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dumbbitchenergy17 · 10 months

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Crossing A Line

Clan of Three: One-Shot

Plot: A Mandalorian, an infant with a history of the jedi, and a teenager with similar powers and a heavy role to bear. High stakes can be the reason the innocence begins to crack.

Word Count: 4.8K

Pairing: Father Figure!Din Djarin x Platonic!Teen!Reader

Warnings: fighting/violence, injuries, heavy angst, heavy details of gore and murder (including children) slight ptsd, sad-but-sweet father-daughter moments

A/N: This takes place between the end of Season 2 and before the Book of Boba Fett- CONTAINS CLAN OF THREE SPOILERS. Read all of the Clan of Three Series here

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"Me and the devil walkin' side by side"

The chill of the planet's atmosphere despite how close you were to the center of the galaxy. You’ve never been so close to the Core your entire life was the Outer Rim that was all you ever knew. Scars are still fresh and healing haunted memories branded onto your skin forever with you unable to escape them or have them escape you. Your eyes were glued onto the flowy cape that trailed off the bounty hunter, your protector, your savior. Things were tense given how much has occurred in little over a year. The empire, your adventures, you and the kid, Gi-

But the kid was safe. Grogu was with the Jedi getting the proper training but you didn’t though. It wasn’t safe, you needed to be with Din you couldn’t abandon him. Your gaze flickers to the new weapon resting on his hip that he’s used a bit on some quarries. It was yours by right. You fought and won it, the blood and sins of that weapon were passed onto you.

You would never touch that thing if it killed you.

The streets crawl with rodents and the pure scum of life. You thought being towards the Core on Corellia that it would be the height of luxury. How wrong you were, crime and death still clung to every planet no matter how much that planet lies claiming it’s peaceful and innocent. Din stops short in his path you coming to a halt almost running into him.

“We’ll rest for the night and continue at dawn,” His modulated voice speaks looking at the quickly setting daylight and you nod silently. You weren’t tired at all and if you weren’t in the picture he probably would have continued, but he didn’t want a young girl walking through this place so late into the night. It was an abandoned building Din had to help you crawl through an open window to move the barricaded items before the door. You wondered what the history of the building was with broken light fixtures, broken windows, destroyed furniture and anything of value already ransacked. Following up the long flights of stairs since the turbolift was out of commission reaching a floor that Din decided was adequate entered a room at the end of the hall. The room was barren with the windows cracked but luckily not broken a small balcony that showed an overview of the crime-ridden part of the capital, Coronet City.

“Get away from the window.” Din calls out and you sigh parting your gaze from the view and seeing him sprinkling broken glass on the floor in front of the door leading towards the main area then he passes you doing the same by the balcony. Taking in the inventory of the room finding some destroyed cushions taking them a beginning to dust them off before making makeshift beds on the ground. “Kid,” Din gets your attention before tossing a small ration in your direction which you catch.

“Thanks.” You respond quietly and you can sense his slight disappointment from the lack of conversation between you two since everything. It had only been a few months since…all that. While it was your choice to stay with the Mandalorian it had been a lot, wounds still fresh and time was slowly but barely healing. Without the Crest it was hard for Din to collect bounties to support the two of you if that meant rations or stolen food or sleeping in abandoned places instead of inns then so be it.

The stars and planets of faraway systems and galaxies look down being your source of light as you finish your meal and you hadn’t realize how tired you were until you were resting. Your back rested against the wall your head dipping every so often before you jerked awake. Din having situated his sleeping arrangement with a good view of both entry points notices you nodding off, “Get some rest,” He speaks and you nod sluggishly fixing yourself to be laying your bag resting beside your head your saber right beside it within your reach.

“You better wake me up to take the next shift.” You murmur and you see him nod slightly. You had a feeling he wasn’t going to, no matter how many times you assured him you could take the first watch or to wake you but then it would be morning and he would tell you it was alright. You needed the rest more than him, ‘You’re a growing kid,’ He would say, and he could still function even on a few hours of sleep or even none. Your lashes felt heavier and grew more in weight before darkness consumed you and you were quickly dragged under the peace of slumber.

The small moment of peace that were far between was interrupted by a frantic shaking jolting you awake. Your hand reaches for your weapon but you stop when you see Din hovering above you. You got to speak when he covers your mouth and you look at him with wide eyes. The sound of crushed glass alerts you and the multiple sounds of voices, “They’re on this floor check every room.” A voice comes through the walls and Din pulls you up to your feet throwing your bag over your shoulder and your saber is placed into your hands.

“What are you doing?” You whisper as he pushes you towards the balcony, “I’ll hold them off.” He responds and you shake your head, “No we do this together.” You say and you don’t get another word in as the footsteps grow closer and you’re outside. The windows don’t fully show the balcony as your back presses against the wall right beside the window listening in. It’s silent before you hear the entrance door enters and the slow crunch of glass, you hold your breath when the sudden blaster fire makes you jump and the sound of struggle grunts and groans before you hear a loud noise followed by Din making a sound of pain. Your hands shake clenching your saber wishing you could be there helping him.

Din struggles in the grasp of the bounty hunters and there was a multitude, he was able to take out a few before he was overwhelmed and forced to his knees restrained. Who he assumes was the leader steps forward a buffy man with scars visible on his body that wasn’t covered by his clothes or tattoos. “This was the Mandalorian we were supposed to be worried about?” He smirks and Din felt his blood boil but he needed to remain calm a single wall separating them from finding you.

“The Empire’s got a high bounty on your head but I’m more interested in a higher one,” He says looking over the beskar-covered man, “Where’s the girl?” Din didn’t even budge if looks could kill no one in this room would be standing right now. A sharp hit to him makes him groan though he stifles it.

“Just tell us where the girl is and we’ll let you go.” The man says leaning forward trying to offer up a deal Din slams forward the beskar cracking the bone of his nose and the leader pulls back clutching his bleeding nose as Din is taken down fully to the ground. The leader growls blood pours down his chin his teeth staining red, “Search the room, you find her…kill her.” Din’s heart lurches as he’s restrained as the others tear apart the room making sure no corner is left unchecked until all is left is the balcony. The man gives a sly bloody grin at the Mandalorian at the only hiding spot left before instructing a Rodian to check. Equipped with their weapon they head towards the balcony the crunch of glass under their boots as they open the door ready to deliver the killing blow to the young jedi. Din holds his breath waiting for the inevitable gunfire and the cry you would produce, you were going to die because of him, your blood would be on his hands. Why didn’t you go with the jedi you would be safe-

“She’s not here sir.” The Rodian announces the news and Din almost sags in relief while the leader curses, “She couldn’t have gone far, Hit the streets and start looking.” Most leave respecting their orders as the two restrainings Din bring up the Mandalorian.

