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#wish i could start a longer fantasy series that could get me that invested again
halsiin · 3 years
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i kinda miss the days when i was a sj/m stan. like i was so invested in t/og, i dont think ive ever been as invested in a series since (tho witchlands and grishaverse came close i think) and idk i was so happy reading them😭😭 a shame she is a shitty writer
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redisriding · 3 years
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I finished ACOSF last night, and I absolutely loved it. It didn’t go in the direction that I thought it was going to go in, not that I really had a strong idea as to where the story was going to go, and honestly, I was just happy to read anything about Nesta and Cassian.
I do however have some thoughts:
Spoilers below…
- I think the book could have done with a better edit. A long time was spent at the House of Wind, and maybe this slow progression towards the climatic 100 pages or so is to reflect Nesta’s own slow struggles with dealing with her mental health, but compared to ACOWAR which covered SO MUCH ground, this was a little slow for me.
- Related to this, I think there were some scenes that SJM put in just because she wanted Nesta and Cassian in those situations rather than things happening to be integral to the plot.
- Actually, I found the plot a little lacking, both in the fantasy side and the romance. Again, some of the scenes just seemed loose strung together than driving the story in any real direction.
- That said, I think this book did a lot of leg work for the set up in the next books, so WATCH THIS SPACE.
- In respect of Nesta obtaining the Mask, Harp and Crown, I thought those scenes moved a little quickly, I would have loved to have had some more drama/suspense in these elements, maybe making the scenes longer and cutting back a little on all the House of Wind training session scenes.
- This is particularly true in respect of the last 100 pages in the book. If the Blood Rite was going to happen I would have loved to see more of it. It all just seemed a little easy for Nesta, Gwyn and Emerie having only trained for a few months up against Illyrian warriors who had been training for years, and it being something that Rhys, Cass, and Az really struggled to achieve. Again, I would have had this section of the book extended, maybe making up the last 200 pages of the book (and really ramping up the tension) at the loss of some of the training scenes.
- Connected to this, Cassian and his espionage with Az while Nesta was in the Blood Rite. I would have loved a little more internal dialogue here, to see Cass really suffering knowing that his mate was in the Blood Rite, but again, this was rather glossed over.
- The scene however when Cassian hugged Nesta and then whispered into her hair that he had to kill her was PHENOMENAL. My heart honestly skipped a beat when I read that. Again, would have like an extended battle scene - student beating the master kind of thing.
- Speaking of my heart skipping a beat…I love a slow burn, and actually think some of the Nesta/Cassian scenes in ACOWAR were more tension building than the scenes in ACOSF. That said, maybe a slow burn was never going to be on the cards for this pair, it just doesn’t really suit their personalities (Elriel, anyone?) and I certainly wasn’t complaining about all the spicy hot scenes of them fucking each other. After a while though, I needed some more emotional investment, and Gods did I get that with the solstice scene. Again, wish it had come a little earlier in the book, but I have no real complaints.
- I wish we’d been in Cassian’s head a bit more for when that mating bond finally “snapped” for him and what it felt like to actually know what he suspected for a long time. They were both crying as they “made love” so this was indication enough, but again, would have liked some more explicit feels.
- This really is a fantasy romance than a romantic fantasy, but I love love love romance and am excited to see where SJM goes with the rest of this series in a new direction.
- The banter in the middle section of the book had me grinning like an idiot at the page, and I LOVED it.
- I wish the relationship between Nesta and Mor had been developed a bit more. Mor said some really cruel things to Nesta at the start of the book about her reminding her of her family, which she most certainly is not. Mor should be able to see the wounded animal that Nesta is at that point. Later in the book Mor teaches Nesta the traditional fae dances, but it’s all off the page. I would have liked to see this dynamic. 
- I felt some of the characters were written a little thinly. I’ve seen some people complaining about Gwyn and while I enjoyed her presence she didn’t really “click” for me until the second half of the book. Honestly I thought she was going to die in that last scene in the Rite but alas.
- Merrill is Miranda Priestly though, can we all agree on that?
- Eris at one point makes a comment about the Illyrian’s not being brave enough to look under Ramiel to see whether it has tunnels carved under it. I really thought that this was going to come back and have something to do with how Nesta and the other’s got through the Rite, but that never came. I wonder if it is a set up for another book.
- Baltasar anyone?
- Overall, I’m not sure I love the whole Nesta becoming a Warrior and trying to build a new legion amongst the priestesses (I think I would have preferred it if she tried amongst the Illyrian women) but if it’s just a “hell yeah we’re badass strong women” than actually fighting in another war then I’m into it.
- That heartbreaking scene with Feyre almost dying was beautiful. Again, wish it had been longer and more suspenseful. I still cried.
- The ending was really beautiful, but I think I would have enjoyed an on the page reconnection of the sisters and each saying things to each other. Presumably we just have to take Nesta’s “I love you” to Feyre as proof of this happening.
- Rhys only really coming around to Nesta after she saved his mate and son’s lives. Not the best, but unsurprising. I thought that Nesta was going to be the one to save them as soon as that plot point was introduced. Still enjoyed it though.
- And her altering her pelvis so she can have Cassian’s babies one day…what better way could she tell him that she loved him? (Certainly not with a stale biscuit). The question remains, did she afford Elain with the same curtesy knowing how Azriel feels about Lucien. Heck, how Elain feels about Lucien.
- I would have loved a little more internal anguish were they both realise that they love the other and are too afraid to tell the other. This does happen, but it’s not as explicitly on the page as I would have liked.
- The ending, they’re getting mated, in front of all of their friends and family. It’s the most beautiful sentiment and they both deserve to stand up and declare the love, that they kept hidden for so long, to everyone.
Wow, I didn’t realise that I had so many opinions on ACOSF but apparently I do (thanks for reading this far, if you have!)
Overall, I really, really, enjoyed ACOSF. I love Nesta and Cassian so much and it was so great to finally read their story. The book wasn’t as crushingly “this is perfection” as I felt about ACOMAF but it was still pretty fantastic.
Right now, I’m heading off to begin my reread of ACOSF (every SJM book has to be read twice as soon as it comes out - this book series brings true comfort to my soul and makes me sob like a baby and I LOVE it). I’ll be back on Tumblr (properly) from this weekend and CANNOT WAIT to see all of the takes, memes, fan art, etc about this book. Feel free to slide into my DMs or Asks if you want to chat.
Speak soon,
Red
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timextoxhajima · 4 years
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*SHORT SERIES
Part 1: Church
Part 2: Do It For Me
Part 3: No Mercy
Part 4: Heaven
Part 5: ~ (Final)
Member: LEE JOO YEON
Genre: SMUT + FLUFFY ROMANCE because i need to start some kind of development for them before i end it
A/N: this is the DIRTIEST, MOST SLUTTIEST series I’VE EVER written. but i’m not gonna lie, it’s extremely fulfilling and satisfying to know that i’m starting to write other genres besides drama/fantasy/angst. i might cry when i finish it :”)
this is SUPER long so sit tight and enjoy <3
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“but then there was you.”
“i wish i could punish you for leaving me, but i can’t because you’re not mine.”
the light seeps through the bare space between your lids, and your nerves boot up like an old computer system being turned on. shifting your eyes under your lids, you let the sun’s rays into the room peel your lids apart. 
your right arm was comfortably tucked under the pillow, and your left was draped over someone else’s that was resting on your waist over the blanket. you take a deep breath through your nostrils, inhaling the scent of the room and the sheets. 
the room’s furniture was mostly of black and brown shades, and the walls were a bright, cream color. it takes you awhile to associate the happenings of the previous night with this room. 
saliva finds your throat in a bid to dampen your dryness, and you carefully turn your head to look at the person lying down, bare chest against the skin of your back. 
his hair was messily ruffled into his head, and a few locks were covering your view of his eyes. you invest a considerable amount of effort to turn around under his arm, so now you were facing him. 
sucking your lips between your teeth, your hands find its way to his face to brush his fringe out from his eyes. your eyes were trailing along his brows and his lashes, fingers gently brushing against his ears as you comb through the short strands of hair.
“did you sleep well?”
you start blinking profusely, surprised that he was awake. his eyes weren’t even open when he said it. 
the light was shining from behind him, but his shoulders covered your frame and hid you in his shadow. 
you let yourself adjust to the strange situation, scoffing a little before pulling your hands back to yourself. “how could i not... after what happened last night?”
he smiles, and his eyes finally open. 
your heart rushes upon the view of his face; when he doesn’t have that demonic grin on his face, when his eyes don’t look like they wanted nothing but to ruin you. his arm that was previously on your waist snakes under the blanket, wrapping around your lower back and pulling you to him.
feeling his bare chest against yours reminds you that you were naked, and the only thing you were wearing was your underwear. 
probably the only thing he didn’t tear besides your bra.
he angles his head and presses his lips against yours, and a nauseating sensation of warmth and gentleness engulfs you like waves. melting into the kiss, your right hand circles his stomach and behind him, trying to close any other gap that could’ve been between the two of you. 
butterflies start to fill your stomach, and your heart was thumping so hard from the inability to associate this person with... whoever it was your previous experiences with him painted in your head. 
his palm finds your cheek, and you feel him brush a thumb on your cheekbone, the rest of his fingers caressing the hair behind your ear. mellow, rippling chills run down your body, and he never once tries to shove his tongue into your mouth. 
he holds your head in place as he pulls away, your eyes opening again to meet his, and he gives you the world’s sweetest smile. 
“that was new,” you tease, fingers finding his jaw and tracing along his skin. 
the warmth and heat he and the blanket were providing you was so comfortable, you never wanted to leave. you struggle to let the whole ordeal of him being such a critical pivot in your life -- sex life -- sink into your blood and bones. it was just a terribly arduous a task to even begin to fathom that this man was the same person who’s ruined you four times over now, and he has never once failed. 
the smile doesn’t leave his lips, only dropping his hand to your hips to push you around and he starts leaving soft, light kisses on your shoulder and neck. your eyes flutter shut, and you bite down on your bottom lip, trying to cease the little hums of bliss escape you. 
you should’ve seen it coming, but you don’t think you’d ever be able to predict him anymore.
his left hand travels south, finding your underwear as he presses his chest into your back. 
your breath hitches in your throat, your eyes still sealed shut, when his fingers find your morning sensitive nub, and you start to feel his hips against your ass. 
his morning wood pressing against your flesh becomes difficult to ignore. 
he was having the time of his life; just rubbing your nub in little, slightly pressured circles. your breathing becomes laboured, and you push your head further into the pillow as your legs begin to close in his hand between them. 
“i know you can handle it, princess,” he whispers into your left ear, dragging his tongue along the edge of your skin. “i’ll make sure this is new for you too.”
you wanted to scoff in disbelief at his words; how quickly the angelic version of him from a few minutes ago completely vanished into thin air, replacing him with a less aggressive version of him from last night. 
he finally stops circling your nub and travels down to your embarrassingly soaked core. you feel his laughter hit the skin on your neck, and he starts to suck and kiss on your sweet spot that he’s never once forgotten. 
pushing a finger into you from the front, your back archs off his chest, and you feel his free hand wriggle under your neck. his right forearm presses into your collarbones with his elbow right under your neck, keeping you taped to his chest as he continues to play with you in your south. 
your features become strained, and you were struggling so hard not to let any lewd sounds escape you because you know that would only rile him up even more. 
he must’ve noticed you struggling, because he pulls his lips away from your neck and pulls his finger out of you. you sigh a little in both relief and emptiness, and your eyes open in agony to watch him lick you off his fingers. 
you groan with frustration, turning away and shutting your eyes so tight you could feel tears welling up in the back of your eye sockets.
“aw, come on, kitten,” he slides his entire hand under the material of your underwear and gives your ass a hard squeeze. 
you whine and sigh painfully, already feeling the need to have him well up and become a bundle of messy thoughts in your head. with his hand under the material, he starts pushing against it, and he gets it off with the help of his legs buckling your knees. 
the difficulty swallowing this entire situation occupies your mind, your ears completely block out the rustling under the blanket when he pulls off his own underwear. his forearm was still firmly, but gently, pressed against the space above your chest, and his fingers were already gradually travelling down to trace the curves of your breast.
“if you’re going to prod and play with me like you did last night, i don’t have the energy for that just ten hours later, just so you know,” you lick your lips and turn to look at him from under the right side of his face. 
the angelic smile appears, and he leans down to kiss you.
“i know,” his hand finds your thigh and lifts it off your other leg. “so all you have to do... is to give in to me.”
you sigh in slight desperation, not a hint of lust and neediness in his voice. he had complete control over you, and you no longer had the ability to fight it. 
your arms travel up to his face and you pull his jaw back down towards you, hoping that it was enough to tell him that you were just going to do just that.
his fingers guide his shaft into you, and your lungs empty themselves into his mouth. his left hand grips into the flesh of your thigh while holding it up, and his pelvis starts thrusting into you. 
his right hand finds your breasts, kneading them like dough and his kisses don’t stop. now, you could taste the desperation and lust, but it wasn’t as harsh or needy like he was the previous night. he was careful to some extent this time round, not to mention he was the first person you’d let him fuck in this position.
not that he gave you much of an option. 
the sound of skin slapping fills the room and the kisses become sloppy. your thigh starts to ache, despite his support under it. he releases your chest and pushes your right cheek, keeping your lips attached to his as the thrusting remains its pace.
inappropriate noises run out both of your throats and meet where your lips connected, and your whole body jerks every time his hips meet your ass.
the pace was slower, and he wasn’t mindlessly fucking you like you were used to; it was slower, more sensual, and the friction he was creating by dragging himself out of you was inching you nearer to your high.
finally breaking the kiss after a few good minutes of fucking, you huff and hang your lips apart, the trail of saliva breaking within your vision. your eyes naturally travel down and you could barely make out the lewd sight under the shadow of the blanket. 
sweat was starting to form on his forehead as he lets go of your thigh and press onto your nub right above where the two of you were conjoined. a sharp moan gushes off your tongue, and he starts kissing the sweet spot on your neck again. 
the sultriness of the position and intimacy was running wild thoughts in your head, and you start to squirm and writhe against his body. if he wasn’t holding you to himself, you would’ve moved so much that he wouldn’t be able to stay inside you.
“are you enjoying yourself, princess?” he coos into your ear, the low rumble in his voice sending shocks throughout your body. you feel it start to get limp when you feel him hit a special spot inside you. 
“juyeon,” you huff, a smile breaking out on your lips. a tingling feeling starts to run across your skin as his thrusts start to become more calculated, and you could guess he’s figured out that he found your spot. “please...”
he licks his lips and kisses your ear.
“good girl.”
he buries his lips between yours again, finger still drawing pressured circles on your nub and the continuous thrusting pushes you over the edge.
the spasms were so sharp, so harsh, so violent, that you felt him groan against your lips. the vibrations rushed through your body, and he must’ve felt it as well. his hold around your collarbone tightens, and his left arm presses into your stomach so he could help you ride out your climax.
your cheeks were burning and no doubt you were sweating against his bed. your legs were shivering despite lying down the entire time, and it wasn’t long before you felt his arms quiver around you. he breaks the kiss when he quickly pulls out, and you feel the hot fluid land on your ass and inner thighs. 
you throw your head back into the pillow, trying your best to catch your breath while he sits up and pulls the blanket off you. he lets you come down from your high, giving himself a few seconds to collect himself before he leaves to the bathroom. 
returning with a towel wrapped around his hips, it only accentuates the contours of his pelvis, and you realise there’s never going to be a moment when you can resist feasting your eyes on him.
“i’d ask if you were going to spend all day staring... but maybe i should just let you stare until you start drooling,” he grins at you, his hair pushed back while he cleans you with a towel. 
your arm finds your forehead, feeling the warm material wipe across your ass and thighs. you shut your eyes in bliss, unable to believe that you just had sex for the third time in under twelve hours. 
you were worn out to some extent, so your mind naturally starts to drift off. but you feel his arms coming under your knees and neck, and before you know it, he lifts you off the bed, bridal-style, and helps you into the bathroom. 
he lets you shower, leaving one of his cotton shirts hanging on the hook right outside, and he tells you to take however much time you needed.
you watch as he closes the bathroom door behind him, and you hear another shower in the apartment turn on. 
the water runs through your hair and down your skin, the warmth reminding you of his hold, the sight of the glass reminding you of the session you had right here. 
you had to snap yourself out of it before you became needy again.
the shirt on you made you look like you were going to sleep, and you reprimand yourself when you start to admire your reflection in the mirror. the bottom of the shirt was hitting your thighs, so you don’t bother worrying about wearing bottoms since he’s seen it before. 
you wander around the apartment, hair damp and skin smelling like fresh lemon. you must’ve taken quite a long time in the shower, because you walk into the kitchen only to find him... making pancakes?
you stand awkwardly at the entrance of the kitchen, and it takes him just a few seconds before he noticed you. 
“did you pass out in the bathroom or something?” 
there was a dilemma on what to focus on: the pancakes, or him waltzing around in the kitchen with only joggers and no shirt.
