#the stakes are SUPER high now that a kid is involved

[gillianthecat]

I have got to get over my grudge against face filters or face-tuning or whatever it's called when they blur the actor's face so their skin is completely smooth and texture free and very pale and has no dimensionality.

I'm watching Light On Me, and I'm charmed by all the characters, but I keep getting distracted by the fact that none of them look like human beings. grrr. Like, it kind of fits the comic book tropey-ness of the story, but I still would prefer to see their god danged faces.

(Fun fact: Shin Woo's actor's face is the reason I started watching Light On Me in the first place. Kang Yoo Soek has a small part in Beyond Evil, and within a minute of his appearance on screen I was like, who is THAT???👀, and immediately went to MDL to see what else he was in. Turns out he was in a BL! so I decided it was finally time to check this one out. Maybe I'm just resentful about them hiding his face from me. On the other hand, Beyond Evil and Light On Me are from the same year, and he looks a decade younger in the latter, so I guess the filtering helps with that? idk, I'd prefer everyone's real faces. But I realize that with this, as in many things, I am not the target audience.)

My thoughts on Light On Me so far (im on episode 3 oops, actually it was 4): It feels like a high school romance comic book aimed at 12 year olds come to life. Which is not at all a criticism! But the aesthetic—bright, flat lighting, wide open spaces, saturated pastels and primary colors, the aforementioned face filtering—along with the trope filled, bare bones nature of the story give it this artificial feel. I don't read comic books, manga or manwha of any genre, so I could be wrong in this comparison, but it does tell like it exists outside of the real world in the same way that Disney Channel kids shows do (though not in the same world.) The characters, so far, don't feel like they exist outside of the story, not shallow, exactly, just that the rest of their lives and relationships are a vague blur, and the initial conflict—Shin Woo doesn't want Tae Kyung to join the student council!—feels like the sort of artificially induced high stakes of a kid's show. The—gasp—pratfall with a dildo.

I probably sound judgmental, but that's partly because super fluffy shows aren't my thing in general, and partly because I'm in a weird mood right now where even the real world doesn't feel all that real to me, but I reiterate, this is not a criticism. The show is creating a certain feel to tell a certain story, and (so far at least) it's doing it effectively.

And I am intrigued by the story, and the characters! Tae Kyung who has been convinced by the wise teacher to try making friends. Da On, the student president who is so kind and can't say no to anyone. Shiwoon, the class clown who can see what's happening but won't get involved. So Hee, the girl from the sister school, persistent in her three year (!) crush. And of course tsundere Shin Woo, possibly with some internalized homophobia, and who we know, based on Shiwoon's hints and the laws of Romance Tropes, must have a crush on the new boy and can't handle it.

The taundere seme is a trope I love when it works well, and loathe when it's bad, and I think it's working here for me because Tae Kyung is such a weirdo. He's no blushing maiden uke, he's blunt and doesn't care that's he's awkward, and still not sure if he wants to even bother with other human beings. It makes Shin Woo's attraction to him more specific and real, and makes me curious to see how their dynamic develops.

So even though the character don't feel anchored to any reality outside of what we see on screen, in the small slice of a tv world they do exist in they seem complex and worth getting to know.

(They also intrigue me enough that part of me wants to see these same characters and conflicts, but framed in more gritty realism style, like that of Weak Hero Class One. I think there's enough there to make it work! But that's more about my personal taste than anything else.)

edit: not that Weak Hero Class One is exactly realistic. But it's a different kind of fairy tale atmosphere. One that sometimes gets called "gritty realism."

#light on me #gillianthecat liveblogs bl #kang yoo seok #gillianthecat reacts to bl #my ramblings #face filters #I know I've complained about them before but I don't know if I have a tag for it

[cherry-valentine]

Spring 2022 Anime

Here’s what I’ve been watching:

Tomodachi Game joins a fairly large, sprawling genre of anime about people forced to play some sort of twisted game, usually with high stakes (usually death, but in this case it’s destroyed relationships and financial ruin). Five high schoolers are kidnapped and taken to a secret location where they’re semi forced to play the Tomodachi Game (I say semi forced because they do get the option to refuse, but doing so would saddle someone with a ridiculous amount of debt). The games aren’t physically dangerous but they’re designed to encourage betrayal and reveal dirty secrets. Protagonist Yuichi elevates what could have been a boring, derivative series into something special. He’s not a helpless, innocent kid who gets by on the power of friendship, or a guy who just lucks into winning. He’s devious, cunning, and actually pretty brilliant. The rest of the kids are lucky that he actually does care about them, though he’s certainly not above using them or hurting them (emotionally at least) to reach his end goal of them beating the game together. He ultimately has their best interests at heart, but occasional glimpses of his ruthlessness scare even them. So the show becomes less “How will these characters possibly get out of this jam?” and more “What method will Yuichi use to utterly wreck this game?” It really gives a fresh coat of paint to a genre that’s otherwise growing stale. And yeah, lots of people were calling this “anime Squid Game” (the characters are forced to play children’s games, large sums of money are involved, betrayal is encouraged, etc.) and I really don’t know if the manga for this series came out first or not, but that’s irrelevant. I loved Squid Game but it’s very much derivative of this huge ass genre that’s been thriving in anime and manga for a very long time now. Squid Game as a whole felt very familiar to me, and followed a lot of story beats that I expected just because of the sheer number of similar series I’ve already seen in anime form. I know non-anime fans probably thought it was totally original but it really wasn’t. It was a good show. It took a concept that was already getting tired in anime and did something fresh with it, but it’s hilarious to me that anyone would accuse any anime of copying Squid Game. Anyway! Tomodachi Game has excellent opening and ending themes, with my favorite ending theme of the season (and it had some stiff competition!). The art is fine, with some interesting designs, but the animation quality overall isn’t super impressive. It does the job though. Recommended.

Dance Dance Danseur is a sports anime about ballet. More specifically, it’s about a young man who loved ballet as a child, was shamed into quitting almost immediately (because “ballet is for girls”), and rediscovers his love for it in high school. The series as a whole reminds me quite a lot of Welcome to the Ballroom from a few years back. Both shows feature a newbie with potential taking up a form of dance, partially because of their interest in a beautiful black-haired classmate who is involved in the hobby. Both also feature a quiet but near genius-level talented young man who has a history with the beautiful classmate and whom the protagonist is jealous of but also respects for their talent and sees as a rival. In fact, the dynamic between these three characters in both shows is almost identical (at least in the early episodes). DDD has a vaguely similar art style as well, with all of the characters being willowy, thin, and long-limbed (though DDD isn’t as aggressively weird with the proportions as Welcome to the Ballroom was). It makes sense for a series about ballet dancers though. The colors really pop, and the animation is gorgeous. Go watch the opening theme if you want to see some incredibly creative animation (and hear a very catchy song). DDD does do something I don’t remember Ballroom doing, which is tackle the stigma against dance as a hobby for boys head on. The protagonist, Junpei, at first tries to hide his renewed interest in ballet, but at some point he’s forced to reveal it and deal with the consequences. I feel like those consequences were a little too mild, but it was nice to see the series acknowledge that some people will have a problem with boys doing ballet, and that those people are wrong. Overall, it’s a fun, pretty anime. Definitely worth a watch, whether you’re into ballet or not (I’m totally not).

Kaguya-sama Love is War Season 3 is, as usual for this series, a ton of fun. The show has impeccable comic timing and wisely lets its lovable characters just exist in the story and do their own thing. The overarching plot is about two academic geniuses who are in love with each other but are both too socially inept to do anything about it. The comedy often comes from their attempts to trick each other into being the first to confess their feelings to the other or from hilarious misunderstandings that pop up when two people are this clueless about love. Despite the almost hostile way they try to manipulate each other, there’s a sweetness to their relationship that warms the heart. They really do love each other and will even occasionally set aside their pride or their schemes to help each other out when necessary. The supporting cast hasn’t grown much since season two, but that’s a good thing. I still don’t care much for season two’s additions and often wonder why they’re even there. But the core group that’s been there from the beginning includes some of the funniest characters I’ve seen in anime. If you’re looking for a silly romantic comedy, you really can’t go wrong with Kaguya-sama.

Gunjou no Fanfare is the second of three sports anime I’m following this season, this time about jockeys for horse racing. The plot follows Yu, an idol who quits his successful boy band to become a jockey in a move that leaves his fans and pretty much everyone else flabbergasted. He enrolls in a special school for jockeys and gets to know his new classmates, who all seem to have varying reactions to him. Some are annoyed by Yu’s fame and the attention he’s getting, while others seek to use his fame to bolster their own reputations. One of the ways I judge sports anime is by how interesting the supporting cast is. I’m not interested in sports, so that aspect is pretty much irrelevant to me, but if the “team” surrounding the protagonist is fun and well-written, I’m probably going to enjoy the show. That’s definitely the case here. All of Yu’s classmates have their own motivations and backstories, and they’re all characters I want to know more about. The animation is overall quite nice, though a couple of episodes have had noticeable dips in quality. The colors and backgrounds, as well as the horses themselves, look lovely. The music is a high point, with easily the best opening theme of the season (in a season full of excellent opening themes). The show is a delight, and I’m struggling to understand why it’s not more popular than it is.

Spy x Family is easily the most hyped show this season. I almost didn’t watch it, because the premise didn’t sound that interesting to me and a few bad examples have left me wary of shows featuring an adult man raising a young girl as his daughter who is not related to him by blood (they ended with the man marrying the girl when she grew up, which is just revolting on a primal level). However, I kept hearing very good things about the first episode so I gave it a try. Thankfully, the show is wholesome and adorable, and the presence of an adult lady love interest all but guarantees this series won’t go down a very gross path. For the very few people out there who haven’t heard of this series, it’s about a highly skilled spy code named Twilight who is tasked with his most difficult mission yet: putting together a fake family so that his fake child can get into a prestigious school and thereby make connections with very powerful people, including a specific target who is the father of one of the children at the school. Twilight, very much not a family man, starts by getting a child at the local orphanage, the so-cute-it-hurts Anya who is a telepath (unbeknownst to the rest of the characters). He then ends up with the lovely Yor as his fake wife, who is secretly a notorious assassin but is eager to make this fake family work. The real fun of this show is the fact that all three characters have lots of secrets and none of them know each other’s hidden identities (aside from Anya, who can read their minds, but is smart enough to not spill the beans). They each have different reasons for playing along with the ruse, but as you can imagine, the “fake” aspect of the situation slowly begins to shift into genuine care for each other. There’s very much a “found family” aspect to it, as Anya is an orphan and both “parents” are loners by nature and there are hints that their own childhoods were far from perfect. The show is, first and foremost, a comedy, but it’s a very sweet one with some touches of sadness here and there. The animation looks fantastic and the music is great. So far, it lives up to the hype.

Ao Ashi is the third sports series I’m following this season, this one about soccer. It’s by far the most traditional, straightforward sports anime of the three. Protagonist Ashito is a classic sports anime hero, a young man who is at the top of the game in his small, rural town and has genuine skill, but quickly finds out just how much he’s lacking when he joins a big city soccer club that seems to be a pipe line to going pro. Ashito is good natured but a little hot headed and alternates between being too cocky and being frustrated at his lack of skill when compared to some of the elites on the team. While this is standard behavior, he tends to alternate a little too much, to the point that his character feels a bit inconsistent. Even his skills seem inconsistent. His particular gift at soccer is in being able to notice and remember the positions of every player on the field, and execute cool plays by using that knowledge to predict where players will be going during the game. But later, when they explain his weakness, it sounds like basically the same thing (he’s not good at “tactics”, which they explain as situational awareness of the game and the field). It’s a little confusing to me as someone who knows nothing about soccer. Aside from that little issue, the show is a lot of fun and has some interesting supporting characters, decent animation quality, and music that just screams “sports anime”. It’s not breaking the mold anytime soon, but it’s definitely entertaining and worth a watch if you like sports anime at all.

Best of Season:

Best New Show: Tomodachi Game Best Opening Theme: Gunjou no Fanfare Best Ending Theme: Tomodachi Game Best New Male Character: Yuichi (Tomodachi Game) Best New Female Character: Anya (Spy x Family)

#Anime #Anime Reviews #Anime Recommendations #Seasonal Anime #Spring 2022 Anime #Text #Tomodachi Game #Gunjou no Fanfare #Spy x Family #Dance Dance Danseur #Kaguya sama Love is War

[wallacejustice]

14 Best Water Guns: The Last Word List

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It's not feasible to produce a high-strain stream as a result of it could mean making use of quite a lot of drive in a brief period of time. In 1982, a nuclear scientist named Lonnie Johnson got here up with an ingenious answer to this downside. In his spare time, he was working on a brand new heat-pump system that will use shifting water to regulate temperature. Late one night time, he attached a mannequin of the pumping mechanism to the bathroom sink, and was startled by the highly effective water blast that shot throughout the room. In that prompt, he was struck by the concept for a water gun that will use compressed air to provide strain for a water blast. Together, D'Andrade and Johnson came up with the basic design that may develop into the Super Soaker. Super Soakers are constructed round a pump mechanism, but shifting the pump doesn't really drive water out of the gun; it serves to build up water pressure before the blast.

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It’s a whole lot of fun, and it’s definitely going to provide you with an advantage in your water wars. It holds fifty five ounces of water within the tank, and it has a novel lever-action mechanism for taking pictures (as a substitute of a trigger), and it feels Really good to spray your folks with. Nerf teamed up with Epic Games’ mega giant Fortnite for some toy guns earlier this yr, one in every of which is a Fortnite water gun primarily based on the TS-R you can find in recreation. The truth is, it uses the Orbi Gun’s design and its colours! It’s super straightforward to load, simply pop off the cap, dunk it in some water or fill with a hose, and you’re ready for some pump action fun. It holds as much as 36 ounces of water, so a lot to maintain you within the battle with out requiring a reload. Within the heat of battle, the water gun with the quickest reload capabilities can rating victories over even the largest tremendous soakers.

[longislanddivorce1]

Suffolk County Divorce Mediation

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[samthemarvelfan]

Dangerous Woman: Part 1 of 2

Summary: You know he blames you, but you never thought he’d hate you. 

Pairing: tfatws!Bucky Barnes x reader

Word Count: 2800+

Warnings: angst, swearing, mentions of trauma and injuries. cannon level violence/calamity.

A/N: ALRIGHT...I wrote this, then rewrote it, then I decided I'd make it a mini series. Enjoy everyone! Feedback is so appreciated!

There was a thin dusting of snow that covered the ground and pine trees. Sheer enough that it shimmered when the moonlight hit just right. It was so calming—peaceful even. Beautifully complimented by the cozy atmosphere you’d been fostering in your hotel room.

This was one of those rare missions that didn’t involve sleeping in a run-down motel or some abandoned building off the radar. In fact, you were encouraged to enjoy the little luxuries this undercover op offered.

