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#the little heart is from a scene where a character has a nightmare and wakes up her best friend to cry abt it and i think its rlly sweet
bee-boppin · 1 year
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Cute little Valentine's themed page even though we're a ways out because if people can celebrate Christmas for three months I can have valentine's day for a few weeks. The two illustrations are from a collection of Brother's Grimm fairy tales :3
Inspirations include the color magenta and the song "Spring/The Promise" by Anna Yarbrough <3
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nico-di-genova · 9 months
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Parts of Blue Beetle I cannot stop thinking about
Jaime’s Gotham U hoodie. I need it. I must buy it immediately. @ DC pls give it to me.
Milagro and Jaime sitting on the roof sharing a drink and just talking. It’s familiar for them, something they’ve probably been doing since they were kids
Milagro drinking too, which feels like SUCH a big brother move on Jaime’s part. Like yeah, sure you can drink, but only where I can keep an eye on you so you don’t do anything stupid.
The way Jaime feels like an adult in some ways and like a little kid still in others. They really nailed the early/mid twenties feeling of being a child trapped in an adults body.
No one pressuring Jaime to get a job and save the house/help his dad. It’s a pressure he’s solely placed upon himself, this sense of responsibility that he’s meant to pull them up and out, even though they never asked anything more from him then to be their Jaime.
The beetle merging scene, horrifying. Looked like something straight out of the exorcist.
When Jaime and Jenny almost kissed, and Jaime was left like half hard and embarrassed. So real of him. It was also another moment that just felt real, even if it was played for laughs.
Milagro during the entire Reyes house attack scene. Like Jesus she had me sobbing so hard. The way she was so visibly scared and crying for her mom, looking at Jaime and practically begging for his help. She was just a scared little kid who wanted her family, who wanted her big brother to come make everything better.
When Rudy was talking about Alberto bringing him over the border when he was ten and Alberto was 19. It’s such a short but emotional scene, and it really adds to the character dynamics. You see Alberto as more than Jaime’s dad, but this kid who also was once scared and overwhelmed by his responsibilities, but still shouldered them because it’s all he could do.
Milagro wearing her dads jacket for the rest of the movie :(. I love her, she deserves the world.
The absolute rage and fear on Jaime’s face as he was forcibly ripped away from his family, unable to do anything, as his father suffered a heart attack right in front of him. The sheer amount of terror he must have felt to realize in that moment that he was powerless and to see his sister sobbing over their father’s body while he couldn’t get to her. Jaime Reyes is a better man than I will ever be, because if I’d gotten my hands on Victoria or Carapax it would have been over for them. Also the way he just kept screaming dad/papa like a little kid calling for their parent after waking up from a nightmare :(. He’s just a kid, he thought he would come home and fix everything and instead he has to watch it all fall apart in front of him.
Jaime and Milagro in general, best siblings. I’d die for them :)
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1-800-kami · 6 months
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SLOW DANCING IN THE DARK .. feat. gojo satoru
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.. two star-crossed lovers who make an oath to love each other like they’ve never loved before in their next life.
content: 1.8k words, fem!reader, angst (with a little comfort), first half takes place during chapter 236, (so MAJOR manga spoilers ahead) character death, reincarnation au, gojo is a future lawyer, VERY bittersweet
author's note: it's been a minute since i've last uploaded a fic lmao </3 i've mainly been doing smau's (because they're very fun to do and take less effort) but here's a short gojo fic that's been resting in my drafts for a while. it's a reincarnation au that i wrote while listening to slow dancing in the dark..so enjoy! -kami <3
interact and reblog for a kiss ;)
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it’s cold on the battlefield.
the wind nips at your skin until it feels like you’re about to freeze over. you feel the coldness seeping into your skin—entering and traveling up your veins until it eventually reaches your already ice-cold heart. 
the scene in front of you feels all too familiar. you’ve seen it a thousand times over in the past–the image plaguing your sleep, turning what’s supposed to be a time to rest into a time of nightmares and waking up in a cold sweat. your lover, gojo satoru, is on the ground, eyes on the precipice of losing its shine. and there’s red, fuck–there’s so much red. a pool of red lies underneath gojo and it’s all you can see.
usually, at this point, you’d wake up, mind all over the place and heart racing. satoru… where’s satoru? you’d panic, feeling the covers for your lover and exhaling a sigh of relief when you find him curled up next to you. 
he’d always get up after you, knowing that you’d experience the occasional nightmare of him leaving you. satoru understands this very well. he has nightmares of you leaving him too. he’d make sure to hug your shaking, crying form until your sobs eventually ceased. “i’m right here, love. i’m not going anywhere. i’m the strongest, you know? you should have more faith in me.”
wake up. y/n. this isn’t real, right? wake up. you pinch your skin and dig your nails into your palms, hoping to wake up from this nightmare. except, you don’t wake up, and with the newly made marks etched on your skin lighting your nerves on fire, you realize this isn’t a dream. this time, gojo’s not there to ease your worries and reassure you that he’s alive–that he’s never going to leave your side.
with that realization, you feel yourself moving again. you scream satoru’s name with a voice plagued with nothing but agony and despair. you run over to his side, panic filling your senses when you feel his body and get all the red on your hands. red. it’s never had a negative connotation to you before. there was red on the roses that satoru had given you on valentines day. red on the heart-shaped gold necklace he’d gifted you on your anniversary (that you’ve never taken off since). red on the box of chocolates that he’d given to you on an ordinary day. “what? does there have to be a special occasion to show my girlfriend how much i love her?”
now, your perception of the color red has been tainted for the rest of your life. it’s the only thing you can see, and you want to close your eyes forever just so you don’t have to see that crimson shade ever again. “satoru, you said you’d never leave... you lied to me!”
he coughs weakly, using all his remaining strength to weakly take your hands in his. there’s a small smile on his face, and his peaceful expression only makes you sob harder. an expression that shows that he’s accepted his fate. “gosh, i’m getting your clothes all dirty. i’m sorry, princess…”
“can you promise me something, though? before i’m gone…” he whispers, and you nod your head, ready to do anything for him. “promise me we’ll meet again, okay?”
that catches you off guard. “w…what do you mean?”
“we’ll meet again, in another life, and i’ll love you all over again.” he smiles cheekily, and you hold his hand a little tighter, sobs racking your core and making your entire body shake. “have you ever imagined living a normal life? a life where sorcerers and curses are all alien words, and i’m not “the strongest”?…a life where i’m just like everyone else, and i get to marry you because no shitty higher-ups are holding me back anymore. god, i think about that all the time. i’ve realized that i’d like that version of life with you more than anything.”
you think that everyone in the jujutsu society has had that thought at least once. sometimes, the idea of being an ignorant civilian unknowingly living in a world filled with curses and despair seemed preferable. and yet, you’ve chosen to be a sorcerer, and perhaps this is the worst part to it. constantly losing the ones you’ve held closest to your heart–all to protect a group of people who aren’t even remotely aware of the sacrifices that sorcerers have made so that they can live a normal life. 
“i’ve always wanted that too, s’toru.” you whisper, in fear of your voice breaking if you speak too loudly. “yeah… a regular life without curses. what do you think it’ll be like?”
“hm… let me think. i’ve always wanted to be a dad, y’know?” satoru teases, and the two of you are lost in your own world as you both envision a life where you can be together without any repercussions. “megumi doesn’t count, cause ‘m not his biological dad. i want a little me running around in a house that we’ve worked so hard to buy. and who knows? maybe we’ll have more kids. maybe one or two more-”
“three kids?! that’s a lot, satoru.” you say in mock surprise, though you can’t expect less from your boyfriend. “hey.. does that mean we’ll get married?”
“of course, sweetheart. you’re the only love i’ve ever known. ‘m sorry i have to leave you like this. but i’ll come back for you in our next life, okay?” he hisses as he uses all his strength to grip your shaky hands a little tighter. you can tell his adrenaline’s wearing off, but you’re not ready to let go.
i’ll come back for you in our next life.
every second you’ll spend waiting for satoru seems like an eternity.  “i’ll propose to you with a beautiful ring ‘nd you’ll be…”
he coughs up a little bit of blood, voice hoarse and barely holding on. yet, gojo persists on using whatever strength he has to talk to you.
“you’ll be y/n gojo. i like the sound of that…” he whispers, and both of you know that his time has run out. the red on your skin is beginning to dry, and it feels like it’s tainted you forever. “i love you, princess.”
“i love you too, satoru. i’ll see you soon.” gojo’s grip on your hands loosen. you whisper his name again, looking for a response, but you’re only met with silence. he’s left you alone just like how everyone else has left you. nanami, geto, haibara, and now satoru.
you don’t scream or sob once you realize that satoru’s gone. in fact, your tears have ceased, but it's instead replaced with this empty feeling—like a hollow hole in your chest that can’t be filled with anything to make you feel whole again.
the battlefield is cold, but gojo’s limp body feels colder.
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gojo satoru is twenty-two years old. he’s a slightly above-average man (both figuratively and literally) standing at six foot three, boasting looks that’ll make anyone fawn over him. it took him almost two years to decide on a major, but after trying a little bit of everything (and falling asleep during every business class that he took with his friend nanami) satoru settled on choosing a political science major to become a lawyer.
despite having looks that grant him the ability to get any girl that he wants, satoru’s spent his whole life looking for a girl that he’s never even met before.
he remembers everything–and every part about you. sometimes, he thinks that all the memories he’s spent with you were just some sort of dream, and yet, they seemed so vivid. sometimes, satoru chastises himself, a part of him wanting to just move on from you because he doesn’t even know if you actually exist–and yet, he’s been trying his entire life to find you because his memories told him that “he promised he would”.
were they memories or were they dreams? he doesn’t know what to think anymore.
but then, gojo satoru finally gets his questions answered one spring afternoon.
he passes by a cute bakery while walking home from school, and feels his taste buds waking up as he stares at all the mouth-watering sweets displayed behind the store’s glass. the bakery has a wide variety of baked goods, as well as coffee. satoru’s so busy looking at the menu that the second he looks at the cashier, he feels his entire world stop.
it’s you.
and at that moment, satoru could feel all the memories flooding back in. no, they weren’t dreams. they were memories. satoru has lived a completely different life before this one, and this was a new life, a second life that was granted to satoru from whatever deity there was out there. all he ever wanted was to live a normal life without being renowned as “the strongest”, and most importantly, he wanted to live a normal life with you in the epicenter of it. 
you. his entire world. his lifeline.
and now, you’re right in front of him, and satoru feels like he’s sixteen all over again–the year that you met him when you transferred into jujutsu high. the year you turned his entire world upside down. the year you–as well as his other friends, taught him how to live for a moment without caring about the overbearing pressure of expectation that was ever-present on his shoulders.
a glimmer of gold on your neck catches satoru’s eye.
it was the heart-shaped gold necklace that he’d given to you on your anniversary. the heart itself was crystallized red, and when you asked gojo to clasp it around your neck, you’ve always kept it on you.
he wonders if you ever took it off after he died.
“y/n?” the whisper almost felt pathetic with how much emotion he poured into it. you look up from your phone and finally meet his gaze for the first time in years.
two star-crossed lovers who made an oath to love each other like they’ve never loved before in their next life. the two of you have finally crossed paths again–but wait, there’s something terribly wrong.
“y/n? yeah… that’s my name.” you say, looking at your name tag that was pinned onto your apron. a look of confusion is etched onto your face–the man in front of you is looking at you with so much familiarity that you feel the need to know who he is. silvery white hair, cerulean blue eyes. his appearance makes him stand out so much that you would’ve definitely known who he was. you awkwardly adjust your name tag, unable to find any words to say other than:
“i’m sorry, but do i know you?”
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archonadeptus · 1 year
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Hi ^^ ok so I got a spark of inspo and I want to get this out before I forget, Genshin x Creator! Y/n (GN) angst thing. Idea is that Creator y/n has a nightmare where their body is almost not their own and they're forced to watch themself kill all of their beloveds, then go to pov the Genshin characters and they have to watch y/n thrashing around saying little "no.."'s and "stop.."s while the Genshin characters are trying to wake them up and stop their suffering, :insert something with ur incredible imagination:, and then they finally wake up with a gasp and tears falling down their face and they hug the nearest character (say like Tighnari or someone else you choose ❤️) and then they just sob their heart out saying "I'm sorry...." Over and over again until they get comforted, then they tell the Genshin characters (I'm leaving the character choosing to you) what the nightmare was abt and then at the end they breakout crying all over again, then one big group hug later y/n is happy (but still very sorry and regretful) and it goes to fluff cuz I can't handle having my heart shattered, with y/n being a bit more clingy. The end. And ofc you don't have to do this req but it was an idea that I got just after reading one on your other fics, anywho have a good day/night/whatever the heck and take care of yourself, imma go cry bc this idea already shattered my heart thinking abt it. 🙂
A/N: Thank you so much for your request! I appreciate it so much~♡ I absolutely love this idea, I love Angst and comfort so much!! I truly hope that this is everything you were looking for. I hope I shatter all of your hearts and mend them again at the end with all of the fluff! Enjoy, lovelies.♡
Edit A/N: I got a little excited and carried away I'm so sorry it's so long omg.
