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loxxxlay · 5 years

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Ragnarok’s underrated brotherly reconciliation

(Note: People who are anti-Ragnarok, please don’t engage. This is tagged as Ragnarok positivity for a reason - it is an affirming analysis for the eyes of those in support of Ragnarok only.)

i know it’s not perfect but the reason I don’t see Ragnarok as the “thor bullies loki into the same submissive (”inferior”) state as he was pre-Thor” is mostly because of the conversation they have BEFORE the elevator (which is actually my favorite scene of the movie!!)

“We should talk,” Thor says, and when he says that, he’s not looking directly at Loki. You can tell he’s struggling to meet Loki’s eyes... he’s also VERY fidgety - shuffling his feet and shifting his center of gravity... which could imply a certain amount of... guilt? shame? At the very least, he’s struggling to have this conversation - on some level, he’s afraid of how Loki will react.

And when Loki does react? When he says he doesn’t want to talk? Thor meets his eyes, and his face is particularly expressive:

I would argue that this frown looks rather guilty and remorseful (with an undercurrent of love for Loki). At the very least, I’m sure we can all agree it is not a happy face. But I’m more interested in what isn’t present in his expression: no surprise, no anger. Not only does he expect that Loki will block his attempt at having The Talk (TM) , but he also doesn’t fault Loki for doing so.

To me, this shows that Thor recognizes that Loki’s feelings are valid, at least in this moment. This reaction is likely the reason Thor couldn’t meet Loki’s eyes before. He knew this would be Loki’s response. And he knew Loki would be right to respond this way.

But what did Thor want to talk about before Loki blocked him?

In my opinion, this is a direct continuation of the conversation they had in the Gladiator Dungeons, and I feel this way for two reasons. One, and most obviously, this is the first time, since that conversation, that Thor and Loki have had the chance to talk to each other alone. All other instances, they have been in the presence of others; thus, they have been unable to be intimate. Now that the others are gone for a short time, they can respond to the hurt each is feeling (and I wanna point out that the fact that Thor begins it so urgently, instead of waiting for them to be safe from Sakaar and Hela, shows his strong desire to address his error and make it right).

The second reason is because how this conversation (that Loki claims he doesn’t want to have) progresses. When Loki says that open communication has never been their family’s forte, Thor responds: “Oh, you have no idea. Been quite the revelation since we last spoke.” “Revelation,” obviously referring to Odin lying about Hela’s existence.

Odin lying was only brought up once by Thor and Loki, and that conversation happened in the Gladiator Dungeons as well. Loki says, “Hurts doesn’t it? Being lied to. Being told you’re one thing, then learning it’s all a fiction?”

In this conversation, Loki, in his own way, is reaching out to Thor. And Thor rejects this. This is a direct parallel to the conversation described above, in which Thor reaches out to Loki, and Loki is the one to reject. I truly do not think this is an accidental parallel, and I feel strongly that the two conversations are meant to be continuations of each other.

That point granted - let’s look again at the exchange:

Loki: “Open communication has never been our family’s forte.”

Thor: “Oh, you have no idea. Been quite the revelation since we last spoke.”

So much to unpack omg and I’m so bad at this. But. First of all, explicitly, Loki is making a direct criticism of the way they were raised and the toxicity of their family. He is once again asserting the way Odin has lied and concealed the truth from them - and how the their family (i.e. Frigga and to an extent he and Thor themselves) have been complicit in those machinations.

Unlike the Gladiator Dungeon conversation, Thor agrees with him on this.

This is hugely symbolic, because it is the first time in the entire Thor franchise that Thor sides with Loki, instead of Odin.

Secondly, the words “been quite the revelation since we last spoke” implies that Thor has changed his mind since his last meeting with Loki (again, which I’m sure refers to the Gladiator Dungeon conversation). Thor reacted accusingly toward Loki beforehand, but now he is admitting that he no longer feels this way - that his accusation has shifted toward the faults of the family (and of Odin) as a whole. It is a concept he is not considered before - but “revelation” being a key word, it is a concept that he recognizes as something he was missing and something he needed to learn.

In other words, Thor is not only responding in favor to Loki’s criticism of their family - but he is also responding to his own poor reaction in the Gladiator Dungeons. He is admitting he was wrong. He is showing that he now is on Loki’s side. “Hurts, doesn’t it? Being lied to” and “open communication was never our family’s forte” are both being affirmed in this short statement!

Then of course, they continue this conversation-that-is-not-really-a-conversation, at the same time as they work seamlessly together. A very aesthetically pleasing scene. And once they’re in the elevator, Thor follows Loki’s lead. He lets Loki guide their conversation. Loki wants to stay on Sakaar? Thor, whatever his reasons, supports this. Loki says he wants them to be “set adrift” and go their separate ways? Thor supports this.

There are layers to Thor’s support, and I do recognize that! I also realize Thor is literally installing a back-up plan in the form of an obedience disc as they speak.

However, even knowing this, it’s very clear that Thor’s methodology in responding to Loki has completely changed!

How many times have we seen Thor letting Loki guide the conversation versus Thor steamrolling over whatever Loki tries to say? We see Thor steamrolling in the Gladiator Dungeons. We see Thor steamrolling on Asgard when he demands to know where Odin is. We see Thor steamrolling directly after Odin dies. Even outside of Ragnarok, Loki is never the one who leads the conversation. Thor is.

(i.e. “Know your place, Brother”; “Enough!”; “Imagined slights”; “I will not fight you, brother!”)

In this Ragnarok scene, Thor has adapted his behavior. Rather than steamrolling, Thor is listening to what Loki has to say and responding to it. For his own gain? Perhaps. What kind of brother would Thor be if he didn’t want to reconcile however he could? Whatever his reasoning, whatever his plans, Thor has learned that Loki has Feelings (TM) and he has learned that steamrolling over them is not constructive for either side. This, in my opinion, counts for something, despite what happens afterward.

Even more importantly: While Thor wants to have The Talk (TM) about the ways Odin has lied to them... Loki does not. I find it a very symbolically warming gesture that Thor respects this. Other than his one brief line “been quite the revelation of late,” he lets the subject die. He doesn’t press Loki to speak more upon Odin’s lies. In other words, though it is clearly not what Thor wants, Loki has set a clear boundary on that particular subject, and Thor has respected it.

I know that for many people, this conversation is not enough. However, because of the above reasons, for me, it is.

As someone who has had a fluctuating toxic relationship with their own family members (including their brother), I’ve found that many times, with the people you know best, reconciliation is not necessarily overt and explicit. It can be subtle. It can be conveyed in the shortest of sentences, and it can be done in the most nonverbal of ways.

My brother and I don’t have the perfect relationship that I wish we did, but I consider us much closer than we have been before. And a lot of that has to do with subtle, two-sentence exchanges that convey changes in attitude - just like the one above.

Do Thor and Loki still hurt each other? Even directly after this scene? Yes. It’s hard to break a millennia of habit. But does this, at least to me, show that they have crossed some treacherous ground? Yes! Do they have a lot more ground to cross? Definitely.

In their final conversation, when Thor wishes to hug Loki and Loki responds with an invitation (”I’m here”), this is not a step back for Loki. It’s a step forward. It’s the very next time they’re able to talk to each other alone, which implies a parallel to the prior two conversations. Here, they are both reaching out. And rather than rejecting each other, they are both listening. Their love is metaphorically passed through the action of throwing and catching the lid to the decanter.

Unlike what other’s may think, I feel this is not a conclusion to their conversation. This is an agreement to begin a conversation. An agreement to learn how to be brothers again.