“if i didn’t know any better, i’d think you’re just messing with me by choosing not to wear a shirt.”
he returns his attention to the frying pan, smile on his face. “how do you know i’m not?”
you scoff and look away for a second, crossing your arms across your chest. 
“do you need an invitation to come in?” he questions with a stern voice, eyes still on the sizzling batter in the pan. your notice a bowl of strawberries in the corner, right next to a can of whip cream, and you couldn’t help but to feel like you were stuck in your own stupid dream.
sucking in a deep breath, you walk in and stop next to him, watching in awe as he magically flips the pancake without breaking it or burning it. 
“get me a plate from the cabinet, will you?” he gestures above you, and walks to the sink to get something. 
you tiptoe and slide the cabinet door open, your fingers barely brushing across the porcelain plates, and you wonder angrily: why it would take you so fucking long to realise you weren’t tall enough to reach it?
you hear a soft chuckle next to you, and your feet suddenly get lifted off the ground. he sits you on the counter, standing between your legs and takes the plate himself. your knees were brushing against the waistband of his joggers, and your eyes involuntarily locks with his. 
your heart starts racing like you were looking at your high school crush, and you fail to register him reaching for the bowl of strawberries while the pancakes continue to cook. 
he lifts a strawberry to your lips, and you instinctively open your mouth to take a bite. your stomach starts to flip once he pulls it away and finishes the other half, leaving you to wonder why the strawberry was so damn sweet. 
“again with your staring,” he smirks playfully, reaching over to turn off the stove. he flips the pancakes onto the rest of it in another plate, and places it right next to your thigh. 
untamed thoughts couldn’t resist running themselves through your mind, and you watch as he does everything without shifting out from between your knees. you had no clue if he was aware of what he was doing to you, aka having breakfast while he was shirtless, or that he was simply doing it on purpose just because he could get some fun out of it. 
the spraying of the whipcream snatches your attention away from his side profile, and you observe in kind wonder as he uses a fork to cut the pancakes. 
the veins on his arm and hands were so fucking hard to ignore.
he stabs a piece with whip cream and cuts off a bite of strawberry, and your insides start screaming when he lifts it to your lips. 
you lean back in slight surprise, the reality of this man wandering around your brain like a mindless chicken. 
“it’s not poison, y/n,” his smile was so alluring, you wonder if he’s ever been hit on by a passenger or an air stewardess or something. “take it as an apology for my... lack of control last night.”
your lids drop halfway down your eyes as if to say ‘really?’ and you open your mouth to take the bite of breakfast. “are you really sorry though?” you ask with a mouthful. 
“mm,” he pokes the inside of his cheek with his tongue, repeating his actions from before and feeding himself this time. “that depends on whether you enjoyed it, princess.”
your heart does a little somersault in your chest. 
he feeds you another bite, and you struggle to keep your eyes off his chest and everything south. 
why does he have to be so gorgeous?
you open your mouth to say something, just so the awkward silence can be broken, not that you think he cared. 
but he suddenly leans forward and kisses you, and his tongue darts out to brush across your bottom lip before removing himself from your face.
you frown at him, shocked and at an utter loss of words. but every single cell inside you was running around, screaming; yelling: ‘firefirefirefire--’
“what?” he runs his tongue across his own lips. “you had whip cream on you.”
the frown deepens, and you watch him turn away, the effort required for him to stifle his laugh at his own lame ass excuse showing up as redness on his ears.
“so, what were you doing in new york for...” he shrugs, taking another bite for himself. “...a year?”
you swallow, grateful that he wasn’t going to say anything else that was going to kill you a little more on the inside. 
“for work. i got a promotion last year and i was sent to new york for a year to branch out.”
“sounds fun,” he feeds you a bite. “what is it that you do?”
you blink at him, mouth chewing the sweet concoction of breakfast on your tongue. 
“i’m a chief script editor for a film production house.”
his eyes widen in pleasant surprise as he takes a bite for himself. you look over and you notice most of it was already gone, simply because he was stuffing more food into his mouth than he was feeding you. 
dumbass must be so hungry after the rampant fucking yesterday and just now.
“production house? you must know a lot of famous people then.”
“i guess,” your feet felt so awkward being away from each other. “there are always pros and cons wherever you work. people fall under both categories.”
he feeds you another bite, and he looks like he was drawing up some mindmap in his head just to think of an answer. 
“so were there more pros than cons?”
you chew on the food, and you run the question in your head, searching for a genuine answer. he shoves a huge bite into his mouth, and looks at you while you respond. “well, it’s definitely fun to work with people you can work with... but once you work with those who’ve got no sense of what professionalism is, then no doubt it’ll be a pain in the ass.”
a pause. 
“then did you think i wasn’t professional?” 
“huh?” you blurt out, just seconds before you figured out what he was referring to. “oh.”
you snort and look away, licking your lips and tasting the sweet, sugary flavour of the whipcream and strawberry. 
“it was in the airport, and in the business lounge... of a flight you were about to... pilot,” the words come out careful, as if you were afraid to say something wrong. “if i was just some random passenger and i knew the captain just had sex with someone in the lounge, i’d be worried he would pass out during the flight or something.”
he offers you another bite. “if it’s of any comfort, i didn’t pass out. or at least, not outside of my designated nap time.”
a small laugh escapes your lips, and you lean backwards with your palms against the surface of the counter next to your hips. 
“i am curious about one thing though,” he wipes the corner of his mouth with his thumb. “when you were in new york, did you sleep with anybody else?”
the question felt like a reality check for you, and you were suddenly reminded of how fate brought the two of you together again, despite the last time being a year ago. if you said no, it’s only going to feed his ego.
“did you?” you hurl the question back at him, some kind of confidence showing in your voice you haven’t had while talking to him.
he smirks and looks at you with a strange expression, as if contemplating something within himself. 
the silence from him was so unbelievable, it could only mean one thing. 
your eyes widen and a smile helps bare your teeth in surprise. he shakes his head when he realises you know his answer, and he finishes the last of the pancakes. 
“you have no clue how confused i was when you told me you’d be staying in new york for awhile. some part of me was hoping that i wouldn’t last see you getting into a taxi, halfway across the world. but you did just that, and disappeared off my radar for a whole year.”
his palm finds your thigh and he starts drawing mindless circles on your skin. 
“i went back to nightclub nearly every other month, but not even your friends were there. because you didn’t tell me how long you were going to be gone, i was starting to worry you were never going to come back.”
firefirefirefirefire
“i made a deal with myself that last night would be the last time i even bothered to hope you were there,” he shakes his head and locks eyes with you through his fringe. “but you were.”
fire fire fire fire fire fire 
“juyeon,” you call out, reaching for his hands and playing with the veins on the back. your eyes chose to stay down, because you weren’t sure if you could say it if you were looking at him. “i... didn’t sleep with anybody after you, because i was scared of being disappointed.”
“disappointed?” the teasing tone was so annoyingly apparent. “define ‘disappointed’.”
he forces you to look back up at him, and an annoyed pout shows up on your lips. you try to shift your chin out of his hold, but he doesn’t allow it. 
“i... i didn’t like it that i lost to you...” you blink rapidly, wondering if you should just close your eyes all together. “and i didn’t want to lose to anybody else.”
that angelic smile returns to his face, and his eyes halves into little crescents. the silence was so hard to bear, because he wasn’t saying anything, he wasn’t moving, and you definitely could not read him. 
you could feel the blood rushing up to your face and your ears, and you were on the verge of combusting altogether when he opens his mouth after a good minute of silence. 
“go on a date with me.”
nevermind. combusted anyway.
“what?”
releasing you, he presses both his hands on your thighs and grips on them to pull you towards him. 
your nose was right under his, and you were reluctant to tilt your head to meet his eyes. 
“i asked you out on a date.”
fire fire fire fire fire fire fire fire
“and you’re morally obligated to say yes for disappearing for a year.” his hands find your cheeks and pull you up so you could get a good look at his face. 
you almost could not recognise his eyes, because they were so filled with sincerity and warmth, it was painful to swallow the fact that he’s real.
“oh, darling,” his tongue swipes over his canine teeth as he leans forward into your ear. “i can’t have you shutting down on me like this if we’re going to go out on a date.”
you suck in a deep breath in attempt to hide the little mewl when he attaches his lips to the sensitive spot on your neck. your skin gets sucked between his teeth and the friction of his teeth causes goosebumps to erupt all over you. 
he pulls away, eyes glued to his little marking on your neck. 
“that’s to remind you that you owe me a date.”
~~~~~~~~~~~ TWO DAYS LATER ~~~~~~~~~~~~
hyunjun: i can’t fucking believe you didn’t get his number
sunwoo: give me a moment while i find your fucking PILOT BOYFRIEND’S name card
hyunjun: didn’t i take it
sunwoo: if it’s with you then why aren’t you searching for it dumbfk
hyunjun: i don’t know where it is
the damn date didn’t happen.
after he sent you home, he drove off and you haven’t seen or heard from him since then.
not that you could blame him; both your dumbasses forgot to exchange numbers. 
even if hyunjun or sunwoo found his namecard, you don’t think you’d be able to stomach asking him about the date he made you promise to go. 
the mark he left on his neck was on the verge of vanishing completely, and you hated yourself for treating it like a time bomb. 
part of you didn’t want the mark to go away, because that’ll only mean that you were no longer ‘morally obligated’ to go on a date with him. 
you lie with your legs dangling off the arm rest of the sofa, phone on your stomach and ceiling staring back down at you. 
why did the company have to give you a month worth of rest? if you were working now, you’d be able to work your mind off this... fucker. 
you grit your teeth and whine out loud, swinging your arms and legs in the air as you throw a tantrum for yourself to know. 
a few minutes of painful silence go pass, and your home phone rings, jumping you when the sharp ringing sliced through the air. 
you lazily reach other, nearing tearing some ligament in your arm while you were at it.
“hello?”
“good afternoon miss, you have a visitor waiting for you in the lobby.”
your eyes widen and you hang up the phone without thinking twice, and you’ve never felt so stupidly desperate to see someone. 
the lift doors open to the lobby and you sprint out in your slippers, your large pull over almost hiding your shorts in the early-spring breeze that filled the lobby. 
your eyes fixate themselves on the familiar frame standing next to the familiar car, and the sight of the uniform makes you smile so much, the lobby guard must’ve been staring at you strange.
he turns around upon hearing the slapping of your slippers against the floor, and you see that he was hugging a bouquet of flowers in his hand. 
“i’d tell you i was coming to get you for our date, but i forgot to get your number.”
the smile on your face was so large and wide, your cheekbones were beginning to hurt. 
usually you’d take longer than necessary to dress up, but your heart was racing so fast and the blood was rushing through you like light, all you wanted to do was to be back within his reach. 
you reach the car, and you were expecting a hug from him. but you were more than happy than have him snake his arm around your waist, immediately giving you a long kiss to your lips. 
“took you long enough,” you pull away and he hands you the bouquet. “i was beginning to worry you were going to disappear off my radar.”
he chuckles at your witty response, pulling the door open for you. 
you felt so warmly wrapped just by being around him, and seeing him in the uniform was so strangely satisfying. 
he refuses to tell you where you were headed, and you spend most of the time looking at the roses, listening to him apologise for needing to take over another pilot who was supposed to pilot a flight to Italy. 
as if life couldn’t get any better, you realise he was driving into a private airspace, and before you could process anything, the car stops right in front of a helicopter. 
“wait, juyeon--”
“like it?” he pulls the car into parking mode, and he looks at you, hands taking the bouquet and leaving it in the backseat. you blink at him, noticing a couple of men opening the door behind him before yours was open. 
“when you said ‘date’, i didn’t expect--”
“oh, no,” he gets out of the car, and you follow suit. the breeze runs through your hair and messes his a little. “this is just one of the perks when you’re a pilot and has a rich friend.” he walks toward you and takes your hand, pulling you to the helicopter.
the way the sun glistened on the water, and the specks of lights looked like glitches on a television screen with every ripple of wave. the wind was rushing through your hair, and you couldn’t care less of how messy it was going to get. the feeling of freedom, wander and love was so overwhelming, you swore you could’ve teared up at any moment.
orange and yellow strips of light paint the sky through the clouds and against the baby blue sky, and the white foam of the water washing up against the shore looked like paint strokes. 
you occasionally turn back to juyeon, and you couldn’t tell who was happier. 
you were two times shocked when he starts flying the helicopter back into the city, and he lands the aircraft on a helipad, on one of the tallest buildings in the country. 
the wind at this altitude was merciless, and juyeon pulls off his blazer to drape over your shoulders while staff members working in the building come to fetch you. 
walking the path from the helipad to the building gave you a view of the city you would probably never see again, and you know there was nothing that could out do juyeon’s idea of a fucking date.
you start combing your hair once you reach the building, juyeon following closely behind. the glass doors close with a soft thud, and juyeon rolls up his sleeves to expose all the veins on his forearm and hands you can’t help lusting over.
“mr lee, your table is ready.”
if your jaw could completely dislocate off your face, it would’ve. 
your eyes dart to juyeon, only for him to give you a bright smile of satisfaction when you give him a look of extreme surprise.
the staff member, who turned out to be the manager for the restaurant on the highest floor of the building, brings you to a table with the most gorgeous, breathtaking view of the city.
the entire time you ate, you couldn’t resist the need to marvel at juyeon’s idea of a date. he knows you were happy, and there was absolutely nothing else in the world you would’ve wanted more than to spend time with him, even if it didn’t involve flowers, a helicopter, or an extravagant dinner. 
most of your time at dinner was spent eating physical food but digesting all the angles of his face. he laughs and teases you for staring, but that was no longer a problem you deemed important. 
it was his fault for looking so good anyway. 
you were just about done with dessert when a waiter comes over with a little, flat box, and you thought it was just some fancy-ass way for the bill to be presented.
that is, until juyeon pushed it over to you. 
you look up at him through your lashes, heart racing and fingers trembling under the table. 
“it’s not a ring, don’t worry.”
you squint your eyes playfully, reaching out for the box.
the necklace inside was nothing short of elegant, and the little crystals in it reflected the light perfectly onto your face and eyes. your eyes travel back up to juyeon, who gets out of his seat and walks over to you. 
“never disappear from my radar ever again,” he picks up the necklace from the box, and you try your hardest to stifle a smile that was beginning to push tears out your eyes. “promise?” 
he lines the necklace around your collarbone and waits for your response before clipping it.
“promise.”
if whatever juyeon gave you today could be summarised in a word, it would be ‘happiness’.
he walks with you to the helipad and the aircraft, the cold, night wind messing up your hair again and his laughter only encourages you to laugh along with him. he didn’t make a joke and neither were you drunk, but you sure as hell was drunk off bliss. 
he gets into the helicopter first and stretches a hand out for you to take. his firm grip on your palm pulls you up, but your shoe slips and your heart nearly jumps out of its cage in your chest.
yet, juyeon catches you by your waist and pulls you up and into the aircraft, bodies dangerously close to each other as he sees every glimmer of bliss in your eyes from the day’s events. he tries to hide a smile, but he loses the motivation to just barely a few moments later. 
tucking your hair behind your ear, his free hand cups your cheek and warms your cool skin, his eyes scanning your entire face like you were some kind of artwork. 
“you haven’t changed one bit i first saw you that night,”
he angles his head and pulls you even closer, lips already brushing against each other. 
“the only thing that’s changed is that you’re mine now.”
you hurl effort out the window, and you seal the deal with a kiss, the smile never leaving your lips. 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A/N: I’M SO SAD IT’S OVER MF I’M-- every time i start a series i find some magical way to destroy myself and i really... i fucked myself up this time round.
again, thank you SO MUCH for reading, especially if you’ve been here since chapter 1 (church). this was SO different from chaebol/lawyer juyeon because it’s not as serious, but it’s definitely ALOT MORE SMUTTIER in which i apologise if i’ve butchered some parts or another :<
i had so much fun writing this, though i was constantly worried i wouldn’t be able to write the smut scenes well enough. 
again, special shout out to my moot and fan (you know who you are), for feeding me ideas and encouraging me by giving me such quick responses and such amazing reactions to every part. 
this has been timetohajima on a fucking smut-roll, and i hope you enjoyed reading every bit of it the same way i enjoyed writing every word. 
thank you, and i will see you soon with a hyunjae series ;)
- love, dana
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btsandvmin · 4 years
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Shipping vs Believing
I felt like talking about this, because in general a lot of people I come across seem to think that they are the same thing. And maybe the purpose of the word is changing, but the original use of “shipping” was actually to show you liked something, changed something into being or wanted something to be romantic or sexual between characters or people. Basically it’s about liking something that might not be romantic or sexual yet, or something that never has been or never will be romantic/sexual or in the case of making fanart or fanfiction sometimes expanding on something that is romantic/sexual with fiction because you want more than what you get.
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95z is love. We know this. But, what kind of love is up for interpretation.
