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murderofcrow · 5 months

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Transcript of Will Ramos' essay on Sleep Token for Rock Sound magazine

I might play in a metal band as part of my job, but I don't listen to much metal music anymore.

A few years ago though, I remember one of my friends saying to me, "Dude, you've got to check out this band Sleep Token… They're pretty cool".

I'd never heard the name before, but I'd listened to 'Hypnosis' and a couple of other songs from the band's second album, 'This Place Will Become Your Tomb', to see what they were like.

Hitting play for the first time, I was caught off guard. You hear the guitar and these slamming instrumentals and instantly you think, 'This is about to fucking kick ass'. You're so sure that the vocalist is about to come in with some gnarly screaming, but then you hear this man singing, and he's singing so beautifully. I didn't see it coming at all, and as soon as I heard it, I knew that it was exactly what I needed to hear.

At the start of a long drive that I had to make on my own, I hit play on 'This Place Will Become Your Tomb' from the beginning for the first time. As the record began with 'Atlantic', I was vibing to the sound of the music, but as it rolled through each track I started to get more and more caught up in this incredible sonic journey. By the time it was over, I realised that I'd been on this emotional roller coaster of love, pain, happiness, sadness and nostalgia.

Boom, that was it - I was hooked on that album. Every single song on that record was so freaking incredible to me, and I needed to know more about Sleep Token. Believing that my friend and I were the only people in on this hype, I spoke about it to my band one day, and they said to me, "You need to listen to 'Sundowning'!" I was so mad that they knew about this band the whole time, and nobody ever told me, but I went back and listened to Sleep Token's first album like they suggested.

I remember thinking it was very different. It's not as polished, but it's very dynamic and so beautiful. I think it definitely says something when you can see the progression of a band from just their first and second albums. From then, I knew they were onto something incredible.

It feels like more and more people have been catching onto that hype over the last year, and now it seems as though their name is impossible to ignore. I remember when they released 'The Summoning' at the start of 2023, the day after they'd released 'Chokehold', it felt like it all went crazy. They had something like 4-million hits on that song in just two days, and now, it's got over 70-million plays on Spotify. It was the beginning of a huge explosion for Sleep Token, and the first time I heard it, I was genuinely confused by it. It's so ridiculously versatile, and on my first few listens I felt like the super jazzy outro didn't fit at all, but the more I listened the more it began to click. I remember at the time I showed it to Elizabeth Zharoff, a vocal coach from The Charismatic Voice, and the outro was immediately one of her favourite parts.

She's from a completely other world of music, so to hear her approval showed me how capable Sleep Token were of reaching people outside of the metal scene.

I might not listen to metal music anymore, but Sleep Token are revitalising heavy metal. It brings back the nostalgia that I felt when I was a little kid listening to this type of music for the first time and being like, 'Holy shit, what is this? This is so cool'. I had started to lose that feeling over the years, but every time I listen to these songs, all those emotions come flooding back. In my opinion, there's no band out there that sounds like them - and that's a truly impressive feat.

Merging metal with pop, R&B, and rap influences, and bridging all these different gaps that many artists have historically been afraid to explore, there's something here for so many types of music fans. For a long time, metal bands have been putting themselves in a box. There's been this idea that a metal band needs to be heavy, that you need to have a breakdown in every song, and that you need to tick all the boxes in order to succeed. It's been so refreshing to see the evolution of the genre over the last few years, and to see bands like Sleep Token bring all these different sounds to the forefront of metal.

It brings a whole bunch of unique people into the fold. People love to say that metal is dying, but it's music like this that keeps it alive. It doesn't just move the scene forward, it expands it.

Now, there are all these people who didn't listen to metal before listening to Sleep Token. R&B and pop fans are coming into this as fans of Vessel's singing voice and hearing all these metal influences along the way. The second verse of 'Take Me Back To Eden' has this great rap-inspired singing part, and it's these little things that speak to different people in different ways. All of this feeds into our community in some crazy way, shape, or form. It's welcoming people into a genre that they may never have been exposed to otherwise, and I think that s a beautiful thing.

As a vocalist, one thing in particular that draws me to Sleep Token is Vessel's voice. I have always been a screamer, but I've always wanted to be a singer at the same time. I always practise on the side of Lorna Shore, but in my mind I'm like, 'This isn't very good. My voice is not fit for metal at all, as far as singing goes'. When I first heard Sleep Token though, one of the first things I noticed was that Vessel and I have a very similar range. Hearing him lay down all of these incredible parts, it makes me realise that I can actually sing metal vocals.

Back when I first discovered them, I wanted to cover their songs in the hopes that more people would hear them. Now, I just want to cover them so that I can sing something that is in my range.

Obviously though, his voice is much more dynamic than mine because he's been polishing it for a very long time. He does a crazy vibrato and can switch between his head voice and chest voice super easily. It's crazy stuff, and as someone who has been a vocalist for so long, I can appreciate the techniques he's using. I love to hear the different ways he's able to blend his voice into the genre.

Another thing that makes his voice so unique is that it's so emotional. When I hear Vessel sing, I can truly feel the emotion behind his words. He might be this otherworldly figure singing about an ancient deity, but there's a distinct humanity to his vocals. You can sense his sadness and pain, and whether people realise it or not that draws a lot of people to Sleep Token's music. They're the band that you can listen to at two o'clock in the morning when you're driving down the road alone. They're the perfect companion for those moments where you're upset about something, and you just need to listen to something that feels like a release.

That's a beautiful thing, because when you write music, you want people to feel the same emotions that you're feeling when you're writing it. The way that Vessel translates all of that is so incredible, and it's arguably my favourite thing about the band. Between his vocals and the instrumentation behind them, you feel exactly what they want you to feel. Even before thinking about what I knew about Sleep Token, when we were thinking about what we wanted to do with Lorna Shore, that was the goal. We wanted to bring a little bit more emotion into heavy metal music, and now they've done that and brought the singing into it too. Metal's now even more emotional because of the way he uses his beautiful voice, and I think that's what this genre has needed for a long time.

The truth is, from the moment I first heard Sleep Token, I knew they were one of those bands. Between their studio quality, their musical skill, and their ability to conjure up their own lore to incorporate into the music, I could see that they had the potential to be something truly special, they just needed that little push.

As soon as they got that with 'The Summoning', that was it - they were taking over.

First impressions are a big thing, and I think 'This Place Will Become Your Tomb' will always be my favourite album because of the way I first connected with it, but 'Take Me Back To Eden' is phenomenal. They have been able to get all of their emotion out in so many new ways on those songs because there's even more happening from a musical perspective. They've managed to strike the balance between heaviness and beauty perfectly and that's what we strive to create with albums. The goal is to create an album you can sit with, front to back, and feel the waves of emotion. A record to let yourself feel those things, and an opportunity to sit in isolation whilst you experience that journey.

It's a feeling that's amplified within Sleep Token's live shows, and I was able to catch them at Blue Ridge Rock Festival in Virginia. Lorna Shore were also playing, and we had a meet and greet scheduled for that day. It was scheduled to take place from 7pm until 7:30pm, and Sleep Token's set started at 7:30pm. I was a little antsy, because I know that meet and greets always overrun by half an hour or so, and they were the band I was most desperate to catch.

