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ambafaerie · 8 months

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Grandpa’s Tale

cw: incest, child abuse

Here is a family story parents don't tell their children

There once lived a man who had it all.

He was the eldest of three sons born to the twenty-third head of the illustrious and prestigious Zenin clan. Though he was the oldest and the smartest and the most skilled of his generation, the eldest son was passed over for the position of clan head when his father died from heart complications caused by years of drinking and stress from fighting every day.

The coveted position went to a cousin from one of the two branch families.

While inheritance diverting from the main family branch was unusual.

These types of cases did happen more than once, and were for the most part, accepted to honor the wishes of the dead so long as the chosen heir fulfilled the essential criteria set by the clan.

The eldest son defied expectations by taking this loss in stride, instead offering to guide his cousin in running the clan and fulfilling duties expected of a leader of one of the Big Three Families in the world of sorcery.

His actions surprised everyone and divided opinions on him.

Some considered him weak for stepping aside and letting a nobody take what was rightfully his by blood, while others found it to be a kind and generous gesture that speaks to his character.

The cousin, meanwhile, was overjoyed to have a member of the main family acknowledge him as their equal and personally offer their gracious helping hand. The cousin claimed his place as the twenty-fourth head of the Zenin clan without protest from the family and committed to performing his duties to the best of his abilities with the wisdom of the eldest son by his side.

But the reign of the twenty-fourth Zenin clan head would last only a few years.

The man perished a violent death in the fourth and last year of his reign, cutting short his tenure as head of his family. The details on his demise are scarce as the mission files and autopsy report have been kept confidential.

The only facts that are publically available were that the man undertook a special grade mission requiring him to travel to the mountains in the rural countryside. He poured his entire energy into his cursed technique to exorcise the cursed spirit ravaging the land, but the exertion took a toll on his body that worsened the injuries the monster inflicted on him costing him his life.

The second brother of the eldest son, a man by the name of Naobito, who took after his father's love for alcohol and possessed a special cursed technique rooted in animation that made him faster than anyone, claimed to have seen the state of the corpse by bribing the coroner.

According to him, the entire body was mangled and twisted with limbs sticking out in opposite directions. There were no eyes as they were melted away leaving behind hollowed eye sockets on a head that was turned upside down with the neck twisted to face the back. The skin of the body was crinkled, sagging, and barely hanging on to the bones.

Many found Naobito's description outlandish and were quick to dismiss them as the ramblings of a drunken man whose hobbies include spending hours drinking vigorously in the daytime and watching cartoons, spitting nonsense from his drunk-addled brain to anyone who crossed his path.

At least on the outside.

Though his claims had no factual basis in their eyes, Naobito's words managed to plant a few seeds of doubt in his fellow family member's minds that turn suspicious eyes on his elder brother.

The elder brother whose inheritance was cast aside by their father in favor of a cousin and resorted to lackeying, in Naobito's own words, as an advisor just to taste the power he felt should have been his in the first place. Though one might contend he was already running the show from the start.

The twenty-fourth clan head was weak-willed, often subservient to his cousin, whom he worshipped, and passed on important letters and agreements to review before approving them.

Not to mention that the deceased clan leader voiced doubts about the mission that would claim his life, and only going through upon the insistence of his cousin and advisor, who had been the one to suggest it to him in the first place, to solidify his reputation.

Most damning of all was that he was absent from the house on the day of the twenty-fourth head's death. He told everyone he left for a business trip out of the country when he came back.

When word of these unruly suspicions among the clan reached the ears of the eldest son, he became furious. A row erupted between him and Naobito.

The latter called his brother a sneaky envious bastard hiding behind a veil of self - righteousness to deflect from his deficiency that spurred their father to pass him over in favor of a random relative.

The former responded by smashing his younger brother's face into the ground. Naobito had no time to react to the assault. He survived but his nose remained slightly crooked as a reminder of their altercation.

"If I truly killed him, just as you claim me to have done with your baseless rumors, I would not have served by his side faithfully for four years. I would have murdered our cousin quickly and painlessly if I was the merciless and vindictive man you say I am, Naobito. This is why I am going to let these insults you slung against me slide past for now. But do it again and I will not hesitate to put you under the ground, brother or not."

The eldest son was reported as having said these words to his brother, lying and bleeding on the floor, head under his boot.

During his second year, the twenty-fourth Zenin leader had taken a female cousin younger than him by two years to be his wife.

They were hard at work with their marital duties, trying every month to produce a child that would establish their bloodline and cement their position in the family hierarchy, but the wife struggled to conceive an heir, unable to give her husband the son he wanted until his death.

The passing of her husband left her a widow without a child, and in her grief, the woman took solace in the arms of her husband's advisor, who comforted her mind and body every night. He was an experienced expert in this sort of activity.

The deceased clan leader left no heir but in his will, he proclaimed that if he were to face a premature death with no son to take his place, then his adviser and the eldest son of his predecessor, whom he admired greatly, shall succeed him as the next head of the Zenin clan.

And so the eldest son advanced from being the clan head adviser to becoming the twenty-fifth head of the Zenin clan. On the sixth and second death anniversary respectively of his father and predecessor, the twenty-fifth clan head announced he and his wife, his predecessor's widow whom he wedded a year before, were blessed and expecting a child.

A year later, they welcomed their first son into the world and named him Jinichi.

Two years later, Jinichi became a big brother. His younger brother was named Toji, but there was a problem with little Toji. He was born with no cursed energy.

Everyone is born with cursed energy, even humans who cannot see the cursed spirits that plague their world. The head of a clan as powerful as the Zenin who value curse techniques above all, having a son born with no cursed energy, the base of what makes every human able to become a sorcerer, was scandalous.

Though they were traditional parents in every sense of the word, distant and stern, Toji's mother and father hoped the lack of cursed energy in their son was a simple fluke.

That when Toji turns four or six he will reveal a special cursed technique just like his brother.

The fourth birthday passes. The sixth birthday passes. Toji remains a boy without cursed energy, and his parents' hopes are crushed.

Their despair worsened when they learned Toji was afflicted with a unique case of the rare Heavenly Restriction.

Recipients of the Heavenly Restriction usually are either gifted with an extreme amount of cursed energy that damages their bodies or reduce the energy to the point they are similar to a human non-sorcerer.

Toji's case saw him born with a Heavenly Restriction that made him useless in the eyes of his clan.

Jinichi can channel his cursed energy to inflict extreme damage with his hands and rain down a hail of fists on his enemies if he wants when he grows up.

Meanwhile, Toji cannot see curses nor have the cursed energy to power a cursed technique, but he makes up for it through heightened senses and extreme strength.

He can run as fast as the wind perceives a target from a mile away and smell the faintest trace of someone from their footsteps alone and crush the bones of the hands of anyone who pissed him off.

Toji had the potential to be the strongest human non-sorcerer to ever live. The twenty-fifth clan head did not see it that way. He threw his second son into a pit housing low-level monsters, a room reserved to train and discipline the fighters in the family, and locked him in there for an entire night, leaving only a single knife for the boy to use to defend himself.

No one knows what the man hoped to accomplish by doing this. If he intended to kill his son or resorted to a bogus desperate measure to awaken something in the boy.

Toji survived, killing any monster that tried to go near him, and gained a small scar running on the left corner of his lips.

After that, his parents all but disowned him.

They acknowledge he is their son and kept him in the family photos, but that was it. Toji now lived in a separate building from them, sleeps in a smaller room, started wearing hand-me-down clothes and shoes, and does not eat any more plates of scrumptious food sitting by the side of his older brother and mother and father, only morsels that are enough to get him through the day.

They don't claim him as their sibling or child in public if they could.

His cousins start picking on him openly. The boys would push him around, throw insults and pull pranks on him, kick him down the stairs, etc.

Jinichi did not join them but he didn't lift a finger either to stop them.

Neither their uncles nor aunts scold their children for their behavior.

The adults were too busy, and if they bothered to pay attention to Toji, it was to pinch and twist his ears for any error they found in his manners, but they weren't above insulting him just like their children or striking him.

The boys continued to derive pleasure from bullying the clan leader's son with no consequences. Something was amusing to them about being allowed to harm someone that in any other reality, they would be paying respect to.

Toji retaliated once. They were all outside in the gardens. His cousins were circling him taunting him. They slung him with the usual nicknames.

Bastard. Idiot. Worthless swine. Monkey.

Monkey was their favorite go-to word. A term the clan was fond of throwing out to describe people below them.

One punch from Toji knocked them out instantly. Their parents were mad. His mother slapped him twice. The second slap sent Toji to the floor.

"My life was so much better before I had you. Your father loved me then, did you know that? Of course not."

The woman's face was stern and devoid of warmth towards her second son as she spoke, her eyes cold and piercing.

"You ruined me. I should have had you ripped from my stomach when I had the chance."

Those were the first words she said to him since the day he was disowned.

She punished her son by locking him in his room with no food or blankets for two days. An already brutal punishment made all the more sadistic that this was done in December.

Toji barely slept as he shivered, curling his body on the bare wooden floor, and holding himself tight through those cold nights.

Many years pass. The sons of the twenty-fifth leader of the Zenin clan have grown into fine young men.

Jinichi joined the Hei unit rising the ranks to be one of their finest soldiers. While Toji refused to join the Kukuru unit, the second unit where men from the family with cursed energy but no innate technique to qualify for the Hei, gather to train their bodies to protect and serve the clan.

Like his brother before him, Toji was a strong and gifted physical fighter, deadly with his hands and any weapon put in them. He can take down the entire Kukuru unit if given the opportunity. His muscular physique and handsome face made the maids in the house swoon despite his married status.

This did not deter his peers from mocking and belittling him, holding him in contempt as an example for the young ones in the family not to follow. However, their bullying was not as frequent as they once had been when they were children.

The Zenin understood even then there was so much they could push before Toji snapped and killed them all. But they would not admit this to themselves or anyone.

Although any normal father would be proud of what their sons have grown into. The twenty-fifth clan leader was anything but pleased with his situation, especially compared to his own younger brothers.

Naobito had not given up his passions in the interim, but he found an agreeable woman outside the clan to marry and produce numerous children with.

The youngest of them, Naoya, was spoilt rotten because of inheriting his father's technique and was rather fond of Toji, following the older man around the house whenever he could.

Ogi married a woman who was adopted into their clan. They continue to struggle to conceive a child even after the woman had suffered two miscarriages. Ogi did nothing to console his wife.

The twenty-fifth clan leader was growing old and ill. The years of fighting were taking a toll on his body. Naobito took it upon himself to run clan affairs on his behalf. Filial piety, he says, but a few whispered he was the clan leader now in all but name.

The actual leader sneered.

When he looks at Naobito and his children, he does not see family but rivals to his throne. They would usurp him if handed the chance.

Hell would have to freeze before he witnesses that with his own two eyes.

His sons were disappointments in his eyes. Toji will always be a failure to him. Jinichi was strong and skilled, a reliable leader looked up to by his subordinates, but his technique was generational and limiting.

But his sterility and disinterest in the opposite sex forced his father to arranging a marriage for his second son to salvage his vision of continuing his bloodline.

Toji complied, but he was hardly happy with the arrangement. He would avoid sharing the bed with his wife if he could, taking periodic leaves away from the estate that grew longer and longer. And when he was in the house, he paid far more attention to the maids and nannies than his wife, Fushiguro Tamiko.

Many generations ago, the two would have been considered second cousins because of an affair conducted by her ancestor with his ancestor that bore a child, but the blood connection had diluted over the years.

They were more or less strangers rather than family in the most literal sense in the modern era.

She was a young sorcerer looking to make a name for herself. The marriage was a golden ticket. Tamiko was ambitious and intelligent as she was beautiful. There was a proud edge to her beauty that lent the impression of a highborn lady instead of a countryside bumpkin.

While her husband indulged in whatever vices he had whenever he traveled out, Tamiko busied herself caring for her father-in-law and running the household, taking over the duties of her mother-in-law, who passed away a year into her son's marriage from pneumonia which she caught in the previous winter.

Tamiko exerted more effort than Toji in trying to make their marriage work and bear fruit. She would join him on a few of his trips, arrange dates for them based on the lunar phases, and turn a blind eye to his dalliances with the maids.

Most were not privy to what goes on with the married couple behind closed doors. But many gossiped about Toji and Tamiko barely tolerating each other, often exchanging words of biting insults under the veil of formality and politeness.

One branch member claimed they witnessed Toji dodge a hail of knives from Tamiko after an argument that went wrong.

Toji did not appreciate his wife, describing her as a nagging controlling witch who took his family's side over him. Tamiko perceived her husband to be a lazy hedonistic man chasing after anything that could bring him short-term gratification.

Then one of those maids fell pregnant. She was one of those servants who handled childcare and household chores for extra payment.