“What do we do with him?” One of them asks and the leader sneers at Din, “Take him back to base…she’ll come after him.” Before Din could get any word in a needle injects through the fabric of his flightsuit and darkness quickly takes over.

The sound of the door slamming shut behind you as you release the air you were holding in. Hanging off the side of a balcony so high up in the air that the people on the streets looked like little bugs. Pulling yourself up and getting on solid ground you peek inside finding the room empty beside the dead bounty hunters that were after you. A tightness filled your chest Din was gone, you were on your own….they took him. They hurt him….they were going to kill him-you weren’t going to let them. You would make them feel the same pain if they laid another finger on him.

The streets were dark a storm brewing settling over the planet reflecting your emotions, you didn’t even know where to start who, or what you were looking for. You had some voices but that gave you nothing. Neon signs light your way through the rainy streets and alleys, despite how late into the night it was probably early morning the nightlife was active whether it would be to enjoy a night out or for more nefarious acts held so late. Gliding through busy streets crowds none paying attention to a young girl or empty alleys where creatures scamper to find their meal in the trash. It felt like hours trying to find where to even look for, who to go after, who could they even be on this planet. You weren’t a bounty hunter, you didn’t even know the first step in finding someone. It was sudden hands that wrapped around your waist the other covering your mouth muffling your screams as you’re dragged into an alley. Kicking your feet out your teeth dug into the flesh until metallic blood filled your mouth producing a cry from your assailant as another appears revealing a crude rusty blade. He looked around your age you could see the slight tremor in his grasp of the weapon.

“Just kill her already!” The man behind you yells as the other flinches before stalking closer. Kicking your leg out the blade flies into the air as your momentum slams the two of you back into a wall. The arms loosen around you and you slam his head into the wall he quickly knocks him unconscious the other scrambles to grab their blaster when they're flung into the wall opposite pinned there. The young boy quivers from his restrained position as the streetlights illuminate the young girl her hand held out. This was the power they had to be worried about, the reason a bounty was on her head. To bring the Jedi in alive or dead. Thrusting your hand forward and he too is shrouded in darkness.

When Din regained consciousness he was revealed to still have his armor on, despite his creed already broken he didn’t wish to break it twice. He was stripped of his weapons and his vambraces, leaving just the beskar armor to be his protection. Tugging at his restraints the heavy chain shakes around his wrists behind his back and from their place in the solid floor. The darkness that fills the room beside the dingy light above him allows him to see the true emptiness of the room. He curses lightly leaning his hand back against the wall, he wasn’t nervous for himself he could handle whatever torture or attempts at harm towards him. It was you he was fearful for, there was never a time where you needed to be looking for him. He felt foolish not at least preparing you for the event if the two of you were separated or if he was trouble. If the Crest still existed he would have least known you were safe but you were out on this planet alone trying to find him.

The door slides open revealing the scarred man as he stalks into the room the confidence that radiates off him. Like the deadly bounty hunter chained before him is something he shouldn’t be worried about. If he could wrap these chains around his throat and listen to the crack of his bones Din would be delighted.

“They are going to find her,” He speaks to Din as he remains silent his emotions masked by the beskar helmet, “You could have made it easy, she could have remained alive. But when my men find her they are going to rip her apart.” His grin was full of joy and malice trying to get on the bounty hunter’s nerves, “Maybe they have their way with her first? See how loud she screams before they slit her throat.” The chains were the only thing holding him back from throttling him. On his feet, his arms pulled behind him creating a strain, a growl ripped from his throat.

“You touch a single hair on her-” Din threatens just itching to tear him apart, “You’ll what kill me?” The scarred man laughs his head leaning back, “I’ll be sure you’ll get to see her corpse before we kill you too.” He pulls as curses in Basic and Mando’a are thrown at him before the door closes locking him in there. He couldn’t even feel like he was breathing, oh maker he felt sick he fell back to his knees. You were going to be okay, he would get out of here and kill anyone that dare to even look at you.

The sound of groans and fist meeting skin draws the young boy awake his vision adjusting he tries to move but he’s restrained his arms tied behind his back attached to some piping on the floor. No matter how hard he tugged and the pain in his wrist flared he couldn’t break free. Drawing his attention away from his restraint he focuses in on his superior restrained but in a chair, a wave of nauseous fills him at the amount of blood that was around the chair some speckled on the floor or in large puddles. A feminine grunt as he watches her fist make contact with his superior’s face the crack of bone and the sound of anguish emitting from who he thought was a hardened criminal.

The red liquid drips from your knuckles but it wasn’t yours as you swing your fist against another sharp cry admitting from the man and you pull back. The mess of the man the injuries all over him as he starts to slump over when you fist his hand yanking his head to look at you. “Where is the Mandalorian.” You hiss as blood dribbles from his face coughing globs his body quakes in pain.

He spits harshly it landing on your face with flecks of blood and you step back wiping it off your face and staring back at the heavy glare directed towards you. The echo of the blaster bolt and his scream fill the empty building and you see the boy behind jolt from the loud noise. Smoke emits from the man’s kneecap as he hunches over trying to calm himself from the immense pain he’s experiencing, “Where’s the Mandalorian!” You shout and he flinches shaking his head before he gasps for air. You can feel the young boy watching in horror as the man begins thrashing in his seat trying to breathe but no air entering his body. Anger and hatred fuel you as your hand clenches more into a fist watching him turn blue from lack of air.

“Stop! I know where he is!” The young boy proclaims and you drop your hand as the older man sucks in the air he was praying for loud coughs rack through his body. “F-foolish…boy…shut..up.” The man croaks his voice strained as you pull away approaching the young man. He couldn’t have been old maybe fifteen or sixteen. Crouching down and he leans back to keep a distance as he feels your gaze take him in.