I was sitting there, it was 7:29pm, and the meet and greet line was still as long as it had been when we'd started. I started to hear 'Chokehold' playing in the distance, and I felt so sad.

People online were messaging me to tell me that Sleep Token were playing, and I was like, 'I know! I can hear them, but I'm stuck here!'

That's where it started to set in how freaking massive Sleep Token were becoming. They're one of the biggest metal bands that I'm aware of right now, and there were so many people watching that set. They refer to their live shows as rituals, their fans are the congregation, and the stage as a place of worship. It's something that could easily seem tacky if a band did it with little consideration for the details, but they're so committed to what they do.

After about three minutes, as I heard 'Chokehold' coming to an end, I stood up and said, 'Alright everybody, I've got to go. I'm so sorry, but if you know me, you'll understand'. The people who come to our meet and greets know how much I love Sleep Token, so they were like, 'Dude, go!' I sprinted out of there, leaving the rest of the band still doing the meet and greet, and made my way over to the stage. I thought I was the only one who wanted to see their set, but ten seconds into running I turned around and saw Of Mice & Men's singer, Aaron Pauley, following me. We started running through this huge crowd together, and everybody was so excited. I'm not the type of guy to leave a meet and greet early, but I needed to witness that set. It was an act of true love!

Even when they post on Instagram after shows, the captions are always like, 'The ritual has been completed in Copenhagen'. They totally absorb themselves in the spiritual aspect, physically, visually, and sonically. It's a brand, and they completely own that brand. They've made it exactly what it is, and they stick to it.

When I saw them, they had four people onstage doing harmonies with them, and they just stood there in their cloaks.

They didn't move throughout the entire set, and I began to picture it as a church choir at the side of the ritual. The whole experience does feel super spiritual, and they don't just give 50 per cent to the theming, it's 100 per cent. People feel the emotion, see the way they embody this ideal, and hear this incredible music - and I think that's why people are so ready to absolve themselves in this spiritual moment.

Everybody has a different connection to every song because of the different things everyone goes through in life, but they get to experience all of that in a place where everybody else is feeling something too.

Vessel's vocals translate into their live experience so perfectly, too. His screams are even better live than they are in the studio, and he still sings beautifully, which is so impressive. I was genuinely doubtful that he was going to be able to hit all of those vibratos and do all the other crazy vocal work he does on the albums, but he hit every note. Sometimes, he doesn't even hit the notes that he does on the studio versions, but he hits another note that is equally as stunning. He's a true performer.

You can tell a lot about a band from their live performance, but as a band in the modern age you also have to put a lot of thought into your promotion. The way you come across on social media is important, and the way that people perceive you is largely down to how you come across online. That's why I've always been fascinated by Sleep Token choosing to keep the identities of their band members a secret, refusing to do interviews and placing the focus on their visual identity.

I definitely think that's played a part in their success, because it's allowed the music to take centre stage. I remember when I was first talking to the rest of Lorna Shore about Sleep Token, they told me about the lore behind the band and that the members are all anonymous. That was before 'The Summoning' came out, but since people have caught on there have been some serious investigative deep dives, so l'm pretty sure the internet has found out who Vessel is.

I didn't look that up though, because personally for me, I always really appreciated the fact that they were totally anonymous. I like the feeling that Vessel is just a voice in the ether. You can hear it, but you can't classify it as being the voice of any one person, it's just this intriguing mystery. I've heard a lot of people say that it reminds them of when they first got into Slipknot because when a lot of people I know first listened to that band, nobody knew who was behind the masks. They were just a bunch of dudes making music with no outside perceptions, but then obviously people found out. I think that Sleep Token have that similar allure for a whole new generation, but sadly for me that mystery was shattered when I met them after a show.

It was great to meet them, but I also really didn't want to know who they were. I loved not knowing and I think that the anonymous aspect of what they do plays such an important role in the impact they're having on the heavy metal world.

It's a bit of a double-edged sword because everyone wants to know their identities, but once you do know - you miss the anonymity.

There's something special about the way they're putting their music out into the world with no need for individual validation, and I think it takes a lot of guts and confidence in what you're creating to do what Sleep Token are doing.

Usually, you almost want everyone to know who's in the band, because often that helps push you forwards. If you have someone in your line-up who's been in a well-known band before, you want to use that name to get yourselves out into the scene more. Sleep Token aren't anybody, and that takes a lot of courage and humbleness to do. There's no predisposed idea of what their music is supposed to be or what it's going to be, and that's part of the magic.

It's something that also comes out in the lore, the symbolism, and the cryptic clues that Sleep Token scatter throughout everything they do. There are Reddit threads dissecting every single word in the songs and analysing each pixel within their visuals, but it's not something I've had the chance to fall into just yet.

When I first listened to 'This Place Will Become Your Tomb', I could only find one or two articles about Sleep Token online.

They were basic articles explaining the idea of the band and what they were trying to do, which I thought were cool, but I never really looked it up again.

Over the last year or so, it seems that these conversations have spiralled. People are coming up with these different ideas about the band's story, and there are all these hints appearing constantly. I don't know any of the Easter eggs yet. I'm still just fascinated by the music and their wicked aesthetics, but I love that they've got people talking. It's become this kind of community around the band, and as someone who grew up in this scene, seeing artists who are able to foster that feeling amongst fellow music fans is such an incredible thing.

I think that's one of the reasons why Sleep Token have been able to find success on such a wide level so quickly, because there's a constant conversation about them. If people aren't talking about their music, they're talking about the lore and the stories behind it, or they're talking about the potential identities of the band members. They have this perfect package in place that lends itself to a world class metal band, but they're achieving it at such an incredible speed.

They thought out every single element of this band before they even started, from how the melodies work with the vocals, to the emotion and the quality of the sound. A lot of people put out music that sounds like they're hitting a trash can, and whilst they might have really good singing over the top of it, you can't ignore that trash can. Sleep Token have got incredible production value though, which is even more impressive when you consider how versatile their sound is.

It's so well thought out that you hear new things in each song on every listen. If you listen to 'Take Me Back To Eden', the title track of their third album, there's an allusion to a particular part of 'Chokehold', and it's details like that which make their production so unique. They wanted to make sure that it came out perfect, and maybe - like all musicians I know - they think they could have made certain parts of it better in retrospect, but I honestly can't imagine how.

Between the versatility, the emotion that people feel when they listen to it, the heaviness, the quality, and the songwriting, Sleep Token don't cut any corners anywhere. That's why they're already playing these huge, career defining shows, and putting out music that's changing people's perception of heavy music as a whole. It's so exciting to be a Sleep Token fan, and I just want them to write even more mind-blowing music and play even bigger places because they truly deserve it.

The bigger the places that they play, the better they're going to sound live. They're already playing arenas over in the UK, and with the size of those venues I just know they're going to sound absolutely incredible. They're reaching heights much higher than most metal bands that I know, and the bigger they get, the better their production value is going to be all round.