The pregnant woman hurriedly explained she felt pity for her husband after Toji spilled a sob story, meant for it to be a quick affair, but it went longer than planned. She came to genuinely believe that Toji reciprocated her feelings.

The twenty-fifth clan leader was furious and nearly had a stroke right then and there. Extramarital affairs were fine as long as you kept them discreet. Naobito made it worse by guffawing about it.

The maid was fired and thrown out of the house with only the clothes on her back and hush money for an abortion.

One day, Toji stormed the mansion demanding a fight. The rush of numerous able-bodied men from the Hei and Kukuru unit did not stand a chance against Toji, who swatted them all so quickly as if they were ragdolls. He disfigured many, including his brother, who gained a large scar on his forehead in the shape of an x.

Toji could have killed them all right then and there. But then just as suddenly as he came in, he stopped to laugh and immediately left the house. He never returned after that.

A week later, the whole sorcerer society learned Toji was the infamous Sorcerer Killer going around murdering anyone from sorcerers to non-sorcerers with a bounty on their head.

He collected enough money from those bounties and the women he shacked up with during those periods to leave and find a place far away to live in.

His father suffered a stroke, and it was only by the intervention of Ogi who was in the same room, that he managed to reach a hospital just in time. Jinichi was rendered speechless by the news, punching down the nearest tree in anger and disbelief. Naobito roared in laughter and drank two jugs of sake.

No one saw Tamiko's reaction to the news, but the fact that she had joined her husband on a few of those trips and did nothing to stop his rampage condemned her in the eyes of the clan.

She would have been sentenced to execution in place of her husband, if not for Naobito stepping up to her defense. He argued for her to be spared and sentenced to house arrest, pointing out that as a woman she had no say in her husband's actions. Tamiko was demoted to the status of a servant like the rest of the ladies in the clan and forced to relocate to a small room to reside in.

Tamiko continued to care for her father-in-law, who survived his stroke but went blind. Toji's actions destroyed his reputation, forcing him to relinquish his power and title to Naobito by order of the higher ups.

The old man built his whole life around leading his clan, and to be forced to part with his birthright while still alive because of his son was nothing short of devastating.

Jinichi took time out of his day to visit his father. He and his sister - in - law were the only companions the former clan head had at this point. His brothers were too busy with their duties to visit their eldest brother.

Jinichi was apathetic towards his younger brother for most of their life but that same apathy transformed into a hatred that ran so deep, flaring every time he came to see his father withering bit by bit and look at himself in the mirror.

His brother's sins were unforgivable.

The name Toji became a forbidden word in the house. Nobody wanted a reminder of the man who nearly killed them and tarnished their reputation. He became their boogeyman, rarely uttered within the walls he grew up in.

Only Naoya remained starry eyed and adoring towards the black sheep of the Zenin.

News of the Sorcerer Killer's exploits were hardly public, but knowing who was behind the title made stories of his murders spread like wildfire, despite efforts made to suppress them.

Then the stories suddenly stopped.

A few years later, Tamiko announced she was pregnant. The announcement took everyone by surprise. She confirmed that the father was Toji, relating she met with her estranged husband to sign the divorce papers in exchange for something fluid to collect from his body.

She promised her bedridden father - in - law she would continue his line, bringing tears to the old man's eyes, renewing his will to live. If things go accordingly, then his grandson could take back what was rightfully theirs. Perhaps engage them to one of Ogi's newborn twin daughters to tighten their claim and bloodline.

Nine months later, Tamiko gave birth to a girl. She named her daughter Tsumiki. The day after her birth, Tsumiki's grandfather passed away in his sleep, never knowing his second grandchild, a boy, by Toji and his second wife will arrive the next year.

He will also never know that his former daughter-in-law would eventually disappear and the son he disowned will resume his work as the Sorcerer Killer many years later and be fatally wounded in a battle with the Gojo heir, leaving his grandchildren to become orphans.

#jjk #jujutsu kaisen #fushiguro toji #zenin naoya #mamaguro #zenin jinichi #zenin naobito #zenin ogi #toying blocks au

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cameronpleasant · 1 year

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The Passion and Fire Are Among Many Things That Compare Coach Morse With The Best To Ever Do It

Having played the sport of basketball for many years, and being surrounded by it throughout my entire life, I have seen countless different players and coaches as well as their philosophies on and off the court. I have been around my own coach, Josh Morse, the most as he has coached me for several years throughout my childhood. He has seen me grow as a basketball player just as I have seen him grow as a coach. His passion and intensity can be felt from the school bus in the parking lot. Morse has a few tendencies that remind me of my favorite NBA coaches that I have watched for the majority of my life.

Former Cleveland Cavaliers championship coach and current Los Angeles Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue is one of my favorite coaches. One reason is because the Cavs are my favorite NBA team, and he was the coach for our only championship season, but also because he is very easy to root for. He always gets the best out of his players, is able to win despite lots of injuries and dysfunction within the Clippers organization, and makes adjustments that put his players in the best position to win games. Coach Morse takes on a very similar role in my eyes as Coach Lue. They both get the most out of each season with the players they have, they demand excellence out of their players, and they both put their players in positions to succeed. Just as recently as April 20, 2023, the Clippers were missing their two star players in game 3 of their playoff series vs the high octane Phoenix Suns. Despite their absence, the Clippers kept the game close throughout, and were defeated in the waning minutes 129-124. I strongly believe that without Coach Lue, this Clipper team would have lost by 20 points at a minimum.

Coach Morse took on a very tough challenge this past season for the Frontier Regional High School Redhawks varsity team. A team that had just lost 9 seniors and was seeing a complete overhaul with their roster. Coach Morse stepped in for the former head coach Ben Barshefsky and led the new-look Redhawks to a postseason berth. Coming into a situation like this makes the weak and average coaches crumble under the pressure and expectations. Great coaches rise to the occasion and shine with the expectations beholden upon them.

Another coach that embodies very similar qualities as Coach Morse is Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors. Kerr’s at times fiery personality has coincided with a dynastic tenure as the Warriors head coach, leading the team to four championships in the past decade. Kerr for the most part, is a calm and collected coach that lets his players play. In this aspect, he differs from Morse in some ways, but when things get heated, they are two of the same. Kerr has been a part of some of the most fired up moments I have ever seen in a coach. He was famously ejected from a game against the Sacramento Kings back in 2017 on February 4th. After an offensive foul on Warriors center Kevon Looney and a technical foul on forward Draymond Green for arguing the call, Kerr went into a rage, cursing and gesturing towards the officials thus resulting in him being thrown out.

While Morse has never been ejected from a game, his passion often rises to the level that Kerr’s did in that game against Sacramento. Morse shows his emotions towards his own team the majority of the time, demanding better play out of them, but every so often, he will go off on an official if a terrible call has been made. Morse is never hesitant to burn an early timeout if he doesn’t like what he sees. Oftentimes, anything such as a made basket by the opponent and then a turnover resulting in more points for the opposition will result in a heated timeout. He will rip his players and sometimes even sub every single player out for not giving their all, including the star players. Coach Morse hates to see lack of energy displayed on the court, and will reward those who do give their all and do not slack when given their opportunity.

The fire, passion, and overall care of the game are just a few reasons why Coach Morse reminds me of some of my favorite professional coaches I have seen throughout my lifetime. Morse cares a great deal about the game, but more importantly he cares about his players and their success both on and off the court.

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sepublic · 3 years

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The Castle Car and the Train to Nowhere!

This was SUCH an amazing and compelling finale, y’all! The way all these things come together, how it just culminates in humble, silly, yet REAL apologies… Concessions, the parallels in the denizens and one another, I love it SO MUCH!

Firstly, what started as a funny gag photo with Jeremy, Kez, and Morgan, and the meaning expanded upon- SSSOOO clever, like everything in this entire damn series! But also the grief and symbolism, how Morgan is literally like a prison for Jeremy… And she wants to keep him, hold onto him, but she’s not letting him be his own person, and it reminds me of Min not wanting to be left behind by Ryan! And how Morgan takes things personally against Kez for just being herself, for this accident, at Jeremy for leaving her… And how Min learns not to be mad at Ryan and vice-versa, that they FINALLY learn to say sorry!

There’s so much to unwrap… Jeremy going on his journey, but he never really left, just like Ryan going off but not REALLY progressing! And this theme of progression and journeys, wanting to get it over with and rush it, feeling like you’re trapped and not getting anywhere… Wanting a plan or a destination, but as Kez said, sometimes it’s just about the journey! To just live in the moment, to enjoy and appreciate what happened… To not stay stuck over the past, while also taking responsibility, mutually admitting where you went wrong! Making concessions because you LOVE a person, you want them to be their own!

How Kez really didn’t just mean to, just like Ryan can sometimes be thoughtless… How the passengers learn to help the denizens and vice-versa in their examples! Jeremy realizing he never really left the fog, and when he figures this out with Kez’s help, in a sense he goes back to where he started; And only by returning can he start anew his ACTUAL journey, just as Ryan goes back home to reunite with Min, and starts off this whole sequence! And GOD, the horror and creepiness of Kez luring them in for a trap, dragging them along without really telling the plan, no trust and how Min feels like he can’t trust Ryan who just brings him and doesn’t slow down…

UGH IT’S SO GOOD, and how Kez and Morgan learn to confront their issues, how Kez just wants to make up- And Morgan is rooted in place, stuck in the past, maybe kind of like Min? The culmination of Kez being a welcoming bell for people… AND RYAN FINALLY GETTING TO RING HER, we’d never seen ANY ringing and we finally got it! For a moment I thought it’d cut to an actual bell ringing as we see Ryan and Min at a real-life place to check in for their journey… But no, we got it! God, the wordless trust as Kez fully understands and bows her little head, eyes closed… Kez is phenomenal, 10/10, one of THE best denizens in my opinion, alongside Lake!

Just GOD, the motif of the train and passengers and journeys, the denizens going on their own journey… I must say, with how the denizens can actually leave to hound after the passengers even after the puzzle is done, even taking advantage of the local tech- It all seems very unintended, doesn’t it? And Amelia, lol, we get to sort of see her take-over; We know it happens across Book 4, and we see the effects with how she’s trying to figure out the Steward and take Ryan and Min’s boots for her own experiments, only to mess up and cause the Steward to self-destruct! It’s kind of hilarious how everything stops for a moment and Ryan and Min have no clue WHAT happened, they don’t know who One or Amelia are, they heard their voices last time in that Party Car and that was about it… Hilarious.

But damn, Amelia just abandoning everyone and telling them they’re on their own, it’s a contrast to how these people are reuniting and finding solace… Well besides Judge Morpho, I’m glad she’s alive after all- I was afraid she’d be decked into the fire, but no, just out the chimney and gone! She really is unkillable, huh… And the Cow Creamer came back, she’s with her kid again! She’s a good and mature mom… And I SAW Kez’s apology coming and I loved it! And Ryan, Ryan wants to move on, he wants to get away and progress and he’s impatient, but he needs to learn to appreciate the journey, even if he has been feeling trapped and held down…

UGH IT’S SO GOOD, learning to stick with one another! The character themes, the clever bits of worldbuilding across the seasons, coming together like one giant puzzle as we learn and understand more about the setting, even retroactively, as well as some characters… The storytelling is SO concise, sweet, and to the point! Morgan gets to still cope with her own feelings on her own, that theme of enjoying and appreciating what you DID go through, as part of that theme of progress and learning to move on, while still taking it slowly enough to actually take in what’s happening!

There’s accountability with the apologies, admitting you did wrong, that you’ll actually learn and progress from here, instead of staying in the same places and repeating the same mistakes… It’s wonderfully cheesy but also heartfelt, I ADORE how this show isn’t afraid to be dark and twisted like Book 3, but then have a happy ending like this; It’s the RANGE that is granted by the setting, premise, and anthological story-telling!

Amelia doesn’t learn, not until she meets Tulip- And it’s SO fun thinking of how these characters all indirectly and directly interact and come together, the parallels… Amelia meets Ryan and Min, then later inspires Grace, she meets Tulip, who frees Lake who meets Jesse… And Tulip’s efforts get Amelia to change for the better, leading her to eventually meet Grace again, as WELL as Simon, and then Hazel who she made! It really is an interconnected web, a story that overlaps and all comes together as one great end-product and recipe, and DAMN if I’m not salty we’re not getting the rest! We’re missing out on a whole second half… But maybe in graphic novel or book- There’s hope and freedom in that medium, let’s not forget!

