: What is their favorite band/singer? Chris Brown. Insert eye roll here. 

7: Are they more a cat or dog person? He’s a fan of both, but he definitely likes cats more. 

8: What does their laugh sound like? He’s got a pretty boisterous laugh. 

9: Do they know multiple languages? Which ones? No. 

10: How old are they? How old are you? He’s 25 (will be 26 in a couple of weeks), I’m 26 (will be 27 next month). 

11: One word that describes them. Caring. 

12: Do they have any pets? He does not personally have pets but his mom’s got dogs back home and his aunts (where he lives here) have a cat. He also likes to act like my cat is his, but she’s very obviously mine. 

13: What is their favorite TV show? He likes the same weird shit as I do. We watch true crime stuff, horror, and thrillers. 

14: What is their favorite movie? Again, it’s the same. Really his genre is horror. 

15: What car do they drive? ‘13 Acura.

16: What ethnicity and/or nationality are they? He’s white and American. 

17: Where did you meet them? At work lol. I interviewed him and supervised him the first month he worked with me. I started things up with him being very firm in my ways that relationships with people at work are a bad idea. He doesn’t work with me anymore, so I guess we’re safe. 

18: What was your first meeting like? It was me asking interview questions and writing down his responses lmao. 

19: What is their zodiac sign? Are your signs compatible? He’s an Aquarius. I’m on the cusp of Aquarius and Pisces, are we compatible? No idea. 

20: What month is their birthday? January. 

21: What is your favorite outfit on them? I like when he goes a little more classic and wears a black tee with his khaki joggers. 

22: Are they good texters? Sometimes. 

23: Your favorite feature about their appearance. He’s got pretty eyes. 

24: Your favorite thing about their personality. He is very upfront about who he is and what he’s offering. We have always had really good, smooth communication. He validate my feelings and doesn’t make me feel bad or wrong in my feelings. He’s open to my feedback and he’s very appreciative of what I bring to the table. He cares very deeply about the people he loves and you can see it in how he speaks about them.  

25: Do they make you laugh? He does. 

26: Do you make them laugh? Yes. 

27: Are they good huggers/ kissers? Yes. 

28: What is your favorite “flaw” that they have? My favorite flaw is his anxiety, which sounds weird but because I also have a lot of anxiety and OCD it makes me feel that it gives us a better understanding of each other. 

29: Are they nice to strangers? He’s the most outgoing person in my life. 

30: What is the funniest thing they have ever said? I’m not sure. 

31: Saddest? There have been plenty of heartfelt convos. 

32: Weirdest? He’s a generally weird dude, so weird shit gets discussed all the time. 

33: Cutest? Ugh all of the times that he’s just super open in communicating his feelings about us. 

34: Ever dreamt about them? What happened in the dream? Yes. Typically normal stuff lol, idk. 

35: How tall are they? How tall are you? He’s 5′9″, I’m 5′3″.

36: Do they have a booty? He’s got a bit of a booty. 

37: What are their hobbies? Football, reading, and Netflix. 

38: What are their talents? He’s incredibly personable and can really just fit right into any surroundings. 

39: What would your dream date be with them? Honestly I am so easy to please and my favorite times with him are when it’s just the two of us together, it doesn’t matter what we are doing. Yesterday we just watched Netflix together. 

40: Does anyone know about your crush/love? Everyone knows that we are dating. Too early for love. 

41: What do you guys have in common? We have a surprising amount in common. We like true crime, we both have insane anxiety, we have a similar interest in human services. 

42: Do they go to the gym? He does not currently have a gym membership. 

43: Do they go by their given name? Yes. 

44: What is their favorite color? Red.

45: How far apart do you live from them? 25 minutes. 

46: What song reminds you of them? Many. 

47: Do they listen to a lot of music? Yes.

48: What do they smell like? He smells good. 

49: If they were in a book (protagonist or antagonist or supporting character, up to you) how would the writer describe them? I’m not about to go into this full fledged detail lol. 

50: How often do you see them? 3-4 times a week. 