Shipping was originally mostly about fiction, but as it has become a more widespread expression it now also applies to relationships between real people.
And again, maybe times and overuse of the word “ship” has started to change the meaning of it, but to me shipping will not be liking a bond platonically and it will not be believing something is real. When someone says “I ship Vmin platonically” they are basically missing the whole point of the word if you ask me, as it’s used to differentiate between liking a friendship or platonic bond and wanting or liking a possible romantic or sexual connection.
However, what bothers me the most is when people don’t realize that shipping isn’t real. Shipping is liking to interpret interactions or other things in a non platonic way. It can even be hoping or speculating about characters or people being together. Basically “wishing for my ship to become canon” aka. turn real.
But if you already believe a ship is real, that is no longer shipping. At least not to me, because that was never the meaning of that word.
I have been a shipper for a long time, before ao3 and tumblr when I read and wrote fanfictions on livejournal or discussed pairings in random threads or blogs. And since the beginning you used shipping to show you liked a certain dynamic in a non platonic way. Same with ship names, which has also become so mainstream to use now that it’s lost it’s original purpose. Ship names like Vmin or RoMione (Ron x Hermione) etc. were to show it was liking two or more people together in a romantic or sexual way. If it’s in fiction it can also be to explore or expand on a canon pairing because you want more material.
In fact ship names and the word shipping had the point of separating reality from fantasy so you knew if someone said Vmin in stead of Jimin and Taehyung you meant it as a romantic or sexual thing and not just them together. Now people use ship names because its easier, and sadly that makes it a bit confusing with what people mean when they say “I love Vmin”.
I have shipped a lot of ships, both fictional and real people. And I know that most shippers behave and act the same when they reach a certain popularity and get support from each other. They help each other get convinced that their ship is real or will become canon.  They also start to downgrade or downplay interactions between rival ships and sometimes goes as far as trying to dehumanize or delegitimize shippers of other ships. For example saying “most of their shippers are young/don’t know how it’s like to be in a relationship/don’t understand their personalities” etc. and essentially simply try to show why their camp knows best and why others just don’t see the truth. “I never used to ship but XXX just felt different” is another common one to justify why it’s not just shipping, the vibe is simply different. But, that is still just your own feeling and interpretation, and many others feel the same about other ships. 
Lumping all shippers together as the same and generalizing also creates a us vs. them kind of mindset. Then with time and size of the community and more “evidence” the echo chamber effect makes everyone harden their belief in combination with confirmation bias until you have a whole community convinced they have the only real truth and everyone else simply doesn’t understand.
It’s honestly the same psychology you can find in religion and even in people who believe in conspiracy theories like that the earth is flat. Same type of behavior even though the subjects and situations can vary. I have studied warfare and war psychology at university and it’s a bit scary how ship wars are so similar to actual wars when it comes to the reasoning and psychology behind it. Because in the end it’s the same type of mindset and how the brain works to convince us something is the way we want it to be, for various reasons, while making the other side the enemy in a way.
I have seen shipwars in basically every fandom I have been in that has gotten big enough and that has “rivals”, like with One Direction or One Piece or The Hunger Games for example. Or even in ones I wasn’t in like the “team Jacob vs team Edward” in Twilight. There is a good reason for why I am very careful to say or try to convince someone a ship is real, when we don’t know. The only way to avoid ship wars is to stay open minded and not get defensive or aggressive, which will only further a generalization of your whole shipping community. “Vmin shippers are crazy/delulu/toxic/aggressive” etc. are situations I want to avoid, but that I know is likely to happen simply as the Vmin fandom grows in size.
We have similar moments that we got years ago that no one reacted to much, but with the growth of the community has become “proof”. People get more and more convinced as they get more and more things that confirm what they already want to believe. At the same time they also more and more ignore things that goes against their own beliefs and become less prone to accept alternative realities to the one they have created.
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People believe in very different ships, and people are equally convinced they are the ones who are right. Which speaks for itself as it’s not possible for everyone to be right. But it is also possible for everyone to be wrong. When this involves real people it also becomes much more complex and difficult to analyze. Because things aren’t happening all planned out as in a story. Not everything is a hint for a ship being real, and it’s very difficult to try and understand a person or a relationship from afar when every person and relationship works very differently and there could be many different forces and reasons behind what we see. Especially when we don’t get to see everything and when there are good reasons to now show everything openly, as in the case of a possible LGBT+ couple.
In short I think people should realize that liking a dynamic, shipping something and believing in something are three different things.
For me I ship Vmin 100%, I love reading fics and putting possible romantic or sexual twists on their relationship for fun. I know this is fiction, and simply something I enjoy on a personal level based on my preference. I know I like many similar ships as well. I ship a lot of things in general, for different reasons. I can’t ship them with anyone else. 
When it comes to liking real Jimin and Taehyung and their relationship I do that as well, I know the border between my shipping fantasies and what they say and do. This is why I say that I will love Vmin no matter their bond, because I don’t need the ship to become real for me to love Jimin and Taehyung’s bond. It’s still a beautiful relationship even if it is 100% platonic. But, as a shipper I still dream and fantasize and enjoy them as more than friends. But if they are together with someone else for real, I can accept that. I don’t own Jimin and Tae and I don’t get a say in how they live their lives just because I like something else than what they want.
And when it comes to supporting and believing a relationship is real, that’s when in my opinion and shipper stops being a shipper. The exception for me here is if the relationship actually becomes or proves to be real and you keep enjoying it through built fantasies to explore a real couple or a canon pairing. But generally, shipping equals imagining something, while believing is obviously beyond that.
Believing a ship to be real or to become canon can be very toxic, both in regards to creating friction between different shippers who believes and KNOWS they are right, which makes people who think differently wrong and in a way “the enemy” or a threat. Investing so deeply into a relationship can be very dangerous emotionally as well. For example, how people burned their books after a series is over when their ship didn’t end up together. This is a light version, as there are much worse things people have done for their ship or when things haven’t gone the way they thought. And that’s in fiction where it’s usually easier and more straightforward. If you feel bad watching another ship interact or dislike another member for getting in between your ship, then it shows you are involved to the point of feeling threatened by another dynamic. In a way it’s a second hand jealousy. Imagine that feeling if your ship isn’t real, or if a rival ship is real. It might lead you to even hate the people you used to love, or feel betrayed, even though it was originally just a fantasy in your head that you got too invested in.
I obviously write analysis, which definitely goes beyond just shipping, but that’s why it’s extra important for me to try and remember that it’s all just speculation. I do think Vmin act weird and have things worth discussing, and I think it’s interesting, so I write analysis. Having a discussion is not a bad thing, as long as it remains a discussion in which where you can accept being wrong and change your mind. Vmin is weird, and I think there might be something there, but I also know it can be me reading them incorrectly.
Everything except what we hear or see directly from the boys is speculation.
I might sound like a hypocrite as a analysis writer, but I have been in a lot of fandoms and have fallen in this trap myself before (not with a real ship, but the feeling is similar for fictional ships as well). I know how important it is to stay grounded and how easy it is to be swept away by plausible narratives or “proof” for a ship. But all ships have it, and all shippers act the same after getting popular enough or having enough weird moments to piece together. Vmin are getting to this point, and when I write about this it’s simply to be aware and try to avoid this trap.
It’s ok to believe a relationship is romantic or sexual (though I personally recommend not crossing the line into being convinced), and it can bring a lot of joy, but just know that there is always a possibility that you are wrong. Because when people ship basically everything they can see, and we don’t even see everything, it’s simply impossible for every “believer” to be correct.
That’s why I will keep speaking about speculation and not proof. Me being certain about Vmin being real or talking about their interactions with confidence like I know exactly what they mean won’t help anyone, not myself and not you who read what I say.
I know this might sound a bit much, and that I might come off as a know it all or even a hypocrite. But honestly, if you only read and reblog one of my posts I hope it might be this one. Because I truly think it’s important to be aware of what we and other people in this fandom are doing.
I hope you all enjoyed reading this rant... And I hope you might understand me a little bit better because of it. Thank you! <3
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popculturebuffet · 3 years
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Darkwing Duck Reviews Halloween Special: Fungus Amongus and Ghoul of My Dream
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Happy Halloween! Halloween Havoc races to the finish with another Darkwing Double Feature! Love is kinda crazy with a spooky girl like Morgana, and in this case “kinda crazy” means a board of ghouls stealing pizza, sentient mushrooms, grumpy spiders, student lone debt, and a gremlin who somehow sees himself as a valid romantic option. It’s a Darkwing Duck Halloween under the cut.+
We’ve made it! While I got less Halloween reviews done than I would’ve liked, I’m still happy with the ones done and there’s still two more to get in the pocket before the day’s up. So with Halloween today it seemed fitting to talk about the Justice Ducks resident sorcerer and Darkwing’s Girlfriend, Morgana Macawber. Morgana was the only one of the four to stick around as a recurring character out of the four Justice Ducks: Gizmoduck would show up once more after the four parter, and sadly Neptunia and Stegamutt just seemed to vanish but the crew clearly liked Morg a lot and her relationship with Darkwing, so she stuck around for the rest of the series, and is even the focus of the final episode “Malice’s Restaurant”, as well as a sizeable part of the comics. And it’s easy to see why as Kathie Sourcie had great chemistry with Jim Cummings and Morgana’s very presence, being a sorceress raised by the munsters and living in a creepy mansion, allowed for diffrent stories than what Darkwing usually dealt with. While magic didn’t feel like it contrasted with the world, as Darkwing’s world feels like your standard superhero fantasy kitchen sink where anything is possible, most of his foes were either super villains or the kinds of super spies you’d find in a comic book. So fighting ghoouls, goblins, and Satan himself, yes that’s an episode that actually happened, no it’s sadly not on Disney plus, and yes I will be covering it eventually, was a nice out of genre experience and a nice way to put our daring duck of mystery out of his element.
She brought something diffrent to the table, both forcing Darkwing to grapple with letting someone into his life, and with having something to focus on other than Gosalyn or crime. So I wanted to see how this plays out, so expect me to cover all her episodes and not just the Satan one or the Valentine’s Day one, though like my Tom Lucitor retrospective, expect this one to also take some time. So with that all set up, Halloween is the perfect time to begin our journey with her first two episodes.. and Morgana’s Villian Career. Yeah while she only had about 9 episodes to her name, 2 of them are as a Catwoman or Black Cat style antagonist, someone whose likeable and who are hero is attracted to, but is on the wrong side of the law.
She eventually came around, but it’s still an intresting way to start things and an intresting dilema for our hero I wish stuck around for just a smidge longer. These aren’t bad episodes with Ghoul of My Dreams being a pretty good one. If I had to guess though the reason the dynamic fizzled out.. is they simply didn’t have a lot of ideas of how to use her as a bad guy. Part of the reason i’m covering these two episodes together is that they follow basically the same plot beat, the only differences being Darkwing meets Morgana in the first one and they know each other in the second, and that the evil entity who ends up turning against her she works with is different for both. The third act is also entirely unique to each episode, so it feels less like them lazily repeating themselves on an episode and more like they genuinely realized they didn’t have a ton of ideas for Morgana as a villain and thus had her reform with the Justice Ducks two parter. And I can’t blame them: fan would get annoyed if basically every Morgana plot played out the same, and this way she could know Drake’s secret identity, and thus allow the stories to use Gosalyn, though I do wish she’d shown up in one of the villian ones just to see how that played out. But still her time as a Villian is there, and is even a plot point in the valentine’s episode, so let’s see how it played out and see what I think.
Fungus Amongus
The plot here is fairly simple: there’s been a rash of mysterious thefts in St. Canard, and Darkwing is stumped.. until Launchpad asks if they can go for pizza, because he’s hungry and Darkwing is the terrible kind of boss that doesn’t’t care about meal breaks. It makes our hungry hero realize that each of the thefts are connected to PIzza Toppings, and after thwarting the bats and spiders stealing some anchovies, figures there’s only two left: Green Peppers and Mushrooms, and so he decides it’s time to split up gang and while Launchpad guards the peppers, Darkwing goes to visit the head of the mushrom company, who naturally turns out to be Morgana. The two end up taken with one another, to the board’s annoyance as Darkwing is onto them and could stop their whole evil plan and they want to just murder his ass and be done with it. But Morgana proves seduction’s a bit more useful as she sweetalks our hero into leaving, and points out given he’s also a creature of the night in a sense, she plans to turn him.. or kill him if she has to. More on that in our next episode. The facade dosen’t last long as Darkwing goes to help launchpad at the pepper place, and ends up finding out oh no the hot lady he met five minutes ago is bad! While the board plans to feed Launchpad to mutant mushrooms, while Morgana seemingly turns Darkwing into her mindless slave.. but really just played the board and switched sides, not wanting to hurt the guy she just met because he’s cute, they defeat the mushrooms and the board who turn into mushrooms in the light because....
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The day is saved though we do get the one standout bit of the episode. Darkwing despite his attraction to her, wants to turn her in, while Morgana simply teleports her house away. And thus the dance begins. As for the episode... as you can tell by how brief I was... for one i’m not doing my usual died in wool recapping for these two to get them out on time. And i’m also not because this one.. is pretty thin. The mutant mushroom and boards’d esigns are cool and Morgana is intresting.. but having seen Ghoul of my Dreams first.. it’s just not as fun, funny or good on the Morgana Darkwing dynamic. Morgana just decides because she wants to ride that dick she’ll be good for a moment, and throw away her hard worked scheme, and the board is turned into mushrooms because.. well see the lex luger pic above. It’s not a TERRIBLE episode, just not a terribly intresting one. It has good elements, but they just don’t come together well and the pizza scheme isn’t as funny as the episode thinks it is. I can kinda see why this one was buried deeper into the series and Ghoul of My Dreams is where they put focus. I just don’t have a lot to say about this one, it’s just bland and uninteresting. It’s kind of why I just sorta plopped it next to Ghoul, I needed to review it for completion’s sake, but lord if I can think of a lot to say about it that isn’t tied into the next one. So since I can’t...
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Ghoul of my Dreams:
Now this is better. The basic plot is still simple but allows for a lot more intresting set pieces: It’s a slow night in St. Canard, to Darkwing’s natural annoyance, until a bunch of fire fighters start sleepwalking and throwing gold to some spiders and bats. Something is afoot and since the bats belong to Morgana, Darkwing goes to investigate her. Granted we just MET eek and squeak, but it’s easy enough to assume Morgana struck again off screen and some time has passed. And i’ts honestly what makes this episode more interesting: now it’s more of a cat and mouse game, with Morgana using their chemistry against him, but still being genuinely drawn to him and not wanting to hurt him. It’s better than “I met you five minutes ago might as well throw away my money for you”.  Instead Morg truly likes Drake, but wants to keep doing crimes to, in easily the best joke of the entire series “Finally pay off my student loans”.. which makes her already not really a bad guy. I may not haves em but I know people who do. Those loan people do not play around. It’s investing and Sourcie and Cumming’s chemstiry really makes it pop. Sourcie really is what makes the character, giving her energy, sedcutivness when called for and a really sympathetic quality that makes her face turn, sudden as it is, believable. It’s why I really like the character. And I get why some don’t: Her romance with darkwing is sudden,  her face turn is even more sudden, and she gets in the way of Drakepad shippers. The first two are valid criticisms, while the last one is understandable.. depending on motive. If your just bummed this relationship you don’t like is forced into the show and gets in the way of the one you actually enjoy.. trust me...
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BEEN THERE. And far far worse.. I didn’t start up an entire retrospective on the guy who DIDN’T get the girl here for nothing. But if you say “oh well it’s homophobic or you hate gays” if you don’t ship drakepad, which I have actually heard for both this ship and delpad.. kindly go fuck yourself and stay away from my posts. It’s NOT homophobic to ship a character who is CANOCIALLY into women, with a woman. Launchpad had a girl of the week or two in ducktales, Drake’s attraction to morgana is canon and he also had some ship tease with Neptunia. They both like women.. but there’s nothing saying they DON’T like men, don’t want to date men, or aren’t attracted to them.
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Been waiting to reference Schitt’s Creek at some point here now i’ve started watching it. It’s biphobic to say this sort of harmful shit, and it doesn’t’t help there are plenty of gay people who genuinely believe bi and pan aren’t sexualities and harm their own community by doing so. Saying this kind of shit just fuels their fire and bi people like me and pan people like my firend have a hard enough time with straight people being dicks about this. You should know and be better. Don’t bring that shit into this fandom. We’ve already ridden incest out on a rail we don’t need this. I already put up with enough bullshit being a loud house fan and having to deal with ACTUAL homophobic ships like Sam/Lincoln, aka setting up a character you don’t know to be anything but gay, versus her girlfriend whose canocially been shown to be bi if preferring women, whose the proment and well like love interest of a woman, and pair her with her younger brother to clearly troll people. Now that’s a homophobic ship and that you shoudl be angry about, not “oh no the person who likes women in canon.. LIKES A WOMAN IN FANON”. It’s part of what made shiping delpad hard at times because people got really dumb about it to the point someone drew some very horrible fanart just to clog up the tag. Knock. it off.
