#should google if a 2nd season will ever come for that show

[zee-stars]

Eddie Munson Headcanons

Author notes: I have fallen in love with this man. I just started to watch stranger things recently and I'm only on episode 6 of season 1 so this probably wont be accurate. Theres no plot I just really wanted to write something for him. (My internet is back. I can post again! Now here's this)

Warnings: mentions of drugs, swearing.

So you and Eddie are the same age okay. So during season 4 it's your 2nd year out of high school. (Ur both 20)

You and Eddie met Freshman year but didn't start hanging out until Junior year and didn't start going out until the summer after you graduated.

Eddie thought that when you graduated you were going to leave him and go off and live your successful live.

But you're just as much of a mess as he is. Only you are able to hide it better.

So instead of heading off to college, you move in with Eddie. In his trailer.

By the time he starts school again in that fall, you guys are dating.

I mean, it be hard to hide feeling for each other. Cause you guys lived in a kinda small trailer. You showered in his shower. He would sleep on the couch cause he didn't want to make you uncomfortable and sleep in the same bed as you. And no, he wasn't letting you sleep on the couch.

Eventually he started to wake up with pain everywhere and you stepped in.

"Dude just let me sleep on the couch!"

"No! I'm fine!"

"Come on, you were just whining about having neck pain. You can't even move your head without your neck hurting!"

"Well what if you start to get neck pain?"

"I'll be fine."

"No cause then you'll be whining sweetheart. I know you."

"Fine, we can just share the bed."

"What? You okay with that?"

"As long as you aren't a bed hog."

He was. Especially after you started dating. He would cling to you and if you moved an inch he would move with you.

Okay a new subject to talk about, drugs.

You never really did drugs. Only occasionally would you take a hit or eat an edible.

The first time you did drugs around him was the first time you came over to his trailer.

He had just finished making a batch of weed brownies with 30 milligrams in each. (I think that's a lot. Idk I don't do that kinda stuff and google is no help) You showed up at his house.

"Y/n. I forgot you were showing up!" He greeted at the door. He let you in and left to clean up in his room.

You wondered into the kitchen, just kinda checking the place out. You spotted some brownies on the counter. There were a lot of them and they were bite size. He wouldn't notice if you snagged one would he?

You popped one in your mouth right before he walked in.

"Wow Eddie, I didn't know you were a baker." You said after you swallowed the brownie.

"Y/n, did you eat one of these brownies?"

"Maybe.."

"Y/n, those are weed brownies. How many did you eat?"

"Only one. How much was in it?"

"Ah, you'll be fine. Just 30 milligrams. You've done around that before huh?"

"I've done 5. Twice."

"Okay, maybe we should sit down for a bit."

Within the next 15 minutes it hit you. Hard.

"Okay, yeah I'm feeling it now."

"How's it feel?"

"Strange. I feel a bit dizzy."

"I'll grab you a water."

When he came back to the room, you were giggling about some bullshit.

"What's so funny, sweetheart?"

"I don't know." You managed between a few laughs.

"Oh I see, you're one of those giggly high type of people. Don't worry. I get like that sometimes."

"I am never coming back here ever again."

A less you learned that day was to never eat random things in his house, especially sweets, before checking with Eddie.

So back to living with him. One word: Hell.

Okay so when he got his house, he planned on only having one person live there. Himself. Once you moved in you both quickly learned it was only made for one person.

Although it was small you both figured out how to make it work.

Sometimes, when you guys were dating, Eddie would remove a chair from eating area, (a table and two chairs in the kitchen) and set it outside. Because it was too much space he said. It was really cause he wanted you to sit on his lap while eating. (You just sat on couch or floor) if you sat on the floor he would move to sit next to you and then you would steal his seat.

Okay DND. Whether you knew how to play or didn't, or if you liked it or not, Eddie would talk to you about it non stop. If you knew how to play he would play with you. If you didn't know how to play but like it, he would teach you.

One day he came home and told you he found a group of Freshmen to play DND with him, you were super happy for him.

"It's about time you made some more friends!"

Every friday night he would go play with them and you would visit friends.

You often came home before him and would clean up or shower. When he came home he would either be super tired or filled with energy. It all depends on how the campaigns went. He would also always tell you how everything went before he would even think about falling asleep.

One day Eddie comes home from school and ask if you want to come to his DND campaign just to watch and you agree.

When you guys get there he starts to set up. He lets you sit in his "throne"

"You should feel lucky sweetheart. Every soul wishes they were lucky enough to sit there."

"Really?"

"Yes, I fear, not everyone is able to figure out how to gain the luck."

"Oh, and how does one manage to get the luck?"

"It's not entirely luck. More so... love..."

Warning: he's a bit dramatic. A lot.

He leaves to go find some pencils saying he'll be right back. You sit back and relax in his chair. The sound of people chatting is heard from the hallway and you get nervous. Its not Eddie which means it's probably his friends. You've never met them before and are nervous to meet them without Eddie by your side.

"Who are you?" Someone asks you. (Okay this probably won't be great cause I haven't watched season 4 yet so sorry for any incorrect parts)

"Umm, my names Y/n."

"What are you doing in Eddie's throne?"

"He said I could sit here." You sit back and cross your leg over the other, remembering the words Eddie said about his throne.

"Eddie? Why would he let you sit there?"

"Cause shes my girlfriend, Dipshits."

"Wait you weren't actually making that up?!"

After spending 10-20 minutes answering questions that were mostly them asking "why him?" They finally started the campaign.

Eddie moved you to sit on his lap before starting and always kept a hand on you unless he needed both for whatever reason. He kept sneaking glances at you the whole time, smiling as he did.

After it was over they had to go home and you were Eddie were starting to clean up.

"Well that was fun."

"Yeah it was. I'm glad you enjoyed it. Sorry if they were annoying with there questions. They didn't believe me when I said I was seeing someone."

"Of course. Who would?" He slapped your arm softly but pulled you closer to him.

After you guys went home you cuddled and feel asleep to soft music playing in the background.

One final thing I want to talk about is school.

Of course Eddie had a hunch that he was going to get held back the first time. But the second time he was beyond annoyed.

"I'm gonna be stuck at this fucking hell hole with the same annoying ass people again! They're keeping me away from my girl! For 7 hours!"

You chuckled at him and pet his hair.

"Maybe this year you could try harder. I could even help you more. It's not like it could have changed that much."

"Sorry I don't want to come home from school and do more school. Also that's not the way I want to spend my time with you."

After a lot of convincing you did manage to help him study for a few test.

Also you know that Eddie Carrie's around his lunchbox full of drugs all the time at school. Well one time you caught him.

"Eddie would you like to explain why you're lunchbox is full of drugs?"

"No actually."

"I'm taking some out."

"Why?"

"Cause you need actual food in here! Also you can't have drugs at school. You're lucky I'm not taking them all out."

After that you started to pack him lunches. Sandwiches usually. Sometimes you would pack him fruit or crackers. Although he complained about it, you noticed the food was always gone when he came home.

"Eddie, since when did you start packing lunch?" Mike asked him.

"My girlfriend found drugs in my lunchbox and now packs me lunch."

"Really? That's something a mother would do."

"It taste good tho."

Sorry this was so long. This man has not left my head for the past week. I'll probably write more sooner or later.

#stranger things imagine #stranger things #eddie munson #eddie x reader #eddie stranger things #fiction #imagines

[baebeyza]

MAG-CHAN! This is how I will call Ultra Magnus from this day on <3

Also I have to mention 

That sweat drop is so cute! Feels like ages that I’ve seen one, I think modern animes don’t even use it anymore quq Not that I watch a lot of modern anime, but still

#transformers #rid01 #prowl #ultra magnus #side burn #what was the last anime I watched anyway besides tf anime #started dororo and code geass but havent finished #same with bnha... #ah kimetsu no yaiba of course! #waiting for new content of that #same with drifters #should google if a 2nd season will ever come for that show #~ catch me if I'm speeding push my motor everyday ~

[arcane-temp-fandomblog]

Arcane plotlines / Shimmer & Chemtech - Zaun's national exports

So this is continuation of Arcane plotlines / Fissures, illness & mines . Shimmer & Chemtech are one of few - aside from cheap labour - quality products of Zaun's economic situation. We get to know one of Zaun's native tech's shimmer and it's development really well, but very little about chemtech. And then we also see shimmer no. 2 or some other substance - the orange one.

It's good to remember that no tech in this story is good/bad - it's always how one uses it. Shimmer is best example - it can save someone from brink of death and destroy someone else.

While political-economic subjects are not at the forefront of season 1 - imo. it's only because most characters have not exchange any information about what they know, and most - mainly Caitlyn - even don't know what they don't know.

So we need to trust our eyes and go to our main source of reliable information broken-dreamer turned mob-dad Silco and his export enterprise. This is what brings him and Jayce together in the end to arrange Zaun's independence. Unsuccessfully, but hey - season 2 goals.

Shimmer was developed by Singed, most probably while attempting to ease pain of countless surgeries of his daughter as her body was failing from being poisoned by chemical spill. Likely somewhere between Viktor's first flashback and him joining Silco - her body failed completely or she was completely transformed into automaton. One way or another shimmer was developed too late to save Orianna as she was.

Shimmer has many qualities - eases pain, literally and symbolically, of people of the undercity. But we know from Sevika's arm that it's not clear cut case if you succumb to shimmer addiction and/or how quickly. Anyway Caitlyn the ex-enforcer is on the Grand Conspiracy case to bring the proof to Marcus, so she wants to find culprit responsible for all the misery of the undercity.

Then uses shimmer to save Vi from her wounds. Irony, right?

I'm just going to assume it's not shimmer that causes the undercity's misery, shimmer overuse is the symptom.

Anyway from the 2nd act intro song - Dirty Little Animals - we get more shimmer info:

Such a lovely way to burn burn burn I never felt like this before I think I might just want some more (...) It makes your blood run hot It makes your spit taste sweet It makes you feel more alive Than you have ever been Throw it into your mouth Gets stuck between your teeth Why would you die up there When you can live underneath (...) Novicane Never same Giving local luck But when you go under you will never go back up

Novocaine works by blocking the nerves in your body from sending pain signals to your brain. / google It's good to remember that from Council Archives and from the show we learn that a lot of people sympathise with Silco's vision of independent Zaun. Not only Babbette and Jericho kind of only not answer Vi questions - everyone knows Powder became Jinx, just Vi quest is less important than Silco's goal. Babbette life is better ie.

But more importantly Silco has more sway than the chembarons in ordinary people working for their mob enterprise (from CRIMINAL PROFILE - WORK IN PROGRESS "CHROSS")

NE: Chross? What do you want to know? (...) ENFORCER: Did you know that he's from Piltover? NE: He may come from up here, but he's a citizen of the nation of Zaun. ENFORCER The what? NE: An independent nation. If we don't get the luxuries of living under you, why should we be ENFORCERed by your laws? Should we not make our own? A government that works for us instead of against us?! (...)ENFORCER: Someone else. His boss? NE: I ain't telling you EXPLETIVE.

Remember, loyalty. Shimmer became Silco's export product - through Piltover's Hexgates. Where? To Noxus most likely. Or Ionia. Both? Since there are bribes involved - we already know that's it's not easy to smuggle illegal things out of Hexgates. For Silco that is or the undercity. Right?

But then the tragedy struck all the underhanded hexgates exports, Jinx herself.

And well that gets Jayce and Viktor called in like two schoolboys into the council meeting, Jayce being recommended to protect the safety of Piltover as new councilor.

The wine must flow, among other things.

And Jayce conscientiously sets on this security task like a man who never stepped a foot out of his lab and understood the system... or on path to fix Piltover's security in another way than closing Hexgates, by tightening security of the Hexgates. Which as we'll learn in the same episode is as if he closed Hexgates.

See Silco exploited the loose Hexgate security to benefit of his own goal - Nation of Zaun, but there are more important people and institutions benefitting passively or actively from lack of security. Because tightening of security leads to this:

I love two well three things about this scene. Well four. Five:

1. Heimerdinger may appear uncorrupt but one doesn't need to engage in active acts of corruption to benefit from it. It really doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things if you take bribe to the hand or through an institution, right? I mean Academy is his crowning project of the city that is the bastion of enlightenment.

2. Amara is harmless btw. that's why enforcer went knocking at her door. Imo. Amara is the main export trader of Zauns other good - chemtech. This is where shipment manifestos pointed.

3. Councilor Salo and Hoskel have this little friendly trade with Noxus, they ship them wine - and Noxus ships them spirits. And also the two of them always vote together. 'Coz they hate each other... oh Jayce.

4. Mel wins this convo with Jayce and get's eveything she wants.

5. From now onwards - Jayce, without realising it (until going to the undercity), has become the most economically powerful lobbyist in position of power. Thanks to Hexgates illegal trade. Haha. Irony.

This is the reason all of them vote out Heimerdinger from the council, and this is the reason why while screaming objections they still vote for the peace deal and independent Zaun.

Personal Hexgates profits > profits from the undercity, well Personal Hexgates profits trump everything for the council.

Fictional mechanics of politics are just as strange as real world politics. Right?

Anyway, now for less well known of Zaun's products - Chemtech.

We only hear about it from Caitlyn's files, and of course Vi doesn't take her on her little revenge ride - just her not-brother. Because Caitlyn would recognise those suits as belonging and developed for Renni and immediately know they are not one off as stolen by her files suggested (in plain sight / council archives). Also would know that missing children were involved and some child experiments - I mean a hospital. Well we'll know more since Marcus led this case so who knows whose mess he was covering up, but the jist and more is in Arcane plotlines / Fissures, illness & mines :

ENFORCER The chemicals… What did they do? BGW I don't know. ENFORCER Was it shimmer? BGW Not like any shimmer I'd seen before. ENFORCER How was it different? BGW It powered their machines. ENFORCER These illegal experiments. BGW...Yes. ENFORCER And did you ever catch a glimpse of who was running things? BGW She wore a suit- UNKNOWN Officer, stop the recording.

Chemtech will probably be one of the main storylines in season 2. This is root of Caitlyn's Grand Conspiracy, this is what she needs to solve, not Shimmer.

We also know from lore that Warwick hunts down chembarons, Ekko as well, Viktor kind of has a big issue with them, and most other characters from Zaun do. So I can only assume it's a storyline.

We also know chemtech is made from sump toxins, probably distilled. But then was engineered on human subjects?

Anyway Silco's aim to built up Nation of Zaun has gifted him - his own corrupt version of council. The chembarons, but he can control them much better - just with force and a little scare. All that to say, Renni is one of them:

And she has her mechendise frozen at the border, what is it?

I assume chemtech.

Because funny enough chemtech has been acquired from Zaun by Noxus as weapons of mass destruction in Ionia. So few possible links:

1. Mel by accident helped her brother to export through harmless Amara chemical weapons from Zaun. Her brother is dead for it, just Ambessa doesn't know why he died. Or does know.

2. The man with a grudge against Medarda clan can by lore only be : Urgot - who ends up in Zaun (if he hasn't already) or Darius - who takes whole Noxian honour seriously and lost his lover/co-warrior when she left Noxian army after seeing the devastation chemtech created. Both are executioners, lol.

Oh and we know something somewhere makes sense for Jayce and Silco.

Funny detail from Caitlyn's council archives, Silco asked Chross's (another chembaron from Piltover) hitman to leave old Progress Day pins on every hit. That self-made man just keeps on giving with his salt against Piltover. And honorable mention, imo,. Shimmer 2.0 - the orange one (lime green may be chemtech) Singed manage to complete to finally revived Vander... er... Warwick. We know these two substance don't point to Silco - that's why they're in "it's the firelights" grenade Jinx makes. I think.

And that these two neutralise each other? Maybe.

But since Singed researches substances from flowers, I think it may be plausible that another person stumbled on the same properties - one who also researches flowers/plants and comes from similar place - Sky Young. Other posts by me - Arcane meta analysis posts - mostly politics, tech and character parallels.

#arcane silco #jayce arcane #caitlyn kiramman #arcane caitlyn #arcane analysis #arcane meta #mel medarda #heimerdinger #long post

[woulddieforperrytheplatypus]

Dan Povenmire, co-creator of Phineas and Ferb and the voice of Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz, just did a zoom call for fans, and this is a link to it on Google Drive and a link to it on YouTube.

Here’s a brief overlay brought to you by my incessant live blogging, and because I was speed typing on my phone, I can guarantee not everything made the cut. If you’re interested in hearing Dan talk about growing up an artist and becoming an animator and trying to pitch Phineas and Ferb and working on the show and movies, I would definitely suggest checking out the full 75 minute video. The highlights from the call are below the cut.

They added Doof and Perry because they liked chase scenes. They realized fairly quickly that more than not, the pair led to good comedy, and found it much more interesting to see how their relationship developed. He also says that they are "the most important person to each other” and “they’re really good friends.”

They wrote the Perry theme song in an hour between meetings with Disney

They decided during the pilot that they weren't going to try to get comedy from the characters saying mean things to each other. Even Doofenshmirtz wasn't motivated by evil, he just wanted to get the attention he didn't get at home.

Doof’s backstories were not Dan and Swampy's idea. They were from Jon Barry and Chris Hendrick, who [itched the lawn gnome backstory. It was long and compliated and Dan and Swampy couldn’t stop laughing. They also provided the "it all started on the day of my birth” one the next day.

making the 2D movie while making the movie was the busiest Dan says he has ever been, and that's not even counting the PnF Take Two and Doof's web show and all the interviews. Basically, 2010ish was a very busy time in the Dwampyverse.

They decided to give each pair of writers their own section of an outline to work on, and each pair got to make up the dialogue and jokes based on it. it works well for the show, but writers kept going on their own tangents and the movie ended up like 6 hours long. Dan and Kyle Menke had to redraw 80% of the show because they had to cut gags out and rewrite it so it was still funny. Note: in the new movie, they did the opposite — they wrote a script and told the board artists that they could put brief gags in but nothing too long

He thinks the show became one of the most beloved shows bc it was innocent and the adult humor wasn't dirty so the whole family could watch it together. He also said the songs at the closest thing you get to immortality in a show. Those combined made the show as big of a hit as it was, and hopefully those things will get older people to watch the movie.