You could almost trick yourself into relaxing a little bit, if it weren’t for your foul mood.

Walking away from the window, you gave the array of knives and handguns displayed on the bedspread a once-over. “Like a kid on Christmas morning.” You whispered, running your fingers over them.

Your thigh holsters were soon filled with each of the most slender options, along with a few extra ammo clips. An exaggerated sigh fell from your lips as you pressed the comms device in you ear. “Alright, just about ready.”

Sam’s chuckle echoed. “You sound real happy about it, too.”

Rolling your eyes, you flipped open your duffle, and pulled out the black garment bag. “Let’s just say if it weren’t for the fate of the world being at stake, I’d be eating pizza, in bed, in my pajamas right now.”

He laughed again. “Buck, what about you? You copy?”

A lurid scoff could be heard on Bucky’s end. “Copy. I’m not exactly giddy with excitement either, trust me.”

Asshole.

Your laptop was on the nightstand, flipped open to give you a glimpse of the intel Redwing had provided. “Can’t I work this mission with Redwing?” You sass, “That’s one robot I don’t mind being around.”

“Sam, I swear to God…“ Bucky gripes.

“Anyway,” Sam interjects. “Objective remains the same. The arms deal is going down tonight, the art auction and gala are just a cover. I’ll be at the rendezvous in case the buyers make a break for it.”

“Got it, Cap.” You unzip the bag as Sam and Bucky discussed details, and pulled out an absolutely gorgeous evening gown. Black velvet, long sleeves and a deep v-neck, with a dangerously high slit up the right leg.

“I really hope I don’t have to engage anyone tonight.” You remark aloud. “I mean, this dress is stunning, but it isn’t exactly functional.”

Bucky groaned in frustration. “Do you think you can focus for 5 fucking minutes?”

This is exactly why the two of you hardly work together anymore. You’re not quite sure when it happened, but somewhere along the road, Bucky stopped being your friend and became a miserable prick with a stick up his ass.

…and you refuse to let him get away with it.

Because at least that way he talks to you, instead of glaring at anything but you. Indifference is an ugly color on Bucky Barnes, and it’s the tone he’s come to see you in.

The avoidance, the lack of effort put into fostering any kind of friendship. The blatant disregard for any and all missions or assignments you were going to be on…it took a toll.

Was it dangerous to pick fights with a 106 year old super soldier? Maybe, but if pissing him off was the only way to get him to acknowledge your existence, then that’s what you’d do.

“Barnes, unlike you, I like to prepare for a mission before I’m actually on it.” You seethe.

He scoffed, “Tell that to the bullet hole in your shoulder.”

That was a low fucking blow.

The last mission with Bucky, you made one stupid decision, and ended up taking a rouge shot through the back.

It’d been 8 minutes with no communication, and you panicked. Bucky was no where to be found, his comms had been disabled, and you needed to blow the building.

Everything happened so fast. If he hadn’t found you bleeding out on a slab of concrete, you wouldn’t be here. That was the first and last time you saw anything close to fear in the eyes of Bucky Barnes.

“You’re gonna be fine, Y/N. I’ve got you.” Bucky whispered. “She got hit, Sam.”

“Shit,” you heard Cap say. “Here, on the table.”

You didn’t know where you were at the moment; Quin Jet? Med center? Safe house?

All you remember was the searing hot pain of a 9mm round ripping its way through your rotator cuff.

“Hey, hey,” Bucky called as he shook you. “Eyes open, honey. Atta girl, keep ‘em open.”

Your vision was spotty and you breathing was far too shallow to get any real oxygen into your lungs. Blood loss. You think. Way too much.

You tried to speak, tried to make some kind of apology pass over your lips, but nothing worked. Your eyes were burning as you fought the heaviness of them. Aching so badly until keeping them open wasn’t an option anymore, and eventually your vision blackened completely.

“No, no! Fuck!” Bucky screamed, punching the metal table beside you. “I was 90 seconds late, Sam. 90 fucking seconds and now she’s bleeding out in the back of a semi.”

Back of a semi? Bleeding out? Super.

You wanted to scream, to grab him and tell him it wasn’t his fault. That it was yours, because you were so scared to death something had happened to him, that you did the single stupidest thing you could have done, and ran straight into a zone you hadn’t cleared.

“She’s gonna be fine, Buck. Here take this, put pressure there.” The two of them worked in tandem to stop the bleeding, finally eliciting a scream from you as Sam dug the bullet from your shoulder.

Since the day you woke up in the med center, Bucky has barely been able to look at you. When he does, he gets this look in his eyes that screams ‘you almost cost us everything’.

You hesitated, not wanting to dignify the cheap shot with a response; but you’re a glutton for punishment.

“Wow, if only your communication skills in the field were this impressive.”

He was about to say something again, when you cut him off. “I’m sure your retort would have been scathing, but I have a gala to attend—I’ll meet you in the lobby at 7:45, husband.”

The last thing you heard was Sam’s muffled laughter.

Your role this evening would be a socially aristocratic couple, Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Van Reese. Rich, powerful, and interested in acquiring old HYDRA tech being sold on the black market.

Your special black heels; the ones with the tranquilizer syringes hidden in the heels, were the final touch. Once those were slipped on, you stood proudly in front of the mirror, taking in the view it had to offer.

It for you beautifully, hugging all the right curves and showing off your favorite assets. You smiled as your hands smoothed the dress over your hips.

Yup. You thought. I’d fuck me.

Tonight, you’d get to tease Barnes in more ways than one.

7:45 hits and you find yourself in the lobby, waiting for Bucky.

Shocker.

After several irritating and button-pushing minutes, the ding of the elevator draws your attention behind you. Out walked Bucky, dressed in a perfectly pressed black tuxedo, bow tie included. If it weren’t for the scowl on his face, you’d say he looked almost nice.

Okay fine…he looks like a fine piece of ass.

You’re not blind, it was obvious to anyone with eyeballs that Bucky Barnes was attractive, but holy hell—seeing him like this? It nearly made your panties drop right then and there.

You had no intention of giving him the satisfaction of knowing that, though.

When he see’s you’re there before him, he looks you up and down, planting a million dollar smile on his face.

“Hello, Sweetheart.” He says, falling into character perfectly.

His hands find your hips in an instant. They’re warm in contrast with the chilly lobby you’re stood in, and it makes you shiver.

“Cold?” He asks with a smirk.

You dust at his lapel, maintaining your smile. “I wouldn’t be if you knew how to be on time. It’s not polite to keep a lady waiting, Sarge.”

He places a kiss on your cheek, “Not my fault you let little things rile you up, Princess. Patience is a virtue you know.” He whispers.

Don’t punch him. Don’t punch him…

Doing your best to ignore Bucky, you scan the lobby. Besides the employees, anyone you saw was dressed to the nine’s. You notice a few shifty pairs of eyes on you, so you decide to play up the doting wife charade.

Gripping Bucky’s lapel, you pull him close to you. One of your hands playing with the stubble on his jaw, scratching at it lovingly. “This is the hub alright. Seems like everyone attending the gala chose this hotel. 3 behind you, 2 by the front desk.” You whisper.

He almost leaned into your touch, like he wanted as much of your hand against his skin as possible.

As he held your waist, his fingertips rested just above the crest of your ass. He put his lips to your ear; sending yet another shiver down your spine. “You missed the couple waiting for a taxi outside, as well as the man asking the bellhop for directions. Someone’s getting sloppy.”

He’s playing your game now, trying to get under your skin. You’re ashamed to say it’s working.

“Forgive me, I just can’t seem to take my eyes off of you tonight.” You pinch his cheek lightly, “We should get going, wouldn’t want to be late, now would we?”

Bucky smirks, laughing genuinely with you in what felt like almost a year. Instinctually, you’re grabbing one another’s hands. Neither of you question it; why you’re holding onto each other for dear life.

Probably because nearly everyone here would kill you both if they found out who really you were…

But still, it was nice. Even if it was just pretend.

Outside, as you wait for your car, you notice the snowfall from earlier had turned from a flurry, into a steady accumulation. Sticking to the roads and walkways easier than before.

“Storm’s picking up.” You whisper to Bucky.

He extends an arm, pulling you into his chest. shielding you from the wind. He doesn’t look at you long, but you felt his gaze linger on you for a few moments.

“This weather is nothing.” A man remarks next to you. He’s older, mid 50’s, thick Slavic accent; perhaps Ukraine. “Back in my country, this would almost seem like Spring!”

The three of you shared a laugh, Bucky’s grip on your shoulder unrelenting as the man’s chauffeur opens the door to his limousine. “You’re a beautiful couple. I can see the love he has for you in his eyes, dear.” He smiles, before his driver closed the door.

Looking up to share a smile with Bucky, he suddenly releases you from his hold, and looks to the distance.

What the hell?

“Sir, your car has arrived.” The valet hands Bucky the keys. Safely inside your black Audi R8, he reverts back to himself. The same emotionless face he has on whenever he’s in your presence.

The drive to the venue, while less than 6 miles, was interminable. The snow was getting heavier still, falling much quicker and covering roads more than it had just a few minutes ago. If it kept up at this pace, it’d turn into a storm before you knew it.

Still, it was beautiful. The usually black night sky seemed a bit brighter as the snow fell. The mountains in the distance were snow capped, the landscape something straight off a post card.

You foolishly allowed your eyes to drift to the stoic soldier beside you. Bucky’s gaze was locked on the slippery road in front of him, the knuckles on his right hand were white from maintaining his grip on the steering wheel.

In that moment, you swear you felt your chest cave in. Is this really it for the two of you? After everything you’d been through, this is how Y/N and Bucky end?

No more game nights, not that you’d had one in months. No more pizza on Fridays. No more swapping stories from childhood or teaching Bucky how to open up to someone other than his court-mandated therapist.

“I’m telling you Buck, it’s okay.”

He shook his head, insisting the opposite.

“Y/N, I’m so sorry. I promise I’ll make it up to you.”

Bucky had promised to give you a ride home from the airport, but one thing lead to another and he forgot. Leaving you waiting on him for an hour, and eventually taking a cab home.

“Bucky, you were doing your job. I was fine! I promise, it’s not a big deal—“

“It is to me.” He said firmly.

You rolled your eyes, “Why?”

He pulled you in by your hand, running his calloused thumb over your knuckles. “I don’t like breaking promises; especially not to you. You’ve never let me down, Y/N…not once. I don’t wanna be the guy that lets you down.”

Maybe you can apologize finally. Say you’re sorry for letting him down, and that you never meant to be a liability in the field. Maybe there was hope that the Bucky you missed more than anything in the world was still in there.

The flash of headlights behind you drew you out of your thoughts. “Looks like we have some other interested company.” You mutter, checking the rearview mirror.

“Not surprising.” He kept his tone even, and his eyes on the road.

You sighed, knowing you should give up, but can’t bear the thought of letting things die this way.

“Thank God we have go bags in the trunk, I don’t think these heels are gonna work out for me too well.” It’s a soft attempt at humor, a different approach to engage him.

It isn’t working.

Bucky refused to so much as look in your direction.

“Why do I fucking bother…” you whisper.

Pulling into the venue gave pause to the unrelenting tension. As you waited in line for the valet, Bucky shifted in his seat. “Here.” He said, holding a hand out to you.

You open your palm and he drops the largest diamond ring you’ve ever seen into it. “What the hell?”

“We’re married, remember? If you’re going to be married to a millionaire, you need to fucking look like it.” He says, not looking at you again.

You watch him in disbelief. He’s taking this thing to a whole other level, and it’s completely unnecessary.

You scoff in disgust, unable to contain the vat of emotions stewing inside you. “Ya know Barnes? I don’t deserve this.” You slide the ring on your finger, having to avoid getting lost in how beautiful it is. “I screwed up one fucking time and you’ve decided to write me off as a burden. Why the hell did you even agree to this then? Why are we on this mission if you hate me this much?”

His jaw tightens, and he watches you for a moment, swallowing hard before he speaks. “Just worry about the mission, Y/N. Stop letting your feelings crowd your judgement.” He sneers.

You can’t even look at him, you’re afraid you’ll cry if you do. “Fuck you, Bucky.” You spat back, staring out the window.

The door is opened shortly after that by a young man working for the valet. Once again, you put on the mask of your character, pushing the drama with Bucky to the back of you mind.

“Madam.” He greets kindly.

You smile. “Thank you.”

After handing off the keys, Bucky is back at your side, sneaking an arm around your waist.

It’s cruel, the way it feels so right and so unwanted at the same time. If you weren’t the professional you pride yourself on being, you’d have called Sam and thrown in the towel.

But for now, you’re a couple; a rich, powerful, madly in love couple. At least for the next few hours. After tonight, you’re pretty sure you’ll never have to see Bucky Barnes again.

“Consider this our last hoorah, James.” You mutter with a smile, pretending to glance over the art surrounding you.

“What the fuck is that suppose to mean?” He whispers.

“When this is over, I’m done. I’ll clear it with Sam, and you two can go on with this whole Batman and Robin shtick you had going before I showed up.”

You paused in front of a painting of woman. She’s staring up at the moon, and despite the chaos around her, her eyes can only see it. Her hand was outstretched, like she was reaching for it, despite knowing she’d never actually be able to touch it.

The fucking irony.

Bucky turned his body toward you, avoiding your actual eyes. “You want to run away? That’s your business, but don’t put your problems on me. I’ve got enough of my own.”

Anger rises in your throat like bile, and you snatch your arm away from him.

 Screw him, screw this mission, you’d handle it on your own.

part two

#bucky barnes x reader #Bucky Barnes #bucky x reader #bucky barnes angst #bucky barnes fluff #dangerous woman

[codenamesazanka]

it’s super interesting to see different parts of the fandom predicting/arguing about which villain character has death flags/will die during the endgame. speaking very broadly:

fans who stan the villains seem certain that Shigaraki, Dabi, and Toga will survive/be saved - the ones whose suffering we’ve seen the most - but the non-trio Villains will be sacrificed one way or another

fans who like the villains well enough but are eager to see them defeated seem to think Spinner and Mr. Compress and maybe Toga will live - the least ‘evil’ members of the League

fans who are more invested in the Heroes/kids seem to think most of the Villains will be killed off, as expected of bad guys in a story about good guys defeating bad guys.

