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ganymedesclock · 3 months

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This might be extremely late and maybe you already got an answer about this and isn't in su anymore but if it was possible do you think Greg should reconcile with his parents despite everything they done to him?

TL;DR I think "should" doesn't really have anything to do with it in cases of personal relationships.

This may come at a contrast to a lot of how "redemption discourse" tends to get circled around but one thing I think that a lot of people don't realize is that when you are talking about specifically heroes and villains in actionized series, there tends to be an accidental blend of "are we going to personally develop a friendship with Badguy McStabs" and "are we going to pull Badguy McStabs off this railroad track before the train hits him"

Longer deliberation under the cut,

The thing is. In a lot of stories. protagonists tend to have, or acquire, or assert, a lot of say over the situation. To use SU as an example, if Steven decides he is not going to work with White Diamond in any magnitude, draw an us-vs-them line and not allow any of his allies to work with her either... White Diamond does not really have a lot of options besides dying- or getting exiled to the middle of nowhere in a 'technically not a death' death sentence. Steven, at this point, is functionally one of the ruling authorities of Homeworld and leading an active revolution.

What Steven Universe does that I think is particularly relevant to this topic is it points out that Steven can choose to let White Diamond have a functional life, while 1. meaningfully halting the threat that she poses and 2. not choosing to personally be her friend.

SU Future makes it pretty darn obvious that their relationship is strained. White has become, in no uncertain terms, the weird grandma that Steven feels some familial obligation to but is not sure he likes. Sure, as his weird grandma she's very enthusiastic about connecting with him but she's out of touch and condescending and a lot of things he doesn't personally like.

By contrast, the thing with Greg and his parents, is similar to the thing with Steven and Marty, or Steven and Kevin. If Our Hero does not extend an olive branch in this situation... nothing's directly gonna happen to these guys. We cannot say directly, unambiguously clear-cut, Greg's parents will suffer if Greg never talks to them again. They may miss their son, but, well, at that point, we're weighing their hurt feelings over Greg's hurt feelings at his upbringing, which we know he was miserable about.

Any time we talk about rehabilitating an antagonist, we're actually talking about multiple bundled concepts.

-Does the antagonist specifically stay in power, or remain unchecked?

In the case of White Diamond, the answer to this is no- while she is still ruler of Homeworld, her relationship with her peers has completely changed and Steven now directly has the public authority to put a check on her and be backed by Homeworld's own resources.

-Does the antagonist functionally get to have a life after this?

I would generalize this out from "does the antagonist die or not"- think about someone going to jail, implicitly for a life sentence, or as Vlad Masters from Danny Phantom, getting flung out into the depths of space for the rest of his existence. They are nominally alive but narratively they have still been put in a neat tidy box where they will never affect anybody's life again, the end goodbye.

-Does the hero or heroes personally keep the villain in their life after this?

That's what this question is getting at. And your intention may not have ever been to touch the other two- we KNOW Greg's parents have or had some kinda life and presumably didn't get fired or forced into destitution by their son running away. The thing they lost was access to Greg- and in time, to Steven. But I think whether or not you answer yes, or no, to this question, it's important to split it off from the other two- because that's where a lot of people can get into really intense arguments about this- where person A thinks that the answer is "yes, they should be redeemed", meaning, "obviously take them out of power and the heroes may not want them around personally but like, don't kill them or ruin their life, yeesh" and person B hears that yes and thinks that person A means "they should not experience ANY consequences for their behavior and in fact be directly coddled by people they hurt whether or not those people independently want to"

And when "is someone good or bad" is inevitably complicated as all hell even in media where it's the Happy Caring Friends Of Hug-A-Lot vs. The Hateful Nasties Of Mount Meanie, you can see where boiling things to imperfect extremes and then getting really mad at people is both an enduring pastime for the ages and also not a great way to read media.

To follow up my opener- at the point where it's just about who do you choose to keep in your life or not, no implicit threat of death or fantastical consequences... I don't think moral imperatives really matter that much.

At the end of the day, we're never going to know Greg's mind fully, even having a deeper lens into him than we'd ever have into a real-world associate given we've watched him as an audience. We aren't going to know his entire situation. And even if we somehow, perfectly did... we'd still have different answers on whether or not he "should" forgive his parents, based on innumerable factors, none of which are "are we, ourselves, Good or Evil"

So I just don't think framing it as a potential imperative, should he, is gonna get us anywhere. It's just not the knife to cut this particular question with. I'd be more interested in would he, or if so, what might that look like? good idea? bad idea? or even just, how did his parents feel about all this, what's their side of the story and how does that inform our read of Greg?

#Steven Universe #on redemption in general #readmore

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uwmspeccoll · 1 month

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Ambiguous by Nature

I wanted to share a beautiful rendition of Leda and the Swan by the renowned Irish poet William Butler Yeats (1865-1939). It comes from Wisconsin artist Mark Brueggeman, who taught in the Department of Art and Design at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point for 27 years. He is a versatile, talented artist known for his work in stain-glass, painting, drawing, and printmaking. This work has now extended his work to include the roles of both publisher and illustrator. According to a quote from hiddenstudiosarttour.com, Brueggeman states he has “always enjoyed the look of text incorporated into drawings and paintings.”

Brueggeman's artwork is a rare gem, a testament to his meticulous craftsmanship. Printed in an edition of 15 copies at Brueggeman's Atelier Vermeil Studio in 2015, the work is a blend of letterpress and intaglio prints on Root River Mill paper handmade by the artist and several of his colleagues, and published as a portfolio of broadsides.

The poem, rooted in a Greek myth about a sexual encounter between the immortal god Zeus and the beautiful Spartan queen Leda, presents a unique perspective. In Yeats’ version, he offers a provocative and ambiguous account of a sexual act. Brueggeman's visual interpretation of the poem adds another layer of intrigue, leaning into the vague nature of the poem itself.

The artwork and poetry blend seamlessly, taking on a sensual yet brutal quality. They intentionally leave much to the reader's imagination, allowing for various interpretations and assumptions. However, one thing is certain in the poem and the artist’s rendering: following the rash and impulsive act, Leda is left on her own, carrying the knowledge of the future consequences that their union has created.