51: The last text message they sent you? “You look so pretty babe”

52: The last thing they said to you in person? "Drive safe, have fun in Boston”

53: What is the most embarrassing thing that’s happened to you in front of them? I’m not sure. I don’t typically get embarrassed. 

54: Do they have any tattoos or piercings? Yep.

55: What color are their eyes? Green. 

56: What is their clothing style? He’s definitely got a very different style than I do lol. He’s very Dallas homeboy. 

57: What is one thing that makes them really special? How open and honest he is with me. A few weeks in he literally handed me his entire criminal record, and that may sound a little sketchy but I’m a big believer in people not being their mistakes. 

58: Will you tell your crush your feelings? He knows. I tell him very often how much I like him. 

59: How long did you know them before you started falling for them? A couple of months. 

60: Was there a defining moment when you knew you liked them? The night after he just didn’t show up at my house when he said he was going to and I was high anxiety about it. We talked on the phone, he could tell I was pissed, and when he came over the next night he made a point to sit down and have a full on conversation about where we were at, how he was feeling, fears about making us an official relationship, and his feelings about me and how much he cared and didn’t want to fuck anything up. 

#survey #questionnaire #personal #about me

[stardustreviews]

Blog All Day, Meme All Night

over a month ago, actual ray of sunshine @lynchmatthew​ tagged me in this and uhh i finally finished tweaking this blog so why not do it now!!

tagging @the-little-witches-books, @jostenne, @wylans, @pynchvinsky, and uhh anyone else who wants to!

╰☆╮1. YEET – which book would you yeet out of existence?

Highkey? A Court of Wings And Ruin. That was the book that made me realize that I just couldn’t read anymore Maas. I hated the way she wrote romance, how all her male characters were possessive, the half-hearted attempt at “representation”.

╰☆╮2. CRYING KIM K – which book gives you lots of feelings?

Girls Made of Snow and Glass by Melissa Bashardoust. I need to write a review for this at some point, but basically-- it’s an absolutely beautiful book, a feminist retelling of Snow White, and the mother-daughter relationship between Mina (the Wicked Queen character) and Lynet (the Snow White character) is meticulously, wonderfully crafted. I cannot recommend this book enough!

╰☆╮3. AMERICA, EXPLAIN – favourite book set outside the us?

The creator of this tag, @meriknihar​ definitely intended this to be an In-Unvierse question, so uhh,, Illuminae definitely counts, right? It takes place in our cosmos, just very far away in both time and distance. I just love how tight and unexpected the plots were, and the format they chose was so interesting

Otherwise, I’d say The Book Thief, which is set in Germany and made me cry my heart out.

╰☆╮4. RIP VINE – your saddest character death?

MAJOR ACOL SPOILERS AHEAD!!

A Darker Shade of Magic’s Holland Vosijk. V. E. Schwab created a beautiful, tragic character, and even thinking about him makes me sad again. He deserved the absolute fucking world, man.

╰☆╮5. WHAT ARE THOSE? – a book that left you confused?

Caraval by Stephanie Garber. It wasn’t that I didn’t get what was going on, but it was just too disorienting. The reader never really finds their footing in her story, and even at the end I was still not sure what was real and what was part of the performance. I don’t know, I guess I just felt like the protagonist’s agency didn’t mean anything when the rug was being pulled out from under everyone’s feet each chapter, and each twist seemed to negate the last. It was just too much.

╰☆╮6. BIG DICK ENERGY – favourite character with BDE?

It took me a while to figure this one out, but probably The Cruel Prince’s Jude Duarte. She will do whatever the fuck she can to get ahead, she refuses to be intimidated, and she’s an amazing Slytherin queen who is more than welcome to murder me if she wants.

╰☆╮7. I WON’T HESITATE BITCH – favourite book with a morally grey protagonist?

Vicious by V. E. Schwab. I read this the summer of my junior year and I fell in love with the story. She’s just,,, so good at crafting characters, and I need Vengeful now that it’s out.

╰☆╮8. MOVE, I’M GAY – favourite book featuring a lgbp+ romance?