“It’s at the junkyard where they are disassembling imperial cruisers,” He says as the other man curses at him, “You’ll find him there, Rel he’s covered in scars he’ll have him.” You look over him and despite the clear fear you didn’t sense any distrust.

The older man thrashes in his seat curses hurled, “You traitorous bastard. They will skin you when they find out you ratte-” It was a blur one second you were in front of him and suddenly the howl of a saber as he’s cut apart his torso hits the ground blood pooling around the body. Terror in the boy's eyes as he looks at the orange saber and he can see in the lighting the person now over the destroyed body, smeared blood from the profile of her face, the hands coated in red as she now stands over him.

“Wait please, my family is there under their protection, just let me warn them so they won’t be in harm's way.” He pleads, darkness shields your eyes, and he can’t see what you’re thinking, “Would you tell the empire about where I am?” Your voice is cold and heaviness to it as he frantically shakes his head.

“I swear on the Maker, I won’t tell a soul.” Liar. Your hand tightens on the weapon and you turn from the dead criminal slowly prowling towards him and he shakes in his restraints tears in his eyes as pleads fall from his lips.

“We could trade with you guys. We could be friends. I didn’t know. I’m Jash. What’s your name?” He’s frantic pleading for mercy as the view light sources crack the fuse blowing out as darkness grows closer but also the orange saber. Your hands tighten on the weapon. You were doing this for Din, to keep the both of you safe, leave no loose ends. The heat of the blade is so close as you raise the weapon, “No, no, no, no! I’m sorry! I’m sorry! Please! You don’t have to! Please! No, no, no! We can just talk! Mom! Mom! Mom!”

It’s quick and painless. Silence fills the room beside the crackle of the orange plasma. You turn from the massacre heading back into the night the blade returning to the hilt the growing storm cleaning the blood of you and cleansing your sins. No one would hurt him. You wouldn’t allow it.

Din wallows in the darkness before the sound of footsteps returns and the door opens revealing the leader followed by another man a staff in hand. Neither of them speak until the man gestures to his subordinate and the staff crackles with electricity and it’s jammed between the plates of his armor. Din seizes groaning out in pain as it rushes through his body thousands of knives embed into his skin while also being on fire. The staff is pulled away and Din slumps over slightly trying to catch his breath, “You’re making this harder Mando. Just tell us where she is.” He says leaning against the doorframe and looking down at the bounty hunter. Silence fills the room and the leader nods once more and the staff returns to Din’s body. A harsher groan of pain is the intensity and duration that increases his limbs locking up but also twitching from the pain. A rapid stream of knocks at the door pauses the ministrations of torture.

“What?!” The man yells while gesturing to stop and Din wheezes trying to calm his rapid heart. The door opens revealing the same Rodian from earlier a frightened expression on his face twists his hands together, “What is it?!” He demands and the Rodian flinches.

“One of the groups hadn’t returned from their findings so we sent out a group to find them,” He reveals but there seems to be more, “They were massacred…” A tense chill fills the room with this news. A faint rumble that could be mistaken for their fidgeting until it returns a deeper one that shakes the walls, the lights flickering, one that felt in their bones.

“si-s-sir!” A bad connection through the comms as the leader raises his commlink attached to his wrist a hologram projector appears, the signal is bad breaking in and out and what looks like a battle occurring, “The mai-ain gates have been breached-ched! We-we’re taking h-heavy los-sses! We nee- concentrated for-” A loud crack fills the air as the hologram shows their neck contorting in an unnatural angle before the line goes dead. The sound of battle was far away from them but still they could hear it, whatever was going on was big. Another call comes in though it only lasts a few moments.

“It’s h-her! We can’t sto-” A bloodcurdling scream as it ends and the three enemies of the Mandalorian felt a moment of fear, that feeling you get knowing you were close to death. Even Din knew whatever you were doing was enough to strike fear in all of them. “Get every blaster, knife, and weapon out there now!” He yells and the Rodian scampers out as the man with the staff stays beside him, “What do we do with him?” He questions and Din glares at the two if looks could kill they would ash.

“Kill him.”

The metallic smell of blood and blaster fire residue fills the air, and a sheen of sweat, and different species’ ichor taints you for battle. Like a warrior with ceremonial paints, this coated you. A steady patter fills the hall, the drip from either the leaky pipes or gaping wounds as the life slow drains. You understood death, it surrounded you frequently, people you cared for, those you tried to save and failed, even yourself. It hovered over you waiting to take you as its latest target.

Now you were death.

Clean cuts ripped through the men the heat of blaster fire flying past you or blocked reflected. Their weapons were the cause of their demise. No mercy ripping the final breaths from your victims. Making your way through the massacre of corpses the lights flickering as lone criminals try to hold their ground the last thing witness is the plasma blade the color of the sunset. The only time they would get a glimpse of daylight again. Screams of mothers hovering over children with lifeless eyes and cold skin before they too join them. It muffled in your ears a hum and quietness settling over you. Your way of blocking out your trauma is by creating more, the blood wasn’t on your hands if you didn’t acknowledge it. A steady pump of your blood through your body lets you know you were fighting and living. Faint cuts of shrapnel or blast fire that nicked you but were irrelevant.

Huddled in a corner you catch round fearful eyes staring back at you. The fear only seemed to grow when they realized they were spotted, standing mere feet from the littered bodies surrounding them. The orange light highlights the tears welling up as they stare back at death. You gaze back your grip tightening as the young eyes just stare. A standstill waiting to see who would act first. A new presence enters one you were familiar with and unlike death, you spare those young eyes. They watch unmoving as you turn away from them continuing their path the others not spared, your face branded in their mind.

Those young eyes will always remember those cold eyes.

Din pants a wave of nauseous as he almost fails at controlling his stomach. There was so much blood. Turning corners with his blaster in hand with his regained weapons only to find a bloodbath. The lifeless eyes stare at him as he made his way through the halls, the mutilated bodies of men and women…his heart growing cold and fear at the children. He followed the path of destruction if he had been smarter, and gotten out faster, you wouldn’t have done this. When the order had been given to execute him and the scarred man had left he had been quick to defend himself killing his adversary before making his escape. A sharp squeal fills the air as if an animal was put to slaughter. Following the noises the sound of the raging storm outside competes with the one created inside. Roaring pelting rain and the darkness outside make it hard for the Mandalorian to see but it’s a crack of lightning and the flash of orange draws his attention to you. The blade pulls out from the body of Din’s captor it hit the ground with a horrendous squelch, red quickly mixing with the rain.