His advice if you want to follow in his footsteps are to draw (and suggest you check out Cartoon Animation by Preston Blaire and How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way by Stan Lee) and to know that these jobs are out there

One of his favorite gags in PnF are the silent moments where something big happens and no one reacts (like something big fell in an early episode and crashed next to Phineas and co and at first they were all shocked but Dan changed it to them just kinda looking at it for a moment with no emotion)

Q: Did you ever want to quit what you were going?

A: "I don't really... do... anything else..."

He finished his new pilot today (July 2nd, 2020) and the movie is due tomorrow.

He would love to do more PnF and there's been talks of another PnF movie

He would love to do more Milo Murphy's Law, but it never got huge ratings and Disney's not too big on it but if people start watching it on Disney+ they might get to keep doing it. They did that with Family Guy, and it could happen to MML too.

The movie feels like old Phineas and Ferb and there are a lot of great songs! 

And now, the Q&A (in which he draws random characters are he talks)

How was the process of kicking the voices?

It was sometime easy but sometimes very difficult. For Phineas, they listened to maybe a thousand people. they actually recorded someone but they put it to animation and it didn't really work. He knew as soon as he heard Vincent that he loved him. They literally recasted the lead (Vincent) the day before they had to deliver the pilot.

He knew immediately that he liked Alison Stoner. She was the second Isabella he heard, and he listened to maybe 50 others afterwards, but he knew he wanted Alison Stoner

They decided on a different Candace and they sent it to the head of the channel and the guy asked if he heard Ashley Tisdale. He told Dan to have her come in and give her direction and Dan was hesitant bc he had one that he liked but he was lowkey forced to bring her in. It was his only audition that day, and after his big block of text Dan gave her like 20 notes and she wrote the notes on the big block of text and she did it again and it was perfect and obviously Candace (but he feels bad for the actress that was almost Candace bc she'll never know how close she was)

What was the most impactful episode you worked on?

Either the last (hard to watch w/o crying) or three moments that made himcey while doing them: the end of Summer Belongs To You when Phineas gives up trying to get off the island and decides to watch the sunset with Isabella which was what she always wanted and she exploded and talked him back up onto being the person he is even tho it's a sacrifice on her behalf. He later says he started crying while pitching to his wife the AYA scene of Phinabella getting together.

Do you regret any episodes?

There are some he likes more and some he likes less but he doesn't regret any of them. He was a little disappointed in an early episode without a sing but he watched it alter and decided it was actually pretty decent. None of them make him cringe or wonder why they did that.

How has social media impacted PnF?

He recently got on TikTok and found out that's where all the PnF fans are. He was thrilled to see the response everything was getting and it made him feel good about everything he accomplished. The fact that this generation knows what an aglet is is his biggest accomplishment in pop culture.

Favorite part of working on the show/movie

He likes editing, but writing the songs is the most fun bc it feels the least like work

Who is Ferb's mom?

Never established or really thought about Ferb's mom or Phineas's dad AND IT'S NOT DOOFENSHMIRTZ THEY MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR THAT TO BE TRUE STOP ASKING and Phineas and Candace are full brother and sister. The bio parents aren't interesting to them bc the family already has a mom and dad and the other ones are just out of the picture and not important.

Will there be a new character in the movie?

Super Super Big Doctor (and Disney keeps telling him what he can and can't talk about)

Are there any secrets or theories that he can tell them?

The freaking creepy pasta about schitzophrenic Candace IS NOT TRUE Phineas and Ferb do exist and are alive. There's also a theory that Candace is not based on the diary of a teen girl in Russia who killed herself, and that's not true either. He genuinely thinks they are really freaking stupid theories and they make no sense at all.

Who is your favorite guest star?

Writing a song with Slash from Guns n Roses was really cool. He also liked working with Ben Stiller, Christian Slater the delivery guy (he called and said he'd do any part in MML so they wrote him a role), Jack McBrayer (Irving/Fix It Felix), Wayne Brady (co-wrote In The Empire)

What is the motivation of Candace to bust the boys?

He's not trying to hurt them. She doesn't dislike them. She gets irritated but she's really just looking for fairness. If she built a rollercoaster in the backyard, she'd get in trouble, so they should get in trouble, too.

How did you think about hot to end the show?

Disney was starting to cool off on PnF. The merch wave had plateaued. Dan and Swampy had the next two years in the show already made, but Disney wouldn't pick up another season until they finished airing that season. They'd have to restaff for a new season and they didn't like that idea, so they turned one of their hour long specials into the finale. He wanted to be able to say goodbye and thank the fans.

#phineas and ferb #dan povenmire #candance against the universe #catu #PnF #I'm working on getting the zoom call on youtube but it's taking forever

[klbloodx]

HLS Chapter 5 - 2027.2.12 Niansi

(Source: Google search result)

 In front of Xiao Nanzhu were two labour contracts.

 A4 paper in black and white with 365 red fingerprints under the employees’ side, while the employer’s side was still empty.

 Ever since Niansi crawled out of the fridge, Xiao Nanzhu had a very complicated and twisted expression sprawled on his face.

 Perhaps he had indeed run out of ideas on how to comment on this series of supernatural occurrences. He frowned and lifted the totally unguarded Niansi up.

 Poor Niansi was only just a frail and feeble scholar. He couldn’t even budge a single bit and instead yelled and made weird noises as he was carried to the wall on Xiao Nanzhu’s shoulder.

 Xiao Nanzhu sneered as he hung the old Huangli properly back onto the wall, and then without minding Niansi’s unceasing objection, he proceeds to shove poor soul Niansi back into the Huangli.

 “AHHHH! Xiao Nanzhu! Are you crazy?! This young man’s head! AHH! This young man’s hairstyle! This young man’s face hnnn!”

 Niansi’s wailing really sounded disgraceful and embarrassing.

 Xiao Nanzhu was annoyed too, as he saw that this weirdo could not be forcefully stuffed back in. But Niansi was really frightened by this hooligan act of Xiao Nanzhu, and he quickly took out the labour contract from within in his sleeves.

 As Xiao Nanzhu suppressed his anger and looked over it, he was left speechless. Numerous employment terms were printed on an eight-page contract, from wage benefits to the specifics of the job. The main gist of it was about how to become a Huangli Shi.

 Huangli Shi…

 Legend has it that it refers to a Fangshi who can alter the effects of seasonal solstices, solar terms, and festivals and predict each day’s fortune. Up until the modern era, due to the increase in new international holidays and memorial days, what was once in the old Huangli had new blood steadily infused in.

(Source: Screenshot from PV)

Being the working partner of all calendar gods in the Huangli, the interests of both the Huangli Shi and the calendar gods were protected by this labour contract, so inevitably more details were added to the list.

 For example: the individual functions and origins of all of the traditional festivals; the responsibilities of season and changes in time shouldered by the solstices; even specific arrangements for calendar gods in case they needed sick days, maternity leave, or even marital leave were listed looking legit.

 Since it was already A.C 2027 now, things were more organised and well-regulated.

 The modern calendar has a mix of traditional festivals and holidays of the Gregorian calendar. Although this means that there would be an erosion of traditional and cultural values to a certain degree, some deviations were to be expected because of the way the solar calendar operates.

As such, the contemporary Huangli Shi is responsible for all calendar gods in the new civil calendar and the various traditional festivals and solstices of the past. But what was more important to Xiao Nanzhu lay at the bottom of the list of all former Huangli Shi: he saw his grandmother’s name, Xiao Ruhua, written there.

 Xiao Nanzhu’s grandmother had signed such a labour contract when she was alive, and she had concealed this from everyone. Even her own grandson had no knowledge of this.

(Source: Baidu search result)

In Xiao Nanzhu’s memories, his grandmother never failed in foretelling any of her customers’ fortunes. Every wedding and funeral predicted by her were sure to go smoothly. There was even one time where she was able to accurately predict that a pregnant mother living in the nearby alley would have quintuplets①.

 It should be known that even hospitals can’t detect such things at the start of a pregnancy. It doesn’t make sense that an old lady who didn’t know any science could tell from a glance.

 Xiao Nanzhu also thought that she probably made a wild guess and got lucky.

 But as he recalled, he started to feel that his old lady who never liked to dance Guangchangwu②, yet could chase him down two streets at her age to beat him up, really deserved her reputation as Xiao Shenpo③.

 If it wasn’t because of how unreliable Niansi looked crawling out of the fridge telling him all this, Xiao Nanzhu would’ve seriously considered the feasibility of taking on such a job.

 However, all things aside, he was in dire need of a proper job.

 Considering the situation he was presently in, he would rather take on this strange job than to involve himself in Situ Zhang bro’s Pyramid scam pitch. Though, this job didn’t seem to be any more reliable either. Exorcising evil spirits, praying to gods, deciphering dreams, and altering fortunes——there isn’t even a scientific basis for any of those…

 Youths nowadays aren’t like those of the past. Only the elderly would still possess the heart to fear and revere the supernatural.

 Medicine and technology have advanced greatly in the modern era. It is different from when people relied on prayer for blessings and healings a thousand years ago. Everyone eventually became contemptuous towards those insensible and foolish ways that handled people’s lives like jokes. And that also led to those traditional professions that can’t be explained by science to be deemed as feudalism dross.

 Fortune telling and astrology, once golden industries that could stir up the world, became the most lambasted.

 On a second thought, this kind of thinking may have been too biased. Especially now that Xiao Nanzhu has seen the occult with his very own eyes, he could no longer bring himself to say these antagonistic words again.

 Yet this change in mindset hadn’t managed to convince him to accept the calendar gods’ offer, because he immediately realised that…

 The Huangli Shi has to work for all 365 days! Not even a single! day! off!

 “Well, there are breaks in between work for sure, and the job isn’t that intense——it’s quite a leisure most of the time… Moreover, the contract only starts next year. Everyone is still resting right now and will start work after New Years. The one you met last night was Xiaonian. He is one of the 22 traditional festivals and is in charge of fire… If you have the time, you can also let Chuyi(1st) and Chuer(2nd) help you get accustomed to the workflow as well…”

 Niansi stammered as he took out a comb to tidy up his hair. Xiao Nanzhu silently listened but didn’t show any signs of affirmation. That arrogant attitude of his made it seem as if he was looking for a fight.

 He flipped through the contract with his eyes half-opened. His laidback manner of sitting on the sofa with crossed legs as he smoked effectively concealed his thoughts. Xiao Nanzhu’s jawline gave off a cold feeling. It’s no wonder that people find him hard to get along with if they’re unfamiliar with him. However, reality has proven that Xiao Nanzhu’s personality may be even more difficult to get along with than his appearance let on.

 Niansi sat down with him but didn’t know how to start the topic.

 After all, he’s kind of familiar with Xiao Nanzhu’s temper. He couldn’t do anything about this untamed, wild horse since when he was still young. If he really didn’t want to take on this job, then their work would have to be delayed even further.

 By the time Xiao Nanzhu noticed Niansi secretly observing him from the corner of his eyes, he took out a cigarette, nipped it in between his fingers, and slowly began.

 “Sorry for just now, well… How do I address you?”

 Fiddling with a fan in his hand, Niansi in his green robes paused as he heard Xiao Nanzhu talking to him. He covered his mouth and awkwardly coughed. he then cupped his hands④ and bowed as he spoke courteously.

(Source: Baidu search result)

“I am Niansi. I was in a panic when I came out of the fridge just now. Please pardon my bad manners…”

 Niansi spoke in a pleasant tone as if he was about to sing opera. Nevertheless, with how clean and studious he looked, it was hard to dislike him for his pedantic manners…

 Xiao Nanzhu nodded with an “oh” and couldn’t help but glance at the old Huangli that was hung back on the wall. Right now, the Huangli was flipped to the page of Niansi, which looked about the same as any other day. The only difference was that the person that should have stayed in the painting was here before him.

 Xiao Nanzhu suddenly felt absurd.

 He never have thought he would walk on such a bizarre path when he first came back home, but he guessed he had no better choice left for him anyway. It’s just that… why does this Huangli Shi thing sound so stupid…?

 Xiao Nanzhu detested the name in his heart for awhile but didn’t let it show on his face. He continued to elicit information from Niansi in front of him. Niansi was obviously a naive one as he let loose everything he knew upon hearing Xiao Nanzhu’s questions.

 “Hmm… Calendar gods would stay in the human world when they’re at work for one day and night as part of the cycle, and after that we’d return back to the Huangli and rest for a year… What we usually do is eliminate the evil spirits and disasters that linger in the human world and bring blessings to mankind. But people have since stopped believing in such things… So the scope of our customers has become gradually smaller. We could only depend on foretelling suitable dates for weddings and childbirths to feed ourselves. Of course, us calendar gods can come out even if we’re not working; it just depends on whether we’re willing to… Your grandmother used to call out Yuanxiao and the others every New Years if she couldn’t find any mahjong friends to play with all night, but I guess you wouldn’t have remembered… You were still young at that time—— only about four or five…”

 Niansi seemed excited talking about the past. Xiao Nanzhu listened quietly and found it rather interesting.

 He was actually inclined to take up the job now, but he also wanted to know more about the profession before he gave Niansi a definite answer. Thus, he didn’t interrupt Niansi and declined Situ Zhang’s calls to drink a few times.

 It’s imaginable how Situ Zhang must’ve been hopping around anxiously on the other side of the phone. Xiao Nanzhu smirked to himself for a bit and turned off his phone altogether.

 After all, this is something crucial for his future career. He wanted to be prepared and let Niansi continue to talk more about the workflow.

 It’s no wonder people say that scholarly people have great charisma: they can make everything they say to sound intelligent by simply talking. Truth is, what Niansi knew were nothing more than trivial matters and gossip about the other calendar gods; no proper business came out of his mouth. Actually, Xiao Nanzhu was very serious coming into this, but he unintentionally got lured in by all the gossip.

 “Let me tell you this secret, don’t you tell anybody else, alright?… Actually, Qixi Festival and the one on the 24th of February are on really bad terms with each other, you know the reasons right? It’s all because of their similar names… So don’t mention about Qixi during Valentine’s in two days, or else he will surely turn crazy…”

 Niansi’s advice made Xiao Nanzhu snicker. From there, Niansi introduced to him every single calendar god from Nianwu(5th) until the upcoming Valentine’s Day. However, when it comes to Chuxi, the last day of the year, Niansi skipped it.

 “What about Chuxi? Is he special?”

 Xiao Nanzhu became interested as he saw Niansi hesitate. Niansi quickly put a finger on his lips “shh!”, and snuck up to Xiao Nanzhu’s ear and whispered.

 “Chuxi is different from all of us, I shouldn’t tell you anymore, mn. You’ll know it when you see him, en en……”

 Xiao Nanzhu didn’t bother to ask further seeing Niansi being so stealthy.

 In any case, he’ll meet him in a few days. No matter how difficult he was to get along with, it’ll only just be for a  day. Up until this point, Xiao Nanzhu was convinced to try working as the glorious Huangli Shi for awhile. Niansi also mentioned that he could quit whenever he likes——he just needed to help them find a new boss if he left.

 Because a portion of the Huangli Shi’s income goes to the calendar gods, the quality of the Huangli Shi’s life would directly affect theirs. The few days before the end of the year would be his probationary period. After New Years, they would continue discussing this.

 Night arrived unknowingly after the long talk. Xiao Nanzhu didn’t seem to invite Niansi to stay for dinner, while Niansi knowingly said “I’m going home for dinner. Your grandmother also didn’t provide meals for us last time.”

 He tidied up the contract signed by Xiao Nanzhu before he left But as soon as he was about to go, Xiao Nanzhu suddenly thought of something and called him back, then handed him a tortoise⑤ from the kitchen.

(Source: Baidu search result, soft-shell turtles bite really hard and can dash across the road at very fast speed.)

“This…?”

 Niansi was rather dumbfounded holding this big tortoise. Xiao Nanzhu looked and grinned as he pointed at the Huangli on the wall.

 “Help me give this to Xiaonian and say this is my compensation, so don’t cry anymore. Aren’t turtles much more long-lived than carps? Whaddya say?”

 1. I did my research and apparently, twins can only be detected around 5-6 weeks, provided that the mother did an early scan. I assume the pregnancy was less than 5-6 weeks in, but I’m not sure about quintuplets, that’s amazing!

2. Guangchangwu 广场舞：It also means open-air fitness dancing, it’s a popular hobby among the middle-aged and onwards women (mostly) in China to dance together in the evening or at night in an open space to stay fit and make friends.

3. Shenpo 神婆：Something similar to witch or sorceress. 

4. To cup one’s hand 拱手：This is an important form of etiquette in ancient China. This kind of salutation was formed during the Zhou Dynasty, it has transformed throughout history and there’re different forms of salutations when meeting different kinds of people. 

5. Wangba 王八：This can both mean tortoise or bastard. Usually refers to Chinese soft-shell turtles (鳖) which are really different from the harmless and slow tortoise which can be kept as pets, as seen from calling someone a wangba is a vulgarity suggests how hated and aggressive this animal is. 

This chapter is edited by Noxeru.

Chuxi is finally mentioned by Xiao Nanzhu in this chapter!! Although he still hasn’t made an appearance yet, let me know what you guys think? :))

#cnovel #huanglishi #黄历师 #chinese almanac master #huang li shi #idonghua #chinese animation #hls

[elizabethrobertajones]

14x07 watching notes

In Which It Is Now Completely Apparent Which Of Buck And Leming Are Writing A Scene At Any Given Time

or

A Tale Of Lizbob Being Tormented By Toddlers

Hello it is 3:32am and I am awake from a dream of what the episode might have been (plus side: overt Destiel motel room sharing, downside: Jack accidentally killed Dean) because my tantruming toddler neighbour who just moved into the haunted house next door was screaming, and threw something at our adjoining wall. At 3am. So I'm not exactly well-rested and I'm kinda pissed, which isn't the best combo for a Buckleming episode, but when you wake up with a scream and a thump, you aren't going back to sleep for a lil while :P

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Kudos to the rest of the writing team, we're 7 episodes in and I've thoroughly forgotten Nick exists. I've just been assuming he was caught, featured on a true crime program, and is already gone and locked up for the new murder and likely solving of a cold case.