And if your curious for my actual thoughts on Drakepad: in the classic series.. i’m not a fan, but I get it, and I do think they could work... it’s just. that Drake treats Launchpad really bad, including throwing him out of the house for a year without telling him why over something that really wasn’t his fault, not feeding him, not treating him as an equal after a while. This would have to change for them to work but I could see it happening, as the comics and one of the peisodes make a point that Drake can be a pretty shitty partner to Morgana too.
And just to show i’m equal opprtunity, despite shipping Delpad in the past, i’ve moved on to Penpad and Drakepad , ironcially enough, i’m not as big a fan anymore. LIke the above, Della just dosen’t respect launchpad as a human being. She was willing to keep the Halloween thing up JUST to scare children, looks down on him, and whie is his friend, is not all that close. I could see them happening, and do still think it’d be cute, it’d just take a ton of work and there are better ships for both. And yes I do ship Drakepad in the reboot, but there the two aren’t employer and employee, but equals who genuinely love and respect one another, listen to one another, and value each other. In the Reboot they have genuine chemistry and I could see them together, while in the original Launchpad and Morgana both really deserve better.
Now that’s settled, we get a fun scene of the two primping for each other. then flirting a bit, though Morgana, in AWFUL looking black lipstick wins with the move above and has her spider web launchpad, who hates morgana.. which is one part common sense given how darkwing gets around her and one part ho yay. But yeah this is pretty much Launchpad for both these episodes.
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And darkwing dick is calling the shots so fair enough. But Morgana is once again nto wokring alone and is working with a creepy, well designed gremlin, named Nodoff... eh i’ve heard worse, whose giving her sleeping dust to knock out her targets and hits on her constnatly. Naturally he plans to betray her as soon as he can, and is likely only tolerating her because he wants to hit that.  There dynamic boils down to this.
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There’s also tons of fun dream sequences including one at the top with darkwing being confronted by his enitre Rogue’s gallery before seeing morgana, NOdoff using baseball on Morg’s next target and some great ones at the climax. It’s part of hwy I like this episode better: While someone using dreams for stuff has been done a lot, it’s given a creative spin here as instead of killing them, Morgana’s simply using them to steal. Good stuff.
Darkwing foils their first attempt, though gets blamed for it because St. Canard is about as grateful as New York when it comes to superheroes. Morgana knocks darkwing out with some dust via Eeka and Squeak and admits Nodoff is working for her, though fobids him to harm Darkwing. This.. dosen’t last and we get another great setpiece, of sarkwing on a high dive. Thankfully, Launchpad finds him, and they find Morgana, who gives off the student loans comment. But in the struggle to stop her, Darkwing accidently puts her and the city to sleep.. and Nodoff is now super powerful and imprisons morgana. Darkwing i s back at her house, wondering what to do, but the bats give him a clue.. by flying him thorugh the door to fight Nodoff. It goes about as well as you’d expect with him freeing Morgana.. then trying to murder them both. Darkwing however pulls an Elm Streett 3 and says to think happy thoughts and take control of the dream.. which ends up at Darkwing’s Wedding to Morgana to his horror..... remind me whose the hero again. The woman who, while doing crimes is trying to pay off unfair debts, or the guy who finds the idea of commitment horrifying.  
Anyways we get some more great bits, I brush over them so I don’t ahve to talk about them conantly, including darkwing getting a cake on him, before Darkwing turns the tables by finding the hourglass full of the dust.. and in a clever finale, loading it into his gun and firing it on nodoff. This puts him to sleep.. which puts him in the real world, while Launchpad uses a giant alarm clock to wake everyone. They throw NOdoff back into the dream world.. for some reason.. and the episode ends iwth morgana kissing darkwing and the episode possibly having been all a dream.
This one, while I was again breif, is a classic, with a much more interesting dynamic. Instead of a morgana who goes from willing to kill we get one whose conflicted over things, who clearly wants to be a crook but may like darkwing more than that, as evidenced when he talks her out of taking Nodoff’s offer of riches. It’s good stuff and the gags are back to the show’s usual top notch level. It’s a creative, fun episode that really helps Morgana come into her own and I look forward to more of her. Overall i’d recommend skipping fungus amongus, but DEFINTELY check out ghoul of my dreams, as it’s throughly fantastic. I’ll be back in a bit for one last Halloween review and as always you can find my backlog on my blog. i recently covered Tiff of the Titans and there’s regular ducktales coverage every monday. Until then make sure to vote, wear a mask and check your house for gary busey till we meet again! Play us out Gerard Way!
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theusurpersdog · 5 years
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So Game of Thrones ended on Sunday, and for now it’s going down as potentially the worst ending of any TV show ever. Some of the backlash has come from the more nonsensical elements, such as Bronn being on the Small Council, anyone in Westeros defending Daenerys (the show literally framed her like Hitler, come the fuck on), Tyrion deciding who was King while in shackles, etc. But the truth is, none of that would’ve mattered if the emotions rang true. And that’s been a problem since the show started; go all the way back to Winter is Coming and you’ll see that the Starks have always been sidelined - both as individuals and as a family - in favor of the Lannisters. George Martin is writing a character piece about the Starks and how they survive, and the show was never going to stick the landing when they fundamentally didn’t understand that.
I’m not the first to point this out, but man did it really bother me this episode. D&D really could’ve phoned in 95% of this story and just shown up to love the Starks and everyone would’ve been at least satisfied, and they just couldn’t do it. So many years of bad writing and idiot plots and plain stupidity hasn’t lost Game of Thrones hardly any fans, because the ones they had were deeply invested in the characters GRRM had created and were willing to overlook just about everything to see those characters have some sort of conclusion. That’s why their entire audience has turned against them now - they didn’t care about the Starks for 8 seasons, and GRRM’s ending required the audience and the writers care deeply for Jon, Sansa, Arya, and Bran.
For all of GRRM’s talk about wanting to break his reader’s hearts, and D&D’s version of his story as this GrimDark nightmare, GRRM’s story has a real, emotional heart to it. People debate whether it was a fantasy story with the false premise of a political period piece, or a political story with a touch of fantasy intrigue - but the truth is, this story is and always has been a character piece centered around the Starks and how they survive and rebuild after family tragedy. In number of povs and chapters, they literally overwhelm the series. Jon, Sansa, Arya, Bran, and Catelyn all are in the top povs as well as Ned, who is still competitive despite being in exactly 1 book of the series. Having the Starks as the center of the story, the point in which almost all the action revolves, is what grounds all of Martin’s series even as his povs reach 30+. Martin was being very serious when he said Arya, Sansa, and Bran were the heart of his series. You need them because they make it worth it.
So let’s break down how D&D ripped the heart out of asoiaf’s chest. The biggest problem the show had was something book readers have known for a long time, but didn’t fully realize until Sunday night: The Bran Problem. GRRM has stated multiple times that Bran is his hero, yet the show has never had any interest in his story. They made an entirely random decision not to include flashbacks or dream sequences, which immediately cuts out about half of Bran’s content. But not only did they take away his magical importance, they also stole his political importance. Bran was Robb Stark’s heir, Lord of Winterfell and first in line to be the King in the North. Yet they took Bran’s story away from him and gave the focus to Theon Greyjoy, a character more appealing to the tastes of David Benioff and Dan Weiss. So we never got to see the King of the Six (should be eight but whatever I’m just dying inside) Kingdoms acting in any leadership capacity. And, last but certainly not least, D&D took all emotion from Bran. And no, I don’t mean when he came back from beyond the wall a husk of a person. That was awful, but the damage was done seasons before. If you’ve read the books, you’ll know and love Bran Stark because this is who he is:
He sent sweets to Hodor and Old Nan as well, for no reason but he loved them
Bran was a sweet boy. Everyone loved him
The roots of the trees grow deep, and under the ground the Kings of Winter sit their thrones. So long as those remained, Winterfell remained. It was not dead, just broken. Like me, he thought,  I'm not dead either
Old stories are like old friends, she used to say. You have to visit them from time to time
He is a sweet boy, quick to laugh, easy to love
Bran has always represented happiness and people coming together in GRRM’s story. Ned wants to bring him to King’s Landing because he’s universally loved and will ease the conflict between Joffrey and Robb, and just the thought of him being alive makes Jon bury his ego and reach out to his Night’s Watch Brothers. He is Meera’s little Prince, someone that Howland Reed’s children are willing to go beyond the wall and die for. He accepts food on the road beyond the Wall, and promises he’ll repay his debt many times over. He’s the boy who looks back into the past and just wants to see his dad again; who reaches out to save Theon, even when Theon took everything from him. He is Eddard Stark’s son, soft and kind and loving, brave when he is afraid, loyal and honorable, and he is a good person. He’s young, but he is fit to be a King one day. 
But no, D&D didn’t stop at Bran. Let’s talk about Arya Stark, and the little girl who never was. Was there ever a character more suited to D&D’s tastes than a little murder girl hellbent on revenging her family’s killers? But was there ever a character further from Arya Stark? She is nine years old when Ser Ilyn takes her father’s head, of course she is brash and reckless and childish, wanting to avenge him. But she is all of those things because she is still a kid. Below the surface, she is very scared and very hurt. Unlike the show’s version of Arya, who is upset Joffrey died because she couldn’t do it herself, the Arya of the books has a realization that Joffrey dying means nothing because she’ll never get Robb back. Arya isn’t turning into an assassin because it would be cool, she’s running away as far as she can.
You can watch the season finale of Game of Thrones s4, and be right in concluding that Arya Stark leaves The Hound for dead in a ruthless move of brutality as she goes to pursue her dreams of being an assassin. Now read the end of A Storm of Swords, and you’ll find an Arya who refuses to let Sandor take a piece of her no matter how he abuses her, and goes to Braavos because she is so afraid that no one could love her anymore - and most of all she leaves because with Winterfell sacked and held by the Boltons, she genuinely thinks she has lost her home. Arya doesn’t make a well-adjusted decision to leave Westeros, she’s trying to keep her head above water before she drowns in grief. Disassociating from her pack is the only way she can cope with the unbearable amount of loss she has suffered, especially at such a young age. But GRRM’s version of Arya is fierce, brave, loyal, loving, and above all she loves her family.
Then there is Sansa, the most empathetic character in GRRM’s whole world. The unfailing hope and kindness in which she views the world are her defining character traits; she echoes GRRM’s own worldview, one where you can see the good and the bad in everyone, and choose to forgive - and if not that, still refuse to be cruel in kind. Sansa is the only one who looks at Sandor Clegane, looks at the ruin fire made of his face, and see that his eyes are why he’s so ugly - and then reach out to show him mercy. The girl who was beaten everyday of her time in King’s Landing, and still mourned Joffrey because he was a person and he died and she understood that it was still awful. She wishes knights who literally beat her bloody would fall off their horse, then feels bad and ashamed when they do. Sansa Stark is kind above all.
And the show took this character and made her cold. They tried to make her Littlefinger. Surprise! Nobody cares about the emotional well being and happiness of Petyr Baelish for a reason. Thankfully Bryan Cogman was there to run interference between Sansa and D&D, so she wasn’t fully the Ice Queen D&D wanted her to be, but goddamn how do you take Sansa “if I am ever Queen, I’ll make them love me” Stark and make her cold?!
The biggest problem with stripping the Stark kids individually of their emotions, is that they can no longer exist as the family GRRM created them to be. Without Arya, Bran, and Sansa’s emotional arcs, everything becomes meaningless. Who cares that Ramsay Bolton is the one to rebuild Winterfell in the show? Certainly not an audience that hasn’t been told to care.
You’ll notice a trend in the type of chapters that D&D decided not to adapt into Game of Thrones; think of all the chapters that are the emotional heart of GRRM’s story. Not the shocking character deaths, or dragons, or plot twists. The moments of intimacy between GRRM, his character, and you as the reader. The moments so small yet so impactful, the lines you remember not because they pushed the plot forward but because they honestly moved you in a way that you felt hope, longing, love? Those chapters are almost always either from Bran, Sansa, or Arya; and are always about their connection to their family. D&D adapted none of them. Here’s three great examples:
Done with Wooden Teeth
When Arya is a serving girl at Harrenhal during A Clash of Kings, it really sucks. Unlike the show, she is not cup bearer to Tywin Lannister; she is just like everyone else: abused, mistreated, underfed, miserable, and uncared for. She’s already at a pretty low moment in life, then the news breaks that Bran and Rickon were murdered by Theon Greyjoy and Winterfell has been sacked. And Arya doesn’t even have someone to grieve with; the one person she tries to tell, Elmar Frey, tells her nobody cares about a serving girl’s brothers when he’s just lost his Princess (the irony...).
The news that her family is dead almost breaks her:
As Arya crossed the yard to the bathhouse, she spied a raven circling down toward the rookery, and wondered where it had come from and what message it carried. Might be it’s from Robb, come to say it wasn’t true about Bran and Rickon. She chewed on her lip, hoping. If I had wings I could fly back to Winterfell and see for myself. And if it was true, I’d just fly away, fly up past the moon and the shining stars, and see all the things in Old Nan’s stories, dragons and sea monsters and the Titan of Braavos, and maybe I wouldn’t ever fly back
This is Arya giving up. Everything she’s done in this book so far has been to get back to Winterfell, or to Jon at the Wall. Her making the decision to fly away (which she’ll follow through on in A Storm of Swords) is a defeat, the acceptance that she’ll never get her family back.
If the chapter had ended here (it doesn’t), D&D still would’ve gutted it, because no Stark gets to react to Bran and Rickon’s death in the show. Not even a minute of screentime given to the Heir to the North and his brother dying; not a moment where their family can grieve the tremendous loss.
But Arya is a Stark, so before she gives up on her identity, she visits the Godswood:
“Tell me what to do, you gods,” she prayed.
For a long moment there was no sound but the wind and the water and the creak of leaf and limb. And then, far far off, beyond the godswood and the haunted towers and the immense stone walls of Harrenhal, from somewhere out in the world, came the long lonely howl of a wolf
The Godswood is very important to the Starks for a couple different reasons. First, only the men of the North worship the Old Gods, and the trees is the connection they have to them. The Old Gods were who Ned went to for guidance, and every single Stark has huge moments of understanding in front of a Godswood (none of which made it into the show...). But, more specific to the Starks as a family, Bran speaks to his family through them and guides them toward home. So even though they don’t understand that Bran is calling to them, the Starks are drawn to the trees for help.
And the trees always answer them. The Starks get a real, physical response when they ask the Godswood for help:
Then, so faintly, it seemed as if she heard her father’s voice. “When the snows fall and the white wind blows, the lone wolf dies, but the pack survives,” he said.
“But there is no pack,” she whispered to the weirwood. Bran and Rickon were dead, the Lannisters had Sansa, Jon had gone to the Wall. “I’m not even me now, I’m Nan.”
“You are Arya of Winterfell, daughter of the north. You told me you could be strong. You have the wolf blood in you.”
“The wolf blood.” Arya remembered now. “I’ll be as strong as Robb. I said I would.” She took a deep breath, then lifted the broomstick in both hands and brought it down across her knee. It broke with a loud crack, and she threw the pieces aside. I am a direwolf, and done with wooden teeth.
In her lowest moment, Arya re-finds her strength by remembering she is a Stark, a direwolf who belongs to a pack. The Godswood gives her Ned as comfort, as a reminder of who she is and what she should do. There is an incredible emphasis on family here. It would be impossible to adapt this chapter unless the writers and audience fully understood just how committed to each other the Starks are - which is why they didn’t adapt it.
I’m Not Dead Either
When Bran finally leaves the crypts at the end of A Clash of Kings, he’s close to giving up on himself entirely. He spent three days inside Summer, and returning to the body he views as broken (”Bran the Broken” is something he calls himself when he feels upset, not the monikor he’d give himself as King) is really hard for him. And when he finally leaves the crypts, he comes out to a Winterfell that has been destroyed; Ramsay has set the place ablaze and killed everyone. Bran knows Ser Rodrik is dead and Maester Luwin is soon to be as well. He looks around him and sees all this destruction, all he smells is fire or blood. But one thing in Winterfell stands unharmed; Summer takes off running for the Godswood:
The air was sweeter under the trees. A few pines along the edge of the wood had been scorched, but deeper in the damp soil and green wood had defeated the flames. “There is a power in living wood,” said Jojen Reed, almost as if he knew what Bran was thinking, “a power strong as fire.”
After Bran says goodbye to Maester Luwin, and him and Rickon part ways with no idea where either is heading, Bran has one last moment to look on Winterfell and find hope:
Beyond, the tops of the keeps and towers still stood as they had for hundreds of years, and it was hard to tell that the castle had been sacked and burned at all. The stone is strong, Bran told himself, the roots of the trees go deep, and under the ground the Kings of Winter sit their thrones. So long as those remained, Winterfell remained. It was not dead, just broken. Like me, he thought, I’m not dead either.