Feel like there’s something to be said about what themes, narratives, ‘lessons’ (like, the ‘moral of the story? the message intended to be conveyed? the thesis of Heroes and Villains?) different fans prioritize and sees trends in to support their expectations. very fun to navel-gaze about.

personally, I actually don’t think the League will get killed off. Horikoshi seems reluctant to kill his characters, especially the ones important to the overall story (including side plot)/have done important things/represent important things. Like, Twice is the only major Villain to die; and heck I would argue he’s the only major character yet to get killed. my opinion of course, but Nighteye was sorta an specific arc-only character; Midnight was a teacher at UA but was never involved in any main narratives; meanwhile Gran Torino got a hole to the chest and is still kicking, if stuck to a hospital bed. Plus, as we see (a lack of) with Nighteye and Midnight, their deaths haven’t been impactful to the story, haven’t had lingering consequences, haven’t motivate characters to significant actions, haven’t been brought up since - unlike Twice. So yeah, so far despite all the high-stakes intense battles and injuries that could kill, only one character has been killed off in the grand scheme of things.

the other big reason is regarding the story itself, the message that I think Horikoshi is trying to convey via this ridiculous tale of Heroes and Villains and superpowers and saving people. because HeroAca’s main argument seems to be about, yeah, saving people - but specifically, allowing them to live beyond the literal definition of the word - which means to give people sorta deliverance: second chances, forgiveness, leniency for mistakes and sins, support, etc. a new life.

we see this with Deku being given a quirk in the first chapter after years of being told he can’t have his dream; with Iida being let off the hook when he went rogue; with Bakugou growing out of being a bully to a hero; with Todoroki after letting go of his anger. We see this with Endeavor trying to find atonement; with All Might living on after losing his status and role of ‘Symbol of Peace’.

And then we don’t see this with the Villains, and delve into the consequences of that: Twice who was left without mental healthcare then got murdered by a Hero; Toga being shunned because of her quirk and then abandoned by both her family and larger society; Shigaraki being, metaphorically, punished for killing his family, not one person willing to take his hand after the massacre, no one offering ‘forgiveness’ and relieving him of his despair and guilt. Recently, we see Aoyama’s fall to rock bottom, bound and locked away, and he says himself - he wants to run away to a dark corner of the world and wait to die. These are the people who weren’t saved, who were deemed undeserving of being saved, and is now in need of saving.

Beyond the characters, though, I think HeroAca is built around this theme. We have a Hero Society that prohibits weakness and failures from its Heroes, forcing them to live up to expectations of being always strong and always perfect and always saving the day. We have a ‘justice’ system that condemns all people who have deviated from the ‘proper’ path of life - and so we got villains who are explicitly suicidal like Ending and the Trash Trio, depressed and withdrawn like La Brava and Spinner. If we follow details to their conclusions and implications, things become even darker - in the recent Chapter 341, Toga’s family has been harassed out of their home, which have been ruthlessly vandalized. That’s for having a child - a girl, still just a kid - who struggled with her quirk. The neighborhood didn’t want them there. With that stigma chasing them, it’s not hard to see villain-associated people being denied housing, jobs, opportunities - all the things that allows someone to satisfying their basic survival needs. Within Toga’s family, on the personal level, Toga is neglected and resented, before ultimately being disowned.

this theme is even applied to the core of this world - quirks. in story, they’re unique, individual powers that can significantly determine your status, treatment, role in life; how much you can control it, use it, what you can do with it, how much you employ it, can make or break crossroads in life. Going metaphorical, using the meaning of the word, quirks are personalities/individualities/idiosyncrasies - they are the characteristics of what makes someone their own self, ranging from natures to experiences to weaknesses and strengths. A unique person in the world. Yet in HeroAcaLand, perhaps drawing an exaggerated parallel to real life, those who have quirks ‘unsuitable’/‘incompatible’/‘irksome’/‘useless’ to society are just thrown away - simply put, should you deviate in anyway from the expectations others put on you, then you’ll be exiled from the group. Once you are, the outlook is bleak. unfortunate things happen. the darkness, the emptiness is immense. You no longer have a future, you no longer have a life worth living.

maybe i went a bit extreme there, but that’s the gist of it. That’s the thesis, that’s the problem to be solved, the point for salvation.

Yet I think HeroAca is also, overall, a very sympathetic story. We are supposed to feel for the characters, especially/when the Villains; we are supposed to want better things for them; we are to hope for and celebrate hope. We are to believe in second chances and built bridges; we are waiting for better changes to the world of HeroAca. the dystopia of discrimination, ostracization, abuse and tragedy needs to be destroyed, the system reformed, frowns turned upside down, replaced with shining smiles.

So a story where the ending has any of the League and most other Villains dying - the bad guy characters that are bad because of the damage and suffering enacted upon them by the world of our protagonists - that ending is a pessimistic tragedy. One might argue that the Villains are side characters, but I disagree. Each of them present a flaw within the world, adding to the larger ‘evil’ to be defeated. An antagonist who is killed ultimately because of abuse, neglect, discrimination, even plain ‘bad luck’ - that’s an injustice. That’s something to be fixed. It’s not about punishments and what they deserve based on various factors, nor about who is most worthy of help, nor, I think, even about what roles and lessons they serve for others’ convenience - it’s about saving everyone and bringing them back into the world. The current conflict with the Villains is that they don’t believe they have worthwhile futures. And so they need to be convinced to otherwise.

so yeah. I think for the story to make sense and stick to it’s guns, no one dies. even if the aftermath for them seems hard with atonement unlikely despite one’s greatest’ efforts, it’s still a life worth having. Plus ultra for being alive and having a bright future.

#tl;dr: me wrapping my annoyance with the talks of death flags and deserved fates in pretentious language to counter it #watch me eat my words #but hopefully not really #knock on wood cross my fingers wish upon a star @ everyone surviving #please #nalslastworkingbraincell #HeroAca

[ramblingguy54]

What happened to the shy little Anne, who needed me to stick up for her all the time?

She’s still here, Sash. She just needs a little less protecting.

     It’s interesting to note that, if I’m on the mark here about what these writers have planned for Anne’s development in Season 3, then we could be getting a poetic reversal where Boonchuy has to learn she doesn’t need to be the sole hero figure to handle everything on her own in protecting everyone, much like Sasha Waybright’s struggle of control to still be “heroic protector”, too. Anne has grown a lot from the passive shy kid she used to be, but who’s to say this current newfound resolve couldn’t become a new emotional detriment for herself? After all, Anne is making a big mistake in bottling up a lot of her emotional distress, due to feeling like she has to be strong and put on a brave face because of the new Calamity ability this kid obtained by Season 2′s end.

     Anne doesn’t want the Plantars, especially after Sprig almost dying before, to be highly involved in the fight against Andrias. To top it off, now that Anne’s parents are getting slightly connected into the equation here it throws more tension upon her to go into full on super protective mode, which is why she couldn’t bear to see them find out about the looming threat Andrias represents upon their Earth. She’s already dealt with watching Sasha, Marcy, & the Plantars’ lives being put into severe peril before, so it naturally makes sense Anne would want to keep them as far out of this high stakes scenario as possible. Boonchuy has a ton on her plate, but chooses to ignore the solution to this problematic situation. That being to admit she isn’t strong enough to handle all of this on her own without them.

     Anne will still very much be open to the Plantars about her plans to go back fight Andrias, try to patch things up with Sasha & Marcy, save Amphibia, etc., but there’s a clear consistent pattern that Anne won’t share with either party, be it Mr & Mrs. Boonchuy or them. She’s not truly being honest with herself about how badly these recent events have been gnawing away at her on an emotional level. Factor in Anne’s Calamity powers doing a severe number on her mentally and physically, where we’ve got ourselves a ticking time bomb waiting to blow up. Best example of this is toward The New Normal’s last minute or so.

     While Anne does openly agree to the Plantar family when Polly mentions she’s got a lot on her plate, this girl still backpedals into trying to present herself as plenty capable, despite being way in over her head at this point. Boonchuy wants to stay in control of keeping people, like her parents, safe from dangerous harm, but needs to understand honesty is the most key responsible thing any person can muster up in having a healthy sense of trust. Anne & Hop Pop learned this lesson in a rough fashion back in Season 2 from After the Rain & The First Temple. Wouldn’t be surprised in the slightest if we get a repeat of this lesson seeing Anne having to come clean to her parents about everything, which is when shit hits the fan.

     Boonchuy is determined to be at the center of something that’s way too big for one person to manage. Not to mention, those Calamity powers are gonna be feeding into her worst impulses of being overprotective likely amplifying the amount it drains from the kid’s stability, as well. Worst case scenario, Anne will go into full rage Calamity mode to fend off a robot from her parents, getting herself badly hurt in the process. Anne may have not inherited Sasha’s manipulative abusive attitude from hanging around her a lot growing up, but you can very much see the inspiration Waybright instilled in Boonchuy’s desire to become a strong protector, which is rearing its ugly head here in an unhealthy fashion. She’s shouldering too much responsibility on her own, overall.

#anne boonchuy #sasha waybright #amphibia speculation #amphibia spoilers #amphibia season 3 #amphibia the new normal #amphibia meta #amphibia analysis

[unrestedjade]

Baseless Ferengi headcanons no one asked for and that get increasingly queer-navel-gazing and self indulgent because the horrible space goblins have consumed my brain:

- Mobile ears, because if hearing is so well developed and important to them they should be able to aim those big stupid radar dishes. Also because then they can emote with them and that's cute. THE AESTHETIC IS PARAMOUNT.

- Since they canonically sharpen their teeth with chew sticks and sharpeners, their teeth must grow continuously. So I submit: subcultures that let certain teeth grow out as a fashion/political statement. Ferengi punks and anarchists with 5" tusks. Ferengi with all their teeth filed flat (mom and dad HATE it).

- Corollary to the above, most of their teeth are crooked. At the least, they don't share our fetish for straight teeth. What if their teeth are deciduous, and there's no point in trying to force them into perfect alignment, since they'll just fall out and get replaced? So like, sharks but their teeth can also grow longer with no limit. WHAT HAST EVOLUTION WROUGHT ON FERENGINAR :V

- Parents nagging their kids to sharpen their teeth "or they'll grow up into your brain and you'll die :)"

- Personal space? Don't know her.

Okay I need a cut because there's too many now. WHOLE SOCIETY OF GAY HOMOPHOBIC UNCLES AND AUNTS GO I HAVE A PROBLEM

- I can't remember who on here put forth the idea of them having retractable claws but Yes. :3

- Pushing back against the worst canon episode a bit but: relative ear size being the only obvious sexually dimorphic trait, and even that having enough of a gray area that the only way to be 100% sure you're talking to a male or female Ferengi is if you do a blood test. Unless they're intersex! *shrug emoji*

- This is why they're so fanatical about gender conformity and their Victorian "separate spheres" attitude to men and women's roles. Capitalist patriarchy is fragile! And as artificial to Ferengi as it ever was to Humans! (self-indulgenceeeee about gender shiiiiit)

- You know how with domesticated rabbits, the rabbit getting groomed and paid attention to is the boss? Yeah. Go ahead and paint your bestie's nails, just don't be surprised if she cops a little bit of an attitude with you from then on.

- Their fight/flight/freeze/fawn instincts skew heavily toward the last three, and what a lot of other species read as annoying sucking up is the Ferengi in question feeling anxious and unsafe. Especially if they don't feel integrated into the group. Even being at the bottom of the pecking order is better than not being in the flock at all.

- If they DO opt for fight, it's ugly and typically their last resort. Bites or scratches will get infected without intervention-- microbes that their immune system can handle could cause big trouble for aliens. You might wanna check for full or partial teeth that break off and get lodged in the wound, too.

- Too many of these are tooth related but I don't care. :B More teeth stuff: you know what else has teeth that grow constantly? Puffer fish. Likewise, Ferengi can chew up mollusk shells as easy as potato chips, and they need the minerals for their teeth. (Imagine grandpa Sisko offering Nog a crayfish for the first time and watching as he just...pops the whole damn thing in his mouth and crunches away...)

- Their staple foods seem to be grubs and other arthropods, high in protein and fat. I've unilaterally decided their cuisine also involves a lot of edible fungi, ferns, plant shoots and seeds. Gotta get those vitamins. Overall flavor profile leaning toward umami, vegetal, and fresh herbs, and pretty mild (or "delicate" if you wanna be snooty about it, which a Ferengi probably would let's be real).

- Not much sugary food. I'm basing this solely on Quark's aversion to root beer as "cloying". Which could definitely just be his personal preference, but most of the people I hear hating on root beer cite the actual sassafras/sarsaparilla flavor (saying it tastes like medicine) not the sweetness. Nog might be the weirdo outlier for being able to enjoy it.

- Their home planet isn't bright and sunny, so their eyes are better at discerning shades of gray in low light conditions, with relatively weak color vision. Which could explain why they dress Like That.

- Conversely, human music has a reputation for stinking on ice because a lot of it is juuuuust lightly dissonant or out of tune because we can't pick up flaws that small. Ferengi can, and it drives them up the *wall*.

- Music? So many different kinds. Traditionally, maybe lots of percussion and winds, and water as a common component of many instruments to alter pitch or tone. Polyphony out the ass. Some of the modern stuff is an impenetrable wall of sound if you're not a species with a lot of brain real estate devoted to processing sounds. Pick out one melody to follow at a time.

- Yes, back to teeth again I'm sorry. It's a sickness. At some point in their history, pre-chewing food was just something you did for your baby or great grandma as a matter of necessity. Possibly your baby gets an important boost to their immune system and gut biome from your spit. At some point takes on a more formal intimacy aspect and gradually drifted from something all adults and older kids do to something only women do. Your husband and older kids have perfectly functional teeth, but you love them, right? =_= (Think old memes about husbands being useless in the kitchen if little wifey isn't there to cook, but even more ridiculous. Ishka was right about everything but especially this. Thank you for making your family chew their own food, Ishka. Not all heroes wear capes. Or anything!)

- How did they get started on the whole men: clothed vs women: unclothed nonsense? My equally stupid idea: men just get cold easier. Those huge ears dissipate a ton of body heat. Cue Ferengi cliches like "jeez, we could be standing on the surface of the sun and my husband would put on another layer." At some point, again, this got codified and pushed to ridiculous extremes in the name of controlling women and keeping everyone in their assigned box, to the point that women just have to shiver if they really are too cold and men have to pass out from heat stroke if the alternative is going shirtless, because That Would Be Inappropriate.

- Marriages default to five years, but they're also the only avenue for women to have their own household or any stability. Plus their religion places no emphasis on purity save for pure adherence to the free market and the RoA. So, curveball to the rest of their patriarchal bullshit: female virginity isn't a concern in the least. Bring it up and they'll rightly side-eye you.

- Family law is absolutely bonkers and lawyers that specialize in it make BANK. I feel like custody would default to the father usually but oh wait, the maternal grandfather has a legal stake in this, too, and your next father-in-law is asking HOW many kids are you dragging into my daughter's house, etc etc. Growing up with a full sibling is way rarer than growing up with half or stepsiblings, since it usually takes both men and women two or three tries to find someone they vibe with. (Not love, unless you're super cringe.)