'Take Me Back To Eden' only came out earlier this year, but I already can't wait to hear them put out more music. lf what we heard on album three is the direction that they're going in, I'm very optimistic to see what the future holds for Sleep Token. I imagine at one point, they're going to make it on the radio - and honestly it could happen sooner rather than later. I knew it when I first heard them, and I'm even more certain of it now - they're going to be huge.

#tumblr if you don't post this again after i've spent over two hours on this so help me istg #sleep token #sleep token worship #will ramos #lorna shore

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mrsquill · 9 months

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Self-care is staying up till 1am giggling and kicking my feet and reading my favourite sexy one-shot Joel Miller fics

Droppig my recs below because if people haven’t already read them… they’re missing the fuck OUT. (Also praying these authors add more to these stories because. Reasons.)

I Know It When I See It… I needed a personal time out after I read this. Then I went back and read it again. And again. And again. Joel Miller is a porn star in 1976 and reader is paired with him for her first scene. So, yeah. Why are you still reading this? YOU SHOULD BE READING THAT. It’s filthy, vintage, breathtaking and beyond the realms of anything I could cope with. Sensational writing. A++++ @bageldaddy, you knew what you were doing.

His Favourite Girl. Anyone who has a fantasy about Joel Miller being your guitar teacher, look no fucking further. Bea has you COVERED. Gorgeous, generous descriptions of Joel and the fingers that have us in a chokehold. We are reader, she is us. The whole thing is a sensational tease and I love Bea for it. I ate it up and I want MORE. Naughty, addictive and beautifully written. Nails were hit on the HEAD by my love @cupofjoel

(Re)union with Elvis. Now, this isn’t Joel. It’s Javi, my sweet beloved. (But I beg you check out Sam’s Joel content, your own fault if you don’t). This is going on here howeverrr because it’s one of my FAVOURITE one shot stories of all time. I am a sucker for Javi smut and this, paired with old school flames and getting drunk in Vegas? I knew I was gonna love it. AND I DID. Sam crafted this so stunningly from start to finish. Just so hot and full of heart and I’ll never forget it. @tieronecrush

This One Thing You Did.. Whew. Living out a fantasy of fucking Joel in a club bathroom in 2002?! I felt like this was written for me, as someone who loves that song so damn much lmao. This is so sexy and carefree and downright dirty. The kinda fic that makes you scream THAT SHOULD BE MEEEE. Reader in this fic is really that fucking girl and I love her. 10/10, as all of Cat’s works are. @joelscruff

#i love doing these sorry lmao #and I WONT BE STOPPED #I SHANT #self care sessions #joel miller fic #joel miller #joel miller smut #pedro pascal smut

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jeanboyjean · 2 months

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DOES HE KNOW? - ft takashi mitsuya. sfw.

he'll never know the way you lie when you look at me so keep trying but you know I see all the little things that make you who you are

an: short one loosely based on the song does he know by one direction!! do i make every one of my faves lovesick in every fic? yes. sue me. reader's a lil messy in this ngl.

cw: alcohol, possible allusion to cheating but nothing explicit eek

1.4k words

@milky-aeons @arlerts-angel 1d chokehold solidarity ✊ hehehe

Mitsuya saw you before you saw him.

The club was packed tonight, filled to the brim with bodies gyrating against each other as music pumped around them. It was so loud he could feel the ground shaking under his feet as the bass vibrated in his bones and rattled his teeth. Mitsuya shook his head - this was going to give him a migraine in no time. He couldn’t remember the last time he had gone clubbing, having long outgrown the scene in the years following his youth, but he had come out tonight because you had asked him to... and unfortunately he would do anything for you.

You had replied to his text earlier saying you were at the dance floor and Mitsuya craned his neck to look over the crowd in search of your face. When it parted slightly, he saw you there in the middle, dancing with one of your girlfriends. He watched as your body moved like liquid honey, your hips swaying in circles that hypnotised him. Entranced, he began walking toward you, weaving his way until he was standing right in front of you. Just as he was about to call your name, you spun around and your eyes locked with his.

“Takashi!” Your voice rang in his ears, floating toward him over the music. Your eyes shone and your face brightened with a thousand watt smile which triggered a warmth that spread throughout his body.

He grinned wide and spread his arms out in response. Drunken giggles bubbled out of you as you raced toward him and he caught you as you stumbled into his arms.

“Hey,” he laughed, hugging you tight in greeting. “Careful.”

He released you from his arms after a moment and held you out at arms length to get a good look at you. As he took you in, his breath caught in his lungs and a lump formed in his throat. You were stunning - as always - and it made his hands itch. With all of his being, he wished he could claim you as his muse. He yearned to dress you in the finest fabrics designed for you and you only, if only you would let him.

From the moment he had first seen you as a kid in primary school, he had been pulled to your side as if by an invisible magnetic force that had drawn him in and never let go. Years had passed and there had been moments when he thought he would lose you while he went about getting in fights and wreaking havoc. You were adults now though and here you still were by his side. It felt right and yet it didn’t... because you were by his side, yes, but not in the way he wanted. The two of you were inseparable, twin flames you could say, but it wasn’t enough. No, it couldn’t be enough because he wanted you, badly, and he needed to have you in a way that surpassed any friendship.

For years, he had waited for the right moment to tell you. He had watched as you cried over stupid boys that didn’t deserve you, as you flitted around falling into random strangers and just easily fell out of them, knowing that there was a void in you that only he could fill. Why couldn’t you see what was right in front of you?

Mitsuya was nearing his breaking point. How much longer would he have to watch you be with someone else, when he knew he was exactly what you needed. Just last week, you had texted him all giddy and excited over your most recent fling. Well... your boyfriend he guessed he should say now, but his brain refused to acknowledge it. The picture of you with another man sickened him to the bone.

He’s so nice! Your messages had read. He knows me so well :) I was late to our coffee date today and he had already ordered because he remembered what I usually drink. We’re officially in a relationship now!!

Mitsuya had scoffed when he had read your words. He couldn’t understand what you were so thrilled about - anyone could remember somebody’s coffee order. This was the bare minimum, something not even worth gushing over. Not when he knew everything about you. Surface level things like your favourite colour, your favourite songs, your favourite bands. Other things as well, your secret tattoo, the way you changed moods and the songs that you sang when you were all alone. Did that guy know as well? Whatever. Even if he did, it still wouldn’t be enough.

Regardless Mitsuya had wanted to seem supportive, so he had texted back a nice! i’m glad you’re happy. And it was true. He was willing to wait. At the end of the day, he would stand to the side no matter what, if it meant you would still look at him the way you were now.

“You came!” You exclaimed happily, gazing up at him through your lashes. Your face was lit with the glow of one to many drinks and flushed from the exertion of dancing. Your hands wrapped around his arms as you held onto him in barely contained excitement.

“Of course I did,” he replied, grinning down at you. “Someone’s gotta keep you in line. Looks like you’ve already been having fun without me.”

You nodded enthusiastically in complete agreement. You grabbed his wrist and pulled hard in the direction of the dance floor. “Soooo much fun. Come on, let’s dance!”