-Melissa, Special Collections Classics Intern

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boba-t-butch · 10 months

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happy pride! this is my second summer without tits, third on testosterone. sometimes the enormity of the international, intergenerational, interconnected, intersecting systems of privilege, power, marginalization, and oppression that shape who i am feels overwhelming and incomprehensible. gender-affirming care saves lives, as in i was unable to do the work of figuring out who i want to be until i could exist in a body that felt like my own. gender-affirming care saves lives as in i could not imagine a way to continue forward in the body i was in.

i grew up in a world that fundamentally failed queer kids like me, where the main comfort organizations could offer was the idea that "it gets better". i've spent most of my life dissociated, a messy combination of gender and neurodiversity and cPTSD, trying to make it to the "better". and now i'm here! in adulthood, learning to feel my feelings, trying to imagine a way forward. and it's still hard and it still sucks and sometimes i want to throw up hands up say this is it!? "it gets better" and this is all there is?

i believe all people should have access to the care that i've been lucky enough to access. i recognize it's an enormous privilege that i'm able to exist comfortably as myself now, but it really shouldn't be. it's so frustrating how obvious it feels that things don't need to be this way. but im also realizing that guilt and shame and self-flagellation won't actually contribute to the systemic change necessary to extend this privilege to more people.

i am committed to building towards a world where self-determination isn't a privilege at all but the baseline. and im still learning how to do that work in a way that's sustainable and realistic.

for today, i'll let myself take pride and joy and comfort in asserting. i am queer. and i am still here.

(she/they butch lesbian)

1. selfie, moss is outside with greenery in the background. they're wearing a black tank top that says stonewall in white font. she has long wavy black hair, an undercut, and faintly visible facial hair

2. selfie, moss is wearing denim overalls and her top surgery scars are visible.

3. mirror selfie in a dirty round pink mirror. moss is wearing jeans and a brown leather bulldog chest harness, visible top surgery scars and body hair. moss is also wearing over the ear headphones and is holding a blue journal. calico cat naomi is sitting on the corner of their bed. her room has strong autistic vibes, including a stuffed dragon on a shelf and posters of garnet from steven universe, superknova the korean trans girl musician, and ones that read "mutual aid is the future", "queer til death", and "rest is productive".

#face #moss #mine #qtbipoc #butch

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bonefall · 11 months

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I think the most pertinent, fundamental question to ask at this point is: How canon do we want to make the 1981 musical Cats by Andrew Lloyd Webber to Better Bones? Since you've done so fantastically well at fleshing out alternate but no-less-viable systems of belief, that door has been left wiiiide open. Stripped of the zany dance numbers and stage actors in copious makeup, you can't deny that the underlying Jellicle cat religion / Heavyside Layer wouldn't be out of place. Don't lie to us. Don't you dare.

We don't know when the musical takes place, but as for where, the Jellicle Cats and their religion are centralized in a junkyard somewhere in London. Depending on how far their area of influence extends, there could be a few cats in a sect or two of BloodClan who practice the faith of a land to the south, or otherwise believe in the existence of the Heavyside Layer. Or say, the junkyard is done away with in the late 90's and a diaspora of Jellicle Cats spreads across the land. Their descendants hope one day to make the pilgrimage for one last ball, and are invariably seen as Rather Offputting by everyone. (In-story it'd all amount to rare sequiturs from a nameless extra or two which increase in probability the further one heads south.)

Hey bonefall hey, do you think Skyclan has a word for this? It'd be a corruption of the English "dear little [cats], of which "Jellicle" is a romanization. How would you say Jellicle with Clanmew pronunciation?

You can't run from this forever.

Stripped of the zany musical numbers and stage actors in copious makeup??? What are you, Tom Hooper?!

If you're going to put the Jellicles in the BB Universe, you fucking BETTER be taking inspiration from the cancelled 1997 Steven Spielberg animated musical adaptation which places the cats in postwar London sometime circa 1945 and implied that the cats had heavily cultural emphasis on song, dance, and performance

Which btw would place Grizabella's Jellicle Ball pretty firmly in the Code Era of my adaptation (built around the canonical tidbit that Turtle Tail was hit by a Ford Model T meaning the Dawn Era was pre-war).

It would be before the main Warrior cast is born (Except Holly due to infamous Time Travel Shenanigans)-- but Jellicles, after all, were there when the Sphinx was built, so it's safe to assume they'd still be around in the future as a cultural group.

Really the biggest barrier is that they live in bloodbourne London. Too far southeast to communicate with Clan cats or even BloodClan, who are northwest. Park Cats are from further south, but no further south than Gloucestershire at most.

So, serious answer, they can absolutely be canon in this universe, or at the very least they can be slotted in easily. I built a brand new religion system exactly to accommodate the existence of multiple cultural groups and honor the afterlives of each.

In fact, Jellicles fit perfectly into it.

They have a heaven (Heavyside Layer) but no hell, exactly the way that a "vanilla" type religion can form on its own. Really there's just one question-- what's their leader power?

Old Deuteronomy...

Is said to have lived many lives in succession (possible continual reincarnation?)

May choose the next cat to ascend to the Heavyside Layer (immediate patronification?)

But at the same time, there are some cats who seem to display magical powers, akin to the Sister's power distribution system. Mr. Mistoffelees is one, able to perform simple magical tricks. As far as I remember, there are two.

Conjuration (Ability to change the location of an object in space)

Levitation

These both seem like versions of the same power, really. It makes sense, too, that culturally they would value agility to the point of veneration. It ties into dancing, avoiding cars and dogs, stealing things.

In any case though-- you begin to lose these sorts of abilities the further you go from a group, without some kind of token. The Sisters are the example I've written so far; Tree needs some kind of item in order to see ghosts when he's not near the rest of the Sisters. The Jellicles are also a pretty proud group, I can't see them making these "tokens" for any old wanderer.

So maybe there's just a few of them, and Macavity has one stolen?

hmmmm... Maybe those reincarnations have to do with who's supposed to Hold The Token, and Old Doot has basically been one of them for eons. Maybe Mistoffelees was the most recent reincarnation from the Jellicle Ball?

Anyway TL;DR yeah Jellicle cats can exist in Better Bones, they're just too far away to interact with Clan cats.

Clanmew pronunciation of Jellicle = "Shewakl"

#BONES HAVING WEIRD INTERESTS STRIKES AGAIN #bone babble #jellicle cats #better bones au

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magentadiamondau · 4 months

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Oh damn! How far are you into this comic? That's some pretty clean line work!

Mod Omni: Whhhhaaa? You call that clean?! That's just me slapping some loose sketches on a grey background with a cinema format! Hfhsdjklhfs

I'm not too far into the comic tbh. I usually bounce between different scenarios/plot points in my sketches and see what sticks.

I'm done with the next update, it's in the cinema format with the black bars fully colored/shaded/highlighted.

What's holding me back rn is that I'm legit redoing one of the old SU backgrounds so that it matches SU: Future. Have a look at my progress!

Original SU background:

My WIP of the Steven Universe Future version of this background.

I will be extending it out in another document to finish it as a whole. It's currently in the CSP file with the next update pieces. (and boy is it lagging)

You all may call me crazy now lol. What can I say- I'm a perfectionist!