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Ahahahaaaa the opening of the recap is "when it comes to killing you, I'll be the one to do it" so that's ominous. As you might tell, my psyche is utterly wrapped around this whole Shakespearean tragedy of Jack vs Dean, and perhaps they're not gonna murder each other today but the constant reminders they're living in a murder or get murdered delicate thematic plot balance is exactly the sort of thing that we need to have hanging over their dynamic, as well of course as being the start point of their relationship to show how far they've come and how much they've changed and now love each other and how just last episode Dean got in his "fine i have a son now" episode a season or two later than everyone else and just in time for it to be "so now you bonded with him of course he's caught Doom because you can't have nice things for literally a single episode and this is your fault for bonding with him, Dean"

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This recap is designed to wound me, a Jack fan and lover of how TFW loves their son

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Ew, it's Nick. The first time in my life I've been tempted to skip at least a lil of the recap.

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Imagine how tight it would have been to just do a 10 second "here's Jack" recap and cut to the action

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and the action includes an episode without Nick stealing time from the boy

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You know i spend exactly 0 time speculating on how Eugenie might write her personal fave bits of the episodes but if you had to throw together "nick is now a serial killer ritually murdering priests on a satanic bender" then that would have been a pretty close thing to what I could have come up with as distilled Buckleming essence. (gross)

There's a vague continued overlap of the human!Cas arc with the parallel to the open of 9x03 and the general aesthetic of season 11's Lucifer's satanic rampage bender thrown together but you know what that's more meta than this arc deserves and my boy is sick

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OH NO CAS IS THE ONE WATCHING OVER HIM ABORT ABORT

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His grace looks pathetic. Maybe he's trying not to wake Jack up. Maybe he doesn't have a whole lot left.

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That's not helping, Cas

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ANXIOUS PARENTS OUTSIDE HIS ROOM

I bet Cas sent them away because they were hovering

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Dean this is not what happens to kids, stop trying to kid yourself that this is like having a regular demonic toddler

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Man am I glad I do not have kids right now both because I don't have to worry about them and also because they scream and throw stuff at the walls at 3am

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Dean angry at Cas cuz he's worried about Jack oh no oh no oh no look at these stressed parents. Cas is forced into the doctor role because he magic but he is just as stressed as they are and tensions are high, and then the boy starts convulsing

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Oh my god they snapped, they are actually bringing Jack to an emergency room. This is horrifying and kind of a trip to imagine what they're going to tell any authority figures about who this guy is and what their relationship is to him.

Do they remember that he has barcode fingerprints and probably is gonna be Medically Weird just as default?

(Alex is 29 like me and Misha is early 40s and Jimmy is canonically a year older than Misha for some reason, so at a push Cas could be his dad and have made some very early mistakes but the boy is biologically only like 10 years younger than them on average... JACK looks another half that at times but this is a hospital so idk if "smiles like a toddler" "early teenage adorableness" is a good measure of age)

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(I'm stress-typing)

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"His full name, please"

All 3 dads look at each other baffled.

Sam goes with Jack Kline, which, a season and a bit later, is the first canonical use of it as Jack's surname

They're cautious about using Winchester, understandably, but it's a nice reminder that Kelly is family too and as the dead parent, naming Jack in tribute to her should have been something they were doing all along (like, season 13 all along), especially as he even visited the Klines earlier this season. Sam being the one who thinks to do this is nice because he's the most dad-aligned to Jack in a traditional sense when it's come to raising him (Cas got the pre-birth role as the traditional father role) and Cas obviously had the strongest connection to Kelly before that but this isn't a moment about her so much as these 3 stressed dads.

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LOL Date of birth. Sam wins another point for knowing it, while Dean makes back and forth guesses on '99/2000, making Jack 19 or 20, which would at least mean any one of them could have fathered him and chopping 10 years off Alex's age to compromise between look and feel.

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Given Jack's symptoms the nurse should have been a lil more concerned asking about trips to West Africa or other likely Ebola places lately. (This may be poor timing on the show's part but isn't there a fresh outbreak right now?)

(Oof I googled it and there's "Congo Ebola outbreak 2nd worst in history" articles dated 6 hours ago... Maybe a bad year to write haemorraghic diseases for fun and also how comes no one is talking about this in the news and it's all blah blah brexit... Have we just stopped fearing it now a few outbreaks have shown it mostly stays contained in African countries so now they can just suffer it on their own? I'm making a 4am donation to relief efforts)

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*returns from the doctors without borders website* anyway back to the fictional sick white boy

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And his very stressed dads

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I have no idea how much of this is medically accurate but I feel like this is particularly dramatised to match hospital visits people have experienced which did not involve bringing in a stumbling, feverish, person who is having seizures and coughing blood

it's still objectively sad to see TFW lined up all stressed out and Cas and Dean holding hands while they stare through the giant window

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The doctors aren't wearing masks even though he has been COUGHING BLOOD

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sheesh this entire hospital is in quarantine now

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Nick saying he was "getting hammered" the night of the murder isn't super subtle

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Cas aggressively still trying to watch over Jack even though they won't let him in the room. Dean paces and talks about ghouls in the middle of the hospital to let off stress.

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Cas goes to watch over him in person while Sam and Dean have a personal chat. This is awful D:

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I appreciate the sentiment of busting Jack out before they pay the hospital bills because they're running out of medical options and need to turn to magic ones, a la every dramatic event ever in their lives except that one time Dean broke his leg and Sam was too out of it with the Hallucifers to sell his soul to make it better, but if Jack's in system shutdown wouldn't at least keeping him with state of the art equipment mean things like transfusion and machines that keep him propped up?

Mind you his bloodtype is probably, like, X evil negative or something Bucklemingy

It's in his DNA... He might be cute but he's still  born of their episodes and wacky non con ideas... It was gonna catch up to him eventually D: You can't outrun it forever!!

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I accidentally hit a button and 8x02 started playing on VLC

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"DEEEAN" Cas shoves him through the portal out of purgatory, credits roll, this was officially the weirdest episode ever.

(No I didn't watch the whole thing, I was literally paused on the last shot from where I was about to gif it last night when I fell asleep)

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Sam already called Rowena... Smart cookie

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obligatory yell at Cas shedding the coat to put on Jack so they don't walk him out in a hospital gown

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Oh my god Jack's so sick he's white as a sheet and being carried out by 2 of his dads and he still has a lil well of snark to be like "fine we're leaving" to the doctor.

"There's just no talking to him when he gets like this"

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We're at the promo scene and I'm still not 100% sure after sleeping on it that Rowena definitely did not have the Book of the Damned, and that she hadn't been able to make off with it at the end of season 11, never for it to be seen again, because she was very much in the process of stealing the Black Grimoire in 13x22, but this does, I guess, make sense in regards to which book would serve Jack better, and Mittens tried her best to convince me that Rowena plausibly did not have it because the Winchesters did... I'm still suspicious because I really did just assume that she took it and the implication was we didn't see it because SHE had hidden it, and from a line in a Buckleming episode as well. And either way around her showing up with it makes sense that she had it but I'd have occam's razor'd it that she stole the obvious books at the obvious times and not that 13x22 became a BotD heist on top of everything else :P

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Jack is up and about!!

He's using a more gravelly voice and it's actually a really hot voice and for literally the first time the Alex/Jack divide (gulf) in my head that one is my age and hot and the other is a 12 year old is a bit shaken. I mean Jack's canonically now supposed to be around 19-20? Which explains why he has a "wooo spring break" attitude when we see in the promo he snaps and wants to go to Vegas.

They grow up so fast.

Anyway considering he was in total organ shutdown a lil while ago it seems a night's rest has done him well if he's wandering around the bunker

Can't tell if we swapped writers or what... well, it seems like it's possible given Jack's fluctuating sickness, which of course could just be a plot thing but also a mark of the inconsistencies in Buckleming episodes. It's still odd to me that in the filming process it didn't occur to them that Jack might not at least sway on the spot at little, but he's really standing there like a little trooper, upright and talking confidently.

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And betraying to Rowena that his dads like her and say nice things about her behind her back, which is catastrophic for them. How dare. You're damaging the foundations of their relationship.

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*cough cough*

"Bollocks"

Yep, her heart has softened, Jack won her over in record time, and she's just thinking about that time she adopted a wee Polish lad and loved him as her own because Jack is genetically engineered to be a blank slate son version of a Mary Sue. You take one look at him and he is Your Son in whatever way will most harm you.

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Good grief I wish Crowley was still around to see what HILARIOUS overlap with Gavin we'd have wrung out of Jack's main superpower.

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Cas offering his grace to stabilise Jack on the spot. Halp. It's more important to him that his son lives by miles, that this isn't even an internal debate for him. In a way, obvious that Cas would be like this as a parent, in another, Cas just offered to give up his grace live on TV

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Rowena shoots down the obvious solution (oh and thank god that for once the show actually even references obvious solutions) and starts talking about how we need archangel grace and as soon as she says that I think "oh, Michael" and Dean starts to come over weird with a wooziness that makes me wonder if that was timed for the audience "oh there's one out there right now" and why would DEAN be personally affected right thiiiiiis second..............................

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When they go on spring break together we're getting right to the murderin

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I mean SOMETHING is up and Dean's right now having his own weird moment as Rowena talks about how Jack will now have a fluctuating set of symptoms for the sake of the plot so

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It's possible this is just his internal POV emotional reaction to bad news because this is what happens to me when I hear it but I suspect Dean is a lil more healthy than me in the first place so doesn't verge on passing out whenever a catastrophe happens regularly. And also Sam and Cas aren't similarly struck with physical symptoms at the news their son is dying.

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Ya know, Buckleming, or probably Eugenie specifically which makes it all the worse, writing this woman taking a call in a dark alleyway, then not being terrified to be approached by a weird man and on top of that stopping and turning to invite him to join her in the club... this is the kind of thing where they're writing someone going against all natural instinct that it's bad characterisation for someone we've literally never met before just to put her in danger.

I mean at least they didn't make Nick stab a random woman (and a black woman at that to add to their overall awful stats)

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I like how Jack's just decided Vegas or Tahiti are places you just kinda go to die... I mean I don't know what he's learned about them but it all has to be absorbed through the media in his most innocent way. I feel like there's something very sweet about whatever he thinks you do in these places of reputed sin and blaze of glory live fast die young lifestyles, but also utterly tragic. Consumptive tragic hero but with a twist of the reckless and dangerous later tropes of... It's 5am and I can't think but like. Vegas. Drugs and gambling high life style tropey films and books from the American tradition.

And of course it's Dean (who utterly fits into this trope and even has yearly Vegas trips with Sam since discovering his psychic powers back in season 1 and also lives a blaze of glory mindset) who brings him the deadly glass of milk (film trope about innocence but also like, people dying) and a sandwich loaded with salami. Dean went all out to make that for Jack - a couple of episodes after sending a woman off to "make him a sandwich" and regretting it as he spoke, we see the yank the cloth away reveal of Dean's nurturing side where he is the caregiver who shows affection through food and will go to the trouble of making his boy a delicious sandwich.

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"Nice." See? He's Dean's son and Dean approves his choice of places to die. "You sure this is the best time?"

"Pretty sure it is," Jack says, backpack on, already almost out the door. He's found a brown corduroy jacket which is both unlike his beige jackets and suits from the rest of his life aside from the blue apocalypse world one, and also very very much like Sam's iconic season 1-2 brown corduroy jacket that he mostly stopped wearing although I think was the one Dean wore in 4x01 as one of its sporadic dwindling appearances, if I'm not wrong.

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I probably am but either way, it's a change to darker colours, something Sam-associated to fit the gap of this smol dangerous dying kid Dean has to deal with, and puts Jack in thick earthier tones, thicker clothes to ward against the cold of death, and dressed more like TFW than normal as he usually has quite a distinct child-like version of their clothes.

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Jack's concept of life and mortality is fucked, possibly because he was a functioning being after a day or two of gathering his thoughts and starting to come to terms with asking deep philosophical questions about himself, so in a way discovering he only has a couple more weeks to live is hardly anything. He's a fucking mayfly.

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Ugh it's now solidly 5am and I am clearly not going back to sleep so I give up, I'm finally getting coffee. The rest of the notes will be maybe a wee bit more coherent :P

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Anyway kettle thought: due to Jack and Dean's murder or be murdered relationship (lordy how is this the only way you relate to fatherhood, my guy?) I kinda suspect that Dean's about to abscond with Jack without even telling dad 1 or dad 2, because he is dad 3 and that's totally cool and he's a responsible adult, but,  you know, woozy and doomed while Jack is also consumptive and doomed. BAD COMBO.

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I charge you with grounds of diminished responsibility due to mutual murder narrative doom

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"I'm done being special. Before my life is over, I want to live it"

Okay remember in season 1 episode 14 where Dean was like "LOL WE SHOULD GO TO VEGAS BECAUSE YOU ARE PSYCHIC"? and I referenced that like 5 minutes ago so you should, obviously I've only ever been able to headcanon the reveal of Vegas Week in season 7 (Dabb episode, take a shot) dates back to that and is one of their between episode activities which makes sense that since they only started travelling as adults together in the canon of the show (and Sam 1 year older than drinking age) that it might as well have been when they started the tradition?

Well Jack here is reacting like Dean would have if HE were the one in Sam's shoes in 1x14, and being the fun lil brother who actually would be like fuck it let's go to Vegas and see how psychic I am in the casinos! In the context of season 1 Sam is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too angsty and tragic to do anything other than come across as a stick in the mud who thinks Dean is joking and they're gonna carry on being tragic and hunting monsters instead. Dean in season 2, episode 9, also wanted to fuck off and go have fun when Sam's scary destiny got too much for him to carry, and that was when he was locked in the murder or save him vow from John's last words, which is a similar burden to the narrative bind he's in with Jack.

Jack, all of his fathers' son, finally shows up as the god damn first person to take his doom sensibly and actually want to fuck off to Vegas, and that's demon!Dean levels of fuck it.

Incidentally I half-suspect that Crowley, who has billions of dollars and once bid the moon in an auction (hi I watched 99% of 8x02 yesterday and 1% of it just now) probably was steering demon!Dean waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay carefully around the thought of wait a minute I have an extremely rich and powerful sugar daddy and no responsibilities... VEGAAAAAAAS.

Like, any time Dean started to form the thought, bam, naked triplets show up in their room.

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Anyway Jack's busy being tragic, talking about wanting to get a tan (Beach now linked to something to do before death) or see a hockey game (oh shit we forgot Adam) or get a parking ticket (oh so that's why Dean  murders him)

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"And when it's all over... die."

Dean looks over his shoulder, mind made up to abduct the boy and take him joyriding

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"So that's your plan, huh?"

"I don't want to waste time arguing"

"Did I say I disagree"

jack, this is Fun Dad

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I know, the concept is completely radical and you've never seen Dean be fun but trust me.

Even with your very, very limited options, Sam has literally had 3 episodes about how he's Scrooge, and Cas is... Cas. But Dean is legitimately fun dad when you get him on a good day. Trust me.

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No one's speaking to Rowena??? How wild.

Poor thing is never going to get her mega coven

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Dean (who has rocked up already wearing his jacket) spaces out as Sam starts blahing on about the culturally appropriative shaman Ketch has located.

Same, buddy

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At least Dean isn't lying to them about stealing Jack. Somewhat. Not the whole Vegas plan.

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Jack smiles at Sam and Cas in a kind of way that somehow conveys in its entirety "this may be the last time you see me but I'm cool with you NOT seeing me die of coughing my lungs up and fun dad has this covered and we've always had a weird death cult about our relationship anyway so I'm okay with it and you guys were the best dads but now fun dad is going to take me out back and shoot me where you can't see and I love you bye"

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"Why don't you drive?"

Jack is like ?!?!?!?!? D:

EVEN ON HIS DEATHBED he hadn't figured this would ever happen

It's the make a wish foundation :')

This is, of course, the ultimate sign of Dean loving you and caring for you in Dean's own special way of not telling you he does but showing it with a gesture of absolute confidence and letting you in, and in the vast annuls of the show dates back to the second ever episode where Dean let Sam drive at the end for all of 1 shot (seriously, they've swapped back by the long shot at the end of 1x02 where you can't see them in the car but the prop drivers are definitely doing a generic Sam in the passenger seat Dean driving routine for stock footage :P)

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Anyway Dean loves Jack enough that he's letting a kid who does not know how to drive learn to drive in the Impala, like he and Sam did.

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I can see Alex sweating bullets about being seated next to Jensen in the beloved Impala and having to mess up turning it on... never mind the fact that both Jensen AND Dean will murder him if he harms the car, and being murdered on both levels at once is spiritually unsettling and he will probably end up an unquiet ghost.

And yet, the glee at being behind the wheel of this legendary gal

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TRAGIC NYOOOOOM

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"It's like I'm you! :D"

"No, it's not! :D (but with implied murder)"

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"THIS IS THE BEST DAY EVER"

Look if he survives this, you're creating a speed demon who will want his own classic car

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And then you'll have to teach him how to maintain it

oh god

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But yeah, non-toxic parenting in the John Winchester As He Could Have Been style.

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At least as long as Dean is in the Make A Wish mode and not back to tragic murder mode

And that wooziness that he may or may not be associating with no sleep and too much stress suggests this isn't going to last as a Fun Day Trip For The Boy

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"Cas are you sure you want to handle this alone?"

NO HE NEEDS A HUG HIS SON IS DYING

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Sam, go hug him, you need a hug and your son is dying.

Also, of course, you mutually need each other in this instance and Sam is reaching out to Cas with presumably the intent that he wants to be in on it but is asking as if just concerned about Cas

-

Cas, being Cas, has somehow deduced that Dean is "taking this particularly hard" despite the fact all three of them are Concerned Dads and CAS WHAT THE FUCK are you doing being selflessly concerned about DEAN and sizing up his emotional state when all three of you are wrecked and your son is dying?