#thorloki #thor #loki #ragnarok #ragnarok positivity #marvel #meta #lox meta #mine #long post

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realityhelixcreates · 5 years

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Lasabrjotr Chapter 34: Breaking News

Chapters: 34/? Fandom: Thor (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe Rating: Teen And Up Warnings: Mentions of nudity. death, internet misogyny Relationships: Loki x Reader (Someday) Characters: Loki (Marvel), Reader, Thor, Brunnhilde, Heimdall Additional Tags: Post-Endgame: Best Possible Ending (Canon-Divergent), Loki Has Some Telling Dreams, Loki Has Some Legitimate Fears, This Is Why People Have A Low Opinion Of Journalists These Days, Clickbait More Like Clickhate Amirite Summary: Fame can be particularly unpleasant

You stormed into the bathtub, naked as the day you were born, and the fury of you pushed him back against the wall. It was hard now to remember that you were mortal. Small. Helpless. It was hard to remember when you approached, wrapped in burning rage, like a force of nature. Thor could not help, for he too, was weak in the face of mortal women. Brunnhilde would not help, for she knew, as Loki now did, that he had made a terrible mistake. He looked to them for support anyway.

They were not there. There was only you and him, in a bath that seemed increasingly too small. The water lapped at your breasts as you splashed towards him. He had tried not to look, he had really tried. But you had demanded it. “Look at me!” You had snarled, and he had, and he remembered every inch of skin he had seen before your little fist had connected...

Not again. It wasn't that the strike had hurt exactly, he hadn't minded that. It was the anger, and the hurt underneath it. It was knowing that it was all because of how callous and thoughtless he had been, when he was supposed to be better than that.

“Look at me!” You demanded, and he did, resigned to what was to come. Your hand shot out and grasped the back of his head, fingers curling in his hair.

What?

In a single, smooth movement, you closed the last of the distance between you and him, sliding up against his body and capturing his mouth in a searing kiss.

His entire mind blanked, and he just stood, dumbfounded for a few moments, until everything caught up with him. Then he flung his arms around you, crushing you to his chest and returning the kiss with equal fervor.

Oh, this...this was so much better than being punched...

He poured passion into you, wanting more, more, more. It had been so long since he'd had this, and even then, it was with suspicion and apprehension hanging over him. But this felt so pure, so true. He didn't want to ever stop.

He kissed you ceaselessly until the water went cold around him, and even then, he didn't want to stop. But the cold was creeping up his body, so, so cold. Cold and...hard...

He drew back suddenly, to stare into your unblinking, rime-covered eyes. Your face, your body, rigid like a perfectly detailed statue.

Loki tried to leap away, shouting in horror, but the bathwater was solid, trapping him from the hips down. He flailed, the blue of his skin catching his eye.

Odin was there, perched on the tiles on the other side of the tub. He was saying something, but Loki could not hear over his own screaming.

He opened his eyes to the false night created by the hotels blackout curtains, immediately rushing to your bedside. You were breathing softly, slowly, and he almost thew his arms around you in relief, only drawing back at the last moment, for fear that you would freeze at his touch.

What was getting into him? First, out on the island, he had almost...done something before that bird had interrupted. Had he almost kissed you? Why? Why was he dreaming about it now, why was he craving something like that? Such things were not for him, surely he was still too busy, surely he was not meant for trivialities like romance. That must be what the dream was about. He was still too broken, too untrustworthy, too dangerous. It would only end in disaster.

At least it was now obvious that you didn't share all of his dreams. You slept peacefully, unaware of the warnings his mind was providing him. A warning. He should heed it. Banish all thoughts of soft affections and closeness. It was just a warning to keep his hands to himself.

He had been getting too comfortable by far. Holding your hand out in public, putting his arms around you, dancing with you. Crawling right into bed with you, the instant you allowed it of him! He even tried running to you for comfort after this nightmare, even though he was the one who was supposed to be protecting you! Even though he was the one who was a danger to you.

That dream was incredibly unfair. He had never once lost control over his form, not ever. Only the touch of another frost giant, or their magic, could force him to revert, otherwise, he had perfect control. He had kissed others, and not frozen them.

None of them had been mortal though. Or rather, none of them had been as weak and lowly as a human. So soft, so delicate. So fragile. So brief.

He paused a moment to regain control of his breathing. There was something so appealing about your vulnerability, especially since you lived your life as if mostly unaware of it. All humans did, despite being the most frail of the peoples in the Eight Realms.

Retreating to his bed, he settled down, but did not sleep, visions of forbidden intimacy swimming just behind his eyelids.

******

You awoke, well rested and fresh. What lovely dreams you'd had. Traveling the universe, bathed in blue light, like a fading star. Something was attempting to communicate with you, not in words, but in impressions. It showed you dozens of worlds, peoples, stars, and other wonders. You could visit all these places, it promised, you could see all these things and more. All you had to do was learn how.

Bolstered by that potential future, you greeted the morning, barely noticing how quickly Loki switched places with Saldis, neglecting to tease you at all. At least you now knew you didn't share all of your dreams with him, not that you would have minded sharing this one.

You went out for breakfast with Saldis and Borgliot, and showed off your new puffin charm, and the seeds you had bought at the botanical gardens. Both women cooed over the puffin, just as charmed by the silly birds as you were. Saldis showed you a patterned, wool sweater she had bought to bring back to Andsvarr and a box of salted licorice for herself, and Borgliot had a bottle of Brennivin and a pair of very nice hiking boots for her brother, whom she told you was trapped on Vanaheim. There were a lot of families that had been scattered that way, with family members offworld at the time of Ragnarok, who had no way now to return without the Bifrost.

“We two shall meet again, I am certain.” Borgliot said. “In time, the Bifrost shall be repaired, and restored to its former power. We hast only to wait.”

Borgliot had time. She was maybe a little younger than the king, just young enough to have missed being discovered by the Valkyries before their last flight. Plenty of time left to see the Bifrost returned to full strength. You might not though.

Shame that. You did want to explore space, just like in your dream, but unless there was some breakthrough in building it, the Bifrost would be no help.

Saldis and Borgliot were going home today, since the trial was over, and they were no longer needed. Thor was swamped with press, and meetings with the local authorities, but he and Brunnhilde planned on leaving tomorrow, if they could conclude all their business by the end of the day. That would leave you and Loki alone in the city for two days after that, if you wanted to stay.

There was still a waterfall to visit, and more whale watching to do. Plenty of museums to visit, plenty of history to learn. Surely you could fill two days with education.

You saw the girls off on their horses with many well-wishes on their return, then rejoined Loki and Thor before the latter had to run off to another meeting. Brunnhilde, however, had other plans for you, dragging you away with her to input numbers into your new phone.

******

Loki watched you go with some apprehension. The Valkyrie could be unpredictable as he was, and Loki was disinclined to fully trust anyone who reminded him of himself. Still, he was certain that she would not allow you to get yourself into any real trouble, and said nothing as the two of you left.

“So...” Thor said, a jovial tone in his voice that Loki recognized as meaning some kind of brotherly teasing was on its way.

“Yes?” He said testily, not really in the mood.

“You have been somewhat...indiscreet this week, don't you think?”

“I'm sure I have no idea what you mean.”

“Oh, well then, allow me to show you!”

Thor held out his phone with a majestic flourish. His newsfeed was clogged with article after article full of pictures; you and himself walking together, holding hands, eating meals, hugging, leaning on each other, just being together. Headlines speculated every possible thought, though most of them were centered on whether or not you were dating. There was one that showcased a picture taken of him carrying you in his arms, and leaping from the courthouse stairs. He looked terribly dashing to his own eyes. The headline shouted in bold text:

DEMON OR DISNEY PRINCE: Could the Controversial Prince of Asgard Have Rethought His Stance on Human Inferiority?

He snorted. Possibly. But it wasn't anybody's business but his.

Directly beneath that article was yet another-there were stacks and stacks of them-that featured you clinging to his arm with an unpleasant, clearly photoshopped expression.

HUSSIE OF THE MONTH: Supposed Victim Actually Shameless Social Climber? Pictured Here Brazenly Clutching The World's Most Eligible Villain!

“My, that one is unfriendly, isn't it?” Thor said, disapprovingly.

“I am not that eligible.” Loki protested.

“That's the part you're concerned about?”

“There's so many of them. They just go on and on; why are there so many? Look at this: 'Fantastic Frenemies? The Lady Doth Not Protest Too Much?' Ugh, 'Loki's Live-In Lady'? Look, this one calls her a doxie! How dare they publish that! Is there no oversight? I hope she hasn't seen these yet.”