Anyone who’s been around me for more than 2.3 seconds knows I am a weakass hoe for Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Córdova. It’s a fun yet dark adventure novel featuring Latina witches, realistic and loving families, lots of magic, and the softest wlw couple I know. My heart belongs to Alex and Rishi.

╰☆╮9. STREET SMARTS – favourite book featuring a protagonist whose strength is their intelligence?

Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore! Bitterblue is a puzzle of a book about mysteries and healing, and unlike the warrior Katsa, the titular protagonist doesn’t have strength or survival instincts. Instead, she has a deep desire to do good, and the brains needed to get to the bottom of the wound her father left on her country. (A close second is An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson; it’s a delightful story about a painter spirited away to Fae territories, and she survives largely due to her cleverness. Plus the book has some wonderful reflections of stagnation vs progress and the price of immortality,,, would highly recommend.)

╰☆╮10. ALEXA PLAY DESPACITO – character death you were happy about?

Severus Snape from Harry Potter. I don’t care that he was on The Good Side, and I really don’t care that He Will Always Love Lily. Severus Tobias Snape is a toxic slimebag, and when he joined the Wizard Nazis and called his best friend/crush a fucking slur, got butthurt that she didn’t want to hang with him anymore. He was willing to let an innocent man and a fucking baby be brutally murdered to save Lily, and even after she clearly rejected him, refused to get over her and let it become creepy and borderline-obsessive. The whole thing where he tore a photo of the Potter family so he could have Lily’s picture and no one else’s? And where he tore off her signature too? What the fuck. Also he has the emotional maturity of a 12 year-old, taking his anger out on two innocent and already traumatized children, to the point where he was one of those children’s greatest fear that is not okay. Anyways he can choke.

╰☆╮11. THEN PERISH – a book you DNFed?

Snow Like Ashes. I didn’t get very far into it, but I remember the premise not really grabbing me, and then it was due back to the library and I didn’t really care enough to get it ever again.

☆╮12. KERMIT SIPPING TEA – a book that makes a statement?

The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness is a great one. It’s a story about being the side characters, the ones who aren’t the Chosen Ones who get sent on an epic quest against evil. They’re just people, dealing with real problems, mental health issues and conflict with friends, and Ness handles the subject with a deft sort of beauty.

The Twelve Little Cakes also qualifies, too. It’s a memoir of a woman’s childhood in a post-Stalinist USSR-era Czech Republic. Despite the depressing setting, Dery manages to write a book bursting with optimism, with belief in the goodness of people and a better world, and that persepctive is as refreshing s it necessary in this modern age.

╰☆╮13. SAME HAT – the character you relate to the most?

I had,,, a lot of trouble with this one, so I’m going to say that Lara Jean from To All the Boys Ive Loved Before really reminds me of my high school self. She daydreams a lot, loves The Aesthetic, is not very grounded in reality, Is Soft And Kinda Anxious. Sure, let’s say that.

╰☆╮14. OH WORM – a book you didn’t expect to love?

I’ll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson. I’m not normally a contemporary person, but I finished this book sobbing instead of working on a health essay. Books that have conflicts shaped like mysteries and puzzles, where personalities and situations clash in a way that looks a little bit like tragedy? Those are books are automatic favorites.

╰☆╮15. SHREK – favourite book featuring mythical creatures?

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater revolves around the capaill uisce (aka kelpies). Stiefvater is brilliant with characters and atmosphere, so even though her books are more slow-paced, I was still absolutely enchanted.