You literally have 3x the sitting at his bedside holding his hand moments of any of them and montaged the heck out of the concern at the start of the episode

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I remember way back someone wankily made a chart of how often people talked to Dean about stuff and other people talked to each other about Dean, and Sam is now crying about Dean beating himself up over being mean to Jack at the start of season 13 and regretting it, so this entire conversation is Sam and Cas man paining at each other about how much man pain Dean is in.

I say with no wank in my heart, just sheer horrified amusement at this data point if they still are hate-watching the show and being horrified about how Sam never gets stuff for himself etc (I mean. He and Cas both have had extended chunks of seasons about them parenting Jack and this is Dean's time to come belatedly to what the two of them already had)

-

Cas finally says "son" a season and change after Jack was wandering around calling him "father" and Sam doesn't seem inclined to disagree that this is how it feels for all 3 of them.

-

Obviously he's crying about Jack and it was just the context above that made it look like he was crying about Dean and I always knew that, I'm not a monster, I'm just deflecting because owwwwwwwww this hurts

-

HUG EACH OTHER YOU DUMB FUCKS SO I FEEL BETTER

-

Cas walks off instead and Sam finally after 1000 years discovers how Dean feels when Cas does that when he was angling to come along and they miscommunicated and didn't say what they meant. Except Sam wanted to come out of mutual Dad Angst comfort while Dean normally wants to go with Cas places so he can hold his hand.

-

Jack's so proud of himself for being able to drive.

"Born with a wheel in your hand"

He literally stole the Impala from you when he was 7 months in the womb

-

Dean is like, we could get you laid? And Jack is like. Nah. I have a better idea.

No idea what right now but he still doesn't wanna bang anyone

-

Ugh a Nick scene. Tag yourself I'm the old tyre in the foreground

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Is this the house from Family Remains aka the self-admitted worst episode of the show by Kripke and Carver's explicit design

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I am going to puke Jack wanted to go on a fishing trip with his dad

-

There were spoilers about them doing this but I repressed it the fuck down and lied to myself that Jensen was randomly teaching Alex to fish on set because I didn't want to think about Dean doing this with Jack because oh my god someone has taken my heart and gouged it out with a rusty spoon.

-

Also: someone design Jack a t-shirt with a witty slogan about fishing rather than hook ups. Like, dude bro fishing culture but in a world where you're as likely to get dumb slogans about not wanting sex as you are for it making you a babe magnet

"I'd rather be fishin" is a thing people get on mugs for the workplace but we could start with this sentiment and play

-

ALSO AS I MENTIONED I WATCHED 8x02 IN THE LAST 24 HOURS AND DEAN NEAR RIVERS SUCKS. We also have 10x01 and Daniel the fishing angel (who was the pizza man from Monster Movie, see above: slogans about fishing, pizza man innuendo, we got a thing going here) who was happy on Earth just fishing and enjoying the planet and not wanting to go back to Heaven, in a very heavy metaphor for Cas to deal with, as the angel who once compared free will to teaching poetry to fish. Lots and lots to unpack here, when we turn this into a Dean and Jack father son bonding moment and throw in Dean's peaceful dream of fishing in 4x20 that Cas interrupted. Fishing is about peace and idyll and comes as a temporary respite in this show. Traditionally, also, of course it's a sport of patience, and a classic father son bonding activity as the long stillness allows for both manly silence and sharing beers in peace, but also talk if they want to open up a conversation.

For Jack, it's an overlap of both Cas and Dean parental stuff, Cas's issues with angelic nature, where he wants to be, WHO he wants to be (just OFFERING to give up his grace to save Jack) and then with Dean we have more classic human cultural tropes but none less painful for Jack's nature and relationships. Especially throwing in that this was his choice and Dean is indulging him completely here.

-

John may or may not have taught them to fish but I feel like it may have had a "so you are dying in the woods" aspect to it rather than for peace and bonding. BOBBY taught Sam and Dean some basic woodsmanship so he was more likely to be the father figure teaching them to fish if anyone did.

-

Okay so obviously I typed that just after clutching my heart at the reveal and hitting pause, as Jack immediately goes on to say that John DID teach Dean how to fish and that it was his happiest memory of him - and it comes as a surprise for the expectations (like, that the above paragraph now stands as what I would expect of canon if I was only taking from it and not as an actual writer of the show being allowed to insert new details in which challenge us about the characters, which is where I find the line between fan fic and original fiction really is when it comes to characterisation... Anything out of left-field and you have to tag it as an AU version or explain why instead of just writing it as taken for granted).

And it's unexpected in the sense that it is such a peaceful thing and above all I think the message is that Jack intuited from whatever Dean said about it that it WAS a happy peaceful memory of John which stood so much at odds with the rest of his life. Filed under as well the thing where Mary started talking about how nice John was to Sam and Sam recoiled in confusion until Mary clarfied it was her John, not theirs. Good memories of a gentle soft John are alarming, and yet perhaps this is a way to really confront and exorcise his ghost more than anything - the sort of funeral servive memorialising of the good with the bad and working through it to come to peace in a different sort of way that lets the wounds heal and the anger leave those scars.

"It was how you said it. I could tell." He's such a smart cookie and I think that often takes Dean by surprise in the sense that Jack has been very shrewdly watching him and learning from him and absorbing anything and everything he does, which unfortunately gives him the ability to cold read Dean like very few people do, seeing past the layers and bluffs and into Dean's core.

-

Jack just murdered Dean by saying if he doesn't make it he wouldn't miss Tahiti or the Taj Mahal or implied going to seedy bars and hooking up, he'd miss more time with Dean.

I mean that's not a literal way to kill someone but you should see Dean's face. He's been shot.

And again, it's a metaphor for what you want from life for DEAN to absorb, the prompt that his family is right here and he doesn't need to chase pleasure outside of them, that hook up bar nearby their home base where he never strikes out, that's irrelevant to the family he has built and it's been put in the subtext of what Dean goes after that's empty pleasure when he has this core family unit around him, by the way Jack has also rejected it and is explaining to Dean the real meaning of Christmas.

Of course, this all gets a bit weird unless you account for the fact he has an angel wearing a trenchcoat made of husband material waiting back at the Bunker because the chronic singleton life otherwise probably ought to account for an outlet for Dean like a hook up bar if his happy ending is a platonic family bond so, you know, end the show 10 minutes from now with everyone happy and alive and not dying, and all Dean's learned is they're 3 dads, one son, a mom and her AUBobby, but he still has unused romantic potential and for seasons and seasons they've been trying to close the door on him seeking out random hook ups in the subtext of what Dean WANTS vs what he thinks he can have. This frank conversation about what Jack wants from life before it's all over is once again ignoring fleeting human connection for the family bonds he values above everything.

-

"I've had a good life, Dean" the other reason they're having this sentimental conversation by a river is because Jack is a fucking mayfly and I hate this

-

@ Dabb please never make me see Cas driving this car ever again

-

Why are you irritating Cas like this. First boring holy fire oh it must be thursday followed by the indignity of making him sit on a pouffe? Listen, when Cas gets irritated he gets snarky and then people die because he snarked them to death. I saw it he did it to the Empty. And Lucifer in 13x12. And Kip.

I just feel sorry for Cas. Why can't he go on fishing trips with the boy. Oh no he has to sit on a squishy pouffe that won't let him be intimidating so that he can cure the boy even though Jack's already decided he's gonna die and will probably Ophelia himself into the river at the end of the fishing trip.

-

Sergei is basically like "Have you tried turning it off and on again"

Nephilim have a reboot button on the back of their neck, if you get a paperclip and poke it in there.

-

At least Sergei is so... whatever he is... I can't even tell who he is supposed to be offensive towards :P I guess with the name, I lean Russian, and then he has world esoterica and occult nonsense in his caravan...

-

The real question is how does he know anything about Nephilim and why hasn't Cas asked that already.

-

LOL he has a vial of Gabriel grace just lying around. Of course, because Gabriel was just offering it up to everyone.

Considering how he was exploited for it by Asmodeus there's a weird tinge of retconning his own abuse by saying he was going around giving it to everyone before Asmodeus ever bought him and started stealing it on the regular.

Still, it IS awfully tempting a fix to have Uncle Gabriel help Jack out from beyond.

-

/distantly: "I'm not dead!"

sometimes I can still hear his voice.

-

It's way more likely Shit Goes Down and this is lost but then Cas has learned what to do with archangel grace to fix Jack just so long as they can pin down Michael and grab his instead.

-

But I guess in that circumstance at least once again Gabriel gave them part of the answer from beyond the grave as he did in season 5.

("Still not dead!!")

shush Gabriel. The show wants us to think you're dead and my complete disbelief in that doesn't change anything for now.

-

Except that maybe Gabriel came back, is fine, but has been removing his grace and selling it in the here and now while claiming not to be Gabriel and that he just haaaappens to have it and because he has no grace he could just be any old guy who happens to have an endless renewable resource of archangel grace secretly on tap to sell to fund his life of laying low. Sergei even says HE got it as part of keeping Gabriel hidden.

-

I'm kind of assuming Sergei isn't Gabriel unless he offers Cas kielbasa

-

I mean unless later I get a bonus cookie for immediately assuming Sergei is Gabriel based on the holy fire he just happened to have prepared and how similar it looked to Gabriel being trapped in 5x08.

-

On the other hand this may be the first time this season but pointing at literally everyone and going, that's probably Gabriel, will get old and also dock me cookie points the more wrong guesses I throw out there. Still, this one has pretty strong evidence, from messing with Cas to making him say "Porn stars"

-

To, um, having Gabriel's grace

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Okay so Sergei gives Cas all of this out of the goodness of his heart and a "you owe me" and I AM wondering if that's a Buckleming special because remember in 8x19 where they were like hi we need to go to Hell immediately, and Ajay was like sure, I will take you to Hell and this episode is even titled after me so clearly I am an important character who *stab stab reaper dying noises* wow look I guess we don't have a bargain after all despite me saying you owe me but then Crowley just maaaaagically made it so you never had to find out what a reaper would want in exchange for taking you to Hell off the books.

-

Also fuck you I never got to finish my pizza

-

While I've been typing some random ass justice for Ajay screed, Nick has revealed a flashback to 14x02 where it turns out his neighbour said it was a cop who he saw coming out of the house. I literally went back and checked the episode and that wasn't in it, so perhaps it's a new flashback for here, fleshing out that conversation and revealing more for us, and changing the narrative of what Nick's up to, but honestly who cares enough about all this... I was double zoned out for flashbacks I'd already seen for a side story i don't care about

-

Wow, Nick, demons killed ya family. Could have told you that.

-

Aw, Dean brought Jack home. No dying out in the wilderness for you, clearly Cas phoned up before Jack could work out his plan to fling himself into the river.

Also Nick has taken up too much of this episode so there's no room for complicated twists and turns, if Buckleming are banned from introducing too many of them.

It's incredible how subdividing them so Eugenie writes all the Nick stuff and Brad writes the rest has elevated the parts of the story we care about to pretty much passable, give or take whatever Sergei was and who he was offensive to aside from the whole concept of calling yourself a shaman because you travelled the world collecting occult stuff in a sort of Aleister Crowley way.

-

'cept you can't namedrop Aleister on this show because both Alastair and Crowley have stolen too much from him.

-

So you get a knock off Sergei instead.

-

Jack hasn't been having as many of the supposed fainting fits that had everyone dogpiling him as I thought - maybe that's next episode too. Could have had one at the start but that doesn't seem enough to be a repeated annoyance of Alex's life :P

Anyway I was just going to comment on his sweater but that thought hopped in there first wondering if the spell was about to knock him flat, as he's sitting on a chair instead of safely in bed.

All the more dramatic for flinging yourself around if the spell messes you up

(honestly if the spells don't work, and they took him out of the hospital, how much of a bizarre commentary is this on trusting modern medicine and vaccinating your nephilims?)

-

It's 7:20 and my neighbours are yelling again

At least being awake since 3 meant I got a bit more peace and quiet than normal. I feel gross but I may go to yoga just to not be stuck in this room with such awful screeching on both sides of me >.>

-

Oh I can tell Sergei is Gabriel, he put the grace in a gold container instead of the silver ones

-

I'm sorry for the expenses, Zerbe

-

I wonder if they use her products on the show and I'm gonna go on my dash and find her beaming about a specially commissioned shiny gold grace that she made for them :P

-

"Here, hold this bottle of your uncle's essence"

".... okay I understand how weird that sounded on hindsight"

-

I love the idea of Jack's grace now being fuelled by Nice Uncle Gabriel who felt kindly towards him, even if this can't be a permanent fix, it changes his internal make up just a bit so that he symbolically has his grace stolen by his shitty bio father but the power only came from him in the first place and there was all the hoo ha about if Lucifer as his father made him inherently evil. Now whatever happens to Jack, he's had a grace transplant from a suitable donor, very much like a parallel of say he needed a kidney transplant and his 2 viable donors were his shitty deadbeat dad who gave him the kidney condition in the first place and his nice dead uncle who happened to have been an organ donor and was the only other one with the same type (if Lucifer's was X evil negative, then I guess Gabriel's is like X tricksy negative which has enough receptors to be a compatible transfusion, while Cas has like, Z dumbass positive grace and no compatibility)

And Gabriel is a beloved character who proved his kind feeling towards Jack even if they had very little bonding overall, he clearly cared and there was an immediate sort of uncle-y kindness about him in relation to Jack (just the comment alone about identifying that Jack liked shiny things and magic tricks is very much how uncles view small children who they may watch and entertain but not in the end have parental responsibility for), which is hilarious to me because Gabriel deeply reminds me of all 3 of my uncles on my mum's side, who are all 3 different shades of trickster god in their own right, and he always has reminded me of them, and now the show has sort of made Uncle Gabriel his new legacy.

I mean. I love it to bits.

It's not a sacrifice FOR Jack like Cas would have given up his grace, but it's still a part of him passed on to Jack.

-

I am very very aware that like me running my mouth about John (ironically the name of one of my uncles) while hitting pause, I've stopped while Jack is looking up with glowing eyes and he's almost certainly about to spew a fountain of blood across the room and fall on the floor. But I like that the grace even interacted with him and lit up his eyes and unless he physically barfs out the grace to I'm sticking by that ramble.

-

Cas smiled!! That's the once per season and we already hit it at episode 7, woe betide us

This does look, however, like the scene where they were all looking on from the door so... blood spew in 5 4 3 2 1...

-

DOGPILE THE BOY

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Er, I mean, help him

-

God I would not want Jared to dogpile me, the man weighs literally as much as an actual moose

-

Uhoh Sergei made Cas mad

I mean

he made him sit on a pouffe, this was always coming

-

What do you mean Eugenie can't let Lucifer go wow what a shock

-

*kicks a pebble*

-

Ah, here's the concerned dads scene. I'm just going to let that be a balm to my soul while Dean laments ever taking Jack out to have fun.

-

"You made him happy. You did more for him than any of us"

1 dude you tried, 2 you took him on hunting trips and had fun already this season so he got his Cas Time before he died like he wanted 3 just fucking abduct him wrapped in a duvet and go fishing in the dead of night if you have to, trust me, he'd love it and your family is such a mess he wouldn't even think it's weird.

I mean you've literally absconded illegally with him before, what's a trip up to that beach where he was born and some fishing gear really going to cost you with annoyance from Dean

-

"What can we do?" "Watch over him," Rowena says with Cas in the background, and continues to carve me out with a rusty spoon

-

"As he dies"

Nah he'll be fine shut up Rowena D:

-

*whimper*

-

Well that was a very good episode if you act like me and pretend that none of the Nick stuff happened at all.

#14x07 #season 14 spoilers #my stuff

[dangerousfoxfest]

Collide Chapter 6-Resolution.

Hi all, Happy 2019. As promised the 2nd chapter of today. Enjoy hope the answers have been worth the wait. 

Summary: This storyline takes place after Tariq was not found and the MC name was never cleared. Liam has received news that Madeline who is Queen, has been involved in a car accident in America.

Its a long one 3310 words. 

“Pregnant?” Liam asks “How far along?

“Judging by in her blood results, first trimester possibly 8 weeks” the doctor replied

Liam nodded and began to leave the room. He wondered if she knew, was this the reason for the sudden interest in starting a family-an heir to the throne, Liam shakes his head as he continues to the waiting room. He had to speak with Adelaide, there was so much to sort out.

On return to the waiting room, Liam noticed that Kimmy and Carol had left. Fear hit him “where are they?” Liam asked Drake. “Maxwell took Kimberly for ice cream” Drake replies “she likes dancing almost as much as him, they’ve hit it off somewhat”

“Riley’s mum was okay with Maxwell taking her?” Liam asked shocked.

“Well I think that you being king swayed the whole can the group be trusted thing” drake replied

“She knows I’m a king?” Liam asks

“She does now…Maxwell told her” Drake answered.

“Where is she now?” Asks Liam

“Visiting Riley” Replies Drake.

“Why bring a child to the hospital?” Liam asks shaking his head

“Childminder running late so she was to be collecting here….. Maxwell cancelled it” Drake Replies.

Liam nods and sighs sitting down. She should have told me Drake; how could Olivia keep something as important as that from me?

“I don’t know Liam but she kept it from us all…..but she must have had her reasons Liam….you know Liv…she would never ever….”

“Save it Drake” Liam snaps “I’ll never forgive her for keeping my child from me”

“Liam just speak with her.” Drake concedes “she’ll have her reasons…..besides your angry at the wrong person….Riley never told you either!”