- A misogynistic society is a homophobic society. Imo those flavors of shittiness just come in pairs. Homosexual behaviors are fine within certain parameters (aka "always have sex with the boss") but not on your own terms. To add spice, bisexuality is their most common mode (because I'm bi and these are my hcs for my fics I'm not writing, so there), but capitalism demands fresh grist for the mill so you better get het-married and pop out some kids you lowly peons. You have a choice so make the proper one. :)

- Corollary to the above, that doesn't keep all kinds of illicit "we're just friends with quid-pro-quo benefits for realsies" affairs of every stripe and every gender from going on everywhere. Many Ferengi have a lightbulb moment somewhere in early adulthood when they figure out their dad's business partner or the "auntie" who visited their mom every month had a little more going on.

- Plus there's way more gender non-conformity and varying degrees of trans-ing than the powers that be have a handle on. Pel isn't unique, even if most would have to somehow make it out into space to be able to thrive.

Damn a lot of these are just my personal bugbears plus THE GILDED AGE BUT WITH HAIRLESS SPACE RODENTS ain't they

- Women can't earn profit, okay. But lending or "lending" things to each other isn't commerce, riiiiiiight? To be assigned female is to master navigating a vast, dizzying barter/gift economy. Smart boys and men leverage this, too, and there are splinter sects that view this as the purest expression of the Great Material Continuum.

- Of course plenty of women make profit anyway, and just do their bast to dodge the FCA. The tough thing about insisting on using latinum as currency is that cash can be so hard to track, you know?

- Because of the RoA, guys are discouraged from doing favors or giving gifts without setting clear expectation of getting some return on investment. This can twist into an expression of friendship (and of course women do it too), and the ledger will keep cycling between debit and credit among friends for decades. A common mistake aliens make is to tell them recompense isn't needed without explaining why, or return their favor or present with something that zeroes out the debt. The Ferengi will assume you want to break off the friendship. (I cribbed this from dim memories of an African studies course I took in 2007 and whose textbook I know I still have but I can't frigging find it...)

- Flirting, they do a lot of it for a lot of reasons. Roddenberry made it clear that they're just straight up pretty horny, but there's no reason it can't pull double duty for building alliances with other people, smoothing over feuds or disagreements, or cementing friendships. Ferengi who are ace and/or sex-repulsed are possibly viewed similar to the way we'd view someone who's "not a hugger/not big on touching" and if they flirt just don't get offended if it doesn't go any further; aro Ferengi don't garner much comment aside from an occasional "wow how badass, never falling in love with anyone."

- where to even start on making sense of the Blessed Exchequer??? Like seriously, what is this literal prosperity gospel insanity, I need to force myself to re-read Rand and like, some Milton Friedman for this shit. Help.

- fuck I'm probably going to actually do that, RIP me...

#ds9 #star trek #meta #ferengi #i love them Too Much help #reliving my brief libertarian phase from high school from the opposite direction #my heart wants to make them simultaneously as queer and as repressed as possible #i didn't even make it to the goddamned blessed exchequer my head is too full #i will find beauty in this vulgarity if it kills me #this is too long #why did i spend my time this way

[sebastianshaw]

What if Maddie survived Inferno? What if the demon possession was eradicated from her?

Then Scott, Maddie, and Jean would have to take on the most difficult of tasks: Sitting down and talking like adults. Because that's what the whole Inferno thing was created to avoid. To quote Claremont himself: "Jean was resurrected, Scott dumps his wife and kid and goes back to the old girlfriend. So it not only destroys Scott's character as a hero and as a decent human being it creates an untenable structural situation: what do we do with Madelyne and the kid? ... So ultimately the resolution was: turn her into the Goblin Queen and kill her off." Because actually having them sort this out would just be either too difficult for them to write, I suppose, or they figured it would be boring for readers. I can understand both angles, even if I despise what they did to Maddie. On the latter half, I can absolutely understand the idea that readers of a superhero comic are going to want a high-stakes battle more than they want to read a divorce case, custody arrangements being sorted, etc. On the former, this is a super messy situation in which there was no real villain (except Sinister, but he's not going to be involved in this) and you can't solve things with sheer power. Turning Madelyne from a human being with a sympathetic situation into a villain who had to be killed to be stopped, simplified the situation and made for a very easy solution. Far easier and simpler than the three of them sitting down, discussing things, working through this, and figuring out where to go from here in their lives. Again, I don't at all approve or like what they went with, I've been yelling for years about how unfair and misogynist it was, just, I get why it was an easier (not better) option writing-wise. So, let's say they do sit down, talk things about, get a divorce properly, etc. I think baby Christopher Nathan would probably be given to Scott's parents, since I can understand feeling reticent about giving custody of him to Maddie after she just tried to murder him (even if that was not her fault or right state of mind) and I think she'd actually feel the same way too just in case some demonic influence was still lingering (because Maddie loves and cares about her baby and DOESN'T want to hurt him when she's in her right mind, so she'd consider that as a risk), with Scott and Maddie having visitation rights, and Madelyne eventually getting full custody when he's older. Scott and Jean keep being X-Men, Maddie returns to being a pilot and carves out a real life for herself, not just false memories. She moves on, gets a boyfriend or a girlfriend, shows up now and again to help when the X-Men and/or world is in a real pinch, but mostly has a normal life, a good relationship with her son, and one hell of a story (no pun intended) to tell him when he's old enough.

#madelyne pryor #maddie feels

[beautifulterriblequeen]

The Thief and the Tinker, Part 4: Circles and Cycles

part 3

Part 4

Viren: *smirks and plinks Runaan's coin to Ethari*

Ethari, furious: You throw another Moonshadow at me and I'm gonna lose it.

Circles and Cycles

Angst rating: 8/10

Back to Ethari, because we're not done with him yet. Ethari is soft, but he isn't weak. He won't be a willing pawn for Viren. He loves Runaan to the point of invention, and his devotion is more constant than the moon itself. He'll agree to do what Viren says, and he'll be Very Sad. But his spirit is in no way broken. Viren bribing him with the coins containing his family will only have the opposite effect. It'll give Ethari something to fight for.

We could get Focused Chaos Ethari. We could get Angery Trickster Ethari. We could get Rules, What Rules? Ethari. Let him try to steal the coins, try to break them, try to kill Viren, and be stymied at every turn, until he settles and seems cowed. And then all he does is craft his way out of the problem.

What if we are gifted with Iron Man Elf Ethari, who pretends to build a fake Key for Viren, but meanwhile he's really building a coinbuster with whatever he can get his hands on - primal stones, magically imbued gemstones, stolen artifacts, his own arcanum, his own reputation as the Master Craftsman of the Silvergrove. He'll use almost - almost - anything, to stop Viren and free his family.

Ethari may have to choose between those two things, though. And he's a hero, deep down, just like his family, just like his daughter. If he has to choose, he'll choose to stop Viren and save Xadia. He'll pay the same price as his family has if he must.

He'd let Viren think he was motivated purely by wanting his family back, but Ethari is far too steeped in the illusion and sacrifice for that to be all there is to his motives. It's a so-close-and-yet-so-far thing, how he and Viren almost embody the same ideals. Almost. Ethari would take one look at Viren, who just burnt down his whole Forest, he'd see the biggest threat in Xadia, and he'd say anything to get a chance to stop this juggernaut of destruction from getting his hands on whatever that ultimate power really is, locked behind that missing key. If he has to abandon his people and bawl his eyes out to convince Viren he's in, then he will.

And Viren wouldn't make it easy for him. He knows clever when he sees it. He went through all this trouble to persuade Ethari to work with him. He would need to keep Ethari as off-balance as possible to ensure that he keeps working as he should.

Angsty jewelry, anyone?

Viren giving Ethari his husband in pendant form to remind him what he's working for, when Viren and Ethari both know full well that only dark magic can open the hellcoins. Ethari wearing another pendant of his love, except it's not a metaphor this time. It's literally his love, in a coin around his neck.

Viren would love making Ethari stay close to him of his own free will if he ever hoped to free Runaan. Making people bind themselves to you is a big power flex. Remember that TDP stream future-season teaser note about Bait being in a creepy restraint in a future season?

This card is written on in all-caps, so that really could be "Bait" or "bait," or--knowing this show--both. Viren's been using Runaan as bait for Ethari all along. Putting his coin in a dark magic pendant casing for Ethari to wear would be a great parallel for that. Oh god. Oh man.

Maybe he'll stab the coin's scary casing right through that circle on Ethari's chest, right over his heart, make that Iron Man reference really obvious. Ethari also losing his shirt at some point, for angsty Viren-related reasons? It's more likely than you think. I mean... Ethari is literally involved in both forms of forging at this point. Shirt's gotta come off for uhhhh work reasons. And because he's hot. Because of all the forging. Mmhmm. I mean how else are we finally going to discover what his markings look like this is research I swear

I mentioned that I liked god-tier villains, right? Yeah, this is amazing. I haven't wanted to die and ascend over an idea for quite a while, but Ethari vs Viren in a drawn-out battle of wills would kill me in the best way. Especially since, while it looks like they're essentially fighting for who gets Runaan, they're truly fighting a much larger battle with much higher stakes. They're fighting for the future itself. It's an epic struggle between the Narrative of Strength and the Narrative of Love. And we've seen what happens, over and over, when the Narrative of Strength gets to call the shots.

On a meta note: If Ruthari's story arc isn't a love letter from one trauma survivor to another, and on a broader scope to all survivors who see it, I don't know what is. Sometimes life just chews us up and spits us out and we can't stop it and it breaks us. But sometimes we can reach out and grasp the chance to help each other, even after that, even when it hurts a lot, because we know what it means to be loved, and to love, and to want a safer future for each other and for people we'll never meet. The future is worth standing together for, helping each other back up for, fighting side by side for, even if you can't see how it'll end, or even how to begin. We are stronger together, and sometimes we need to fight for our "together" before we can fight for anything else. And that's worth it, every time.

This is glorious, it's beautiful, it's tragic, it's amazing, it makes me want to dance, it makes me want to scream into the void, it makes me want to slap someone with a semi truck. No, someone specific, don't worry, and he super deserves it.

Because Ethari is going to win. He was always going to win. He's soft, and he's clever, and he hasn't forgotten what love means. It's what he's fighting for. Not power, not control. Love. He doesn't want to dictate Runaan's future or anyone else's. He just wants his husband--and everyone else--to have one at all.

So he's going to win.

What thwarting Viren looks like, I couldn't possibly guess. TDP is no stranger to angst, so there will probably be a high cost involved in outwitting the dark mage. Maybe not everyone can be rescued from the coins. Maybe Ethari will lose his life, or his soul, or his vision, or something else really angsty. Viren could even kill him and resurrect him as a smoky craftsman, or a zombie craftsman, or something equally biddable but horrible. The only thing I'm sure of is that Ethari would never willingly make a working Key of Aaravos Ethari as long as there's a chance Viren could possess it. But I do believe that if he gets the right opportunity while he's busy saving the world from Viren's dark intentions, he'll break his husband's hellcoin open somehow and set him free, even if he has to smile at the devil to do it.

Ethari understands the difference between "you can" and "therefore you should." He might sacrifice his own world to save his husband, but he'd never sacrifice someone else's world. That's one of the Moonshadow cultural limits I've noticed: they accept boundaries when it comes to other people's autonomous rights, especially regarding life and death.

These limits could get pushed. Ethari will be under great duress and emotional strain if he goes through this kind of interaction with Viren. And maybe he will choose some dark things. Everyone else has. But I'm placing all my eggs in the basket labeled "Saved By Love." Either I'm right, or I'll get the best angst omelets in the universe. And I do love omelets. A villain invented them, you know. ;)

Another support for Ethari not making the key for Viren: the real Key exists!

Callum has it right now. The plot doesn't need Ethari's key (yet? ever?), but it does need Ethari to learn what he's made of, to stand up for something, or against something, or both at once. And once he learns what he will and won't do and the universe has rewarded his discovery with the return of his beloved husband then Ethari will be ready to take on whatever else the plot has in mind for him.

Depending on the plan, all of these events could happen in S4, as a setup for even bigger things to follow. Viren's wishes can be thwarted here and the show's overall tension will only continue to rise. It would let Ethari flex yes pls his skills so we know who he is, it would show how driven Viren can be for a long-term goal, it would let Claudia saunter further downwards, it would reveal some human/Moonshadow history, and it would resolve the seasons-long tension regarding Runaan's fate, allowing for the cycle of speculation, feels, angst, and Ruthari fanart to begin again. ;) Viren would need to find another way to pursue his long-term goal. And Callum's Key will get a little more clarity on just how important it is to the fate of the world - which will make everything he does, and everyone he talks to, and anyone who knows what he's carrying, intensely important.

Nyx is gonna steal it isn't she, omg chaos birb

To Viren, Ethari was a main course, meant to be devoured and consumed in his lifelong quest for something that will finally satisfy. But to Ethari, Viren was just empty calories to be passed over in favor of ordering his perennial favorite dish, one more time.

Once Ethari escapes Viren's clutches with as much of his family as he can rescue, Viren may turn back to looking for the real Key, especially if someone's seen it recently. Hunting a kid probably seems easier than hunting a full-grown Moonshadow craftsman who just outsmarted him. okay so maybe Nyx stealing it would be a good thing and save Callum's life

Ethari could go on to help repair the Sunforge, or rebuild the Moonhenge, or work on constructing Moonshadow villages in Katolis if he hasn't been ghosted for abandoning everyone after the forest fire. He might build magical devices for any number of reasons, to help all kinds of characters. Hopefully, wherever he goes, he'll have Runaan with him, in some way, for at least a little while. Cycles be like, and I feel like Runaan will not want to remain still for long, for whatever reason. Does he need revenge, atonement, justice, a new body, to find Rayla, to find Ezran? He'll be back in action as soon as he can, I think.

Okay, but, I'm so soft at the thought of a scene where Runaan and Ethari come before King Ezran. The husbands tried to save their people Runaan's way, the old way, and it only continued to endanger them. Following the cycle, as Moonshadows do, was the wrong move. But the son of the last human Runaan killed reached out with mercy and broke a thousand years of suffering and sorrow and hatred. Ezran did what Runaan couldn't: he saved the Moonshadow elves from total destruction. And that, more than anything else in the world, could soften one very broody assassin's heart toward humans again.