Bran looks back at Winterfell, and because he’s able to see the unharmed Godswood and the Kings of Winter still seated on their thrones, he can understand it’s not dead, just like him. Again, a Stark is drawing strength from their connection to each other, and through a Godswood.
I Am Stronger Within the Walls of Winterfell
This next one, you’re probably thinking “but the show did adapt Sansa’s snow castle chapter”, and I’m here to tell you they didn’t. I could write an entire book on how that scene is the perfect example of how adaptations fail; they *technically* adapted it, with pretty much the same events, but it was completely stripped of its emotional impact and narrative importance. It is the perfect microcosm of why Game of Thrones was a bad adaptation of A Song of Ice and Fire, as well as how D&D consistently missed the emotional beats the Starks were supposed to have.
The show’s version of this chapter somehow centers it around Littlefinger, while simultaneously underselling the fact that Lysa killed Jon Arryn (they sandwiched this episode and scene between Tyrion’s trial and Oberyn’s death, when this chapter ends A Storm of Swords. All of the climaxes in that book, and GRRM saved this one for last). The end product is a rather forgettable scene that most people overlook.
In the book, this chapter is everything. It is the best chapter in asoiaf, and the best writing of anything ever. Period. And it’s a chapter centered around Sansa’s relationship to her home, to Winterfell. Unlike the very small castle of the show, Sansa spends hours building a castle big enough that she can step inside and continue building details. The fact that she can stay outside for hours, while several onlookers get too cold and go back inside, is a reminder that she is a Stark.
And this chapter is centered around a Godswood. The tree never took root, because the Eyrie is too high for weirwoods, but the courtyard Sansa’s in was meant to be a Godswood. And since she doesn’t have a real one, Sansa builds her own inside her snowy Winterfell.
Being up in the mountains is also the first time Sansa’s seen true snow since she said goodbye to Robb in Winterfell, and just the thought of it makes her dream of home and of memories with Bran and Arya. She wakes up having dreamed of home, and thinks she’s sleeping next to her sister until she wakes up enough to realize she’s not in Winterfell.
When Sansa’s alone with no real connection to home, she finds the closest thing to Winterfell (the failed Godswood) and builds her own. She literally gains strength from it:
She wondered where this courage had come from, to speak to him so frankly. From Winterfell, she thought. I am stronger within the walls of Winterfell.
Her home and her family give her strength to stand up to her abuser, just as Arya was able to escape the abuse of Harrenhal and Bran escaped the Boltons.
There is way more than these three instances, but these are the best examples of D&D failing to adapt the Starks as a pack, or as individuals with feelings. Of course the ending didn’t feel right emotionally, because we had no explanation for what emotions led our Starks to their destinies.
I’ll probably make a post specifically about this in a couple days or weeks, but I can see GRRM’s ending stuck within D&D’s sloppy rush to the end:
The first time Arya leaves Westeros, she leaves because she thinks all her family is dead or taken, and that Winterfell is gone forever. At the end, she’ll leave because she is sure her family loves her, and that she has a room in Winterfell whenever she wants to visit Good Queen Sansa. Arya is also fast to make friends of all different people, and would start her own pack of rogues as she travels the world.
Sansa won’t be alone because she, like Arya, is good at finding her own pack. (And GRRM has built his world out so extensively, it’s honestly a joke to think we could be in a crowded room and recognize no one). Sansa’s friends are her people. She throws feasts constantly, and like Ned, always has a seat at the High Table for the small folk. She has many ladies in waiting, true friends of hers that help her write songs and stories, and sew dresses. She is a good and kind Queen, and visits the Wall constantly as she helps the Lord Commander resettle the Gift.
King Bran the Wise (or ya know, just not broken) rules from his Weirwood Throne on the Isle of Faces, at the heart of his kingdom. After Daenerys burns King’s Landing, he moves the capital since The Red Keep was a monument to Aegon’s Conquest - a symbol of tyranny King Bran is trying to move forward from. He fills his council with highborn and lowborn alike. He constantly talks to his siblings; Sansa waits for him at the Godswood, and Arya and Jon see him through Ghost and Nymeria. 
Just because they’re far in distance, doesn’t mean they aren’t a pack. They all know the others are safe, and that they’ll see see each other soon. GRRM will invest the right amount of time explaining the emotional beats of this ending to make it feel right. He cares so much about the Starks. He wrote them a whole epic fantasy because he saw Bran finding pups in the snow. He loves them more than we do, guys. 
The Starks are the Giants!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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benisasoftboi · 4 years
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Gushing time.
Rune Factory 4 Special arrived a day early, so my entire day has been consumed in nostalgia. The original Rune Factory 4 was the first video game I ever bought on release day - I remember saving up all my money and making my mum drive me to like three different shops trying to find one that had it. I was already a fan of the franchise - before then, Rune Factory 3 had been my favourite video game, across the board. Aside from a playthrough of the first game last year, I haven’t played a Rune Factory game in a long time, certainly not RF4. But just starting up the game and hearing the music again, it was like it was suddenly seven years ago. Running around Selphia and seeing all the characters again - I love JRPGs, have played a lot of them, and I can think of very few that have characters that have stuck with me this long. And the aesthetics - the best thing about the Rune Factory franchise has always been the aesthetics, the music, the scenic and character design, just the general world. It’s a beautifully whimsical balance of urban and fantasy, and it’s the only JRPG world I think I’ve ever come across that I would genuinely want to live in. Rune Factory may no longer be my favourite game franchise - but I don’t think there has ever been another series that has felt so much like home to me.
Here’s a very long selection of personal highlights from the art book (by which I mean photos of the art followed by my rambling opinions):
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Yeah, see, here’s the thing - Rune Factory 1 is not a good game. I could write an entire essay on why it’s bad (I actually started and got pretty damn far before realising no one’s interested in my two thousand word review of a game that came out over a decade ago - the short version is ‘Misty Bloom-fucking-Cave’. Anyone who’s played RF1 knows exactly what I mean). Don’t get me wrong, it has good qualities - excellent boss fights, for one, and also, as with the rest of the franchise, it is aesthetically wonderful. But ultimately, it feels less like playing a video game, and more like playing a proof of concept for a game. Which I guess it kind of was - and I can’t hate it because we wouldn’t have the rest of the series without it.
But it literally ends with a dragon spewing plant breath on a tank to make a turnip grow out of the gun. ‘Profound’, my arse. 
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It’s Raguna! The “master sowrdsman!” (that is not a typo on my part that is a direct quote from the ending of Rune Factory 1 this game’s script had so many issues-). And Mist! My favourite of the ‘canon’ love interests!
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Best girl! When I was a kid, my favourite love interest in RF1 was Rosetta. As an adult, it is Tabatha. I don’t know what it is about her that I find so likeable (she’s as lacking in personality as any other RF1 character), but... idk, I just like her a lot.
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Camus’s big ambition is to leave town like even once. He will never achieve it
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Fun fact about Melody is that she’s extremely depressed, a fact that comes up once in an optional side quest and is never addressed again. It’s incredibly dark for an RF game
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Fun fact about Lukas is that he sucks (he’s one of those ‘obsessed with talking about how hot all the girls are’ characters, an archetype that thankfully doesn’t show up again in these games). But also, interestingly enough, thanks to one of RF1′s many, many script errors, if you marry Rosetta (the girl Lukas is the most obsessed with), he’s supposed to express disappointment that he lost her to Raguna - but instead, he implies that he’s disappointed to have lost Raguna to her. The translators typoed their way into giving him a sexuality change. Which is honestly kind of amazing.
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LOOK AT THIS SLIME THIS IS SUCH A COOL SLIME LITERALLY EVERY OTHER JPRG SLIME GO HOME DRAGON QUEST GET FUCKED (jk I like Dragon Quest a lot and its slimes are cool too). Wish you could see in-game that this is what they’re meant to be like.
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I just generally love the monster designs, they’re really charming
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Rune Factory 2! The RF game with the most weirdly mundane protagonist name (Kyle. In the main four games of this franchise we’ve got Raguna, Micah, Lest, Frey... and Kyle). The two generations thing was actually very cool, but when they say ‘each chapter captures a different lifestyle’, what they really mean is ‘the first half is a weak Harvest Moon I’m sorry, STORY OF SEASONS game, and the second half is a pretty good Rune Factory game’  
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lookit this little fuck
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Yue Yue Yue! I love Yue so much, she’s great. She’s kind of like a much chiller version of Anna from Fire Emblem.
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It’s really cool that we got to see grown up Cecilia (she was in RF1). I have this silly headcanon that if Kyle doesn’t marry Mana, Nicholas (her friend in 1) comes to visit Cecilia one day in the hazy-post game future, and meets Mana, and they get together. While Yue is my favourite, I do genuinely like Mana a lot, and I just want her to find love, I guess.  
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Here’s original Barrett! There’s a reason he was popular enough to make a reappearance (well, aside from the whole grumpy pretty boy thing he’s got going on) - he was a great character in this game. His and Dorothy’s relationship is also definitely the most compelling of the rival romances. Bonus Max, who also has a little shout-out in RF4 (check the diary in what will become Dylas’s bedroom at the start of the game)
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Ray is male, but apparently he was originally going to be a female character, as he has an unused portrait in a wedding dress. My friend and I agree that this makes him a Trans Icon
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Monster designs remain excellent. Especially the goblins
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Skipping over Frontier (and also Oceans later), as I never got to play it growing up due to not having a console, and still haven’t got around to it - might try this summer. Except I do need to point out that these guys should be memes. I don’t know in what way. But they should.  
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Rune Factory 3! My first RF game. The transformation thing was very cool, even if it was basically useless outside the main story. My friend and I spent hours mucking about in the WiFi dungeon. I loved the desert settlement and all of the dungeon designs in general, and man, RF3 is just great. I hope it gets a remake one day.
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Raven Raven Raven! I LOVE Raven (as do most). Her story with Micah is the first time I can remember getting genuinely invested in a video game romance. I’m so glad she cameos in RF4. I love her. She’s wonderful.
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I have an odd fondness for Marian. When I was about twelve, I decided to do a playthrough where I deliberately romanced the least popular bachelorette. After poking around on forums, I determined that character to be Marian, and did a run with her. And... I actually came to really like her. I find her endearing. I get that people find her annoying and don’t like her... unethical medical practices, but doing that run has still made me a pretty protective of her. It’s been a long time since I played RF3, so maybe I’d change my mind if I replayed now, but currently, as far as I’m concerned,  Marian’s a good’un.
I think I also used to low key ship her with Collette lol 
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Pia’s official art has always been super weird to me because it’s so not what her character is like in-game. She’s a ditzy airhead. This makes her look so serious
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RAINBOW! Another character whose art makes them look way more serious than they actually are. Daria is great and would be a meme if this game was more popular. I think she’s also implied to be a relative of Margaret. 
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I’ve always been super confused about what Kuruna’s skirt is meant to be. Is it fur? Is it part of her shirt? Is it even a skirt at all?
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Check it out, it’s the guy everyone would ship Micah with if this game was more popular
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I want Zaid to make a reappearance and interact with Doug. Pretty sure it’s canon that they’re from the same clan? Think it would be very interesting.
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RF3 definitely had the coolest farm. Also, still love the desert settlement.
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This is from Oceans, so I have no context, but it’s just so cool that I had to share
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Rune Factory 4. Culmination of the series is right - when I was playing it for the first time, I remember being blown away by just how much it is a true love letter to the franchise. I have never come across another game series that so consistently grew and improved from entry to entry. RF4 was a perfect ending.
Not that I’m complaining about getting RF5. Quite the opposite.
But if it had been the end (as we all thought it was until about a year ago), well, like I say. Perfect. 
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Well. Aside from soda can nipples. Can’t believe they didn’t fix those. Though in some ways, that would have made me sad too
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Dolce has such a cool design, in both human and monster form. I’ve always kind of crack-shipped her with Margaret, for no real reason at all
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Vishnal! I love Vishnal. Vishnal is pure as heck. Marrying him this time around.
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Doug! My choice from last time around. Another character who looks more serious in his official art than he is in-game (well... most of the time)
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And then there’s Dylas, who looks much happier here than he does most of the time. Kind of looks like he and Doug swapped bodies, actually. There’s a fanfic prompt for you.
Their ship name is Dyldo. I love them
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Leon is nostalgic for me mostly because my friend and I used to get into a lot of arguments about whether or not he’s the hottest character in the game. She maintains that he is, because muscles. I maintain that muscles aren’t actually that attractive. It is a rift that divides us to this day
(He looks oddly... younger in this art though? Weird)
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Sechs Empire is such an unfortunate name. Seriously. How rushed was RF1′s localisation team? All those script errors, and then this (the Sechs were the antagonists in the first game, and were only referenced in passing in the rest until RF4 - so it was a bit of a ‘sins of the father’ situation by then).
Seriously, try saying ‘Sechs Emperor’ out loud and tell me you can take this man seriously 
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I??? Love??? Them???
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I??? LOVE??? THEM???
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Still confused as to why Kiel, Xiao Pai, Arthur and Margaret are on the cover now. Don’t get me wrong, I like them, but... Amber, Dylas, Dolce and Leon made way more sense? Even the Archival Cover makes more sense (Vishnal, Clorica, Forte), as those three are all kind of Lest/Frey’s servants (well, Forte for the whole town, but still). Of those first four, all but Arthur basically lift right out of the game with little-to-no impact on the story
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NO HAT TABATHA NO HAT TABATHA
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I’ve always really loved this Raven picture
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And I am thankful for you <3
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Why (most of) the 2010s Marvel legacy characters didn’t work
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For Marvel characters I think it comes off as profoundly undermining when they get legacies, at least in the specific way Marvel attempted this throughout the 2010s.
To explain this we need to actually first look at DC’s characters in order to compare and contrast why legacies for them tend to work out better than they do for Marvel.
Simply put back in the 1930s-1950s (if not even later) DC’s characters were almost always created as powers first, people second. Wish fulfilment fantasy figures over flawed mere mortals.
Consequently you could legacy Green Lantern and the Flash in the 1950s and then do so again in the 1980s-1990s because so so long as you had a guy with a ring and another guy with super speed you were retaining the essence of both characters, the fundamental point and appeal of them.
But the Marvel characters were the other way around and practically deliberately designed to be so. 
Thor was the story of the life and times of Thor Odinson. Spider-Man was the story of the life and times of Peter Parker. The Fantastic Four was never the story about a brainiac who stretched, a girl who could go invisible, a kid who could burst into flame and a guy who looked like a rock monster. 
It was about a stern scientist obsessed with his work. A nurturing young woman who loved him but was frustrated by his tendency to get lost in his work. Her younger brother interested in sports cars, girls, excitement and other typically hot headed teenage endeavours. And an average Joe who was tortured and depressed that he was no longer human. 
Ben Grimm could’ve looked like any kind of monster and the central point of his character would have been retained. The F4′s specific powers, complemented their personalities, but they were not the driving point unto themselves. 
In contrast let us consider Captain America, probably the Marvel character who’s done the ‘replacement legacy hero’ storyline the most (at least within 616 canon). How comes he  lends himself so much better to this type of story than the other Marvel characters? 
Simple, because unlike most of the big name Marvel characters you know of, he wasn’t created in the 1960s or beyond. Cap was the product of the 1940s and was a peer to those same early days super heroes from the Golden Age, including the original Green Lantern and Flash. Like them he began fundamentally more as a symbol and powerset than a person. 
But now flashing forward to the 21st century many (most in my view) Flash fans were upset (and continue to be so) Wally West’s ascension to the Flash mantle was undermined and ultimately undone for the sake of restoring Barry Allan to the spotlight. The reason for this upset when Wally himself had replaced Barry? Wally had proven himself a far more flawed, nuanced and complex character than Barry had ever been. 
He demonstrated a degree of characterisation in the Flash role that Barry never had. It wasn’t even that he simply had more of this than Barry, but that Barry, just like Jay Garrick preceding him, had little to speak of in the first place. Thus the contrast between Jay and Barry was mostly superficial but the contrast between Barry and Wally was as stark as comparing Spider-Man to 1950s Superman.*
But Wally West, and the entire DC Universe from Post-Crisis onwards in fact, were in that mould precisely because they were trying to be more like Marvel comics has been since the 1960s onwards. 
DC in effect began prioritising the people beneath the costumes over the powers.** But Marvel starting in the 1960s had pretty much always been like that with their heroes.
Consequently when legacies popped up and those new characters were pushed as being just as good, just as worthy, or (in some cases) lowkey pushed as being better  than their predecessors it naturally rubbed those fans with decades of emotional investment the wrong way. OBVIOUSLY  a woman or a POC can be just as worthy and just as capable as a man or a white person as a superhero. But series to series, character to character, it was almost like Marvel was taking away your beloved pet.
Imagine for a moment you had a pet named Rex that you’d known and loved for years. 