Well guys, this was a PHENOMENAL season, and a wonderful way to end the animated version of this tale… Although hopefully, the story continues on in other formats- And who knows, maybe the animated medium CAN be retained, if this does well enough. We’ll just have to wait and see… But in the meantime, this was a wonderful way to end things, and I genuinely hope that Owen Dennis can tell the rest of his story, perhaps in literal books; All of them, Books 5-8, as well as the resolution to Amelia and Hazel! This was purely amazing you guys, and it really made my day… THANK you, Owen and crew, for everything and Infinity Train- I mourn the destination and end after having reached it, but as Kez taught us, you just gotta appreciate the journey, and what mostly certainly DID happen…!

Even unintended, this works as a nice goodbye to the animated form of the series; So what better way to end, than with a song that makes the most of the animated format? And a song taking inspiration from the Infinity Train and the friends met there… I’ve always wanted to see a passenger incorporate those experiences creatively like that! Who knows, maybe Tulip did so with her games… And in the meantime, I’d love to see a reference to Chicken Choice Judy in a future Book, perhaps just a glimpse in modern time to see how they did! But then again, Owen does like his ambiguity; And even if Chicken Choice Judy didn’t make it, I think Ryan and Min can both agree that the brief tenure was still worth it, no anxiety over the destination- They’ll get there, WHEN they get there, as Min said… They don’t need to control, just adapt and survive! No knowledge nor certainty, no guarantees required- They have their hope, faith, their past, and one another as guidance to keep company, and they’ll never be alone from hear on out! They can learn to let go, and move on… Just as Jeremy moved on from the death of his own lover (and child), so hopefully Amelia can learn as well, too. We’ll see…

Until next time you guys… Like Ryan and Min, let’s appreciate what we did get, and keep ourselves open to our next destination, whatever it may be, if nothing; The journey was still enjoyed and happened! To our next destination, or shall we board off at our final stop- We’ll just have to wait and see.

#infinity train #infinity train book 4 spoilers #infinity train spoilers #infinity train book 4 #infinity train duet #infinity train ryan #ryan akagi #infinity train min #min-gi park #infinity train kez #infinity train amelia #amelia hughes #infinity train morgan #speculation #analysis

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calliecat93 · 3 years

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When I started TNG, the biggest curiosity I had was why Dr. Pulaski was so hated. I heard plenty about why, but at the same time I wanted to see for myself and be able to draw my own conclusions. Well now that I’ve finished S2, I think that I can safely state my opinion and the reasons why she had such a bad reception.

My general opinion is… Pulaski’s fine, but she got an bad start. She’s a very competent doctor who is devoted to her duty. She’s a bit of a smartass, but otherwise a friendly enough person. She’s a VERY much based off a certain CMO form a certain other Star Trek show that came out before this one, but we’ll get to that later. Pulaski honestly had a lot working against her and she just wasn’t able to get over them despite her actress Diana Muldaur (who played Miranda Jones in TOS) doing an excelent acting job. It ultimately ended with Pulaski being dropped all together and Crusher returning in Season 3.

While I understand the hate against Pulaski and can’t say that it’s unwarranted to an extent, I think that a lot of it that I saw was overblown. Now if people disliked the character, that’s fine. Everyone has different tastes and reasons for what they like and dislike and should be free to have and express those thoughts. But a lot of the issues with her that I had were taken care of very early on and she became much better by the end of her tenure. So why do I believe that Pulaski ultimately failed? Well I’ve come up with three explanations based off my own observations from watching the show and what I got from fandom consensus. Now this is all my opinion based on those observations and is not objective fact whatsoever, so take this with a grain of salt. So I believe the reasons that Pulaski failed are:

#1. She Is Essentially a Female Dr. McCoy… Sort Of: Pulaski was clearly heavily based on Dr. McCoy from TOS. She’s an middle-aged, somewhat world-weary doctor. She’s stubborn, grumpy, and doesn’t put up with anyone’s crap. She’s witty and always ready with a biting comment. She has the dedication to her job. She has the bantery relationship with the Science Officer, which we’ll go into that here soon. She is a doctor before she is an officer and that will always be her top priority, even at great risk to herself. She has a zero tolerance towards authority and isn’t afraid to talk back to anyone no matter how much they outrank her. She even outright has a hatred of teleporters that McCoy had. The parallels are all there. It may be why I’m a bit more lenient on her since McCoy is very much my favorite character in TOS and so far all of ST. But I think it is very much the root of the problem.

While Pulaski has several of McCoy’s traits, I think the writers really only understood McCoy on a surface level. They forget to include his compassion, his empathy, his humanism, his loyalty to the captain even when he opposes his actions, all of the things that make McCoy… well, McCoy. I don’t even know if the pacifism is there. Also McCoy had over 70 episodes of TOS and at that point five films (Undiscovered Country hadn’t been made yet). Pulaski had about 20 episodes and her relevance depended on the episode. McCoy had that as well, but he also had more material so we had FAR more time to get to know him. Pulaski didn’t get to have the time to gain that depth or care from the audience. Like… can I imagine Pulaski hypoing someone so that she can be tortured in their stead and it have the same impact that The Empath did? Can I see her counseling and assuring Picard if he’s having doubts like McCoy did for Kirk in The Ultimate Computer (okay tbf that would be Troi’s job but still)? Could I imagine any of the main cast being crushed about Pulaski dying of a terminal illness and choosing to stay on essentially a doomed spaceship with someone she just met and feel as gutted as I did in For the World is Hollow…? Honestly… given time maybe but in the end no. Now could I imagine McCoy risking getting an aging illness to possibly cure a child and others of it ala Unnatural Selection? Yes, albiet I think he’d be smart enough to bring protective equipment with him to be safe. Could I imagine McCoy telling someone like Data they’d be wrong to sit by a woman giving birth because he wasn’t human ala The Child? Hell no. Maybe he would if he was worried it would cause potential distress the one giving birth, but it sure as hell wouldn’t be because they’re an android. But I could imagine that someone who just saw McCoy as ‘grumpy doctor with a bad bedside manner who says witty lines and argues with the logical Vulcan character’ would get that interpretation. Thus why I think that Pulaski may have ended up how she did.

Now mind you I do think it IS a double standard to excuse McCoy’s dickish momemts and flaws, but demonize Pulaski for her’s. It’s like saying a man can be that way because it’s just expected of them and they can be forgiven, but a woman doing so or being assertice is wrong and they are horrible and unforgivable for having these traits or having flaws even if they correct them. That being said I do think that it’s more than that and it all comes down to the fact that TOS and TNG are two different shows with different character dynamics and ways of doing things. TOS mainly followed a Triumvirate (for the most part but that’s a different post entirely), TNG is much more of an ensemble. Pulaski didn’t have a Kirk nor a Spock to bounce off of or either let her traits shine or be kept in check like McCoy did nor did she really develop any unique relations for herself aside from maybe with Troi. We hear about her empathy and humanitarianism, but we don’t really see it on-screen like we did with McCoy. She has his surface level traits, not the deeper ones that the Triumvirate dynamic along his doctor position allowed him to showcase. In other words, Pulaski was put in a series that wasn’t designed for her while McCoy was exactly where he needed to be in order to thrive. It really speaks to how much the TNG writers didn’t really seem to get McCoy or why and how his character worked, which is strange since they got him right when he showed up in the series premiere. But maybe that was due to DeForest Kelley and him absolutely knowing the character he’d played for so long. But yeah they tried to replicate McCoy, and it just didn’t work with TNG’s already established character dynamics nor did they fully get the character that they were trying to recreate. If I want McCoy, I’ll go watch TOS or AOS. I didn’t need Pulaski for that.

#2. Data and Misconstrued Character Dynamics; This is in relation to the first reason and REALLY shows how much the writers didn’t think the dynamics through. We all know how much Spock and McCoy bantered. How they are opposite ends of the spectrum and how their perspective points helped Kirk in making his decisions. Well clealry they wanted to re-create that with Pulaski and Data. Makes sense, Pulaski represents the humanism and Data the logical. But there’s one big, BIG problem with that: Data is NOT Spock. A lot fo people have pointed this out, but here’s the thing about Spock. Despite whatever he may have said, Spock DID have emotions. He kept them suppressed due to the issues in his upbringing and that wasn’t necessarily healthy, but he did have them. And despite speaking in a calm manner, he was also an utter sass bucket, could be rude, and had no issue putting down humanity if he had a point to make. He and McCoy were very much equal in their bantering and yes maybe McCoy could go too far with his insults, but there was always an equal balance and Spock was also perfectly capable of starting/escalating their spats. There were also plenty of moments to show that in spite of it, they were still friends and cared a great deal about each other with probably the best examples of this being The Immunity Syndrome, Bread and Circuses, The Empath, and plenty of moments in others like Miri and For the World is Hollow… Those who have been following me know how much I love the Spock/McCoy dynamic and I could go all day, but the point is it’s a complex relationship that may seem like disdain on the outside, but is so much more when you examine it up close.

Data however? Data is intelligent and the Science Officer with a calm demeanor, but that’s about where the similarity between him and Spock ends. Data is an android. I do not believe that he is emotionless, he just has a different wiring that causes him to feel things differently. He’s never shown disdain towards humanity at least from what I’ve observed thus far. If anything, he actively seeks to understand it and emotions more. He actively has hobbies like Sherlock Holmes. He tries things like sneezing and growing a beard in an effort to understand more. Data is more or less a child with a child-like understanding of things and he doesn’t really understand social cues or things like humor, but he DOES have emotions and feelings. There’s too much on-screen evidence to say otherwise. He just has his own way of processing it. This is what makes Pulaski look so bad. When she calls Data a machine, says he can’t understand, and even purposefully mispronounces his name, she comes across as an outright bully. She is essentially bullying a neurodivergent child. Do I need to explain why that’s awful? Data, while by no means a doormat, isn’t the type to sass back or make any biting comments back like Spock would. There is no balance. There is no equal footing. There are not enough positive interactions outside the banter to show that there is something deeper there at the end of the day like Spock and McCoy did. Heck you can even compare how Pulaski and McCoy talk to Data via McCoy’s guest appearance in Encounter at Farpoint. He DOES make a quip about Vulcans when talking to Data and when Data points out he’s an android not a Vulcan, McCoy mumbles “Just as bad.” But immediately after he gives Data genuine heartfelt advice on treating the Enterprise with care. It’s clear that ultimately it’s McCoy being his usual grumpy self who’d be acting the same way towards anyone else and is otherwise perfectly civil and encouraging to Data. We’ve known him long enough to know this. Pulaski didn’t have that luxury, coming off as condescending towards Data at best and considering that she’s a doctor, it looks especially bad.

Now to be fair this only lasts for about four episodes. Pulaski does start catching herself by her second episode, and stops completely after Unnatural Selection when Data helps her and stays with her after she gets the aging virus. After that she’s MUCH moe civil to him, even defending his choice going against the Prime Directive in Pen Pals and was at his retirement party in The Measure of a Man. But clearly the damage had been done. Data is a very beloved character and by Oulaski’s intro had already been established and well-liked character. Data was treated equally and was valued as far more than just an android among the rest of the crew, Crusher included, so Pulaski coming in a season later and acting that way also didn’t help. The writers did not think through why Spock and McCoy worked and how to try figure out a unique dynamic for Pulaski and Data. Instead they just tried to copy TOS, and it utterly failed. It ruined Pulaski’s chances before she could even really start running. But I do believe that she could have rebounded and as I said, she DID get past it. She did relapse some at the end of the season in Peak Performance to the point I wanna say that maybe it chronologically happened earlier in the season, but even then she felt realized her screw up and apologized. It’s still an improvement from early on. But things just weren’t meant to be, which leads is to…

#3. She Only Lasted One Season/She Replaced Dr. Crusher: I believe that the biggest thing that worked against Pulaski is simple: she was cut after Season 2. Pulaski was created when Gates MacFadden left the show. I’ve seen conflicting reasons as to why, but regardless she left and a CMO was needed. IDK how popular Crusher was, but I had really enjoyed her. She was essentially the mom of the ship which added something different from TOS (wel McCoy was also the mom lets be real XD), had a son onboard which also added something new, was very much capable and devoted to her job, and was a badass when she got to use a phaser. Her being written out sucked, but that’s not necessarily a reason to hate Pulaski. But as I highlighted above, she just didn’t work. They tried to make McCoy, but without the dynamics and depth that let McCoy flourish. TNG is not TOS. Whenever TNG tried replicating TOS like with The Naked Now? It blew up in their faces. The key to a spinoff or reboot is to keep certain themes and tone alive, but to not just replicate what came before. TNG flourished when it began to find it’s own footing, and ultimately lasted four seasons longer than it’s predecessor due to it.