What would Runaan do, if his heart truly changed toward humans? What would he say to Ezran? I could see him struggling for a long moment before dropping to one knee to pledge his heart as he once had to do before the Dragon Throne. He doesn't know any other way but to serve. Ezran, reading the whole room and everyone's feelings before he tells Runaan that No, we don't do that here. That he's free, and free means free. No chains, no oaths. Just trust and friendship. He should get to make his own decisions for a change, even though that can be hard and scary sometimes. Runaan being genuinely scared, because that's too much freedom. But he's not alone. He has Ethari, and Ezran, and Rayla, and Callum, and their people, and their allies. And no matter what else happens, the people of Katolis - elven and human - will find a way forward. Together.

part 5

#tdp #tdp theory #tdp speculation #tdp parallels #tdp angst #heavy angst #viren #ethari #runaan #moonshadow elves #hopepunk #ezran #runaan's super getting a tart of jelly tm

[ladyloveandjustice]

Fall 2020 Anime Overview

I started out watching the a ton of anime for the Fall 2020 season, but then ended up not being caught up with most of them by the the time the end rolled around. I still pretty much intend to catch up with Yashahime Princess Half Demon someday (I do like the three leads, it just the plot’s been dull as dirt and the fights aren’t very inspired either) and though I dropped Wandering Witch after bad press started rolling in (I CANNOT deal with pointless tragedy in my current state of mind) I might check out a few more episodes someday just to from my own opinion. For now, let’s just quickly review the anime I DID manage to finish on time this season.

Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle

Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle is exactly what it says on the tin: Princess Syalis isn’t too bothered about being captured by demons and locked in their castle, but she does value a good night’s sleep, and she is absolutely ruthless when it comes to getting it- so ruthless, in fact, that the demons realized it might not be that she’s trapped in here with them, but that they’re trapped in here with her.

Sleepy Princess is top tier comedy comfort food. It rarely got a huge belly laugh, but it always but a smile on my face and was a great thing to watch before going to bed. Syalis’s single-minded search for some shut eye is a joke that could have gotten old very quickly, but the show consistently found creative ways to expand on the gags and build it’s world and a fun cast of characters along the way. 

Though Syalis is downright brutal to the demons when it comes to getting what she wants (and has a knack for getting herself killed at well), thanks to a demon cleric that offers easy resurrections, you never feel too bad for anyone involved. In fact, the demons and Syalis form a strangely heartwarming bond over the course of the show , and it’s clear by the end that Syalis definitely has the ability to come and go if she damn well pleases and just finds this castle a fun place where she can find respite from her princessly responsibilities. 

A nice bonus for those of us who like a little subversion is that the show has a lot of fun playing with standard adventure tropes- the demons often lament that Syalis is not at all what they expected from a captive princess, for one, but my favorite fun little twist is how Syalis feels about the hero currently on a (seemingly endless) quest to rescue her- she manages to both hold him in contempt AND consistently fail to remember his name. That level of disregard takes some impressive effort.

The show has the same director as the Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun anime and as such has a similarly nice comic and visual flourishes throughout. It definitely gets two sleepy thumbs up for me.

Jujutsu Kaisen

Jujutsu Kaisen follows a young man named Yuuji Itadori who, after tangling with a demon, ends up with one inside him. With a death sentence hanging over his head, he’s inducted into a school for “jujutsu sorcerers”, and begins training to use his newfound powers to defeat demons and curses.

Jujutsu Kaisen quickly tells you on no uncertain terms it is Action Shonen, introducing a huge cast of a characters and powers and super high stakes and hey there’s even gonna be a tournament arc soon. It is really, really pretty to look at, with a killer opening and ending, some seriously great animation and cool visuals for the fights especially. But is it particularly memorable otherwise? Noooooot really, so far. The sea of technobabble it tends to descend into when trying to explain how the various powers work often has me zoning out and wishing they’d just let me watch the pretty punches. The villains and the general plot isn’t particularly compelling. The characters are nice enough, but haven’t given me much to be attached to so far. Though I do appreciate this one dude who is the embodiment of millennial ennui:

I’ll keep watching though, because it is a visually stunning, action-y thing to my turn your brain off to and god knows I want to turn my brain off all the time lately. 

And the characters do have potential- the One Girl of the main group, Nobara, has a really fun personality in that she’s a total shitlord doofus brawler who can thus doof around with our equally dumbass protagonist, which is an pretty fun, unusual personality for the One Girl to have! Her interactions with Maki, the weapons expert senpai girl, are promising too. I’m just waiting for her to actually, you know, DO something that really shows off her skills- I’m told she DOES eventually get to (gasp) win fights on her own and do cool stuff, but so far show has kind at that of failed miserably and underused her like most action shonen underuse their girls. Plus, taking Yuuji out of the group for such a long stretch seems like a weird choice, we’ve been deprived really seeing him for relationships with his peers. The pacing seems off. But maybe the upcoming tournament arc will make up for that and actually be worthwhile!

Talentless Nana

In a world where kids with superpowers are sent to island schools to fight mysterious “enemies of humanity”, one class of such kids is thrown into chaos when they find themselves targeted by a deadly force.

It’s pretty much impossible to talk about Talentless Nana without discussing how it deviates dramatically from what its premise appears to be in episode one, so I’ll just say if you like stories with superpowers and intrigue, you should definitely sit through that first episode and see if the plot that’s eventually revealed is something that you’re here for. But if you want to avoid spoilers, DON’T GO BELOW THE CUT, because I’m about to get very spoilery.

Basically, Talentless Nana pulls a bait and switch, starting it’s first episode posing as generic superhero anime where the protagonist appears to be your standard meek-but-powerful anime boy (Nanao) who just needs some support and encouragement from a pink haired mind reading manic pixie dream girl (Nana) to unlock his self-confidence and ~true power~ (ugh)...only to take SHARP swerve when  Nana ruthlessly murders Nanao and reveals she’s been sent by the government to take out the superpowered kids one by one because THEY are the considered the true enemies of humanity. Oh, and she doesn’t have any superpowers, or “talents”- she was just able to sus out everything Nanao was thinking through basic deductive reasoning because he was so flippin’ obvious and basic.

As my love for a certain character in a certain game may have clued people into, I am ALWAYS delighted when what appears to be a generic, underwritten girlfriend character is then revealed to be an interesting, ruthless mastermind. And having an anime appear to be about a bland boy with a Dream Girlfriend but then actually turn into a show about a deeply cynical, morally dubious girl who’s clearly holding down a lot of messy feelings as she considers everyone her enemy...well, it may be a cheap trick to some, but it also feels a little bit like justice for all the underwritten female characters sacrificed to bland male leads. It’s still rare enough that I dig it when it happens. And the metatext of Nana zeroing in on this kid as the most standard of main character boys, assessing him as the biggest threat because of it and knowing the perfect way to take him out, is pretty inherently funny to me.

But if the show JUST banked on that twist and was about Nana brutally and cynically slaughtering these kids, it would get boring quickly and Nana would be a bland character herself. Fortunately, it doesn’t go that route. Nana struggles and grows a lot over the course of the show. She finds opposition in transfer student Kyoya, a stoic (and socially awkward) young man who pretty quickly becomes suspicious of her. A lot of the tension from the early episodes comes from her sweating as she tries to outmaneuver him and she makes plenty of mistakes along the way. She also slowly but surely starts to question her mission, and we get an idea of her backstory and how the government specifically has groomed her into believing people with powers to be evil. That belief is one that’s challenged by her friendship with another girl, and it’s pretty rewarding to watch Nana’s feelings and world expand little by little.

The show is definitely a little schlocky-some of the plots (as well as the general premise of the government thinking this is the optimal way to get rid of their superpowered kids problem) fall apart if you think too much about them, and some of the kids Nana goes up against are sleazy and unlikeable in over the top ways (which makes it easy for her to stick to her convictions all these kids deserve to die at first). In particular, I have to give a heads up for some sleazy guys doing and saying sleazy things, though the show never gets too overbearing or graphic with it (and the gore is generally PG-13 level as well). 

Basically. There are some truly ridiculous happenings in this show. But how ridiculous and pulpy and over the top it is can be part of the appeal, and it’s fun to just sit back and watch the spectacle of Nana and her peers head-scratching machinations. 

So, while certainly not an anime with airtight construction or flawless quality and depth, I found Nana an overall entertaining watch, especially as a fan of cat-and-mouse murder-y shenanigans, and thought it has a very compelling main character and managed to end on a heartwrenching (but earned) note. I definitely wouldn’t say no to a second season and would be interested to see where things go from here.

#anime overview #sleepy princess in the demon castle #jujutsu kaisen #talentless nana #munou na nana #maoujo de oyasumi #fall 2020 anime #anime #my reviews

[pochiperpe90]

Interview with the director of “They Call Me Jeeg”

Interview with director Gabriele Mainetti about the movie and the Zingaro (Luca Marinelli)

When I think back to “They call me Jeeg” I think of the Zingaro. In your film there is one of the most beautiful villains of Italian cinema of recent years, how was he born?

We wanted to create a villain that wasn't just bad. We wanted to give it a three-dimensionality, complicate it and make it fascinating and original. In my opinion, the Zingaro is a very successful character and much loved by everyone for a specific reason: because they feel him close. He is the victim of what is a bit of a contemporary neurosis, that is, the need to showcase himself. We are now victims of how many likes we get on social networks and how many views does the video we post on YouTube, and he’s interesting because when he was a kid he performed in a singing interpretation on ‘Buona Domenica’ and then he lived what many people did: he become a meteor (it means that his fame lasted very little). But it’s as if he had never accepted it and brought with him this narcissistic attitude, and he wants to become a respected and almost famous criminal, but it makes no sense, because criminals when they become so important have to live in basements, it's not that you can show off, so it's a bit of a nonsense, and that's all the madness of the Zingaro.

It was interesting, because when I met people to do the auditions they all came with - as they say in Rome - 'the nostrils of the nose widened like bulls', as the kind of bad guys who beat you. But the Zingaro is an intelligent, sophisticated character, with a talent, who can sing, elegant, who has his own aesthetic idea, he is beautiful, and therefore I needed someone who would bring me the intelligence of the character, and Marinelli although at beginning was very distant from what you saw on the screen, had made me glimpse this necessary feature.

The stakes were high. It was difficult after seeing Luca Marinelli as Cesare in Claudio Caligari's ‘Don't Be Bad’ to think that in a few months he would be back with another strong character.

I shot a year before ‘Don't be bad’ and this helped him a lot, he always recognizes it when he can. Luca was far from the peripheral element, he is a boy who grew up in a modest family, in the streets with his friends, but still he was in Prati, he wasn’t in San Basilio, in Tor Bella Monaca or Corviale. He has never experienced one of these realities, and this character must have had this reality in his blood here, and the need to redeem himself socially and find the famous 'turning point' of the criminal. I took him, took him to Tor Bella Monaca, we did a lot of tests, it was a very intense job. At the beginning there was a moment of jealousy, not because the ‘Maestro’ had taken him, but because it was released first, but it was right. At one point I said: "What do I care!", Caligari taught me so much with two films - if they say that Caligari has made little cinema, it’s the biggest bullshit that can be said, because in Caligari’s movies there is more of that cinema that in a hundred films of many morons. The fact that he saw this light inside Luca and the fact that I also saw it inside him, means that something works. I love Caligari, I love him as much as I loved ‘Don't be bad’.

I admit I was almost upset when at the press conference at the Quattro Fontane, here in Rome, Marinelli arrived in plain clothes, not dressed as the Zingaro …

He is very shy, very reserved, he’s exactly the opposite of his character. Paradoxically in life Santamaria is the Zingaro, and Enzo is Luca Marinelli …

The nice thing about the Zingaro is that we discover his character and his past little by little, when we think that the character has been defined and yet, not really. I loved his unexpected obsession with Italian singers, four queens of the Eighties: Loredana Bertè, Gianna Nannini, Nada and Anna Oxa …

We actually had an Italian singer in mind but we were unable to involve him, we thought of replacing him with another singer but we continued to find only women and we said to ourselves "but she doesn't have the power of this one", and in the end the idea: "but why don't we take several, as if he was an expert?", and this thing was born a lot with Luca, especially the musical choice, we went there, we evaluated them, we discovered which ones we could use - because you know music always has a cost ... I am a lover of all four singers put in the film, TOTAL, which should probably lead me to question myself about my sexual orientation, right now I continue to heterosexualize everything, but I love them, a lot, and I loved Anna Oxa when I was little, Berté despite now looking like Mickey Rourke is always super, great, she always has a crazy voice.

Since we met the Zingaro, with some of my friends, we greet each other with: «C’è una ragione che cresce in me»

To think that someone posted to me on the Internet: "If I started singing such a shitty song, it means that the film is really beautiful!", and I replied to him: "But how dare you saying that “Un’emozione da poco” is a shitty song, you are a shit!».

What was it like shooting the scene in which Luca Marinelli, in a shady club, sings and dances in a sequined jacket, shirtless, with just a glove, with his hair back, with high-heeled boots and tight pants, the song by Anna Oxa?

Luca did it I think 15 times. In the end, the voice was right, Luca has a very strong voice, he is very resistant, he never loses control. I made him do it a lot of times, because he wanted to make it perfect and I kept following him. I have told it through many fields. We have thought about it a lot.

Look, the Zingaro was a very difficult character. The look, how to throw his hair, how to dress him, how he had to sing, how he had to perform, which tattoos… is the character we have thought about the most. Then if you notice he is clearly a quote from David Bowie's Ziggy Stardust, especially in the final part.

Another thing that I liked so much about your film is that there are no good and bad characters. Bad guys are never just bad guys. And it’s precisely the weaknesses of the characters that make them close to us, the Zingaro who sings at the top of his voice “Non sono una signora” in the car with friends as if he was at the stadium, Enzo who eats the usual cream pudding in an atmosphere of extreme desolation in front of the TV, Alessia fixed with a single DVD, a cartoon for children. “They call me Jeeg” is a film about superheroes who are real people, who are so real that at different moments in the film we identified with a different protagonist of the three.

Thank you so much because this thing you say, is not easy. Usually the emotional vehicles are always one or two, three is tough. It all depends on how the writing is set up. The character is the most important thing in the film, because it’s the emotional vehicle of the viewer. In America they had already tried it in some films. Super didn’t have super powers but he was a sort of vigilant who disguised himself and went to do good, he was a loser in an American town who clashes with this boss, microboss of the underworld, and must kill the Evil. The Manichean vision between Good and Evil, which is very American, still makes me laugh.

This attempt to mix what I call the ‘Pasolini element’ with the ‘fantastic element’, which I had already tried in my short films ‘Tiger Boy’ and ‘Basette’, comes naturally to me. You know, I was lucky enough to have done the American school, I was part of the University in New York, my grandmother lived the first years of her life in New Jersey, I have relatives in New Jersey, my sister lives in America, I have a very "happy" relationship with America, the American system is total crazy, but I understand their cinema, and I understand their fictions, and I understand why we digest some things and we don't digest others, I know how we work. For me, the only way to get to the suspension of disbelief was to tell characters that are as real as possible, then hook on to a very strong experience. Because if you are so passionate about him, you can't not believe him when he has super power, but he has to react to super power as anyone would react. They are really well written.