#magenta diamond au #extras #current wip #steven universe #omni art #steven universe au #magentadiamondau #comic #artists on tumblr #there's a saying: if you don't have what you need- then you make it yourself~ haha

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rachelbethhines · 6 months

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Speed-running Doctor Who - 1st Doctor

A quick and dirty guide for those who want to get into the show, but don't want to watch everything from the beginning.

For Those Who Just Wanna Get An Idea of the Era

The Romans - S2E4

If you just want to get your toes wet and watch only one story from the era to get a feel for things, then The Romans is fairly continuity lite and offers a good look at what defines the First Doctor's era. Plus it's only four parts and all of the episodes exist.

Plot Important Episodes

Entrances, Exits, Enemies, Lore Drops, and Character Development (missing episodes will have a * next to it. You will have to find recons and animated versions to watch instead)

An Unearthly Child - S1E1 (Very First Episode, Introduces The First Doctor, Susan, the Tardis, Ian, and Barbara)

The Daleks - S1E2 (First appearance of the Doctor's arch enemies)

The Edge of Destruction - S1E3 (character development for the tardis team and first hints that the Tardis is alive)

The Aztecs - S1E6 (character development for Barbara and the rules of time travel are defined... which the Doctor continues to break form here on after. Also introduces the Doctor's first onscreen love interest)

The Sensorites - S1E7 (character development for Susan and lore drops regarding the Doctor's home planet and people)

The Dalek Invasion of Earth - S2E2 (Return of the Daleks and Susan's last episode)

The Rescue - S2E3 (introduces Vicki)

The Web Planet - S2E5 (the Animus is the Great Intelligence, Change My Mind!)

The Chase - S2E8 (Barbara and Ian leave, and we meet Steven)

The Time Meddler - S2E9 (We meet another of the Doctor's race for the first time, and he may or may not be The Master)

Mission to the Unknown - S3E2 * (first Doctor lite episode and a prologue to The Dalek Masterplan)

The Myth Makers - S3E3 * (Vicki leaves and Katarina comes aboard)

The Daleks' Master Plan - S3E4 * (Katarina's only full story. The Doctor also meets Bret Von and his sister Sara Kingdom. One of whom may or may not be a reincarnation of a future companion. The return of both the Daleks and the Meddler)

The Massacre - S3E5 * (Character Development for Steven and Dodo is introduced at the end)

The Ark - S3E6 (Dodo's first full story... plus it actually exists)

The Celestial Toymaker - S3E7 * (the first appearance of the Toymaker)

The Savages - S3E9 * (Steven leaves)

The War Machines - S3E10 (Dodo's last story, and we meet Ben and Polly. The first time the Doctor works with the military)

The Smugglers - S4E1 * (the conclusion of One's character arc)

The Tenth Planet - S4E2 * (the first appearance of the Cybermen and the First Doctor's last story)

Personal Favorite and Least Favorite Stories

Because one man's trash is another man's treasure and vice versa

Favorite: Marco Polo - S1E4*

Least Favorite: The Gunfighters - S3E8

(disclaimer: no spin-offs or extended universe stuff was considered when making this list)

Up next: The Second Doctor

#doctor who #classic who #first doctor #hartnell #speed watch #toymaker #daleks #cybermen #meddling monk #steven #dodo #sara kingdom #vicki #susan #barbara #ian #Katarina

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redandbluegaycompetition · 1 year

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A Ruby/Sapphire Submission Note:

They’re your fucking icons I mean they’re a given. Gay wedding that gets the show canceled iconic. No matter what you think of Steven universe they’re iconic.

An Ash/Goh Submission Note:

pix. pix do i need to ramble to you. i can send you the fucking gifs. goh really went "w-would u like to be my friend >///////<" "i thought we were already friends" "OH OK YEAH HAHAHA SILLY QUESTION o////////o" there's an emphasis on how their dreams are different but they're still working together to complete them. goh: "the future is the palm of my hand!" ash: "you mean, the palm of OUR hand!" goh: ":O yeah..." their character promo art throughout journeys features them feeding each other with ash literally in an earlier ep saying "i would never share my food with anybody (implied this extends to friends too)" which *thinks*. they have a jump-spin thing they do in one ep. rainbows are a reoccurring motif. literally swim through a school of luvdisc in another ep. pix. pix you will do this for me.

(pix is me if ur wondering) (also i'm 99% sure that these are both from my friends so they have about equal sway to me)

#Journeyshipping #Ruby/Sapphire #Garnet #I GUESS #steven universe #Pokemon Journeys #red and blue gay competition #redandbluegaycompetition #redandbluegays #polls #tournament polls #tournament poll

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sullina · 11 days

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Steven universe future episode 15 "Mr. Universe" starting with Greg and Steven going on a roadtrip to the tune of "dear old dad" and ending with Steven deleting the old yearbook photo off his phone.

I just love this kind of extreme contrast.

the episode starts with Steven genuinely believing that his dad might be able to help him after what undoubtedly feels like an eternity of a confusing and aimless hell for Steven (as having a mental illness tends to be).

Finally, something to help him get better.

Only to realize how terrible he really had it. He says it himself. "I grew up in a van! I've never even been to a doctor until two days ago!" along with how he never went to school on top of that, when Gregs parents, Stevens grandparents, were "right here".

This is the episode that Steven (and also I) realized that while Greg loved him dearly, he was not cut out to be a father. Or at least, he didn't know how to be a father, how to properly care for a child.

Gregs parents were extremely strict, according to Greg himself, and Greg obviously didn't want to be like them, but he overcorrected into the opposite direction: total freedom. But children need boundaries and rules. Not so many as to be suffocating, but at least some structure to learn what was safe to do and what wasn't.

That last part did not exactly apply to Stevens childhood. We never see his early childhood, but from the start of the first show, Steven is exposed to genuinely traumatizing danger over and over and over (as shown in the "Growing pains" episode, where Steven goes to the hospital and recounts all the traumatizing stuff that happened to him to Connies mom, Dr. Maheswaran). Steven knew what was dangerous, but he never seemed to learn what "safe" really was, considering not just Steven himself, but his home and family and friends were often under attack. Not to mention all of the physical injuries he got. Steven never really got away from just about any dangerous situation with "just" a bruise. He could have died, and he knows this. Any danger he's faced has been potentially lethal. This is not healthy, but the consequences only show up later.

But as a child, he either wasn't 100% aware of that fact, or decided to just subconsciously shove it down and not think about it ("not thinking about the bad stuff" is also a confirmed coping mechanism for young steven, as shown in "mindful education", the episode that features the song "here comes a thought"). But young steven only felt bad about the stuff that he couldn't do for others. The bad stuff that happened to himself didn't really seem to register, because there was always something more important going on, and even when there wasn't, no one ever checked in on Steven afterwards. Everyone just assumed he was okay, and that was it. Even Steven himself.