I genuinely believe that Pulaski COULD have developed into her own character and could have found her place the same way that McCoy did. But alas that didn’t happen. People wanted Crusher back, so they managed to get MacFadden to return and thus Crusher was put back in her rightful place. Because of it, Pulaski was just forgotten about. She didn’t get the chance to form her own character. She didn’t the chance to develop further and leave her early days behind. Why? Because she simply wasn’t given the opprotunity to do so. I can’t say it was the wrong choice, but it’s an utter shame because I do believe that Pulaski was on her way to improving. But it was too late. Her bad start with Data, her character not working in the TNG dynamic, and her replacing an already perfectly likeable character who did fit the dynamics all amounted to the character’s abrupt end. And because she didn’t get the chance to develop further and find her own path, her bad reputation has stuck to this very day.

In the end, the whole thing just feels like a waste. Pulaski had potential, but it just didn’t work in the end. I can’t say that I hate her. If anything, I feel bad for her. The writers failed her at the end of the day and by the time they tried correcting their errors, the audience had already made their judgement. It may have been for the best to just drop her and bring Crusher back, but I also hate seeing character potential just so utterly wasted. I hope that if any side material used Pulaski, they were able to find a much better direction for her. I can’t say that I love Pulaski. In a more TOS-like setting maybe she’d have worked better. But in the end I think that Pulaski was a decent character who just had too much working against her and they caused her to crash and burn. Just an unfortunate case all in all.

(Image Source)

#this is all mainly opinion so feel free to ig kre

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honeytea8 · 4 years

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Virtue & Vice • Dio Brando/Reader

A/N: Discord prompt for the week was Masquerade AU, so I decided to write for Dio Brando, using @sammystep’s beautiful bedroom and mask renders as inspiration 😏 (seriously, they are amazing, so check them out at the end of the fic!!); Also written to be gender neutral, so please let me know if I messed up anywhere!

Word Count: 2.9K

Summary: With your estranged cousin in a town full of rumors and ghost stories, it’s rather obvious you’re in for an interesting weekend. Somehow, you catch the eye of an insatiable beast, and whether you manage to survive him is left completely up to you.

Warnings/Disclaimers: Subtle references to Stone Ocean, heavily implied sexual content, Dio monologuing lol

In every city you’ve visited, there was always talk, and by talk, you meant gossip. Grapevines grew from thin air, spreading until the town was entangled in a sickness you liked to call Hearsay. You had witnessed this far too many times in the past, the novelty having worn off a long time ago. But on occasion, you liked to lend an ear to the particularly interesting ones—stories that left you searching for that innocuous sliver of truth amidst fairy tale.

Most times, however, it was merely a drunk spewing his usual nonsense to any person willing to listen. You were rarely ever an audience to such. Still, nothing quite chilled your bones like the tale recounted by one of the strangest men you’ve ever met.

It had been late in the evening, but not too late that the barmaid was not still serving homemade pies and cold drinks to her patrons.

A man only a few years older than yourself was perched on a rickety wooden chair nearby; it gave a high-pitched squeak every time he shifted. He had been there upon your arrival and would likely be there after you were gone. His clothes were drenched in sweat, boots caked in mud. You noticed him observing you from under the brim of his ten-gallon hat, though the rest of his face remained hidden. The nearest available seat just so happened to be right by his own, you hesitated, but ultimately took it.

Your fingers were frozen like cubes of ice and you breathed on them in a fruitless attempt to help them thaw. The barmaid made her rounds and eventually came to you. Only then were you able to order something to warm you up, a simple cup of coffee would suffice. You sat silent and unassuming, content with minding your own business until a gruff voice reached out to you, almost as if his words grew an arm and gripped your shoulder.

“Yer face,” he muttered in your direction. “S’like someone I can trust.”

You blinked at him. The implications behind his words were not lost on you. In fact, it was something you heard quite often. For your own mother had delivered you into a cruel world, and was quick to brand you with a trademark that has followed you for as long as you could recall: an angel.

In return, people seemed to gravitate towards you—were always intrigued by you, listening and speaking to you, soothed by your very nature and presence. It was a gift, you supposed. And like any gift, you preferred to use it for good. Whether it be to share in another’s burdens, or to relieve them of it entirely.

“Is there something you would like to share?” you replied back.

He hummed, then took a long swig of his whiskey in preparation. “Yeah, somethin's kept me up fer days actually.”

“What has?”

“I used ‘ta butle for a lord here in this town—hmm, well ta be frank it was only for a lil’ while... was dismissed soon after.”

The man continued without giving any clear answer to your question, but you assumed a bit of patience would grant you the full story.

“I'm sorry about your job.” you said out of courtesy, but he waved you off.

“Don’t be. S’better this way.” he took another sip, draining the glass in one go and waved for another round. “You believe in heaven?”

“Heaven? Like… the place where good people go when they pass on...? I—I’m not too sure.”

“S’alright.” he smiled for the first time, wide lips stretching across his face handsomely. He looked rather boyish with his half dimple and cleft chin. His expression was almost endearing. You figured he might’ve been quite the charmer when sober. “Name’s Hol Horse, by the way.”

“Hol Horse, it's a pleasure to meet you.”

You introduced yourself as well, to which he tipped his hat in greeting. The whole exchange was rather odd, but you went along with it for the sake of your own budding curiosity.

Hol Horse cast a wary glance around the room. You too chanced a brief look, but not as thoroughly as your companion. Obviously, no one was listening. You smiled and silently encouraged him to surrender the burden laying heavy on his conscience.

Hol Horse gave you his story. Some parts he gave in detail—others he offered in threadbare comments, giving only the minimum for you to catch the gist. From what you could piece together, he had worked as a servant under a young lord in the countryside. It was a large estate left behind by a ‘Sir Joestar’ who had passed away many years ago due to illness. His only adopted son was left to inherit the fortune, along with several of the businesses in town. That was as far as Hol Horse knew, more surprisingly, he had never even laid eyes on his employer during his tenure. Any and every form of correspondence was made through the lord's right hand.

At one point, you were beginning to wonder what picture Hol Horse was trying to paint here. Why did any of this matter? Regardless, it was the earnest pull of his voice that kept you rooted to your seat. That, and the fact that he had seemed to grow even more...disturbed the longer he spoke. His brows were pinched while he thought, showing his great displeasure. You truly hoped, for his sake, that confessing whatever was killing him inside would finally put his heart at ease.

In a lowered tone, he revealed the true cause of his troubles. He had spotted a number of bloodied sheets being carted away from his lord’s sleeping quarters, men and women’s clothing torn to shreds and disposed of in an incinerator. Certain staff members with superhuman strengths and abilities. Phantoms, ghosts, demonic spirits. All culminated by the devastating amount of missing persons. These were some serious, and if you were honest, strange allegations.

“My apologies,” you interrupted, “but I’m not sure I follow.”

“I’m sayin’ that some crazy shit’s goin’ on in this town, and I wouldn’t feel too inclined ta stay if I were you.”

You pursed your lips, far too stunned for words.

“Heaven.” he uttered like a curse. There was a sudden quiver in his lips, that sent a chill racing down your spine. It wasn’t just about ‘heaven’. More specifically, Hol Horse was convinced there existed a way to call it forth.

The sheer ridiculousness of this statement seized your attention. The man was so obviously intoxicated, but spoke like these were irrefutable facts that he too struggled to come to terms with.

A heaven within the reach of mere mortals? Powers no man had any business wielding? It was absolutely ludicrous! But your gut, which had saved you countless times in the past, urged you to not cast this tale aside.

You wondered if this made you a fool.

You had only come to this town per invitation from a distant, older cousin. And while distant by blood, she was also distant to you in nearly every other aspect as well. You and your cousin, Gwess, scarcely saw one another due to a series of familial barriers. By all accounts, you should be wary of her, but she was also newly married now, and you supposed her only desire was to rekindle your long-neglected relationship.

Marriage, children, a home—it had a way of changing people. You were unsure if you could genuinely relate to her feelings, but you would not stop her from trying to rebuild something, even if that something had never truly existed in the first place.

For whatever reasons, your cousin had you set up in a hotel instead of her guest house. You didn’t take it personally, after all, it was her home to do with as she pleased. The hotel suite was lavish; far be it from you to complain.

Clean, white walls, with an intricate gold motif wallpaper, Persian carpeting, high thread-count sheets made from the whitest Egyptian cotton. At your bedside were red roses that added a bit of color and warmth to the room, and near the window was a mini-bar stocked with various alcoholic beverages should you choose to indulge.

Courtesy of Gwess, your outfit for the night’s festivities hung on the bathroom door, zipped up in a garment bag to keep it from either soiling or wrinkling. She had gifted it to you along with a mask for the masquerade ball, though, you felt a sudden trepidation bubbling in your stomach at what awaited you; like a premonition of something to come, it weighed on your chest, and you tried desperately to swallow it down.

Hol Horse’s words from the previous night continued to haunt you in broken fragments. He had warned you not to stick around but it wasn’t like you were staying much longer. Just one more night.

Still, you worried. With the sound of your heart thumping in your ears, you drew out the lace and chiffon clothing from the bag that had kept it hidden from you until now.

A feeling you could not explain washed over you at the sight of what Gwess brought for you to wear. It was white with wing-like patterns sewn down into the material just below the blades of your shoulders. You considered the meaning of this as you donned the outfit and fixed the mask over your face. Mockery perhaps? Who could say?

Gwess greeted you in the hotel lobby with open arms and a warm smile.

“Cousin!”

“Gwess.” You murmured with a nod and a small tilt of your lips. “You look well.”

She grinned, eyes crinkling, “Don’t I?” Gwess gave a twirl, showing off one of her newest purchases. A thinly strapped designer gown with silver embroideries and little birds stitched at the hem and sleeve. In her hands was an extravagant mask covered in jewels and... real life bird feathers. You assumed so, given the traces of blood still on them. Ever the beauty, your cousin was. Her husband, being a lawyer working under a prominent firm in town, made sure that his dearest Gwess wanted for nothing; inherently enabling her rather eccentric hobbies, like mutilating tiny animals and using their remains as accessories.

The venue was a large ballroom not too far from the hotel. It was beautifully decorated with crimson and gold ornaments and glittering chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. The festivities were already in full swing. Peals of laughters, thundering music, flashing lights. It was increasingly overwhelming. The event was more of a bacchanal for the rich and wealthy, a hedonistic gathering for the town’s upper echelon. It was almost ceremonial.

To make matters worse, you lost sight of Gwess, or rather, she had ditched you for a group of familiar faces. So, you wandered about on your own. There were a startling amount of guests, it felt almost like eyes were on you at every moment. Bodies pushed on all sides of you as you struggled to make your way through to a less crowded area. The sick feeling in the pit of your stomach bred more fear and anxiety, until you felt the urge to vomit right then and there.

Escaping into the open balcony was your only form of solace, and perhaps you’d remain there for the rest of the evening. Though, how could you have known that in doing so, you would inevitably find yourself within the crosshairs of an apex predator.

By his third victim, Dio was beginning to think that none of his ‘esteemed’ guests had brought a worthy sacrifice. A sneer curled at his lips as he watched them from his seat above. They were like monkeys, dancing for his entertainment, but unfortunately, he was far from entertained. He lounged back in his seat with a deep sigh.

Dio Brando did not believe in chance or coincidence. He did not believe in a being beyond the proverbial curtain, pulling on strings and orchestrating the whims of humanity. But lately, he’d been feeling a bit of a premonition. Nothing alarming, just an inkling of something he couldn’t quite place. And even after speaking to Enrico at length—

Dio paused in his musing, having caught sight of something in his peripheral.

With purposed steps, he followed the instincts deep within him, a visceral tugging in his gut, until he was greeted with the sight of your back. Poised like a sharpened blade, clothed in white; you stood underneath the lantern’s glow, like an angel hand-delivered to his doorstep. Utterly enticing.

You turned, gazing over at him with a peculiar look in your eyes, like that of a cautious doe in the presence of a hunter. The mask you wore shielded the majority of your face, but you were not someone he recognized. The clothing you were wearing made him all the more interested in finding what lay beneath.

Even from this distance, he could see the light sheen of sweat on the back on your neck. The subtle quake in your shoulders was not hidden from him either, even the bob of your throat as you swallowed.

“Do you mind if I join you?” he finally asked.

You were not expecting the man to speak since he looked so dead set on staring at you. “I don’t mind at all.”

You shifted over a little, an unnecessary action, seeing as there was plenty of room for the both of you. The fresh air did well in calming you down. But the sudden appearance of this man and his wolfish gaze was putting you back on edge. In any other instance, his very aura would have sent you running for the hills, but for some reason, you couldn't even bring yourself to move.

“You aren't enjoying yourself,” he noted with a teasing smile. “Does that make me a terrible host?”

You fumbled for a minute, stuttering over your words while trying to find an appropriate answer that wouldn’t offend him too much.

“C-Certainly not. It’s, um, no fault of your own. These kinds of things never interested me in the first place.”