#book tag #blog all day meme all night #litloversnetwork

[missjackil]

My Season 13 Opinion

I loved it! It’s in my top 5 seasons, along with 4,5 11 and 12. S12 is my favorite, having the least amount of episodes I skip on rewatch, the rest all share about 4 or 5 episodes not worth more of my time.  The Season in Review I remember the teaser before the season started said “Season 13 is their Lucky Number” And Im thinking OK lets do this! Lets see some positives for The Winchesters!! Lets see if we got them :)

Character Arcs Sam- Sam has definite changes from season to season. This one was no different. We had Sam last season being heavy on the confident badassery, while pining for a relationship with his mother, to Sam jumping automatically into a fatherly/mentor role for Jack. Meanwhile he’s troubled. suffering great loss, worrying about Dean, the fate of their mother, and his own struggles with his time in Hell and Lucifer.  I read a lot about you nay sayers, who think Jared has had enough, is ready to hang it up, but I have to say Jared nailed every facet of Sam’s life. His relationship with Jack, has been the single most precious storyline the show has come up with, IMO. The chemistry was there immediately, and Sam knew right away that Jack was worth saving. In the episode Patience, we see this relationship take root. Not long after, Dean warms up to Jack, and then Cas comes back and tries to slip into Father mode because he promised Kelly, and then Jack goes missing into the AU. and comes out with Lucifer bent on taking Jack from Sam ... but Sam kept it together.  Through all this, Sam deals with Dean’s depression, fails at trying to cheer him up, nearly loses Dean for good, because nothing Sam can do for Dean, gives him what he needs... which is a win.  In the 2nd half of the season, Sam falls into his own depression. He lost Jack, his mother, Lucifer is back around and causing trouble. We finally learn what keeps messing with Sam since Hell, and what causes his sleeplessness, fear and helplessness, and it’s Lucifers true face, which he discovers he shares with Rowena. (more on that in S14 I hope) we discover also, late in the season, that Sam would like to have revenge on Lucifer, but hes also seeing that revenge doesnt fix anything. Sam ends his season being brutally killed by vampires, resurrected by Lucifer who doesnt waste time with the taunts and threats, being regected again by his mother, who he should have told to go pound sand up her ass, but tookthe high road to come up with a solution. He could have spent the last 3 episodes fighting and arguing with Lucifer but he didnt. He swallowed it all and then forcefully left him behind in the AU. Here, is probably where Sam thought he got revenge. He looked happy and wonderfully content back atthe bunker. It was short lived because Luci was out in no time, with Michael in tow and now determined to take Jack.  Sam didnt go on a rampage to destroy Lucifer, but he called Jack to come back, and then stepped into protector role. What this got him, was Lucifer kicking him around, ad threatening his life once more... but when Jack tried to take his own life for Sam’s and told Sam he loves him. We know Sam won, that was best revenge he could have gotten. So when Dean came around, with Michael wearing him, Lucifer could get whats coming to him... in typical winchester fashion, Sam tosses the blade up to Dean that Dean catches no problem, and finally kills the devil!  Sam’s arc, as I saw it from beginning to end, was a lessen in patience. Dont rush, dont act on impulse too much, dont take everything personal. Stay focused and keep your head. As Axle Rose told us “Take it slow, it will work itself out fine, all we need is just a little patience” Dean: Our Dean started this season out in the deepest pit of dispair. This didnt start at the end of S12 but in the beginning when Mary walked out. This started Dean on a spiral downward, that gained momentum in spots. Once he killed Hitler, Dean didnt get anymore big kills, too much of the time he was the one being rescued. At the end of S12, he was nearly killed by Ketch, and Mom saved him. He got a win by curing mom of the brainwashing, but it was very short lived by her being lost in the AU. Dean suffered the biggest handful of loss he ever had. He lost mom, cas, crowley, and rowena, he fortunately still had Sam but he was preoccupied with Jack, who Dean saw as the main reason everyone was lost.  Dean lost hope in everything, and though Im of the belief that he wasnt trying to kill himself forever in Advanced Thanatology, as he had full intentions of coming back when Billie said “it depends on you” he wasnt in the mindset to argue with her if she wasnt going to let him go. But Billie told him to live, because he and Sam are important. (my theory on that later) so Dean comes back, and soon after, Cas comes back.  Dean is immediately upbeat because now he knows there is hope. It wasnt because he loves Cas more than Sam as some may assume, but Sam couldnt give Dean the win he needed to regain his hope.  Deans good mood went south once he learned Mom was still alive and being tortured in the AU. He was now a man on a mission and he was going to save her no matter what. But then they lost Jack too, and Sam went into his own depression and Dean was there for hm too. He wanted Sam to come out of the dark place he was in, but he knew that darkness was justified. But they both pressed on and kept at it... risking life and limb on the daily, Dean felt extra need to protect Sam so he side lined him in hopes to keep him safe. Sam wasnt gonna have that, they’re gonna live, work, suffer and die together, and thats all there is to it.  However when the vampire killed Sam before Deans eyes, and there was nothing he could do to save him, I have never seen Dean in a deeper pit. He was literally a walking corpse. I can only imagine Dean having less hope at that time, because they were in the AU, where the laws of their world dont apply. Maybe Winchesters dont have a reset button in a world they were never born in. Im fully convinced Dean was going back to the cave to lay down and die next to Sam, when Sam came walking in. Dean was so grateful to see his brother walking, that he didnt care Lucifer came too....” no need to be sorry Sammy... now hug me you little shit!” (paraphrased ;))  Things look up now, Sam comes up with a good plan for the survivors in the Au, and most are now safe and sound in the bunker. Jack is a good little hunter, Dean gets hope that maybe someday the world will be safe enough that they can retire. But thats short lived as well when Lucifer comes back and brings good ole Michael and all Hell breaks loose. When Sam gets blasted away with Jack and Lucifer, Dean’s self destructive co dependence comes out and theres just no other choice but to let Michael use his vessel to take out Lucifer. The fight ensues, Lucifer is too strong, and is about to kill Dean, but Sam comes through by tossing the blade to him perfectly.... and he kills the SOB.  Dean’s arc this season was a lessen in Faith. Faith in God, faith in Sam, faith in love and faith in whats right. It can get better Dean.... every day can get better.  Now we can go on to more fun things -