Characters: Tighnari, Kazuha, Wanderer, Xiao, Zhongli
Warnings: A lot of Angst within the first section. Main character deaths (in the form of a dream), upsetting scenes, mention of a character ending their own life. A lot of comfort at the end!~ (The Angst is just a dream!)
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Control.
Sitting upon your throne carefully crafted by only the most glorious chunks of cor lapis and most vibrant of flowers always felt a little too much for you. Yes, you had embraced being the creator long ago, but it still felt a little too much. The way everybody would bow to you, some even looking a little afraid. Why in Teyvat would any of your own creations fear you? Then again, why were you even in your throne room to begin with? This was reserved for occasions where your beloved acolytes had assured you that your presence specifically on the throne was important, you just had to address Teyvat from your rightful place. As far as you knew, there were no emergencies that needed tending to and nobody had told you to come here.
"Tell me, what makes you think I adore you all?" Who said that? Wait, that's your voice echoing off the marble walls. Why… Why do you sound so angry? Why is your voice void of any love? Silence fell upon the room, the pressure of the air seeming to thicken. "I do require a reply, that was in no way rhetorical." Your eyes narrowed, deep golden eyes glaring down at five of your acolytes beneath you, bowing lowly on the floor. You weren't controlling your own voice, nor were you controlling your own body. Why is this happening? They all look so afraid.
"M-my divine." Zhongli spoke first, daring to lift his amber hues to meet your own. "You created us. Everything is made with nothing but your own hands and abilities. Do you not love what you have created?-"
"Shut it, Morax." Your voice was so heavy in the air, the floors lightly rumbling with an ever-growing rage. "I did not ask for a rant, just a simple reply. And did I hear you questioning me?" You stood rather abruptly, Zhonglis eyes meeting the floor once again. You summoned a weapon made of nothing but pure golden swirls, you placed the tip beneath Zhonglis chin and lifted his gaze upward to meet yours again. "I simply detest you. My most loyal acolyte? What a lie." Kazuha seemed to slowly lift his gentle tear filled gaze up, his soft doe eyes meeting your own.
"B-beloved, he didn't mean it in the way you think. We truly adore you… But please…" The sword you now wielded left Zhongli causing his gaze to move away to the floor again, it now lifted up Kazuha's gaze to meet your own.
"Beloved?" You spat out, glaring down at him. "And you too dare to question my judgement?" He slowly shook his head, shutting his eyes tightly to try and will away his pretty tears threatening to spill down his dusted cheeks.
"I-im sorry, your grace." A smirk painted itself on your lips before you knelt down a little before him.
"Let me tell you a little secret, my dearest wandering samurai. You know your beloved Tomo?" His eyes immediately filled with love and pain at the mention of the fallens name. "I had so much fun controlling his fate, you know. His obsession with the Musou no Hitotachi was such a good plan. Do you know why I led your beloved to death?" He was trying to muffle his own sobs with his hands pressed against his mouth. You… You led Tomo to death? "Because I grew bored of him. I didn't want to play with him anymore. But my goodness, seeing you watch him die certainly was a treat. I mean, look at what it did for your character development!" Why were you telling lies? This wasn't you, why can't you stop yourself? "Do you want to know what he was saying before your arrival? He was begging me to spare him for longer, just so he could say goodbye to you. To ensure you were okay." You scoffed at this, "He didn't trust that you were safe with me." Kazuhas sobs now escaped his lips as his broken stare met your own. "Ah, but maybe he was correct. I'm bored of you too, Kaedehara Kazuha. Tell me now, how badly do you wish to see him again?"
"N-no please… T-this isn't you. S-stop, I beg of you, I'll do anything." Rolling your eyes you stood,
"Your begging no longer amuses me, Kazuha. Do you desire to see what Tomo saw upon his death? Let me show you…" Before he could even cry out his love for you and his apologies, you preformed the divine punishment upon him. Though this time, it was all golden. His body lay before you, your other acolytes whimpering at the sight.
"Now, Xiao my darling." He seemed the calmest of them all, his eternal suffering allowing him to mask his emotions easily. That now though was boring to you, you wanted to see him break. "You're nothing but loyal to me, right?" Your hand gently cupped his cheek, thumb rubbing against his skin in soothing circles. He nodded eagerly, eyes on your own.
"Yes, your grace."
"Would you do anything I ask of you, beloved?" Once again, another gentle nod as his faze softened at your touch.
"Yes, your grace."
"Good boy." With a smile, you gave him his Jade Spear again, standing with him. "Kill Morax."
"Y-your grace?" Zhonglis head snapped up at your words before gazing at Xiao with the Jade spear he once gifted him.
"You heard me, darling. Kill him, he's a traitor. Did you hear how he questioned me? Did you hear his lack of faith?" Xiao's hands gripped harder onto the spear before his eyes met Zhonglis again.
"Child, you must." He sighed, lowering his head. "It is what our creator desires. I deserve this punishment…" Xiao raised the spear as you smiled brightly, stepping back.
"Any last words, Rex Lapis?" Zhongli knelt on his knees, gazing up at Xiao.
"It was an honour to fight beside you, to raise you, and die by your hands my Adeptus. You are my strongest warrior, and you shall always shine like gold within my memories. Even during death." Xiao shook, eyes finally filling with tears. Did he… have to do this? Did he have to kill him… n-no. There must be another way for him. Immediately he lowered his spear and fell down to the ground before your throne once you sat back upon it.
"Your grace, please. Spare him, let me die in his place"
"Oh how boring. I would have thought you'd at least inflicted some damage. Not even offering Tighnari over there as a substitute? Or Wanderer? No?" Rolling your eyes you hummed. "Very well. Put on a show for me." Xiao simply nodded, Zhongli however stood and began to rush over to Xiao.
"No!" Golden chains soon shoved him to the ground. "You cannot make him do this! This is unjust, your grace." His eyes shone as he struggled against the ever strengthening chains.
"Unjust?" You smirked, "I see now that I sit before Rex Lapis and not Zhongli. Only the God of contracts would have the will of stone to dare question his creator." He growled lowly, golden markings forming upon his skin.
"Do not lay a hand upon him." You giggled, throwing your head back in glee against your throne.
"Me? Lay a hand upon him? No, no. I think you'll find yourself quite mistaken there, Morax. For he shall kill himself." Without another word needed from you, Xiao did just as you had said. He laid there before your throne, body weak as he whined and reached for you within his final moments. At this, you simply smacked his hand away and sighed. Zhongli was screaming with rage at this point, nothing but agony filling his body. Wanderer and Tighnari simply sat there and watched it all.
"H-how could you kill off your own acolytes like this?"
"Ah look who's finally decided to join this wonderful discussion of ours~ If another word leaves your lips, I too shall end you Tighnari. I'm not interested in you right now…" Your golden eyes drifted over to wanderer. "I'm interested in him."
You knew Wanderer was panicking, all of the memories about being abandoned, tortured and broken replaying in his head. You were watching his memories and his thoughts, they made the real you scream in upset. Surely all of this wasn't happening right now?
"My dear Wanderer." His doe eyes gazed at you longingly. Ah, so this wasn't Wanderer. This was your beloved Kunikuzushi, before you got bored and put him through suffering so all of his love and loyalty would belong to you. "My darling Kuni… You love me, don't you?"
"Y-yes my divine." You smiled brightly, moving over to him and removing his hat to pat his head.
"Good boy. How will you prove your love to me, Kuni?" He scrunched his eyebrows in thought, it was almost beyond adorable.
"However you see fit. You have all of me, my Divine." You smiled brightly before humming again.
"Then perish just for me? Just like Xiao?" He simply nodded almost like he was in a trance.
"Yes, my divine."
No. No. No. No! No!
"NO MORE!" Your eyes snapped open as you threw yourself up into a sitting position, out of it and seeming to be in a half awake dream state. You were pushing whoever was around you away, whilst simultaneously trying to pull them closer.
"What's going on? Your grace, wake up now." Wanderer sighed whilst trying to hold you still to prevent you from hurting yourself in your panic.
"Hey, hey!" Was that Wanderer? "Calm it down love… Wake up." You began to scream, the dream still feeling so real. Tears rapidly rolled down your face as firm hands gripped onto your shoulders. "Hey! Fox boy! Get here now!" In any other circumstance, if you were fully awake, you would have giggled at Wanderers words. But not now, not when you killed them all. Not when you forced Tighnari and Zhongli to witness such brutal deaths.
"Seriously?! 'Wake up now?' That's all you could think of saying? I tried that already!" He growled lowly as he struggled to keep you calm, your cries and screaming tearing at what heart he wished he had.
"Our divine can hear our voices, that will keep them grounded onto something and saying 'wake up' just proves to them they're in a dream." Tighnari snapped lightly whilst fumbling in his bag before pulling out an orb filled with plants. "Hold them still!"
"What does it look like I'm trying to do? I'm not just sitting here for my own amusement." He spoke harshly to others, but his lips moved by your ear as he whispered. "Shh, I've got you. Everythings alright now, I'm here, I've got you. Love… Come back to me." At his gentle tone, your screams lessened into light whimpers. This prompted Tighnari to place the orb beneath your nose, and once the sharp smell of several herbs filled your senses your eyes snapped open.
"KAZUHA!" You panted, starting to cry again hiding within Wanderers arms. "X-xiao! Wanderer- What have I done?!" Tighnari immediately moved the orb away, tucking it back into his bag as he cupped your cheeks so you looked at him. Wanderer was a little taken aback at the possessive feeling within him especially after hearing you call his name like that. He'd never seen you look so helpless, almost like the way he once was when he was known as Kunikuzushi. Tighnari offered you the most reassuring smile he could,
"Hey there my Lotus, we've got you now. You're here darling, you're away from that place." Your whimpers shattered his heart, yet due to calling his name you didn't see Xiao rapidly approaching.
"Get away from them! What happened?" He moved to push them away to check to ensure you were alright, but Wanderer just shoved him away with his leg as he continued to hold you.
"Watch yourself little Adeptus, don't take what isn't yours." Xiao opened his mouth to say something more before Zhongli cut them off once walking into the room.
"Do not upset our Divine any further, your rage is distressing them." Xiao gazed at your tear stained face, but once your shaky hand reached up to his cheek curiosity filled his mind from your words.
"You're alive…"
"Yes, I am alive." He responded quickly, confused as to why you were asking. His debt didn't affect him whilst you were there, why would he be dead? Your head turned to see Wanderer holding you safely in his arms.
"Wanderer… My Kuni - you're alive too." Your eyes trailed around the room to try and find Kazuha. Where was he? Did you actually kill him whilst that horrible nightmare possessed your body? "Kazuha. Where is Kazuha?" You immediately stood up despite shaking, it felt like your body was still gaining its rightful strength after your dream. As you heard once in a previous life, all dreams pass a realm of reality. You tried to move forward, only for Xiao to hold you safely as you fell a little. Zhongli placed his hand upon your back,
"Tighnari, please go and get the samurai. I believe this is the only way we can calm them." Tighnari nodded before giving you one last look before leaving to quickly go and find Kazuha. He was always wandering your serenitea pot lands at this time, he wouldn't be too hard to track down. They soon moved you back down to sit upon the sofa again trying to keep your attention on them and not on the nightmare.
"I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry." Your tone was filled with nothing but heartbreak, your tears rolling down your flushed cheeks once again. "I'm sorry, please forgive me. Please don't hate me, I don't think I can bear it." Your soft sobs and begging flickered panic within your acolytes' hearts. Their own creator was begging them… This felt so wrong.
A bang from the main door made you jump whilst the others summoned their weapons to protect you, Wanderer standing in front of you to shield you with himself.
"Your grace!" The sound of Kazuha's voice made you sob out in relief as you pushed past to bring him into your arms, fist clinging onto Xiao's clothes as you held him.
"You're alive. You're both alive - you're okay." Taking a shaky breath in between your sobs you continued to cry out apologies. "I'm sorry, I'm so truly sorry." Falling to your knees, the wandering samurai and adeptus followed your lead and dropped to their knees with you to bring you into their warm embrace.
"My beloved divine, I am here now. I'm so sorry I'm late, dearest. I won't leave your side now okay?" You nodded against his warmth, hiccuping as after a while your sobs slowed.
"I killed you. I killed you Kazuha, fed you dreadful lies then killed you." Taking a jagged breath inward, your eyes met Xiaos. "You ended your own life due to my words in return for me sparing Morax. I- … I then went to kill Wanderer the same way as Xiao before waking. I forced Tighnari to watch all of it, I was so horrid I couldn't control my own body. Please, forgive me." A cup of cold water was soon brought to your lips by Tighnari as both anemo users held you closer. Softly sniffling, you began to drink slowly before coughing a little.