Your body jerks whether from the crashing adrenaline or the frigid rain that soaks you, the caked and drying blood growing wet once more. The orange saber should be red from the amount of blood that soaked it. The hilt was slippery from bodily fluids and the lives that were drained. Turning away from the man a flash of lightning paints the sky and you catch the gleam of beskar armor standing in the rain. You couldn’t read his emotions as he moves closer to you until mere feet separate the two of you. He was uncertain what to do with you, comfort you, scold or yell, but he just remained silent.

“Are you okay?” Your voice is raspy and hoarse which shocks you for a moment. You didn’t think you would lose your voice, you don’t even remember screaming—you don’t remember much, just feelings and flashes of moments. He nods stiffly taking in your appearance, you would need new clothes soaked from the rain and… other things. You looked tired a sort of lifelessness in your eyes that could compare to the others inside. He couldn’t help but ignore the twinge of fear he felt, he’s never seen this side of you. Maybe with Gideon but this was brutal this was heartless lacking any form of mercy. It was like someone took over your body and committed these acts.

“Are you…?” He speaks up filling the silence that consists of rain and thunder. He truly needed to know if you were going to be. It all seemed too soon with Gideon and losing Grogu and going through everything you went through. He didn’t want to blame you.

“I thought I lost you…” Your voice cracks and the rain conceals the tears that pour down your face but he could tell, “We were supposed to be in this together and then you were gone. I didn’t know where to look or what to do.” His heart aches to hear what you felt during their time apart. He knew your connection was strong and the idea of losing another person close to you would destroy you and time you over the edge.

“Then I felt it…they were going to kill you if I didn’t find you. I couldn’t let them,” You shake your head and he can see the tremor in your hands. Flashes of what you did, the man and the boy in the warehouse, those criminals, but the innocent people, fathers, and mothers with their children. They were under their protection but you didn’t care. They were all guilty.

“I killed them.” A coldness covers the two of you with your confession, “I killed them all…they're dead, every single one of them. And not just the men, but the women and the children, too.” There’s a wild look in your eyes as the realization of your actions begins to register. Din grabs you by the arms holding you to his chest as you cry in agony. “They're like animals, and I slaughtered them like animals. I hate them!” You shout into his chest before dissolving in tears and sobs as he consoles you in the rain a tension of comfort and death that lingers in the air.

His arm stays wrapped around you as he leads you away from the massacre that was committed by you. He knew they couldn’t stay here long, who knew what other forces may have been alerted or the empire could be arriving soon for their supposed bounty. Din wasn’t sure where to go next after this but he needed to keep you protected, keep you safe, and you would never go through this again. You would get better at this low point, too much horrors and pain for such a young life. Watching your innocence chip away from those stained with evil, even himself chipping some away by involving you in this type of life. How long could it continue until nothing was left, what would be left of you then?

#star wars #star wars fanfiction #the mandalorian #clan of three series #clan of three #din djarin #din djarin fanfiction #din x reader #din djarin x jedi!reader #din djarin x reader #din djarin x teen!reader #din djarin x y/n #mando x reader

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gallalctyka · 11 months

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can we hear abt casimar....

^ me when i'm asked about my ocs :333

OKAY SO... i've talked a little bit about them already but here's a more detailed rundown!!

casimir (cas or cassie for short) is part of a nomadic "faction" of bounty/demon hunters in the post-apocalyptic wasteland that is what was eastern bloc during the cold war. the hunters have a sort of love-hate reputation, on one hand they're one of the only ones capable of handling the danger that a lot of demons and spirits pose on everyday basis. on the other, they're not known to be particularly generous in spite of that (they do sort of have the mentality of "survival of the fittest"), not to mention their disdain for demons extends towards the non-harmful or neutral ones - a good demon is a banished one. also they aren't fond of the divine either, wishing to overthrow the status of the gods worshipped across the land

cas is more... divided on the matter. they don't jump at the opportunity to kill any demon that they encounter (more of a hassle than anything) but WILL be distrustful. as for gods - they do find their worship ridiculous because as far as they were taught they didn't do shit as humanity was literally at its end. they certainly won't give their offerings at the altars they come across on their journey. and it's a mentality they grew up with, as they were taken in by a group of hunters when they found them as an orphaned child in one of the abandoned(?) soviet research facilities

as the story starts they're 17 and honestly quite skilled, a prodigy of sorts. the hunters do find them to be a valuable asset. cassie doesn't care for it that much though - all they want is to find a way to get out of the walls to the outside world. maybe it's foolish to believe that the situation is truly better beyond the iron curtain but hey, better try that than to slowly rot with demons at every corner. which eventually leads them to lviv as they look for intel and MAYBE a way to pass the never ending storms that make traveling so dangerous AND make the road towards west practically unpassable

casimir might come off as apathetic and a bit selfish, seemingly only fueled by their own goal and seeing others as nothing more than means to an end. it was the mentality they were raised into after all. not to mention that they're still a teenager with some deep attachment and intimacy issues lol hunters make for SHIT family. believe it or not they do have good intentions. they have a STRONG sense of justice, which makes their disdain for the gods all the more understandable as well as them genuinely believing to be in the right about their attitude towards all demons and spirits. they're fascinated by history and what The Ancestors (ie people who lived before the nuclear war) were like. they love learning!! also they're big fan of white chocolate (don't ask how people managed to be able to still make it after the world ended in eastern europe of all places. soviets did some crazy shit here). they like krówki also- a sweets kind of guy :)

they have a hard time forming bonds though due to their messed up upbringing and what not. BUT they manage to find themselves two adoptive uncles hehe. nikolai and elias, two enigmatic brothers who seem to know a lot more than they let on... yeah spoiler alert they're actually the two leading gods in slavic faith lol. so it's kind of funny to watch them slowly growing to consider each other a real family while the two are something that cassie was taught to hate. they do get over that mentality though. kind of. everything is complicated

kind of crazy that they involved themselves with gods of all things. there's no chosen one in this story. however there is something about them that nikolai found... intriguing and concerning at the same time, hence why he continued interacting with them. long story short casimir may not be as human as they thought they were

#ask #oc: casimir #hee hee hoo hoo #i did call cas a vampire :^)#because fun fact - they originate from eastern europe!! upiory/wąpierze my beloved

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bluecryptic · 1 year

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Velma (2023) vs. April O'Neil (2020) - Which Race Swap was done better?