“Uh, well...I'm pretty sure Brunnhilde was going to show her...”

“Oh no.”

“You have got to be kidding me!” You bellowed from where the Valkyrie had led you.

“Oh no.”

You stormed back up to him pointing at your new phone.

“Is this what you mean by PR?” You snapped. “I don't even recognize some of the words they're calling me!”

“I know, and I share your fury.” Loki assured. “I will find the addresses of these publishing houses, and I will utterly destroy them. No stone left atop another, I will raze them to the ground! I shall-”

“Loki!” Thor scolded.

“I shall write them a stern letter, detailing my disapproval!” Loki amended.

“It won't stop them.” You grumbled. “It's all clickbait, and it's all already out there. Once something's on the net, it's there forever. This is never going away.”

Loki placed his hands on your shoulders, leaning down to look you right in the face.

“Then we will do what those of us who are higher than they always do: ignore them. They are as ants to such as us, inconsequential and petty.”

You brushed his hands away. “That's easy for you to say, you aren't the one getting slut-shamed for no reason! Ugh! I need to take a walk or something.”

“Very well.” Loki said. “We can go-”

“I mean by myself.” You cut him off.

“My dear, I'm not sure that would be safe...”

“I just want some time to myself, is that too much? This shit is gonna spread like wildfire. By the end of the week, everyone's gonna see it. You get to be a prince, and I get to be a floozy. Great. I need to go stomp around a little. Meet me at the whale watching pier in a couple hours?”

“What? No, _____, I cannot advise-”

“See ya in a couple hours!” You stalked off, leaving him spluttering behind you. It was rude, and you knew it, but anger and distress burned through you, and you didn't want to take it out on him. Yeah, okay, Loki definitely had a bad reputation, but people weren't lambasting him sexually with no proof! You didn't need the added nonsense of dozens of news outlets accusing you of the same thing that murderer had!

So maybe you weren't a pure, untarnished virgin. But then again, as far as any of them knew, maybe you were! The point was, that it wasn't anybody's business but yours.

But they'd published it anyway, and were going to make a bunch of money off of it, and your dad, and Tara, and everyone you had ever known was going to see it, and so was everyone you hadn't even met yet. And it would inform their opinions of you, even if they didn't realize it, even if they tried not to let it.

And what would the people of Asgard make of it? You knew there were people there who already had a low opinion of you; you didn't want the general populace to get the impression that you were merely gold-digging trash.

“_____!” Someone called. “_____! You're _____, aren't you?”

You turned to face a small group of strangers, a few of whom you recognized from the courthouse steps. You drew back away from them. What did they want? Surely you couldn't have gotten yourself into danger so soon after blowing Loki off. That would just be embarrassing.

“Are you okay?” One of them, a young woman, asked. “Are you alone? Have you finally escaped the bastard? We can sneak you out, we think. Come with us, and we can get you home!”

Oh, they still thought Loki was some great, looming villain that you needed to be saved from. Well, it was several steps up from being threatened.

“It's...not that easy, you guys.” You said. It had been so long since you had spoken with someone who sounded like you, and these people at least seemed sympathetic.

“Has he threatened you? I'm sure there's somewhere you could go into hiding-”

“No, no, no, nothing like that. It's just that there's a lot going on, and I can't leave, I live here now-”

“And despite what you may have heard, I take very good care of her.” Loki said from directly behind you. He slid one hand smoothly over your shoulder, almost clutching, as the group of supportive protesters shrank away from him in fear.

“You wouldn't happen to have been following me while invisible, would you, your Highness?” You asked sourly.

You could practically feel his smugness falter, through the pressure of his hand.

“I might have.”

You tapped his fingers sharply, and he withdrew his hand.

“Just give me some time.” You entreated. He didn't say anything else, just walked back up the street with a barely perceptible hangdog expression.

“You can just...talk to him like that?” One of the terrified protesters whispered.

“Yeah, sometimes. He'll probably play some trick on me later, but it won't be so bad. Listen, you guys, there's been a lot of misunderstandings surrounding all this. C'mon, let's go talk about it...”

*****

Sofie put her phone away in disgust.

“Ugh! If I didn't need to ferry supplies back and forth, I might not ever go back to civilization!” She exclaimed.

“The pictures looked nice.” Frodi said. “They seem happy.”

“That only makes this disrespect worse.” Fritjof grumbled as Savane stirred their stew.

“Poor _____. She's really getting the worst of it.”

“She's an easier target.” Frodi pointed out. “She's not a god, and she's not threatening. There's nothing she can really do to get them to stop. Not that they've exactly spared Loki, but they can get really nasty at her expense.”

“Actually, I would like to speak with you about that.”

All four heads whipped around to face the unfamiliar voice, as Heimdall approached from behind the tents, the fire reflected in his eyes.

All four worshipers wordlessly moved aside to make room. With an appreciative nod, he took a seat.

“These gatherings are inevitable, and they are not unwelcome.” He began. “Truthfully, I find it flattering that any of you remember us at all, unreliable storytelling not withstanding. But even in the times of your distant ancestors, not everyone was welcoming of us. This hostility and confusion is nothing new.

The span of it, however, is. News traveled much more slowly in those days; there was more time to plan and prepare, to fortify ones position and allies. Now, there is less time for preparation, and people, including enemies, can move much more quickly from place to place. Your people could not fly, the last time I walked these lands. Now, you can traverse the whole of Midgard in mere days.

And now, entire camps of potential enemies have set up outside my city, motivated by hostility for one man, and confusion over one woman. I cannot look everywhere at once, and there are many things that currently require my attention.”

Frodi nodded. “And you want us to keep an eye out for potential trouble.”

“I want you to be wary of potential trouble.” Heimdall corrected. “I cannot advise that you enter into any kind of conflict. I do not believe that the majority of these people came here seeking violence, but that the minority who did might spread their influence if you are perceived as a threat. Eventually, there will be mingling. That too is inevitable. Welcome those who come to you, learn what you can. Many of these people do not truly understand the situation, and I cannot go explain to them myself without being seen as dangerous. It seems my presence stirs unease in much of humankind.”

This last was said with a pointed glance at Fritjof, who dropped his gaze.

“It might have to do with people having secrets, and you being able to see everything.” Savane pointed out bluntly. Fritjof and Sofie shot her quick glances.

“Probably.” Heimdall said, unperturbed. “Now, I am not conscripting you, and there is no reward I have the authority to offer, however, if these new people prove to be dangerous to your camp, I can move guards out here to patrol the borders.”

“That is very gracious. I'll inform the others. You too, Sofie.” Frodi stood, brushed himself off, and motioned for Sofie to follow. The two of them walked off into the camp, to visit the fires of others.

“Savane, I feel the soup could use some of your special spice blend.” Heimdall said.

“Yes, you see, that is exactly what I was speaking of earlier.” She said, but went back to her tent anyway.

“Fritjof, son of Jor, will you tell me why you set that tent on fire? You knew there was no one inside.”

“You saw.” Fritjof said apprehensively. “Of course you did. I believed its owner was the man who attacked Loki's seidkona, and I wanted him to have no shelter among us.”

“Decisive, but dangerous, don't you think?”

“If you saw me do it then you should know I had it completely under control.”

“And no one else knows? No one ever notices that your fire never goes out?”

“No. Will you tell them?”

“I will not. It is not mine to tell. But if you value your friends, you should inform them of what you are capable of. I do not believe that they will shun you for your difference. But then again, I was born to a people who value those with such special abilities.”

“I will think about it.” Fritjof said, but would not promise anything further. The thing that drove him out here in the first place, the thing that made him obsessed with blood and heritage, that thing was his own, and he did not trust it with anyone else.

*****

“-And she was so shy that it took her weeks just to hold my hand.” Todd was saying. A group of newcomers had gathered around his tent to hear his stories about the woman who was rapidly becoming legend.

“She's so sweet and innocent. I really worry about what that alien has been putting her through.”

“Why didn't you follow her to the city?” Someone asked.