"Gentle, your grace. Do not rush…" Xiao gazed at you sorrowfully before looking downwards.
"No, you do not need to be forgiven. I do. If I was here, I would have destroyed the dream before it dared to even look upon you."
"Xiao," Zhongli began, his hand upon Xiao's head with a gentle smile. "Not now. This wasn't your fault, nor was it our divines. Bad dreams happen, I've seen my fair share during my lifetime. Many were brutal from the archon war." He sighed lightly, placing his hand carefully upon your cheek trying to comfort you. "But you see, dearest, they are a manifestation of our worst thoughts. Something that you would never do turns into something so real. We are all okay now, my divine, we're all here." His touch grounded you even more as he slowly lifted your now fragile form up and into his arms before getting you comfortable back on the sofa. Wanderer was sitting beside you, hand fiddling with the divine material of your clothing. Your gentle voice was but a whisper, but it made him practically melt.
"Please, hold me?" You didn't have to ask twice. You were immediately against his chest, safe and warm. A warm hand upon your back making soothing circles. Sure, you couldn't feel any heartbeat to ground you, but he was trying by channelling power through his vision to slowly bring it to life to mimic a heartbeat.
"Your grace, you can tuck your hands into my tail. You seem chilly… And don't worry, that was a case of a night terror and sleep paralysis. I've got little herbs to ensure that won't happen to you again." He paused, smiling as you held onto his tail. A light giggle escaped your lips as Xiao moved over to dry your tears. "We know we're safe with you, just like you know you're safe with us."
"What're you looking at, grandpa? They're safe with me, they don't need any extra. Move aside." Wanderer smirked before sticking his tongue out at Zhongli causing the archon to sigh. Though he buried his head against your neck as you held onto him hiding into his warmth with only a gentle whisper to be shared between you both. "I'm not going anywhere, yeah? I won't abandon you, and you won't abandon me. I've got you, I'll keep you safe." He pressed a gentle fleeting kiss to your shoulder before Tighnari took the place beside you, his tail soon brushing against your hand.
"Such a thing won't happen again." Xiao stated a matter of factly, crossing his arms against his chest. He'd be keeping a closer eye on your dreams now, so do not fret.
"And even if it did…" Kazuha's voice soon joined in, leaning over the sofa to fiddle with your strands of hair. Oh how you melted his heart, creator. "We will forever be here to pull you out of the world of dreams. They shall never hold onto you forever, but we shall do so."
"I agree with Kazuha, your grace. Forgive our selfishness, but you cannot get rid of us so easily. We shall forever be here with you and we won't ever lose you. As, my beloved, you shine like gold to us and us alone."
You're safe with them now, and believe me when I say you don't leave their arms for a long while. They never complain about this of course as this is all they want. You.♡
You have the control, your grace. Nothing like that will ever occur unless you desire so.
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dearmrshudson · 18 days
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The post of saddest(?) supernatural moment gave me the idea to maka a list of my own... You know, an honest list which will not push any agenda or exclude one of the main character completely to forcefully feed to a romantic pair which does not even exist.
so here it goes-
10. Dean's reaction after Sam's death in 13x21 :
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This one is so nominal and insignificant to be in this list and not one of top moments for a lot, but this scene ripped my heart open when I saw it for the first time. It manages to show us how Dean's whole world will literally fall apart and make him an empty vessel if Sam is gone and he can do nothing about it - and Jensen manages to portray it with just a walk, two blank eyes and then one drop of tear. Kudos.
9. Church Scene in 'Sacrifice' (8x23):
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Anyone who has not cried in this scene? Perfeftly shows the core of the show, the deep love between two brothers- despite all the reasons, all the idiological differences, all the mature discussion and all- Sam is the baby brother of Dean; at the end he needs Dean to be there as a big bro, to tell him to let it go, to clutch him in his chest. Ultimately they will always choose each other and nothing else will come between them.
8. Dean's death in 9x23:
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One of the saddest death of Dean, and perhaps it comes to this list because of the build-up and drama follows this. Both had their own reasons for the tension they had this whole season, but when the tragedy comes it hits so hard that all those logics fell apart. It scares to peep in Sam's headspace at this time of dean's dying- imagine you discarding the person you love the most as you are reasonably angry with him, and in a few days he is dying in your arms when you have hardly talked out your differences.
7. Why don’t you believe in us too (14x12) :
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Probably should come much later in this list, but this scene stood out in my eyes because it was such a fresh air in the terrible plotless mimicry that SPN had become in later seasons. The scene after ages which sums up Sam and Dean, the codependent brothers whom we had forgotten. Such a long time after we see Sam the little brother, witness the emotional turmoil he was going through silently and how it exploded. The only scene which makes season 14 worth remembering. Also Jared just nailed this scene!
6.) Dead or Alive (3x16):
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This scene breaks my heart in pieces. Dean bravely going for the last fight before the horrible death he will be facing. And he trying to cheer up baby bro, he wants the last memory with his brother to be in this car- singing along together... How his face slowly glooms at the end and his eyes full of fear... Early seasons really were gems!
5. Sam in Mystery spot (3x11) :
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Undoubtedly one of the best SPN episode with perfect blend of mystery, fun, laughter, tragedy and emotion... The funny vibe of the episode ends in a moment when we see Sam is not waking up from the nightmare loop. Then we see a robot- a scary robot who only wants to get his brother back at any cost. This episode is yet another example of how Sam loves Dean just as fiercely as Dean does, and he is not any less codependent.
4. Barn scene and alone Sam (15x20) :
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God! What can I say about this!
Just want to add, Sam wandering alone in the bunker after creamating Dean hurts me equally.
3. John's death (2x01):
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Cannot forget this one. This episode happens to be another favourite of mine, and the way John sacrifices himself for his son proves that a father can go to any extent for his children. The farewell scene of John - where he asks for forgiveness and goodbye to dean without him understanding brings tears to my eyes. Such a beautiful acting by JDM and so realistic portrayal of a flawed, helpless and loving father.
2. End of Season 5 (5x22)
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The ground was set, the battle was about to begin, the ultimate faceoff between Lucifer and Michael was going to start- then what happens? A stubborn idiot boy with a muscle car and hellbent attitude comes in between- knowing that he cannot survive this- just because one of these celestial entities have captured his brother as a vessel and he won’t leave his brother alone. Till his last drop of blood he keeps on trying- trying to reach his brother who is trapped under something much bigger- keeps on telling that It's okay, he is not alone, his big brother is here. And guess what, he succeed. His brother broke free the bind of one of the strongest entity of universe and fought. The climax scene gives me goosebump always followed by a bunch of grief and saddness the ending carries. Had season 5 been the last season of SPN, and this be the exact way the series ended, I would absolutely have no regret!
1. Sammy's first Death (2x21):
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No matter how many sad scenes are perfectly executed in SPN, nothing can exceed the emotion of this one. Jensen will also not be able to exceed the level of performance be set in this particular scene. Period.
So this is it... I must have excluded many. And turns out my list is full of Sam and Dean only and I am also not unbiased 🤣🤣 Well, there are sad scenes that do not involve only the brothers and I still like them, but not my top 10. Maybe have to make list of top 11 to 20 in order to include them. 😁
Please share your favourite saddest top 10 as well.
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sicklyseraphnsuch · 8 months
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Episode 9
Let's give Simon an earlier realization of the problems in his relationship. Let's dedicate episode 9 to Simon coming to terms with those problems instead of literally spoonfeeding it to him in one episode. So let's say Simon goes into episode 9, taking Fionna's comments about Betty to heart, and so we revise the Betty scenes.
Fionna and Cake have their nightmare and return to their world like in the show. But when we cut back to Simon...
We see the Scarab wakes up before Simon in that endless void. He sees Simon fully unconscious and he rushes to him. But before he can end him, he looks up and freezes in place. The camera never shows what he sees but he yells at whoever to stay out of it. He tries to finish his job but inexplicably, he turns into tiny bug versions every single time he tries to hurt Simon. Until finally he skitters into Simon's world to escape whatever keeps thwarting him.
Zoom in on Simon's face. Eyes twitch almost as if their fluttering open. Smash cut.
A bus stop. Simon blinks and sees himself standing before Betty, her letter clutched in his hand.
Simon does the same thing he did in the show, he offers to go with her. Then he realize this isn't how it went. And Betty smiles. The world slowly dissolves to the black space. Tetris shapes begin to fill the void.
"Hi Betty, long time no see. It seems I haven't been fair to you. I kept looking to you like you're supposed to be everything. But being someone's whole world is… exhausting." Simon laughs wryly as he scratches his head with the back giving off a telltale sparkle. " I shouldn't have put that on you. And I should have noticed all that you were doing for me…"
Simon begins to transform from his professor looks to his post apocalyptic looks.
"You remain the great love of my life. Nothing can change that. But... we've changed, haven't we?"
Betty in turn begins to change, first into Simon's fiance then into Magic Betty.
Smash cut to Fionna and Cake desperately fighting for their lives.
"It was a long road to get here. And I have found more people to love."
Simon cycles into Ice King before finally transforming into his present self.
"And I should be so lucky that they love me back. I can't... I can't just leave them like this. I'm a sad old man that kept looking for lost things and missing the stuff right in front of his face. I want to do better, Betty. I have to."
Smash cut to Fionna and Cake again.
And Betty makes her final transformation into Golb. Simon finds himself standing in front of her in all her new glory. He feels his pocket buzzing and he realizes that they're in trouble.
"No, no, no. What was all that for? If I just keep going back?" He eyes the Crown before tossing it at Betty. "There has to be another way. I'm not done yet."
Betty's eyes lift up. She pulls out Fionna and Cake's world as in the show.
"Oh. Always rescuing me, even now..." Simon is more than a little bitter. But he takes the world and he gives it to Fionna.
Smash cut to Fionna and Cake as in show.
After, Simon looks up at Betty. The faint image of their past selves lurk over their shoulders as the same moment a thousand years apart repeats itself. With Simon looking up as Betty readies herself to leave.
"I can't do much for you now. But I will tell you what I should have told you then. Thank you for everything. If only I could come with you where you're going but since I can't... Then I hope you find your happiness wherever you go... Goodbye, Betty."
And then Betty does as she does in the show. Episode 9 ends with Simon in the flower field.
Episode 10 is a flashback to present Ooo. In the time since Simon's departure, his family and friends have worked themselves up, crazy with worry. It's a comedy of errors as each callback character comes up with worse and worse ideas to find Simon. Until mid episode Simon comes back to his house with a crown - a flower crown.
"Hey gang... uh... what's going on? are we having a party? ... At my house? Without telling me?"
"SIMON!"
Cue dogpile.
Cue epilogue.
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iwrotetheilliad · 1 year
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Safe & Sound
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☆ you have a nightmare, but the love of your life are willing to hold you close to them no matter what.
Genre: hurt/comfort, angst, fluff, Bachira’s is a little bit funny.
CW: people mention car accidents, there is a car accident in one, & mentions of torture
Characters: isagi yoichi, bachira meguru, nagi seishiro
A/N: Hi everyone! My name is Sofi and I’m kinda new to the writing scene on tumblr! I hope everyone likes this!
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Shuffling through the two of your’s apartments, ISAGI sighs in exhaustion. His coach has just put the team on a new workout regiment that is really chipping away at his stamina. Today’s routine focused heavily on arms, and no one could miss the way his hands shake as he inserts the key into the lock. Heaving open the door, the kitchen light acts as Isagi’s only guide in the otherwise completely darkened appartement.
“I’m home,” he whispers into the emptiness, as he shuffles his feet out of his shoes.
He already knows you aren’t likely to answer. After all, even though his workout had finished hours ago, between the time it took for him to shower at the gym, get his stuff from the lockers, and drive home (with an inconvenient car accident on the way), it is well past 11:00, and you have an early day tomorrow.
Practically sneaking about the empty room, he makes his way over to the bedroom, where he makes out your silhouette. His heart can’t help but swoon at the sight of your frame practically drowning underneath all of the sheets, which you greedily clutch to your body.
Cute, he thinks, as he changes into his pajamas, ready to fight back for those sheets. Isagi goes into the bathroom and starts brushing his teeth, when all of a sudden, he hears soft sound coming from just beyond the door. He doesn’t dwell on it too much though. He quickly finishes up what he’s doing, washes his face, and just as he’s patting his face dry, the whimper from before reaches Isagi’s ears once again. This one’s a little louder though.
Isagi creaks open the bathroom door and carefully makes his away over to the bed, where he is met with your back facing him. Again, you whimper, and now, through the moonlight filtering into the room, Isagi can see that you’re shaking.
“Love?” he hesitantly peeps, and he’s met with nothing but more whimpering. This time though it sounds like the words, “Please… stop it…” exit with your cries.