You tried to avoid looking him in the eye when you responded but that proved to be impossible. His eyes were such a beautiful shade of scarlet. You half-wondered if they even came in that color naturally. He licked his lips, and for a second you caught sight of a sharpened canine.

“One could say that I am looking for something. Why else would I throw such an affair?”

Curious, you angled yourself a bit closer to him.

“Do you believe in gravity, dear?” he brushed his knuckles against your cheek. “That might be the reason why I’ve found you. You feel it too, that innate pull that can’t be explained.” he drew you closer until you were chest to chest. “It’s why you can’t walk away even though you’re frightened. I think we were fated to meet each other here.”

A wind blew as he said those words, tussling his gold spun hair, as if nature itself were confirming his words.

“Don’t you believe in destiny? That our lives are fate’s ultimate composition; a song that plays from the moment we take our first breath until we breathe our last.”

He was standing so close, close enough that you could smell the hint of cinnamon in his cologne and... blood...on his breath. It was making you dizzy, but you were also surprised to find that you wanted him to kiss you. And once that thought was acknowledged, it blossomed into a heady desire that was slowly taking over your entire body. You wanted him, the monster behind the mask.

“What say you, dear? Are you still frightened by me?” he laughed. “Don’t be. You and I are the same.”

“I’m...not afraid.” you said and placed a hand on his chest. It pleased him to hear you say it, even if your body betrayed your words. He leaned forward with one arm wrapped around your waist and gave a long, languid lick to a stripe of your skin, your perspiration was no deterrent at all, in fact he rather enjoyed it. Being this close to you gave him a vision of depthless oceans behind his eyelids with the taste of saltwater on his tongue and algae under his feet.

It was cathartic.

Indeed there were cleaner ways to do this, but he liked the pulse of your jugular beneath his tongue. He let his fangs sink into the flesh of your neck, puncturing your skin all the way through. Your fingers gripped his clothes, but not out of pain. The immense pleasure washing over you felt unlike anything you could ever imagine. Puffs of your warm breath coasted against the shell of his ear. You were far past the point of return.

In the final act, you laid naked in your hotel bed underneath blood speckled sheets. Your neck was throbbing, but it was nothing compared to the pleasant soreness between your thighs.

Dio, the name of your new god, hovered over you bare as the day he was born with an arrogant smile on his lips. Your wrists were bound with the strips of cloth torn from your body. You couldn’t reach him but your gaze still roamed the hills and valleys of his muscled chest in an act of worship and devotion.

An angel, they had called you. But what was angel without a fall from grace? It seemed in order to know virtue, one must first acquaint themselves with vice.

#JJBA #jojo’s bizarre adventure #Dio Brando #Dio x Reader #Dio Brando x Reader #Masquerade AU #jojo #Dio #jjba x reader #jojo x reader #3D Renders

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bewareofchris · 3 years

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Nostalgia and the Doctor

I’m not particularly well known for being a bit Doctor Who fan so lets get a few base Doctor Who judgements out of the way so that anyone who might not agree with these Christopher Truths can leave now:

- Doctor Who is by far not nearly as awe-inspiring as the fans might try to sell it.�� I love it and I try to get everyone to watch it with me but I’m also very honest and very upfront about it. Most of the solutions to the issues are silly. Most of the problems are a little silly. In fact, for the first 3/4 episodes you watch, regardless of where you start, there’s a good deal of silliness but you will find yourself, absolutely with no warning, unable to stop because you love the Doctor so stupidly you have no control over it.

- I started with David Tennant/the 10th Doctor and I loved him violently and remembered him with utmost fondness and considered him my favorite and would have killed a man for him. I judged the success and failures of all other Doctors by him until I rewatched the New Who.

- 10′s like 4-part victory lap at the end of his tenure had moments that broke my heart so deeply I still haven’t ever rewatched them. So fuck you David Tennant and your saddest face.

- I’ve never seen Christopher Eccelston’s Doctor and don’t have any plans to. I don’t particularly care for that actor and I’ll take no criticism.

- Rose is my least favorite companion out of the seasons I’ve watched except maybe 13′s.

- 11 is probably my favorite story/Doctor/Companions and that’s got a lot to do with how bright and sweet and idiotic he was as the Doctor. I found his boundless, unrestrained enthusiasm for everything good and bad to be absolutely beautiful. Also, I adore River Song.

- I absolutely adore River Song

- I unashamedly love how horny on main everyone was for 11 and how horrified he always seemed to be by it (unless he wasn’t)

- Peter Capaldi/12 was too good for this world and doesn’t get enough credit. Also he got fucked by the storylines they gave him really limiting his ability to be his own thing. Did anyone in the world want that many two part episodes? No. No we didn’t. Sometimes we just want to travel into a little boy’s cupboard to fight nightmares ok.

- Listen, the episode with the thing that may or may not be a monster, was an amazing fucking episode and I loved every minute.

- Donna was 10′s best Companion.

- Bill deserved better.

- Chris Chibnall was hands down the worst possible person to have been selected to run the show. Based solely off of viewing Broadchurch with it’s meandering pacing and it’s beautifully morose tone, there was 0 chance he could have pulled off the vibe required to captain a campy sci-fi family show.

- Its absolutely criminal what they did Jodie Whittaker’s 13th Doctor

And most importantly, the thing that has brought me to making this post, Russell T Davies belongs in the past. The entire New Who fandom/success can certainly extend it’s heartfelt thanks to the man and his successful reinvigoration of the show. We can forever be grateful that he brought together something that was truly captivating, that drew in audiences and allowed us to have these many years of adventures with the various incarnations of the Doctor.

What we should not do is get caught in the trap of thinking that resurrecting this out of date dinosaur is going to save the show now. Russel T Davies’ Who and Torchwood are both a product of their time and are best viewed through the rose-colored glasses of nostalgia.

We were all younger then, all of us captivated by this thing that was new and vibrant (well, I mean, Davies’ who had quality issues because of its limited budget but you get my drift). We were taken in by 10′s severity, his grandiosity, his arrogance, his curiosity and most importantly that scene when he fell through the open window like a partially cooked spaghetti noodle. (Or maybe that was just me.)

David Tennant has something about his acting and his portrayal of the Doctor (and really anyone) that just draws you in. His charm undercuts everything he does so that even when you really kind of shouldn’t like him, you’re still kind of rooting for him and that might have been the most important factor of 10/New Who’s success.

That does not mean, however, that if we take the same set up and the same vibe and the same stories and the same writers and the same showrunner that we had then and ask them to fix the dreary, over-serious, righteous nonsense of Chibnall’s joyless time as showrunner that it will work out how we want.

Every article I’ve seen is praising this choice to call Davies back, like he’s the one that’s going to finally get us back to where we were all happy and excited to see new episodes instead of turning off the holiday special 5 times and still not having finished it (yes, i’m talking about me) but I don’t buy it. Davies belongs in the past, where we can go and watch his episodes and think about how much simpler life was then because that’s how nostalgia works.

If Who is going to succeed, and it’s going to really resonate with the current audience and pull in younger fans, it has to do so by moving forward. By finding someone who loves Who, and understands that TV shows (especially ones involving Time Lords who regenerate into new faces every so often) have to move forward with the present time. You need a show runner that is younger, that has new ideas, that has the energy and the drive to make something truly imaginative and truly great.

Nostalgia is cheap, and it never lasts.

#i'm not tagging this actually #i have opinions but they are mine

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chaoticnerdreview · 4 years

Text

4 Reasons Why Io vs Sasha Was A Masterclass

Let’s face it. NXT is the whole building Sasha Banks owns but is no longer living in, like her previous theme song said. She helped build the foundation for its success, along with Bayley who is still sitting on her passenger sit. She helped make the NXT title mean gold. She gave her blood, sweat and tears for that brand to be taken as such rather than a simple “developmental program” or B show.

But Sasha Banks rolled up to the Main Roster years ago. And the show went on. More stars were born, tried to fill her shoes and went another direction. So much as happened since she walked out of the door and yet, she returns, gracefully, to fight the new owner of the building. A wrestler so promising she’s known all over the world as the future of wrestling: Io Shirai.

1) GIVE AS MUCH AS YOU GET

A recurring problem with our present day superstars is that when they reach a certain level, as certain company status if you will, they stop giving as much as they get. Moves that would look deadly among their peers, when performed in a match against a superstar, they look bland. Sometimes so bad it makes the crowd wonder what went wrong. But Sasha Banks isn’t a superstar like any other. And she brings whoever she’s fighting to her level.

Io Shirai, besides being a beautiful sight into the future of wrestling, is beyond talented and giving in the ring. Some of her worst matches, however, happened when she went up against superstars that refused to give as much as she does. And, as we all knew, that wouldn’t be the case with Sasha Banks. Both women looked like powerhouses in the ring. Taking moves from each other like they were deathly, ruthless and devastating. Together, they put on one hell of a show where the blend between raw talent and giving nature was exhilarating.

2) CHAMPIONS DON’T BEND

When a new opponent that’s supposed to rise and prosper, more often than not, they get a win against a champion on a non-title match to prove their power. To show audiences that this is the person to root for now because they can beat the reigning champion without outside interference. On the other side, when two champions collide, one is supposed to beat the other and prove that their brand is the superior one, hence the Survivor Series annual clash.

However, last night was much more than that. Last night had both champions look good in their own personas, in their own moves, in their own stories. Last night, in a match that seems to be a rarity nowadays, both champions won despite only one having their arm raised because quite frankly that’s how it’s supposed to be. Sasha’s story as a champion who may use outside interference in her favour - enforced by Bayley’s chaotic energy - was seen through the whole match as well as Io’s perseverance and strength.

3) ATTENTION TO DETAIL

Now this is a real problem I have with several superstars that will refrain nameless in this post. When you’re “injured” during a match, you must remember which limb is hurt, you must make an effort to look like it hurts and you can’t, you absolutely CANNOT, forget what happened and proceed in a match. Not only does that make you look unprofessional, it’s also listed as one of the major reasons why people think wrestling isn’t believable. Which is true. If the superstars don’t pay attention to their own details, why should the audience?

In this match, we had the opposite and I will focus on a specific moment because it was handled to absolute perfection. When Asuka surfaced, holding the belt that Sasha was going to use to hit Io as Bayley distracted the referee, she smirked at Sasha before misting her face with the green powder of hell. Others would’ve left revealed their faces until the end of the match, making it impossible to believe the referee would end it without calling the interference but not Sasha Banks and not Io Shirai. Between Sasha laying face down and taking the moonsault from the Genius of The Sky on her back - which, to me, seems far more devastating than the regular hit - to Io Shirai completely covering Sasha’s face until the match effectively ended, this two went to great lengths to make this moment believable.

Honorary mention: the reaction of the referee, confused and baffled, as to why Sasha’s face was green after the match ended.

4) 1 MATCH X 4 STORY-LINES = 1 BONUS

As we entered this match, as much as it was a dream for pretty much the entire wrestling community, there were four stories at play. And at the end of it, all 4 of them were furthered successfully.

Dominant NXT champion - the chip on Io’s shoulder was gigantic. To challenge a former champion and current tag team champion to return home and meet the new tenure was a lot. But if you want your division to respect you and look at you as a threat, it was the perfect flaming hoop to jump through. And guess what? Io Shirai did. She came out of it looking incredibly strong and a force to be recon with.

Bayley can’t help - if you’ve been paying attention to the simmering of Sasha/Bayley’s upcoming break up, you know what I’m talking about. Whenever Bayley’s SD title is on the line and Sasha is ringside, Sasha does everything in her abilities to help Bayley retain. She distracts refs, wrestlers, anything and everything is game as long as the champion remains champion. However, the reverse hasn’t been true lately. Not even in their tag team matches, with Bayley trying to get the spotlight even as Sasha has the win in the palm of her hand. Last night was no different with Bayley being, once again, unable to help.

Asuka vs Sasha - yet another dream match is upon us and for the people that thought it be just a X challenges Y and match happens story, plot twist: its not. It’s a full story and yesterday we had the 2nd chapter of it. After beating her on RAW, Asuka felt she had to settle the score and decided to help Io win faster. The green mist is the most lethal trick up Asuka’s sleeve and if Sasha was going to cheat, that’s what she deserved to get.

Not your house anymore - in everyone’s life, there comes a time where your house is no longer your house. And this match served to prove that while, as a team, Bayley and Sasha beat a new tag team, NXT isn’t their house anymore because there’s a new champion in town. A champion they can’t beat. Yet.

BONUS: without Kairi, and with Asuka showing that mutual enemies make for great friends, we might see Io Shirai + Asuka vs Bayley + Sasha Banks next week on night 2 of Great American Bash.

In conclusion, take notes, fellow superstars.

Learn how to look good while making others look good.

Learn how one match can further all storylines.

Learn how to pay attention to details because every single detail counts.

And then do it.