 Liam stands up as he says “I’m going to see where Riley is” Drake nods. After asking at the front desk for Riley’s room, Liam knocks in the door which is answered by Carol. Liam walks into the sterile looking room, Doctor Evans was present with a nurse who was priming the pumps administering the drugs to Riley. Riley lay in the bed her head covered with a carefully placed bandage. Her mouth was invaded by an ET tube connected to a ventilator. Her gown was lowered at the shoulder to reveal a central line connecting the IVs to the numerous beeping machines. Tears fell from Liam’s face, walking over to Riley he leans over to lightly kiss the available space at her mouth, as he does he whispers “why didn’t you tell me we have a little girl…. she’s so beautiful….just like her mother…”

 Liam rests his head on hers for a second before standing straight. “Dr Evans, I think it can be safe now to provide me information on Riley’s status” Dr Evans looks at Riley’s mother who nods. “Yes, your majesty” Dr Evans nods “Miss Holligan was in the back of the car, she was not wearing a seatbelt and suffered extensive injuries. She was brought into the hospital, she went into full cardiac arrest on route to the hospital, however we managed to get her back. There was a significant bleeding on the brain which our neurosurgeon managed to stop in theatre, however it will take some time for the swelling to subside and also to know if there is any long-term damage” “long term damage…” Liam asks “you mean brain damage” Dr Evans nods in agreement.  “Just now” Dr Evans continues we have placed her in a medically induced coma give her body and brain time to heal…… In addition to the head injury we’ve had to remove Miss Holligan’s spleen, and she has liver lacerations…. I won’t lie to you….her injuries as you can see are very extensive and the next 48 are crucial.”

 Liam holds Riley’s hand even tighter squeezing it before bringing it to his lips and kissing the back of her hand. “If you have any questions you can call me, here is my number” says Dr Evans as he holds out his card. Liam takes the card and places it in his pocket as Dr Evans leaves the room.

 “So” Carol says as Dr Evans leaves “how exactly does my daughter know you? And why haven’t you been involved in my grand daughters’ life”

 “I don’t know where to start” Liam replies “but I hope you can answer some things for me too.”

 “Let’s start with the google headlines….shall we” Replies carol holding her phone up showing pictures of Liam and Riley, placed in a headline next to a picture of Riley and Tariq, with the words “Cheat: Future King Humiliated” Carol eyeing Liam said in a stern voice “I’ll have you know my daughter would never cheat…..your a fool to believe this rubbish”

 “I didn’t” he responded “it’s a long story, I’m not sure Riley would want her mother knowing…”

 “Liam she’s my daughter, she may still di..” Carol says breaking herself off Liam bristles at that sentence “if you want to be a part of my daughter and grand-daughters life, you’ll tell me…. what in the hell has been happening with my daughter”

 “Your right there’s been enough secrets” he sighs

 Liam discussed how he met Riley, social season, the scandal, the break up, The wedding to Madeline, no contact for three years then the accident.  “……I never knew about Kimberly, I don’t know why she never told me….. I would have gave up everything for them if I had known…” Liam continues “maybe that’s why” Carol reasons “ do you think Riley would let you give up everything????”

“I would have gained far more than I would have lost” Liam replies. “Can I ask do you know Olivia Nervakis?” He continues

“yes, I do” Carol replies. “She’s a friend of Riley’s and Kimmy’s god-mother”

“What” Liam asked shocked “her god-mother? ....you mean Olivia has been to New York to see Kimberly?”

“Yes, she has every few months or so….at least until she had Thomas…. why who is Olivia to you” Carol asks Liam

“Just a friend…. or I thought she was” huffs Liam

“Well she has always made sure Kimberly has the best, health care, clothes, she was even talking about Kimmy learning to horse ride….and oddly the art of war….. I mean really” Carol laughs.

Liam could feel himself getting annoyed at how much Olivia had kept from him.

 Knock knock…Carol got up to answer the door, breaking Liam from his thoughts. Drake was on the other side asking if he could visit. Carol nodded allowing Drake to enter, as he does Drake informs Liam, Bastien is looking for him. Drake makes his way over to sit on the seat Liam just vacated. Drake holding Riley’s hand asks Carol about her condition. As Liam leaves, he hears Carol relay that same doctor information he heard earlier.

 “Bastien any news” asks Liam “Adelaide and Regina have discussed the press statement to be released, it requires you to look over it for any changes.” Liam nods “Bastien can you have the guard prepare the precision route for the funeral. We’ll fly Madeline home when doctors release her body…however in the meantime we’ll have to have the staff organise her funeral….Adelaide can have a free reign in this….let her give her daughter the send off she wants…..Regina can monitor the plans….just in case Adelaide goes on the attack”

“Very good, Sir” Replies Bastien. “One more thing, Lady Riley’s friend is downstairs wishing to see Her. We’ve stopped him at present from coming up”

“What friend?” asks Liam

“Daniel, Sir” Bastien Replies.

“Daniel” Liam lights up” Carol said earlier he was working with Lady Riley before the accident, he can maybe give some answers to this whole situation”

“Very good, Sir. Bastien turns to leave and meet Daniel.

 Sitting back in the waiting area Maxwell has returned with Kimmy. Liam and Kimmy spent some time getting to know one another drawing with some paper and crayons Maxwell had bought her at the gift shop. Maxwell and Drake had already left and were escorting Adelaide to their hotel which Bastien had arranged. Bastien entered the waiting room. “Your Majesty…. we have to act now!”

“Bastien what’s wrong?”

“Sir, Tariq was the driver of the car. He’s here in the hospital

“What!” Liam exclaims!

 The night of the accident

It was a busy night in the restaurant. Riley and Daniel were rushed off their feet. The restaurant was one of the best in NYC, seating 100 people, often reservations had to be done weeks even months at a time. It was certainly a million miles from the dive bar they worked in three years ago. As Riley and Daniel busied themselves at the restaurant, they missed her entering through the door. Riley was clearing a table and looked up “that bitch” Riley mouthed in shock raising her body, did that mean he was here….. Liam was he here. Her stomach flipped….the panic what if questions were asked….questions….scenarios all rushed into Riley’s thoughts….just as ready to walk away….otherwise known as hiding….she saw him….walking towards where Madeline was sitting. Tariq.

Anger coursed through Riley she was going to kill him…the hell he put her through…Daniel followed Riley’s gaze….he had known about Madeline….Tariq…all of it. Riley had confided in him when she needed his help to find a job. He rushed over to her before she did anything silly…. he didn’t want her losing her job. “Think about this Riley” Daniel warned “be savvy”

“I’m going to kill him, and bitch slap her about this restaurant” Riley responds

“Riley you’ve found him…after all these years, if you blow this chance, you’ll never get it again…. think of Kimmy” Daniel pleads.

Then Riley realised Daniel was right “what’s Madeline doing with him? Here?” No one was suppose to have seen Tariq in years. She would have known if Tariq was back at court Olivia would have told her. “She’s known all this time where he’s been” Riley says in a low voice to herself…”she knew!”

“How long do you think she’s known?” Daniel asks

“I don’t know but I am going to find out” Riley replies. “But first payback”

Riley takes out her phone and takes a picture of Madeline and Tariq, sitting relaxed at the table, smiling. Then jackpot, Madeline leans over to kiss Tariq. *snap* Riley takes a picture and immediately hides around the corner, so Madeline and Tariq would not see her and see where the flash came from. “What are you going to do with them “Daniel asks

“I’m going to send them to someone who owes me…big time” Riley replies “please let me still have her email address”

“Whose email?” Daniel asks

“Ah got it” Riley says gleefully

“You owe me this one! Do what you will with the pictures, however you all did not spare me such grace” Riley sent off the email.

 Present day

“Where is he?” Liam asks

Liam and Bastien phone pinged “the statement must be released, but I haven’t looked over”

Liam looks at his phone wide eyed “king Liam betrayed again” with a picture of Madeline and Tariq kissing “lothario noble scores again with kings love” the picture of Madeline feeding Tariq from her fork. There was no doubt in the pictures Madeline and Tariq were involved. It left no doubt now who the father was of Madeline’s baby. “This is a mess…..We better see Tariq….where is he?” Liam asks. “3rd floor” Bastien replied.

Both Liam and Bastien made their way to see Tariq. “Oh nurse, how is he?” Liam asks as he point to Tariq through the glass. “He’s doing well…came through surgery very well” the nurse replied.

“Can you get the doctor to see me please?” Liam asks

“Certainly” the nurse responds.  

Liam enters the room to see Tariq, lying there with some IVs connected to him. He certainly did not resemble the condition Riley found herself in. Tariq turned his head as he did his eyes opened and he startled. “Liam?” Tariq questioned

“Tariq” Liam answers in a very stoic tone “what the hell has been going on with my wife?”

 Night of the accident

“I have to get answers” Riley informs Daniel

“How?” Daniel responds

“He must be staying nearby if I find where he’s staying, I can speak to him alone” Riley responds “even shake him up with those pictures.

“But Riley” Daniel prompts “you already emailed those pictures. They aren’t leverage anymore”

“Yes he doesn’t know that….not yet anyway” Riley answers.

Riley thinks for a moment. “I’m going to find his car and hide in it, the valet must have parked for him…. yeah  I’ll find it and hide see where he’s staying.” She continues

“Riley…” Daniel reasons but by then Riley had already gone.

Present day

“We were in love” Tariq Replies

“Love…” Liam scoffs “that woman wouldn’t know the meaning of the word”

“You don’t know her like I do” Tariq responds

“You got that right, I certainly never fucked her” Liam bitterly said “But as she was pregnant it would appear you did!”

Tariq eyes fell to his hands ”yes, she was going to tell you…she wanted us to be together”

Liam laughs “you actually believe that don’t you”

“Yes, why wouldn’t I” Tariq answers

“yes well I suppose she would have to tell me eventually….as her attempts for us to start a family have failed” Liam answers “ she couldn’t hide it forever.”

“Start a family” Tariq asked confused “no she didn’t want that she told me…she wanted me”

Liam laughs “oh wake up Tariq, she was using you….keeping you….the affair their must have been some advantage to her”

Then it dawns on Liam “oh…I see”

“See what?” Tariq asks

“How long ago did you and Madeline start?” Liam asks

“You mean fall in love” Tariq corrected. Liam sat stone faced at the naivety of Tariq

“We began to fall in love 2 years ago, but we met up again before she left for Cordonia’s homecoming ball” Tariq continued.

“But that would mean before Madeline and I married?” Liam responded “after the wedding shower” Liam rose from his seat anger filling him “she knew where you were???......All this time she knew”

 “Yes, I suppose” replied Tariq “Madeline turned up at my apartment, she said found me though some shoes I had bought from a designer shop here”

“So, you continued to hide like a coward…. To keep ruining Lady Riley’s reputation?” Liam shoots back

“It wasn’t like that…. Madeline…said you had sent her, telling me to keep quiet” Tariq responds

“You believed that?” Liam asks

“Yes…I did…she was born to be queen why wouldn’t I? She made me realise the damage a commoner could do to the monarchy and by me hiding away…Riley couldn’t be an embarrassment to you or the monarchy if you choose to end the relationship…..Madeline said you wanted to end it…but didn’t know how… I was giving you the perfect get out clause” Tariq continues

“Tariq you are an idiot! She played you! And you were happy to be played. Had I not been forced into that situation I would have married Lady Riley. Madeline knew that and seen her opportunity with you.

“I should let you know.” Liam continues “The press are aware of your affair with each other….so this is what you’re going to do…..you’re going to release a statement revealing the truth of Appleyard three years ago….After that you’re on your own I don’t care what else is said…..or revealed you both deserved each other.” Liam walked away from Tariq closing the door behind him.

“Organise a press statement from him” Liam orders Bastien

“Sir it’s not the best….” Bastien counters

“ENOUGH” shouts Liam “I’ve had enough of people controlling what I do….. get it done” and with that Liam walks away

Over the day the press were informed of Madeline’s death, so far the press shocked but were sympathetic to the King, so badly betrayed by his Queen who unfortunately paid the ultimate price with her life during an illicit encounter. There were still questions why Lady Riley was in the car from them. But for Liam it was clear she had hidden in the car, in order to confront Tariq at his home. However, it wasn’t yet clear why the was tragic accident happened.

 The night of the accident 

Riley was hiding in the foot well of the car. She was lucky it was dark She could easily be hidden under a rug in the back seat. Eventually Tariq and Madeline entered the car. Madeline was gushing over Tariq, it was enough to make Riley want to vomit. During the journey Riley could hear Madeline and Tariq discuss the baby. Riley couldn’t believe her ears. She had so much leverage now. But needed proof. She set her phone to record the audio. Then an overconfident Madeline began to laugh, “what’s so funny?” Tariq asks.

“That stupid American and her child” she scoffs

“What?” Tariq asks

“Lady Olivia got a call from her credit card company regarding the NY Presbyterian hospital” Madeline laughs

“When…what are you talking about” Tariq asked confused

“When…three years ago…do keep up…” Madeline huffs

“How did you know this? Why is it even important?” Tariq asks

“Because…..I heard Oliva’s PA tell her the credit card company wanted to verify the hospital charges” Madeline continues….”Olivia didn’t look sick….so I took a visit to the hospital…..it took a while…..had to pretend to be that awful woman”

“Pretend to be who” Tariq asks his confusion escalating

“Who….lady Olivia…..Lady Olivia..lady…”Madeline laughs “found her didn’t I”

“Found who…lady Olivia? Tariq asks

“NO!!!! Lady Riley……” Madeline shouts “lying there asleep in bed, in a nice small room on the OB ward…..she didn’t see me….but I seen her……little wretch….thought she could steal my crown…. I knew she would try and tell him….. but ha ha…. I stopped that…..so predictable…..turning up to his room, there she stood so shocked when I answered…all I had to do was to arrive at Liam’s room early enough to have breakfast…. Make it look like I’d spent the evening…. the meeting was a great rouse to do that…..and simply wait for her to turn up…..block her…..

 Riley sat in the back of the car…. Anger pulsating…..

 “The fact Liam left for a shower and I was able to strip to my underwear without him knowing what was going on…..was icing on the cake….perfect….I couldn’t have planned it any better….well I did….you know what I mean….” Madeline gushed.

 “Madeline…you mean to tell me Liam has a child…somewhere and you knew” Tariq asks

 “Oh who knows” Madeline answers no clearly no longer boasting of Her exploits….a little worried she revealed too much.

 “Madeline” Tariq reasoned “you can’t…”

 Tariq and Madeline began arguing over what Madeline had done. The shouting continued over several miles. The noise was explosive, suddenly Riley feels the car skid, her body jolts shaking violently. She is thrown to the roof of the car back to the footwell and then again and again as the car rolls and rolls. The car stops and as Riley turns her head…. she sees the lorry…..as if in slow motion she sees it coming towards her…….*smash* Riley’s world goes dark.

Present day

Liam sat by Riley’s bedside for hours holding Riley’s hand praying that she would wake up. Riley’s mum had taken Kimberly off home to bed, Liam promised to call her if Riley woke up. Maxwell promised to babysit first thing in the morning allowing Carol to return to the hospital. Carol had been playing some of Riley’s favourite songs from her phone in the room, wasn’t difficult to do using Riley’s thumb print to unlock the phone. The doctor said to them voices and familiar sounds might help her, there is a chance Riley could sit hear.

As Liam sat there the song ended and he waited for the next one…suddenly there was a familiar voice rebounded around the room…. Madeline talking about her baby….. so, she did know about it Liam thought…she was trying to trick him…. pretending the baby would be his, the heir to the throne……The sound of Madeline’s voice continued to vibrate around the room laughing “That stupid American and her child” Madeline scoffs “What?” Tariq’s voice was next…. the conversation continued “Lady Olivia got a call from her credit card company regarding the NY Presbyterian hospital” Madeline laughs “When” Tariq asked confused…. Liam sat there in shock….hearing the whole conversation….the argument afterwards and then suddenly the accident….screams from the phone filled the room….tears fell from Liam’s eyes. He began to sob uncontrollably. Liam felt a gentle hand on his shoulder, as he turned, he saw Olivia, standing there tears in her eyes. She too had heard it all.

Tag List: @fluffy-marshmallow-heart heart @blackcatkita @flowerpowell @furiousherringoperatortoad @blznbaby @lodberg @innerpostmentality @princess-geek @choices-addict @ao719 @carabeth @thequeenofcronuts @blackcoffee85 @jovialyouthmusic @perfectprofessorherokid​ @annekebbphotography @fluffy-marshmallow-heart​ @hopefulmoonobject​ @stopforamoment​ @leelee10898​ @bobasheebaby​ @indiacater​ @furiousherringoperatortoad​ @editboutique​ @gibbles82​ @choiceslife​

#royal romance #maxwell beaumont #olivia nevrakis #king liam #liam rhys #choices the royal romance #choices the stories you play #riley

[vanilla-blessing]

Why you should check out Pastel Memories

There’s a lot of more or less “fine” anime that come out in any given season, which can generate their own microbiomes of activity and medium-grade excitement before fizzling out and being forgotten within weeks, leaving no trace or footprint except for angry anime youtubers’ reactions. Sometimes these average shows have a couple highlights indicating a personal meltdown from someone, somewhere, from total apathy with the industry that lead to the project at all, to complete and total production carnage like the recently reanimated Mærchæn Mædchæn. It takes a colossally bad idea, something that was made too sincerely to be a joke, something that never gives up despite being embarrassingly inept, to be truly memorable as a bad anime. If you enjoy subjecting yourself to the classics of hilarious trash like Garzey’s Wing, Gundoh Musashi, or Twinkle Nora Rock Me, you maybe owe it to yourself to check out Pastel Memories. 

Pasted Melodies is presumably about a manga cafe staffed by too many girls who all have huge knockers and weird hair but also there’s a twist, all otaku media is being obliterated by a metaphysical virus, so the waitresses of the cafe have to follow the orders of a floating screw rabbit and transform into steampunk magical girls to correct the discrete worlds of otaku media by defeating monsters. If this sounds like a mobile game that’s because it is. The anime version uses this as an excuse to steal copy parody other, better anime who are coincidentally mostly shows the studio did a few years ago or are sufficiently vague enough to count as public domain. You can tell which ones weren’t legally distinct enough because they were removed from streaming services and other releases. 