“Y/N? Wake up love, you’re dreaming,” Isagi tries to shake you awake, but that fails. “Y/N, wake up, you’re having a nightmare.”
The cries don’t stop, sticking daggers into Isagi’s heart. Eventually, the only idea he has left to wake you up is to completely yank off all the blankets that are currently keep you warm. He does exactly that, shocking your system awake with the sudden cold. As soon as a small gasp exits your mouth, Isagi turns on the bedside lamps.
You don’t shoot out of bed in a cliche manner, but instead your eyes just shoot open. You slowly turn your head to look up at your boyfriend, who is hovering over your shivering body. The light from the lamps makes the tear streak adorning your cheeks sparkle, and his heart breaks.
“Y-yoichi-”
“It was just a nightmare,” he reassures you, as you sit up and crawl into his arms. You make yourself comfortable in his lap, and wrap your arms around his neck as he slowly rocks you back and forth. “I’ve got you now you’re safe.”
“You were late today…” you mumble into the crook of his neck. “In my dream… your coach had called me and told me that you had gotten into a car accident, you know, the one that…”
“I know love, but that wasn’t me,” he tells you, pulling away so that you stare into each other’s eyes. He smiles softly and brushes some hair behind your ear. After that, he rests his hand on your cheek. “Promise, see? I’m right here.���
Some stray tears still fall, but he just wipes them away. When the lights are all switched off, you fall asleep in Isagi’s arms, as he protects you from any more bad dreams for the rest of the night.
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BACHIRA stares blankly at the TV, allowing the silence of his mind to be filled with random factoids about what’s happening in the world right now. You’re curled up next to him, sleeping soundly. Every now an again, he brushes his hands through your hair, to which you sleepily preen. In a way, you remind your boyfriend of a cat right now.
Yawning, Bachira changes the show to something new. He spends a couple minutes scrolling through Netflix’s options, before landing on the new movie that Isagi had told him about. Vaguely, Bachira recalls his friend explaining that it had some really violent stuff in it, but Bachira could stomach that just fine.
As soon as the movie starts, Bachira is invested. He watches anxiously as the main character and the clear love interest barrel around the sets, fighting for their lives as bullets rain onto them like hellfire. Suddenly the title hits Bachira like a freight train. Oh yeah, this is about that one video game. Bachira continues on without another thought, making sure to add buying this game to his mental checklist.
When the main characters love interest gets kidnapped, Bachira’s grasp on you subconsciously tightens. It calls to his mind about what he might be like should something like that happen to you. Furious, livid, a small part of Bachira thinks he might go insane trying to find you. Sure enough that’s exactly what happens to the main character.
Just before the main character rushes into to be a knight in shining armor, there is the obligatory torture scene that displays just how much danger the love interest is in. Her screams of anguish are meaningless to Bachira; he just wants to see the villain and his lackey’s asses get whooped.
But the screams seem to have an effect on you. Slowly but surely, they infect your once pleasant dream, because now suddenly, you’re tied down to one end of a warehouse, while a demented version of Pompompurin starts torturing Bachira. Your cries and screams for this creature to stop are met with nothing but maniacal torture being inflicted upon your boyfriend. Your voice goes hoarse with anguish, and you can feel your vocal cords becoming tired with the constant screaming. Your head falls down as the torture seemingly never ends, and you squeeze your eyes shut tightly as you sob.
“Baby, relax,” you suddenly hear Bachira coo. “You’re having a bad dream, it’s all ok.”
“W-what?” You blink, as the blue light of the now paused movie illuminates you and your boyfriend’s face.
“There we go, see! Everything’s ok!” Bachira gently cheers, giving you his signature grin. “You were having a bad dream, but luckily I woke you up.”
Hesitantly, your reach your hand up to stroke Bachira’s face. “Thank god you’re ok, Meguru.”
“What?” He giggles. “Of course I am why wouldn’t I be?”
“Because of fucking Pompompurin,” you grumble, wrapping your arms around Bachira’s torso.
Now he’s even more confused.
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Your boyfriend Nagi’s grip weighs so heavily on you that you think you might suffocate. He loves to drape every single part of his 6’2” body over yours, especially when the two of you sleep. Right now, his right leg is hooked around both of your legs, his arms are wrapped around your midriff, and his head is nuzzled into your shoulders. It’s uncomfortable at first, but as you do every night, eventually the weight becomes normal after a few minutes. You fall asleep just as he did the minute his body crashed against the bed.
The two of you are strolling along the bustling city. Even at night, it is lively and busy, as lights to bars and clubs flicker, families filter in and out of restaurants, and cars honk their horns as they try to get from one place to another. Like always, Nagi has an arm wrapped around your shoulders, taking in his surroundings with a bored expression on his face. You have an exited grin on your face, watching the city life flash before your eyes. You lean further into your boyfriend’s side close your eyes contently.
His hand goes to the top of your head, and he stops walking, as he places a kiss on the top of your head. “What is it?” He asks.
“I want something sweet,” you reply, breaking out his grasp to look around. Your eyes scan the world to try and find a bakery, or ice creamery, or something that will satisfy your cravings.
“Reo told me about a bakery that has good cakes,” Nagi quietly suggests. “It’s not that far away. If it was, it would be too much of a bother to make the trip.”
You giggle as you watch the white hair fall in front of his eyes. It might be the light, but you swear you see his cheeks begin to glow red. Hurriedly, Nagi rushes ahead of you and begins to cross the street, urging you to hurry up. Softly, you smile and continue forward, trying to catch up to the boy who’s already a couple paces ahead of you.
He looks so pretty in this light…
All of a sudden, pain like you’ve never known before crashes into your side. A couple of other people are caught in the crosshairs, but you get the most force of the attack. Someone rammed their shiny black motorbike into your side. For a brief moment, you can’t see anything as your vision goes black, but when you open your eyes, the rider has been sent careening away off the bike. Now, you are stuck underneath this 500 lbs machine. Everything hurts.
“Sei…” you wheeze. When there’s no response, you sob, “Seishiro!”
“Y/N!” you hear him cry. You want to turn your head in the direction of your lover, but you can’t. Even a millimeter of movement causes pain to shoot through every nerve of your body, paralyzing you. Despite of that, you weakly try to shove the bike off of you, only to fail miserably.
“Seishirou, help me,” you cry.
“Don’t worry Y/N, I’m coming!”
He never comes to save you though. Despite the unbearable amount of anguish you are under, you spin your head to try and find him; but your heart drops as you realize that he’s nowhere to be found. In fact, no one is there. Somehow you can still hear everything, like the cries of people to get authorities here soon, or the sounds of car doors slamming, but nothing is visible.
The most heartbreaking sound though is Nagi’s continuous screams that he’s coming.
“I’m coming!”
“I’ll save you!”
“You’re ok, I’m right here!”
“WHERE?!” you scream and all of a sudden you can’t breathe. Taking your last breaths, the world starts to completely turn black, including the world becoming silent.
“Y/N, I’m here!” suddenly someone says. Your eyes fly open wildly, and you grab hold of an arm situated next to your body.
Nagi effortlessly lifts your body and wraps his other arm around you. You lean over his body, shaking, clutching his shirt, sobbing into the cotton.
“Sei… Sei…”
“Y/N, it was just a bad dream,” Nagi’s usual calm voice returns. It’s quiet, but firm, doing wonders to reassure you. When finally you peel yourself away from his chest, Nagi’s worry is etched into every single crevice of his face. Each streak in his iris is coated with a hue of worry.
“I couldn’t breathe,” you mutter. “I died.”
Nagi’s silent, his eyes staring intently in yours. “Then you came back to life,” he whispered, beginning to hug you.
When the two of you fall asleep again, the weight of Nagi holds more comfort than discomfort.
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thank you for reading everyone! I hope you liked it!
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glacierclear · 1 year
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Okay, so I need a whole fucking rant about Leon's trauma from you, just straight up ted-talk, please, I'm begging you, just any though about this topic that's rattling in your brain
oh good lord, anon. im taking deep breathes but why would you ask me this why would y-
im putting this under a cut because other wise it'd be annoying
need everyone to keep in mind that im still in the baby beginning stages of my resident evil obsession so finer details pertaining to lore and stuff i will not be aware of !!!!! a lot of this is probably headcannoning anyways...
leon's entire character makes me so sad but so stupidly passionate. this young, bright-eyed boy who just wanted to help people. being forced into an unending nightmare. the actor in re2r did such a good job portraying his earnest flavor of justice.
the fact that you can tell he thoroughly believes everything is his fault and even if you told him none of it was his fault he would probably just cry and pretend to accept what you're saying but none of it would reach his heart. and he's not even half-assing anything. he wouldn't forgive himself if he didn't do everything in his power to save people, to do his job, and even then, he can't forgive himself when he does...
that scene in re2r where he first meets marvin and is like "there was another cop...i tried to save him...i tried..." and you can see his lips quiver and he has to bite them to keep himself from collapsing in on himself. it KILLS ME.
and even after that nightmare he was forced into being DSO's little attack dog for the rest of his life. he probably thinks that's what he deserves. he doesn't deserve to have a proper chance at life anymore after screwing up raccoon city so bad. and he probably doesn't have anyone he can really confide in...not truly.
any relationship he manages to have outside of work is probably so loveless. i feel like he is undeniably attracted to partners who don't value him. it validates the part of him that thinks he's the reason all those people died.
maybe he intentionally lets himself get hurt on missions. he drinks until he can't stay awake, until he barfs it all up and then he drinks some more. because otherwise his brain won't stop reliving the past. he probably knows he's sexy. that he's objectively handsome. but he's utterly convinced that if anyone knew him. like actually knew him. they'd be horrified and run away. and he knows he doesn't deserve a good life partner. not really. not truly. he wouldn't be able to make them happy.......
that being said he probably loves animals so much. especially dogs. unconditional love that he can very clearly see, reciprocate, and receive. it's uncomplicated.
it's rare he gets through the night without waking up. either by nightmares or panic attacks or some form of "i feel like im gonna be killed" . he probably trains for hours and hours a week. he has to get better he has to BE better. he has to do it for the people who live and who died. he carries all that on his shoulders. and considering how many times he's been infected with bullshit viruses and parasites over the years he's probably convinced he's JUST LIKE the monsters he kills and that maybe, at any moment, he could hurt those in his life.
and to top it all off. for everything he has to go through and everything he has to fight and everything he has to kill for. he has to do all of that with fucking hair in his eyes because he refuses to get a different haircut.
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the5n00k · 2 months
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M*A*S*H and the power of pure unadulterated sorrow
(this series is marketed primarily as a comedy! :D what a scam! /hj)
⚠️long post⚠️
I want to point out one of my favorite aspects of this series which is how different it presents its drama compared to other shows marketed as dramas that I've seen. ESPECIALLY modern film
The last movie I can remember portraying this sheer level of raw grief and despair was Hereditary. Such a powerful film about how grief can tear a family apart, it's honestly uncomfortable to sit through because of how well written and acted some of the scenes with the family are. And that's the point; tragedy isn't pretty. So many times you will see characters die on screen and the actors around them reacting to it with a single tear or burying their face into their stone cold main protagonist's shoulder. I have been craving that Hereditary level of despair from something for a long time now. That raw emotional breakdown that completely shatters the mask of a usually well put together facade.
Then my friends recommended M*A*S*H to me.
Yes you can make all the "crying breakfast friends" jokes you want about how often I latch onto a heart wrenching emotional moment in a show but I can't help it when it's so well executed. I can see a million silly Disney sidekicks die and feel nothing but this show has made me cry even on rewatch. And that is RARE for me, usually it's a one and done thing but this show still manages to tear me to pieces.
Not saying the show doesn't have any fun in it, of course it does, that's how the emotional moments hit harder. If you never saw the characters at their highest highs, seeing them at their lowest would just become numbing and unengaging.