“Oh, I'm no match for a horse's speed.” Todd admitted. “And she's doing something important there, that shouldn't be interrupted. Did you know someone actually tried to kill her? It's terrible! That never happened back home. She's gotta go witness at his trial, and I hope they put him away for good.”

“I wonder if it was one of those fanatic at the other camp?” Someone else mused. “They're creepy. You know they actually think these people are real, literal gods?”

“Yeah, it's a little weird. Don't know why you'd wanna worship someone like Loki. Thor, maybe, he seems like a decent dude, but he's definitely flesh and blood, not a god. Just an alien. This is like some Fifties pulp novel: Aliens Stole My Girl! Poor _____. She's got to be so confused.”

“Hey dude.” Said another camper, who had heard Todd's lament more than a few times. “If she's your girl, then what's all this?” She handed Todd her phone, and he scrolled down through all the articles that had made you so distressed, outrage plain on his face.

“This is bullshit.” He declared. “Whoever those reporters are, they sure don't know _____! She isn't like that at all. But him-oh, we all know what a liar and manipulator he is! He's definitely deceiving her; she's just kind and naive enough to be twisted around by him.”

“I bet he's using her just to make himself look good.” One of them said.

“Well, don't fall for it.” The other camper answered, taking her phone back. “He's still the same bastard he's always been. You don't just stop being a power hungry lunatic overnight. No matter how harmless or friendly he might seem right now, it's all part of a plan. If he was really serious about not being Earth's enemy, he'd have turned himself in to justice, or make reparations to the cities he terrorized, or even issued some kind of apology! He hasn't done any of that, and he doesn't intend to! He thinks if he just waits long enough, it'll all go away, and he can just do whatever he wants with impunity! He kidnapped a woman from her workplace and put her in harms way. No amount of cute pictures can change that. Never forget what he's done! Never forget! Never forget!”

The cry went up, a chorus audible from the gates of the city.

#loki x reader #loki (marvel)#thor (marvel)#brunnhilde (marvel)#valkyrie (marvel)#Heimdall (Marvel)#marvel fanfiction

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nathanneedsausername · 5 years

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The MCU (So Far) Ranked

With Avengers: Endgame right around the corner now feels like a good time to talk about all 21 films that brought us to this moment.

#21 - Thor: The Dark World (Alan Taylor)

Rating - 3/10

Look, there always has to be one.

Thor: The Dark World suffers from the same problem that most bad comic book movies do it is simply forgettable, this is the worst type of film to write about because I have noting to say. Far from being insultingly bad but also far from being any good. Honestly if you ever plan on cramming these films again do yourself a favour and skip this one.

#20 - The Incredible Hulk (Louis Leterrier)

Rating - 4/10

You can skip this one too.

The Incredible Hulk is a product of its time, in the late ‘00s this was about as good as action movies not called The Dark Knight got. This one isn’t unwatchable and the bit were The Hulk kicks Tim Roth into a tree is pretty cool but given how little this film has effected the franchise going forward you really wont miss anything by skipping it.

#19 - Iron Man 2 (Jon Favreau)

Rating - 4/10

I get why they made this movie, but I’d rather they hadn’t.

Iron Man 2 is basically just a teaser trailer for the better movies that were about to come out. This movie consists of boring conversations between Tony Stark and Nick Fury and even more boring scenes with the villains that really kicked of the cliché that these movies have boring villains. The suitcase Iron Man suit is really dope though.

#18 - Ant-Man and the Wasp (Peyton Reed)

Rating - 6/10

Meh.

Ant-Man and the Wasp is actually pretty good. Paul Rudd is allowed to fully explore his comedic talent making this a very watchable film however the script lacks any focus and it is ultimately difficult to stay invested in anything happening on screen. It’s a mixed bag but it’s pretty fun.

#17 - Thor (Kenneth Branagh)

Rating - 6/10

Kenneth Branagh made a super-hero movie, this is about as good as that idea could ever have been.

Thor is a surprisingly small movie, revisiting this film now feels slightly strange given what we have since seen of the character. Branagh was always the wrong choice to direct a Marvel movie especially during a time were the studio had far more say than any of their filmmakers. It’s worth revising this film to set up the Avengers but other than that it isn’t anything special.

#16 - Avengers: Age of Ultron (Joss Whedon)

Rating - 6/10

It took me a long time to come to terms with the fact that this movie is just ok.

Avengers: Age of Ultron should be so much better than it is but it ended up being the poster child for when a studio gets cold feet and tries to take over on directors vision. Joss Whedon is an excellent story teller but this does not so off his talents at all. Once again this certainly isn’t a bad film it just isn’t great, there is some good dialogue and the introduction of both Scarlet Witch and Vision is worth seeing.

#15 - Captain America: The First Avenger (Joe Johnston)

Rating - 7/10

Way more camp than I remember .

Captain America: The First Avenger feels as though it has taken the framework of a more conventional war drama and just thrown in some superhero stuff and I don’t necessarily think that is a bad thing. When this film embraces its campness it can be very entertaining. Chris Evans was a prefect casting choice for Steve Rodgers and this film does go in an unexpected direction by making Captain America basically just a mascot but once again the villain is weak and large sections of the plot are forgettable. Overall worth re-watching it is probably better than you remember.

#14 - Captain Marvel (Ryan Fleck, Anna Boden)

Rating - 7/10

I’m sorry, I like this one.

Captain Marvel might be the most controversial film in the whole franchise. I have some grievances with this one, namely lack of any style or originality in the writing or direction but the chemistry between Brie Larson and Samuel L Jackson helps to make this an enjoyable watch. I know you probably don’t agree with me but this is my list and I like this movie, so there!

#13 - Iron Man (Jon Favreau)

Rating - 7/10

Not as great as I remember but still pretty good.

Iron Man will forever be remembered as a film that changed cinema witch is so weird to me having re-watched it recently. This is a rather slow and somewhat cliché 2000s action flick with a paper-thin plot. Robert Downey Jr. and Jeff Bridges both give it their all and I have nothing but respect for Jon Favreau for turning RDJ’s mad ramblings into a coherent film.

#12 - Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (James Gunn)

Rating - 7/10

I’m still not sure how to take this.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is the most visually stunning film in the MCU, almost every shot could be used as a laptop wallpaper. This also has quite possibly the strongest theming as its story about fatherhood and toxic relationships can bring a tear to your eye if you let it. So it is such a shame that this film is full of jokes that just do not land and weird side plots that feel like set-ups for movies that Marvel would probably never let James Gunn make. I kinda love this movie but this is as high as I can put it on this list.

#11 - Captain America: Civil War (Anthony Russo, Joe Russo)

Rating - 8/10

The fight scene though!

Captain America: Civil War is one great fight scene that is all anyone ever wants to talk about. I think the rest of the movie is also pretty good, this was our first look at how the Russo brothers would handle a larger ensemble cast and every character gets the screen time they deserve. Really though the airport fight is amazing!

#10 - Doctor Strange (Scott Derrickson)

Rating - 8/10

The word Strange is in the title.

Doctor Strange has a remarkably safe plot given the source materiel, although that can all be forgiven given how amazing the visual effects are. This is a very entertaining film mainly for the creative and ingenious uses of special effects. This film can drag a bit but it is worth it to see something that gives the end of 2001 a run for its money.

#9 - Iron Man 3 (Shane Black)

Rating - 8/10

And you thought my views on Captain Marvel were controversial!

Iron Man 3 is great and I will not change my mind on that. This was the first team up between Robert Downey Jr. and screenwriter/director Shane Black since 2005′s Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and it was worth the wait. The dialogue is sharp and the plot with Tony Stark dealing with P.T.S.D. after the events of The Avengers makes for a great character study.

I am aware that the general consensus is that the plot twist sucks but with Ben Kingsley’s fantastic performance and the wonderfully absurd way that it is reveled I can’t help but love it. In all honesty I just to big a Shane Black fan to hate this (the same logic does not apply to The Predator).

#8 - Ant-Man (Peyton Reed)

Rating - 8/10

I can only image how great the Edgar Wright version of this would have been.