Instead of hate-watching and writing a rant on how "terrible" the new Velma show is, I thought I'd simply watch the first episode of Velma and then watch the first episode of Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to observe and compare how each of these shows handles race swapping established characters who previously were white.

(I'd give a spoiler warning but I'll only be referring to the first episode of each series so I don't think a warning is warranted for that. Though I will give a warning that this is just my opinion, so take what I say with a grain of salt.)

Round 1 - Moment of Introduction and First Impressions

Let's start with Velma who in her introduction scene involves physically assaulting a naked girl (who happens to be Daphne) in the shower, calling said girl a b*tch all the while talking about race-swapping in media. No, I am not joking. Said scene also occurs in front of other naked teenage girls aaaaaannnnddd my takeaway on Velma just from this scene is that she is calling kettle to the pot because she too is b*tch and that her being called a weirdo later on the episode is actually warranted.

For April, we first see her getting drenched in water as a result of the Turtles cannonball jumping into a pool at the same time and causing a massive splash. She doesn't get upset about being wet but rather cheers for her friends and exclaims how awesome the stunt was. Then we find out that the rooftop cannonball diving that they were doing was April's idea and then they decide to go have fun somewhere else and before leaving, April leave a "wet floor" and "dry pool" side. A wild first introduction with a lot of water like with Velma but with less nudity and violence. I also forgot to mention that Velma's introduction also made it clear that there was intense animosity between Velma and Daphne which is kind of ironic when comparing it to the scene where we first meet April and the Turtles, where we can clearly see that they are friends that enjoy hanging out together and having fun. So far, this version of April has been shown to be an energetic teenager that enjoys having fun with her friends.

I suppose it would come downs down to having a character attack another in the shower or having a character cheering at their friends cannonball diving to the pool as the first introduction scene.

Yeah, I think I prefer the scene that involves cannonball diving on rooftop pools.

April: 1 , Velma: 0

Round 2 - Interacting with other characters

For this round, I'll start with April on account that there's less in terms on character interactions like we have April's interactions with the Turtles as a whole (individual bonds are explored in later episodes), with the teleporting yokai and the bad guys if we want to stretch it a little. That is less than what we get from the Velma side which also is more messy when you go through how Velma acts and treats the other characters and I just want to take the simpler route first.

Back to April, let's start with her relationship with the Turtles. As the their first scene together has shown, they are friends. One of the Turltes, even calls April their "best friend." Yeah, she's probably their only friend at this point but it's clear that the Turtles hold her to a high degree. And the level of care that they have for her is shown when they are willing to jumo through a magic portal to who knows where to save her. On her side, April is shown to care about the Turtles as well. She stands up for Raph who is standing up for her to two bounty hunters and to avoid confusion, she basically isn't afraid to stick up beside her friends even if a scary bug monster on a hellhound is standing before her. There's also the scene where the Turtles get to the underground city and find April and the five of them have a group hug, happy to see each other.

Then there's the plot device of the episodein the form of teleporting dog/cat thing that will be called Mayhem so let's stick with that. Upon first meeting April, Mayhem takes a liking to her and April, despite not knowing what Mayhem is exactly, is quite affectionate to it. Fast forward to when Mayhem gets captured and taken away by the bounty hunters, April doesn't hesitate to chase after them in an attempt to save them. Mind you, this is all the while chasing the two bounty hunters into a magic portal that leads to who knows where at the time. April doesn't know what Mayhem is and yet she goes out of her way to save them despite the potential danger. By the end of the episode, April gives Mayhem their name and decides to keep it as a pet.

Not much to say about April's interactions with the villains within the episode aside from the fact that April was ready to throw hands at the scary monster-looking bad guys for hurting her friends. The girl literally threw herself at Baron Draxum to give him a good smack for Mayhem, a yokai creature she barely knew.

With Velma on the other hand...

Gonna try to be as positive as I can be or at least neutral but I'm going to call it as I see it.

Let's start with the first relationship shown in the episode, which is Velma's relationship with Daphne...and it started with Velma attacking a naked Daphne in the shower...

...and calling Daphne a b*itch, we get it, they don't like each other. And apparently the two were once friends but apparently Daphne became beautiful and started hanging out with popular kids, leaving Velma in the behind? Like that's almost the exact explanation they give in the show! Both are being shown being mean to each other throughout the episode and I'm leaving it at that.

The other relationships and interactions within the episode aren't much better with Velma being pretty rude towards the two lesbian cops interrogating her (who also happen to be Daphne's moms) and Velma's actually mean towards her dad, though that guy isn't doing himself any favors, and to her dad's pregnant girlfriend (I think so???) whom Velma showed that she would be happy to have the latter thrown away to prison if given the chance. I think Velma's opinion on her potential stepmother may have changed later in the episode but I don't know, it's hard to tell. Velma is also shown to be attracted to Fred but isn't completely gaga towards as she does get annoyed by the privileged white attitude this version of Fred has.

The most positive relationship, for Velma at least, is her mom but I don't think counts since we only get to see it from Velma's point of view and it also later turns out that Velma was something of a little shit towards her mom and that's kind of why the mom left though that plotline is still open to being resolved at later on? (Maybe the missing mom is the serial killer that is trying frame Velma for the murders?) So that leaves us with Velma's questionable friendship to Norville, where the later has a crush on Velma and she is very oblivious to it. To the point where Velma sees Norville's confession as a joke. Other than that, Norville is the one Velma goes to when she needs help though since he's her only friend and almost everyone else thinks she committed murder, not like she has a lot of options.

I get the impression that Velma has a mean streak to pretty much every character she talks to, intentional or not. Then there's the exposition dumps of dialogue on who's who to who in the show and maybe I'm overreacting but all these character interactions, especially the first five minutes and I actually start to understand why Velma is treated the way she is on the show. Aside from Norville that is but that boy is his own basket case of problems.