Spoilers ahead obviously, I'm going to be talking about a lot of really important character moments throughout the show please if you are at all interested watch the show and come back. It's 11 seasons but it's well worth your time
Something that has always been powerful to me has been grown men crying. Perhaps it's because I never really had a good emotional connection with any men in my life and always saw them as stronger (emotionally) than someone who is erratically emotional like myself. Especially during the timeframe this is set (the 50's) and shot in (70's-80's) I was not anticipating the level of raw acting talent from the guys in this show. Especially once you get past season 4 and shit really starts hitting the fan
To see these grown men who take so much pride in their important positions as doctors and men and who they are just break down weeping like a scared child. It never ceased to break something in me. I cried the hardest at the amnesiac soldier who lost his brother (FANTASTIC scene it should have won 60 awards) but the two characters that have always stood out to me with this particular subject have been Hawkeye and BJ
Clearly if you've watched the entire show you understand what I'm talking about and obviously the other cast members have their moments (Winchester my beloved one day I will put you under a microscope and pick you apart) but for this subject, I'm going to use the two of them as examples because I consider these moments the most prominent to me personally
I'll start with BJ because there's a lot to unpack with him and simultaneously not a lot at the same time. Because he's so closed off and disconnected from most things happening all the time, choosing to opt out of anything whenever he can unless provoked, characters don't really know that much about him. As an audience, you're forced to pick apart his little mannerisms and priorities to see where his head's at. Some people might not like that but frankly I love it. He's a simple character on the surface but underneath, he's a terrified father and husband trying to keep his head down long enough to snap out of the nightmare that is war and wake up at home. I relate to him in that way, just trying to stay in my own corner and occupy myself until I have to wake up and do it all over again. Coping with the monotony is slowly driving him crazy
Then in Period of Adjustment, he gets a letter from his wife about how she and their daughter Erin saw Radar at the airport when he got sent home. And his thin thread of stability finally snaps. He's pissy for the entire day and doesn't want to tell anyone why, he'd rather just go through the motions and repress it just like everything else. But it keeps outwardly affecting everything around him whether he likes it or not. Then, at his lowest, he physically assaults his best friend in their own tent and destroys their only lifeline, the still they use to (poorly) make gin, and runs out.
After getting so intoxicated he can't stand up, Hawkeye finally finds him again and laughs that he's wearing a helmet to see him, still trying to make light of how much he's suffering. He tells him he's sorry for punching him and Hawkeye sits down with him. He finally is completely and truly honest for probably the only time in the entire series. He is completely vulnerable and open and tells him what's been bothering him. His infant daughter mistakenly called Radar her dad. The first person she ever called dad wasn't him. And he breaks down. He barely got to see her when she was born before he got drafted, he missed so many milestones of parenthood with her already and she ends up calling someone else dad. BJ tells Hawkeye he is furious at Radar and knows it's not his fault but he's still jealous. He even mentions how he's envious of Trapper, Hawkeye's old bunkmate from before he got there, which is still a huge sore point for him because of how abrupt his departure was. But he doesn't reprimand him for speaking badly about two people he'd considered close friends. He holds him closer and lets him cry. This isn't a single tear cry, this is a full vulnerability twisted face cry of pure pain. He can't say anything to ease the pain either, nothing he could say right now could help his friend. He just has to let him work through it.
They rebuilt the still together but BJ still remains broken. This is sort of touched on in Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen when he tries to get sent home before Erin's second birthday and misses it. It's not held on but you can obviously tell that he's still barely holding onto mental stability whenever he brings up his family. If you go into this series thinking every conflict has a resolution or closure of some kind I have bad news for you lol it's safe to assume when he went home, there was a rough adjustment period reclaiming his place in the house since Peg took on so much responsibility by herself but we don't really know what happened after everyone went home.
My next example is from Bless You, Hawkeye and I always rag on this episode with my friends but the scene between him and Sidney physically shook me. Everybody probably talks about That One Scene with Hawkeye and Sidney from GFA so I'll refrain from using it as an example here, I think this one is more appropriate for the point I'm trying to make anyways.
Hawkeye has never been mature. At all. His entire character is built on being obnoxious and causing trouble. Unlike BJ, he will share nearly anything about him when asked. Except when it's serious.
In comes everyone's favorite coping mechanism, ✨ unconscious repression! ✨
Again, a part of his character that got used again in GFA, whenever something upsets him in a way he can't manage, he buries it. He rewrites the memory into something happy or positive. So when a wounded soldier soaked in dirty water smelling of mold and musty clothing triggered a psychosomatic response, nobody knew why.
Processing scenes like this is something I remember so vividly from my first watch. Seeing all the pieces fall into place until that sinking feeling fills you is something this show is so good at.
Hawkeye starts talking to Sidney about something from his childhood; being out on a lake with his cousin Billy when he was seven. He claims Billy saved his life by pulling him out of the water but the more he talks, the more his story changes. It gets to a point where even he realizes he wasn't saved. He was pushed. Billy had to have been around 13 at the time, old enough to know how mean pulling something like that is. The way he admits it is when the gravity really sank in for me. His voice breaks, he starts loudly and violently sobbing like a scared child, he's probably been holding in this breakdown for 20ish years. In any other show, I could see them trying to play this for laughs. Oh Hawkeye, you shouldn't be so upset by a silly prank from when you were a kid! Look at this grown man break down! What a baby! But they don't treat it like that. It's treated completely seriously, it's allowed to play out and he slowly works through grief for someone he idolized in his childhood, anger, and acknowledgement. It was a permanent scar that wasn't allowed to heal.
This wasn't the first time in the series Hawkeye has cried but it was the first time he truly let it out. Every other time he knew he'd have to pick himself up, dust himself off, and keep going. I'm not certain if he properly processed anything he went through in Korea because he kept (pardon my language here) drowning himself in alcohol and burying himself in work and antics. So his eventual breakdown just. Getting it all out in one gutteral, primal cry, borderline screaming was cathartic for both him as a character and myself personally. Very rarely do I ever get a moment to have an emotional release like this so I also bury myself further into my job and hobbies until I can't feel what's bothering me anymore. His man's father better have booked him therapy when he got home because I know for damn sure this jackass won't do it himself
Overall, I'll say it again, the actors in this show are insane. None of the emotions felt cheap and the way the characters are written feels accurate to how most people approached the horrors of war and the mental health crises that followed. I'm so happy this show exists. I'm a little disappointed in myself that it's taken me this long to give it a chance but I love it nonetheless. I'll make a post about the characters specifically sometime like I said I would, I just want to make sure I do everyone justice and I'm not just repeating what everyone already knows. I want to add to this wonderful community that I'm happy to see is still active on this app/site and I hope you all enjoy my ramblings lmao there is more where this came from
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moonflvver · 11 months
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characters: Childe x reader
warnings: teensy bit of angst, minor spoilers for childe's lore (?), comfort
synopsis: Childe has a nightmare
a/n: sorry for my extended hiatus T-T I've been finishing up the school year and I haven't had much time to write but I hope you enjoy this little drabble.
w/c: 747
He’s a light sleeper. Years of military experience have taught him how to always stay on his toes. And in a way this habit of his helps him to avoid the more unsavory parts of what resting entails. Namely, dreaming. Childe doesn’t exactly dream per-say, a dream is something pleasant. No, instead he has nightmares. Or maybe the proper word would be flashbacks. Falling into the abyss had imbued him with the knowledge of what teyvat truly was, he'd seen horrors that his fourteen year old self could barely comprehend.
And despite his strength there were still some things that his own mind needed to protect him from. It had locked away these memories for his own good. But it seemed that while he slept the door that separated them from his waking mind would crack open and the familiar scenes would leak into his head again. Usually he was able to wake up before it got too bad. But sleeping next to you had caused him to lower his guard. The warmth of your body on his, the feel of his hand around your waist. It had been enough to make him drop his defenses, and he subsequently drifted off into a deep sleep. The nightmares that he experiences are unique, they always feel so real. It's like he's back there all over again. Calling out for someone, anyone to save him.
Cold, dark hands are clawing at him, pulling him further into the darkness and no matter how hard he tries to stop them his descent is seemingly inevitable. But just as the last sliver of light is about to disappear he hears someone calling his name and feels himself wake abruptly. You’d been trying to shake him awake for a while, calling his name as you watched him toss and turn while he cried out for help. Seeing him like this always shocked you, no matter how many times it happened. It reminded you of everything that he’d had to deal with, and thinking about how for years he had been the only one to take care of himself after waking up from yet another nightmare made your soul ache.
If you could take on the pain for him, you would in a heartbeat. And while it’s true that Childe is part of the Fatui, you really don’t think you’ve ever met someone with a heart like his. His determination to protect you and his family, his ever lasting loyalty and his commitment to you had always made you see him as strong. Someone to admire, and look up to. But after he’d had his first nightmare while sleeping next to you, you’d realized just how hard he works to make sure that he's perceived as someone with infallible strength. To him showing weakness is akin to giving up. So much so that at first he’d shied away from your touch when you tried to comfort him after he’d woken up. But overtime he’d become more comfortable with letting you see his weakness, with trusting you. He laid himself bare for you to see, he allowed you to look at him in this state and in doing so he placed his certainty in the fact that you wouldn’t view him any differently than you always had.
So when he shoots up from where he was sleeping as his eyes open, chest heaving as he tries to catch his breath, the first thing he does is turn to you. You take that as a sign that it’s alright for you to approach him and you pull him into your chest, running your fingers through his soft ginger locks. He sighs, and you can feel how tense his body is. “Same nightmare?” You ask as you stroke small circles on his back. “Yeah.” He mumbles into your shirt, relaxing just a bit under your touch. “It’s okay, you’re safe now.” You say as you place a chaste kiss to the top of his head, feeling him wrap his arms around you as if he’s trying to close the minimal gap between the two of you.
And while Childe might pride himself on being your protector, now it’s his turn to trust that you can defend him. Every touch you place on his skin, every kiss, every comforting word you whisper to him is a promise. A promise that you won’t ever leave his side, that you’ll always be here to hold him on nights like these. 
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tarisilmarwen · 9 months
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Ahsoka: "Master and Apprentice" & "Toil and Trouble" Liveblog
Let's GOOOOOOOOOOOO! :D
We've added Marrok and Hyuang and one of the mercenaries and Chopper and Sabine to the opening character swivels, nice.
Digging this drum cue.
And we get an opening crawl! Nice.
Hilariously this bridge sequence feels more Star Trek than Star Wars.
Good for this captain he's very suspicious.
Hi Baylan! Hi Shin!
Aaaaaaaand they all dead.
All right, well thus far I can say I definitely like Baylan's heavy forceful presence and Shin's near feral nimbleness and speed.
Also digging the general Black Knight feel of Baylan, when he calls her "Lady Morgan" here.
Definitely feeling Zeffo vibes off this temple here.
Aligning the pedestals to light up each of the map icons definitely feels like it'd be a perfect JFO minigame lol.
That... is a Treasure Planet map.
Love how these droids move.
Welp, they blew up quite a bit of the ruins.
HEEEEERRAAAAAAAAAA! :D
Oh and she does have the lekku markings, nice.
I'm sorry, lol, the height difference is gonna bug me, Ahsoka with her large montrals was like... one of the tallest characters on the show and LA!Hera's got inches on her here it's unintentionally hilarious.
Makes LA!Ahsoka look like a shrimp.
This is a call to improve the alien makeup Disney, I'm sorry I will never not be disappointed in it.
My heart. :(((( Hera came to believe that Thrawn (and most likely Ezra too) died in the Liberation of Lothal. The quiet fearful hope on her face as she's holding this map.
"If Thrawn survived, does that mean Ezra--?"
FRICK I WAS NOT PREPARED.
And Lothal looks beautiful. *sniffles*
Hi Ryder!
And Jai Kell got to be Lothal's senator! SWEET.
BEAAAAAAAAN!
The camera shot that introduces her. *chef kiss*
Sabine being A MESS because she misses Ezra so much and she can't stand being at the dedication ceremony honoring him. :((((
There she goes to the tower.
KITTY!
SKRUNKLES MY LOVE!
We don't ever learn its name do we? Then I'm calling it Skrunkles.
OHHHHH I heard Sabine's theme! With the pan down to her stored armor.
The cat is really too cute, they did a fantastic job on it.
Ezra's theme playing too aaaaaaaand frick I'm dead.
"Hey Sabine! Sorry for disappearing on you." YOU HAD BETTER BE SORRY YOU LITTLE SHIT.
Ha ha now I understand all the weird Sabezra related asks I got over the weekend, y'all were trying to warn me.
Like I've said before, canon validation isn't my be all end all, I love these two and that's not gonna stop.
SORRY DAVE, I'VE BEEN ON THE HELL TRAIN TOO LONG, YOU CAN'T GET ME OFF NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO.
Also? Eman is nailing this.
And there's the Nightsister reveal.
I'm slightly confused as to how and why Baylan knows that Ahsoka had Sabine as her apprentice.
Like, where to find Sabine, that's easy, obviously she's on Lothal, she's the local hero and protector.
But why does he know about Ahsoka's connection to her?
Anyway, Lothal still looks beautiful.
Bury me in Sabine having maybe prophetic nightmares and waking up gasping Ezra's name.
*weeps*
"Everyone was there." "Not everyone."
OW PAIN STABBING.
Natasha is killing it with this look like she's trying to hold back from crying.
They cut out the "It's been a while." line, huh. Interesting choice.
Oooooooo Sabine has doodles in one of the bunks on Ahsoka's ship!
This dialogue seems a bit redundant to the Hera-Ahsoka scene. Like, isn't this the same conversation she had with Hera?
I can't get over it, lol, it's literally a Treasure Planet map. Love it.
"The map stays here." You're going to turn around and Sabine's is gonna be GONE honey.
See, told ya. Lol.
Callbacks to Maul scenes from Phantom Menace, nice.