He laughed, shaking his head. He let you lead him to a free spot and didn’t stop you when you wrapped your arms around his neck and rocked to the music. His hands found their way to your waist and he held you there, his body burning with a fever as he contained himself from roaming further. He dipped his head down so you could hear him speak in your ear.

“Where’s that guy?”

“Which guy?”

He sighed, rolling his eyes. “You know. That guy. Your boy… friend.” He tried not to let his voice catch on the last word but he stumbled slightly, a horrible taste lingering on his tongue. “Does he know you’re out?” Does he know I want you so bad?

“Oh!” Your lips tilted in a small smile as your eyes flitted away for a moment. “He said he couldn’t make it tonight, said he was busy. It’s just you and me today.”

Your words were music to his ears. He would take what he could get.

His hands tightened around your waist, his heart racing in his chest. A new song came on and you yelped in excitement, twisting around in his grasp so that your back was pressing against his chest. Your arms stayed raised to interlock behind his neck as you started grinding up against him. Blood rushed to his cheeks as he watched you move. His eyes fixated on the fluid movement of your body, and they almost rolled to the back of his head when he felt your ass brush against his hips. By reflex, his dick stirred in his pants and he had to move back to give himself some room to breathe.

You turned to look over your shoulder at him and a cheeky smile played on your lips. Surely you knew what you were doing to him. Fuck, if you didn’t stop he was going to do things he wouldn’t be able to take back. There was a fire raging so hot within him and he was so close to burning everything down with him, boyfriend be damned.

“You sure he would be fine with us dancing like this?” Mitsuya asked, his lips grazing your ear. With how close you were standing in front of him, he could feel the shiver run down your body, your back arching ever so slightly.

“He knows we’re just friends,” was all you said in response, before you turned your head away with mirth in your eyes.

“Just friends, huh?”

Something about the words you had both said countless times over the years bit at him and the final remaining grasp on his self control withered away. His hands slid down to your swaying hips and he pulled you in closer to his body. Your lips parted as you took in a sharp intake of breath and your eyes fluttered wide in surprise as he rocked his hips flush against you. If you didn't know his feelings already, you would know now with the way his hardening cock pressed against your ass.

Tonight, you would be his… and he was going to make sure that you never went back to anybody else.

🫢🤭

#tokyo rev x reader #tokyo revengers x reader #mitsuya x reader #mitsuya takashi #mitsuya takashi x reader #✎ . chlo wrote smth

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regulusrules · 1 year

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Ranking the best 10 Merlin episodes + a fic rec based on each one:

(absolutely not based on how gay they were) ((no order for the eps; they're all chef's kiss)) (((last two fics have a hold on me that levels the show itself; worth scrolling for)))

1. The Poisoned Chalice

Look. There is something just absolutely entrancing about introducing this episode in the first five of the entire show. Like, this hands-on was the sole reason everyone fell for those two idiots. It beautifully captured how the saving each other thing is reciprocal, because the first three episodes you just have to watch Merlin run around saving Arthur, never the reverse. Producing it early on in the show was the decision that, in my opinion, held everyone in their chokehold for eternity.

Fic rec: you are my favorite mistake (it can only be fate) by @multifandom-jess.

2. The Death Song of Uther Pendragon

I could go on and on for how this episode singlehandedly carried s5 on its shoulder. Like, okay I unfortunately love s5 with all my fucking heart, but this episode was perfect. Ghosts? Check. Banter? Check. POETRY?? Check check. A slap to Uther's face? Oh how beautifully checked.

It's so easy to recall how Arthur truly loved his father, but in this episode, the turmoil you see in his eyes from the actions of his father and how he resorts to saving the ones he loves (Merlin) over his father, is just too beautiful to be overlooked. Ever since Arthur became king, we see him struggle from his father's legacy. But in this episode, he begins to detach both consciously and subconsciously from him. Whether it's in his decision to save the old sorceress in the beginning, or to shun Uther's ghost, both the literal and the figurative, from his life any longer. This was one of the episodes that captured the true essence of King Arthur.

+1: the innuendos of this episode were 🤌. They knew what they were doing, you can't convince me otherwise. (are you threatening me with a spoon? / I'm teaching him some poetry.. he can't get enough of it! / what was that? h-horseplay. why don't I show you?)

Fic rec: My heart is readily yours by @regulusrules. (absolutely love how after all this introspection, i decided to throw it all away and made uther stab merlin in the fucking heart instead. but still it was my honourable attempt to shit on the finale and give them the happy ending everyone deserved).

3. The Sword in the Stone pt. 2

OKAY. This episode! Aside from how badass Merlin was in both pt.1&2, but here, especially in the part where us audience were impatiently waiting for the revival of the sword in the stone, there could've been nothing more perfect. Just like their adaptation of the round table scene, this was perfect in its own way for how different it was. They didn't make it so that people will finally find a king; they made it so that the people believe in their king. And more than that, for Arthur to believe in himself. With the estrangement and losing his crown, the writers gave him the best way to re-establish his inner glory. And Merlin being this guide; what more perfect culmination to their relationship?

You have to believe, Arthur.

Iconic.

Fic rec: Couldn't choose between Only Friend by @captain-ozone, and Fathom Me Out by @supercalvin. Brilliance ahead in both of them, I tell you.

4. The Eye of the Phoenix

Magic. Gwaine. Quests. Need I say more to explain that this was the show's holy trinity?

Fic rec: From Past to Present by flowersheep. (Prince Merlin. Archer Merlin. Perfection my friends).

5. A Servant of Two Masters

Look look; if there's an honourary wall of opinions for all the people who've watched Merlin, I DARE you to find just one who disliked this episode. Like, the series was so full of BS sometimes, but this episode was above all. The level of brilliance in this episode; showing Dark!Merlin, who's at the same time hilariously funny, and seeing him BAMF his way with Morgana, even when he's chained and tortured.. oh dear holy Lord. His "do me a favour, could you? let Arthur know." was able to steal all breath from my lungs the first time I saw it (and until now).

And don't get me started on the Protective!Arthur we got. Caring for Merlin, screaming for him when the rocks fell between them, silencing Agravaine immediately when he told him he's sorry for losing such a loyal servant because bullshit if he doesn't reign down hell before he loses Merlin. And ofc, Courage and Strength on their way to find Magic, which just filled my heart with an 'aaahhh!' moment, because we didn't get enough Gwaine-Arthur-Merlin shenanigans. And at last, the Hug™. Fucking screamed let me tell you.

It is an episode that truly showed everything; from comic elements to fluff and angst and everything. The only thing it lacked was, as always, giving Arthur the space to know. Because ffs what would they have lost if they made Arthur understand that Merlin's under Morgana's control? It wouldn't have exposed shit. It would've just been a plus to us to see Arthur caring for Merlin even more. They tried so hard that it completely backfired sometimes.

Fic rec: Still I Surface in Morning Light by @queerofthedagger. (I swear to you, anything written by this author, I readily throw whatever in hand to read it).

6. The Dragon's Call

Let thy gif caption speak.