I actually want to be fair and try to give Velma a chance but no, the writers want to pull of a charming mean girl type of thing and the end result is an unlikeable gnat.

April: 2; Velma: 0

Final Round - Overall characterization (though at this point, I think it's obvious which I think is better)

Gonna start with Velma on this one since I actually want to end this post on as much of a positive note as I can.

Throughout the years and in previous incarnations, Velma has been portrayed as the smartest member in the Gang. A walking encyclopedia of knowledge and with a love for solving mysteries, Velma was often the one to piece a lot of the clues together and figure out the mystery. Not always she was usually the one to figure some of the more intricate clues in the mysteries. She would also be clumsy to the point of always losing her glasses as a running gag and while variations would vary, Velma had always been consistent when it came to her character.

Until now.

I tried to keep and open mind when watching Velma. I tried to forget all the criticism I heard before watching the first episode and at least try to at least give it a chance. And I somehow made it through the first episode without rage quitting at any point but thinking about the show and it's writing and it's characters and it all played out...

...it just makes me mad. I don't like it and it makes me more mad how the creators only used the names of the Scooby-Doo characters for the attention and recognition because otherwise, no one would bat an eye. This is like that Wolverine movie where they had Deadpool's mouth sewn shut. You can't take away what makes the character who they are and say it's the same character. Original Velma had her moments of snarkiness and cynicism but that Velma wouldn't go assaulting naked girls in the shower. Serously, even if this stupid version of Velma was white, I still wouldn't like her on account how horrible she is and nothing like the one from Scooby-Doo.

Okay, with that meltdown out of the way, it's now April's turn and while it's clear that April is a much better written character in my opinion, I still want to go into how despite the many differences between the RoTMNT April and the Original April, they're still in a way the same character. The character of April O-Neil has pretty much always been portrayed as the first human friend of the Turtles, a link to the outside world beyond the sewers they call home. Though she first appeared as an adult working as a reporter, more recent incarnations made April a teenager, and Ninja Turtles did it before Rise and I heard there were "strong reactions" to that creative decision though I think that the change to make April a teenager was a bigger shock than a change of skin color and that's why I don't anyone batted an eye when that character design was revealed but that's just my opinion.

Back to April in RoTMNT, I didn't have a problem with her because she was actually fun to watch. Just based on the first episode, I enjoyed watching this version of April and her friendship with the Turtles. They all had this energy that synced to the pacing and comedy to the show that that wanted viewers to have a good time watching. Sure it was different from the old but it was the kind of different that can be thought of as a refreshing change.

So between a snarky version of Velma that is being mean to almost everyone she talks to and a spunky April O'Neil that goes feral on tiny gargoyle minions for picking on magic cat she only met a hour prior.

With no doubts from my side, RoTMNT April wins as a shining example of when race-swapping a character can be done decently without destroying what made the character unique (and likeable) and without replacing it with woke cringe.

Many thanks to any and those who have read through my comparison turned rant to the end. Also sorry for saying this wouldn't be a rant on how bad the Velma show is but the doing it anyway. Was thinking if I should write more but I have some RoTMNT I want to make in the future and I want to be finished on the topic of the Velma show because it's just that bad...

#vs #versus #which did it better #velma #velma hbo max #april o'neil #rotmnt #rise of the teenage mutant ninja turtles #comparison #this turned into a rant #my thoughts

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daincrediblegg · 6 months

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Is Lady Terror an original female character or, like, the human personification of the Terror ship? Like Doctor Who and Idris/Tardis?

OH MAN NONNIE! FUNNY YOU SAY THAT!!!

So yes. SHE IS an original female character... but as I originally conceived her she was, in part, a human personification of the ship.

because you see, I'm a whore about television shows. Sometimes I mix and match them for au's to fit my needs, even. And at around the time I re-watched the terror in the early months of this year and summarily got myself INTO this mess, I was also watching 1899, which everyone was pissed about netflix cancelling (and I completely understand why- just another on a whole laundry list of genuinely amazing shows that were not given what they were due- my personal grievance among the likes of The OA and Teenage Bounty Hunters... seriously it's such a shame), and that having a bit of a (spoilers) sci-fi twist in it got the gears turning for what the lady terror thing would actually become. It was just a nickname- one for the AI (and one that could conceivably be reader inserted) that ran the terror SPACE ship, and who happened to have the ability to pop into their alternative cryosleep victorian reality- and one that francis fell (and falls) in love with... again and again and again upon every loop on the ship.

But then I got Serious about the plot, and came up with some stuff that was even better in the context of the plain ol canon context, but the nickname stuck like feathers on tar (because in fairness it is a DAMN good nickname). But now divorced from its original context it still holds the same amount of weight for me- if not MORE than it ever did. Now it has a nasty and even sexist implication to the men who gave it to her (since she was originally designated to the HMS EREBUS, but over the course of the story ends up spending more and more time on Terror... so there you have it)... but also I think of all the things that Francis himself says a ship is to a man... and I think a lot also about how much of a "terror" that she herself is also by defying a lot of the rules that such an objectifying nickname might lay out for her (as so many of them tend to do). And it's just too bloody good and delicious to think about and I can't let it go for the life of me now 😂😂😂So there you have it. Lady Terror: Origins

#thank you nonnie 🥰#this ask made me feel like neil gaiman even if only for a minute #lady terror #egg's oc's #also yeah just go look up gifs of maura x eyk. lotta the original groundwork for francis and lady terror came from that #man should I make a lore tag for her now???#lady terror lore #??? is that anything????

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historyhermann · 8 months

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Supa Team 4 Spoiler-Filled Review

Supa Team 4 is a computer-generated superhero action-comedy series. Malenga Mulendema is the series creator and co-executive producer. Trigger Fish Animation Studios, known for the recent animated series Kiya and the Kimoja Heroes and Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire, and various television specials and films.

Reprinted from Pop Culture Maniacs and Wayback Machine. This was the forty-fifth article I wrote for Pop Culture Maniacs. This post was originally published on August 21, 2023.