Then Marvel insisted on taking Rex away from you when there was nothing wrong with him. In his place they give you another clearly different pet with Rex’s collar, who gets Rex’s bowl, Rex’s food, Rex’s toys, Rex’s bed and even Rex’s name and asks you to treat them not as just a new dog but straight up the new Rex.
Except he isn’t Rex. Rex is Rex. The ‘new Rex’ playing with Rex’s toys, doing the same tricks as him or having his collar doesn’t change that.*** 
Because Rex was more than a collar, his toys or his tricks. He was an individual that you’d known and loved. And even if you know Rex is going to come back ‘eventually’ having Rex taken away from you at all, having the new Rex supplant them (especially if old Rex was screwed over for the sake of new Rex’s arrival) and having so many people insist new Rex is just as great or more great than old Rex (to the point where many people loudly proclaim they don’t even want the old Rex back and the old Rex was kinda lame and boring) is going to create a massive dissonance. Maybe you would’ve been chill with the new Rex is he was just another additional pet called Rover or even like RexY who was similar yet different to Rex, but not actually promoted AS Rex or as his replacement. 
Maybe you would’ve been okay with the new Rex if the old one got too old, died naturally or accidentally. But you aren’t okay with it because there was nothing wrong with Rex, you LOVED Rex and Rex had been with you and been around generally forever. So the new Rex felt like he was undermining him, especially undermining Rex’s individuality. 
That’s how I think most Marvel fans felt about practically EVERY legacy situation that’s ever cropped up from the 1960s onwards, not even the ones just from the 2010s. I remember  the outrage when Bucky was announced as the new Cap. I know there were people salty about Eric Masterson as Thor and the Spider-Man Clone Saga speaks for itself.
Compounding the situation is that more than a few media outlets (despite imo not representing the feeling’s of the majority at all) promoted (and in some cases still promote) the new characters as not just better than they are (see the dozen or so lists talking about how great Riri allegedly was) but along with many fans tear down the older characters whilst doing so. 
See every article ever talking about why Peter Parker in the movies (and sometimes in the comics) NEEDS to die for the sake of Miles becoming the new Spider-Man in spite of their rationales rarely making sense from a creative/financial POV and utilizing misrepresentations of both characters to varying degrees. Even fans that appreciate the social/political relevancy of the new characters are going to naturally be upset in response to that and angrily voice opposition when the character they love gets dragged through the mud like that. And that then gets exacerbated when they are labelled as bigots for feeling upset by the changes or reacting against the character they love being dragged through the mud.**** 
Especially considering they would’ve reacted the same way regardless of who was the replacement hero.  Again, fans at first didn’t take kindly to John Walker or Bucky as the new Captain Americas so the idea that backlash against Sam Wilson was entirely or primarily racist was itself profoundly ignorant. Especially when you consider black reviewers such as those on the Hooded Utalitarian were calling it out as bad storytelling and bad representation for black people. SpaceTwinks went issue by issue through Spencer’s Sam Wilson run and called it out as racist, ignorant and naive. NONE of which is me saying that there isn’t more than a little bigotry going around detractors of these new characters nor that there aren’t obviously bad actors.
But those people did not and do not represent the majority and framing the situation as though they do is disingenuous and highly unethical. In conclusion, the backlash against the 2010s Marvel legacy characters was entirely natural, understandable and for the vast majority came from a place of love for the original characters not a bigoted hatred for the new characters skin colour or sex. 
It was a testament to Marvel’s, and the wider media, misunderstanding the psychology of most comic book fans. 
P.S. In regards to that, though it isn’t exactly talking about what I’ve spoken about I’d highly recommend checking out this video which touches upon the disenchantment Star Wars fans felt over the Sequel Trilogy, which itself could be viewed as doing the same thing Marvel did with it’s replacement legacy characters.
P.P.S. The reason I think the likes of Miles Morales or Kamala Khan succeeded where others failed is chiefly due to their rise to the role of legacy replacements stemmed from their predecessors not  being sidelined for their rise to the spotlight. Miles never ever replaced the 616 version of Peter Parker, widely considered by most fans and Marvel internally as the true and legitimate version of the character. Kamala Khan meanwhile picked up the Ms. Marvel only when Carol Danvers discarded it and became Captain Marvel. She was still in the spotlight in her own right, Kamala simply got her own spotlight using Carol’s obsolete name. Which isn’t all that dissimilar to fan favourite Cassandra Cain’s rise to the Batgirl mantle now I think about it.
P.P.P.S. A possible counter argument to all I’ve said is the success of the Superior Spider-Man/Otto Octavius. After all why was he embraced when Sam Wilson and Jane Foster wasn’t? Was a double standard rooted in bigotry at play?
No, but the answer isn’t neat and simple.
I think Ock as the new Spider-Man was more embraced partially because Ock had been around essentially as long as Spidey himself. But more poignantly  pre-Superior Spider-Man was so atrocious that a sizzling and sexy idea like Superior (which generated tons of cheap novelty) felt utterly refreshing, even to people who had actually LIKED pre-Superior Spidey under Slott. It’s like how people praised the early Big Time stories despite their problems because compared to BND they were genuinely better.
Plus Superior, for all it’s god forsaken writing, didn’t exist to clearly workshop potential movie ideas or chiefly in aid of a social/political cause. Someone can agree that there should be more black or female superheroes but disagree that the older characters should be sidelined in the attempt to achieve that.
Especially when there were better alternative options such as introducing those newer characters within and alongside the established hero’s narrative or simply introduce them independently as has happened recently with the likes of Lunar Snow.
*This is also why I suspect Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman survived from the Golden Age into the Silver Age. Because they were the DC characters who (more than any of the other ones) had actual personalities/substance to them. **Of course this didn’t begin wholesale with the post-Crisis era. But noticeably the characters who had worked with this new shift in priorities prior to Crisis on Infinite Earths stayed generally the same thereafter (E.g. the Titans, Batman) whilst characters who had largely vacillated or struggled (e.g. Superman and Wonder Woman) were given fresh starts which proved critically and financially successful.  
***Not even if he does everything just as well as Rex did or does some stuff differently that’s still good (although the overwhelming majority of the time new Rex is clearly not as good as the old Rex).
****I’ve seen people be called racist and misogynists for calling out Riri Williams honestly ridiculous degree of competency as a hero/tech genius in spite of her age. This is not an invalid criticism, yet disliking the character because of those reasons is grounds to be labelled as something ugly by another (imo minor yet also vocal) contingent of fandom. 
Hell I was called a Trump supporting Breitbart reading bigot for calling out Marvel as two-faced due to never putting a black writer in charge of Sam Wilson as Captain America or a woman in charge of Jane Foster as Thor. It isn’t exclusive to comics either as I and other people have been accused of racism/misogyny for disliking the Last Jedi in spite of that film to my eyes being itself racist and sexist anyway.
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duhragonball · 4 years
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Review: Unabridged Episode 1
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I can’t remember how long it’s been since I last wrote about Team Four Star, but the short version is that they officially ended Dragon Ball Z Abridged, a little over a year after the final episode was published.   At one time, they seemed to think they could tackle the Buu Saga, but eventually it became clear that creative burnout was just too big a hurdle to overcome.   More importantly, they’d have to end DBZA eventually whether they finished the Buu Saga or not.    Somewhere along the way, TFS decided to focus on their future, which lay in producing original content.     There have been earlier examples of this, but I think it’s safe to say Unabridged is their flagship for 2020.  
I’d like to compare Team Four Star to some other media entity, but I can’t think of anything that fits.    In a way, they’re kind of victims of their own success.   They got tons of fans thanks to DBZA, and they managed to make enough money to turn their fan production into an actual business, but they can’t monetize DBZA, since they don’t own the source material.    So the trick is to somehow convince that audience to stick around for their other acts.    And those acts really can’t have anything to do with DBZ.    What else does that audience want?    Well, hopefully, a pastiche of The Office, because that’s what we’re getting. 
Unabridged is a mockumentary set in the offices of Team Four Star.    Stephan Kosecz plays... Stephan Kosecz, their newest hire, who is immediately disturbed by the camera crew filming his experience.   He meets the other members of the team, and they’re all outrageous characters.   Scott Frerichs is drunk on the job, Nick Landis is mercurial and disconnected from reality, Chris Zito is some kind of deranged lunatic, and so on.   
It’s soon revealed that Nick hired a camera crew to film a docuseries about them, and he paid them in advance, so they’re stuck with it whether they like it or not.    Scott pleads for the team to make a good impression, which leads Grant Smith and Kirran Somerlade to brainstorm ways to be impressive.  They settle on taking a picture of themselves and then going around asking people if they like it.    Stephan considers quitting on his first day, but changes his mind after he sees how grateful Grant and Kirran are for his support.  
I think the idea here is that this is supposed to be the Office turned up to eleven.    Zito is way crazier than Dwight Schrute, Nick is far more self-absorbed than Michael Scott, and Stephan is more over this than Jim Halpert.    And it fits for the style of comedy that TFS is known for.   The gags work, and there’s plenty more that can be done with the characters in future episodes.    It’s a solid way to kill sixteen minutes while I eat a meal, and that’s basically all I ask from a YouTube channel.  
But the bigger question, I think, is whether this series accomplishes what TFS needs for their future.    It’s certainly a good start.    From what I understand, they plan to release subsequent episodes on a weekly schedule, which is a welcome change from the chaotic timetables of their past few years.   Since about 2017, the unofficial slogan of TFS seems to have been “We’re working on a lot of cool stuff for you guys, and we can’t wait to show it to you!”   There’s been a lot of overpromising and underdelivering with TFS.    I feel a little guilty saying that, but they’ve admitted it themselves, so I think it’s a fair statement.   “Hey, we’re working on this, whoops that’s taking longer than we thought it would, it’ll have to be postponed, hey, sorry gang it’s taking even longer than we thought aaaand now we’re not doing the thing at all, so we can focus on this other thing that starts the whole cycle over again.”    That’s pretty much been the TFS experience for the last few years.  
The main thrill of Unabridged is that they actually got it done.   I feel like they’ve been hyping this thing forever, and now it’s finally a real video that you can watch instead of wonder about.   From here on, they can proudly state that they’ve made a series that’s completely their own.    No anime footage, no video game footage, No DCMA takedown bullshit.   Just their own guys making their own show that they wrote and produced themselves.   
Having said that, I’m not convinced that this was the project they needed to be investing all this time and energy into.  Maybe there’s a huge crossover between DBZ fans and Office fans.  If so, then they’re smart to take advantage of it.   Otherwise, it looks a lot like they couldn’t figure out anything better and settled on making a show about themselves.   It’s a very recursive concept.   This isn’t Steve Carell playing Michael Scott, a regional manager for a fictional company.    This is Scott Frerichs playing himself in the actual TFS building that he’s really the CEO of.   The implication here is that he’s doing a character, but it’s probably an exaggeration of the real person, maybe?   I don’t think KaiserNeko is drunk all the time, but it’s not like I know the guy.  
I don’t mean to be a killjoy, but I find the whole concept kind of irritating.   TFS is a real-world business that's producing a show about a fictionalized version of itself... making... a documentary about... itself.   This is navel-gazing, right?   I’m pretty sure that’s what this is.  
Let me put it like this.    Stan Lee and Jack Kirby created the Fantastic Four.   It was a big hit, and they occasionally appeared in their own comics as sort of a side gag.    Now, imagine if, for whatever reason, Stan and Jack couldn’t do Marvel Superheroes anymore, and they had to make a comic about something else instead, so they decided to just make a comic book about themselves just sort of hanging out.   In the late 60′s, there might have been an audience loyal enough to their past work that they’d stick around for that.    Hell, Lee and Kirby could probably even find a way to make it successful, but they’d probably also be savvy enough to find a stronger idea. 
That’s kind of where TFS is these days, and I don’t know what the solution is, but I don’t think it lies in filming themselves bantering back and forth.   These days that’s all they make anymore.   There’s the TalkCast PodShow, where you can listen to them talk about whether they liked the Sonic the Hedgehog movie, or DBCember, where you can listen to them talk about whether the Fusion Technique is cooler than the Special Beam Cannon.   I’m just having trouble seeing the point of Unabridged.    Like, this is the one where Grant and Kirran goof around on camera, as opposed to the Pokemon Nuzlocke videos, where they goof around on camera and also a game of Pokemon is happening.
Personally, I think the future of TFS lies more in the direction of shows like Fist Master, which represents TFS’ first foray into original animation.    The first episode looks a little rough, like a NewGrounds video from 2006, but that’s not the point.    It’s a fantasy action story with super powers and larger-than-life characters, featuring a lot of the same voice actors from other TFS projects.    Sound familiar?    The problem with Fist Master is that the first episode came out like 18 months ago, and maybe we’ll get to see Episode 2 sometime in 2020.    That’s not exactly a winning formula.   
Nonetheless, I feel like that’s the sort of basket TFS needs to be putting more eggs into.    If Fist Master is too complex to produce on a monthly basis, then maybe get some artists to make some simpler assets and do something with a lot more talking, and all the action happens off-screen.    Kind of like Sealab 2021.    Or hell, just do some audio-only sketches.   I feel like the big disconnect here is that TFS’s biggest asset is its voice acting talent, and yet they keep killing themselves trying to make video.    Meanwhile I’m one of these guys who wishes the YouTube app would play while the screen is off, because I just want stuff to listen to while I’m at work.    If they did an audio-only show about TJ and the Wombat, I’d be lining up to hear it.  
All that said, Unabridged looks like it got about 110,000 views in the past 12 hours, and that sounds like a big enough number to justify the hype, so maybe it’s a better idea than I’m giving it credit for.    It doesn’t have to be all things to all people, just so long as it keeps TFS afloat long enough for them to find their footing for their next project, and the next one after that.  
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A Study in Fate teaser
Here’s the first 2200 words of a novel-length fanfic that I’ll finish sometime this year. It’s a WiP on an atypical schedule: At a later date I’ll release the rest of the first chapter, but then I’ll release everything else all at once.
Some authors don’t like if you hassle them to hurry up, but I may find it motivating. I’m going to attempt to get better at answering my asks/comments so feel free to ask me things about this fic, but keep in mind there’s a lot of things I won’t answer. Please be aware that no one cares if you don’t like first person perspective.
Though a big aspect of this story is about how to manage depression, it starts in a relatively dark place and weaves in and out of it. If you can’t handle unresolved distant thoughts of suicide right now, maybe wait until the entire story is posted.
Finally, I am doing okay financially right now, but two of my fandom friends are not. If you’ve ever wanted to give me money, I now have a Patreon. Anything you give me will help me help them.
Description: After the events of The Empty Hearse, Sherlock struggles to figure out who he is now that John no longer seems willing to play a prominent role in his life. As his mind runs in circles trying to parse their relationship and determine who threw John in the bonfire, his world is shattered by an enigmatic visitor: himself, bearing bad news from the future.
Series 3 time travel remix; series 4 compatible.
Tags and warnings: first person present, agonizing slow burn, explicit but romantic, depression, suicidal ideation, NOT FLUFF, self-actualization
Read on AO3 or under the cut:
Chapter One - The Curtain Rises
One can’t get far without an organizing principle. Every man needs one drive to which all others are subordinate, a touchstone that seizes him with purpose.
I had one once.
Now I have chips.
Dreadful organizing principle, chips: once you’ve got them, there’s nothing propelling you forward anymore. Have enough of them and you hardly want to move at all. God. I was in the best shape of my life, body and mind, and now I’m turning into Mycroft.
Except Mycroft has already transcended these struggles — or so he claims. Yet again, I’m lagging behind on a path I never wanted to follow. Splendid.
Any moment Mrs Hudson will come out and start chattering away about you. That will set me back the rest of the day, yet I won’t ascend the stairs. Does no part of my mind demand control of my brain stem? I’m meant to be some kind of genius: Any visionary corner of my psyche eager to make something of me? No takers?
No. Life is now nothing more but the wandering of here to there. And thoughts like that are why everyone thinks I’m a baby, so for god’s sake stop.
I am all too stopped.
Depression is a dowsing rod: shows you where to dig. So: Why do I halt here, at the bottom of the stairs? Why can’t I face the only place I’ve ever belonged?
It’s not merely that you don’t live here anymore. Not quite. That would be too easy.
Where are you wandering now, John? You got off work an hour ago. No one's called to alert me you've been kidnapped, so there's one thing I didn't miss today.
Still figuring that out, darling. Off my game. Maybe was never on it. Against my better judgment I let romance rot my mind, and you're the one who's suffered most. But I've recovered from less noble chemical weaknesses than your company. Against all odds I still draw breath. If I make myself do nothing else, I will turn this around. I'll prove you can rely on me.
Any threatening emails? You don't just attempt to incinerate a man and move on. For god's sake, give me something.
Oh. A text. Not a threat; a video from the homeless network. Must have been delayed whilst I was on the tube.
There you are, alive and unwell, and here responds my heart but it's nothing. Mere streets away from me, and nowhere near her flat. Why do you do this, John? Is your phone broken? We could just talk about this. Give me another chance and I swear I won't come on so strong. I was too presumptuous when we last spoke weeks ago. I broke your heart, I'm monstrous; you're no longer fond. I get it.