No but really, that first episode was the stuff of legends. I could list down tens of tropes they did in just that episode alone. Honestly, no "family" show I've ever seen had started this powerfully. Just the music alone, the beauty of beginnings, not the CGI, was truly so gripping. Also bonus points for just Colin Morgan's sass abilities. None can compare.

Fic rec: This Time Around... series (incomplete) by Oneiric (lkdaswani). (this is a time travel AU, but the way the writer rewrote this episode was one of the best deviations I've read for an episode I already find near faultless).

7. The Sins of the Father

I might be subjecting myself to true wrath with my upcoming statement, but here we go:

S2 sucked.

From the beginning of the season, Arthur's shift in characterization from the honourable lovable prat of s1 to a letting Merlin act as a horse stool got me going wtf? It was like they deliberately ruined everything in their relationship and started out fresh just to force the Arthurian narrative of Arwen. And it's fine by me, truly, even if I'll never ship them, but they could've developed Arthur's character SO MUCH in that season beyond comic relief and romantic rendezvous.

Anyway so that I don't stray so much from the topic; this episode was, by fair comparison, the best in the entire season. By now it's pretty obvious that I gravitate towards all the episodes that give Arthur a semblance of agency. Him going against Uther and his maniac murderous agenda was the start of actually seeing King Arthur in front of us. Also, him listening to Merlin when he was on the verge of committing patricide was one of the things that gave me hope in how there's still hope in them. Even if they ruined it with making Merlin lie to Arthur, but the writers practically ruined every good episode with this.

+1: Morgause's intro was badass.

Fic rec: The Sins of the Father (and how to right them) by @cupcakezys. (what we deserved. to see arthur with agency, with an ability to decide for his future without being lied and deceived to).

8. Diamond of the Fucking Day

No matter how much I hate this episode, I can't, in good conscience, deny its hold on my heart. As I wrote before, there could've been no better magic reveal than this. And for all of my bitterness over their decision to kill Arthur, I sanely admit how it was a decision that insured the immortality of this fandom. It's been ten years since that episode aired, and I bet my ass off that it will still feel the same even after countless more decades.

Fic rec: literally the entirety of the fandom's fix-it fics. We all started from there, didn't we? Choosing only one would be so undervaluing to all the brilliance I've seen. However, my tags filter for it usually include: fix-it, angst with a happy ending, court sorcerer merlin, shitting on bbc writers 101, canon era, not canon compliant, everybody lives especially king arthur you mfs.

9. The Wicked Day

Throw me from the highest tower there is because every time I remember this scene, I just want to fade into the light. The sheer level of love and understanding shimmering between those two. Sometimes I marvel at the choice of bringing Colin and Bradley together, because no two could have achieved such chemistry, platonic or not, as those two did. This whole episode of showing Arthur's grief, and Merlin's desperation to heal it, was truly unforgettable. I try not to linger on its ending, Arthur denouncing magic for the millionth of time, but other than that it was a gem served to us on a silver platter.

Also seeing Uther finally die was a plus.

Fic rec: As much as I'd love to recommend my own fic for this, but honestly, whenever I get the chance, I will always take it to scream and wail about one of my absolute favourite fics of all time, which really isn't given ANY of the goddamn credit or attention or kudos it deserves. Beauty in the Ashes of Our Lives by Fulgance. I swear to you, you will never read something as beautifully heartbreaking as this. This fic resides in my mind rent-free. Basically any work by Fulgance is amazing, but this fic— oh God, my heart cannot take it sometimes.

10. Arthur's Bane pt. 1

Fuck, that episode was a masterpiece. You know, if it was all in my hands, I would've magic revealed at this particular episode. It was just.. the perfect opportunity. King Arthur in his glory, beginning of the season, enough time for Arthur to fully understand the depth of what Merlin did for him. Also, the range Arthur was given starting from here; God it's what we deserved. I always blame the writers for being inconsistent with his characterization (s2 and all), but they beautifully crafted it in the end, and it was their perfect chance to even explore the whole extent if only they made the magic reveal earlier.

Fic rec: Our broken pieces by @aramblingjay. Okay so this fic rec isn't necessarily linked at all to the episode, but I can't, in good conscience, recommend fics and not include it. Technically context wise it fits s5, for in it you see Arthur in his grandeur as king. This shall be my only exception because it's the only fic that was able to make me cry. Truly, I never shed tears, but in this, my heart stuttered. The fact that it is so unnoticed makes my blood boil because of how much praise it deserves. I can never recommend it enough.

To conclude, BBC Merlin has a powerful hold on everyone because of the fact that they knew how to eternalise it. It is significantly unique in its interpretation of legendary figures. I think I watched nearly all adaptations of King Arthur throughout the years, but even with how great some really are, to me none compare with this sword-swishing, banter-driven, CGI-messing, emotionally-killing 2008 show.

Honorary mentions:

[Short fic recs]

[Long fic recs]

#merlin #welcome to a long ass critical appreciation for my favourite show in the world #with fic recs because writers deserve longlasting fame too #arthur pendragon #bbc merlin #merlin bbc #ao3 #merthur #merlin x arthur #king arthur #merlin fic #did I say that I love these fics so much already?#merlin fic writers are a godsend #regulusrules metas #regulusrules recs

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channoticedmeuwu · 10 months

Text

IMAGINING. . . SOOBIN W TATTOOS !!

p — CHOI SOOBIN × FEM!READER | g — suggestive asfff, slight fluff, s2l!au kinda, | w — sexual tension type like a lot, pool scene, mentions of reader wearing revealing clothing (again it's literally a pool scene), mention of cigs somewhere + not really proofread

A/N — based on a thirst trap I saw on ig you have me on chokehold for the rest of the month <3 idc if the concept doesn't fit I needed it.

🖇️ READ PART TWO HERE !!

PARTIALLY INSPIRED BY ARIANA GRANDE'S “BREAK UP W/ YOUR GIRLFRIEND” MV & SONG

you've been friends with soobin for quite some time now— you kicked it off at a cafe when your friend wanted to meet up after coming back to town. she had a few other friends there with her, choi soobin being one of them. “dude, you have to meet soobin,” you recalled your friend telling you, that you he was this fun guy with a great fashion sense, and you'd just brushed her aside, not paying too much attention.

but now, you kind of wished you did. soobin wasn't anything like you imagined. you probably pictured an average looking guy with a personality that reached depths, maybe wore a few fashionable pieces here and there. but you didn't expect him to have wear the simplest outfits, and yet look like— well, the way he did.

you eyed him in a white t shirt covering all of his arms, the thin material subtilty revealing dark outlines on his skin, a delicate pendant around his neck and fluffy hair brushed aside to make room for his glasses. and when he smiled at a joke your friend made...shit. he was kind of cute.

and soobin made his efforts to talk to you, but you couldn't help but focus on his body language— his fingers gripping his forearm, his jacket riding down to show a few tattoos on his shoulder— and you'd mask a smile at him when you'd hear him repeat a question he asked you earlier, trying not to focus on the way his hand rested on his thigh.