Ant-Man is so much better than people give it credit for. The dialogue is constantly funny and the screenplay is paced perfectly so that the film never has a dull moment even in the quieter character scenes. Moments like the train-set fight and the first time Scott Lang uses the Ant-Man suit are among the best scenes in the whole franchise. Like most people I have to believe that the Edgar Wright version would have been better but I must say that Peyton Reed did a pretty great job piecing what he had together.

#7 - Black Panther (Ryan Coogler)

Rating - 8/10

Marvel’s little awards season darling.

Black Panther is somehow one of the most important and talked about films of the decade and in all honesty it sort of deserves it. Coogler does what other MCU filmmakers would never do and dives head first into real world political issue, ending his film with a poignant note about free trade and open borders. Michael B. Jordan as Killmonger adds a nuance that is missing in most comic book movies. Overall Black Panther is a breath of fresh air in an over-saturated genre.

P.S that soundtrack is awesome!

#6 - Thor: Ragnarok (Taika Waititi)

Rating - 8/10

How did this happen?

Thor: Ragnarok is everything I wanted it to be. Taika Waititi is one of the most interesting filmmakers working today and it is great to see a major studio allow such a unique voice to make the exact film that they wanted to without sacrificing their creativity. This is not only one of the best Marvel films but one of the best straight comedies of the decade. I cannot wait to see what Waititi has in store in the future.

#5 - Spider-Man: Homecoming (Jon Watts)

Rating - 8/10

Things are looking up for Spider-Man.

Spider-Man: Homecoming was my favourite Spider-Man movie up until very recently. This genuinely feels like watching an 80s John Hughes film in the 2010s that also happens to action sequences in it. The scene where Peter Parker and Adrian Toomes are in the car together is brilliantly tense and shows of the dramatic range of both Tom Holland and Michael Keaton. The characters feel real and fleshed out and the breezy feel of the editing brings the world to life through the naive eyes of a young Peter Parker. I honestly can’t believe how good this ended up being.

#4 - Avengers: Infinity War (Joe Russo, Anthony Russo)

Rating - 9/10

This simply should not have worked.

Avengers: Infinity War is one of the most ambitious films in cinema history. I have so much respect for the Russo brothers for managing to make a film with this many characters and this many plot points feels cohesive and endlessly entertaining. I think the real triumph of Infinity War is how watchable and fun this movie is despite being 2 1/2 hours long, full of characters and constantly hitting you in the face with really depressing stuff. Let’s hope that the Russo brothers can pull of the same trick twice.

#3 - The Avengers (Joss Whedon)

Rating - 9/10

This movie isn’t given enough credit anyone.

The Avengers was a huge gamble back in 2012 and although it may now feel quaint given the achievement that was last year’s Infinity War Joss Whedon was able change the landscape of blockbuster cinema and make this whole thing possible. Almost every plot point in this film has since become cliché, Whedon and Feige laid out a blueprint for success that no one else has been able to copy since. The Joss Whedon humour and snarky dialogue helped to pave the way that these characters would interact in the future and his unique approach to utilizing an ensemble cast makes this film worth revisiting over and over again.

#2 - Guardians of the Galaxy (James Gunn)

Rating - 9/10

James Gunn hit the mainstream with a movie about a talking raccoon, I can never complain about the Hollywood system ever again.

Guardians of the Galaxy should not work on most levels but Gunn was just crazy enough to pull it off. The character interactions here rival the Wheadon penned interactions in The Avengers and the Gunn’s direction brings the strange worlds he has created to live in striking ways. Gunn was given a chance to showcase his humour and he ran with it, Guardians goes from dark and meandering to fun and rapidly paced within seconds and it is a complete joy to watch no matter how many times you have seen it.

#1 - Captain America: The Winter Soldier (Joe Russo, Anthony Russo)

Rating - 9/10

The Russo brothers came out swinging.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier is an entertaining, tightly directed, brilliantly acted, fast paced and well edited action film that just so happens to be a squeal to the First Avenger. Many of the best moments in the franchise are in this film including the elevator scene and the fight on the bridge, this film also has great character interactions especially with Steve Rodgers and Nick Fury. This feels like an update on classic James Bond stories with a modern edge, this is everything that a comic book movie could be and I highly recommend checking it out again if you haven’t seen it in a while. There is no question that The Winter Soldier is the best of the MCU.

Franchise Rating - 7.1/10

Nathan Needs A Username’s Must See Movies: https://letterboxd.com/nathan_r_l/list/nathan-needs-a-usernames-must-see-movies/

Nathan Needs A Username’s Avoid At All Cost Movies: https://letterboxd.com/nathan_r_l/list/nathan-needs-a-usernames-avoid-at-all-cost/

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rentalgoose · 6 years

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1 through 150 for the cute asks please.

(I hope you’re being serious lol but here goes anyway)

1. Who was the last person you held hands with?I honestly don’t know. Probably my ex.

2. Are you outgoing or shy?I’m definitely more shy.

3. Who are you looking forward to seeing?Tbh, no one. My cat, I guess?

4. Are you easy to get along with?Not really. I’m really jumpy, anxious and need way too much emotional support and generally a hassle so it’s tough for people to tolerate me for long periods of time.

5. If you were drunk would the person you like take care of you?I have no idea. I think this means like as in crush and I don’t really have one of those currently.

6. What kind of people are you attracted to?Someone who likes books, the forest, and autumn.

7. Do you think you’ll be in a relationship two months from now?Nope! I’m not super interested in having one right now and I’m totally unlovable.

8. Who from the opposite gender is on your mind?Probably Rihanna? I keep thinking about how she full-on decked Michael Cera.

9. Does talking about sex make you uncomfortable?Kind of? It’s awkward for me because I don’t share a lot of personal experiences with people and I’ve had really bad experiences with sex so it’s kind of hard to talk about it without those things flashing through my mind.

10. Who was the last person you had a deep conversation with?I have no idea.

11. What does the most recent text that you sent say?“Ok thanks”

12. What are your 5 favorite songs right now?“Pink Lemonade” by James Bay“Stable Song” by Death Cab for Cutie"“Terrified” by Isaac Gracie“make you feel pretty” by lovelytheband“Feed Me (Git It)” from Little Shop of Horrors

13. Do you like it when people play with your hair?100%

14. Do you believe in luck and miracles?I believe in luck but not miracles.

15. What good thing happened this summer?I’m joining the volunteer first aid squad!!!

16. Would you kiss the last person you kissed again?That’s so complicated oml.

17. Do you think there is life on other planets?The probability is quite high.

18. Do you still talk to your first crush?Not at all. She emotionally manipulated me for two years and I make a point not to speak to her ever.

19. Do you like bubble baths?I don’t really care for baths in general.

20. Do you like your neighbors?Yeah, they’re all super sweet!

21. What are you bad habits?I tend to clench my teeth when I get anxious or uncomfortable. I also have the terrible habit of never saying no because I always want to avoid arguments.

22. Where would you like to travel?New Zealand and Los Angeles!

23. Do you have trust issues?Unfortunately.

24. Favorite part of your daily routine?Idk why but washing my face feels really nice.

25. What part of your body are you most uncomfortable with?All of it.

26. What do you do when you wake up?I usually check my phone even though no one ever contacts me at night.

27. Do you wish your skin was lighter or darker?I wish my skin was lighter but the way it is fine.

28. Who are you most comfortable around?No one.

29. Have any of your ex’s told you they regret breaking up?Unfortunately not. :/

30. Do you ever want to get married?Maybe? I think it’s just bound to fall apart because I can’t hold steady relationships but weddings are nice.

31. Is your hair long enough for a pony tail?Definitely not.

32. Which celebrities would you have a threesome with?None?

33. Spell your name with your chin.ljhkmed

34. Do you play sports? What sports?I play soccer.

35. Would you rather live without TV or music?TV. I really don’t watch anything.

36. Have you ever liked someone and never told them?Sort of?

37. What do you say during awkward silences?I just slide away because I don’t know how to operate.

38. Describe your dream girl/guy?My dream guy would be really tall and kind of chubby because tall chubby guys give the best hugs. I like short chubby girls but have nothing against other body types at all. I’d love someone who likes Harry Potter, poetry, the forest, autumn, sweaters, and rainy days.