This thing here makes me laugh ... No one has ever focused on this thing. This guy falls from the top floor and runs away! Escape! What the fuck are you running away for? He wasn't hurt but he runs away, he has to run away because he's afraid, he goes back home and if he has to, he can't think about it yet, he doesn't think about it yet, but it's typical of someone who doesn't want to have responsibility. Then when he gets angry that he punches the wall, he still struggles, and when he becomes aware of the fact that he has super powers, since he is a criminal, what does he do? He rob an ATM, to buy more yogurt. That's where the stuff works. If, on the other hand, you made him fall from the top floor and then say: "Damn, I’m so strong!", he would jump again, climb up, smash his head, gut, takes his cocaine, it seemed, you know ... but what are we talking about.

The 80s songs, Buona Domenica, YouTube, superheroes, the Roman suburbs, the Olympic stadium ... the mix of elements that are part of the story of “They call me Jeeg” could be very risky, but the way it’s narrated makes this a winning combination. You tell things you know without judging them.

Exactly. Many kids call me and tell me: «Ah, but how did you do it, but how did you do it», «How it should be done» I replied: «Guys, you should talk about things that concern you!». You have to talk about the things that belong to you, and try to insert them into what the cinematographic genre is, that genre has its codes, if you want to do an even more extreme operation, but I don't recommend it, you have to completely subvert them. But you have to make it work for what you are doing. I am an admirer, for example, of Puglielli's ‘Dorme’, it's a WONDERFUL film; he recounted the frustration of his height, which is actually a shortness. We must start from the things we know, from our frailties. Unfortunately, the American superheroes, especially the Marvel ones, lately, are all plastic. I always ask myself, a question that always arises spontaneously, but how the fuck do they put all that spandex stuff on? How do they get into it? Do they all oil themselves first? It looks like a wetsuit ... I find it really ridiculous. In fact, it's not that I don't like superhero movies, I like Batman, because he still has a great internal conflict and everything, but here I need characters with great fragility. My favorite superhero movie is The Guardians of the Galaxy, because I know five ramshackle people who have the responsibility of saving the world. And they manage to do it, how? Because they establish a true relationship between them, which is that of friendship, and realizing that they love each other, they understand that they can also love others and say to each other "Oh well, let's save these assholes", it's fantastic, it's fantastic, it's beautiful. I can empathize with them. Certainly with Superman I can’t, I can’t succeed.

In the days I watched “They call me Jeeg” I had arrived at the third episode of Jessica Jones, the Netflix series in which the protagonist takes the opposite path of Enzo, from superheroine to 'normal' person, investigator with somewhat special powers. What do you think of recent series or movies that have a superhero at the center?

I saw the first two episodes but it bored me a bit. Deadpool is just the answer to this clean cinema, with him farting, getting sodomized by his partner and he's nice, but he didn't convince me too much, because he is in reaction to the plastic of these super heroes, and therefore he mocks everyone. But I don't give a damn about that either. I want the story of a person, I want the story of a character, that's the thing that excites me. I saw Daredevil and I didn't mind, it wasn't bad.

The background of Rome in “They Call Me Jeeg” is an important component. Are there any Italian films set in recent years, in the capital, that you care most about? I think of Romanzo Criminale, The great beauty, Don't be bad, Suburra.

They are very different films. Sorrentino has such a unique look that one cannot fail to recognize it. Formally it’s indisputable. Sometimes, from a content point of view, there are some things that I probably can't grasp, and I don't know if it's my limit; I like to get excited, the staging excites me, but I don't know, I love ‘La dolce vita’, I love Fellini, I love ‘Otto e mezzo’, that distorted and grotesque vision that he had ... but there is no comparison, that would be nonsense.

“Don’t be bad” is certainly the one that excited me the most. Who wants to make a certain type of cinema, social cinema, committed cinema, should study this ability of Caligari (but how much has he been criticized? Because yes, "Masterpiece" and that and that, but everyone criticizes a lot of it, because they are infamous ‘rosiconi’ → jealous people in the Roman dialect). What Caligari teaches is that he puts you next to a character with extreme problems but makes him feel like a friend, makes you understand that he is like you and allows you to identify. He has a deep friendship which is that between Cesare and Vittorio, he has a love story, the character of Cesare, as well as that of Vittorio, even the drug itself is experienced as fun at the beginning, as a sort of pact of love between the two of them, then you understand many things, that is something that is a great lesson in cinema, it’s a lesson in profound cinema, of cinema that interests me, cinema that excites you.

Romanzo Criminale is a very successful genre operation, which has highlighted the possibility of tackling the genre when it was thought to be banned; when I had this subject in 2010 I used to shoot like a jerk for all the productions and they said to me that: "Don't have to do this thing, because it doesn't make sense, genre cinema isn’t liked in Italy, it doesn't work, it's a waste of time, among other things, we don't have the skills to organize it», and instead Romanzo Criminale, then the series, then Gomorra the series, Suburra, now they make Suburra the series, is telling the opposite. Fortunately there is a Romanzo Criminale, fortunately there is ‘The Great Beauty’ who won the Oscar, fortunately there is ‘Don't be bad’.

DUDEMAG

Just wanted to translate this old interview for the non-italian’s fans ^^ (sorry for my English)  

#Luca Marinelli #gabriele mainetti #they call me jeeg #lo chiamavano jeeg robot #interview #english #english translation #mine #lo zingaro #old interview #don't be bad #non essere cattivo

[twokinkybeans]

Hello! I absolutely love all of your stories! I have a request, can you do a Starker story where Peter and his class go on a field trip to stark tower? I don’t really mind what happens there I just really want to see the ship. If you can thanks so much 💗

THIS GOT OUT OF HAND SO HERE IS CHAPTER 1/3!

Tower Excursions - Chapter 1: Science Rules

(Read it on AO3)

Summary: Peter is 9 years old. Parents still alive. Still friends with Flash. They go on an excursion to Stark Industries, right before the events of Iron Man 2. Side note: Tony is not romantically/sexually interested in Peter until chapter 3, when they are in an established relationship. Warnings: Even though Peter and Flash are still friends in this chapter, Flash is already bullying him. Other than that, not much, tbh?

Rating: Mature (just to be sure for later on lol).

I hope you enjoy! -Lien

...

“Mister Thompson, you’re old enough to know you shouldn’t stand in a driving bus, please take a seat,” the young teacher sighs while tightening the pony tail on her head. They’re nearly at Stark Tower now, so obviously it was difficult for most students to keep their cool. They all showed it in their own way. Flash got even more talkative and jumpy, something Peter never understood. They’re best friends, have been since kindergarten, and they know each other inside and out. When excitement hit Peter, he turned more inward, like a star waiting to implode, as opposed to Flash’s bomb waiting to explode. They were opposites, yet it fit. Obviously, the school wanted to go to Stark Tower to get them interested in science and technology, something both Flash and Peter already kind of were. However, anybody who cared even the slightest, was more excited to get a glimpse of Tony Stark. Of Iron Man. The metal hero. Even though the chances were slim, they couldn’t help but bounce on the bus seats. Because, what if… The class was going to go and do some kind of interactive walk through the building’s public spaces, with one special look inside a child-friendly lab. Erica had quietly asked how they would be able to get inside a dog and Mrs. Marie had to calmly explain that a laboratory and a Labrador are two very different things. … About two hours after they arrived, they’re in the child-friendly lab. During the tour of the building, nearly everyone forgot about Tony Stark. The place itself is wonderous and gigantic. It’s filled with moving gadgets and displays of future technology. The famous Arc Reactor gets promoted on pretty much every banner they pass. The students were allowed way more than they were at Oscorp two weeks earlier. Stark Industries sure sparked the kids’ interest in science and technology, as was the goal of this trip. Most of the other students were involved in the interactive tests, but Peter had seen all of that fairly quickly. He wanted to know more about the science behind it- he didn’t just want to watch it happen. Peter was all over the place. He’s wearing his dad’s favorite “Science Rules” cap – he was allowed to borrow it for the day – and bounces from desk to desk, asking endless questions that the pedagogically trained scientists answered accordingly. Some seemed surprised by Peter’s brightness, but the young boy didn’t really notice as he was usually quickly distracted by the next shiny project someone else was working on. With a short: “Thank you, bye!” he made his way to the other scientists in the room. “Peter, check this out!” Peter rushes towards Flash, who called for him. The boy has his face pressed against a glass balustrade that looks out over four levels of open space. “What is it?” Peter asks as he mimics Flash’s pose, pressing his open palms and his nose on the surface. “Are you blind?!” Flash exclaims, nodding at the ground floor, two floors below them. Peter follows his friend’s gaze and gasps when he spots him. “Tony Stark!” Both kids immediately waddle their feet in their place, not daring to look away from the legend who is having a casual chat with a red-haired woman. Peter and Flash giggle with delight, but eventually fall silent. “We should go say hi,” Flash whispers. “We- We can go say hi!” “As if! I’m not going down there,” Peter replies, not taking his eyes off Tony. “He’s probably super busy.” Peter is startled when he notices Flash reaching out for him. The boy grabs Peter’s father’s cap from his head and swiftly tosses it over the balustrade. “Flash! No!” Peter shouts as he stands up straight to reach over the fence in an attempt to grasp the cap. When he fails, all both kids can do is watch the hat fall and fall and fall and it seems to take forever before… Thunk. Flash’s face pales and he runs off, leaving Peter – who is frozen in fear – behind. The boy is stuck, clutching the balustrade with both hands as he stares wide-eyed at how Tony Stark picks up the cap that hit his shoulder on the way down. He reads the words that are on it and then looks up, making eye contact with Peter. The boy is so caught up that he barely notices security freaking out around Tony for what happened, but the man dampens the situation by raising the cap above his head and pointing at it with his free hand, nodding up at Peter. “This yours?” … Peter took the blame. He didn’t want Flash to get in trouble and so, both he and Mrs. Marie get taken to a separate room by security. The woman chuckles nervously, certain that she screwed up for losing track of Peter, and that she’ll never be allowed back in Stark Industries. Peter just feels massive guilt for inconveniencing so many people. After a minute of scared silence, the door opens. “But, sir-“ “It’s alright.” Peter perks up at the voice he has heard on TV so much. He turns, jaw slack, as he looks up in awe at Tony Stark, wearing his cap. The man’s attention turns from the security guard to Peter. “Mister Stark, I am so sorry-“ Mrs. Marie stands up and squeezes her hands together, bowing her head in shame. “Don’t worry about it. If I didn’t want things like this to happen I wouldn’t have opened my labs to youngsters.” Something about Tony’s words seems off, like he was frustrated that she distracted him from why he was here. “You can go, I wanna talk to the boy. Alone.” “Tha- sir, that’s highly unorthodox-“ Mrs. Marie protests, but one stern look has her press her lips together. “Just wanna talk about the cap.” Tony shows a tight smile and gestures at the door. “Besides, I believe you still have three hours left to keep an eye on your other students during this excursion.” Mrs. Marie rushes out after quickly thanking Tony for not being in trouble. He leaves the door open and sits down in the desk chair opposite Peter. “Richard Parker?” Tony says casually as he places his feet on top of the desk and cocking his head. He takes off the cap and shows the little label with the handwritten name inside of it. “Tha- ehm…” Peter stutters. “My dad,” he pushes out quickly. “Huh,” Tony says with a curt nod, turning the cap to look at the front again. “Smart guy. Had a couple chats with him a while back.” Peter’s eyes widen in shock. “You know my dad?” “I mean, he’s not in my phone’s contact list, but we’ve had some talks at conventions before.” Tony puts his feet down and leans forward. His elbows rest on the desk. Peter frowns slightly when he sees some dark lines in Tony’s neck. Are those his veins? “Which has me wonder if you’re bright as he is.” “I’m nine,” Peter retorts without thinking. Tony snorts surprised and can’t help a chuckle. “You sure are.” The man seems to ponder for a bit and then he tosses the cap on the desk. “Tell you what, kid.” Peter swallows, scared that this is the hour of reckoning. As much as Tony doesn’t seem angry, Peter is still afraid that he will get punished for what happened. “You get to ask me one question.” The boy frowns again, so Tony quickly continues. “If it’s a good one, you get your cap back and you can go.” Peter opens his mouth, immediately knowing what to say, but Tony raises his index finger, stopping the kid from talking with just a gesture. “If it’s a great one, I’ll give you a tour of the place myself.” Peter immediately wants to ask what the difference between a good and a great question is, but realizes that would be an immediate throwaway of the one question he is allowed to ask. The stakes are high, he can’t screw this up. He licks his lips and takes a breath. His head bows down to look at his fiddling fingers and then back up, noticing the faint glow coming through Tony’s dress shirt. “I read somewhere that the arc reactor uses cool fusion to regulate temperature…” Tony’s eyebrows shoot up surprised. “But I- when we went to Oscorp two weeks ago, we talked about nuclear energy and there someone said the most ideal element to use for cool fusion is palladium.” Peter swallows. “If that is in your body… How do you keep it from poisoning you?” The man’s jaw tightens and his expression sterns. “Still working on that,” he mumbles, nearly quiet enough for it to go past Peter. Peter blinks. Once. Twice. Did he just ask a question even Tony Stark himself has no answer to? No sound is made for a full minute. Peter can hear his heartbeat thump between his ears, though his breathing is slow. “How old did you say you are?” Utter disbelief seeps from Tony’s words. “Nine, sir.” “Jesus Christ.” “Does that mean it was a great question?” This time, it’s Tony who blinks. Once. Twice. “Yes, kid.”

#starker #(though not yet) #peter parker #tony stark #mcu #marvel cinematic universe #AO3 fanfic #fan fic #fanfiction #fan fiction #kinkybeanlienwrites #iron man #ironman #spiderman #spider-man

[quillquiver]

Feel free not to answer I just wanted to say I think the whole approach to "season 16" is very much so an age thing. I PROMISE that's not me calling you old lol I just mean a lot of people who are super into it are in their late teens/early 20s and a lot of the people who are super not into it are late twenties/thirties/whatever. I say this as someone in their early twenties having a blast. I think it might have something to do with how fandom/the ways fans interact with the works is evolving, like me and a bunch of us were on spn tumblr as 13/14/15-year-olds and grew up with that old tumblr energy that invited this sort of mania, whereas people who were older at the time or had been in other fandom spaces before didn't really participate in that. I think a lot of us are very self aware and "tinhat" because it's legitimately fun for us. I'm not criticizing you at all because I totally get what you're feeling, your posts on it just made me think a lot about this.

No, this is great! I am definitely from a different generation of fans - and I’ve noticed a divide in age as well. I guess I’m just curious how people have the energy? Or is it that things aren’t taken so personally?