and you'd see soobin when your friends hung out often— usually sitting in one of the corners of the table where you could observe everyone talk, and then driving people home in his car. but, despite his appearance, soobin was a sweet fucking guy. always offering you a napkin at dinner or lending you his jacket on a particularly windy night.

and everytime he stretched while he silently watched everyone talk at the table, you noticed there was something scribbled on his soft skin underneath his full sleeve shirt. and he'd catch you staring sometimes, his bangs falling over his eyes as he bent over to tap you on your knee, asking with a small smile if you're lost in thought.

so maybe, soobin had been growing on you. just a bit.

and the night you left a party after arguing with your ex about how you don't want to “try again,” some back and forth between bittersweet, blaring music & heated expressions flashing through shifting lights— your relationship had come to an end as abruptly as it had started, and you intended to keep it that way. refusing with a harsh pull, you rubbed your bare arms as you walked away, sliding between sweaty bodies in the tight room.

and you remember taking a seat outside, trying to wrap yourself in a shawl as cold wind nipped at your bare legs, muttering curses to your ex. the uncomfortably irritating sound of a couple making out in the corner was making your headache worse, as blaring music from inside muffled with the blowing wind.

you glanced down at your phone, knowing it'll offer you better entertainment than whatever was inside, when you saw a couple of texts from soobin a few hours ago.

SOOBIN

[11:12 pm] hey, y/n, how's the party?

how was the party? you scoffed to yourself, cigarette smoke wafting around in the air as you twiddled your thumbs hovering above the keyboard, trying to think of a response— when you reached over and pressed the call button, not really expecting him to pick up. “hey, soobin. I know it's super late, but can you pick me up?”

and soobin's response was a bit delayed, as if he was shocked you called, but he replied with something that sounded in-between a ‘sure’ and a hum, his voice hoarse. “oh, soobin. did I wake you up?”

“no, no. I was wide awake,” then you heard him yawn. your cheeks flushed as you tapped your foot to the ground, “sorry about that, soobin.”

he ignored your apology, mumbling at you to send him your location with another yawn. maybe you should have thought twice before calling him at nearly 4 in the night. but you didn't know that soobin was secretly over the moon at you calling him, he was just too sleepy to show it— every second he got, he had always picked to be your side. slowing down his pace to walk beside you, or discreetly allowing his fingers to brush against yours whenever he got a chance to, had his heart beating like crazy. you had his heart beating like crazy.

and when you finally sat in the passenger seat of soobin's car after a few more calls he made confirming your location— fuck.

you knew there was something suspicious about soobin always wearing a full sleeve shirt even in the hottest weather possible, but last thing you expected was him having an arm full of tattoos resting on the wheel, the other out the window. his designs slowly circled and disappeared behind the strap of his black tank top. and when your eyes trailed below towards his sleeping shorts, accidentally catching them riding up as he bent over to lower the aircon—

you snapped your eyes forward, feeling a blush settle on your cheeks. your fingers clutching the end of your shawl tightened.

and little did you know, soobin did it on purpose. he'd seen the way you looked at him, your eyes slyly (or not) slipping down to gaze at his arm flex when he scratched the back of his neck or readjusted his hair, a guilty, dark shift to your eyes when you'd notice his fingers on his thighs. and was it that bad to admit he liked it when he saw the expression on your face lightly change when you noticed a tattoo peeking out? you'd slowly press your legs together, a hand moving to hide your face as you'd look the other direction, trying to focus at the conversation everyone else was involved in. but he'd see you slowly default back to him, and everytime, he'd feel a tingle in his stomach when you'd lick your lips, and excuse yourself to go to the bathroom.

“how are you? how was the party?” he gave you a sleepy smile in the car, his eyes glazing over you. you looked towards him, pressing your lips together at the way his hair fluffed up, his hand rubbing his thigh as he leaned his head back to the headrest, revealing the shape of his jaw—“good. met my ex. not doing that again,” you nodded, earning a small chuckle from him.

and throughout the drive, you felt yourself slipping into sleep, accidentally focusing on your reflection in the windshield instead of the traffic. your eyelids closing, the soft bass of a summer song playing in the background, the fresh car scent wafting around you— before the car would jerk, shooting you awake. “sorry,” soobin would mumble, throwing you an apologetic look before he'd suggest you lay your seat back, allowing you to sleep in a more comfortable position. and you remember refusing, curling into a ball to sleep instead.

and occasionally, a speeding car would pass by an intersection, and soobin would lean his arm out to stop you from falling forward as the car came to a sudden stop, a serious expression on his face as he asked you, “you okay?” and the two of you would trail your eyes down to his hand on your bare thigh, hearts skipping beats. and he'd snap his hand back, apologizing and trying to clear his intentions, when you'd just giggle him an, “its okay!” thanking him for looking out for you. and the drive would start again, and he'd yawn after hearing you yawn yet again, eyelashes bearing sleepy tears.

and right before he dropped you off at your place, he turned his body to face you, scratching the back of his neck. he was telling you something about not hesitating to call him, but did he really think you'd pay attention? your eyes watched the way his detailed arms flexed when he ran his hand through his hair, his fingers tugging at the material of his shorts. your eyes watched the stars sprinkled across his collarbones attentively, wishing you could see the designs that hid behind his clothes.

and when soobin held a small ‘get together’ as he called it— was really a party— you thought you'd really never lived. you weren't planning on going, but after being urged by everyone in your circle, there you were, wearing swimming clothes underneath your dress and holding hands with your friend as you walked into the venue.

and eyeing soobin in the crowd, soft giggles and hushed whispers as the bass snuck up your legs— and you felt your stomach tighten when he glanced over towards you, a hand gesturing to come closer.

and dipping your feet as you watched everyone urge soobin to jump in the pool— him shyly refusing with a shake of his hand as he backed away, trying not to glance at you, sitting sweetly as your legs tread in the water. and he didn't notice someone sneak behind him, pushing him in, earning cheers from everyone around. and when he came up to the surface— beads of water dripping down as he pushed his hair back with a scowl and furrowed eyebrows, his dimples suddenly popping out. and he noticed you giggling as he pulled his top off, your eyes glazing over the chain that hung in the dents of his shoulders and collarbones, and he broke out into a smile, slowly walking towards you. “come on, y/n, jump in.”

you refused without actually meaning to, but then, everyone started a chant lead by soobin— and the last thing you remember before your ears crashed against the surface of the water was soobin's chin coming to rest on your knees, tilting his head with a smirk as he snaked his hands around your thighs to pull you in.

and everyone followed suit, splashes of water against your cheeks as soobin held your arms, laughing as the waves hit your face.

and everything happened so fast, his arms clinging to you when someone splashed water on you, or him wiping the water out of his face with a soft gasp. his hand on your waist, your leg slowly wrapping around his waist as he pushed you into a corner when everyone left to grab towels— bending lower, almost underneath the water when you felt his breath hit the cold skin of your lips, a soft, “can I?” as he pulled your hair to the side, his lips against your own, pushing you against the cold walls of the pool.

the sensation of the ripples of water against your hips was sending you over the edge whenever he adjusted your legs around him, softly smiling when he'd hear you mumble something in between, feeling your hands around him. and it was almost horrifying the way you could hear him kiss you, despite the music in the back, despite the water rippling around the two of you.

and you remember you snuck your fingers to pull lightly at his hair, the other hand finding it's way to tug the pendant around his neck when he pulled away— hooded eyes and cute puffy lips, his cheeks pink as he whispered, dragging your hand down his tattooed chest.