Best episodes IMO Im going to give that to Scooby for being the most fun and most original. But there were so many really good episodes, Patience, (Sams side of that) Advanced Thanatology, Breakdown, The Scorpion and the Frog, Varuius and Sundary Villians, A Most Holy Man,Funerella, Beat The Devil, Exodus and Let the Good times Roll.  Worst Episodes : By far was Wayward Sisters. The only one I couldnt bring myself to watch a 2nd time. Other’s werent bad, but boring, such as Tombstone, A Devils Bargain, and Good Intentions.  Best Sam Lines - “I know what its like to feel likeyou dont fit, to be afraid of who you are, and what you can do... but my family helped me through that, and now Im gonna help you, You’re not evil Jack”  “We are going to go to this place together.... and if anything happens, we’ll deal with it it together.... and if we die? We’ll dothat together too”  Best Dean lines : “Its a lizard Sam, it tastes like Lizard” “They took my brother, now Im gonna get him back”  “Im never gonna appologize for protecting you. Do you remember the last time we had front row seats to the Lucifer Michael fight? Because I do. You died Sam, and went to Hell! Now I dont care much about what happens to me, never did... but I do care about what happens to my brother” Saddest moments: When Sam couldnt bring himself to tell Dean about why he’s hopeless.  Dean’s dead mans walk to the camp and his tears when Mary asked where Sam was.  Jack crying and punching himself wondering why he hurts people. Happiest Moments: The brohug and the tension melting from Sam’s face Sam and Dean getting a toast in their honor. Jack telling Sam he loves him Sams face when he realizes Lucifer is dead Worst moments: Dean popping a cork when he found outbthere was no more grace.  Sam’s death... all of it Worst Storylines: Wayward Sisters, Asmodeus, Sister Jo (not Danneel hate, it just wasnt a good story)  Best Storyline: Sam and Jack  Interesting things we learned. Sam hates strip clubs, Dean buys Sam a lap dance, Sam has extensive hair care products, and Dean likes tentical porn Stuff I want to see more of next season: Michael!Dean but not for too long... we need real Dean.  Why does Sam have to kill Rowena? What did seeing Lucifer’s face entail? The Man Cave Daddy Sam!!!!!!! Lowkey predictions fro S14 We get a frantic Sam looking for Dean, not unlike S10 but he has help this time . The Angels die and all souls come to earth as ghosts and wreak havok. This along with Lucifer being dead, open the door for the boys to work towards retirement. Get heaven reopened, and the souls back in, maybe by draining the empty of angels, wth Luci dead, no need for Hell, close it up, everyone goes to Heaven. Start eliminating all the bad monsters from the world, sending good ones to Heaven and sending the bad ones to Purgatory where they came from. This wouldnt need to be a quick thing, it could take years to do it, or clean it up in one season, but it provides an end goal. The boys find out theyre important because theyre the only ones who can accomplish this.  In the end, Season 13 was their lucky one. Lucifer is dead. Now they can work towards a future. :)