Pallid Memorial is not very subtle or clever and neither is any “reference” in any other episode. From the nixed 2nd episode on everything in motion looks consistently like it belongs in the dump and never improves. There’s a single episode, when they try to rip off all shonen fighting series at once, where all the stars align and the intended comedy is, for a brief moment, recognizable as comedy. Unfortunately the most common premises for episodes to borrow from are weird pedo-adjacent age gap sports anime (you know the kind) because that’s apparently all this studio has ever made. 

The bottom line of Pastorale Mtriangle is that it’s an extraordinarily ambitious passion project from a studio that very obviously bit off more than they could chew, but they absolutely try, and the result is a disgusting mess. Disgusting is also the only word that fully describes the well-animated, incredibly NSFW ending theme which I won’t link here just google it if you have to. Given how Prussian Mountains can barely come across as intended to be horny 90% of the time, the end of every episode that featured this ninety seconds of softcore porn was shocking from the sheer contrast in art. 

Some episodes of Paper Marios are indefensible, and the translation is one of the worst jobs I’ve ever seen in professional subbing, minus whoever okayed the cat puns you’re a saint, but you really just don’t see trainwrecks of this scale and length happen without anyone stopping them anymore. There’s a real sincerity that contrasts the Actual legal infringement derivative nature of Pants Mozzarella, and its freaking bizarre in a way that should be checked out by a certain kind of selective anime fan. 

- qb i only watched this because it was hidive exclusive @queuebae on twitter

You have been visited by the busty cat of good fortune. High profits and bad anime will be yours but only if you reply to this post with "It's a great remembrance!"

#cat puns #pastel memories #pizza melodies #pasta mermaids #pickle mick #prancing marmalades #its a great remembrance!

[arojenniferwalters]

No canon straight characters; using labels needed for canonicity? and period accuracy in fanfic

These are some random thoughts I have on couple of posts I've seen on my dash lately, so I'm just randomly writing down my thoughts:

1) most characters are not actually straight on canon because they don't specifically say 'I'm straight' or 'i'm only romantically and sexually attracted to people of the so called opposite gender'.

This is very true. In fact, most character never identify as straight unless there are non-straight or trans characters in the work as a counterpoint. Grace Adler says she's straight. Jennifer Walters is not lesbian. Peter whatever from Doubt is still straight when dating a trans woman. Kenzi from Lost Girl reciprocates Bo's coming out.

I recently wrote a long meta on another sideblog about how a character never identifies as straight and how the writing and portrayal lead to credible non-straight interpretations even though I know he's supposed to be straight.

So basically, straight characters are usually explicitly straight when it's known that not everyone is. If there exists character who are trans or not straight, other characters then might also express their straightness in response.

But mostly it's cisheteronormativity that makes us accept that unless they state otherwise, they are supposed to be cis and straight.

(Of course this gets complicated when we talk about rep bcus 'they didn't say they aren't x or y' doesn't really count as proper rep. But it's complicated, but like headcanons are fair game. Like, 'you shouldn't hc this canon straight character as not straight' isn't a good argument, because few character actually *are* canon straight. Most characters just have the potential to be or are in m/f pairings but that doesn't mean that straight is the only thing they can be.)

2) Labels are great. Labels tell people without a doubt who that character is and it is incredibly validating to see characters identify the same way you do (shoutout to Aled Last!). But does a character need to use a label to properly count as having this identity, if there is strong coding and word of god?

I'm conflicted. I really am. Because you can do a decent job of making characters gay/lesbian/m-spec without necessarily using a label (although not using it can be obnoxious, especially with m-spec characters), that's not necessarily the same with a-spec characters. Because there's not enough rep for us for people to read in and accept the subtext/coding. (Canon ace, coded aro is another issue but that's semi besides the point)

Here I'm mainly thinking of Raphael Santiago in books vs TV show, and comparing 2 word of god demi characters; Rivka of Mangoverse and Julian Blackthorn of The Dark Artifices.

So, book!Raphael for a long time was barely/maybe coded aroace and after he was killed off he became a word of god aroace through twitter. Then came 2017 and the tv show and new book appearances and suddenly he got to verbally say ace (and/or aro) things without using the label. I haven't read-read the books with that canonization yet but it seems to be very clear now that he is sex and romance repulsed aroace. Great.

The tv show canonized his aceness before the books did but they did it without using labels and basically making a mess of his romantic orientation (is he still aro? Arospec? Alloromantic who just didn't feel rom attraction much? He never did pursue a romantic relationship with Izzy after the addiction mess even though they acknowledged that they cared for each other, but was it romantic from Raph? We don't know! *throws hands in the air in frustration*).

As much as I love show!Raphael, "I'm just not interested in sex." isn't necessarily the best way to establish aceness. Mostly because if you google 'not interested in sex', you get articles on libido and how to increase it, with one article talking about aceness, but not in the title. But the fact that Raphael says he's always been like this, that he's never pressured into having sex and is at peace with his orientation does, to me, make it good rep. I still kinda wish he'd used a label though.

Then the demi rep: neither Rivka nor Julian identifies as demi in text. Shira Glassman didn't at first realize she was writing Rivka in a demi way, in fact the backcover identifies her as straight (kinda as a 'there will be no romantic tension between Rivka and Shulamit' way, similar to Bo and Kenzi in section 1). But when people mentioned that she seems like a hetro demi, Shira embraced that and while the world doesn't do labels the way we do, she is still demi. I love her and I am happy she exists and she is accepted demi rep.

Now, Julian is a different thing. In TDA, he is 17, the year is 2012 and the Internet exists. After the 2nd book, people started speculating that Julian is demi based on how he thinks about never being attracted to anyone but Emma, and how he had started to feel different from his peers when he didn't start experiencing attraction like they did. Someone asked about this from Cassandra Clare and she answered the ask privately, saying that if he was a modern, non-Shadowhunter teenager and he had access to information about the identity, that he would identify as demisexual. The issue is that considering the timeframe (2012) and everything about his situation, he doesn't have access to that label so he doesn't use it.

So. Here we have a canon demi character, based on coding and word of god who has semi realistic reason for not knowing the label and thus not identifying with it, even though he would if he could. But a lot of people don't want to accept that. And that's where my issues come from: Julian says and thinks some very demi things, and to me doesn't do anything that invalidates his deminess. Why is that not enough? Like, I absolutely want him to use that label, I want to read him say it and find comfort in it. But why is his character not demi rep enough because he doesn't use the word?

Rivka has similar reasons for not having the label (not our world and the terminology doesn't exist) and while I doubt there are that much overlap between the 2 fandoms, I am curious about the difference. Neither one is not identifying as demi because they aren't demi, they don't identify as demi because they don't know the identity exists. Yet both are still demi characters.

How much does a character have to emphasize that they've only ever been attracted to one person/very few people, with the author validating that reading, before they are acceptable demi rep?

Another point is Princeless: Raven the Pirate Princess. That one has at least one demi character and maybe two acearo characters but they don't use labels. I love them all, but I feel uncertain about talking about Cid as an aroace character because she hasn't been talked about in that way the way Jayla has been. And I love Quinn and I cried when I read that the (pirate) ship has characters who identify as demisexual in a creator letter, but again, no one is using a-spec labels. It's frustrating. But it doesn't invalidate the rep.

3) I think the level of knowledge characters have on queerness should be an in-character discussion. Like, I've written characters as demi without the character using the label; I've written characters discovering a label; I have one fic where there's little possibility of the character having knowledge of the identity (because it's possible the label hasn't been coined yet). I try to stay in character about whether the character would know or have use for label and keep in mind the timeframe. There's a demi pairing I can't really write because neither characters exist in 2006 and beyond. Someone once complained that a book published in 2003 didn't describe the character as demi when the label hadn't yet been created while asexual worked as an umbrella term which included demis, so it still makes sense that the character would identify as asexual.

I don't think it's wrong to have a character be very knowledgeable about queer things if that's what you want to write, whether or not that's in character or realistic within the timeframe. Fanfic is about self indulgeance after all.

Some of that relates to what I'm in the mood to write. My magnum opus is 'this character is demi in all 78 eps of the show, but he'll only figure it out towards the beginning of the last season, just because I want that' and then I have another that's 'screw it, he has a better idea about his queerness but realizes the full picture in s4'.

I do try to be period accurate and think about whether or not the character would have access to the term. But sometimes I just want to have my faves identifying the way I want them to.

4) These are some very random, semi connected thoughts and I'm not even quite sure what the point was. I just feel like writing more about these things.

I am interested in discussing these issues. How much coding does a character need to be accepted as proper rep if the label isn't used? Can rep be valid if a random person reading it doesn't realize that there is that specific coding? If the book has queer readers, is there more leeway (sp) to not using the label, assuming that people reading a book with bi and trans characters or an f/f might also pick up the demi/ace/aro coding? If the author unknowingly wrote a demi character, does it still count if they accept that reading of the character and keep writing them as demi?

Anyway that was a lot of randomness.

#idk how to tag this #my ramblessay

[crystalracing]

Kimi Raikkonen 2008: Connecting the "dots"

September 10, 2013 UPDATE:  Today, Ferrari announced Kimi's re-signing for 2014 F1 season as a SF driver.   In many ways this is a confirmation of what we have been saying all along that Kimi's ousting at the end of his first stint took place under a totally unusual circumstances which had nothing to do with his racing and driving abilities.

I'll continue to update this documentary blog as new information becomes available but judging from the visitor traffic to this blog a lot of people are now even more curious as to why would Ferrari re-employ Kimi if in fact all those reasons and justifications to fire him were true... So, my guess is that we'll continue to learn a lot more about the details of 2008 events as the insiders continue to talk (they always do...).   We'll keep this documentary blog as an example of a Hall of Shame Piece for Formula One Journalists who have been either sleeping on the job or too scared to expose/talk about what goes on behind close doors...  

This is the working version of the article "

Why Kimi was not on top of his game in 2008"

-- the original was published in AS forum and F1Bias.com (Soren is a good friend).

Dates of events in the following timeline are important, because according to official Ferrari, or Santander accounts, and timelines most of the following did NOT take place in 2008, but in 2009.

You may read all original articles in this blog in their timeline order (starting from the bottom on the main page, all articles are posted under their original 2008 dates).

Why Kimi was not on top of his game in 2008

by wrcva

The period between April-July 2008 is probably one of the worst periods not only for Kimi’s F1 career but probably in his life.  All his life he and his family believed in hard work and doing their best to achieve good things on merit. In Kimi’s case this means putting his natural talents to best use in performing, and winning races.

2007 season was a dream come true year for Kimi.   He won the closely fought Formula One (F1) World Drivers Championship (WDC) and was ready for defending his title in 2008.   From all indications outlook for the 2008 season was pretty good, arguably conditions were even better than the 2007 season for Kimi to defend his title.

Backdrop for 2008:

 As of April, Kimi Raikkonen is already leading in WDC points 4 races into the 2008 season. Generally, life is good other than the management changes that took place at Ferrari as

Stefano Domenicali

replaced

Jean Todt

as the head of Scuderia Ferrari the 1st of January 2008. It's no secret that Todt and

Luca di Montezemolo

(LdM)

had a power struggle within Ferrari, something which lead to Todt'd eventual and swift exit. With Todt effectively out of the way from early 2008 and Domenicali, di Montezemolo's protege, in his place it was basically a different Scuderia overnight

(thanks to OSX).

"In 2007, [Todt] prepared the ground for Stefano Domenicali to succeed him as head of the Scuderia as from 1 January 2008. Then, on 18 March 2008, he resigned his position as Special Advisor to the Ferrari board, to be replaced by Amedeo Felisa. He nonetheless remained a member of the board of Ferrari for a further year before resigning all his functions within the Italian firm in March 2009."

April 27, 2008

-- FIA post-race press conf after winning Spain —

Kimi –

“It was a perfect weekend for us in Barcelona,” explained Raikkonen. “We were going really fast all the time and we didn’t have the slightest problem. Many times I have won and afterwards still had the feeling that it could have gone better. This time I did not have that feeling: this was probably the best weekend I’ve ever had in my career.”

Comment

: The guy won Spain just several days ago… then, all of a sudden Public Relations (PR) seed planting & “rumors” kick in.  It is not clear who started them but the mission was to melt the iceman because it would be terrible PR to get rid of a 2 times WDC, in the event that he managed to win the 2nd one in 2008.

In the following, partially narrated timeline, I tried to put the main news item with the earliest approx. date of first showing up (in google news based on article posting date) out of 100s or 1000s regurgitated ones for each article. They give a good glimpse into what was in Kimi’s mind as he was facing a psychological PR war, aside from racing issues during 2008.

May 1, 2008

–  

Luca di Montezemolo:

Massa’s future with the team is secure. It will be too damaging to partner Alonso with Kimi.  

Keke Rosberg:

Kimi has to make way for Alonso…

Stefano Domenicali:

Kimi is motivated from head to toe, and I know he is not thinking about retiring.“

here

.

Comment

: You can tell that they have been talking about Santander coming in as the new long term sponsor but the plan is to not to talk about it externally… This is the first time appearance of Kimi’s “motivation” by Domenicali. It is not yet used in a negative way but it is a crucial PR keyword because at this point they cannot start talking about Kimi’s performance as he is in the lead.  But, this is point the decision has been made that

Kimi has to go

. Also note the disconnect between LdM & Dom’s statements. Yes, the date is correct - May 1 2008, and Ferrari leaders are are forced to answer questions about the driver line-up, Kimi's motivation, and retirement rumors instead of talking about their win of Spanish GP several days ago.

May 8, 2008

– Niki Lauda scoffs at Alonso-to-Ferrari rumours —

"Raikkonen and Alonso together?"

former triple Formula One World Champion Lauda, 58, is quoted as saying by the German news agency DPA.

"Last year Raikkonen was champion and now he is number one. Why must we now discuss whether Alonso is going to go there?"

the great Austrian wondered.

"They already have the perfect team with Massa, so why should they bang their heads together?"

Lauda, who won two (1975, 1977) of his drivers' world titles with the Maranello based team, added.

Comment

: Hearing all kinds of rumors, Lauda is wondering WTF is going on at Ferrari as they seem to have one of the best line-ups for defending the championships they won with Kimi just six months ago... He is a racer and he simply is thinking about these rumors from the racing perspective as to why the team would change their existing WDC/WCC wining line-up... but what he does not know is that the seed is already planted about a month ago when

Emilio Botin, Fernando Alonso and Flavio Briatore

(Renault boss and Alonso's manager)

, and

Luca di Montezemolo

got together to discuss

Santander/Alonso Ferrari move

(April, 21 2008).   Interestingly, the next day

Montezemolo (April, 22 2008)

,  and subsequently

Briatore (April, 24 2008)

both denied the rumor

,

Briatore agreeing with Montezemolo that.

"When a team has two drivers equally good, the teammates become their biggest enemies. Pilots as Raikkonen and Alonso are complicated and put them in one team does not produce the best result for a team. During the last year, see the McLaren. Hamilton and Alonso lost the championship and the reason was simply because of their rivalry." -- link

So, by the first week of May 2008 Santander-Alonso-Ferrari plans were already in motion.   From this point on Ferrari's challenge is to manage the situation with the media and fans to make sure Kimi is phased out of Ferrari with minimal negative publicity for Ferrari for getting rid of their World Champion.  

May 24, 2008

– Alonso signs for Ferrari —

The word in the F1 paddock in Monte Carlo is that Fernando Alonso has just inked a deal to drive for Ferrari in 2010. No confirmation is expected for a year, and there may be denials of any arrangement, as there would obviously be some serious knock-on effects for other parties in the F1 paddock.

here

Comment

: Spanish press is going nuts over this as well at this time.. You can use google news with date filters if you want to see for yourself.   Emphasis:

do not confirm and deny until next year

— which they did…

June 6, 2008

– FIA interview —

Kimi: “

I still have a contract until the end of next year,” Raikkonen said during the press conference ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on Thursday. “I haven’t made any decision as to whether I will keep going or not. That’s the last contract I have and we will wait and see during this year and next year what happens.” “I haven’t made my mind up and we will see.”

"I like the racing and the other stuff is not always the best thing... When there's too many things that you don't enjoy, or you think that the whole thing is not what you want any more, then it's time to go away.  

Comment

: (this is the GP Hamilton rear ended Kimi) — why would this contract issue come up in the FIA press conference?   You can tell internal discussions about his departure is well underway.  Yet, we are only 7 races into the season…

July 10, 2008

–  German magazine Sport Bild

According to popular German magazine Sport Bild, it would seem that Spanish bank Santander would be moving from sponsoring McLaren to become one of Ferrari’s top sponsors from 2009 onwards. The big bank would have their adverts on the front and rear wings, alongside lettering on the drivers overalls. Ferrari have been touting for a new top sponsor since cigarette advertisers were not allowed in many countries, Marlboro being the major backer for many years. With a contract with Marlboro still in place, hash markings would still be on the cars. For the Scuderia though, Santander have said the major condition of their deal is that former World Champion Fernando Alonso would drive for the team. He won’t confirm his future, and will not comment until September.

here

Comment

:

Santander-Ferrari-Alonso deal is done at this time but negotiations with Kimi are in full force. Look at the desired date for the sponsorship… Now, how did Alonso come up with that

September

date, unless he red Kimi’s contract, and is familiar with the performance / and renewal options Kimi could exercise?   I think that is an accidental slip up by the Spaniard because the September date was significant only to Kimi’s contract.   He cannot comment on what will happen because they do not know what Kimi will do yet – as Ferrari is still negotiating! (see Sep 12 news, in the following).

July 11-19, 2008

--  Kimi's front suspension is updated sometime between these dates..

According to Interview with Ferrari team principle Domenicali on December 16 2008, this is the point Kimi lost his front suspension.   From all indications this was a surprise to Kimi, given how sensitive he is to changes made on the car.  

Question to Domenicali by Autosprint:

Did Kimi share his problems with you? - We always talk with each other and argue about general technical issues. From the technical point of view he was dissatisfied with front suspension, and it didn't work the way he wanted. The front suspension to suit him was a recurrent topic of our discussions. How fast did you discover that? - In midseason. We changed the suspension in Germany and returned it for Kimi in Monza.