“if you keep doing that, we'll have a little problem.”

txt — masterlist

main taglist (hmu to get added!) — @koishua @navyhyuck @allegxdly @daystiny @kdyism @neotism @bluejaem @radiorenjun @sleepylixie @oifelixcmerebrou @mrkcore @imdamnconfused @sicluvz @abhirami20 @tyongishs @emvrd @brxght-world @1921choi @bangchansbae

I’d appreciate if you’d give me a little feedback on the drabble if you read, whether it’s an ask, a reply or in the tags of the rb! Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed!

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captain-lessship · 10 months

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Gorillaz With A Motherly SO (And Random Songs That Make Me Think Of Them)

Noodle-

She is a sort of care taker herself so when she met you, she felt understood.

You two spend so much time together that falling in love was bound to happen.

Old Married couple energy but Cool Old Married Couple

Loves your cooking and will not be shy about letting you know.

You and her are always clung to each other.

LOVES when you do her hair.

She loves you so much and feels like she’ll always be taken care of and in turn, will take care of you. Even when you are a actual old couple.

Russel-

Kind of man to take knitting lessons with you. (He did)

Loves being doted on and doting on you.

Dream couple.

He is the cook and you’re the cleaner.

The only time Russel sings is when it’s in the kitchen with you while you’re doing dishes and he’s finishing dinner

You kiss his cheek as a sort of thank you.

Ace (I struggled here)-

Is surprised when you and him started dating.

Legit was that “I don’t know, I never thought I’d get this far.” Plankton meme (Heheh cause he’s green too, get it?)

You take care of him after he runs from his vandalism scenes, scraped knees, scratches on his arms and such.

Will sometimes take you for granted but the second you leave, he starts calling for you. (Poor boy)

2D-

Thinks he is the luckiest man on earth (and he is. Know your worth)

You make him a peppermint tea before he wakes up.

You just sit beside him and fiddle with his hair til he wakes up

He is pretty much your shadow. Always directly behind or beside you.

Is your number one helper.

Pretty much your husband (on all levels except legal)

Writes you little love songs and will melt if you sing them with him

You’re his muse and he’s your artist.

Murdoc-

Was avoidant about your disposition at the start but he warmed up to you after a many quiet car rides from when you came to pick his drunk self up.

He makes your coffee because he is not a morning person but by the time he gets done clanging around the Winnebagos kitchenette, you’re up.

You and him take the romance movie cliche tub bath while drinking wine. (He was down to bump uglies but he got distracted making bubble beards with you. His was the best, he doesn’t care what you say)

Will immediately think he’s fucked up if you use his actual name

You and him have the same vibe as that retiree couple on vacay

Despite your differences, you and him are the best match for each other.

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differenteagletragedy · 5 months

Note

would you be ever so kind as to spare some OL2 headcanons or crumbs 🤲🤲

If you don’t wanna write for OL2 then OLBA is just as amazing!!!!!!

Hi! I will eventually write for OL2 I'm sure, but I haven't gotten through the demo yet! Right now I'm at the beginning of the first day of school -- I keep getting pulled back into the first one because it has such a chokehold on me lol.

But I was writing these for OLBA so I'll put them here! Thank you!!!

-- Do you like trashy reality shows? Good for you. Cove's not really into it, but he'll watch with you if you want him to. Derek can definitely have some fun with it. But Baxter turns into a monster.

MC answering their phone: Hey, what's up?

Baxter: DID YOU SEE, *this person* from *this show* got arrested.

MC: Aren't you supposed to be working?

Baxter: I saved the mug shot to my photos, I am sending it to you via text right now.

(Client in the background complaining)

Baxter: I do have to get off the phone now, but if you hear anything else call the office and tell them it's an emergency, they'll put you through to me.

-- If you go the Derek romance route, I think you make out once in high school. Because hormones, you've crushed on each other for years, and like it just happens. And then after he's very unwell, he keeps apologizing, and either your really shy and nervous about it or like "no it's ok, that was nice," but either way he's like "HAVE TO GO, TTYL." He doesn't talk to you for a little bit but then feels bad.

MC: Derek, I like you in a romantic way. I want you to be my boyfriend. I liked kissing you and I want to kiss you again.

Derek: Haha that was crazy, so how's school going?

-- Derek is good with cars. Big muscles make car go vroom.

Like there would have been a time when you got a flat tire and you either didn't know how to change it or blanked on what Cliff told you (Cliff taught you how to change a tire, no questions) and called him like "help" and he dropped everything and drove to wherever you were to change it for you.

-- He's also good with mechanical fixes, and just with his hands in general. Is your sink messed up? Call Derek. Some issue with your stove? Call Derek. Creaky door? You already know. (You have to do stuff for him too though, that's the rules).

-- Back to Cliff though, you know those videos of men like "I'm going to teach you some dad stuff" for people who grew up without dads? That's Cliff. Obviously your moms are amazing, but Daddy Cliff is going to step in too sometimes.

-- Cliff teaching MC how to tie a tie, just imagine.

-- Baxter goes home alone after Miranda's birthday party/the second party for him and finishes off that bottle of champagne because he knows that summer's almost over and he's going to do A Bad Thing and he hates himself.

-- Honestly it hurt my feelings so much at the end of Step 3 lol, like I was genuinely taken aback by his goodbye scene. Asking MC why they'd keep talking when he couldn't give them rides anymore like that's all they were interested in, the audacity.

-- Cove has the whole game, he's gonna be ok, we're talking about other people this time.

-- In adulthood, MC looks back at that time they learned their birth parents died when they were a baby, had a quick breakdown then went back home and did a musical performance for their family as one of the cringiest moments of their life (I'm not using second person this time because I don't want to sound judgey but LOL come on). They'll tell Derek about it later on when they're together and he'll be like "aww, that sounds sweet," and Baxter will be nice about it too, but he'll also have some comments to make.

Baxter: Darling, my plant at the office seems to be dying, could you perhaps do a song and dance number to ease my pain?

MC: Shut uuuuuup.