39. What are your favorite stores to shop in?Forever 21 or H&M. (I’m kind of a basic bitch)

40. What do you want to do after high school?I want to become a high school history teacher. Basically, I want to go back as soon as possible lol.

41. Do you believe everyone deserves a second chance?I don’t believe everyone deserves a second chance but I believe most people do (like anyone who isn’t Hitler or Osama bin Laden)

42. If your being extremely quiet what does it mean?That I’m really anxious.

43. Do you smile at strangers?Always. You don’t know what type of day they could be having or what that could mean to them.

44. Trip to outer space or bottom of the ocean?Bottom of the ocean! I want to see a giant jellyfish.

45. What makes you get out of bed in the morning?Having to go to school and take my finals. I’m worried about failing them.

46. What are you paranoid about?What people are thinking of me.

47. Have you ever been high?Unfortunately not.

48. Have you ever been drunk?Unfortunately not.

49. Have you done anything recently that you hope nobody finds out about?Definitely.

50. What was the colour of the last hoodie you wore?Navy blue.

51. Ever wished you were someone else?Always.

52. One thing you wish you could change about yourself?Everything.

53. Favourite makeup brand?I honestly don’t have one haha.

54. Favourite store?Hot Topic.

55. Favourite blog?I have no clue whatsoever.

56. Favourite colour?Emerald green or periwinkle.

57. Favourite food?I honestly don’t have one.

58. Last thing you ate?Meatloaf.

59. First thing you ate this morning?An apple and peanut butter.

60. Ever won a competition? For what?I don’t know if soccer championships count but I’ve won those a couple times.

61. Been suspended/expelled? For what?Never!

62. Been arrested? For what?Thankfully, my record is clean.

63. Ever been in love?Unfortunately.

64. Tell us the story of your first kiss?It was a total accident. My ex girlfriend (who wasn’t my ex at the time obviously) was aiming for my nose and whoops?

65. Are you hungry right now?Nope.

66. Do you like your tumblr friends more than your real friends?What are friends?

67. Facebook or Twitter?Neither.

68. Twitter or Tumblr?Neither.

69. Are you watching tv right now?Technically. I’m watching Netflix on my laptop.

70. Names of your bestfriends?I don’t know anymore. My friends all abandoned me.

71. Craving something? What?Nope!

72. What colour are your towels?It’s white with green pears.

72. How many pillows do you sleep with?Three! (One to two for my head and one hedgehog pillow)

73. Do you sleep with stuffed animals?Yep!

74. How many stuffed animals do you think you have?Hundreds.

75. Favourite animal?Moonjellies and komodo dragons!!!

76. What colour is your underwear?Baby blue with navy blue edges and avocado halves.

77. Chocolate or Vanilla?Chocolate!

78. Favourite ice cream flavour?Cookie dough!!!

79. What colour shirt are you wearing?A The Cure T-shirt.

80. What colour pants?Black.

81. Favourite tv show?Currently, Queer Eye.

82. Favourite movie?Thor: Ragnarok or the 2nd or 3rd HSM movies.

83. Mean Girls or Mean Girls 2?Mean Girls.

84. Mean Girls or 21 Jump Street?I love 21JS the TV show.

85. Favourite character from Mean Girls?What kind of question is that? Janis Ian, obviously.

86. Favourite character from Finding Nemo?The little squid girl in the beginning.

87. First person you talked to today?My mom.

88. Last person you talked to today?Also my mom.

89. Name a person you hate?RuPaul.

90. Name a person you love?My grandma.

91. Is there anyone you want to punch in the face right now?Myself.

92. In a fight with someone?Nope!

93. How many sweatpants do you have?One.

94. How many sweaters/hoodies do you have?Eight.

95. Last movie you watched?Blazing Saddles.

96. Favourite actress?No tengo.

97. Favourite actor?Mel Brooks.

98. Do you tan a lot?Yeah. Perks of being mixed race lol.

99. Have any pets?Yep! Two cats!!!

100. How are you feeling?Sad and tired.

101. Do you type fast?Yeah.

102. Do you regret anything from your past?Everything.

103. Can you spell well?Relatively.

104. Do you miss anyone from your past?Yeah :/

105. Ever been to a bonfire party?No but that sounds so fun!!!

106. Ever broken someone’s heart?I don’t think so.

107. Have you ever been on a horse?Yeah, I loved it!!!

108. What should you be doing?Sleeping. It’s 2:20 AM.

109. Is something irritating you right now?Not really. My allergies, I guess.

110. Have you ever liked someone so much it hurt?Yeah and I hate it.

111. Do you have trust issues?This is a repeat (I think) but yeah, unfortunately.

112. Who was the last person you cried in front of?My ex, I think.

113. What was your childhood nickname?I don’t have one.

114. Have you ever been out of your province/state?Plenty of times.

115. Do you play the Wii?Yep. I’m lame lol.

116. Are you listening to music right now?Nope.

117. Do you like chicken noodle soup?I would die for some right now.

118. Do you like Chinese food?See above.

119. Favourite book?Burn by Suzanne Phillips or the Leviathan trilogy.

120. Are you afraid of the dark?Kind of?

121. Are you mean?I sure hope not.

122. Is cheating ever okay?Not at all.

123. Can you keep white shoes clean?I only have one pair and I never wear them so, yes?

124. Do you believe in love at first sight?Somewhat. I think it’s kind of phony but I’m not going to be mean and shame others for believing in it.

125. Do you believe in true love?Kind of? I think it does exist but I know I’m not going to find it.

126. Are you currently bored?Nah.

127. What makes you happy?I don’t know.

128. Would you change your name?Maybe.

129. What your zodiac sign?Leo!

130. Do you like subway?Neither the restaurant or the train system.

131. Your bestfriend of the opposite sex likes you, what do you do?Idk deal with it?

132. Who’s the last person you had a deep conversation with?I don’t know.

133. Favourite lyrics right now?“You are the apple of God’s eye” from “Sun” by Sleeping At Last.

134. Can you count to one million?I don’t have the patience at all.

135. Dumbest lie you ever told?That I didn’t drink from a water glass.

136. Do you sleep with your doors open or closed?Cracked open a little.

137. How tall are you?5'5"

138. Curly or Straight hair?I have curly hair!

139. Brunette or Blonde?I’m naturally a brunette.

140. Summer or Winter?I prefer neither. I like autumn.

141. Night or Day?Night!!!

142. Favourite month?November!!!

143. Are you a vegetarian?Sorry, no.

144. Dark, milk or white chocolate?Milk or white.

145. Tea or Coffee?Both!

146. Was today a good day?Not really. I got a migraine.

147. Mars or Snickers?Mars!!!

148. What’s your favourite quote?“But even if we can’t choose where we come from, but we can choose where you go from here”

149. Do you believe in ghosts?I feel like they’re plausible but I hope they don’t for the alive and the dead’s sake.

150. Get the closest book next to you, open it to page 42, what’s the first line on that page?“Mrs Forbes said that when Mother died she had gone to heaven” (from The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime)

#ask #thanks for asking :)

0 notes

hel-inherbones · 7 years

Note

Character meme: 3, 7, 10, 14, 20, 28, 37, 44, 45. XD sorry for so many *3*

What is/was your character’s relationship with their father like? Hel is a daddy’s girl, even still. As a child she looked up to her father and got so excited about spending time with him because he wasn’t always around. So spending time with her father, especially when it was just the two of them, was something that was very exciting and very special for Hel. As an adult she doesn’t really get to spend time with her father as much, which is such a shame because she misses him. She still wants that relationship with her father, but can’t quite seem to attain it.

Does your character have recurring themes in their nightmares? Hel’s nightmares are generally about being alone. Or they are about Odin coming to get her. So feeling powerless and alone are very large themes in Hel’s nightmares.

Does your character feel more comfortable with more clothing, or with less clothing? More clothing! Being half dead makes Hel very aware of her body and she prefers to keep it covered rather than not. Even in her glamoured body she will at least give you the allusion that she is wearing clothes if nothing else.