You're no longer fond, but you're in need of a hit. Which is curious, you realize. You understand how a man would get the impression... But no. I won't presume. Life is boring and I'm dangerous and bless you, you need a hit. Just come get one. I'll pretend I'm managing, I'll find a way to switch on that whole persona for you and you can do your hero worship thing. I won't act desperate.
Just show up, and I will respect your wishes.
Do anything but pensively stop on the sidewalk in front of shops you have no intention of entering. It just screams, I'm distracted! Kidnap me! It's been an age and I know you despise me, but if you keep doing this I'm going to have to conduct surprise drills again.
Maybe you're trying to get kidnapped. I wouldn't put it past you. Maybe it would be charity to send a car around for you to blithely climb into. Do you even think about how that would make Mary feel, John?
Of course, it's me you're thinking about right now. The tension in your posture, the unconscious clenching of your hand, the conflict evident on your face even from this distance: definitely me.
You know, I wasn't the only one who presumed. The papers presumed, the entire British populace presumed, even your sister presumed and surely she'd -- No matter. You've made yourself clear. Just: spare a thought for "the best thing that's ever happened" to you. I've no talent for consoling women on my best days, and I'd hate to see how I'd fare in a worse state than her.
No, I don't know that. I don't know that I love you more than she does. She's never broken your heart.
Oh. Wait, why...? For god's sake, Pilar, why would you approach him? He'll notice.
Well. Can't complain about seeing your eyes more clearly. Not good for my recovery. And there, yes, you've noticed. Paranoia in full swing, hackles raised, and a step forward. 'Can I help you?' in your usual tone that fashions a threat from etiquette.
Not good for my recovery, no. The things you do to my blood, John.
'Got a pound?'
'For someone recording me?' You scoff, narrow your eyes. 'Are you...?'
'Say, aren't you John Watson?' Oh, clever girl. Look at him, pretending he's not pleased to be recognized.
Yet nothing is ever simple with you, John.
'Yeah.' You're either too smart or too suspicious for your own good. (Freud would presume. I'm only saying.) 'Did he...?' You look directly at the camera; at me.
Come on! You assume it’s me? When roaming bands of criminals have set you aflame? Oh here we go, that spark in your eye -- you're going all in:
'Did you put her up to this?'
Oh well.
'Who? What makes you say that, sir?'
'Uh, well he does it all the time.' I don't. 'You know what? Just send it to him.'
'Not sure what you mean, sir.'
'Oh,' you laugh, 'you're not sure what I mean. Stop bloody recording me.'
And that's the end of that.
So. Guess you won't be coming over this week either. Or will you? Are you angry enough to confront me? It's not stalking when it's for your own protection -- just ask my brother, John. God knows he could use the conversation.
I’ve got to find more discreet operatives.
> Next time don't be so obvious.
When did she send this? Ten minutes ago. No, if you were going to come over, you would have arrived by now.
I suppose you’ve already said everything you have to say. But not even a text for stalking, John? I thought we had a connection.
Or we did. Before Moriarty won.
Not your fault. All mine. I underestimated him, failed to foresee the lengths to which he'd go for his insane plan. Didn't realize how many pieces he'd put on the board. Stupid.
A ping:
i thought youd like it? before you whinged you cant hardly see him
It was only supposed to be months, John. Then dozens of pulled threads later and you'd already gone and shacked up with a woman! That's what I get for being thorough.
And not even thorough enough. But if I wasn't thorough enough then neither was MI6, John. If Moriarty still had operatives in London, that's on Mycroft. And me. But definitely on Mycroft.
I don't know. Hate not knowing.
Are we really never going to talk about this? I took down an international crime syndicate for you, and you broke up with me on your blog?
No, no -- sorry. I take full responsibility.
This is ridiculous. I don't know why anyone comes to me to solve their problems. I can't even make it up the stairs.
Ah.
That's it, isn't it? I don’t live up there anymore, either.
Yes. Everyone says you can find Sherlock Holmes just up those stairs, back from the dead and cleverer than ever! Like most things everyone says, it’s not true. I search for him in these rooms daily, and all the evidence points to this: Sherlock Holmes was a character created by John Watson. An exciting story. A fairy tale. (Dare I say a fantasy?)
People will believe anything you tell them, John, and they did. You were so sure I was a hero that even I came to believe it in the end. Now they only keep believing it because I lied. I was never steps ahead, never as infallible as you made me out to be -- and now that you've quit writing me I'll never be anyone at all.
But I'm doing it again. Getting histrionic. I'm not the first nobody to have his heart broken. They all get on with life.
Well: usually. Technically speaking, the most invested ones turn to murder or suicide. On the upside, murder is still in the cards: Assuming I can pull it together long enough to hunt down the appropriate parties, they are murderers and it would be doing the world a favor to murder them right back. In the course of any such investigation there will tend to arise situations in which I would have no choice but to murder them -- or, fortune willing, sacrifice myself so that you may live. Or both! Now that would be a power play: cleanse the board of evil, preserve the king. The ideal way to die may yet fall into my lap.
It's nice to have things to look forward to.
But say it doesn't pan out. Given my recent track record it would be foolish to place undue faith in my forecasting abilities, and after all, I don't know for certain this has anything to do with Moriarty's network. He pulled so many rugs out from under me I'm always half expecting yet another rug. I may grow as paranoid as you, John, with him skulking about in my head. For all I know everyone involved was in Moran's network, and I'm chasing after people who are already in custody. Maybe there's no grand end, no power plays, no relief.
That leaves suicide.
I'm not saying I will, John. I refuse to break your heart again. And it would be no way to honor the lengths to which you've gone to preserve my life. They're mere thoughts. They come and go -- always have, and I always haven't. I'm not going to do it, and if I am, I can always do it later.
But no appealing alternative has revealed itself. Only the obvious path for the invested: live like everyone else, and finally sever myself from aspiring to anything meaningful or exciting. Growing up, they call it.
Freud called it repression, so let's hold off on drastic measures. I made this life work before and I can make it work again.
Of course, that was easy for Freud to say: Being invested in life isn't an exercise in masochism when you have a lifelong companion. Not to be maudlin, John, but I wasn't making it work until you came along. Not truly. You were the gear that made it all click. I couldn't become Sherlock Holmes until you facilitated it.
It felt like the strength you granted me persisted during our years apart, but it's no surprise I drifted off course the moment you weren't at my side. That's not superstitious, John, that’s just a cold fact. You would have caught the little things I didn't. You would have kept my ego in check.
But what's done is done. I'll muster some strength for you. Reinvent myself again. Reorder my mind, keep myself off the needle and the pavement until I tie up these loose ends. Then... who knows.
Maybe someone else will come along.
Well. Feels good to laugh.
I’ve got to get on with it. Life may be a flight of uncarpeted stairs, but I'm sick of being down here.
'Going out, dear? John didn't call, did he?'
Will I always be this damned slow?
I sigh loudly, not that it will make any difference. 'No, and no.' You scowl like you do when I talk about him. 'Just getting in.'
You frown. 'But we were just talking.'
My heart leaps. 'You and John?'
'No, silly.' My heart falls. You tilt your head; smile. 'You and me.'
'You were talking. I was out.'
You shake your head and laugh, a cheery, infuriating tinkle. 'You had quite a lot to--'
'Mrs Hudson.' For god's sake, do not go senile on me. Not one more straw.
'Is it drugs, dear?' Terrible, hushed pity. Everyone always leaps straight to drugs! 'Oh don't get angry, I know all the signs! The nerve of him, putting you in this state. I'd say a few things to him, if only he'd come around once in a--'
Anything has got to be better than this.
'Project much?' The stairs are fine two at a time.
'I need those for my hip!’
'Adjust your dose! You're clearly...’ What?
What in the world?
'That would explain so much,' he says, and the room tilts.
Through the door. There I am. There he is.
Sherlock Holmes.
End notes:
In The Lying Detective, Sherlock tells Faith that chips are “the only perk” of being suicidal. In The Empty Hearse, he was eating chips when Mary told him John had been kidnapped.
John’s most recent blog entry before this story takes place is The Empty Hearse. It’s a mindfuck minefield for poor Sherlock, but we’ll get into that more soon. For now, know it contains this doozy: “Oh, and in other news, I’ve got engaged. But, it’s not something I’m really going to talk about much here. I want to keep some things private. I will say, though, she’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me. Sorry, Sherlock :)”
I borrowed the name Pilar from Sherlock Holmes and the Baker Street Irregulars: The Fall of the Amazing Zalindas, a novel by Tracy Mack and Michael Citrin. I’ve never read it, mind, it just seems like it wouldn’t be the sort of thing Sherlock would assign to Wiggins, and Wiggins would never be so sloppy.
Sherlock is obsessed with Freud. One Freud reference in The Abominable Bride, which was constructed entirely from Sherlock’s drugged out brain, came from Mycroft, who asked John if he was aware of theories of paranoia. Freud believed paranoid people were closeted homosexuals, heavily insinuating that Sherlock believes John is a closeted homosexual. Freud meta to come later; he’s very important.
Freud was with his wife for 57 years.
“Life is a flight of uncarpeted stairs” is from the poem “Spring” by the early 20th century queer poet Edna St. Vincent Millay. She ended up dying of a heart attack that made her fall down the stairs, which is itself poetic. Though she was a woman, I think it’s realistic Sherlock would know about her: the Casebook notes that Sherlock reads the agony aunt columns in women’s magazines because they contain all of life and are pertinent to his line of work, and in the same spirit I’ve made him familiar with all old famous love letters, for which she’s renowned. We also know Sherlock is familiar with Shakespeare and moved enough to remember entire soliloquies, so there’s no way Sherlock could read “Spring” and not retain some of it — especially as John and Mary had been aiming for a spring wedding, and the poem references April, which is just wrapping up as the fic begins.
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theorangedeath · 5 years
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Some webcomic recs
Webcomics are as underrated as they are varied. I mostly read printed comics now, but there’s no way I’d have gotten there had I not found webcomics before - believe me, I tried, but this damn hobby is super inaccessible to a beginner, not to mention expensive. Webcomics are like fanfics in that regard - hell, some of them are fan comics - in that there’s something for everyone, all within your reach, but in order to find something you like you have to either 1. Get very, VERY lucky, 2. Be prepared to read a lot of bad stuff in order to get to the good stuff, or 3. Hear about them from people you trust. 
I was a 2 - i would read anything, back in the day - and while i’m not as unconditionally enthusiastic as i was, there are still some gems I wish got the same appreciation as some talents in the industry. I’ll spare you the rest of the article (dm me for comic rants though), let’s get to it! 
note: all the comics are numbered as “1″ because tumblr messed up the google docs formatting 
Comics i still follow as they update because either tumblr starts posting about them right away or they’re on tapas
Check Please! 
https://omgcheckplease.tumblr.com/
I’m probably not the one introducing you to Check Please, as it’s one of the most popular webcomics out there, thank god. The parts of the fandom i’m familiar with are cool and wholesome, just like the work itself. It’s about a southern gay kid, Eric Bittle, who joins the hockey team in his college. It’s impossible not to love every single character there, the sports drama elements are great, and the format is like solidarity put into panels. The Samwell Men’s Hockey team’s motto is “we’ve got each other’s backs”, and there isn’t a single part of the comic that doesn’t 100% incorporate that. 
Heartstopper
https://tapas.io/series/Heartstopper
The 2000s so far have been a rough contest for the title of “sweetest ya romance” but guys, we found it, we can stop now. Nick and Charlie are in highschool, Charlie is gay and out (not by will), Nick plays rugby because apparently that’s what british jocks do. Can i make it any more obvious? It took me a while to fall in love with the artstyle but when i did i fell HARD - the creator is re-drawing some of the older chapters, though, so your experience might be different. The story’s captivating right away, and you want everyone there to be happy from pretty much page 1. The creator also writes ya prose, and some of her books are about other characters from the same school. I love all of them, but Radio Silence is my personal favorite. She also has two novellas about Nick and Charlie themselves, available as e-books. 
Charity Case 
https://tapas.io/series/Charity-Case
I rarely start new webcomics anymore, but boy, this one got me FAST. and that was even before I realized it’s a polyam love story, which i love but is surprisingly rare in webcomics - at least the ones i know. Julien, an irresponsible young musician, resorts to sharing an apartment with two roomates who are a couple. I fell for the unique, gorgeous artstyle first, and by the time i realized i’m also super invested in the story and characters, it’s already become one of my favorites. Plus, Julien’s hair looks so soft! 
The Property of Hate 
http://thepropertyofhate.com/TPoH/
THIS is what comics should be. There’s so much passion here, not just for the story but for the storytelling as well - and the two aren’t as separated as you might think. A young girl is recruited by a TV man to be a hero. The world they enter seems nonsensical and arbitrary at first, but as they travel she discovers its logic, stories and secrets. She will also, as her title suggests, need to save it. There’s so much i love about this comic that i don’t know where to start, so i’ll just say this: it’s absolutely inspiring, in every sense of the word. Also, read the creator’s duck comics, they’ll make you feel things. 
Webcomics i occasionally remember to catch up on, get blown away all over again by how good they are, vow to check them regularly for updates then forget. And repeat 
Wilde Life
https://wildelifecomic.com/
I think this is the first ever webcomic i read that had a plot? I got on the wagon at around chapter 1 or 2 and it’s hard to believe it but it only gets better with time, even though it already starts at 100%. Oscar moves to a new town and immediately makes friends with a ghost and a grumpy teen werewolf. It has both monster-of-the-week type problems and overarching plots, and reading it feels nostalgic and brand new at the same time. The fantasy world has this special feel to it, that makes me miss growing up in the american wilderness even though i, well, didn’t. Plus, the creator is cool as hell. I knit her a hat in high school in exchange for a commission. 
Sfeer Theory
https://sfeertheory.com/
This comic got me through a hard time and i’ll forever be grateful for that. Also, it’s really, really good. This is another case of a comic where you fall in love with the art right away and before long you find yourself caring very much about the characters and the story. You might also find yourself growing out your hair to style it like Luca’s. If you’re me it’ll be a lost cause, so, uh, keep that in mind. Luca works as a technician at the prestigious Uitspan university. A mysterious, powerful man is looking to change that. While the comic’s biggest strength is probably the gorgeous, fascinating worldbuilding - and Luca’s hair - the characters are also ridiculously easy to relate to, even if we don’t know anything about them. Even the most meaningless extras are somehow compelling thanks to the dynamic, rich art style. And did i mention the hair? If you like it, you won’t be disappointed by everything else Little Foolery makes. 
How To Be a Werewolf
http://www.howtobeawerewolf.com/
I almost didn’t read this one! My brain has decided i don’t like werewolves and i don’t know how to reverse that. But then i saw Elias’ body language and it was extremely fun and friendly, and so was the rest of the comic, and the rest is history. Malaya knows she’s a werewolf, but seeing as she doesn’t know any other werewolves, dealing with that is hard. That is until Elias discovers her and decides to help, along with the rest of his pack. It’s filled with family and solidarity feelings, some dark mysteries and themes, and the art is beautiful and expressive. 
Monsterkind 
http://monsterkind.enenkay.com/
Another case of read-everything-this-creator-makes-it’s-all-amazing! Wallace, a social worker, moves - or rather, is moved - to District C, which is mostly populated by monsters. His heart’s in the right place, and apparently so is his apartment, because his neighbors are cool as heck and agree, some of them reluctantly, to help him get his bearings. There’s a mystery to uncover, some monsters to help and a dashing tea octopus to woo - for Kip to woo, anyway - and it’s all a delight to read. Every single character brings their own lovable-ness to the table, and even with the darker parts, reading this comic kinda feels like being hugged. 
Comics that no longer update
The Less Than Epic Adventures of TJ and Amal - finished 
http://tjandamal.com/
Guys. guys! I’m pretty sure this is my all time favorite comic, web OR printed. I have the printed version, i still read it online occasionally, a lot of the songs mentioned in it are now saved on my spotify, i had it as my phone background for a good couple of years, the whole package. Amal comes out to his family and it ends with him having to drive to his sister’s graduation in Providence. There’s a guy in his kitchen who just so happens to need a lift there, and he’s willing to pay, and Amal’s too hungover to argue. What follows is the best roadtrip story ever. I’m seriously considering getting my license just to recreate that route. I just really love this story, okay? Oh, and if that wasn’t enough, the creator’s music taste is GOOD. 
Prague Race - to be continued in text 
https://www.praguerace.com/
The fantasy aesthetic to end all fantasy aesthetics. And the characters are good and interesting. And the world is well built and leaves you wanting more. AND there’s a cat. And it looks so good! Leona is irresponsible and spontaneous and gets her friends in some weird shit that leaves them trapped in a strange world, dealing with several curses, trying to survive and make sense of it all. I could spend a lifetime looking at the art and die happy. 