This series shows its Zambian roots from the get-go, beginning in Zambia's capital, Lusaka. A reporter, Geoffrey (voiced by Sne Dladla) talks about a mysterious tornado striking the city. Former secret agent Mama K (voiced by Pamela Nomvete) brings together all the protagonists. They include a gutsy and agile girl with hair parted into two box-like sections named Temwe Chiti (voiced by Kimani Arthur) who is a bit of a juvenile delinquent" and troublemaker; a smart, organized, and creative techy girl named Komana Mwinga (voiced by Zowa Ngwira); a brainy, industrious, athletic, and tall girl named Zikomo "Zee" Phiri (voiced by Nancy Sekhokoane); and a physically strong, calm, and wise girl with an afro tied at the top named Monde Wamunyima (voiced by Namisa Mdlalose). Each has their own superhero names. Temwe is T-Mlilo, Komana is K-Bongo, Zee is Za-Mpezi, and Monde is M-Kozo.

In some ways, Supa Team 4 is like other teen superhero series in recent years (DC Super Hero Girls, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, and Young Justice) and classic series from the 2000s (Static Shock and My Life as a Teenage Robot). It comes at a time there are is growing number of Black animated series, like Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder, My Dad the Bounty Hunter, Craig of the Creek, Central Park, Iwájú (upcoming), Iyanu: Child of Wonder (upcoming), and Karma's World. The latter series ended in September 2022. There are indie animated series focusing on Black stories such as Defenders of Alodia, Jumbie, Captain Zero, LimeLight, and Diver: The Animated Series. Most are in development or on hiatus like Diver.

The difference with this series is that its stories are completely Zambian and said to be "something special for Zambians." Even so, it is relatable to everyone, like Kizazi Moto, a series primarily produced by the same animation studio. In both cases, the shows bode well for the development of the African animation industry. Supa Team 4, like Kizazi Moto, emphasizes the importance of family, Monde is close to her sister Marjory (voiced by Celine Tshika), sports (through Zee), and political corruption. City residents call for Mayor Sikazwe (voiced by Sne Dladla) to resign, which the villain exploits. Temwe's love of eating food may be relatable.

Like any other superhero series, there is a need for them to keep their real identities secret, even from those that they know well. This is accomplished through their transformation into superheroes wearing specialized super suits ala magical girl style. Unlike any other transformations I've seen, each transformation has upbeat music and a distinctive flair, making it stand apart.

All four girls are chosen after being watched for weeks. It echoes Jerry's reasoning for bringing in Sam, Alex, and Clover in Totally Spies! or "choosing" the Mew Mews in Tokyo Mew Mew New. Different from that series, Mama K lets the girls choose whether to be superheroes. The girls in that series were experimented on without their consent and forced into the superhero role. In this series, the girls have gadgets to entrap and defeat villains. Temwe's ribbon wand reminds me of Mega Pearl's weapon in Steven Universe Future or Cure Parfait's rainbow ribbon in Pretty Cure.

There is one other similarity between Tokyo Mew Mew New and Supa Team 4: the importance of preserving the environment. Komana builds a carbon-capture machine in the first episode, allowing her to capture a tornado. She receives a scholarship from Lee Magedzee (voiced by John McMillian), owner of a local energy company, Magedzee Power Corporation (MPC). He is impressed by her portable invention. It purifies carbon dioxide into safe carbon-based fuels. He later praises her solar-powered "smart art" that can charge phones and other devices.

Having an A.I. like T.O.M.I. (voiced by Thabe Ntebe), otherwise known as Technical Operations Management Interface, is not unique. Other series have featured A.I. as well. This A.I. is not a be-all-end-all. It is only one of the tools they use against villains, such as Storm Drain, Locus Pocus, Snap Back, Alley-Gator, Trash Man, Otherwise, I liked the role of Mama K's goat, Chomps (voiced by Gary Martin) throughout the series. It is even revealed that he is a secret agent!

Through the series, there is a push-and-pull of responsibilities to family and school. Temwe manifests this by her often run-ins with the school principal, Nkwashi (voiced by Abubakar Salim), who has it out for her. She gets suspended when Nkwashi thinks her ribbon wand might hurt someone. She later learns how to use her "hangry power" during battles rather than provoking Nkwashi's ire during the school day.

The series encourages viewers to believe Nkwashi is the shadowy villain, Bad Magz (voiced by John McMillian). There are hints. He has files on every student at Kamiji Secondary School. In the final episode, Temwe thinks that Nkwashi vanished like smoke. She is convinced he is the villain, after he declares she can't volunteer with Mama K (cover for their secret activities) if she fails a chemistry test. The girls don't buy her hair-brained explanation.

The series opening, first shown when the second episode begins, makes each episode pop. While the series music is by Ben Onono. Sampa the great does the theme music, in collaboration with Mag 44. It has to be one of the best opening sequences that I've seen in some time, and I watch a lot of anime series.

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Following the first episode, Supa Team 4 turns to subjects like nanotech. The team reverse engineers some nanotech locusts for their own purposes. The obsession with popularity, homesickness (in the case of Monde and Marjory), garbage/rubbish collection, vlogging, value of art, education, and mind control are other topics. In the first half of the series, the villain is a shadowy figure not unlike the character of the same name in OK K.O.: Let's Be Heroes!. But, this person is more malicious.

He wants everyone in the city to lose electric power. This leads to random power cuts (load shedding) to compensate for electric energy loss after the hydroelectric dam is damaged. This allows Lee Magedzee to step in, declaring his wind farm will be upgraded and generate more electricity. At the same time, the villain exploits anger against the mayor for his own benefit. All the while, people hanker for more solar power.

Mama K has her own secrets. Formerly, she headed a crime-fighting team at the Intelligence Agency for Zambia (IAZ) and had the code name of Mkango. She, a computer expert named Rhino/Chipembele/Uncle Chi and a confidante (and inventive genius) named Towela, worked to bring down Chusi.

Even worse, this villain steals top-secret information, uploading the information to his mind, and destroys the original documents. As a result, the government didn't have access to their own intelligence! This ends sadly. Chusi used their device, the Brainstorm, to wipe the memories of Towela. It gives her amnesia. He also blinds Chi. Mama K is alone. The four protagonists cheer her up, convincing her they can all take down Chusi, also known as Bad Magz, together.