Skrunkles is adorable. I love him.
Ohhhhhh we are definitely exploring Ahsoka's lingering guilt over leaving the Order, leaving Anakin, before his Fall.
That design looks a bit like a Celtic knot. Maybe tying into the whole Authurian legend theme with some of the names and aesthetics?
WOAH OKAY HA HA EZRA GOT THRAWN WAAAAAAAAY MORE LOST THAN WE'D THOUGHT.
Sabine are you seriously planning to go off looking for Ezra by yourself?
You've got it baaaaaad girl.
Okay, glad they finally explained where the turbolift was in this thing lol.
Youuuuuuuu didn't need to lurk, Shin? Literally could have just taken the map and left?
Ho ho Shin grabbing the lightsaber in order to throw Sabine around.
Ooof that's gonna scar.
Soooooo was Shin just being Extra and wanting to fight another Jedi?
Bet that was it.
"For our friend, Ray" RIP good man. :(
Star charts credits nice!
These are gorgeous and I wanna study them so much more closely. I think there's a chimera? Some kind of worm thing.
PURRGIL!
The score is also excellent and I love Sabine's theme and Ezra's theme throughout.
Bet Sabine had to spend quite a while in a bacta tank. Good thing she got medical attention right away.
Corvus?
Seatos! Okay. And a "reflex point"? Color me intrigued.
Loth-kittes aww.
Ahsoka's looooong sigh when she sees that Sabine's been rewatching Ezra's holo, lol.
IS THAT A USB CORD? LOLOL.
A lovely little moment between Hera and SAbine here.
Nightsister ichor!
I am loving the star map.
"Thrawn calls to me... across time and space." Okay lady sure take a cold shower before your crush gets too hot okay.
So there are a LOOOOOT of plot McGuffins in this story thus far lol.
I'm sorry, Shin's actress is so dead I need her to emote more in her quiet scenes, simply being vicious and feral in fights isn't working.
The Phantom II looks so beautiful.
CHOPPER! HELLO MUDERBOT I MISSED YOU.
Oh wow we're actually exploring the fact that rebuilding the New Republic is messy and complicated and you can't just fire and/or jail a bunch of low level civilian machiners just because they worked on Imperial ships.
And we're ALSO getting some hard-handed slapping Ahsoka in the face with the fact that she's a mess and needs to deal with her mess.
"I see you still have your lightsaber." "Ezra's lightsaber."
AW FRICK THE WAY THAT CORRECTION GOT ME.
Filoni I love the messy prickly falling out between Ahsoka and Sabine but I would really like... ONE paragraph of exposition about why Sabine went to Ahsoka and asked to be trained, or however that happened.
I mean I know I can inference that she was desperate to feel closer to Kanan and Ezra and mourning them and trying to be the hero Lothal needed and worked up in her feelings about, "If Ezra's not here to be Lothal's Jedi I have to be." but the general audience might need some help.
OH GOSH THAT LITTLE SWALLOW AS SHE TAKES HER SABER AGAIN AND LOOKS AT IT.
So I'm confused is it that the New Republic was lazy and/or too trusting/too willing to give ex-Imperials another chance just to keep some kind of order and peace and infrastructure in place or are they just that bad at uncovering spies?
Because there is a good point that not everyone who worked for the machine of the Empire has to be rooted out and displaced from their jobs and livelihoods, that just builds resentment, makes it easier for the Imperial Remnant to gain support.
At the same time though I feel like this is tying into the general New Canon "The New Republic is incompetent." trend that I'm not a fan of.
Next setpiece yay!
Love Ahsoka using the droid as a body shield.
LOL CHOPPER.
Oh, have we remembered we need to clear atmosphere BEFORE jumping? Thanks that's great. SW been slacking on that.
Oh what? Oh this is new, hang on the bulleted lists have a character limit.
Where were we?
The new Chopper model is so much more expressive than the one they build before, it looks great. Very much like the cartoon.
SKRUNKLES I LOVE YOU SO MUCH.
And cue the Kanan parallel scene with Sabine.
OH FRICK THE SCENE AT THE MEMORIAL I'M NOT READY FOR THIS.
Gimme a minute.
Right so even if you don't ship them, their bond is hugely undeniable, they are in fact the Most Important People to each other, she misses him so much and she's been drowning in her grief about him.
Ngl the finger touch is still getting me.
"It's more me." Frick, how she's been hiding away from her true self, essentially cosplaying as Ezra because she thought that was what Lothal needed, and now she's struggling to understand who she is now.
MY GIRLS ARE MESSY AND EMOTIONALLY CONSTIPATED AND SO SO FLAWED AND I LOVE IT.
Oh what?
Are they building a hyperspace ring? A special one???
Oh OHHHHHH ARE THEY BUILDING A SUPER STARGATE EQUIVALENT?
(Reference, on the show Stargate SG-1 the plot revolves around a network of alien wormhole transportation devices called stargates, that connect to each other across the galaxy. But to connect to OTHER galaxies you either needed a plot device energy source called a ZPM or YOU HAD TO BUILD A REALLY REALLY BIG HUGE HONKING STARGATE.)
Ohhhhhhhhhhh they are MAKING A SHIP CAPABLE OF EXITING THE GALAXY I WAS RIGHT.
WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEE THAT WAS A RUSH.
I am very nicely happy with how things are unfolding, aside from a few nitpicks here and there about the worldbuilding and backstory that's been kept from us. (Ahsoka and Sabine's whole... everything.)
But it does not look like Sabine is Force Sensitive, which I'm glad about. I've seen a couple people salty about her being a Jedi and honestly between the two options of "Make her Sensitive and retcon large parts of Rebels" or "It's a new era, there are No More Rules, we can't be picky about who we take on as Jedi so sure let's have a non-Sensitive, Ahsoka maybe thought it was safer that way anyway", I know which one I'm picking.
The whole plot with the celestial navigation is fascinating. I need to study screencaps of the starmap and the end credits for clues because WOAH BOY DID I NOT EXPECT EXPANDING BEYOND THE GFFA.
Ezra baby come hoooooooooome. :(((( Your girl misses you.
Wew lad, I hope there are plenty of gifsets, 'cause Imma reblog 'em all.
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SVSSS AU
I have read AUs where Shen Yuan is a separate character from SQQ, Shen jiu. And I’ve read ones where Shen Jiu and Shen yuan are related or exist in the same AU.
What I want, if any kind soul would write this for me, is a AU where Shen Yuan and Shen jiu are the same person. Shen Yuan is like SQH and reborn into Proud immortal Demon Way as an infant without his memories. He lives as Shen jiu until the moment he first kills someone (Qiu estate probably. I imagine him getting his memories back as he torches the place). All the memories as his life as Shen Yuan comes back to him and the system activates. It lets him know that he is the scum villain twenty years before canon events start.
Jaded, savage and a untrusting Shen yuan (maybe he chose to revert back to Yuan in hopes that he will get the small amount of warmth he’d had in his previous life) is forced by the system to continue down the path of becoming a sect leader. He meets disciple Qinghua along the way and they both band together as transmigrators to continue the story line. (Maybe they change a few minor plot points along the way. Gathering evidence on the Huan huan palace to give to Tianlang-Jun, once SQH had spilled about his drafts of course). SQQ uses both memories from his two lives to grow and change. He still has trauma and rage from his early years as Shen Jiu, but after a lot of talking with YQY over the years he forgives him. He also grows close with SQH and they become proper friends. (Maybe he later assists him with hiding the wounded Mobei-Jun?) of course he still has trauma and misdirected hatred on those with power who abuse the weak. He snaps when vulnerable and his communication is still terrible but he is not as naïve as he was as Shen yuan. The childhood of abuse as Shen jiu made him sharp and more selfish. But he is healing.
By the time Binghe joins the sect, SQQ has a reputation. He is still sharp tongued and insulting of those who he considers a threat or beneath him. But he is not a trope villain. He cares for children and would never harm them. Even the rivalry Shen jiu had with LQG in the book is dulled to mutual respect for each other’s skills but distance, neither browning closer until SQQ saves him. His relationship with YQY is tense, since SQQ recalls their childhood, but brotherly. YQY doting on him as usual and SQQ putting up with it. He still visits brothels, enjoying the time to gossip and talk with the women. (I suspect he has his sexual awakening before canon events begin).
He never treats Binghe unkindly, treating him with the same Shen yuan care as he treats his other disciples. He shows more control over his favouritism, only helping LBH when signs of bullying were too obvious to ignore. Of course Binghe soaks up any affection like a sponge. Maybe SQQ has a nightmare about the Qiu estate and wakes up screaming. LBH, who might have been doing chores at night, hears and bursts into the room to protect his Shizun. The moment of concern over his vulnerability is what breaks the wall of SQQ’s heart and is how Binghe moves into the room next door. Cue gay crush on shizun growing in little white sheep Binghe’s heart as he begins to work out that his Shizun had maybe suffered to. He swears to look after him.
As such things happen according to canon. But SQQ doesn’t get poisoned. Instead of defending LBD against the demon, he merely pulls them both of The way just in time for LQG to swoop in. This SQQ would be more cunning and selfish than the original Shen yuan. He wouldn’t loose all rationality over LBH brewing harmed, trusting in the protagonist halo. Other than that, events would continue up to the endless abyss scene.
Instead of spouting hatred against demons to LBH, he maybe reveals that he knows about LBH Herat Ive and tells him to jump down to save both their skins. The other cultivators would kill the boy on sight if they knew he was a demon and SQQ’s reputation would be ruined. He might even be expelled from his peak for harbouring a demon. With this method of manipulation, LBH jumps down himself. When he comes back to court his Shizun with riches and prestige, SQQ pretends to be annoyed but is secretly glad that he now has someone who he can fully trust.
Less angst and more badass SQQ really. I just want scenes of SQQ who remembers Shen jiu’s life and Shen yuan’s, being able to navigate the story with the attributes of both personalities and using the skills of both life. No getting caught in plot device miscommunication over amnesia. He has healthier relationships with all the characters and is able to tell when people are hitting on him. Just more badass and socially intelligent SQQ.
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midnightcowboy1969 · 1 year
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Character ask game
Thank you @nitrateglow ☀️🌴
Tumblr swallowed your ask when I tried to draft it so I’m making a text post :)
Rico, Rico, Rico :))
1. My first impression of him
My first impression was bad. I thought he was a terrible homophobic little man 🤢.
2. When I think I truly started to like him.
It’s difficult to say because it’s been such a long time since I first watched the movie but I guess I think I can say I truly started to like him (after gradually finding him more and more amusing) in the scene where Joe wakes up from his nightmare. Joe says he doesn’t look gay and Rico says “what’s that supposed to mean” (he’s gay) and Joe says he’s so dangerous he’d kill Rico if he’d gotten to him earlier and Rico unimpressed says something like “I’m impressed, you’re a killer” (both iconic lines) and “I invited you didn’t I?” and it’s revealed he has no ulterior motives (other than getting that fridge up the stairs and some company). In that scene I just got him and I just fell head over heels for him as a character. Such an interesting little guy. And then that liking just grew as I got to them living together, dancing and Rico having his gay little fantasy ❤️ Definitely a character of all time.
3. A song that reminds me of him.
I don’t think I have a specific Rico song. I’ve got plenty of Joe and Rico songs however. So… I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. You Got It by Roy Orbison is a classic Joe/Rico song from Joe’s pov.
Tumblr media Tumblr media
It just makes me think of Joe fighting for his life to get Rico to Florida, and his goal of taking care of Rico once they’re down there. (Although he knows in his heart it won’t happen).
4./5. How many people I ship him with / My favorite ship of his.
I’m combining these because it’s just Joe!