In this interview Domenicali misspoke.  Kimi got his old suspension back in Singapore, not Monza. This issue is also alluded to by Michael Scumacher who is in charge of car development and updates:

“In a way it is his (Kimi's) strength that he has a very focused vision, and maybe sometimes it doesn't always help him. We could maybe help him more if he would ask for it,”

said Schumacher in an interview for BBC earlier yesterday. The German insisted that part of Kimi's loss in form in the second part of the season was because the Fin failed to adapt to the new developments introduced by Ferrari in the mid-season. “I think I have to protect him in many ways, because in the middle of the season we made some developments to the car but Kimi simply didn't get on with these ones. The moment we went back to those changes, we got him back to competitive lap times," link

Here, if we look at the WDC points table, from mid-July to the end of September Kimi was able to score only 9 points in 6 GPs. Surely, there was some bad luck involved as well...

July 20 2008

-- FIA -

German Grand Prix

Post Race driver quotes:

Look at Kimi's reaction in the interview in his own words:

"This was definitely not the kind of race we had been hoping for. We have struggled all weekend and we have to try and understand why. Usually, our race pace is always good, but today that was not the case, because I almost always suffered with a lack of grip: only in the final stages did the situation improve a little bit, but it was never enough to be competitive. We have a test in Jerez, where we will try and improve the car so as to arrive in Budapest in better shape. This is definitely not a crisis, but we have to study carefully the handling of the car to understand if we have taken the right road in terms of development." Source: http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2008/7/8126.html

Comment

:  Mr. Schumacher definitely knew what was the deal but maybe he did not have a chance to inform Kimi that his front suspension was totally different for the German GP...  This also amplifies the communication and turf problems between Domenicali and Schumacher.

Now, imagine or try to visualize what would Schumacher himself (as a driver) or Alonso would have done after learning the fact that their front suspension was replaced without their knowledge or they were not invited to driver debriefs... not a pretty picture huh.

Interestingly, Schumacher made another comment back in early April about Massa with a prediction.  At the time, it was not a big deal but hindsight his support for Massa, and willingness to predict his WDC chances, given his 3rd and development driver role for Ferrari, further supports the timeline that he knew a bit more...

"He (Massa) has zero points for the season, so it is not the best of starts ... he has played his jokers so far, and doesn't really have any more jokers to play,"

"But things will turn around very quickly I think in his favour. He is certainly still very capable of winning the championship this year.

"If Massa wins the championship at the end of the year, nobody will care or remember about the start of the season." (link)

July 31, 2008

– FIA Thursday press conference - Hungary

Question: People are talking about you retiring, not necessarily at the end of this year but at the end of next year. Are there any thoughts on that?

KR:

I never said anything like that. I only said that I have a contract until the end of next year and then somebody made up that I will stop at the end of this year or the end of next year, but I never said that.

here

Comment

: Guess who is propagating retirement rumors?   This is a pretty major PR war against Kimi… and they are wearing him out. You know, all by itself, it is pretty hard to fight for the WDC – even when you have full support from the team…

Aug 24, 2008

– FIA post-race press con –

Massa: “My win in Valencia moves me ahead of Kimi into second place in the championship. I’ve been asked if I feel Ferrari should favour me for the title since there are just six races remaining. All I can say is that I want to keep winning, to keep beating not just my teammate (Kimi Raikkonen) but others too,” Massa was quoted as saying on the Ferrari website. The Brazilian, who is on 64 points, six behind the leader Lewis Hamilton, further added that he has got nothing to do with such decisions. “I just do the best possible job for the team and leave the rest to the management,” he added.

Raikkonen is third on the table with 57 points. Meanwhile, Kimi has rubbished the claim that he lacks motivation.“Next week, we will go to Spa (venue of the next Grand Prix). I love this track. I will give it all to win again. If someone has doubt as far as my motivation is concerned: go ahead. I want to win. More than ever,” he said on the Ferrari website.

Comment

: Since April, Kimi’s lack of motivation stories have been propagating into millions of articles, blog and forum posts. (Google is your friend). Motivation is the keyword because they still cannot talk about performance…

Sep 12, 2008

– Ferrari confirm Raikkonen to end of 2010 —

Ferrari have announced an extension to Kimi Raikkonen’s contract for a further two seasons, keeping the world champion with the Italian team until the end of 2010. With Raikkonen’s teammate Felipe Massa also under contract for that period, it means Ferrari’s race line-up will remain unchanged until at least the start of their 2011 campaign. Raikkonen joined Ferrari from McLaren last season, while Massa has been with the team since 2006. The announcement should end media speculation suggesting that Raikkonen may retire at the end of this season.

here

Comment

: This is the automatic contract renewal option Kimi is exercising to increase the Santander/Ferrari payout based on exceeding his performance benchmarks on his contract.  He knows he is done with Ferrari… and if he could find a way, he could have left by the end of 2008.  He is loosing the PR war, but trying to secure finances in negotiations.  I also think this is the point that Kimi's generally cooperative relationship with LdM went south.  (read about

Kimi's contract

)

Sep 12, 2008

– Alonso "Kimi deal has no impact"

Fernando Alonso insists that Kimi Raikkonen's extended Ferrari deal has not put a dent in his plans for the future.  Ferrari announced on Friday that Raikkonen had extended his contract and would remain with the Scuderia until the end of 2010.

 This put an end to reports that Alonso could be heading to Ferrari at the end of 2009.

However, the Spaniard insists those were just rumours and that Raikkonen's deal has not upset his future plans.

"I knew already that they will extend the contract," he told Autosport. "Nothing has changed. "Talking about 2010 and 2011 is way too far for me. I want to win before that! "Always my plans were more focused on 2009 and in 2009 there was no possibility of Ferrari so it was never in my plans." It remains to be seen which team Alonso will race for next season as while Renault are keen to retain their double world champion, Honda are also reportedly on the look-out to sign him.

here

Comment

: Alonso knew Kimi had to exercise the automatic contract renewal option after negotiations with Santander failed... I guess he could not convince Botin to pay up Kimi to walk at the end of 2008, so he could move to Ferrari starting 2009.   It is interesting that Kimi's contract renewal announcement date is the same date as Alonso's statement: September 12 2008.

I also think between July and September 2008 Santander explored various possibilities to get McLaren let them off the hook from the exclusivity clause in the old Santander-McLaren sponsorship agreement but their attempts were unsuccessful (probably Ron asked for a lot of money).   If that took place Santander could have started their Ferrari sponsorship a year earlier.   So, during this period (until September) Kimi was waiting to see if he would be able to end his relationship with Ferrari at the end of 2008.

Sep 14, 2008

– FIA post race int. Monza —

Raikkonen. “

You don’t have to be Einstein to understand that this is not the right way to fight for the title. It’s not over yet, but now it will take a miracle, like one that makes lightning strike twice

.”

Comment

: He is not just talking about racing here. Even though he is still within the mathematical possibility with 4 races left in the calendar (he is 20 pts behind Massa, and yet that still is better odds than 2007); he is up to his neck in the swamp trying to fight/fend off elegators on multiple fronts:

Santander/Ferrari lawyers…

His relationship with Schumacher.  It was never emphasized in 2008 but I think it was a very significant issue.  For 2008, Michael’s role was, per LdM: “official 3rd driver, in charge of car development.”   See footnote 1 (and check out Michael’s Ferrari and wiki profile for his role in 2008).   Kimi did not like this at all because Michael was in charge of something (the car itself) that he had been used to controlling/influencing all his career. Link

Pressure from LdM and Dom to help out Massa because if Massa wins the 2008 WDC, Santander will be thrilled given their upcoming 2009 IPO in Brazil. In my opinion, Dom or LdM never mandated this, but they highly encouraged Kimi to fall back because financial implications for Santander, the future sponsor, was in Billions of $. (not Millions, it is Billions) And because Massa is a native son of Brazil who can mobilize local investors even better than Alonso. here.   In the end, Santander’s IPO gains were about $9 Billion. See footnote 2.   Note: IPO means Initial Public Offering. Or the stock market launch for that company. In this case, in Brazil. Click on this link to read about the inportance of Brazil to Santander.

Sep 24, 2008 - Pitpass –

Spanish media is claiming that Ferrari’s recent decision to re-sign Kimi Raikkonen until the end of 2010, is a smokescreen, aimed at putting everyone off the real story, which sees Fernando Alonso heading to Maranello as early as next year. Spanish newspaper Marca claims that Santander, which headed to McLaren with Fernando Alonso in 2007, is behind a move which will see the two-time champion join Felipe Massa. The Spanish banking giant is due to take its account to Ferrari next year, and, having lost out when Alonso quit McLaren after just one season, wants its national hero back on board and in a winning (red) car. It’s claimed that the bank will not only meet Alonso’s financial requirements but will also meet any compensation demanded by Raikkonen.

It is fair to say that the announcement that Raikkonen is to stay with Ferrari for two more years caught many by surprise, especially since the Finn appears to have lost his sparkle in recent months, a situation not helped by the fact that he is now almost certain – barring a miracle recovery – of having to play second fiddle to his Brazilian teammate. While several teams, most notably Honda, have been wooing Alonso, the Spaniard needs to be back in a winning car, and other than BMW – which is backed by Santander’s rival Credit Suisse – Ferrari appears to be the only option.

Comment

: Looks like negotiations for buying out 2009 failed, probably to Kimi’s dismay — from here on it is a Cold War within the team and

Kimi is the unofficial #2

by corporate decision because they still need to ramp up Massa’s standing in Brasil for the upcoming IPO.

The only thing they could not foresee was Massa’s accident in 2009. Kimi’s departure was a done deal as early as May, 25 2008, latest Sep 14 2008. They just had to make sure he did not accidently win 2008 WDC as Ferrari would have looked really stupid… Very curious about that pit screw up in Monaco, if it was real or orchestrated because this is where it all started, it is a milestone event for things starting to go wrong for Kimi for the rest of the year, along with some unlucky situations.

May 25, 2008 FIA post race Monaco — Kimi “A very poor race for me, right from the off. There was a problem with a wheel before the start and we broke the rules, which meant I was given a drive-through penalty. During the race, my main problem was trying to get the tyres to work as well as possible. Then we decided to change the strategy as we expected it to rain again, but it didn’t happen. Twice I had to change the nose after breaking the front wing. So, as you can see, a long run of things going wrong which explains the 0 points. I am sorry for Sutil, who I hit with just a few laps to go. I lost control of the car under braking coming out of the tunnel and I could do nothing to avoid him. It’s a shame how things went today, as we had the potential to do well. It’s true that I’ve lost the championship lead, but I always said the championship would be a very long one. Now we must prepare as well as possible for Canada where we will try to make up for this disappointment.”

That is why, Kimi always said;

“There are many reasons. In F1 there is always a lot of money and there can always be different options. That’s what happened in the end. It’s nothing to do with racing or what I do in the team.”

In short, Kimi was in the wrong team, at the wrong time stuck between Ferrari and future sponsor Santander, because he had the wrong nationality (the Latin lineup), relative to Santander’s business plans, and Ferrari’s role within.

January, 13 2009

-- Ferrari approves of Kimi's rally outing --

  Ferrari has no problem with Kimi Räikkönen contesting Finland's famous Arctic Lapland Rally later this month, team boss Stefano Domenicali has insisted.

Formula one teams often baulk at drivers' requests to engage in dangerous off-season activities, but it emerged last week that Räikkönen, the team's title winner of 2007, has entered himself as the driver of a Fiat Abarth S2000 in the event later this month.

"This is the traditional attitude we take to our drivers," Domenicali said at the launch of the team's new 'F60' single seater for 2009.

"We always try to have a very open attitude to what they do. I see this as an extra two days of testing for Kimi."

 -

here

Comment

: Why change of heart by Ferrari after two years with Kimi, all of a sudden approving a "dangerous sporting activity" for Kimi?   Because that was a part of

Kimi's separation negotiations

back in September that he will be allowed to participate in whatever sports activity he desired, including rallying.   Domenicali is referring to Michael's soccer activities in  "We always try to have a very open attitude to what they do."  

Possible reality is they are no longer concerned about Kimi or whatever happens to him as he is on his way out.  Again, note the dates...  

Now, let's fast forward to September 2009...

September 14 2009

-- Formula1.com - Q&A with Ferrari’s Stefano Domenicali--

  Formula1.com Q&A with Ferrari’s Stefano Domenicali

Q: After all the rumours it would be helpful to hear one word from you regarding Kimi’s future. Is Kimi driving a Ferrari in 2010?

SD:

I am definitely not going to discuss that now. As everybody is aware, Kimi has a contract with us next year and I am very happy with his performance because he is driving very, very well, especially in the second part of the season. The last five races he has always been on the podium and I think after Barrichello he has scored the most points, so he has shown true qualities of fighting for the championship. That is our position

.

Comment:  

So, Kimi's ousting is not officially announced yet...but the new contract was already signed and sealed about a year ago, back in Sep 2008 that;

Option 1) 2 year full pay (2010+severance) provided he walked away from F1 for 1.5 years.

Option 2) 1 years pay (2010) + some severance + get the McLaren seat.  

As we know Kimi took option 2 - you can read more about this

here

.

December 11 2009

-- SportsPro discussion interview --

  The following snippets are one of the few direct mentions of Massa's role within the Santander world from Mr. Cendoya, who is the Senior Executive Vice President in charge of Communications, Corporate Marketing and Research for Santander Bank (Mr. Botin's number 2 guy for sponsorship affairs)

.

... Cendoya is understandably reluctant to place the bank in the pecking order of Ferrari sponsors and says simply: In Ferrari, we are on the podium and the podium is a very good place to be. Ferrari has a process and they are going to announce the car and image later on. We are a main sponsor; we are not a title sponsor. I cannot say more... ... Cendoya rightly points out that Santander is not in charge of driver selection and intriguingly suggests that, for example, the commercial appeal of current Ferrari driver Felipe Massa might be an effective way of growing the brand worldwide the implication being that, even with Alonso on board, the bank's popularity might only increase in Spain by one or two percentage points, whereas the potential gains in other markets are significantly greater. Cendoya says it is all about creating an emotional link between potential new customers and the bank. How many Spanish people, for example, are today very happy because we are with Ferrari? I don't know, but in my opinion a lot because I received more than 700 emails giving felicitations for this agreement. Every employee in our bank can guess a figure but it could be 10 million. In Brazil there are 50 million fans of Formula One, 80 per cent of them are Ferrari fans and they now feel happy and proud of being part of the Santander group (source article::  Sport is playing its part in the Santander story).

This SprortsPro article is very telling about why Kimi had to go without mentioning his name even once.  Mr. Cendoya further states;

Cendoya makes clear, a cold, rational business decision, just as was the decision to sponsor McLaren three years ago. We started at the McLaren team, with an English pilot and a Spanish pilot at the beginning. We had a low presence in the team but we paid a lot of attention to every penny, peseta, euro that we were spending. We don't give money away. We have given a lot of attention over the last 100 years to caring for the money of our shareholders.

Comment

: This article also sheds light into Massa's continued presence at Ferrari without results (read update on this here).  His presence alone is enough to produce the expected

Return On Investment

(ROI) at the levels that are even better than what Alonso is able to generate as a Spaniard.   Santader's ROI does not even depend on Alonso or Massa winning races. Given their demographics they have enough appeal in the Latino world to satisfy Santander's financial expectations by just driving the red cars around to boost credit card, insurance, other financial instrument sales as well as merchandising.

What is a bit hard to understand is how the journos/media could not connect these dots to show what really went on in 2008.   You do not have to do any major investigation because pretty much everything is in the public domain.   While we understand commercial pressures on the racing business, 2008-9 was anything but sporting for Ferrari.   They should have just let him go after 2007 instead of playing all kinds of games, and engaging in a PR war to give it an appearance of performance problems.

I suspect, even Massa will not bet against Kimi’s performance this year, or when he appeared to beat him back in 2008-9 as he knows what the deal was relative to his role within the Santander world. I think Kimi understood the business aspect of the issues, and in line with his character never washed any dirty Ferrari laundry in public. Yes, he did have several unlucky situations but his fate was already signed and sealed mid season 2008 purely for business reasons. 2009 was essentially continuation of the 2008 theatrics until Massa’s accident. On another front, almost identical scenario (to Santander-Massa-Brasil situation) is in play for Perez in a Santander sponsored car (Ferrari or McLaren)   — Perez-Santander-Mexico, from the same playbook.

November 8 2012

-- Spanish sports newspaper Marca --

  Asked by the Spanish sports newspaper Marca to recall his memories of racing for F1′s most famous team Ferrari, Raikkonen answered: “Neither good nor bad.“

I won a title with them and had some good times. I am satisfied with the three years I spent there.

“I don’t miss anyone,” he admitted. “To me, leaving there (Ferrari) was a relief.“

The situation could have been better, but it’s the past and what is done cannot be reversed,” said Raikkonen.

“Things don’t last long if you’re working somewhere and the relations are not good.”

He explained that, in contrast, he enjoys working with Lotus.

“I felt good from the start,”said Raikkonen. “

People work hard and calmly, but they want to win and the sport and the technical sides come before the politics.” --

Source

.

December, 4 2012

--

Mercopress.com

--

  For Spain’s Santander bank Brazil is number one and ‘absolute preference’

Emilio Botin chairman of Santander Bank, the leading financial institution in Spain and among the top largest in the European Union said in Sao Paulo that Brazil is the “number one country in Latin America” and the absolute preference of his institution...

read full article

Footnotes:

1) As to how things evolved with the car I am not totally sure, but the person who had a front seat was Chris Dyer.  In the following quote, he is reflecting on 2008 season.

“We had a tough and hard season but Kimi did exactly the right thing within the team and everyone respected what he did and how he reacted to this situation. We had a fantastic car but unfortunately we made mistakes when thinking about what’s best for our driver (Raikkonen).”

I believe the "situation" he is talking about is the Ferrari corporate decision to support Massa – not exactly sure when, but possibly Sep 24. (Kimi was told that they have to let Massa contest the 2008 championship because they are stuck with this request from Santander).