#sasha banks #io shirai #asuka #bayley

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takoyakitenchou · 3 years

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can i have headcanons of seijuro and auden, pls?

yus here are some random hcs strewn about my google drive (and the margins of a few midterms lol)

everything under the cut bc it’s kinda long

Ibusaki Seijuro, fuckboy extraordinaire

height in 2nd year: 5′11 (180 cm)

weight in 2nd year: 160 lbs (73 kg)

preferred clothing brand: does not care as long as they’re Hawaiian shirts

favorite movie/show: Fight Club

favorite book: Shogun (Clavell)

top song on Spotify he’s on the Kurokiba family plan lol: 3 Nights by Dominic Fike

non-culinary activities: billiards and breaking (pop culture calls it breakdance but that is not the right term)

Sei is the first son of Ibusaki Shun and Sakaki Ryoko. He has his mother’s magenta hair and father’s slate grey eyes

Hawaiian shirts and Totsuki ties. Hawaiian shirts. He has an incorrigible belief that there is not enough color at Totsuki (obviously he hasn’t seen his hair lol) and therefore only wears the brightest colors possible. Sei can typically be seen in the early morning running daily laps around Legislation wearing his prized Birkenstocks

When he’s in the dorm or at Nakiri Mansion, however, he wears turtlenecks and sweatpants (with Birkenstocks)

Cooking in front of an audience is Seijuro’s true forte. He makes an elaborate live show out of every dish, spinning around in his basketball shorts, Hawaiian shirt, Totsuki tie, and Birkenstocks. Sei does not wear aprons lol but at the Autumn Elections, the Nakiri cousins persuaded Auden to coerce Seijuro into wearing at least semi-formal attire but he showed up in a flamboyant flannel instead. Wild af

He started getting into Spanish cuisine after he discovered Dia de los Muertos and the colorful calaveras, and he makes a point of making pan de muerto for the Nakiri-PSD members every year to celebrate the holiday. The only death he’s celebrating, though, is the death of Auden’s sanity (more on that later)

By virtue of his parents’ sake and smoked foods empire, he also dabbles in their specialties but he won’t be the heir to their company (working title IbuSakaki if I can arrange the kanji properly LOL). His max is fermenting sake for gang parties but after the SenAudpocalypSei (Sena + Auden + Seijuro + apocalypse), he starts smoking cigarettes and this is what really drives the final wedge between him and Auden

Sei and Auden stagiaire with the brothers Aldini and they learn how to use a mezzaluna. Extremely proficiently

One night he and his best bro Auden get on the drunker side despite both of them being notorious heavyweights, and they go to a tattoo shop and Sei gets six piercings in one ear. And two on the other. He doesn’t even notice until like six days later when one of the helixes on his left ear gets infected

Sei is the girl magnet of the school, and most people assume that he has like 593 girlfriends (or at least 593 girls that he fools around with), but in reality he’s almost always been in love with Marui Sena, and he’s actually not as much of a fuckboy as his reputation explicity states implies. But rep is rep, and he loves being the center of attention, so he lets the rumors spread like wildfire. And he does have a hoe-ish personality but this is completely repressed as soon as Sena transfers into gen 120 for high school

Sei’s one true weakness is his loyalty to Auden and his affections for Sena. Ultimately, his attempt to keep both on either side of him will serve as a catalyst for the SenAudpocalypSei and they’ll tear Totsuki up by its roots

He hangs out with Nakiri Jouichirou a lot (Asahi’s son, 117th gen and serving as the youngest lecturer in the history of Totsuki) and eventually learns the Crossed Knives technique from him. Jou acts more like an older brother than a professor to Sei and they grow extremely close

Kurokiba Auden, would-be Planet Earth narrator

height in 2nd year: 6′0 (183 cm)

weight in 2nd year: 165 lbs (75 kg)

preferred clothing brand: Billabong

favorite movie/show: Planet Earth

favorite books: Fountainhead (Rand) and The Prince (Machiavelli) his choices were heavily influenced by the Sorina and Akisako children

top song on Spotify: Wonderlust by Will Post

non-culinary activities: swim

Auden is the only child of Kurokiba Ryo and Nakiri Alice. When he was born, Souma and Erina were in that hazy pre-dating phase and so Alice and Ryo were unsure if the Sorina baby would be named Nakiri or Yukihira. They decided not to name their kid Nakiri Auden because Alice would do anything to avoid a repeat of the Nakiri cousins conflict (she inevitably has lingering resentments from being in Erina’s shadow for the first 18 years of her life) but Auden is the legal heir to the Nakiri-Totsuki Group. Obviously, Ryoali had no idea that Yukihira Kaede would end up not even being in the culinary business lol

The only potential competition for Auden’s inheritance ends up becoming Nakiri Jouichirou, who is the only one in the family from the next era who carries the Nakiri name. But Jouichirou is completely disinterested in running the empire so Auden has no trouble assuming the throne later on

Auden’s eyes are different reds. His heterochromia isn’t as noticeable as Kaede’s but his left eye is a few shades darker than his right. Especially after he joins the Elite Ten and gets no sleep (dark circles lol), he looks exactly like his dad but with shorter hair (think Central Arc but shorter). He uses his dad’s bandana on occasion but it only returns him to normal function. His voice is literal heaven. He could’ve been a narrator for Planet Earth.

He’s extremely soft and mild mannered, with none of his mother’s (and his father’s, to be fair) eccentricities. Auden is the most responsible out of the Elite Ten and pretty much the entire cast of the Genesis verse, 92′ers included. He has no emotional extrema (part of the reason why the bandana hardly affects him) and this is a relief for his parents, because it lessens his chances of dissociation and fugue

Auden specializes in Danish cuisine from a bit of a molecular standpoint, resulting from his time in the lab with his mom

In his second year of middle school, he dips a week to compete at national swim competition in Osaka and easily wins. He’s sponsored by Totsuki’s Sports Association and its founder/pres, Luc Tadokoro-Aldini

When he was younger, Auden spent a lot of time with Auntie Hisako, who drilled a whole bunch of medicinal knowledge into him because being a Ryoali child is a hazardous occupation so later when he meets Sei he finds out abt his smoking (Auden thought smoking as in cigarettes but Sei meant smoking as in food) and makes Sei promise not to smoke. It’s their first and only promise as best bros, and Sei picking up cigarettes in 3rd year pretty much destroys their friendship

Auden cuts the sleeves off of every t-shirt he owns, and ripped jeans are kind of his thing. Unlike Seijuro, who at least wears the Totsuki tie, Auden does not own a single article of the school uniform lol but Dean Hayama pretends not to notice

His goal is to be head chef for one of Tsukasa Eishi’s restaurants. This is pretty much the trigger for SenAudpocalypSei

I won’t go into too much detail about the SenAudpocalypSei bc that’ll take center stage in Renaissance anyhow but a vague summary is that Auden puts his career over his friends and Sei completely loses faith in him. Although the conflict stems from Auden’s career goals, it ends up revolving mostly around the love triangle between Seijuro, Auden, and Sena; ultimately they destroy a lot of the Totsuki dynamic that developed under Arato-Hayama Hikari’s tenure as first seat

#ibusaki seijuro #kurokiba auden #marui sena #genesis verse

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onlythehours · 4 years

Text

On Hillary...

It seems to me that one of the most obvious statements of the 21st Century is that Hillary Rodham Clinton is a divisive figure. But to unpick this divisiveness raises many questions, and cracks open the tides of contradictions that swell within the Hillary discourse. Nanette Burstein’s new four-part documentary Hillary (available on Sky in the UK) goes a long way to capture what makes HRC such a compelling figure, someone who seems to be at once ‘ahead of her time’ and behind the times. The documentary is structured in a way that offers glimpses of her 2016 presidential campaign woven through a chronological telling of her early years; Bill Clintons’ gubernatorial and presidential campaigns; her role as First Lady; her tenures as senator for New York and Secretary of State; and, her ultimately unsuccessful presidential campaign.

I really should say that I have long been a fan of Hillary. I’m not objective (who is?). I find her inspiring, funny, charming, endearing, and yes, likeable. I know these statements alone will raise the ire of many, and perhaps justifiably so. Hillary, like many politicians, straddles a very tricky chasm – one’s personality and persona as a living feeling person, and their role(s) in global political decisions which adversely impact many people. Part of what makes Hillary such a complicated figure to explore is the way her life is a metaphor for so much. She is so many things to so many people: feminist hero, political maverick, betrayed wife, knowing accomplice, hard-nosed career woman, corrupt career politician, dedicated public servant, and the list goes on. The point I find interesting, that I really want to capture, and that Burstein’s film settles into is the fraught relationship between Hillarys’ role in history and her role in the present.

The ways in which we can observe generational, social, and historical changes through the stages of Hillary’s life (as well as observe how Hillary herself played an instrumental role in shaping American consensus, and dissent, on many of these very topics) reveals much of what makes Hillary’s legacy so complex. Hillary is in the unique position of being both one of the many women who lived these changes, as well as having the public notoriety and fame to be a ‘historical context map’ for these changes. Her persistence to not exist in history makes her very difficult to grapple with. We are used to exceptional woman who shaped history, remaining just that – figures in history. We are less accustomed to these women continuing to live their compelling lives publicly and presently, and with little regard for their detractors. It is often easier to view problematic figures more favourably in retrospect, one wonders if the temptations to view them more harshly in present tense is also true? Maybe not, but it’s an interesting thought in Hillary’s case. Whether said outright or not, I think a reason behind much of the venom directed at Hillary is a response to the ingrained, implicit bias we (read western, specifically American) as a culture have for women who demand to be heard, and not only that, but women who have the audacity to want to lead – to desire to build, shape, and remake the very apparatus through which voices are heard and decisions are made.

As Burstein’s documentary shows, Hillary did forge paths (alongside a sea of exceptional women). However, the course of Hillary’s life pushed her to the front line in terms of exposure. I am not blaming internet culture, social media, and advances in technology and news media for the problems Hillary faces. But I do think there is something to be said for the inadequate ways in which we can incorporate the past of someone’s life into their present endeavours. Burstein captures so clearly this tricky paradigm – Hillary spent the better part of two decades navigating attacks that painted her as ruthlessly politically liberal and radically feminist (effigies of her were burnt), to then have to spend the most recent tenure of public life proving herself as liberal enough, feminist enough. As the final episode suggests in its title “Be our champion, Go away”, Hillary faces a unique problem (possibly created through such a protracted time in the public eye, and a determination to continue to rise higher): she doesn’t fit well in the current media discourse. The vastness, and notoriousness, of her history seems too unwieldy to be handled in a consumable way that allows her to not just represent the past but also play a role in the future.

Burstein’s documentary highlighted another specific problem Hillary faces – the perception of herself as false, scripted and performed. For instance, at their rallies both Bernie Sanders and Trump scream, shout, their voices course and determined. The documentary, nor Hillary make this defence, but it is clear through so many micro-aggressions and misogynistic rebukes that Hillary (like so many female leaders) is not permitted the same performance of anger and frustration as her male political counterparts. Hillary has to moderate her performance in ways others simply don’t. It seems the consequence of this male/female double standard is the view of Hillary as false. Hillary’s own team highlight her apparent ‘lack’ with public speaking. Hillary herself remarks that her relationship with the press and public was inevitably worn down as a result of years of media controversies.[1] Her awareness that she will be attacked for a raised voice or spontaneously chosen word cannot not have an impact of her public performance, and as such its reception by the audience. In a scene from the documentary one of Clintons aides describes how one of Hillary’s biggest strengths is also her biggest weakness. He uses her vast knowledge of policy as both a pro and a con. He gives the example of healthcare. During debates when Bernie and Hillary are asked about healthcare, Bernie’s response may be ‘free for all” and “universal”, whereas Hillary’s response may be a twenty-sentence-long description of her healthcare policy that she knows inside and out. A policy formed with the knowledge of how difficult it is to pass legislation. But this doesn’t read as well.

This brings us to one of Hilary’s biggest problems, her pragmaticism. This pragmaticism is also noted when a young woman attending a rally asks Hillary if elected president would she ban fracking. Hillary replies ‘No I would not do that. A president can’t just ban fracking, that’s not how our system works”. These moments typify a problem with Hillary. In the current media landscape, adoration for leaders not always based on articulated policy comes a misunderstanding of how certain legislative systems work (which is not a defence of these systems). One could argue there isn’t much difference between Bernie Sanders blanket commitments to bans, and Donald Trump’s executive orders. Yes, their intentions, and ideological views, are entirely different, but the ideal that any political leader is the fixer of all is shared, it seems, by both the right and the left. In 2020, and indeed 2016, Hillary’s pragmaticism was never a positive. I am trying hard not to make this a Hillary vs Bernie debate. I’m not a fan of Bernie (and that’s fine), I think his 2016 and 2020 campaigns did a great deal of damage[2], not just to Hilary’s chances of beating Trump after she secured the democratic nomination, but also to political discourse in general. But that is a debate for another time.