#Season 13 spoilers #my opinion #season in review

[popculturespiritwow]

THE WICKED + THE DIVINE #20: I WANT TO BE IN THE ROOM WHERE IT HAPPENED

“DID I DO THAT?”

I spent way too much time looking for an Urkel/Family Matters pun about Baphomet’s real name. Please give me points for effort.

(Fun Fact: Points for Effort is also the name for my Completely Unauthorized Biography of Baphomet. He really puts in some solid effort here. You gotta love him.)

THAT’S WHAT FRIENDS ARE FOR

Q: Is there a place for a Dionne Warwick reference in the analysis of a comic book about early 21st century pop culture gods who die in two years and spend all their meanwhiles basically doing whatever the hell they want while their spooky, veiled mentor figure quietly steals their heads/murders them?

A: Context is irrelevant. There is always a place for Dionne Warwick reference. You will be assimilated.

Pretty much every friend/loving(-ish) relationship in WicDiv is undermined to some degree by competition (Luci/Ammy), betrayal (Baal/Inanna), just plain fear (Ananke/Woden – we’re using “love” her REALLY loosely); and that sweet sweet cocktail of life, jealousy + shame (Baph/Morry).

(Random aside: I want to pitch a Morrigan spin off entitled “Tuesdays with Morry” in which a visitor descends to meet the Morrigan over the course of weeks and slowly goes crazy and then is torn to pieces. You know, for the kids.)

Even the great relationship between Laura and Luci marinates in a certain amount of Fan-with-Object of Fan, How Do I Get What She’s Having instability.

Cassandra and Laura spend most of the first two arcs as frenemies. (It’s hard to be friends with a person who is always telling you how naïve you are.) But near the end of arc two, we get that moment where Laura shows Cassandra some real kindness and Cassandra actually allows herself to be vulnerable.

Can you hear the Warwick, Clarice? Can you hear her singing?

Of course then Laura ascends/sings/dies/watches her family get murdered/escapes, and it’s all sort of lost in Ananke’s reality-unsettling fire.

But then when Laura comes back and sets her plan in motion, she tells her story not to The Internet’s Best Friend Dionysius or to its Yum Yum I’ll Have that To Go Baal, but Cassandra.

And unlike the typical exposition dump, aka CUT TO:

INT. LOCAL CAFE - NIGHT

CASSANDRA SIPS COFFEE WHILE LAURA SMOKES CLOVES AND TELLS HER WHAT HAPPENED.

(Hear the pretty wheels of a good story coming to a screeching halt)

-- that exposition is absolutely in service of the story. Cassandra absolutely needs to know what happened to Laura before she’ll agree to join them.  

But even with that, we end on this lovely, unexpected beat where Cassandra wonders why Laura would share the Baphomet stuff with her. And Laura’s answer is not as huggy as before.  She’s sort of graduated from that into something quieter and more vulnerable.

I loved Luci and Laura, I love Baphomet and Laura, but the friendship I really ship in WicDiv is these two.

What really makes me angry, though? Laura’s reveal about her and Baph is a Writer’s Convenience. There is no obviously good reason why Laura would have had to tell Cassandra about that. It’s there because the narrative needs the scene to “finish” Laura’s Secret Underground Journey and also to add some twists to what actually happened between them.

Cassandra asking about The Reveal You Need is your classic hang a lantern way of mitigating against the problem. If I name your problem you’ll think it’s all part of the plan, or at least like I see it, too.  