When there wasn't a (usually life-threatening) mission going on, Steven was very often left to his own devices. And that extends beyond just mission stuff. I don't think we've ever seen anyone actually cook for Steven. Whenever he eats, it's either some kind of take-out food, or food he made for himself. And it doesn't seem like a big deal, but it does send the message of "you're responsible for yourself, if you can't take care of yourself on your own, no one will do it for you". Add that and the fact that it was Steven who helped the Gems through their mental stuff (especially Pearl, especially when concerning anything related to Rose), I can't blame Steven for internalizing the message of "you're responsible for yourself and also everyone else (so all you're good for is helping others regardless of your own wellbeing, which is not important)"

And bringing it back around to Greg... Greg never had the courage for any sort of real confrontation. Initially, you can blame his own parents for that, if we assume that any attempt for Greg to properly assert himself was only ever met with more abuse than he was already subjected to by them. However, while the blame is not with Greg himself, as an adult, he is responsible for healing from that. But he didn't, and the consequences of this trauma are still there. Greg lived without any ability for serious confrontation and asserting himself by just... running away. He ran away from his parents with the van. And while he tried to reconnect with them later on with the letters, those letters were never opened. Greg probably never recieved a response from them, and he most likely didn't even visit to check on them, if the letters ever even arrived. Whenever there was gem-stuff involved, he ran away (quite literally), and in Steven Universe Future, when Steven crashed the van? He tells his son that he's proud of him for "telling him off", because he's glad that his own son can tell him anything.

Steven is distressed by this reaction. A lot.

And it's this reaction that tells him that Greg can't help him.

It's just such an odd reaction. You crash your dads van and he tells you he's proud of him? I mean what kind of reaction is that? You'd expect to be reprimanded. Or at least be asked something like "what the hell was that? Why did you do that?" But Greg didn't. He didn't confront his own son after crashing the very van he's built his life with. The only thing Greg did was make sure that Steven was alright physically.

And the next episode? The gems do reprimand Steven, but what for? For endangering his dad, who is a "fragile human". There was little to no concern for Steven himself. No "What was going on" or anything, just a "what were you thinking?" as if Steven crashed the van on purpose, which he didn't.

Steven never recieved any boundaries to keep him safe, and the only other family, the one he was actually living with, the Gems, most often left him completely alone unless there was a mission to complete. Steven mainly cared for his own self in his day to day life. He even seemed to do his own laundry a lot of the time, he was the one making sure he was fed at age 13 and up, likely also the one to make sure he had a personal hygiene routine. While we don't know about that last part, Greg wasn't living with Steven, and while i don't doubt he taught his son about personal hygiene, it was up to Steven himself to enforce it. If 13 year old Steven didn't feel like brushing his teeth some days, would anyone have made sure he did it anyway?

And what about education? We know Steven knows how to read and write and probably the basics of math as well. He knows the basics of what he needs to know, either taught to him by Greg or by Pearl, but anything beyond that? Physics? Chemistry? At least some basic science?

And not just education itself, school is also important to socializing, getting to know people of your own age group. Living at the temple, Steven was pretty much isolated. Sure, he knew people in town, but i don't think we ever see them actually visiting him, or him visiting anyone else just to hang out. And even when we do, it's pretty rare.

The closest thing Steven had to a friend his own age was Onion, and Onion is, well... he's Onion. And shown to commit legit crimes more than once. And Steven is often shown to be kind of scared of Onion, or at least uncomfortable around him. He takes it in stride, but I'm pretty sure if Steven ever thought about it properly, he would probably say that Onion freaked him out. Plus, Onion is much younger than Steven, seeing as Steven should be around the same age as Sour Cream (since they were both babies around the same time, though SC is probably a year or so older than Steven still).

Everyone around Steven was either his caretaker (who weren't very good at their job as proper guardian) or an acquaintance at best and likely unaware of what was going on with Steven at home.

Steven was isolated and neglected in vital parts of his upbringing, the best the gems did was making sure he didn't die, and Greg was no longer reliably around to make sure everything was alright, unless Steven came to him. And Steven was the one to take care of his guardians in their critical moments.

And still, Steven was a "good" child. He took care of his own physical human needs, with no one around to make sure that he did. When something bothered him, he took care of it himself. When others were bothered by something, Steven took care of them, too.

Even in battle, he tried to resolve everything peacefully when he could. When he couldn't, like with the corrupted gems, he fought when needed, to the best of his abilities. The more his powers came in, the more missions he could go on (the more time he could spend with the gems who were his family).

He made himself useful, not unlike a weapon: to be drawn when needed, and put away when not needed.

But he's not a weapon. He's an alive being with needs, emotional and physical. But the gems didn't seem to realize that. Greg wasn't properly caring for him like he should have. In the episode where Lapis steals the ocean, Greg even asks "is this what every mission is like for you, Steven? Because I'm not sure I'm comfortable with you going on these anymore." (i think he was interrupted then, but that's pretty much what he said) Greg doesn't know what happens on these missions, and even when he expresses his dicomfort with his son being put in danger, nothing actually happens to make that stop. Stevens physical needs were taken care of by himself. His emotional needs were often disregarded, not only by the gems, but by himself as well.

He made himself small, bottling up his issues and not bothering anyone with them.

And everyone else just... let him. Just let that happen. Steven was fine, right? If he's not calling for help, then everything must be fine, right?

The gems and Greg only ever started to say something in SU Future, when it was pretty obvious that Steven was no longer alright. When the problems became harder and harder for Steven to hide.

And even when it was obvious that he wasn't alright, Steven himself kept insisting that he was fine, because he couldn't be not fine, he had to be fine, because he couldn't help others if he wasn't, and if he couldn't help others, then what was he good for-

In "Growing pains", when Steven goes to the hospital, Greg is actively forced to confront his son and assure him that he'll help, that he's there for him, and they will figure this out together. And things seem to look up for Steven. Well, until the next episode, when Greg shows him the solution that helped him when he was younger. When that didn't help Steven though, Greg tried to push it on him again. When Steven lashes out at how Greg messed up with caring for him, Greg completely fails to see it and keeps saying how Steven had "actual freedom".

But too much freedom isn't much different from utter neglect.

And even when Steven crashes the van, Greg still fails as a parent. Sure, Steven is alive, but he refuses to confront his emotional wellbeing, the real problem. Greg Universe runs away again. Like he did from any gem-related issue. Like he did from raising Steven as soon as the gems took over. Like he did from his own parents.

And because of this, he would never be able to help his son. He could never teach Steven how to cope, because Gregs only way of coping seemed to be "run away from your problem". But Steven could only run from his problems for so long. He bottled his problems up and internalized them, but that bottle was always gonna burst sooner or later, and then what? Steven couldn't run from himself, because wherever he went, he would always be there.