I think Hillary will be a difficult watch for people who feel they are aware of her political leanings and regard her as a war-monger, bought-and-paid-for corrupt politician and Wall Street conduit. The documentary does defend some of these charges, but it doesn’t fully engage with Clinton’s political choices, especially on foreign policy and her tenure as Secretary of State under President Obama’s administration. Hillary’s ideologies, while not uncommon in the American political landscape, are observed with a different rigour, and tone, compared to her male counterparts (Obama, Bill Clinton, Joe Biden etc). Hillary, according to media discourse and online opinion is something of a war hawk[3]. Burstein’s documentary doesn’t spar with Clinton’s policy stances. It doesn’t explore her ideological viewpoints. It is focussed on her as a woman. It wants to paint as comprehensive a picture of Hillary as a woman, and how her life fits within a series of social and political changes throughout her more than three-decade role in public life, as possible. It of course goes without saying that politicians cannot be excused of their harmful decisions based on the fact we like them alone. I accept Hillary is a problematic figure. I also accept I am no expert. I have little comprehension of the global political challenges that underpin many political and military decisions. It is worth pointing out, not as a defence of Hillary per se, but rather as added context regarding the way gender is embedded in supposedly straightforward profiles, that decisions taken by President Obama are often laid at Clinton’s feet. The men who have supposed ‘good’ public images, like Obama, face less scrutiny than Hillary.[4] This brings us to a key point visited upon in Burstein’s documentary Hillary, and a woman’s, apparent need to defend, be complicit in, and take undue responsibility for, the actions of men.

The baggage of Bill Clinton’s affairs is never far from discourse on Hillary. Burstein’s documentary explores this and offers some critical insight into the ways in which women are exploited in media discussion in ways men are not. The requirements are different. This leaves Hillary in a difficult situation – on one hand she is at times defined by the men in her life (the media and public demanding her response and rationale), and on the other the actions of men are used against her, or as representative of her. It is a lose/lose double standard.

I suppose the root of Hillary’s issues is that she has lived life so publicly and with such a period of time that she has gone from being a scary liberal, to a right-of-centre moderate, without her views necessarily changing that much. Her pragmatic approach may not have changed, but the contexts surrounding it undoubtedly has. I’m unaware of many other western political figures who have enjoyed (although Hillary may choose a different word) such a duration of not only public notoriety, but also political influence, and power. There is such a gulf between who many see Hillary as (split into vociferous ‘for’ and ‘against’ camps) and who Hillary sees herself as. Ultimately, I think these conflicting ideas of Hilary are so firmly built that many won’t go near this documentary. I suspect it won’t persuade Hillary detractors, and it certainly won’t dissuade Hillary fans. It may, however, provide extra context for this compelling and clearly trailblazing figure. It might remind many, or indeed show for the first time, the remarkable achievements HRC made (and continues to make) throughout a lifetime of work. Even if it doesn’t provide enlightenment, it could calm the choppy waters surrounding the brand of Hillary Rodham Clinton, allowing for a brief moment an acknowledgement of her and towering achievements, and the determination and resilience that accompany them.

[1] Her ‘Tea and Cookies’ scandal a prominent example. https://qz.com/762881/the-blatantly-sexist-cookie-bake-off-that-has-haunted-hillary-clinton-for-two-decades-is-back/

[2] https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/commentisfree/2017/apr/03/the-destruction-of-hillary-clinton-sexism-sanders-and-the-millennial-feminists

https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-damage-bernies-hillary-bashing-may-do-1460995155

[3] https://foreignpolicy.com/2016/07/27/hillary-the-hawk-a-history-clinton-2016-military-intervention-libya-iraq-syria/

[4] https://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/24/magazine/how-hillary-clinton-became-a-hawk.html

#hillary clinton #doc #documentary #Film Review #review #criticism #hillary rodham clinton #us politics #documentary review

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chcfasher · 4 years

Text

okay i am so excited to get to plotting & interacting with all u cuties ! bare with me though , im also trying to study for a quiz i gotta take later tonight . anyways , i’m mia aka your resident masshole reporting for duty . i’m 20 years old ... will be 21 in june ( fingers crossed my Sad ass will be out of q*arentine by then ) . i go by she / her / dumb bitch pronouns & am very much so done talking about myself already . so lets get to my boy asher here who is ... how do you say ? a asshole ? a dirt bag ? a soft baby boi ? if you wanna plot & discord is easier for you shoot me a mssg @ 𝖒𝖌𝖐'𝖘 𝖜𝖍𝖔𝖗𝖊#9789 . lets goooo 💛

𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐋 𝐃𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐈𝐋𝐒

full name: asher james bennett nickname: ash , aj birthday: march 25 , 1996 zodiac: aries hometown: madison , wisconsin ( click here to see his parents house / childhood home ) current residence: los angeles , california ( although he lives in the villa with everyone , before the year away he lived on his own & still owns the home , both because he loves the place and because it gives his family somewhere to go when they come out click here to see his house ) vehicle: 2017 jeep wrangler rubicon in black ( click here ) , 2019 maserati granturismo in red ( click here ) gender: cismale orientation: heterosexual , heteromantic relationship status: single ( it’s complicated ) family: tamara marie bennett-abbott ( mother ) , harrison charles bennett ( father , deceased ) , mason billings abbott ( stepfather ) , bradford sawyer abbott ( brother ) , stephanie anne bennett ( sister ) education: vocational highschool graduating from the culinary program , graduated ucla with a bachelor in management with a minor in food studies occupation: celebrity chef , tv personality net worth: 19.7m height: 5′11″ weight: 161lbs tattoos: left arm ( x , x ) , right arm ( x , x , plus the butterfly tattoo jack has ) , right hand ( x ) , right thigh ( x ) , left leg ( x ) criminal record: arrested ( x6 ) - simple assault ( x2 ) , assault and battery ( x1 ) , disorderly conduct ( x2 ) , criminal mischief ( x1 ) , criminal trespassing ( x2 ) , minor in possession of alcohol ( x2 ) , drug possession ( x1 ) drugs / alochol / smoking: yes , mostly marijuana though / yes / no moral alignment: chaotic neutral hogwarts house: slytherin theme song: righteous by juice wrld ( a look at his mental health and the way it he attempts to cope ) & i am by james arthur ( deep dives into his view on himself and how outside opinions of him have effected the way he sees himself ) & empty space by james arthur ( instead of being about a girl this really encapsulates how the loss of his father has affected his life ) traits: charismatic , well-intentioned , affectionate , loyal , jocular , reckless , immature , flippant , short-tempered label: politicians son , miscreant , fuck boy , broken bird , mr. misunderstood , mama’s boy , epicure hidden talents: drawing , singing , master at rubiks cube , skilled card counter ( blackjack )

𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐆𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃

asher was born just eleven months after his sister stephanie , to at the time lobbyist harrison bennett & prosecutor tamara bennett . a menace as a child , he made dennis the menace look like a saint , basically . at first his parents hoped this was simply just a phase but as time went on it became very clear that if it were a phase it was going on for much longer than his parents had hoped . his sister immediately taking on the spot of prodigal daughter , while asher took on the spot of black sheep of the family . this didn’t mean that his parents didn’t absolutely adore both of their children , because they did . both taking on daddy’s little girl & mama’s boy respectively , early on .

around the time asher was seven both of his parents were up for office , his mother for district attorney & his father for u.s representative from wisconsin . the influx of cameras / eyes on the bennett family mixed with the level of stress both his parents were under completely put asher off from the world of politics . despite being in a family that had generational ties to politics on both sides . during a family appearance asher was captured on camera ( both video & photo ) putting up a piece sign behind his sisters head during a speech his father was giving .

[ tw: death , suicide , loss of a parent ] when asher was twelve his father went on a boating trip with friend , call it a boys trip if you will . two days into the trip news broke of his father being in a major boating accident where harrison was the only one on the boat & was dead upon being found . it later was confirmed by the coroner that his death was likely a suicide . the loss of harrison was hard on the entire family , it was easy to say it affected asher heavily having locked himself away in his bedroom for nearly a week only leaving his room to go to the bathroom & grab food that he’d return to his room to eat . later , when he returned to school he was suspended just in that school year three times . it was genuinely the beginning to the incredibly reckless version of asher , that we seen since .

despite his antics he played varsity football as a cornerback & varsity soccer as a midfielder . taking up sports at an early age , it was clear he was a born athlete who genuinely enjoyed a little competition . he also took an interest in culinary , he was very much so that kid standing on a step stool as he helped his parents in the kitchen . this interest turned into him attending a vocational / trade highschool instead of an ordinary public school , like he had in elementary & middle .

when he was fifteen he started a youtube channel where he posted cook with me videos weekly & vlogged his experience within the culinary program at school .

during highschool his mom started getting serious with a professor at the local university . asher , of course , hated the idea of his mom replacing his dad and it took nearly two years & an engagement for him to actually sit down & listen to his mom about the situation . it wasn’t until then that he realized , mason , was supposed to replace his father ... it was simply his mom not allowing herself to get stuck in one place in life & fall into a spiral . once he actually heard her side he gave the guy a chance . turns out the two have alot in common & get along very well . he’ll never replace his father but he respects him none the less .

before he’d even graduated highschool , asher amassed over 1m subscribers , made appearances on the ellen degeneres show & rachel ray show . this was around the time he realized he wanted to turn his hobby into something more than that & hell he was good enough to do so . when graduation came , he’d already committed to attending ucla as a business major with a minor in food studies .

soon after graduation he went on the show master chef , finishing as runner up , which was one hell of a feat given he’d been the youngest chef on the show . he enjoyed the experience & recognition the show gave him .

while at ucla he continued to play football he was so good he was receiving national attention to the point where nfl scouts were looking at him . obviously he was still too young to go into the draft but they let him know , this was something that was more than on the table . it was definitely something he loved hearing but at the end of the day , the nfl was never really the goal for asher . so toward the end of his sophomore season when he was suspended for the rest of the season for getting arrested & charged with drug possession & criminal trespassing he took that as the excuse not to return the sport the following season .

this was not the first time ( we know it was not the last *wink wonk* ) asher was arrested . from the end of his middle school days throughout highschool he’d racked up four arrests . his first one taking place in eighth grade & the only reason the misdemeanor charges actually went through were because his mom asked for them to in hopes that it would scare asher from acting out in such a fashion ever again . unfortunately , his actions were rooted in much more than teen rebellion having never accepting or being able to cope with his father’s passing . the charges & arrests that would follow his mom was able to cover up & kind of bury them . that way word didn’t spread like wildfire about her reckless son .

not even a full year removed from football & he’d accepted a tv show offer from food network . a show called asher’s kitchen a primetime half-hour show where a new chef would come on each week if they beat asher in making a 3-course meal they win bragging rights & $20,000 , if they don’t they go home empty handed . despite the shows constant high ratings asher grew bored of the show & left after only two seasons . the network tried to replace him but quickly learned asher’s personality was what really carried the show .

in 2018 , he went on to open his first ever restaurant the smoking goat an american bistro with an upscale vibe in the heart of los angeles . the place is literally his baby & if you can’t find him you can bet your bottom dollar you’ll find him there . whether it’s catching up with regulars or big name celebrities coming through the doors , or throwing on a chef coat and cooking up some of his very own specials .

around the time of his restaurant opening he started to let up on the youtube channel & it’s now been nearly two years since he’s uploaded & honestly has no intent on returning to the platform . in asher’s eyes , everything has a term limit & his youtube channels time was up .

𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟗 / 𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐈𝐎 𝐒𝐈𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄

the timing of his amsterdam arrest was to say the least , horrific . not only was he in talks with several networks ( fox , cbs , netflix , etc ) to have his own daytime food-focused talk show but his mother was at the beginning stages of her 2020 presidential campaign , which she had since put a halt to and decided to continue on with her tenure as a u.s senator from wisconsin . with the headlines of his arrest spreading like wildfire , the internet resurfaced many of his earlier transgressions , the networks inevitably put a halt to going any further in negotiation & the political realm began to turn their attention to the kind of parent the senator was to have a son so ... out of control ? her opposition questioning how she could run a country if she couldn’t so much as raise a law abiding son .

upon his release from jail he took a jet straight home to wisconsin . with the realization of how much harm he’d done to the bennett reputation he made the personal promise to stay away from the media ( no social media , no tv , nothing ) & be the son the political world expected from a politician . his mother ( who is emulated mostly after laura baker from all american ) nearly begged him not to halt his life as a way of personal punishment for his actions . but after months back home & away from the limelight , asher could see the tides turning back in his moms favor & no big network offer ( and there were quite a few that came his way after the news of his arrest subsided ) could pull him back out into the forefront .

instead opening his second restaurant bennett’s , an upscale bar & grill in the capital city of wisconsin . he also began work on a cook book that’s kind of taken on a life of it’s own but he’s yet to be anywhere close to finishing that .

he has inevitably decided to come back & reunite with the bling ring a year later after his family sat him down & kind of had an intervention with him over his persistence to punish himself . claiming they feel he’s matured & gotten a good grasp on himself & that they don’t think he’ll fall into his bad behaviors again . ( spoiler alert: they’re going to be very wrong about this ... just saying / he’s going to return with the intent of being a better guy , being on the “ right track “ but lets be real it’s going to quickly spiral out of control as per usual ) .

𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐘

as you can probably tell this boy is no good . he’s the guy your parents warn you about , i swear , he will get you into so much trouble & bask in the glory of being the one to give you such an adrenaline rush . he’s big on being here for a good time & not a long time . he just wants to have fun , at any cost . he’s extremely goofy , the kind of guy to whip out some mediocre wrestling moves on you for the sake of getting attention . he doesn’t take much seriously ... until he does ? what im saying is homeboy has one hell of a short temper and once he’s flipped his fuse , he basically blacks out . the reason for this is because no matter how happy & full of life he’d like to come off he has this deep well of anger that swells in him ever since he lost his dad . also a topic that can get him clenching his jaw , do not under any circumstances bring up harrison bennett . very much so a mama’s boy , though , catch him facetiming his mom once a day to tell her how much he loves her & see how she’s doing . he can come off very uncaring at times , it’s easy to say he’s probably one of the most misunderstood people around . he comes off like a douchebag , like someone who has little regard for others & don’t get me wrong he often is both of those things but he isn’t heartless ? when he has time to sit back and think about the damage he does ... it hits him like a mack truck & he goes into a pretty dark place of feeling like he’s a villain but he wants to be the hero of the story ? not very big on apologizing , verbally . if he says sorry you can bet a smug grin is following behind the words . instead he’s big on buying things & even cooking to show he’s sorry . probably not the best way to go about things but this is asher we’re talking about here . he is a flirt & will fuck anything . that’s all i have to say about that . onto his friends ? whew are his friends his world . he is a big proponent of bros before hoes & is an extremely loyal guy - to his friends . a true ride or die type a guy , he’d help he hide a dead body without any explanation at so what happened . a big move now ask questions later kinda dude .

𝐖𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒

BREATHE BY JAMES ARTHUR : he has a soft spot for her . he always has . she’s one of the only girls who doesn’t drool over him , they’ve never hooked up to any extent and that’s due in large part to her telling him from the beginning that the only way she’d give him a chance was if he straightened up his act & proved to her that he was worth her time . if there is a girl out there who can asher for the better , it’s her . but everytime she thinks she’s gotten him on the right path , she catches him either acting out or reverting to his fuck boy ways & getting with girl’s who he doesn’t have to put so much work into .

SAME SQUAD BY P-LO : let’s be real these three originated “saturdays are for the boys” . they’ve been boys for as long as they can remember . if you see one of them around you can rest assured the other two are in the vicinity . they’re the best of friends . they know everything there is to know about each other . all a bit reckless , but that’s what makes them such a fun trio . a very homiesexual bond takes place between these three & nothing & nobody could get between them .

CLOSE FRIENDS BY LIL BABY & GUNNA : they were once good friends , things spiraled past the point of their control , lines got blurred & then they were dating . the relationship as a whole was one no one thought would last . to give them credit things were good at first but after he cheated & she found out from a friend about it things started to go down hill . things only got worse when he was persistent in lying to her about the situation . she inevitably took him back & not too much later the arrest in amsterdam happened . before he was even released from jail , she was sent a video of him & one of his friends talking about sleeping with a prostitute . although it never happened the fact that was his intent was enough for her . his expectation was that because she forgave him before she’d wipe away the pain of him once again not having regard for their relationship & forgive him but she just couldn’t . when he came out to her forwarding the video to him , he decided to ignore the situation completely . the two have not had any contact for nearly a year & never really broke up or spoke about the situation .

NO FRAUDS BY NICKI MINAJ & DRAKE & LIL WAYNE : the perfect ride or die squad . the media likes to say someone in the trio is dating at any point in time but , that’s just not the case . these three are always getting into something . the true depiction of always having your friends back . they will lie for each other , fight for each other , anything to prove their loyalty to each other .

i also have some musing posts here , if you want to give that a look !

#𝓲. ‹ 🍾 › 𝓪𝓼𝓱𝓮𝓻 𝓫𝓮𝓷𝓷𝓮𝓽𝓽 ◟ INTRO .#bling:intro

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96thdayofrage · 3 years

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As Obama reportedly told senior aides in 2011: “Turns out I’m really good at killing people. Didn’t know that was gonna be a strong suit of mine.”

Obama defends deadly drone campaign in new book https://bit.ly/3385NLq

Barack Obama has forcefully defended his controversial killer drone policy in the former US president's first memoir written after his eight-year tenure in the White House.

In an excerpt from A Promised Land published in the Sunday Times ahead of its release on Tuesday, Obama said the evolving face of warfare meant that he had to resort to “more targeted, non-traditional warfare”.

Compared to his predecessor George W Bush, drone strikes under Obama increased tenfold, resulting in thousands of deaths in Afghanistan, Somalia and Yemen, among other countries.

But rights groups have consistently questioned the legality of such strikes and their precision, and have argued that well into Obama’s presidency, dozens of civilians were being killed in the ruthless pursuit of a single target.

Obama’s drone policy has been viewed as a significant blemish on his reputation as a president, with some regarding it as the most dangerous aspect of his legacy.

Defending his policy, Obama wrote that the often young men and boys he targeted “had been warped and stunted by desperation, ignorance, dreams of religious glory”.

“They were dangerous," he writes. "The world they were a part of, and the machinery I commanded, more often had me killing them instead.”

Afghanistan and Iraq

Obama expressed some support for the controversial counterterrorism policies and interventions launched by his predecessor, President Bush.

“Unlike some on the left,” he writes, "I’d never engaged in wholesale condemnation of the Bush administration’s approach to counterterrorism.”

However, Obama was critical of Bush for having “spun the intelligence to gain public support” for the Iraq war, which he considered to be “as big a strategic blunder as the slide into Vietnam had been decades earlier”.

Still, along with the war in Afghanistan, which he also inherited from Bush, Obama writes that “it hadn’t involved the indiscriminate bombing or deliberate targeting of civilians that had been a routine part of even 'good' wars like World War II.”

'Unlike some on the left, I’d never engaged in wholesale condemnation of the Bush administration’s approach to counterterrorism'

- Barack Obama

With “glaring exceptions like Abu Ghraib", the former president says, “our troops in theatre had displayed a remarkable level of discipline and professionalism”.

However, critics have called into question the United States' record in both wars, linking the rise of militant groups such as the Islamic State to the US-led interventions.

In September, an authoritative report by Brown University in the US said more than three million people had likely been killed as a result of America’s two-decade war on terror, including deaths caused by hunger, disease and the collapse of health systems.

The report, released by the university’s Costs of War project, further claimed that at least 37 million people, mostly civilians, had been displaced from Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia, the Philippines, Libya and Syria - countries largely targeted by the "war against terror" initiated by Bush in the wake of 9/11 and continued by Obama.

The study said "the scale of displacement across the eight countries surveyed likely reaches levels only seen in the Second World War".

Drones

Obama writes of the need to “root out” suspected al-Qaeda militants across the world, and won plaudits for the US killing of Osama bin Laden in 2011.

Al-Qaeda, he writes, “weren’t amenable to negotiations or bound by the normal rules of engagement". But some have also questioned the commitment of the US to the normal rules of engagement under Obama, particularly when it came to drone strikes.

Obama oversaw more strikes in his first year than Bush carried out in his entire presidency. A total of 563 air strikes, mostly by drones, targeted Pakistan, Somalia, and Yemen during Obama’s eight years in office, compared to 57 under Bush, according to the Bureau of Investigative Journalism.

Obama's administration also carried out hundreds of strikes in Libya and Syria. The Council of Foreign Relations (CFR) estimates that 3,797 people were killed in drone strikes during Obama’s tenure, including 324 civilians, a number that is disputed.

The expansion was enabled by Obama’s embrace of so-called “signature strikes” that allowed fire on gatherings of suspected militants. As Obama reportedly told senior aides in 2011: “Turns out I’m really good at killing people. Didn’t know that was gonna be a strong suit of mine.”

The full extent of Obama's aerial war remain unknown. But the Council on Foreign Relations's Micah Zenko has calculated that in 2016 alone, the Obama administration dropped at least 26,171 bombs, amid a mounting campaign against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria.

This amounts to an average of three bombs being dropped every hour, 24 hours a day, across Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Yemen, Somalia and Pakistan.

In A Promised Land, Obama doubles down on his critics, arguing that the changing nature of the battlefield required new forms of warfare.

Because “al-Qaeda had scattered and gone underground, metastasizing into a complex web of affiliates, operatives, sleeper cells, and sympathizers connected by the internet and burner phones, our national security agencies had been challenged to construct new forms of more targeted, nontraditional warfare - including operating an arsenal of lethal drones to take out al-Qaeda operatives within the territory of Pakistan.”

Obama says the "dangerous" young men he targeted were actually people he wanted to support, but could not.

“They were dangerous, these young men, often deliberately and casually cruel. I wanted somehow to save them - send them to school, give them a trade, drain them of the hate that had been filling their heads. And yet the world they were a part of, and the machinery I commanded, more often had me killing them instead.”

Rights groups, meanwhile, have doubted the extent to which those targeted by the US military machinery under Obama were actually militants.

Reprieve, the London-based rights group, has pointed out that the US regards all military-age males - boys and men over the age of 16 - in a strike zone as legitimate targets unless evidence is brought to light after their death proving them innocent.

This has allowed US officials to controversially claim low civilian casualty figures and a high number of militants killed.

'They were dangerous, these young men, often deliberately and casually cruel. I wanted somehow to save them - send them to school, give them a trade, drain them of the hate that had been filling their heads'

- Barack Obama

The lack of due process involved in such strikes was at the centre of a case brought by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) against the Obama administration over what they argued were the extra-judicial killing of three US citizens in Yemen in 2011, among them the cleric and suspected militant Anwar al-Awlaki and his 16-year-old son, Abdurrahman al-Awlaki.

Jameel Jaffer, deputy legal director of the ACLU said: "If the government is going to be firing Predator missiles at American citizens, surely the American public has a right to know who's being targeted, and why.” US courts dismissed the case.

Reprieve has also raised questions over the precision of drone strikes. Between 2002-2014, analysis by Reprieve shows US drone strikes in Yemen and Pakistan killed as many as 1,147 unknown people in failed attempts to kill 41 named individuals.

In targeting al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri, the CIA killed 76 children and 29 adults, said Reprieve. They failed twice, and Zawahiri is not thought to have been killed.

Guantanamo and torture

Obama writes that as he came into office he decided to set about “fixing” his predecessor’s counterterrorirsm policies, rather than “tearing it out root and branch to start over”.

“One such fix was closing Gitmo, the military prison at Guantánamo Bay - and thus halting the continuing stream of prisoners placed in indefinite detention there.”

The executive order to close the prison was signed on just his second day in office, as was another to end “enhanced interrogation techniques”, forms of torture such as waterboarding, rectal rehydration and sleep deprivation.

“It became clear pretty quickly that putting the fallout from past CT [counterterrorism] practices behind us and instituting new ones where needed was going to be a slow, painful grind. Closing Gitmo meant we needed to figure out alternative means to house and legally process both existing detainees and any terrorists captured in the future,” he writes.

When a heavily redacted Senate intelligence report in 2014 offered a glimpse into the CIA’s use of torture methods against suspects in its custody as part of its covert intelligence programme, Obama admitted the US had “crossed a line”.

“When we engaged in some of these enhanced interrogation techniques – techniques that I believe, and I think any fair-minded person would believe were torture – we crossed a line,” he said at the time. “We tortured some folk.”

Despite this admission, some have pointed out that less severe forms of abuse and humiliation were not ruled out.

Meanwhile, by the end of his presidency in 2016, 41 prisoners remained in Guantanamo some of whom were cleared for release.

Obama blamed an impasse in the Republican-dominated Congress for his failure, but rights groups have said that he was slow to act in his first term when the chamber was in Democrat hands.

“The failure to close Guantánamo is an epic one,” said Laura Pitter of Human Rights Watch in 2017, “not just because so many lives have been destroyed by years of unlawful and unfair detentions and torture, but because Obama hands Trump the ability to keep using it.”

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