The Supa Team 4 season one finale blows everything wide open. Chusi gets, thanks to Professor Greenthumbs, some of the tech that Team 4 is using. Principal Nkwashi says that his own goal is to help Temwe. He is worried that she will become like him. He was a feisty and spirited kid who lacked focus. The four team members follow a Baobab tree to an abandoned mine. Greenthumbs deactivates their super suits, takes away their weapons, and pulls them into an underground lair! The biggest reveal is not that Nkwashi isn't the villain, but that Chusi is Lee Magedze!

This unexpected twist shows how devious the writers and animators were, leading the audience to believe that the Principal was the villain. The fact that Lee Magedze is the villain means he has the duality of being a Black leader who is trying to increase people's power and trying to take it away. My prediction is that he will attempt to unseat the mayor. The citizens would elect him if he ran on a Black empowerment platform. Once in office, he will have even more power, as the villain and the mayor.

There are reports that Supa Team 4 will have at least 25 episodes. In fact, the Director of Production at Triggerfish Animation Studios, Mike Buckland, confirmed a second season, writing "hold your breath for Season 2, because it just gets better from here." Such a season will undoubtedly continue to center on African stories, without any White characters, and remain relatable to Black girls and Zambians. The series may lean more into romance as well, as Zee's friend, Chipo Hamoonga (voiced by Daniel "KStar" Lyapa), has a crush on her, and a boy has a crush on Temwe.

Furthermore, the series may influence more Africans to tell their stories through animation, as they may see themselves, and their experiences represented, even as some Zambians claimed the character accents weren't authentic. Supa Team 4 is indicative of how collaboration is important in Africa, as the animation industry deals with many challenges, that "anyone from anywhere can be a superhero," and the great storytelling traditions on the continent. At the same time, I'm glad that the series was renamed from the original title ordered in 2019, Mama K's Team 4, as the current title makes the less about Mama K and more about the team.

Significantly, the series is dubbed in isiZulu. Mama K voiced by Linda Sokhulu. Many of the same voice actors re-appear. This dub promotes accessibility to a new audience. It provides the opportunity for people within South Africa, and other areas where Zulu is spoken, to connect with the characters within the series.

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I find it funny that some complain about threats and violence in this series, since that is common in animation. Such complaints make the series appear more mature than the reality. It is more accurate to say Supa Team 4 is an all-ages series full of adventure, action, and humor, with a diverse cast. In addition, it defies oft-stereotypes of Africa. Others reported that the series draws visual inspiration from hip-hop girls groups and retro 1990s R&B groups. Malcolm Wope, an artist from Cameroon, does the visual design. The series has distinct characters, a real world but futuristic setting, while working through the girls' interpersonal issues.

Despite calls by Morrow for sharing the show, which she called a "project of passion," there is little chatter about the series on Reddit, and only one mature fanfiction written on July 30. There is more chatter on X/Twitter, with one account even as an unofficial fan page. Furthermore, on Tumblr, fans praised the show's animation, described the series as relatable, cute, have listed LGBTQ+ headcanons, drew fan art, and liked the magical girlesque transformations of the four protagonists. There may be chatter on other platforms, like Mastodon servers, but I am not personally aware of it.

Like they do with many series these days, Netflix did the fans of Supa Team 4 a disservice. All eight episodes dropped the same day on Netflix. While this makes it easy to binge the entire season, it creates a situation of catch-up among fans who run the risk of seeing spoilers on social media for episodes they haven't watched. This severly limits the possibility to discuss each episode without spoilers and can ruin pacing for a series. Netflix should have followed the model used for anime: dropping one episode each week. That would have allowed for more community to build around the show, than dropping it one day and moving on. It is irresponsible.

Although I wasn't familiar with series writers Ng'endo Mukii, Khadidiatou Diouf, Voline Ogutu, Maame Boateng, Omotunde Akiode, Tshepo Moche, or Gloria Huwiler, I knew of Vanessa Kanu. She directed the third episode/film of Kizazi Moto entitled "Moremi." It centered on the frailty of the human condition, family togetherness, and the value of one's soul.

Series director Dave Osburne, assistant director Tabitha O'Connell, production designer /art director Alessandro Chirico were names. I did not know series producer Ceri Barnes, head writer Amy Keating Rogers, and story editor Cindy Morrow either. Rogers worked on other girl-power series like The Powerpuff Girls and My Little Pony: Friendship. In addition, Osburne has worked on his share of animated series since the mid-1990s, as did O'Connell. At the same time, Chirico worked on Black Mirror, a series based upon The Twilight Zone. Barnes has been producer since the late 1990s.

For many voice actors, this may be their first voice role. Arthur previously voiced Willow in Nella the Princess Knight. MacMillan provided his voice for video game characters, as did Martin. Salim voiced Zanror in The Legend of Vox Machina. Animators have worked on series such as Kazazi Moto, Star Wars: Visions, and The Amazing World of Gumball, and films (Seal Team and Storks).

I excited to see where the series goes from here. Maybe Mama K will practice Nichiren Buddhism like her voice actor. Perhaps Zee will have Cuban roots like her voice actress or some of the main cast of Supa Team 4 will be queer. Looking through the social media of the protagonists, I am seriously doubting the latter.

In Zambia, same-sex sexual activity, for men and women, is illegal, a legal measure inherited from British control, and reportedly many queer people are closeted. Unfortunately, there is a slim chance for change. The Zambian High Court upheld acquittal of a human rights activist, who called for the country to recognize rights of sex workers and LGBTQ+ people, in 2013. However, a public opinion poll, released in 2010, indicated widespread disapproval of "homosexual behaviour."

Even so, the series is primarily produced in South Africa. After the end of apartheid, it outlawed discrimination based on sexual orientation. Furthermore, it is the only African state to legalize same-sex marriage. In addition, there are legal protections for LGBTQ+ people from discrimination in employment and elsewhere. At the same time, the creators may want to avoid making the series controversial and won't have any queer relationships so the show can appeal to all Zambians.

Ultimately, I hope Supa Team 4 reaches new heights in season 2. Maybe it will pave the way for African animation in the Africanfuturist, superhero, comedy, adventure, action, and other genres.

Supa Team 4 can be streamed on Netflix.

#supa team 4 #netflix #black animation #african animation #zambian animation #south african animation #zambia #lusaka #triggerfish #indie animation #homophobia #zulu #load shedding #south africa #dubbing #reviews #pop culture #pop culture maniacs #repost

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