His own father couldn't help him.

The gems couldn't help him.

Literally the only adult who was able to give him any sort of help was Dr. Maheswaran, and even then, all she could do for him was identify the problem.

Steven was on his own.

But it's not like he was dying or anything, so he was fine, right? As long as he wasn't dead, he was okay, he could take care of himself and everyone else like he's always done.

He always took care of everyone else.

So why were they leaving?

Why were they moving on without him?

Why are they leaving him behind? He's been good, hasn't he?

And even when he messed up, he always fixed things, didn't he? Always!

He fixed things! That's what he does! He's Steven, the one who always helps everyone and never needs help himself, but if they were leaving, was he really a good child? Was he really helpful?

But if he wasn't helpful, then... what has he been doing all this time?

If helpful Steven wasn't helpful, then he could only be a fraud.

No... no, he could always find a problem to fix! And if he couldn't find one, he would just have to create one! As long as he could create problems, he would never run out of problems to fix, right?

As long as he just keeps messing up and creating problems-

Wait...

No...

That's not right...

If he's creating problems, he's not helpful...

He's a monster.

#Steven universe future #suf #su #steven universe #long post #this got long #i do hope it's coherent though bc i refuse to re-read and edit this stuff bc I'll only confuse myself #also while it may not seem like it i do love the gems and greg #but it's very clear they were not great caretakers for Steven #anyway:#cw child neglect #cw spiraling thoughts #even if it's “just” the spiraling thoughts of a fictional character

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flamebearrel · 8 months

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[Image description: A pencil comic featuring Steven Universe. Steven extends a hand to the viewer, encouraging, "Hey... We're gonna be okay. C'mon... fuse with me!" The next panel shows a nondescript human with a nametag, thinking about other Steven-human fusions "STeg" and "STevonnie". "Are you sure" they respond, holding up the nametag that reads "My name is UPID". End ID]

Materializing some SU inside jokes we’ve had since the finale

This one too

[Video description: A clip from Steven Universe Future of Steven warping in and starting, “Hey all you-” Suddenly it speeds up and the audio changes to the “Hey All You People” song from SpongeBob. At the lyrics “a sandwich made of jellyfish jellyyy…” it cuts to him scarfing down a PB&J in tears. End video description]

#steven universe fanart #steven universe edit #steven universe #steven universe future #steven quartz universe #steg #stevonnie #krispy kreme art machine

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lollipencil · 3 months

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In The Pale Moonlight Part 7

Honestly, I'm struggling to write a traditional chapter for this AU. Then I remembered the introductions I did a while ago. So, @harleyification, let's see if I can recapture the magic?

Enjoy and be gentle ---

(Martha Kent (Marc))

When Clark called home asking for a pie that "a young teen might enjoy", Martha wasn't too sure what to think. "I'm helping a friend with his new kids," was all he'd say over the phone, but with that tone that hinted at something related to Work. So, Martha shrugged and got baking.

It was pretty late when Clark appeared in his suit, as did a little tag-along. "Hello dear," she warmly greeted her son before turning to her guest, " and what's your name, sweetheart?" "Moon Knight," The teenager in mummy bandages blinked glowing eyes in mild surprise. "Batman asked me to help teach him and his brother how to fly," Clark explained, "There is another, but he can't fly at all, so..."

"Oh, and where is he?" "Want back home," Moon Knight muttered, "Went first." "I'm going to drop him back tonight, but figured a little pick-me up before would be best," Clark smiled like the sun. "Of cource," Martha nodded and silently planned to send the rest of the pie home with him, "Come on in, I've tried something new this time: Toffee Apple pie sound good?"

Those glowing eyes perked up slightly. Near-silent footsteps followed her inside as Martha wondered if they still had some custard left.

--- (Martian Manhunter (Steven (and the others)))

J'onn might have missed the meeting where they were introduced to the whole League, but he knew Batman's new sons. Or, at least, one of them.

It would seem that something in the universe had conspired so that everytime he visited, only Mr Knight was visiting. Not that he really objected. The young lad was a sponge for knowledge, and was happy and eager to hear about Mars in its prime. It warmed his heart to be able to share his planet's history with another.

So, when Batman called him into a private meeting with Mr Knight, J'onn had no clue as to why. "Hello J'onn," Batman stated calmly, genuinely, "Mr Knight wants to share something personal with you." "Oh?" J'onn had not expected this. "Yes, I already know what. But before that, I want your word that it does not leave this room." And there was the batgrowl they all know and love. "Of cource. I will maintain the secrecy of whatever is revealed here and now."

Batman nodded and turned to Mr Knight. He hesitated, before his mask shrinked into its domino form. "I want to tell you, I've not told anyone before. Everyone else who knows found out and- I trust you," he stammered past his nerves, "And it's best that you know. Two birds one stone, innit?" "Ok," J'onn calmly nodded even as he filed the proverb for future reference.

Mr Knight swallowed. For a few moments, J'onn waited. Then he felt the invitation. He looked up at Batman who nodded, and made his way inside his mind.

And finally met Mr Knight's brothers. J'onn had never felt a mind like their's, multiple yet natural. His face smiled while a mental handshake was extended to the boys.

Keeping this secret would be no problem.

--- (Khonshu (All of them))

It had been an whim. Khonshu had been about to approach a very promising individual about becoming his avatar, when he felt it. A call. Had it been anything else, he would have ignored it, but someone was calling him.

So, Khonshu left Arthur Harrow, and appeared somewhere he was not expecting.

A child's bedroom. Hand-drawn pictures splattered in blood, the source of which lay trembling close by. For a moment, Khonshu was stunned. It was far from the first dying child he'd seen in his long existance, but how had this child managed to summon him?

The child's hand twitched on a slightly crumpled drawing, a artistically pleasing depiction of himself, albeit in cheap felt-tip pen. Looking closer, he could see them all: Marc Spector who still fought even in his despair, Jake Lockley who was trying to take the pain from him, and Steven Grant, asleep and blissfully unaware of his approaching fate.

Khonshu made up his mind. "Little ones," he greeted, "Do you wish to live?" "What-?" Marc weakly answered, using every last bit of strength to look at Khonshu. "You have undergone great suffering. But I am here. If you wish it, I will shield you from harm, and in return, you can help others like you, others who live in fear of harm. So, I ask you, will you protect the travelers of the night?" "...yes." "Then rise my Moon Knight, and come back from the brink."

As flesh healed, the relief of life carried Marc and Jake to sleep. Staring down at his new avatar (or was it avatars?), Khonshu knew what he must do. After all, they had called to him as travellers first.