For context: when I started in fandom, it was something that had an element of seriousness and responsibility because it had to be - it wasn’t something talked about, and you didn’t flaunt yourself because you didn’t want to drawn attention to yourself or the community for legitimate fear of getting your shit taken down and being slapped with a lawsuit. I started at the very, very end of that, and because it was hard to find, and because there was community responsibility involved, there was a code of conduct that had to be learned and adhered to. So like, being a fan is serious to me, and it’s an important part of my identity.

I have been in SPN fandom for the better part of a decade, and on tumblr for longer than that. So I know that energy! It’s great! I just feel that it’s shifted from motivating fanworks to encouraging this weird grief spiral, where everyone constantly seems to be angry and upset, and then couch those emotions in social justice in order to legitimize them - when, to my mind, feeling them should be legitimizing enough! Fucking revel in your emotions, this is a space built to process them, specifically. We made a space for ourselves to do that.

I guess I feel like a lot of engagement in fandom just feels very high stakes now, when it used to be this really nice, low-stakes environment way more conducive to relaxation. Sure, there would be serious drama that would kick up every now and then, but it was never sustained like this. I saw posts of people who seemed to be legitimately upset there was no new drama from the KoC podcast - and I’m confused, because before 15x18, drama was something we all generally agreed to try and avoid. Or at least, we knew exactly who was wont to create it and steered clear if that wasn’t our thing.

But this is everywhere. I’m not kidding; I have probably unfollowed more people than I ever have because I’m trying to get my dash somewhere back to normal and nothing is working. Almost every other post across my dash involves some kind of academic theory or willingly buys into network conspiracy--Jensen’s silence is sexy, but given the atmosphere in the fandom right now, is anyone actually surprised he or Misha haven’t spoken up? No one knows what their NDAs look like, and if it were me, I’d keep my trap shut out of sheer self-preservation. 

And like, I love tinhatting. I have been cockles a cockles tinhatter for a long-ass time and I enjoy the hell out of it. But - and I’m definitely gonna sound old here - I feel like there’s an element of respect, not only for the cast, but honestly, mostly for the community at large, that seems to have been obliterated in the SPN renaissance. I think that because lots of young folks grew up at a time where fandom was generally widely accepted, and now are being catered to, and they have forgotten that this is an actual community, and that what one person does reflects on all of us. Tagging the cast in shippy posts? A big no-no. Because I can tell you right now that the person you’re tagging might see your username and think of you as an individual, but you are part of a community that has been Perceived for a long-time, and your behaviour reflects on alllllll of us. 

And last thing, I swear, but like. The posts. The posts that just say the same thing in different words: from different blogs, from the same blogs, all with this air of manic self-importance that ratchets my anxiety up to 11.... what is with that??? These things rack up hundreds of notes and I am mystified because not only have we covered this years ago, we covered this last week and the post is dated 30mins ago. There’s this obsession with being right and finding the truth and being smart and just rehashing that over and over and it’s exhausting to me. 

And I know I am currently coming off as an old fart who’s complaining about young people and screaming get off my lawn but I am genuinely curious: Is it that I just take things very personally? Is it that everything rolls off you loyal s16 followers? How the hell do you have the energy for this? Don’t you want to process your grief? Are you grieving? How do you interact with works? Like, how, from your perspective, is that changing? 

These are legitimate questions, and this was very long, so if you’re reading this I’m sorry. 

#fandom #fandom wank-ish #anonymous #answered

[pastelsandpining]

All I Want for Christmas (Yearning)

The third prompt in 12 Days of Christmas by @zelink-prompts​

Prompt List

**Note: For the stories actually involving Christmas, I and a few other authors changed the holiday to Hylia’s Day (credit to @fatefulfaerie​ for this) so that it’s more relevant to Hyrule

Cover Art: @neezlebums​ be sure to show some love to the original here! I cannot stress this enough guys, PLEASE go like and reblog his work. He spends hours upon hours on every single cover drawing and it’s super disheartening that he’s getting 8 notes max on things he’s working really hard on. So please give his post as much love as you give mine! 

Words: 1956

Summary: Link takes Zelda out to the Festival of Hylia in the hopes that she can enjoy it as a normal kid, and they share a moment during the fireworks show.

BotW pre-calamity (not HWAOC related)

**If I don’t have explicit warnings, read with caution. It simply means there’s nothing I could think of that could be potentially triggering, but I could’ve just missed something. In that case, please let me know and I’ll be more than happy to put a warning!**

Zelink-mas 2020  l  Masterlist

The concept of soulmates is rather simple for something so deep. Whether it be one soul torn into two, or a red string of fate, or two souls that found comfort in one another, the premise was the same. Lifetime after lifetime, for the eternity that was to come and go, two hearts cried out for one another. They searched high and low, across continents and oceans, across timelines and ages, yearning for their partner—their lost piece.

Yet fate could be a cruel player in the game of existence. It could drive a stake in between a set of mates, or prevent their meeting entirely. It could taunt them with the prospect of forever, and take it away at twice the speed. 

It could take those souls and resurrect them only in times of destruction and decimation. 

How much could a soul handle? How much could it stretch and bend before it shattered? Was it still marked by trauma all those years later, when it was finally placed into a vessel and sent back into the world?

The soul of a hero, for instance, would be battered and bruised until fate decided there was no use for it. 

And until that decision was made, the hero’s soul would stay by the goddess’s side, even thousands upon thousands of years later. 

An impending war, what they referred to as a Calamity, was nothing new to the old souls. Yet they were filled with optimism, a sort of youthful comfort that wrapped like a blanket, and old souls did not entirely push away childish ideas and schemes.

Said hero was scampering through the streets, hand in hand with the young goddess, both tucked under cloaks that fared as a decent disguise given most participants were too drunk to think otherwise at this point in the night. 

“You cheated,” Zelda accused through a fit of giggles, but she made no move to drop the stuffed sand seal.

“I did not,” Link defended with a borderline emergent smile as he stole a glance towards the booth they’d run from. “I was just… a little better than their usual customers.”

“Yes, because their regular customers consist of skilled soldiers of Hyrule.”

“You don’t know that.”

Zelda pressed a hand over her mouth and laughed again. It got harder to suppress his smile. Something about the freedom that came with sneaking out, on top of the thrill of being where they weren’t supposed to be, left him feeling giddy and mischievous. It’d taken a while to convince Zelda to come with him, but attending the Festival of Hylia to only bestow a blessing over the kingdom wasn’t fair. They’d attended earlier in the day, with the princess wearing a grand, white dress to make her look like the goddess, and all he wanted to do was give her a chance to experience the festival as a normal kid. It was the least she deserved, after spending all of her time and effort focused on the Calamity. Of course, the only way they could actually get out was in a disguise, but Link trusted the cloaks would do their jobs so long as the late night attendees were drinking properly.

“You’re positive we won’t get caught?” she asked, for what had to be the hundredth time since they’d left the castle.

“Do you trust me?” he asked in response, fixing his eyes on hers. They were twinkling even in the darkness, and he could see the Castle Town lights reflected in her irises. When he looked at her like this, when there was no one watching them with attentive eyes, he found it hard to believe she was only Hylian. She radiated a light they couldn’t see, but he knew it was there because she was always so warm. Her eyes were always so bright.

“Yes,” she answered with a nod. Once again, Link almost smiled. But instead, he pulled her by the hand over to another booth. The worker looked too tired to care, so he didn’t have to take much caution in sliding over the rupees and asking for a soft pretzel, a caramel apple that had caught Zelda’s eye, and a set of drinks. It was just a shame they had to release hands to hold it all. 

“We used to come to the festivals all the time,” Zelda said after a few bites, letting her shoulder brush against his. “My mother would play the goddess and do the blessings, but after that, father would take me around to the different games and let me play. I was never any good at it, but they gave me prizes anyway. Mother was brilliant, though. She knew just how to get past the games’ rigging.  After her death, father didn’t let me stay out as long. Once I was twelve, my only purpose at the festival was to give the blessings. Did your family always come?”

“Almost every year. My father always took us the first night,” Link spoke with a nod. “Because he was on duty the other two. He tried getting my sister and I to play the games, but I was only interested in the food.”

Another giggle passed the princess’s lips. 

“It sounds like you haven’t changed at all,” she replied, nudging him again. 

“Except now I know how to win,” he said and gestured to the stuffed sand seal.

“I still think you cheated.”

“They cheated us first.”

Zelda had no argument to that one. Link tossed the paper from his pretzel into the trash, then adjusted the fasten on his cloak.

“Do you think we’ll be able to see the fireworks?” she asked. “I used to watch them from my window all the time.”

“I don’t know if it’s better than the view from your window, but I know a place,” he replied. Zelda slipped an arm around his, like she’d done it a thousand times before, and he ducked his head to hide his face from the overhanging light.

“I’ll have to see it in order to judge,” she said simply. He fought back a smile and pulled her through the streets of Castle Town once more, until they’d reached the outskirts. 

Link jumped up to grab the tree branch above them, then turned and held his hands out to her. Apparently his intentions were clear because even in the darkness, he could see that Zelda was appalled.

“We can’t climb on a random person’s house! Link! Get down!” she yelled in a whisper, but he just let the grin cover his face.

“It’s empty. For sale, I think,” he replied with a shrug. She looked around, as if she wanted to make sure they were really alone, before taking his hands. He pulled her into the tree effortlessly, then boosted her up onto the roof of a Castle Town house. “It’s no castle view, but you won’t be eye-level with the fireworks.”

“You can see the entire festival from here,” she spoke when he joined her at the top. “It’s not just lights. You can see everything. How did you..?”

“There was one year when my father had to attend all three nights, so it was just my sister and I. We ran out of rupees trying one of the games, and she was really upset, so I just.. snatched a prize and ran. We climbed onto a roof and stayed there for the rest of the festival, until I was sure he hadn’t sent any soldiers after us. It gave us a pretty good view.”

“You thief!” Zelda accused, giving him a shove. Link bit back a laugh.

“You’re the only person I’ve ever told. So now you’re the holder of some pretty powerful information.”

She hummed in thought and leaned her head against the plushie.

“I could do so much with this. I could tell everyone and finally have my freedom from you.”

“I don’t know if stealing a plushie from a festival booth ten years ago is enough to get me demoted.”

“It’s a serious crime,” but he could hear the laughter in Zelda’s voice. He turned to face her just as the first of the fireworks went off, drowning her in a soft yellow light. Even if he wanted to watch the fireworks, he couldn’t tear his eyes away from her. She was in a category all of her own, and the word beautiful couldn’t describe her in her entirety. 

He could call her hair golden, but it still didn’t capture her richness. He could compare her eyes to emeralds, and it still wouldn’t tell how precious they were. He could say her voice was a melody, and it still couldn’t describe how much he loved the song she sang each time she spoke. With every passing day, she grew more and more into the goddess whose blood she carried in her veins. She radiated a power and displayed a wisdom he’d never seen before, yet it felt so familiar to him that it never surprised him. He could watch her for hours, whether she was studying the Sheikah technology or praying at the foot of a goddess statue (not that he did, obviously, because that was sacred and private). It didn’t feel like a job--it never had. He’d give his life for her over and over again, like it was written into his blood and soul. Like he’d done it before. 

With how far they’d come, Link wondered just how much could one feel for a single person. If he could shield her from the world, he would. But she didn’t need that. Zelda was strong and independent, but what he wouldn’t give to remain by her side for as long as he could.

She took his arm again and rested her head against his shoulder. Her hold was as gentle as she. Her fingers intertwined with his and he gave her hand a small squeeze.

“Link?” 

He hummed to let her know he was listening and ready to answer any question she wanted to ask. 

“What do you want for Hylia’s Day?”

The gift giving tradition held true even to this year, but Link didn’t quite know how to answer her. What he really wanted was her. He wanted her to be happy and safe and secure. He wanted the goddess to respond, and for her powers to awaken so she could just enjoy whatever time they had left. 

Was there a stronger word that fit this feeling than yearning? Yearning for Zelda and her life and her future. 

He bit his cheek in thought, because none of that could be said aloud.

“I want a promise,” he replied at last. “that once this is all over, you’ll keep researching. And that maybe I can stay your knight attendant for as long as you can tolerate me.”

She almost laughed.

“Link.. I can’t promise anything. If I can’t awaken this power, then-“

“You will,” he said, holding her hand tighter. “I believe in you.”

Zelda smiled at him—weak and small, but it still filled him with a warmth that made him feel all the more confident.

“I want a day off to just relax with our friends,” she stated, returning her head to his shoulder.

“All of our friends?”

“Yes, even Revali.”

Link chuckled and shook his head, watching the last of the fireworks pop. He’d never felt more relaxed than he did then. It was like they belonged there. Something about her was so calming that he didn’t want to go back to the castle just yet. 

“Thank you,” she spoke softly into the quieting night. “For tonight.”

He wished he could kiss her.

Instead, he gave her hand a squeeze and said, “Anything you want, Princess. Just say the word.”

#zelink #botw link #botw zelda #botw zelink #zelink prompts #christmas prompts #take a shot every time one of my fics shits on revali #it's a common theme #can u tell I dislike the bird manchild #link just kiss her it's fine i promise u #it'll even do u all some good

[hopevalley]

Season 8, Episode 5: What the Heart Wants

I was going to try to follow my scene-by-scene format for the entire season, but I’ve been getting a lot of migraines recently, presumably from staring at the computer too long, so I don’t want to spend all morning working on typing up the play-by-play for this episode.

Also, for what it’s worth I think this episode lends itself to plot discussion better than some of the previous episodes...at least in some sense.

And as another head’s up, it’s back to being critical for me. ;P

Storylines:

School Ends/Graduation/Parent-Teacher Conferences

The Dress Shop/Rachel

Postal Service, Ned

Bill’s Uniform, Nathan’s Vacation

Carson and Faith

Henry

Elizabeth and Lucas

Clara’s Dilemma

--

School Ends/Graduation/Parent-Teacher Conferences

This plot felt a little scattered, but for once it wasn’t the kind of storyline they foisted too much drama upon. After years of every single function possible being besieged by bullshittery, it’s a relief to see one go off without a real hitch.

The beginning scene with Robert hugging Elizabeth was sweet. I enjoyed the Canfields immensely and am intrigued by Angela’s role in the story long-term (PLEASE let her befriend Allie!). Nathan...eh, I have thoughts—but I’ll talk about that a bit soon. The actual ceremony was cute and kind of fun with the kids singing. 

Neat Thing I Noticed:

Continuity? Cat Montgomery is still listed as Emily’s mother. ♥♥♥ I don’t know why but this made me really happy???

-

Complaint Corner:

Parent-teacher conferences should have been in this show from a much earlier point, and so should graduation have been. If there was a point to this celebration (the first year in a while anyone was old enough to graduate) that would have been a nice touch, too. It just managed to feel sliiiightly out of place.