If he’d survived they would’ve gotten to grow old together 🥲
Thanks again 💕
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indiemovies · 2 years
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i am honestly. having the best time here
unhinged nancy is something a long time coming and hopefully they'll write it in... god. she deserves it. and i really want to see it. s4 was such a good segue into a separate nancy plot, hopefully moving away from that godawful love triangle. because there’s something so terrifying for someone like nancy when interacting with vecna. the way that he can make you see whatever he wants you to, and the way that he picks up on your deepest insecurities and most shameful fears, the way there’s always an element of half-truth, and element of echoing some sentiment that you believe, no matter how much you try to convince yourself otherwise. the way that he can see through nancy’s curated shields and say “i never forget when i kill someone” or whatever the line is and !!! there’s the barely hidden accusatory undertone, and god, he shouldn’t be able to look at you and know the worst things about you but he DOES, and now these teenagers, who have been dragged through hell and back, have to deal with him
!!!! YEAH. ROBIN DID THE EXACT SAME THING W STEVE. they literally speedran a mostly one-sided enemies-to-friends trope and there's definitely something within the both of them that feels that connection. tbh, this feels more monumental than nancy having a queer realization or whatnot. robin isn't drawn to nancy because she feels like there's a possibility that nancy might be queer, she's drawn out of curiosity and a hint of awe, and she knows there's Something tm but like. this would be their heart-to-heart, though not canon in the least. some sort of edging around using explicit terms, but they're definitely talking about the Thing they've respectively kept wrapped up as best they can (for nancy, the most prevalent part is the guilt)
god that vISUAL- nancy calling home, not even caring who she wakes up at this point, utterly frantic and convinced that something's wrong, something bad happened, but no, nance, nothing's wrong, is there a reason you're calling at 4am for the second time this week? and what is nancy supposed to say to that? obviously she's not the type to openly admit that she's having nightmares about her loved ones dying in front of her eyes (or rather, the worst part might be seeing them dead and always being a little too late. too late to see who killed them, what happened, too late to do anything but mourn), but she's also smart enough to know that making up something that might suggest a return of the upside down would. not be wise. and i'd love to see some scene where mike and nancy collide a little. since the "no more secrets, okay?" moment in s1, they've kinda just been in their own orbits. their loss, the inevitable nightmares, everything is happening parallel, like their rooms are completely different worlds
okay ! and sidenote, i just. love the way your mind works. all these other points i hadn't thought of or hadn't connected, but you did !! and i totally agree the bouncing of ideas is such a vibe, so thank you :D
the ingrained misogyny when it comes to nancy wheeler ! even subconsciously, i feel like a large portion of the fandom watches nancy be mean to people and make mistakes without taking the extra step to think about how much she’s struggling and therefore making said mistakes, or struggling in the aftermath. and they see the surface level of her character, a sweet teenage girl in s1 who made some dumb mistakes and has boy issues. and then they see her, again, in later seasons wearing pink and facing literal sexism and find her to be a typical quick-to-snap feminist, or another liberal woman fighting tooth and nail for rights that today, women already have. why bother investing their time and thought into that sort of character? she's just another woman in the '80s, and for all that the show tries to show glimpses into her turmoil, or show how much she wants to break out of the mold, it's swallowed by her scenes with a boy. to the point where her biggest problems as an individual can seem like they revolve around who to date next when ! that's not it at all. and it frustrates me to no end that there are more fics about steve and his parents, who, sure, there are things to talk about. they're never home, he makes that one comment about his dad being a real grade a asshole, but jfc. there are more fics talking about how steve needs a hug and has ptsd, has bad parents, the whole lot, than about nancy and her very real, on-screen trauma. 197 works for "steve harrington has ptsd". "nancy wheeler has ptsd" isn't even a tag.
no offense, but the only things steve really experienced that nancy didn't was the russian interrogation, the demodog bus scene, and lighting the root network on fire. not that those kinds of moments can't manifest as trauma too! but for crying out loud, nancy got trapped in the upside down with a demogorgon nearby for a hot minute before any of them really knew what was going on. she stood in front of a car with her loved ones and fired her gun, and when that didn't work, she fully resigned herself to dying if the impact might be lessened for those in the car. she watched the parents of her best friend destroy themselves about barb's disappearance, and had to attend their dinners and pretend like she wasn't a main character of the tragedy. all these fics talking about how steve's so guilty about barb's death, he never swims in his pool anymore, like. jesus christ. some people are so determined to infantilize their favorite white boy that they really can't see the big picture. and this has definitely derailed itself to more of a this-fandom-can-really-suck rant, so back to the main point (apologies)
maybe that’s why the pennhurst scene is so crucial in the nancy robin relationship? because it shines light on everything nancy’s been forced to do, such as wear uncomfortable clothes and play a docile part to get even half of what she’s asking for. and all of a sudden robin’s juxtaposing that because she’s already been there and tried to conform, but she’s far past that now. so she stands up to a man of authority, isn’t shy about her exasperation for the situation, doesn’t lock down her every emotion so the men don’t have to deal with it, and figures out a way to get what she wants. and that’s what nancy’s been looking to do, looking to fight for herself and other people, but knowing that in her time, women don’t really get what they want without bowing down and suffering under a man
this! is a lot of writing my bad. i don't... know where i was trying to go with this part of the time. but i hope it gets the point across nevertheless, so i'll talk to you soon ish!
I GIGGLE AND KICK MY FEET AT EVERY MESSAGE FROM YOU at what point do we just collab and publish the nancy wheeler bible
YES vecna is so the perfect villain for nancy like i don’t necessarily think she’s a super internal character, but she tends to be very…..compartmentalizing. she’s able to face so many scary situations/monsters bc ever since s1 she’s been pretty good about separating her feelings from the situations i think. obviously a lot of her actions stem from her grief in s2, but even still, she kinda gets this facade going when the action starts, it’s like she turns off a part of her brain so she can be fearless and strategic. so vecna FORCING her to confront her feelings in order to face him is SO GOOD and would be so beneficial to understanding her character on a deeper level.
i love what you said about our idea of the ronance heart to heart….the thought of them both experiencing their sexuality differently like nancy’s being wrapped in guilt and robin’s being fear/shame, but both being able to sense it in each other and being able to communicate it to one another in some coded way and finding comfort and understanding each other…..yeah
I hadn’t thought about people’s inability to connect with nancy due to her issues of sexism being so contextual to the 80s they can be hard for people (or at least people who don’t understand we really havent resolved a lot of issues regarding misogyny) to relate to! i think that’s such a good point!!!!! i’ve seen some people acknowledge that it’s crazy how much her character has changed since the first season bc of the plot, but i feel like that gets twisted into normal girl → badass action hero when that may be true but it’s surface-level!!! there is such an edge of tragedy to nancy’s character because she shouldn’t have HAD to change like that, and although she may definitely be the most mature teen character, she’s still so young and the veneer of maturity and strength she puts on isn’t entirely a facade but it’s not the whole truth either! i think the stuffed animal that she “gave away” after season 1 reappearing in the finale signal that..she got rid of something she thought childish, and when she finds it again she lights up, wishes she could still be the kind of girl with the same stuffed animal she’s had since she was a kid, but chooses to give it up again. she’s so sad!!!! and this can be extrapolated to larger issues of misogyny with girls having to grow up too fast and having to appear adultlike to even have the chance of being taken seriously.
people being so much more willing to unpack and understand a male character’s trauma to the point where they make up trauma for him just to explore his character more while completely ignoring nancy’s plots and problems and obvious trauma yup yup yup! ALSO NANCY WILLING TO DIE STANDING IN FRONT OF THE CAR TRYING TO SHOOT BILLY ahhhh we could write a 10 page analysis on that scene alone!!!!!!
I LOVE YOUR ANALYSIS OF THE PENNHURST SCENE i think you’re dead on the money and i think that’s in part why they bond so much. i think before, maybe nancy resented robin’s supposed immaturity and goofiness and mistook for…not being dumb but not exactly as intelligent by nancy standards. but i think that moment just shows nancy a whole other side of robin and shows that she is capable and so smart, she just shows it in a different way. and i totally agree she is exhibiting qualities nancy has always craved for herself but thought they would hinder instead of help her…..ronance both admiring/being in awe of one another is so special to me<333333
I LVOE THESE TALKS I LOVE YOUR MIND!!!!!! your genius literally
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ao3feed-brucewayne · 1 month
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Don't Wake Me Up Not Dreamin'
by DownTheRabbitTrail At first glance Thomas was sure the victim was already long gone, just a burned, mangled husk attached to tubes and wires. But he was shocked to see that the heart monitor was slowly beeping. “What happened?” Thomas immediately questioned. “There was an explosion in an abandoned building around Park Row. He was found in the rubble. He was resuscitated on the scene and coded once in the ambulance. Aside from severe burns, broken bones and trauma the worst injury seems to be a wound at his throat caused by a sharp object.” They rattled off more information as Thomas quickly prepped for surgery. Every second was going to have to count to save this one. or Jason dies in the exposition after his throat is cut by Batman's batarang. But somehow he wakes up he in an alternate universe where Thomas and Martha Wayne didn't die, and Bruce never became Batman. Lost and alone Jason struggles with his injuries and his own existence, but the Waynes are determined to help him every step of the way. Jason finds himself the pseudo older brother to a teenage Dick and a baby Damian. Little do the Wayne's know that Jason has a knack for "adopting" kids. He starts with his own tiny counterpart. Words: 862, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English Fandoms: Batman - All Media Types, Batman (Comics), Batman: Under the Red Hood (2010) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Categories: F/M, Gen Characters: Jason Todd, Dick Grayson, Bruce Wayne, Thomas Wayne, Damian Wayne, Tim Drake, Alfred Pennyworth, Talia al Ghul, Cassandra Cain, Stephanie Brown Relationships: Jason Todd & Bruce Wayne, Jason Todd & Everyone, Dick Grayson & Jason Todd, Jason Todd & Damian Wayne, Jason Todd and Jason Todd Additional Tags: Jason Todd is Red Hood, Jason Todd-centric, Jason Todd Has PTSD, Jason Todd Needs A Hug, Jason Todd Gets A Hug, Jason Todd Deserves Better, Jason Todd Gets Help, Jason Todd Tries to Be a Good Older Sibling, Protective Jason Todd, Protective Bruce Wayne, Good Parent Bruce Wayne, Bruce Wayne is Not Batman, Martha Wayne and Thomas Wayne Live, Good Parent Thomas Wayne, Dick Grayson is a Ray of Sunshine, Good Sibling Dick Grayson, Protective Dick Grayson, Dick Grayson is Not Robin, Kid Dick Grayson, Tim Drake Needs a Hug, Tim Drake Gets a Hug, Tim Drake is Not Robin, Baby Damian Wayne, Kid Cassandra Cain, Kid Stephanie Brown, Bad Parents Jack and Janet Drake, Good Parent Talia al Ghul, Protective Talia al Ghul, Bad Parent Willis Todd, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Panic Attacks, Chronic Pain, Whump, Hurt/Comfort, Angst, Doctor Bruce Wayne, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - No Capes, Jason Todd Whump, Found Family, Family Fluff, Platonic Cuddling, Tim Drake Joins the Batfamily Early, Child Neglect, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Crying, Good Grandparent Alfred Pennyworth, Family Bonding, Anxiety, Nightmares, Dissociation, Family Feels, Medical Inaccuracies, Angst with a Happy Ending, Healing, No beta - We die like Jason Todd, Jason Todd's Batarang Scar via https://ift.tt/dvLDNbC
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spook-study · 5 months
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The radio. What is it about the radio? Even as technology has advanced, becoming something almost unrecognizable from the golden age of radio. The original radio play of War of the Worlds was aired in 1938. Let that sink in. The Buggles may have said it best in their 1979 bop: video, did indeed, kill the radio star, but that hasn’t stopped them from appearing in video.
There are so many great movies us radio as a foundation for the plot. Nightmare Radio (2019), The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986), and The Vast of Night ( also 2019), a movie I should really get around to doing a write up on because I loved it, all feature deejays as main characters, and they are far from the only ones to do so. On top of that, arguably every ghost-hunting movie ever made can wiggle its way in there, most feature some kind of antennaed communication device, and often use radio as a ghost/demon conduit. For whatever reason, we all decided and agreed that the dead can speak through the radio.
Pontypool (2008) certainly isn't John Carpenter's The Fog (1980), but nothing ever will be.
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Despite the lamentable death of the radio drama, horror has never let the radio die. Those little boxes litter the genre. They remain steadfast, still showing up in movies even as Spotify takes over the music streaming scene and narrative podcasts attempt to fill the void left in the wake of live radio plays. There’s just something about it. Something alive. The fact that when you listen to radio, you’re listening to someone speaking to you in real time; someone is turning tables and transitioning between songs or segments in real time. Even live television can’t compare because it’s performative. Radio is alive, which means it can be dead- have dead air. If a person stops talking or spinning tables, you won’t be hearing anything until the emergency tape eventually kicks in. There’s just an activeness to that. And an aside to say rest in peace to television dead air; in my heart, no “6 Hours Soothing Sleep Static Sounds” video on YouTube will ever do you justice.
Radio is more personal than all that. Someone is speaking to you, that’s simply the way radio works. "If you’re just tuning in, listeners," that’s you. It feels personal, contained, call the number and talk to that disc jockey to win tickets, to offer your opinion, to be on the radio right then and there. It's a slice of fame: everyone listening is hearing you, learns your name, is reacting to what you're saying. I’m sure it’s thrilling. I've always been too nervous to even try to call in.
Now I'm a sucker for a bottle movie, so I'm sure you can imagine my delighted realization when it became clear that Pontypool is one! Talk about radio being personal, save for the first couple of minutes where disgraced shock jock Grant Mazzy is driving to his new job in the middle of nowhere Canada, we never leave radio station. One big room? Seems pretty personal to me.