Does your character remember names or faces easier? Lol, well, neither actually. Hel recognizes souls best of all! When you’re a shapeshifting being, it’s much easier to remember a face than it is a face that could easily be changed.

In what ways does your character compare themselves to others? Do they do this for the sake of self-validation, or self-criticism? Hel is a mixture of self-validation and self-criticism. She often compares her behavior in specific situations to the behaviors of others. Partly this is to analyze her behavior to know that she is doing what she is supposed to be doing (generally in social situation for example, because most of that is new to her) or to know for the next time a situation comes about how to behave accordingly. Hel wants to be better at interacting with others and the living in general, but it can be hard when she gets thrown into situations where she doesn’t understand the social context.

How quick or slow is your character to resort to physical violence in a confrontation? Hel will use everything in her power to prevent a physical altercation. She doesn’t like fights. They scare her more than she could ever say. She’s been a victim of great violence. Being kidnapped from your bed as a child can turn anyone against violence. Because in the end nothing was gained by using violence, but a great many things were lost. So Hel will only resort to violence if she absolutely must.

Is your character more concerned with defending their honor, or protecting their status? Protecting her status, for sure. Hel is very afraid of losing her status as a queen, especially after years of Odin basically telling her he would take it away if she didn’t do what he wanted. So she is much more protective of her status because its really the only thing she has that is hers and hers alone. She’s grown to love her job and her work and be very proud of everything she’s done for her people and she doesn’t want to lose that. She doesn’t know what she would do if she lost it, honestly.

How easy or difficult is it for your character to say “I love you?” Can they say it without meaning it? Hel won’t tell someone she loves them unless she can honestly say that she does. But when she does love someone, telling them is easy.

What does your character believe will happen to them after they die? Does this belief scare them? Oh man. Hel has no idea what will happen after she dies. She is death, but she is also life. To be one or the other is a pretty terrifying thing after you’ve been both your whole life. But you also have to factor in that Hel won’t die until Ragnarok AT THE VERY EARLIEST. There is no recorded prophecy that states when Hel will die, only that she is there at Ragnarok leading her army of the dead. She has no idea what will happen to her after that. Because that is the apocalypse FOR THE GODS (and also all other beings too) and where will all the dead go when they all die in this final battle? Hel doesn’t know. So it scares her to think about her own death because there’s so much of the unknown involved. She doesn’t like not knowing what her own afterlife will be like, if she even gets an afterlife because honestly, who the fuck knows????

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fictionalescapeartist-blog · 6 years

Text

I know, I know I have been gone for a while. I took a bit of a sabbatical, because I was having a hard time coming up with content and then would go into a shame spiral etc. Blogging stopped being fun and became another thing to beat myself up about, if you haven’t picked up on it I might have a slight self esteem issues… but I am back and applying less pressure on myself because ultimately I enjoy blogging.

Anyway! I wanted to take a few to talk about some of my favorite Fictional Escapes (see what I did there?) from 2017. Some I blogged about already, some I have not. Even though I have it in a list format, it is not a ranking. THAT WOULD BE LIKE ASKING ME TO PICK A FAVORITE CHILD! Here are 10 favorite things from 2017:

s1. Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

I blogged about this book, so I wont spend a ton of time on this one, my feelings on this book are well documented here, on Twitter and Facebook. BTW Taylor Jenkins Reid is a mega sweetie to her fans, I suggest following her. This book was absolutely amazing! I read it in like a day. I say read, but more devoured it. The book takes you through 2 stories of very different women and how their lives connect. It is beautifully written and so well done at times I forgot I wasn’t reading an Autobiography.

2. Reincarnation Blues

Another one that I haven’t shut up about since I read it. Milo is the oldest soul in the universe, living nearly all of his 10,000 lives. We are taken through several of his lives as he tries to reach perfection, as well as his time between lives where he is in love with a Death who goes by Suzie. This book is magical, fun, and at times heart breaking. This book is reminiscent of Douglas Adams. The many different worlds Michael Poore has built in just one book is astounding.

3. Twin Peaks the Return

What can I say about this show? Honestly I am never so happy to be confused then when watching Twin Peaks, and the Return took that up a notch or. Kyle MacLachlan playing several hard roles so perfectly, you forget its the same actor. Dougie Jones absolutely broke my heart on a weekly basis, while the bad Cooper was scary as hell. The fact they were on Showtime, they were able to get a lot darker then in the original show. Plus we so got this beautiful sigh-worthy moment:

#BigEdandNormaForever

4. The final season of the Mindy Project

Mindy, Mindy, Mindy. There is nothing that Mindy Kaling has done that I didn’t love, this show included. I was hooked from the very first episode. The characters, the story line, the jokes, everything was perfect. Season 6 was the shortest and one of the best seasons of the show. They wrapped up everyone’s story line, with out every feeling like everyone was short changed or rushed. With out spoiling the overall story arch, I was nervous about how the show would end, the direction it seemed to head and they nailed it, with out sacrificing the character’s emotional growth as I feared they could. This show goes down as one of my all time favorites with 30 Rock, Parks and Rec and Scrubs. I will miss this show so much!

5. Season 3 of Playing House

Ugh! I guess technically I should have titled this one “The final season of Playing House” but I’m not there emotionally and it is too soon. I knew the Mindy Project was ending, this one was ripped from my arms by the cruel USA. This show. THIS SHOW YOU GUYS! I have so many thoughts and feelings about it, and have blogged about it in the past. The entire show is amazing, but season 3 was something truly special. Season 3 had Emma being diagnosed with breast cancer and shows her and Maggie battle it together, in a story line “ripped from the headlines” as Law and Order likes to say. You see in reality the lead actresses Jessica and Lennon are best friends, and Jessica did have breast cancer. The way the show handled the story line was perfect. It was touching and informative. It was sad at times with out ever actually feeling too heavy. They educated us on cancer treatment options, with out ever pulling you out of the story or feeling preachy about things. Damn you USA Network for canceling it! If you have On Demand, I could not recommend watching this show enough.

6. Womp It Up! Podcast

What? Jessica and Lennon get 2 spots on your list? Yes they do, because they are amazing people who rocked my 2017. Womp It Up! has been around for a while, but I didn’t discover it until this year, and luckily for me I didn’t have to wait a year and half between episodes like other fans. Womp I Up! is a comedy podcast that was birthed from Comedy Bang Bang characters. Jessica St Clair plays Marissa Wompler, a 17(ish) year old, not very well adjusted, student at the Marina Del Rey High School, the podcast is her senior project. She is doing some alternative learning in her school’s program called STARS, ran by her teacher and lets face it best friend Charlotte Listler, played by Lennon Parahm. Every week there is a new comedian on playing a person in the Marina Del Rey community. My favorite has been Andrew Daly as Joe Bongos, the Health teacher who has some interesting ideas on what to teach the kids.

7. Oh, Hello on Broadway

Oh, Hello got it’s start on the Nick Kroll Show, where Gil Faizon and George St Geegland had a prank show on public access channel in New York. Their one prank was ordering a tuna sandwich with way too much tuna, ultimately getting the person say “That’s too much tuna”. What was the prank show called? Too Much Tuna of course. Somehow, in Nick Kroll and John Mulaney’s brilliance they were able to make a super successful Broadway play based on these two dirt bags.

Gil (a writer) and George (an actor) have been best friends and roommates since the 1970s. They decided to write an autobiographical play telling their story. The brilliance of this show is the play that is happening around the play. It gets pretty meta at times, often Gil and George stop the actual play to have their own interactions, generally it is Gil giving George notes on how he is doing in the play. The sheer detail that has gone into this show is mind boggling. I can’t even describe the layers of the play. I highly recommend checking it out.