#my fics #crossover fic #moon knight (2022)#batman #clark kent #martha kent #marc spector #j'onn j'onzz #steven grant #bruce wayne #khonshu #jake lockley

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blazenfire223 · 1 year

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[ID in undercut]

Some non-ineffable doodles

[Slide 1/10: A sketchbook page of Blue Pearl from Steven Universe. There is a colored, full body Pearl to the left of the page and in colored pencil, a smaller pearl on her knees looking up to the upper right side of the page, and a headshot of her to the bottom right. She is smiling, and there are hearts that float around her.

[Slide 2/10: A sketchbook page of Yellow Pearl from Steven Universe. There is a full body, colored version to the left side of the page. Her head is in profile while her body is in 3/4ths view. Her right arm is outstretched while her left is at her chest. Her right leg is lifted and pointed. In colored pencil is headshot to the top right, another headshot below the colored version's outstretched arm, and a smaller full body Pearl in a diamond salute pose.

[Slide 3/10: A sketchbook page of Pearl from Steven Universe. There is a full body, colored version on the left side of the page. She has her right arm extended and her left behind her back holding her spear. Her legs are crossed. To the top right is a headshot of Pearl smiling and blushing and to the bottom right is her in her Steven Universe Future outfit playing the guitar done in colored pencil.

[Slide 4/10: A sketchbook page of Pink Pearl from Steven Universe. There is a full body, colored version on the left side of the page. She is half pink on the left side and half black and white on the right. She has her hands up and out in her White Diamond pose, but her legs crossed. There is a smaller version to the top right, doing the full White Diamond pose, a headshot, and a small happy Pink Pearl done in colored pencil.

[Slide 5/10: A sketchbook page of a big fluffy squirrel done in gel pastels. Below it are sunflowers, a storm cloud, a mushroom, and a watermelon.

[Slide 6/10: A traditional colored pencil with graphite self portrait. Storm is in their dad's car after just getting their glasses fitted. One finger is on their face while their tounge sticks out cutely.

[Slide 7/10: A sketchbook doodle page of cubism self portraits plus a Aziraphale head in the same style.

[Slide 8/10: A colored pencil sketch of young Michael Sheen giving a thumbs up. It was a reference found on Pinterest.

[Slide 9/10: A sketchbook doodle page of Parrapa the rapper. Little doodles of him, his face, music notes, and microphones. In the top right corner he tells you to believe. Another doodle he has his hands in his pockets, another he is holding up a peace sign with a grin, a little spooked expression ovwr to the right, and the bottom left he takes up a small corner of the page he's looking up at the other doodles.

[Slide 10/10: A traditional colored pencil doodle of a pink furby saying "kay-may-may-u" which translates to "I love you". /End ID]

#blazenfire223 #blazenfire223's art #steven universe #pearl #blue pearl #yellow pearl #pink pearl #self portrait #parappa the rapper #michael sheen #furby #doodles

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elliaze · 2 years

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GODS WARRIOR - CHAPTER ONE

A/N: First chapter is already here! Thank you everyone who comments, rebblog and like the prologue for this story. It means a lot to me. For now, enjoy this chapter. Italics are reader thoughts.

Pairings: Steven Grant x fem!reader x Marc Spector

Warnings: none, probably my english as i am not native speaker

Words Count: 2200+

MASTERLIST

LIBRARY AND A CUTE WORKER OF GIFT SHOP

THAT DAY, THERE WAS NO PLEASURE IN WORKING IN THE LIBRARY.

Everybody was picking on her - from her boss, who probably made her take an inventory in the Egyptian mythology department as a punishment, to her own mother, who called her with a complaint first thing in the morning, and finally to the Greek god, who kept appearing and disappearing between the bookshelves. She knew that Poseidon was just waiting for some convenient moment to interrupt her already hanging work.

Sometimes all she wanted was peace from everyone, but she knew that was the last thing she could expect to ever get.

“It's called treason,” the god whined, pointing his finger at her. Y/N didn't even falter, standing on the metal ladder. She put down one of the many books on the shelf and looked down at the extremely human figure of Poseidon. The god was leaning nonchalantly against one of the bookcases and smiling cocky at her. “If you're so interested in Egyptian mythology, all you had to do was say so. I know some gods.”

“Egyptian?” she narrowed her eyes, and the god merely clicked his tongue. “I thought you were in competition with each other.”

“It's with the Roman ones, my dear,” Poseidon corrected her.

The god pushed himself off the shelf and then walked over to the ladder where Y/N stood and extended a hand towards her, which she shook. She was glad there was no one in the book alley, otherwise someone would think she was crazy, clasping her hand in the air and talking to herself. At least from their perspective, she was there alone.

“I assume there's a reason you've been hanging around the library since early morning and making my life miserable just to talk about the war between the gods.”

Poseidon combed his fingers through his brown hair, and the happy glint in his green eyes disappeared. The god looked at her seriously, and she straightened up almost immediately. She knew that look very well, and she knew what was coming.

“Wait,” she raised a hand, silencing the god at the same moment that he was about to speak. “Just tell me I won't have to go anywhere far. No Korea, Madripoor, or Colombia. Every time I'm in some new place, I don't even have time to explore anything.”

“You're not doing this for pleasure, Y/N,” the god reminded her, and whether she wanted to or not, she had to agree with him. “And I'm not promising that you won't leave. The case in general is delicate, and it's not entirely clear how it might turn out.”

“Are you telling me that none of you can predict the future?” She took a loud breath and then covered her mouth with her hand in feigned shock. She thought her joke was funny, and she knew from experience that Poseidon was much funnier than he gave that impression, but this time he didn't even smile at her comment.

“At times like this, I really regret saving you,” he replied seriously. Y/N nodded defeated.

“I'm sorry” she muttered quietly, lowering her gaze to her perfectly painted blue nails for a moment. However, she quickly lifted her gaze to the deity, completely serious. “What should I do?”

“How much do you know about the Egyptian gods?” Poseidon asked enigmatically. He pulled the first book from the shelf and began to fiddle with it. He turned and moved along the alleyway, letting her know to follow him.

“Not much,” she shrugged her shoulders. “Apparently they existed. I gather from your attitude that it's not just rumoured, but real.”

This time Poseidon quietly snorted.

“You could get more education. You graduated from university, but you don't know basic things.”

Y/N rolled her eyes.

“Can we go back to the point where you tell me why my assignment is related to the Egyptian gods?”

“A certain god has turned to us for help,” he finally revealed. Y/N almost stood still in surprise, but quickly caught up with Poseidon. “Khonshu is not an Ennead favourite, because he is the only one of them who actually intervenes in people's lives.”

“Is that a good or a bad thing? Because I feel a bit confused at this point. You Olympians also intervene in people's lives, too.”