And what’s appalling, I mean deeply offensive, is that Kieron has an answer to the problem that doesn’t stop at satisfying my questions but takes the characters deeper and makes the scene into something so much more.

How dare he be that good.

How. Dare. He.

(I’d love to know which came first, the dilemma of how to justify that information or his sense of their relationship at this point and the opportunity this moment could provide if he stayed in it just one more beat. But either way, it is an really delicate bit of work. And I am filled with envy.)  

RIGHT?

My favorite beat of the flashbackery has got to be this moment of seeing Baphomet and Inanna react to what is about to happen to Laura. It’s like getting to see the horror in my soul from a safe distance.

PERSEPHONE IS IN HELL

I’m always interested in the precise blessing that each god bestows. We got a glimpse of Persephone’s magic in issue 18, the dark vines ever deepening around her listeners while the words “Persephone is in Hell” resound. And it’s clear it’s a shattering experience for each of them.

But the specifics of that experience are unclear. What does Persephone get them in touch with? What does she give them?

After issue 20, it’s still not totally clear, but I sort of wonder if Laura’s gift is actually allowing others to experience her own horribly sad story. Maybe going to a Persephone concert is like watching Schindler’s List, or Born on the Fourth of July or Twelve Years a Slave. Basically you’ve just signed up for horror and grief. And yet you come anyway, because the opportunity to face the monstrous truths of our reality is cathartic. 

Seriously, if it weren’t for Peak TV keeping me distracted (just started Counterpart, wow is it good) I would be on a non-stop diet of World’s Saddest Movies. As it is I’m repeat watching Infinity War basically just for the last five minutes (and really for the very last minute’s “I don’t want to go”, which somehow only gets more upsetting to watch after you know it’s coming).

The thing I like about this idea of the blessing of Persephone being her story is that it’s a little bit different than the other gods. Their blessings certainly come out of their own lives and experiences, but the gift itself is more of the quality of an experience.  You walk away from an Inanna residency or an Amaterasu performance with a certain feeling, maybe a take on life (and in the case of an Inanna residency probably some unwanted new hitchhikers, please get tested, everybody.)

Persephone’s gift, if I understand it correct, is not about you but her. You walk away from her show with an experience of what happened to her and where that has left her.  Persephone is in Hell.

I haven’t thought very much about the meaning or Easter eggs to be found in the specifics of the different gods of the Pantheon – at least not until they hit me upside the petunia, like the reveal of the Woden’s true identity or the ongoing discussion about the appropriateness of Hazel’s take on Amaterasu.

But the more I sit with Laura’s journey, the more I think about the fact that she was transformed not into one of the classic A-List Greek gods but a relatively minor one who became a bridge between them and the rest of us via abduction, forced marriage and missing her mom (Greek myths are so messed up, I’m rereading The Iliad right now, it’s basically just a million lines of women being treated and talked about like garbage).

Laura has always been our stand-in, our bridge to this world. Maybe her blessing reflects that. It’s not some divine gift from on high, but the sharing of one really cursed human being with others.

(Am I trying too hard here? I may be trying too hard here.)

HEY, RORSCHACH

“I triggered it thirty-five minutes ago” Watchmen nods seriously never get old.

 IT’S ALL GOING TO BE OKAYYYY?

So we’re halfway through Super Hero Fight Wow, about to go into the Big Punch Finish. And  I love that Gillen and McKelvie have married the genre to the idea of teen individuation. Our kids are going to literally kill their mom, and in doing so achieve lives “of their own”.

It’s a coming of age story, basically.  It’s the end of the first act of Into the Woods. Problem solved. Happily ever after.

(Yeah, there’s still a giant left and a Great Darkness out there, but if we can take care of the Witch who Stole Our Baby we can take care of that. IMPERIAL PHASE, BABY.)

So of course Kieron ends instead like this.  

Just shut up, we’ve got it handled, it’ll be fine.

#wicdiv #kieron gillen #jamie mckelvie #keep smiling #keep shining #knowing you can always count on me #until we die in two years