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For those of you who might be unaware, a bottle film, from ‘ship in a bottle’ figures, is a movie or episode of television that remains in the same location for most, if not all the duration. While characters may come and go, we, the viewer, remain. Hitchcock’s Rope (1948) and Rear Window (1954) both qualify, as well as the more recent Circle (2015), and Hush (2016). Horror certainly doesn't have a shortage of them, either. While there are bottle films which take place in locations with more than one room, like Funny Games (1997 or 2007, both great) or Clue (1985), I’m preferential to the smaller locations as exemplified in Pontypool. I like the claustrophobia, the containment, the way these movies can make both viewer and characters feel like the walls are closing in. I like the visual representation of being being stuck, the endings often culminating in the escape from containment. Give me a movie in a single room and I'm practically in love. There’s just something about it- breathing the same air as it gets stagnant, seeing the same sights, stuck with the same people. It’s The Yellow Wallpaper effect. The movie operates on a simple premise but leaves a lot to unpack if you're in the mood for contemplation.
Pontypool is a pandemic movie a 'zombie' movie, colloquially speaking. If people never die they aren't zombies, but let's not get into that right now. The movie leaves whether people actually die over the course of the illness taking hold unclear. While no one is rising up from their grave, they still become mindless killing machines who eat people. One way or another, the infected remain up and about when a human would definitely be dead.
Still, Pontypool does manages to set itself apart from the crowd: the infection is spread through words. Specifically English words. The idea itself is interesting enough to cover the convoluted explanation the movie gives, but that might just be due to the fact that it's almost impossible to wrap your head around. A disease transmitted through words? How the hell does that work? Just thinking about it gets my mind whirring.
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The film follows the early morning workers of the Pontypool radio station. Grant Mazzy, who has found himself with a dreg of a job after his untoward personality and “take no prisoners” approach to hosting got him fired and basically blackballed. Tech assistant Laurel-Ann, who is a veteran for seemingly no reason, is amused by his antics. Station manager Sydney, a middle-aged woman who is tragically and typically devoid of a personality, is decidedly less so. In addition to the on-screen roles there’s another impactful character who is only heard through call-in, “eye-in-the-sky” helicopter reporter Ken Loney, whose helicopter is actually his beat-up car on top of the tallest hill in town.
A bit into the movie we get the irreputable town doctor Mendez, who miraculously made his way to the station despite his office being the first location we hear about being overrun. Running, violent hordes that are shown to chase people and the greying Dr. Mendez makes it out and across town, no explanation offered. We're talking breaking down the doors and piling on top of one another like a small town World War Z (2013), or at least that's how the situation is described. If you aren't contemplating the workings of the movie's universe, like my aforementioned fascination with how the infection works, "how" questions can be killer. For Mendez's entire appearance I just kept thinking, "how the hell did he get out of there?" It's easy to get caught up in things like that and my suspension of disbelief is no more. This is a reoccurring problem for the movie, which I'll get into more later.
Since the program is a morning news show, the group starts off by reporting what is only considered news in itty-bitty towns like Pontypool, Ontario, Canada. Mazzy clearly hates his job, drinking at the crack of dawn and making fun of the townspeople as news comes in. He tells nothing stories because there's nothing to report on. In a previous broadcast which serves as the opening narration to the movie he reported on a woman's lost cat. It's hard-hitting journalism, folks. The first report of the day of the film regards an altercation with the police with an ice fishing shed.
After taking one too many mild crack shots, Sydney chastises Mazzy. He jokes about alcohol being involved in the situation, which ended as soon as it began. But he finds out through Sydney that one of the men is indeed an alcoholic. She implies everyone knows it, but things like that remain spoken of only behind closed doors. It's later revealed eye-in-the-sky Ken is a pedophile. Well, not exactly, the people in town just all keep there kids away from him. The dirty laundry is to stay in the basket. So, whether he likes it or not, the people of Pontypool need their simple news- school closures, weather, traffic. Particularly during blizzards, like the one everyone is caught in for the movie. Power is likely to get knocked out, which means no television news. The first iPhone came out in 2007, only a year before the movie’s release, so smart phones are still a rarity. What you have is your landline, and not much else. It’s radio news, or it’s no news.
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Ken Loney reports on what is first deemed a riot which is of course slowly revealed to be a pandemic that turns people into violent cannibals that creepily parrot words and phrases. A bit into the growing situation, a transmission in French intercepts their air time which urges everyone to stay inside, not speak, to particularly avoid pet names such like ‘honey’ and ‘baby,’ ending with warning not to translate the message. Oops, too late, it’s been translated and Mazzy relayed it on air. So much for that warning. Also, lest we Americans forget, Canada has two official languages, one of which is French. It's reasonable, then, for the movie to have characters that know at least a bit of French, rusty though it may be. Since it's only English that is infected, other languages remain safe. That is, if they need to speak at all. Pen and paper are pretty good workarounds too, but still they chatter away even after Dr. Mendez's entrance. His first bits of dialogue include him openly stating he believes the illness is transferred through sound, and English. We can extrapolate through the characters broken French from later in the movie that Pontypool is predominately English-Speaking, thus explaining why the earlier warning was related in French. Anyway let's keep talking.
As more of Ken’s scattered reports come in, he relates his escape from the oncoming hoard, subsequent hiding in a barn, and the sight of a boy he knows crying out with the voice of a child while missing an arm and despite the fact that he should be dead. The employees of the station become a bit more frantic as well, unable to get much information coming from the outside. As an additional strain the Station has no windows, so they are unable even to see what is happening.
This limitation seeds disbelief, leading them to open the front door and incidentally inviting the infected inside. Sound is what draws the infected, so they play a recording to the loudspeaker outside: Sydney Briar is alive. This draws the group back out. Laurel-Ann becomes infected, and Mazzy, Mendez, and Sydney take shelter in the sound-proof radio booth. Mendez hypothesizes that only certain words are infected, and that one must ‘understand’ the word in order for the infection to take hold. What in the world that means is sort of explained, but really it's anyone's guess.
Time passes to the sound of Laurel-Ann relentlessly banging her head against the plexiglass window to the booth. After her continued self mutilation, what’s left of their young station tech dies. Eventually, and I do mean eventually, the remaining group decides it might be best to stop talking after Dr. Mendez comes to the realization that it is only certain words of the English language which transmit the disease, the first indication of which being the host’s repetition of an infected word. They begin passing notes to communicate. But when Dr. Mendez exhibits the beginning signs of infection, Mazzy and Sydney leave him alone to the booth. This is the beginning of the end, which I’ll leave to you to watch on your own.
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So what is Pontypool saying? A movie set in a radio station of which the very foundation is the power of sound, where radio itself is practically ground zero. Who knows what words may set the infection off. Did Mazzy, who as far as we can tell isn’t infected, start this whole thing with his half-truth reports? What this movie hedges its bets on is the power of language and of sound. Horror is nothing without sound, and we don’t need a movie about deejays or radio to know that. For tone setting, for jump scares, for themes, audio can make or break a horror movie. Who could forget the the crazy and wildly listenable soundtrack to Suspiria (1977), the sharp iconic sting in Psycho (1960), or the looming staccato of the themes from Jaws (1975) and Halloween (1978)?
For those of us whose hearing remains intact, sound has power- whether you’re conscious of it or not. It effects everything you do, and everything you experience. Mazzy’s show is a news program on top of everything. English as the infected language, which doesn't feel like a coincidence. Casual half-truths with little to no foundation. While the movie takes place in Canada, Americans should be able to relate much of the premise to their own experiences. When did the news become a thing of opinion? Why has fact become so convoluted? How did it come to this? Where is the impartiality that begets news in its purest form, as a way to conduct information? The dissemination of not only ideas, but ideals, is perpetuated in part by news media. How many of us have tried to wean an unsavory relative off of Fox? I’ll do you one better: how many have made fun of and decried shock jock radio host Joe Rogan?
Information is passed through language, and the bias of those reporting it then infects the listener.
Pontypool doesn’t reflect on this enough in its runtime, and most of these musings are my own. derived from but not included in the movie itself. While it may touch on the fear of misinformation and the doubt that can come from being unable to witness things for yourself, I feel it could have been a bit more keyed-on, a bit more contemplative. Maybe even a bit more heated. There was very little passion. It runs around itself, in a way. Most of the movie is just the characters repeating the sentiment of not believing the things that are being related to them are happening, and then, once they’ve confirmed it, they can’t believe it.
Pontypool spent a good portion of its runtime with the characters asking if the situation was real. That can get tired very quickly, and it did. We know it’s happening because we’re watching a movie. Stringing a viewer along with character disbelief loses its efficacy pretty quickly. While character reaction may be understandable in a semi-realistic way, we aren’t watching the movie for realism. It’s performance. The characters need to move a bit faster, the actions need to be a bit bigger, the body has to react a bit stronger. It’s a horror movie. Pontypool just spent too long on disbelief, which caused a disconnect. It stated to feel winded, despite only being 6 minutes longer than my ideal horror movie runtime of 90 minutes.
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I think they relied on all the weight to be carried by the concept, which I thought was so interesting. Unfortunately my interest ended up being only on the premise. Almost as if presented as a piece of news itself, Pontypool didn’t have much of a point of view. The script just didn't live up to the idea, and that drives me crazy. Mazzy’s a shock jock, but whether he was an asshole or a martyr is never really answered. What exactly was he fired for saying? We never find out. Why wasn’t there a brief comedy relief moment where he just devolves into speaking only in swear words? Of course, he doesn’t swear much because of the FTC but when they stop broadcasting? Or when he starts to lose his cool?
Sydney knows everyone in town and all their dirty laundry, is she maybe a little meaner than we had initially thought? Or actually, is there anything interesting about her? Because besides being the “mother” figure who admonishes Mazzy and scolds Laurel-Ann, there wasn’t a lot going on. Embarrassingly, her only defining trait is that she cares. That's just bad writing.
Laurel-Ann is a veteran, but why didn’t she have anything else to show for that other than the one line, “We have enemy combatants.” This last one really grinds my gears. The fact that she was a veteran went nowhere. No badass moment, no kicking zombie ass, no bodying them in defense. It’s a pandemic movie; there’s always an excuse to have your army brat character do some stunts. She was young too! She looked like she was in her 20s. Why was she dismissed at such a young age, or was she a reserve? Obviously she worked in army radio, but she looks fit enough. And if she did work in radio, why did they give her that army brat line and have her move like she was infantry? Or, if she didn’t have a reason to know hand-to-hand combat, why wasn’t there a little joke about that?
And Doctor Mendez. Why was he allowed to still be practicing despite writing phony prescriptions, a crime which could potentially prosecuted as a felony? Why does he still have a license? Sydney knew about it, but did no one tell the police? There's keeping personal matters private, but I don't think this one counts. And why, when they realize it’s the English language, do they not immediately switch to French? Why don’t they start to write notes sooner? For the number of times someone said they should stop talking, they sure kept on doing it.
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I’m getting frustrated again just thinking about it! Questions like these are easy to answer with standard movie dialogue. Plot holes, failed potential, trip ups, whatever you want to call it, this movie had a ton of them. It’s also a high-stress environment. So why isn’t anyone having a real argument, whispered or otherwise? You’re telling me stuck for hours in the same room with the same people wouldn’t beget a real argument? Why is no one scared to the point of anger? Anger, confusion, fear, it just was so pale. And here I go again! I can feel my muscles tensing the more I mull it over.
Pontypool took itself so seriously the fun was just sucked right out of it. The devil is in the details and nothing is more irritating to me than tiny unanswered questions. You can leave your overarching explanations vague, have a weird ending, make it whatever you want in my opinion. But you better answer how the hell Dr. Mendez escaped his office when Ken Loney’s first report included a crowd gathering outside the building. I mean as far as the viewer is concerned, it was the first place. And the infected people are strong! The person who ended up getting Ken busted through a barn door! A movie shouldn't bring up questions like these unless it intends to answer. Where's the payoff? I want to grab this movie by the neck and shake it. I don’t even have the words. Like come on. Ugh! I’m getting heated, girl. (Or guy…or other…you get it.)
Honestly this whole review probably feels incredibly disconnected, but that’s the split for me about Pontypool. I adored the premise, spent time thinking after it ended about the world it created, the rules, how one might go about counter-acting it, what does the virus actually do to someone. But the movie itself? Completely wanting. Of anything. It’s just such a bummer because the idea, at least to me, is so cool.
Not particularly funny, scary, or contemplative, I have to go on what the movie presented, not just the concepts. I could see the good movie in there, but I didn't see it on screen. Look, I'm still thinking about it much after watching it which is only a good thing in terms of staying power. But we also remember bad movies and tend to think on those just as much as the good ones. Still, Pontypool is quite the popular movie and continues to be well received to this day. I'm definitely in the minority when it comes to my dislike, so don't shy away from giving it a watch. As of now (December 20) it's streaming on Shudder. As for me? Well...maybe the book is better. It usually is.
Split down the middle in a case of execution not living up to the concept, Pontypool (2008) slips by with a 2/5.
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