“That's why, Khonshu is probably our favourite.”

“Ha!” She called out quietly. “Everything is clear. You want to help him just because you like him. I feel insulted, I thought I was the only one who was your favourite.”

“You are human,” said the god, as if that were the worst thing in the world. “Besides, you humans are what this is all about. Some fanatics want to resurrect Ammit and bring total chaos. As far as I know, Konshu's avatar is doing quite well, but Zeus has shown extreme concern about the coming events and has decided to send you to help. We want you to make sure the whole situation is taken care of and Ammit is left where she has rested for the past millennia.”

“Wait, can you at least explain to me what Ennead is? And Ammit? Is she some kind of evil goddess like Pandora?”

“Pandora was not a goddess,” Poseidon sighed heavily. “You really need to educate yourself. I recommend that you start with Egyptian mythology, and after you finish your task, I'll ask Hera to give you some lessons in Greek mythology. Apparently, you're starting to forget the most important things.”

“Hera?” Y/N howled uncertainty.

In her years of faithful service to the Greek deities, she had dealt with each of the major twelve at least once. Some she liked more, others less, but Hera was something different. The highest queen, goddess and beloved of Zeus, even if he non-stop betrayed her. Hera inspired respect, but also fear, and Y/N preferred not to spend any more time with her than was necessary.

Poseidon snorted quietly and then almost forcefully pressed a book on Egyptian mythology into her hands.

“Find the Khonshu avatar. Start at the National Gallery. Apparently their exhibition about Egyptian culture is amazing.”

Y/N opened her mouth to reply, but didn't have time, as the god dissolved into thin air, and she was left alone in the alley.

“Thanks a lot, Poseidon,” she muttered to herself.

She knew that there was nothing left for her to do but to start fulfilling her task. Maybe she wasn't so unlucky, though, when she had to come across the Egyptian mythology section today. She lifted the book up, carefully reading the title and the author. However, instead of ordinary letters she saw some scribbles and pictures, which she did not understand at all. She wrinkled her eyebrows, closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep, calming breath.

“Of course, he had to give me a book in Arabic, not English.”

“Actually, it's Egyptian hieroglyphics” she heard an uncertain voice behind her. She quickly turned around and looked at the man she hadn't even noticed had appeared in the alley earlier. The stranger was looking at her with his brown eyes, clenching the fingers of one hand on the shoulder of his bag. He grunted quietly and pointed with his hand to the book she was holding. “Book. It's Egyptian hieroglyphics.”

Y/N looked at the cover of the book again and then lifted her gaze back to the stranger.

“To me, it's a string of lines and scribbles,” she replied jokingly, and noticed how the man smiled slightly. Without knowing why she thought of it, he looked particularly adorable when he did it. Plus, his black, curly hair fell across his forehead and Y/N seemed to drift away for a moment. However, the shadows under his eyes clearly drew her attention to the fact that the stranger must have been suffering from exceptional insomnia, and she restrained herself from simply hugging and comforting him. “Anyway, can I help you with something? I work in the library.”

She explained quickly, stretching one hand up and pointing with her finger at the name badge pinned to her floral shirt.

“No, thanks,” the man shook his head. “I'm just... eh... looking for something new.”

“I'll hang around here if you need me,” she smiled and pointed to herself and the bookcases in the alley with a motion of her hand. She put the book she was holding back in its proper place and then bit her lower lip. She corrected her badge and approached the stranger again. “I'm sorry, this may seem strange, considering I work in a library and…” she took a short pause, biting her cheek gently. “Do you happen to know what Ennead is? And who is Ammit?”

“Oh, it's simple” he answered immediately with renewed energy and fascination. “Ennead, is something like a super group of the nine most important Egyptian gods. According to the legends, they were believed to be responsible for how the world looked like and to make all the decisions related to its functioning. Ammit, on the other hand, was a goddess who was responsible for judging people based on their past, present and future and deciding whether they deserved to live or not.”

Y/N visibly flinched. If she still knew that it was all a figment of someone's imagination, she wouldn't care so much. However, the years spent alongside Greek gods, who themselves should not exist either, made her no longer question any belief in deities.

“Sounds a bit dramatic innit?,” she said briefly, and the stranger nodded. “And Khonshu?”

“He is the god of the moon and revenge” he explained excitedly, and Y/N couldn't help feeling that she had come across the perfect person to explain all this to her in a simple way. “He was imagined as a man with the head of a falcon or an ibis.”

At least now I know what I have to deal with.

“Thank you! You don't even know how much you saved me! Otherwise, I would have had to spend the afternoon searching for any information on the Internet.”

“No problem,” he smiled. “I am glad that I could help.”

“You know a lot about Egyptian mythology, don't you?” Y/N asked confidently, joining her hands together in front of her. She blushed slightly when the man looked at her in a strange, undefined way, as if he was surprised that she wanted to talk to him at all. “Sorry, you don't have to answer. We don't know each other.”

“My name is Steven” he said quickly, in one breath.

“What?”

“My name is Steven Grant,” he repeated less confidently. “Steven with a V.”

“Y/N” she introduced herself at once, extending her hand forward, which Steven shook. “Just Y/N.”

“It's nice to meet you, Y/N” Steven commented, and Y/N realised that their hands were still joined together. Not that she minded, because it had been a long time since anyone had touched her that way, except her mum. She only occasionally complained about her loneliness, but she knew she couldn't afford to have anyone questioning her about unusual disappearances. Eventually, Steven too noticed that they were still holding hands. He let go of her hand and then lowered his embarrassed gaze to the floor. “If you want, you don't have to of course, but if you'd like to find out more ahmm... there's an exhibition at the National Gallery and... I work there, so…”

“Are you offering me a private tour?” She asked cheerfully, but almost immediately wanted to reproach herself for such sudden openness and directness.

“I... I mean... yeah... no... I guess?” Steven blushed visibly, and she sent him an encouraging smile. “I work in a gift shop, but if you want to…”

“Yes,” she answered without thinking. What? Wait, what am I doing? I don't behave like that. “I'd love to hear you talk about Egyptian mythology.”

“So…”

The quiet but audible vibration made Steven pause in what he wanted to say. It took her a few seconds to realise that it was her phone ringing. She pulled the device out of her trousers pocket, and when she saw the message from her boss, she sighed heavily. The last thing she expected was to see an apology, and in the process be told to ditch the ‘extinct department’ in favour of helping some group of students who could barely decipher the location code of their books.

“Sorry, Steven, but a group of students are completely unable to find their way around the library, and apparently I'm the only one with the ability and patience to explain it to them.”

She smiled apologetically, putting her phone back in her pocket.

“Oh, I understand, it's your job after all.”