-- Last week gb patch made a post on Patreon with a new sketch for OLNF with wedding planner Baxter, so like the oldest Baxter we'll see in cannon, and he was wearing a cream turtleneck, a purple overcoat, and what looked to me to be a peach colored gingham suit. So by the time he gets to be like 40, his fashion sense is going to be off the rails. He's going to call you and be like "I just went shopping, I hope you like my new look," and come home like:

#our life beginnings and always #olba #our life #baxter ward #cove holden #derek suarez #our life headcannons #our life cove #our life baxter #our life derek #cliff holden #olba baxter #olba cove #olba derek

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pompompuriina · 2 months

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Who are your top 5 (or top 3) favorite characters each from Jujutsu Kaisen and Fairy Tail? And why you loved them? And your top 5 favorite moments each from both series? Thx :D

yippeee thank you for the askkk :3 here's my top 5 from jjk:

1. okkotsu yuta, fell in love tbh like i was reading the manga and watching season one in 2020 so when yuta was revealed in s1 (v briefly) i got interested and picked the manga up and ooh la la 😻😻 15 year old me was so captivated by this guy like wdym he's super strong, handsome and also an absolute gentleman??? he's literally my bf please 😕💔 i have a type and i'm not ashamed (dudes that are nervous and shy and look like absolute losers but could actually wreck your shit yes sir)

2. nanami kento; bro IS HIM HE GETS ALL THE BITCHES 😤😤 he's lit a gentleman, makes good money, strong AND he's got great looks???? mans cured my daddy issues INSTANTLY, and in season two??? i was going absolutely FERAL oh nooo season two nanami save me season two nanamiiiii

3. geto suguru, are you noticing a pattern here have you seem this guy, like bro was still him even after he defected wdymmm his high school persona is what got me tho 🤭 i can see why he was more popular than gojo, i like adult geto just as much thou because oh my ghee i need that hair routine

4. zen'in mai AND maki, listen bro, i fucking LOVE LOVE LOVEEEE THE SISTERS. idc. i'll stay defending mai, y'all just don't get her like i do y'all domt get her like iiii doooooo 😫😫 i may be a little more biased towards mai because liek i relate to her sm on a different level but hey, sisters. love those two. lit me.

5. mahoraga. i will not elaborate. all ima say rn is: hear me out.

for fairy tail here's my top five and why i love them sm :3

1. erza scarlet, queen is SLAYING. girl's power is literally to serve absolute cunt while beating the living shit out of you??? what's NOT to love about erza? she rightfully has the title as the fairy queen 🤭

2. lucy heartfilia, tbh she's up there because i wanted to spite the immature little boys in the fandom that hated lucy because she was "weak" (bffr my queen is NOT weak) but i actually grew to like her character a lot because lucy has shown herself to have amazing character development, like you go girl

3. jellal/mystogan, listen man i'm an absolute sucker for this guy, he has me on a chokehold 😞 "it was the color of your hair" sir please, sir PLEASEEEE NOTICE ME I HAVE RED HAIR (my hair is pink) (that's it, that's the reason he's so handsome)

4. zeref. ZEREF IS SO UNDErLOVED. when i said i liked guys who looked absolutely pathetic and look like losers i was NOT joking 💀 bro looks like he listens to pierce the veil or panic at the disco (their old music) and vent to the sadder songs but would absolutely fucking destroy you in one touch 😭

5. ok this is controversial...but acnologia. listen. listen. his human form?? just like mahoraga. hear me out. i will not elaborate.

i don't really have a top five moments from either show, unfortunately :( both are equally amazing to me and there's just too many scenes to pick from, i'd be writing an essay 😭 if i had to choose from one thou, from fairy tail is when natsu sees erza crying and absolutely loses it and jjk is actually in the intro of the first season, where itadori is recording everyone it's just so sweet :( the calm before the storm

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cyjammy · 4 months

Text

I’m Doing It, I’m Talking About Them:

No, this isn’t a comparison about delivery or the voices. I respect both of the VAs and Viv’s choice. I’m not a song analyst nor do I claim to know anything about music, I just love writing and want to share my thoughts.

First off, both songs have me in a chokehold. When Addict came out a few years ago I was there for the premiere, in a period where it was all I would listen to on repeat for weeks, watching how beautiful the animation was and just being excited for the release of Hazbin in general.

Since the sudden release of Poison, I have been listening to it on repeat. After a year of not listening to Addict, I’ve been listening to that as well and comparing them.

Both unique in their own right, they do share similar themes since they surround Angel Dust’s life as a prostitute with an over controlling boss.

Since it was a fan song (praise Silva Hound, I love all his music), Addict was primarily focused on the hotel. There wasn’t much known about the series outside of the pilot and the occasional Huni-cast or livestream Q & A on Viv’s channel.

And it was impressive that so much could be portrayed with limited knowledge about Angel.

The repetitiveness of living the same life day by day, the pressure of perfection when it came to performing, knowing that one mistake could render him obsolete and forfeit his “life.”

Angel Dust is strong despite having all these vices. He keeps moving forward even when he is bed ridden from his trauma.

How Valentino treats him is horrendous period. He’s most likely under contract and doesn’t have a choice, but he tries his best to show it doesn’t bother him and puts up a strong front.

When Vivzie put her spin on the song with those fantastic visuals and her own image of Angel Dust (props to the animators, they KILLED it), it took the song to new heights. We were given so much more context into what the tone of Hazbin would be.

And it was all through the lens of this upbeat pop song with all these effects and explosions until the slower moments with Angel Dust breaking down with only Cherri to support him. And the reprise of the chorus was even more emotional.

My mind was blown! The pilot took a much more lighthearted approach to introduce the characters and put the idea out there.

Addict is the point where Angel Dust acknowledges his flaws and hopes he can have a place to be safe from the hellish life he is living in the Hotel.

Through Poison, we’re getting an in depth look into Angel Dust’s feelings and experiences as a product of the industry. It’s focused more on his feelings as a pornstar under an oppressive thumb.

He knows he’s in a situation he can’t escape and numbs himself with drugs to keep himself afloat.

He has regrets in Poison and puts a focus on Valentino leading him to this life, but he acknowledges that he definitely played the largest part in it.

The decision to make a deal with a demon.

He wanted the attention and the party life, but he definitely didn’t sign up to be SA’ed.

And battered, manipulated, beaten and broken.

Nobody would.

There is also a focus on how he is keeping up a lie to hide from the pain, becoming what he hated most

Angel lies just as much as Valentino.

Angel knows if he keeps obeying Valentino and ignoring his pain, he’ll die again, possibly a much more painful death than in life. But it’s all he knows as of now since it has kept him alive for so long.

And it may keep him alive or that luck might run out. There are no guarantees with someone as malevolent and despicable as Valentino.

He struggles to go on, and it takes a much more different approach than Addict, which ended on a hopeful note, but in Poison…

I feel like the animation is definitely going to go farther than the few suggestive scenes in Addict.

It just makes me think Angel will not last until the end of the series.

Angel Dust is definitely going to be way more complex than most of the cast. He keeps up appearances when in large groups, but when he’s alone or thinks nobody is watching (Husk pointing out his “drinking to forget” in the trailer) he’ll definitely show his true self.

All these defenses and walls were put in place to keep him alive, so much so it’s a habit. Hopefully he may try to become better and free himself from Valentino.

Or he’ll keep working as a pornstar for eternity.

Whichever direction the story goes will definitely be entertaining.

To conclude my long ass babbling and screaming into the void, I’m excited for Hazbin Hotel and can’t wait to see what direction Vivzie takes in terms of storytelling for her wonderful show. I’m so ready for the 19th!

#hazbin hotel #vivziepop #angel dust #poison #Addict #ramblings #gushing #love this show #so fucking much #sa mention #I don’t go into detail

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