I think

“we made mistakes when thinking about what’s best for our driver”

bit is referring to Michael Schumacher, because Michael wanted Massa to be the official feedback/debrief driver sometime around Monaco. I think all of Michael’s initiatives were well intentioned organizational efficiency related enhancements trying to help Ferrari without favoring any driver but because he was closer to Massa probably Massa benefited more from them.

The other issue was the infamous suspension change that was introduced mid-season, again by Michael's planning and directives.   It was a unilateral action by him as he was trying to improve the car.  

link

If you recall, recently Kimi said there was only one person at Ferrari he did not like… he did not name that person but I believe it is Michael, because Michael was officially in charge of the car. I think he was/is on good terms with Domenicali and Luca di Montezemolo (LdM) because he understood the Ferrari business situation that he could not control but Michael was in charge of something (the car itself) he has been used to controlling all his career. In any event, this area – Michael’s role — needs more research because it is mostly opinions. I suspect Dyer will talk or imply after his departure mid year.

2) Massa was at the right place, at the right time and with the right Sponsor, given his nationality.  In fact Botin personally made sure

Massa was taken care of

even before the 2010 Ferrari sponsorship started:

Massa-“I’m glad to get this support from Santander. Lately I met President Emilio Botin twice and he is absolutely excited about the potential of the Brazilian market…

Being Brazilian, going into the IPO Massa became the

brand ambassador for the bank

(read the last paragraph in the link relative to the date of the article. Alonso was supposed to be in the list but not Massa, on that date) sometime during the summer of 2009, well before Santander-Ferrari relationship kicked in on Jan 1, 2010 (Alonso had been the brand ambassador for Spain for a while). This was a direct Massa-Santander payroll relationship ~$5-7M per year.

Fast forward to Nov 2011,

Botin decided to personally fire him

because he was upset with Massa for the results of 2010/2011 seasons. To understand the importance of Latin America to Santander, just look at their annual reports. So, to those who have been wondering why Massa has been with Ferrari despite underperforming? Because his nationality has been more important than his performance. And remember this stuff was not supposed to take place prior to Jan 1, 2010.

Global recession further increased the importance of Brazil

for Santander as they are desparately looking for new markets to offset losses in Spain. Therefore, they couldn't afford to drop Massa despite his not so stellar performance between 2010-2012, so they had to renew his contract.

This area could use some more research – journos: talk to some ex employee perhaps…

Posted 10th September 2013 by wrcva canvass

#Kimi Raikkonen #ferrari #raikkonen #Scuderia Ferrari #F1 #fernando alonso #Felipe Massa #Massa

[bulletprooflarrybackup-blog]

Louis Twitter Analysis: Comparative Notes

Looking at the 2011 and 2012 analyses separately provides some insight into the changing dynamics of the band, Harry & Louis and their increasing fame and modest!'s control. 

But perhaps the most damning evidence of the publicity-driven scheme going on behind-the-scenes of @Louis_Tomlinson's twitter, his girlfriend's twitter and even his mother's twitter is only fully understood when comparing the patterns over time.

In 2011, Louis' tweets were a little erratic. There was no consistent tweeting pattern. It should stand to reason, then, that as the band got bigger and busier, the pattern might hold or become even more pronounced. However, that is not the case. The 2012 trend line shows a more consistent tweeting pattern, especially in the final 3 months of the year, the busiest 3 months the band has ever experienced. 

The dip in July 2012 is interesting as this has been suggested as the time in which Louis gave up most of the control of his Twitter account to PR. This graph supports that theory given the increased consistency of the Tweets which suggests a social media campaign, rather than organic thoughts Tweeted to the masses as they occur. 

In 2011, Louis' tweets to Harry tended to follow his total tweets. They were about 10% of his tweets every month. In 2012, they were less than 1% of his total tweets the entire year. Interestingly, 10% of Louis' tweets in the last half of 2012 were to Eleanor and about dispelling the "crazy Larry conspiracy." 

. 

This is a graph showing Louis' tweets to/about his girlfriends vs. Harry spanning January 2011-December 2012. The differences are obvious. 

In 2011, Louis tweeted almost exclusively to Harry in comparison to girlfriends. The spike as Elounor began is telling.

The break in the patterns truly begins in December 2011, which is when I believe a social media campaign was drafted and implemented. This included Eleanor getting a Twitter account, an apparent ban on Harry & Louis tweeting directly to or about each other and a plan to use Louis and Eleanor's accounts to promo certain products and artists.

Now here's where it starts to get really interesting.

Lookie there. Immediately following the first Eleanor article, the spike in promo tweets from @Louis_Tomlinson begins. And it spikes and spikes and spikes again.

The first spike coincides with the first month Louis began tweeting about Eleanor in earnest.

The second spike comes immediately following April 2012 and coincides with the all the gay in Australia/New Zealand. 

There is another, smaller spike that comes the month Louis allegedly gave up most of the control of his twitter. Imagine that. 

The final and most pronounced spike came the month of the VMAs, Taylor ramp-up and the "bullshit" tweet. It was also the beginning of the X-Factor season in the UK. We learned shortly after this spike in promo tweets for the X-Factor that modest! had lost that account. 

While there appears to be a slide down into December, October and November still had the 2nd and 3rd highest number of promo tweets in 2012. 

Most importantly, note how the tweets to/about Eleanor almost exactly mirror the trend line for the tweets to/about promotional things. This correlation suggests that @Louis_Tomlinson and @eleanorjcalder tweet each other during important promotional events. Does that sound like a genuine relationship to anybody? No. It doesn't. It's contrived and easily manipulated. If they go to these kinds of lengths to make it appear they are together in blatant coordination with promotional events and periods of time, that suggests, to me, that the relationship isn't a real one. 

Wow. All the lines mirror each other exactly. Again,I don't think modest! controls Jay's Twitter account. But I think Jay does participate in the promotional aspect of this relationship, even more so than Louis. While this doesn't prove Louis and Eleanor's relationship is not real, it does incite some very serious questions about why Louis' mother only tweets her son's girlfriend when it's convenient for modest!'s bank account.

Now, here is a Google Analytics graph showing the trend line for searches of "One Direction" in the U.S. in 2012:

This graph also mirrors the trend line for the promo tweets and tweets to/about Eleanor from Louis and Jay's accounts, showing that, as interest in One Direction increases and wanes, the tweets from Louis and Jay seem to adjust accordingly. Sounds like someone (read: modest!) is monitoring the search trends and site analytics and adjusting their social media plan accordingly. 

So there you have it. 

#twitter analysis #lt tweets #hs tweets #jay #anne #elouno #mine #timeline

[alemoncakelife]

SANSA STARK WAS NOT A STUPID BRAT. HERE’S WHY

 So I see this a lot where people tend to describe Sansa as ‘no longer being the stupid bratty child she was’ and of course they’re talking how she acted Season 1. Now, I will never dispute that Sansa Stark was naive, because every single child character in the series is naive. This is because they are children. However, I will argue against any statement that claims Sansa was ever a ‘brat’ or ‘stupid’, because it’s a terrible misinterpretation of her scenes. So just to be sure I was making a legit argument, I looked up the actual definitions of these words:

Now I’m going to argue why Sansa Stark is not - and never has been - these 2 things...

NOT A BRAT

Yes, Sansa is a child. She is 13 in the show. But she is renowned for being an exceptionally well behaved lady who prioritises manners. Take the scene where Sansa is trying to act like a real Southern Lady with Septa Mordane. She is trying to act like she is too grown up to need a Septa and ends up being rude, and she regrets it. This is her face after she says “Oh wait. I just realised. I don’t care.”

In this scene she is so clearly trying to imitate Cersei as she believes that this is how a true Queen should speak and act. This is naive of her. Yet when Septa tells her, “Now you are being rude” her expression changes to this:

It’s the face of a guilty girl!! She’s upset that someone finds her rude. She doesn’t want to be rude! She is just trying to prove to everyone that she would make a good Queen.

Also, this moment is literally Sansa at her worst, and it’s really nothing to hate her for. All she does is make some snarky remarks and regret them almost as soon as she makes them. Heck, if anyone is badly behaved it’s wild child Arya who physically attacks her sister in front of the royal family and stabs a table repeatedly with a knife when she’s angry. Yet Sansa seems to be the Stark Child referred to by fans as a brat?

-

A lot of people also criticise her for being spoiled and wanting to be Queen, which links to her supposedly bratty behaviour. This criticism seems to come from the scene with Catelyn where Sansa claims that marrying Joffrey is “The only thing I’ve ever wanted”. 

I can understand why people would think this makes her spoiled. But in truth, all of the Stark children are spoiled. They are children to the most powerful family in the North and Cat and Ned are not strict with them imo. For example, when Catelyn sees Bran climbing she firmly tells him not to, but then when she sees he’s lying about obeying her, she just makes a joke out of it??! And when Arya uses a bow and arrow which goes against all her Septa’s efforts to make a Lady out of her, Ned simply applauds her. Ned also lets her keep Needle. For goodness sake they let their kids have direwolves for pets!! My point is, Ned and Cat seldom really say no to any of their children. So for Sansa to say it’s the only thing she ever wanted is actually pretty clever, because she knows that if she says that, they’ll probably say yes. (and they did.)

SIDE NOTE: It’s never the fault of a child if they are spoiled. It’s the fault of the parents. Charlie And The Chocolate Factory teaches us this. But Sansa is NO VERUCA!! A lot of fans say they don’t feel sorry for Sansa when she suffers because she was spoiled before. That was a part of her life that was caused by her parents. Not by her. And how does getting spoiled mean you deserve to be stripped, beaten and forced to stare upon your father’s rotting severed head? I can’t even use Google Maps to find logic for that.

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There’s also a lot of hypocrisy by some fans as many hate Sansa for wanting to be Queen (for like 1 year) and hail Daenerys, Margaery and Cersei who devote their lives to gaining power and wearing crowns. Sansa’s reasons for wanting to be Queen are very different to the others however. Sansa Stark wanting to marry a Prince and be a Queen is not unlike a teenage girl today wanting to marry a famous footballer and be a WAG. It’s not a desire for political power and superiority. Sansa probably shares her ambitions with hundreds of other noble girls in Westeros. Her want to be Queen also never meant she wanted to betray her family, which is another common gripe some have with her. Sansa simply wants to spread her wings like any other teenager and fly out into the world and do well in the world. She believed that being Queen was the ultimate honour for a woman and she’d make her family proud of her! She acknowledges the power she could bring to her family if she were Queen. “He’d be the 2nd most powerful man in the kingdoms”. This is what she says about her father when she’s considering how she may be travelling South to marry Joffrey. If her want to be Queen was linked with a want to betray her family, she’d probably say something like, “I’d be marrying the most powerful man in the kingdoms.” yet she doesn’t say this, because she doesn’t want power for herself, but for her whole family. When her father was arrested, Sansa literally begs Joffrey to spare his life in front of the whole court which puts her at enormous risk of being charged with treason herself. In that moment, Joffrey could have easily charged her refused to make her a Queen. If Sansa truly put Queen Life above family, why would she risk lsoing that title to save her father? Notice that she only wrote that ‘treacherous’ letter to Robb because Cersei told her that the fate of her Father depended on her writing to Robb. That letter wasn’t Sansa taking the Lannister’s side, that was her saying what she had to say to keep Ned alive. I’m done with people suggesting she wasn’t loyal to her family from the start.

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Now let’s talk about the importance of Cinnamon Roll/Direwolf Lady.

This is easily the most misinterpreted story and aspect of Sansa’s character EVER. Sansa loves Lady, just like all the other Stark’s love their wolves. Lady loves  Sansa and the two have such a sweet, pure relationship and a bond that’s much deeper than Ned, Septa Mordane or anyone else for that matter can understand. 

Lady was unfairly killed, and it was not Sansa Stark’s fault. This. Is. A. Fact. When asked by King Robert who was in the wrong (Joffrey/Arya) she takes nobody’s side. This is because Arya is her family and she won’t betray her, but Joffrey is her betrothed (and she’s seen his temper now) so she won’t betray him because it could lead to a lifetime of misery for her family. Either way, whoever side she would take would cause a massive problem somehow. She Sansa says “I don’t remember...I didn’t see”. Nobody suspects for a minute that Lady’s life has anything at all to do with this situation. So Sansa’s answer is not something that condemns her pet. It is then Cersei who suggests killing Lady as punishment for Nymeria’s attack which is ridiculous but Robert agrees and Ned fights against it pretty feebly. He could have followed him and pestered him to change his mind but nope. And Sansa puts up a FIGHT. 

“No. Not Lady. Lady didn’t BITE ANYONE SHE’S GOOD!”  is what Sansa yells at both Cersei AND Joffrey. This is very unusual behaviour for Sansa because until now she’s tried extra hard to get this pair to like her but now her direwolf’s life is about to be taken by them she is more than willing to snarl at them. 

This isn’t bratty behaviour. This is a girl who doesn’t want her best friend wolf to die. 

Then when Ned does kill Lady, however humanely, Sansa is rightfully furious with him for many episodes. Her coldness towards him isn’t unjustified. Imagine if your own dad killed your pet! You can’t tell me you wouldn’t be saltier than the Dead Sea about it for a long long time. It’s not like Ned just broke his daughter’s favourite toy. He took the life of a creature who had an almost spiritual connection to his child. 

This is why Sansa doesn’t appreciate the doll Ned gets her. He tells her it’s made by the person that makes all of Princess Myrcella’s toys. But she doesn’t want to be like the little Princess. “I haven’t played with dolls since I was 8″. So that’s 5 years Ned hasn’t been paying attention. She doesn’t want to be a little girl anymore. She is due to be a Queen. She wants to be seen as an adult. It’s also a piss poor compensation for Lady’s life. A doll couldn’t make her feel safe. A doll is fragile and lifeless. If anything it just makes Sansa more sad. Yet she never threw a tantrum. She never wrecked the doll. She simply gave her dad an icy look and left the table. Need I mention that she didn’t leave the table without asking “May I be excused?” Wow. What a BRAT!! •rolls eyes so intensely people think I’m warging.*

So to conclude the section about Sansa being a brat. She isn’t. She’d be a brat if she was crying about not getting to eat lemon cakes in King’s Landing. She’d be a brat if she tore up her Northern dresses because they didn’t look as pretty as the Kings Landing Couture. But Sansa stark is courteous and dignified at almost every moment, even when she is angry or heartbroken. When she lashes out, it is not because of trivial things, it is because her innocent wolf was killed by the very Man she trusted most. Her unhappiness is more than understandable.

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NOT STUPID

There are plenty of characters who call Sansa stupid, but that doesn’t mean they’re right. There is a difference between being naive to the world and just being downright dumb. Sansa is a very intelligent 13 year-old.

Many think that Sansa only got smart when Ned died or Littlefinger took her under his sleazy wing. I disagree. Sansa knew the role she had to play and she played it. So she learns that King Robert plans to wed her to his son. Then when Cersei summons her during the feast, Sansa smiles, makes eye contact, stands confidently and uses all her courtesies despite probably being nervous because she knows it’s important she builds a good relationship with the Royals. Sansa also keeps her cool around Joffrey. On the Kingsroad when he lashes out at her, she never again brings it up to him. She knows she’ll have a better relationship with him if she acts like the incident never happened, and since she’s going to be his wife for life at some point, it’s vital that they have a relationship that at least comes off as a good one. 

Furthermore, Sansa is not a character that’s aware of the game of thrones. She’s ignorant to it. So it Arya. So is Joffrey. All the kids are ignorant to this game at the start. So it’s not like Sansa was the only one who doesn’t get how Kings Landing really works. Joffrey only learns to play it a little when Cersei attempts to teach him. “Everyone who isn’t us is an enemy.”

Sansa may not get the snaky side of the city. But she understands politics, and she knows her history. The scene in the throne room between her and Septa Mordane shows us that Sansa is smarter than anyone knows! She tells the Septa who built the iron throne and who built the Red Keep. But she surprises Septa by stating that her Grandfather and Uncle were murdered here by the Mad King. She also knows that there’s a lot of pressure on her to give birth to male heirs. She knows what may happen if she could only provide Joffrey with daughters. She knows her responsibilities and the stakes. A stupid girl would just be excited to be Queen, but Sansa is looking at all the possibilities and risks. Septa Mordane tries to protect her by avoiding discussion about the Mad King and what would happen if she only had girls. But Sansa pushes her to discuss it. If she was truly an idiot, she would let Septa tell her how great it will be when she sits by her husband’s side.

Then she tries to utilise the good relationship she’s built with Joffrey and Cersei to keep Ned alive.

This whole scene reinforces how smart she is! 

First off, this is the most Southern she’s ever looked, this is because she knows that she needs to make the court believe she is loyal to the South and the Lannisters. She wears Joffrey’s pendant to remind him of her loyalty to him. She then drops to her knees to assure the King that she deeply respects him. It’s almost like she’s praying to him. She’s really appealing to his pride! Then she blames everyone who’s betrayed the crown for Ned’s treason. She implies that Renly or Stannis lied to him. She suggests that the milk of the poppy clouded his mind. She reminds everyone how loyal her Father was to Robert and how much he loved him. She says everything and anything that may deter her Father from truly being treasonous. This is one of the bravest, most intelligent things Sansa has ever done, and if Joffrey wasn’t so capricious, it would have saved her Father’s life.

A dumb girl wouldn’t have paid such close attention to her appearance and word choice. A dumb girl probably would have just believed that her dad was a traitor because a boy she fancied and a woman she idolised said so. But Sansa doesn’t believe them. She even asks to speak with him. The moment he’s arrested she constructs a plead for his life. If she was stupid, she wouldn’t even know how to do that.

So there we have it. A super long post about how I disagree with the notion that Sansa Stark has ever been a stupid brat. I see her as an intelligent child who knew what was expected of her and learnt all she could to best play her role in the world. She loved her family despite their quarrels and was and always will be loyal to them. And if you think I’m wrong, cool... and I guess the look she gives Joffrey after he kills Ned Stark means she still wants to be Queen and have his babies. #TRAITOR

#sansa stark #my opinion #game of thrones #gotsansastark #long post #just my feelings