“See you Steven with a V”' she said cheerfully. “I have a feeling I'll see you soon.”

“See you just Y/N” replied Steven with a slight smile.

Y/N took a few steps back, waved briefly at the man, and then turned and started along the aisle with the bookcases. She considered herself damn lucky to have found out so quickly what these Egyptian gods were all about. At least that was something she could tick off the to-do list she had formed in her head almost immediately when she heard the new assignment from Poseidon.

But she couldn't ignore that she was definitely enthusiastic about the very prospect of meeting and talking to Steven again. She knew she had to visit the National Gallery as soon as possible.

⸻

Second chapter will be in the next Saturday. Thank you for reading. <3

#marc spector x reader #marc spector x y/n #marc spector #moon knight x reader #moon knight x y/n #steven grant x reader #steven grant x y/n #steven grant #moon knight #marvel #fanfic #oscar isaac #elliaze

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blogger360ncislarules · 2 months

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It’s official: CBS has handed a straight-to-series order to a Young Sheldon spinoff centered on Georgie and Mandy.

The as-yet-untitled offshoot — which is being penned by Young Sheldon co-creators Chuck Lorre and Steven Molaro, and fellow TBBT veteran (and current Sheldon showrunner) Steve Holland — will follow Montana Jordan and Emily Osment‘s fan-favorite character “as they raise their young family in Texas while navigating the challenges of adulthood, parenting and marriage,” according to the official logline.

As first reported by TVLine, Young Sheldon Season 7 will feature Georgie and Mandy’s wedding — more details on which can be found here.

“It has been a privilege to spend the last seven years with Sheldon and the Cooper family and now this wonderful journey will continue with Georgie and Mandy,” CBS Entertainment President Amy Reisenbach said in a statement Tuesday. “Chuck and both Steves have done a masterful job developing these characters and entertaining generations of fans with relatable, heartwarming stories brought to life by Montana and Emily. We eagerly look forward to the next chapter in this beloved universe.”

Added Lorre, Molaro and Holland: “From The Big Bang Theory to Young Sheldon, the world of the Cooper family has been incredibly special to us. We’re very excited to continue their stories through the eyes of Georgie and Mandy.”

Unlike Young Sheldon, which pivoted to a single-camera format, the Georgie-and-Mandy spinoff will revert to multi-cam and shoot in front of a live, studio audience — just like Big Bang. An episode count and release date for Season 1 have not yet been confirmed, but the series is set to premiere during the 2024-25 TV season.

Assuming Young Sheldon‘s narrative keeps at a steady pace, Sheldon will turn 14 in Season 7 — the age at which, per Big Bang’s previously established timeline, the future Nobel Prize winner moves from Medford, Texas, to Pasadena, Calif., to begin his graduate studies at the California Institute of Technology.

That same year, Georgie marries for the first time, and family patriarch George meets his maker, setting up Young Sheldon for a bittersweet sendoff not unlike early ’90s classic The Wonder Years. But time will tell if the spinoff remains true to canon. As Holland previously warned TVLine, “just because [something happened on Big Bang] doesn’t mean it’s a story [our narrator] has to tell.”

The Georgie-and-Mandy offshoot is separate from the previously announced Big Bang Theory spinoff for streaming service Max — which, as of November, was still in the “prenatal” stage according to Lorre.

#young sheldon #cbs #the big bang theory #the coopers

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stevensavage · 6 months

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The Capstone of Star Trek

(This column is posted at www.StevenSavage.com, Steve's Tumblr, and Pillowfort. Find out more at my newsletter, and all my social media at my linktr.ee)

I haven’t been interested in anything Star Trek in years. I mean, we’re kinda Voyager here. Yes I’ve heard great things about Discovery, I can appreciate the ideas behind Strange New Worlds retro-forward work. It’s just that I’m tired of Star Trek despite the fact that like many a geek, it was formative in my life.

But now Trek seems over-saturated and overdone. I mean it’s not Star Wars level and definitely not Marvel, but you know, haven’t we kind have done all of this? Do we have to keep rehashing things? What the hell is up with the various Spock plots and time travel? Can’t we, I dunno, move on for awhile?

So you’d think I’d be incredibility indifferent to the animated Trek dramedy, Lower Decks. I mean I even tried to get into it twice, and though I appreciated it, the show just didn’t do it for me. Well, didn’t do anything until a friend got into it, and I gave it one more spin.

Then I was hooked. On a Star Trek show.

If you’re not familiar with Lower Decks – and maybe you are, it’s fine – it’s an animated half hour show set in “recent” Star Trek continuity, the 24th century of the imagined future. The show doesn’t involve glamorous front-line flagships, but the Cerritos, a class of starship used for support, transport, “second contact” and less spectacular activities. The story also focuses on four friends who are “Lower Deckers,” relatively new spacefarers of low rank stuck with uninteresting and menial tasks, even if those drag them into adventures.

It’s Star Trek from the bottom up, but it doesn’t stop there.

The show is steeped in Trek lore, sometimes carrying concepts and even entire past episodes to their logical-if-ridiculous conclusions. People are used to strange energies evolving others into insane gods or temporarily switching bodies. First contact with aliens has to be followed up by someone doing the real work of shuffling around annoying diplomats and hooking planets up to communications network. For that matter, what do you do with all those monomaniacal computers endlessly plaguing alien civilizations – oh and has anyone checked up on those societies lately?

It’s every Trek trope and plenty of obscure lore falling on capable-if-neurotic shoulders of the Lower Deckers and the Cerritos crew. In many ways it’s akin to the Venture Brothers, which seemed to be a parody of cartoons, but was more of a heartfelt homage. Lower Decks just operates with a more defined property, the entire Star Trek janky extended universe.

It’s probably the most Star Trek of any Star Trek if you get my drift. I enjoy it because it’s not just another Star Trek show but an extrapolation by some talented writers.. The decades of continuity sort of roll downhill to the back-of-the-line Cerritos and the Lower Deckers.

It’s a kind of capstone for Star Trek, summing so much if it up in a way both funny and sometimes touching.

However, when it is done, I also can’t see Star Trek interesting me again. Lower Decks really does feel like a capstone, that there’s nothing more to do beyond this. Maybe that’s why the fact there’s even a Lower Decks RPG resonated with me – it feels like Trek has been done so often it’s best in everyone’s hands.

Thus I approach Lower Decks with a kind of bitersweet sadness. I’ve got the same Trek rush I got with TOS and Net Gen – but also it’s the end of that as well. I also know people will try to keep Trek going as its an institution – I just won’t be interested.

But I’m glad to have Lower Decks as a way to rediscover and close out a love of Star Trek.

Steven Savage

www.StevenSavage.com

www.InformoTron.com

#star trek #lower decks #star trek lower decks #culture #television

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