I’ll forgive the “everyone in town goes to the graduation” thing because this is 1918...something like this would be a whole-town affair IMO. Invite everyone and have a nice get-together/party, probably on a Sunday afternoon after church but Hope Valley does whatever it wants, so...eh.

The threat of merging Hope Valley with other schools doesn’t fit in this scenario and it feels like they ripped it directly out of Tales from Avonlea which was almost rage-inducing to me.

Look, school mergers happened a lot in the early 1900s, especially around the WWI mark, but it wouldn’t be hitting a rural western town just yet. They don’t have any way of getting these kids to other towns for schooling. Where would the next closest school be? It would have to be pretty large and modern to merge multiple schools together.

*Adjusts nerd glasses* This felt forced and completely unnecessary. If anything this guy could be telling Elizabeth that they’re working on building a modern school somewhat close by, and could even have her involved in some decision-making regarding layout. Then they could bring in a “merger” storyline next season without it feeling out of place.

It mostly just felt dramatic for the hell of it, and it was boring, as was this man’s threat that Elizabeth had no right to teach a blind student. As if they’d accept Angela at a better school? As if her parents could afford top tier education for her? PLEASE.

Now it’s time for Nathan. The man chose to go fishing instead of to the parent-teacher conference? It makes him look like a tool. This isn’t about him or about Elizabeth; it’s about Allie. I understand why he didn’t want to go, but he should have done it anyway. It would have taken five minutes of his time. 

His flippant attitude annoyed me because it went completely against his character as we know it, but Elizabeth’s lecturing was irritating, too. For a moment I thought we had Lorigail back on the show...

I think Elizabeth was well within her rights to warn Nathan about the effect his work has on his ward, but that inquiry took like a week AT MOST. Heck, let’s be generous and say TWO WEEKS. Allie’s concentration suffered for two weeks. There was no need to say more than, “Hey she worries about you and her work suffered for a bit during that time frame, just so you’re aware.” 

I think what annoyed me about the math program thing is that...Elizabeth being a teacher would probably be VERY WELL AWARE that MOST of the parents to her students aren’t good enough at schooling to assist their kids with their homework. I dunno, it just feels out of place for her to tell Nathan that she wants to put Allie in an accelerated “program” and that Allie might need his help with her homework. It’s even more out of place when he admits he used to bribe his sister to do his work for him. Like. It’s very possible he’s not that good at math and isn’t capable of helping. (But maybe that will be a plot down the road...?)

“Or a tutor...” BITCH WHERE IS HE GONNA FIND A TUTOR IN THIS TOWN?! It’s super annoying to see dialogue like this that feels completely out of touch with the reality these people would be living in...lol. But also if she needs a tutor to stay caught up in an advanced program, she probably...shouldn’t be in the advanced program.

I don’t know how to feel about this whole thing here: “Nathan, you are Allie’s world. You’re the only father she’s ever known, and as she grows up you will always be the measure of the quality she’ll look for in a man as she chooses who to marry.” 

On one hand, it does fit the situation (he seems to think everything is behind him but Elizabeth’s words are kind of a caution that 1) his actions still have an effect on Allie, and 2) every day he’s teaching her by example). On the other hand, it seems almost wildly inappropriate to bring up? At the same time, it’s probably not wrong that Allie will measure other men (friends, acquaintances, potential future romantic interests) against Nathan’s example.

I dunno. The conversation felt disjointed. 

I think what they were going for was Nathan just feeling too awkward and weird about being with Elizabeth to want to be there for the conference, but...he interacted with her quite normally after the inquiry and stuff (even after she’d broken things off with him), so...it feels out of place. Like maybe this should have taken place right after the breakup and not weeks later?

Anyone else have thoughts on this and why it doesn’t feel quite right?

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The Dress Shop/Rachel

This plot wasn’t what I would call a waste of time (rather, it’s worth having it mentioned now), but part of it was completely pointless and stupid. The whole Rachel getting lost thing was tacked into the promos to stir up drama, but nothing happened and there was nothing worrisome even going on. YAWN.

Rosemary’s desire to do something meaningful and different with her life is super interesting. I’m very curious to see what they decide to do with her if Dottie does sell the dress shop.

Also, Rosemary finding the book under Rachel’s bed was pretty funny.

But yeah, I didn’t really find much in this plotline to care deeply about. I guess I am pretty interested in knowing who might be purchasing the dress shop and/or if this decision is to bring someone else onto the show (a female love interest for the man who doesn’t win Elizabeth’s heart in the end, or even to bring back an old character*) or to take the dress shop out of the equation entirely... It’s also just as possible that Rosemary/Lee or Clara/Jesse end up buying it themselves down the line... Thoughts?

*I can’t begin to imagine who would be the best fit for this in this case, though. Who would have the money to buy her out?

--

Postal Service, Ned

Ned is just honestly so cute and fun. I love him. He’s really been doing well this season and seeing him wander around town delivering mail door to door was kind of nice.

Also, he’s one SMOOTH operator! Look at him, talking about putting a bell on the door so that he and Florence won’t be caught off-guard if they’re in the middle of...something. 

Oh my, Ned. What might customers be...interrupting? :3

Continuity? Not only was the ulcer from last season brought up, but the horrid cabbage juice was, too. :’) It was a nice touch. And these two had just enough screentime to be kind of fun/interesting without also taking up too much time.

--

Bill’s Uniform, Nathan’s Vacation

Nathan got his vacation and Bill is in charge...again. This happens an awful lot. I wonder if it’ll actually impact the next few episodes or if it’s just here for the hell of it.

I love Bill a lot and I want to brag up his character in this episode a bit. I’ve complained many times in the past about him being written like a Grumpy Old Man Yelling at Clouds but this episode was super respectful. He got his scene with his uniform. Nobody interrupted it. There weren’t even any words. I quite liked it.

But it also felt kind of...pointless? I don’t want to judge it too harshly yet. Like the dress shop plotline, this could actually be going somewhere in the next couple of episodes. 

Plus, unrelated to the uniform, it was nice to see Bill acting fatherly toward Clara. While it sort of came out of nowhere for the wedding, I appreciate the attempt at continuity there. Plus, so far this season, I’ve felt like Bill’s almost been a father-figure to Clara, Fiona, and even Nathan, so I’m enjoying that a lot.

--

Carson and Faith

CONTINUITY? The show finally remembered that not only is Carson actually a surgeon, but that was his original passion. It’s not that they completely forgot (S5 had him performing surgery on his sister-in-law, after all), but giving Carson a PASSION makes him a way more interesting character to me. 

And also, finally, this feels like a REAL high-stakes plotline for him and for Faith.

I really liked Faith’s take on things. I know, I know, I’ve been rooting at them to break up, but the reason is mostly because they’re just so BORING together. I’d rather watch Henry twirl around in a chair for an hour than suffer through date scenes with these two.

It’s not that I’m against a doctor wife/husband team. I’m not. I just think Faith was a much more interesting and cool character on the show before Carson showed up and usurped her place (and completely overshadowed her for literal seasons). This plotline for Carson might actually be interesting. Like, a fellowship? For modern surgery? IN BALTIMORE?!

I hope this is Faith’s way of saying she wants a break and/or a break would be good for them. I can’t picture her leaving Hope Valley without any trained medical staff, let alone long enough for a fellowship... 

But if this goes through, what will they do with it? Would they really write Carson off the show? To be perfectly honest with y’all, I’d be fine with that. At least it’s the type of write-off that makes a lot of good sense (unlike some of the other ones we got). I guess this is just another “wait and see” plotline which is uhh...the theme of this episode, huh? Anyone have thoughts on this?

--

Henry

Henry barely had any screentime, but I do want to say he is #relateable. The man is back at work for ten seconds and already exhausted. SAME.

Also, I appreciate that he’s ready to be back in the oil business. At what cost? I know people were worried they were gonna kill him off, and I really doubted it, but now I’m starting to wonder where they’re going with this exactly. Yet another wait and see moment LOL!

--

Elizabeth and Lucas

Some damn fine scenes for Lucas and Elizabeth in this episode. Mostly the scenic ones. :P

I enjoyed the agreement to a date. The horseback riding stuff was pretty cute. 

Complaint corner? I don’t know. I have petty complaints. Even though the celebration for the kids was a town-wide event, and therefore Lucas was invited, it still felt out of place to see it brought up. Maybe it should have been mentioned as a town celebration from the start?

Then Lucas’s comment about not wanting to make things awkward for Nathan (who is actually a parent and there) makes a liiiittle more sense. I do think it was good of him to not go, even though he wanted to spend more time with Elizabeth, but it gave off a weird vibe, like, “Look at how good and wholesome Lucas is!” Is that intentional? I’m not...sure...?

For what it’s worth I already felt like Lucas was an honorable person in this regard. He loaned Nathan money, after all. Maybe he should have told Elizabeth he views Nathan as a friend and doesn’t want to hurt his feelings unnecessarily and/or if he was there he’d want to hog her all to himself or something cheesy. Hm.

My other complaints are:

Elizabeth running to the saloon would be WAY faster than all this getting set up at her house...?? Who thought this made sense?

Elizabeth’s dress looked like a nightie she bought at Kohls.

Too many damn candles.

Characters Do What Plot Dictates Even Though Plot Makes No Sense. More at 11:00!!

I have no further comments on the dress. It needed sleeves or something so it looked more like a dress and not like a nightgown/piece of lingerie.

I think the candles might have been on purpose to parallel Jack...but I hated it lol. Fire hazard? HAVEN’T ENOUGH THINGS IN TOWN BURNED DOWN/EXPLODED?!

I didn’t hate the date scene! But I never feel like Elizabeth has any meaningful conversations with Lucas and it’s starting to drive me batty. 

Could we get uhhh something of substance please? It has to be surface-level nonsense on purpose. Right? RIGHT?

(And no, discussing a book for ten seconds on-screen is not “intelligent conversation” okay...?)

It’s really a shame because I’m starting to actually warm up to Lucas a little bit in this season but it feels like the conversations are just...kind of stilted and she’s not really into dating him—just agreeing to it because he’s the only option. 

And I can’t believe I’m saying this, but...he deserves better than that. 

Don’t get me wrong, by the way. If it’s part of the story and it’s revealed as such down the road, I’ll be fine with it...but I always worry they’ll just skip important relationship milestones and/or important conversations and expect us all to just accept it.

Kiiiiiind of looking forward to the rainy date scene in the next episode, though. I’m Team Nathan mostly but I’m keeping an open mind and I think I might actually enjoy it. Hopefully they’ll get some good scenes together that don’t feel like this one did.

--

Clara's Dilemma

Clara’s fears about running the salon without Fiona...are legit. LOL.

Also, this little bit was funny (between Mike and Jesse and Bill):

Anyway, if Clara was that worried about it, she should have just...told Fiona no? I hope it comes up down the road. Poor Molly??

I genuinely don’t know how I feel about Clara and Jesse’s involvement in this episode. I guess it was okay. I liked Clara’s scenes with Bill. I thought the idea of Clara and Jesse buying into the cafe was a nice one. Jesse having “invested” their money and lost it all, though... They did a similar plot with other people in what...Season 5 was it? Or was that the start of S6? He didn’t even say what he invested it in? But he admits the money is all gone? 

I think that’s what was missing from that scene. “I invested it in X, hoping to make us more money, but it didn’t work out and we lost everything.”

I’m not going to criticize Jesse’s characterization, only because sometimes character "growth” doesn’t happen for the better of anyone involved. My biggest worry here is that it’ll be solved by the end of next episode....but I hope that’s not it.

Like, I think they did better with Frank and Abigail if we’re going to talk about a man who didn’t know how to live like he was in a committed relationship. It made more sense with Frank, too, being older and single most of his life. His bouts of selfishness felt realistic.

Jesse feels like he’s somehow getting worse and worse as a person as the show goes on. I’m kind of at a point where I hope he and Clara divorce, because he’s so damn selfish it’s embarrassing. He’s off having a beer while his wife works multiple jobs? And then he has the audacity to act like they should save money when he just blew all their savings? 

I’m sure it’ll work out fine but I hope Clara puts herself in charge of the finances at the very least.

As to investing failures, I liked how they did that with Henry and Abigail. That was the kind of tension and worry that felt natural to me—like she trusted him with her money after he’d proven himself untrustworthy ten million times throughout the years, and he failed and had to uhh admit that. 

Jesse straight up betrayed Clara. Which, if it’s dealt with in a satisfying way...I think can be a good plotline. I just worry about it actually being dealt with properly. That’s a huge stumbling block in a relationship. And why is he continually getting worse as a person? There doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason to it. 

Gasp... it’s almost like it’s just plot because they feel like they have to give someone something every damn episode.

--

Which brings me to THE FINAL

COMPLAINT CORNER (The Big Boy™ Complaints)

The show has really struggled with finding its footing. I wish they’d take notes from better shows with ensemble casts (cough cough Road to Avonlea cough) without also ripping off their storylines (cough school merges cough).

My #1 complaint at this point in Season 8 is the SHEER AMOUNT OF THINGS GOING ON EVERY EPISODE.

I want continuity, so I want to see things happen naturally over a season, but my God do we not need to have mindless pointless crap in the episode. Rachel getting “lost” for ten seconds wasted literal MINUTES of screen time that would have been MUCH better allocated to basically anyone else in this episode.

And I don’t think it would bother me so much if it wasn’t also shoved into the promo like it was supposed to matter. It didn’t matter. Nobody cares. Why was it allowed to stay in the episode alongside stuff like Clara and Bill’s conversation?

Or Lucas and Carson’s?

I think they want to appease all the fans in every episode by giving them scenes of their favorites, but what did Henry sitting in his chair accomplish in this episode? Rachel getting lost? Jack not sleeping well/missing his mom? The school superintendent?

Did Bill trying on his uniform have to be in this episode? Did Jesse and Clara’s problems have to come fully to light right now?

When every episode is formatted like this, with 10 plotlines all interconnected slightly and going on at the same time, I feel like...nobody gets the spotlight they deserve when they deserve it.

I cANNOT believe I’m saying this, but this plotline for Carson, especially if it will end with him leaving the show for a while or permanently should get the focus it deserves. But it won’t if we get tiny snips of it here and there and then BOOM decision made because Reasons.

And again, I know I’ve said before that I want more continuity throughout the season, but... the best way to do that is to tighten up the plots. Have fewer of them per season and give more screentime to the ones you choose to pursue. 

--

Anyway, I’m still enjoying the season, but I hope they keep some of this kind of stuff in mind for next season. They don’t need plotlines for everyone in every episode. They need the plotlines they choose to write to be worth their screentime.

Sorry this was sloppily written and all that. Hopefully it makes sense. Very curious to see y’alls thoughts. Feel free to make your own posts and @ me, or reblog this or comment!

#when calls the heart #long post #season 8 spoilers #season 8 shenanigans #analysis and meta discussion #character studies and information