8. Wonder Woman

Let’s not get into a DC vs MCU argument here, generally I am an MCU fan and haven’t been too excited over the last few DC movies, but this one. I will admit was a little nervous when I first saw Gal Gadot was cast as Wonder Woman, but she won me over immediately in Batman vs Superman. I was still cautiously optimistic for the Wonder Woman movie, but it came out better then I imagined. In my opinion it was just awesome (I am aware of the issues people had with it, but to me the good outweigh the bad). I enjoyed the hell out of it, it made me laugh and cry. I also enjoyed the feel of it, different then the other super hero movies, it felt more like a war movie. If you haven’t seen it, check it out!

9. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 and Thor: Ragnarok

I decided to combine these two into one, because well I didn’t want this list to be 3/4s super hero movies. I could also write a book on my feelings for these two movies and their directors. Guardians was written and directed by James Gunn and Thor was directed by Taiki Waititi, a kiwi writer and director known for his work with Flight of the Concords, What we do in the Shadows to name a couple. Also if you’re looking for a sort of weird but sweet movie, check out Eagle Vs Shark.

These two movies have a bit of a rag-tag team thing going on, and both delve into family relationships. They are both visually stunning, and laugh out loud hilarious, (yes I know that is a problem some people have with Marvel, but I love to laugh and they are right up my alley). Their similarities are one reason I decided to group them together. The first Guardians became my favorite Marvel movie about 10 minutes into it, and was thrilled that James Gunn actually made something better. I have always had a soft spot for Thor, and been sad at the state of the movies he’s had. I left Ragnarok thinking they finally gave him the movie he deserves, also Jeff Goldblum at his Goldbumiest.

My other favorite part of both of these movies, is they seemed to fix the villain problem. Hela and Ego managed to be interesting and complex. They didn’t seem to fall flat like others have in the past.

These two movies are all in all a good ass time!

10. Hamilton the Musical, paired with Hamilton the book

I know, I know. It’s based on true events, but some of it is changed for dramatic effect. I am so late to the game on Hamilton, but I just recently got Spotify Premium which let me listen to the soundtrack in order… and I am HOOKED. I decided to check out the biography the musical was based on by Ron Chernow. Combining the two adds a lot more depth to the play, certain lines in songs make sense. There is so much drama in Hamilton’s life, so much that the play never even touched on.

If you want to add to your Hamilton experience, read the book as well. Honestly, it makes the entire experience so much better.

Thanks for reading everyone!

Check out my top 10 from 2017 list of my favorite Fictional Escapes. I know, I know I have been gone for a while. I took a bit of a sabbatical, because I was having a hard time coming up with content and then would go into a shame spiral etc.

#fiction #books #favorites list #movies #musicals #reading #tv shows

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amandakthompson · 6 years

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Thor: Ragnarok Review (spoiler-free)

Originally posted on my blog.

I can sum up what I love so much about this film in two words:

CHARACTER INTERACTION

The character dynamic in this is spot on and, more importantly, it works overtime in oh so subtle ways to develop and deepen the characters we know and love, hate, or simply tolerate.

Take Hulk, for example. I've never been a big fan of The Incredible Hulk comics and -while the MCU has taught me to love adorkable, haunted Bruce Banner- I'm still iffy on the Hulk himself. When I first found out that Hulk would be playing such a big role in this film, I wasn't thrilled. But you know what? IT TOTALLY WORKS. They really focus on Hulk as a separate character and develop his personality enough that, well, now I actually like the Hulk. For maybe the first time ever. Guys, that's huge. (ahem. no pun intended.)

I was actually skeptical about a lot of the characters chosen for this film (mostly Hulk) but what could have been a disastrous chemical imbalance of personalities works out as a fantastic meshing of opposites and opposition. Because it's not just about the 'team' (Thor, Hulk, Loki, Valkyrie) dynamic that works together as a whole. They've delved deeper into the characters, taking more of an Avengers-style approach, giving each character unique dynamics and relationships with each other that paints the Thor franchise as a whole, I think, in a fresh coat of paint. Within the relationships there is so much foreshadowing and inversion dynamics in play as well, the qualities of one reflected in the flaws of another and vice versa. There is so much mirroring, so many layers, it's a wonderland for a character-lover like me.

So let's pull up those 5 THINGS I'M MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO from my initial Road to Ragnarok post and compare.

1. Loki

Loki has worn a lot of hats throughout his existence in the Marvel universes and I love the turn they take with him here. Scaling back from his epic Supervillain role, down to his more realistic amoral core, going back to the character's roots in Norse mythology (in more ways than one), all of it deepening and -dare we hope?- developing his character.

Minor Spoiler: Thor: Ragnarok doesn't deliver any dramatic redemption arcs or character development for Loki, like it 'kind of did' in The Dark World -and it's perfect.

2. Thor and Loki's Relationship and Dynamic

Oh. My. Gosh.Yes.Just yes.Everything about this is spectacular.

Asgardians, we know, are prone to overreaction and theatricality. I mean, Odin banishing Thor and stripping him of his power to teach him a lesson, Thor and his ilk breaking Loki out of prison and committing treason to save the universe -the first two Thor films are filled with these big dramatic flourishes and reveals. Thor: Ragnarok handles these scenarios differently. The big moments and reveals -like when Loki is ousted and the truth about Odin- aren't the point of the story, they aren't The Plot; instead, they're character moments and they were treated as such. They have a more intimate, down-to-earth feel. They're simple. Simple but so powerful. There's no shouting or grand speeches -just being. Thor being Thor. Loki being Loki. And a little squabbling. I mean, come on, they're still brothers.

Overall, this simplistic approach makes those moments more important and to have more of an impact, because the film takes time to focus on character (unlike my complaint with Thor.)

Thor especially demonstrates growth and -in one of my favorite moments- he POINTS IT OUT TO LOKI, telling him that people are supposed to develop and grow. Thor tries to guide Loki, but he doesn't get preachy about it, which makes him feel so much more human and, possibly, more able to relate to Loki, especially this new angle of him we see.

One of my absolute favorite things is Thor's habit of throwing things at/through Loki to determine whether or not he's flesh or illusion. How realistic is that?!?

I FREAKING ADORE THESE TWO.

3. Hela

Again, OH MY GOSH.I did not expect the twist they took with this character, but it fits so well. Again(!) offering up more layers and more dynamics between the familiar characters that continues to deepen the characters and their relationships, not only in this film, but in the films that have come before. Cate Blanchet is amazing in this role, but we already knew that was going to happen.

4. Story

EVERYTHING!

You know me, I get distracted by all things character. But the story here is awesome, not just for the next step in the MCU, but also for it's use and adaption of elements from both the comics and Norse mythology.

5. Kirby Krackle

To my utter shame, I did not actually notice the use of this artistic element. This time around. Distracted by character, remember? I got so caught up I did not distinguish any uses of the Kirby Krackle, but I totally plan to keep an eye out for it during my next viewing. THOR: RAGNAROK HAD A LOT OF QUESTIONS TO DEAL WITH AND I LOVE THE WAY IT DECIDED TO ANSWER THEM. At the same time, it carries on the family theme seen in the other Thor franchise films and it continues to develop and mature Thor's journey to become and understanding of a true hero. The whole narrative has a nice but different feel to it, like Thor has finally figured out his own identity and his own voice, instead of trying to follow in his father's shadow or live up to expectations.

This a serious contender for my favorite Marvel movie of all. And I haven't even talked about Banner meltdowns and what an awesome character Valkyrie turned out to be! (Who, by the way, is not just your run-of-the-mill, kick-ass, I-can-do-anything-a-man-can-do female character overrun with testosterone. She is actually awesome, due to backstory and character.)

This movie freaking rules.

The one thing I am not sure about is some of the humor they chose to use, like the slapstick comedy and a lot of Thor screaming/yelling/yelping. This kind of humor was funny first viewing, but has a notorious rep for getting tiring quickly there after. It really depends on how the humor holds up over time to determine whether this was a 4 star or 5 star film for me.

The question isn't "Should I see this film?" but "When?"

Have you seen Thor: Ragnarok yet? What did YOU think?

The Road to Ragnarok Don't miss a post!

Back in Black + Road to Ragnarok

Comic Review: Loki: Agent of Asgard

Review: The Gospel of Loki by Joanne M. Harris

Rewatching Thor

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