Shoot around - finished 
https://www.webtoons.com/en/drama/shoot-around/list?title_no=399&page=1
A girl’s basketball team and its coach, Jeff, deal with a zombie apocalypse. They make the most of the post apocalyptic world. There’s drama, friendship, found family, love and hope - it’s basically everything a zombie apocalypse narrative should be. And i love how the creator plays with the colors from chapter to chapter! 
Rock and Riot - finished 
https://tapas.io/series/Rock-and-Riot 
It’s cute! It’s fun! It’s a 1950’s queer ensamble cast high school drama! It’s what Grease would’ve been like in a better timeline, except we still got it in this timeline. The artstyle fits perfectly with the story and characters, but if you want to see what’s the creator capable of now, read their newest comic, Project Nought. It’s a cool sci fi story and just like in Rock and Riot, it’s super easy to connect to every character there. 
Alright there’s a lot more but i somehow wrote 4 google docs pages of webcomic recs in one sitting (this is what i’m able to focus on? Really, brain?) and i think that’s enough for now. Like i said, please dm me if you want to talk about anything here, rec some of your own, listen to my rants or tell me i’m a nerd. Or all of the above. I might make a similar post with print comic, but right now i have some dogs to pet. Keep being cool! 
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jeremy-ken-anderson · 4 years
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FFXV First Impressions
Impressions So Far (something like 2 hours in):
That opening scene of pushing the car was Actually Clever. It was trying to be clever, but if you succeed and ARE clever “trying to be clever” is allowed!
Running across open ground is a little boring. Definite “Open World-itis” there. They tried to mitigate by including fast travel back to your car. It...sort of mitigates it? But if you’re willing to shrink player perception of the space by including fast travel, then you should show less space and have more space implied.
Night is legit scary. One of the characters mentioned you needed to get in by dark because demons come out and I’m like, “Sure, but I’m an adventurer. Isn’t fighting demons my thing?” That night: I’m running around looking for a hunt target and the asphalt on the road in front of me starts boiling and then up pop a pair of red eyes (literally that’s all you can see of this thing if you’re not standing within 10′ of it). It’s an Iron Giant, and it is level thirty. At this point I am level three. I run. I run immediately and two of my friends still nearly die. I love how they handled night.
The conversation engine needed more time. It’s neat, and a lot of it is good, but it’s not good enough and like human face art it’s gotta be really great to fool humans because we’re used to focusing on it. Two hours in I’ve already hit two or three uncanny-valley type moments where people repeated lines - not just barks but whole conversations. When it’s barks it’s a person having a catch phrase. When it’s a conversation you’re suddenly watching Groundhog Day.
There are parts of this that remind me of the hashtags in KH3 - this weird and too-visible desire of the designers to incorporate some aspect of modern society and its relationship with media but it’s fallen apart because the media isn’t old enough (or the designer not prescient/deep enough) for the designer to conceive of how it really plays out, what it really means in a fantasy space. The mix of having digital GPS yet needing to get rumors about where stuff is on your local map from the local diners is...a weird choice.
When i realized you could mix any ol’ piece of junk you found lying around with your magic to make better magic? Yeah, that’s pretty hot. I wish the system had a faster cooldown for spells (As it is, spells are basically grenades you have to construct yourself before battle, using resources you only find in a couple locations - magic mining nodes, basically - plus whatever physical stuff you wanna combine with them. The magic nodes recharge daily, but you can only make 3 spell-grenades per grenade-slot and only get 4 grenade-slots as far as I can tell). Noctis, your main character, has MP, which should be WP because it’s used exclusively for Warping, at least so far in the game. Personally I think having to spend longer crafting a spell and then being able to use MP to cast it would be rockin’. Like, I would sit there farming up every possible combination of items and spell energy to fill out my spellbook. You could have crazy spells that use 3/4 of your mp gauge, and then you have to duck behind a rock to recover like a proper black mage would have to do and just...I don’t know, I had a similar response of “This was almost as awesome as the magic system I came up with just now that I haven’t tested” back when FFVIII came out. Who knows if my idea for a magic system would actually be any good in practice. It certainly feels good in my head, and frankly I appreciate how close this one came to awesome because this feeling of speculating about the one change to fix everything is really fulfilling for me.
I like the fact that there’s treasure points on your map, and food points on the map, and mining points on the map, but then every now and then you find something valuable that isn’t on the map. It makes wandering around feel just a little more rewarding - It’s better than the fast-travel system at making the open world feel like an okay decision.
I like how wide the range of survivability is! I ran from that level thirty Iron Giant, but I did a level ELEVEN hunt while I was still level THREE. Playing the fights well clearly matters.
I also really like the system for wounds! Basically you have a third score. Normal games have Max HP and Current HP. This game adds in “Current Max HP” which can be between the two. If you get knocked to 0 Current HP your character’s seriously injured and you’re literally limping around hoping for one of your buddies to heal you or trying to get out of immediate danger so you can drink a potion (or trying to limp and drink both at once). While this is happening your Current Max is bleeding out. Let’s say you had 100 max hp and you bleed down to 90 while you pull a potion out. A potion heals you by 50% of your actual Max (so, to 50) and if you can catch a breather out of immediate harm’s way you’ll quickly recover to 90, your Current Max HP. But you won’t recover to 100. Outside of combat, your Current Max rises by 1 every 3-4 seconds until it hits your actual Max HP. This makes it possible to get attacked again when you haven’t really recovered from the last fight, which...isn’t a feeling you get in a lot of these games, especially ones that have regenerating health systems as robust as this one. Just two hours in I’ve already had some really tense encounters where things started going really wrong for me and I pulled out of it but it built that sense of being winded, of being really rattled by the fight, in a way that doesn’t tend to happen.
I think Youtube videos about the game have already said this but I really like that you make your own photo album as you play. By the end of the game you’ve literally got the 200 most meaningful moments to you in that album, or at least your favorite pics. It’s just brilliant, in terms of making a retrospective of stuff that made the game great for you, personally, as the person who played this playthrough of their game.
The food looks delicious, and I’m precisely as disturbed by how much I want to eat it as various people are by how sexy they find cat versions of people in the new Cats movie. There’s one part of my brain that is telling me that it is cartoon food and not real (and that some of it, like the mystery lunchmeat “sushi,” would likely be Super Gross if you could smell it) and it is correct but is also incapable of shutting up the part of my brain that finds the same fake food appetizing.
The collector in me is starting by buying all the skills that grant AP. I have doubts as to whether the game is long enough that I’ll recoup the investment. Like, the one that makes it so Big Catches grant AP costs 99 AP. I think it makes them give 2 AP. Am I actually going to fish up 50 Big Catches in the fishing minigame? (It might even only increase the AP gains by 1, so I’d have to fish up a hundred to profit.) Well fuck it, I know I’m gonna buy every damn skill on every grid anyway so I might as well start with the ones that speed up that process, no matter by how small a degree. The camping and food ones, at the least, were no-brainers.
I have trouble telling the main characters’ voices apart. Say what you will about how dumb Donald sounds in Kingdom Hearts 3, but if Sora, Goofy, Donald, Kairi, King Mickey, Yen Sid, Axel, and Riku were all having a conversation there is no point where you’d be confused about who was talking even if your eyes were closed the whole time. The voices and speech patterns are as recognizable as the silhouettes, in the KH series. Not so much, in FFXV.
I love the way Prompto moves in combat. He is literally always tripping and scrambling to get back up. Seriously, if you have the game play the training session so you can see his move cycle in detail. He spends like half of it with at least one hand on the ground, and I just love it. It’s so dynamic, so expressive, so goofy, so immediately endearing. And then you think, “Wait, we armed our derpiest party member with a gun? What is wrong with us?”
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miranema · 4 years
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When you are still talking about a show you are too old for..
warning: it’s loooong (TL;DR section at the bottom)
Just to be clear I have no intention to look into and review any more Winx Club related content and it’s not just because the current environment is not conducive to this kind of endeavor. After I finished paying off my debts I considered getting back to this but eventually decided against it because some of my thoughts regarding this show have changed a little and I overall no longer see the point. One of the things I wanted to accomplish when I first started was to figure out why this show never appealed to me when it first came out on the FoxBox and well, the answer was very simple if not ridiculously obvious. This show was not made for me.
I was a few months short of 13 when the show premiered in the US and had just enough experience in the genre to have expectations, and this was the problem. When western magical girl series started to show up in the early 2000s, I expected shows that improved upon the standards and cliches left by the likes of Sailor Moon and its genre contemporaries, not just in terms of visuals but writing as well. Winx Club however, seemed more in line with the type of cartoons that (since the 80s) popped up every now and then as promotional material for emerging lines of fashion dolls generally targeting younger girls, with the only difference being that it had a progressive story-line. Even if you argue that Winx Club was not so merchandise-driven in its first seasons, contemporary fashion and aesthetics had always been the selling point. By then, shows that prioritized visual appeal over writing and seemed to exists primarily as toy commercials, were starting to lose my interest. I was also getting tired of certain staples like romantic relationships being bland but senselessly overemphasized and characters (specially protagonists) being archetypes with little to no complexity.  
As an adult, I since looked back at shows of similar quality/target audience and I have surprisingly been able to find joy within them leading me to another conclusion. It’s not that I am too old and weary to appreciate animated media aimed at young girls. It’s more likely that Winx Club is a sore spot for me because it is the show that made me realize (if subconsciously) that networks in charge of delivering animated media to mainstream television were no longer invested in appealing to me. As a non-white, lower-middle class girl who was never all that into relationship-melodrama I felt that most cartoons of my day didn’t really catered to my interest and I think I saw the rise of Winx Club as a bitter indication that even the animated genres that I liked or tolerated would eventually become completely inaccessible to me.
I had some trouble finding out what the target audience bracket was for the first season. From what I eventually gathered it is either 4-8 or 5-10, although apparently concept-wise the show was intended for a slightly older age group. I give more credence to the first bracket because honestly I think this show works best as baby’s first magical girl series. The less experience you have in the genre, the less fed-up with tropes and the less expectations you have going in, the better.
Lets just make a thing clear. There is no such thing as being too old to watch cartoons. An art medium is not inherently tied to an age group. Unfortunately, everything is at the mercy of capitalism, specially art produced for entertainment. There is a lot of stupidity and outdated ideas governing how mainstream shows are made and to whom they are made for. Industries don’t like to take chances and they are reluctant to change in accordance to society unless an increased in profits can be assured to some degree…
Look, look! I swear I was just going to post a simple paragraph-long note to whoever cared, stating I was not going to continue reviewing Winx Club even though I am no longer in debt. But, I made the HUGE mistake of looking at the Wikipedia page, specifically the part where they quoted show creator Iginio Straffi defending the controversial choices made for season 8, and here I am, annoyed and rambling. To paraphrase, he claims kids around 10 years and older just don’t watch cartoons as much as they used to (sure, Jan) and they just had to retooled their show for a younger demographic and that just means it cannot be as complex as it used to be. Yes, complex is a word he ascribed to the earlier Winx Club content (level of complexity to be clear). I rolled my eyes, I died a little inside and overall I also decided, among other things, to never read another Iginio Straffi interview ever again.
In an effort to wash away this BS and exorcise some demons let me throw here some of my still lingering unwarranted Winx Club thoughts in no particular sequence before this platform collapses any further:
Winx Club is one of if not the longest running western magical girl group series and its success is likely attributed to the fact that back when it premiered in the US, it was the only accessible and visually appealing series to come out of the genre since the beginning of the millennium. It practically had a monopoly of its intended audience. In my neck of the woods, it was available without the need of a cable/satellite subscription. In contrast, Dinsey-owned W.I.T.C.H. didn’t have that same accessibility and I don’t think I even need to bring up anime in general. The one other magical girl show from around the same time that I remembered coming across in syndicated broadcast was Trollz, and well you look that up and tell me how much staying power that looked like it had.
If the show has struggled in recent years is of course NOT because older kids don’t watch cartoons nowadays. Rather I think the show runners are not quite grasping how the circumstances surrounding their target audience have changed since the early 2000s. There are a lot more options out there in terms of entertainment even if you narrow things down to only western magical girl cartoons, not to mention that Winx club no longer has an edge on accessibility. I also think we consume media faster and that along with all the new options of entertainment means we have less head space to dedicate to one single show. Putting a new coat of paint to the newer seasons is simply not enough to remain relevant.
Adding to the above, It’s been well over ten years since the show first premiered. I don’t have data to prove this, but I am willing to bet that a sizable chunk of viewers were there from the beginning or joined at the start of the Nickelodeon era. It makes little sense for changes in writing to include hacking its continuity, rewriting established lore and deleting whatever meager character development they ever had. Maybe it’s not a good idea to turn your show with progressive storytelling including aging characters, into a cash cow you intend to milk for as long as you can and beyond. Maybe they should have given the early seasons a proper conclusion and laid the groundwork for new groups of characters to lead fresh series within the same universe...or you know, a full reboot.
I am not saying that the show should suddenly conform to my tastes (though that would be nice) after all it was not made for me. I just think that people that stuck with it deserve more than what they have been getting. I saw some positive feedback with regards to World of Winx but from what little I saw I don’t think it was good enough to be the series for older fans. Tone might be slightly different but writing-wise it feels more or less the same as the current series. The attempts at humor are still not landing for me at least. Also, how old does Straffi thinks the older fans are? 10? Who knows, maybe season 8 did its job in drawing-in the next gen, and maybe the planned live action series will be all that the older fans have been asking for. I do wish them the best.
Regarding things that I changed my mind about (though only a little bit)...In more than one occasion I referred to Bloom as a mary sue and this has been digging at me. Either the term has become toxic and too often unfairly assigned to any female character in a leading position, or it was always an improper way to discuss mediocre writing. There are main characters that are created in part to serve as vehicles of indulgence for its intended audience. I don’t think these these type of characters need to be complex to be successful or serviceable but I do think relatability and/or likability are indicators of whether or not a specific indulgent protagonist is effective. I didn’t find Bloom to be effective but she seems to be popular enough with the younger range of fans and that’s what matters. All I am saying is that Bloom could have easily been better and all it would have taken was for the writers to slightly lower the pedestal they put her on. Otherwise, they should have just stuck with the Magical Bloom title so no one would have delusions that the show would ever focus on anyone else.
I stand by most of my other major criticisms of the series. Though I admit that when I was looking at each episode I would spend an unreasonable amount of time on small things or personal pet peeves.I maintain however that to whom a show is intended for should not be a determinant of quality and there are things worth discussing even if one is not within the age-range of said audience. However, it’s not hard to tell what Winx Club is mostly about; it’s romance-centered. If you are not all that invested on that sort of stuff or you don’t like what the show is offering, then there is little point in sticking around because you are just going to get more and more caught-up on the flaws. The fantasy world elements while ambitious in scope are not well developed and consistency is an issue since the beginning that only gets worse as the series goes on. Unless you can subsist solely on the aesthetics and merch-friendly elements, I wouldn’t bother beyond the first movie.
If Winx Club had been the definitive blue print shaping the future of western magical girls shows, I would probably feel justified in making this much of a fuss. However, pretty much any other show I have seen after the fact has been a deviation and an improvement. I believe that’s because more content creators that grew up with the genre (and understood the many ways it could be improved) are finding opportunities to bring their appreciation for it into the mainstream. It’s pointless for me to still complain about the older stuff. Heck, I can even find good things to say about Angel’s Friends and this is definitely a cartoon that was shaped by the success of the fairy school show. 
Winx Club is fine, it has as much right to exist as any other piece of mindless entertainment aimed at any demographic.  And that’s that.
TL;DR
I am not reviewing Winx Club stuff anymore. I just had a lot of thoughts that were brought up by an annoying Iginio Straffi quote I saw on the Wiki page while I was working on that last post. Extended rambling is what I apparently do when I am mildly upset. I barfed all this out in the hopes that I won’t think about this show again anytime soon.
 If morbid curiosity gets the better of me, I might give future Winx Club content a watch. I just won’t post about it because it seems I am incapable of finding joy in it.
No, I don’t take criticisms of the bad spelling/grammar of my ramblings. Let this mess be. This is also not a place for debate, the only discourse I welcome here is whether or not relatability is a word. Online dictionaries say it’s fine but my word processor says it is not a thing. Discuss! (JK)
Stay safe,
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yoongiiggles · 5 years
Text
Happy For You, Happy For Us | Part 1
Type: Series
Pairing: Dean Winchester x Plus-Sized Reader
Summary: You have been in love with Dean for as long as you have known him. Wanting to be more than friends with him, you pour out your heart to him in a confession to which he turns you down immediately saying that he has been in a long term secret relationship with a girl named Lisa. Not wanting to damage your friendship even further, you suppress your feelings for him and support his relationship. But when they get married, you become heart broken and leave your life behind to start anew.
Word Count: 2k
Warnings:
A/N: Having all these ideas for writing my own fan-fiction and searching songs that would match the story is making me think about my love life and Im miserable lol. I relate to this song so much, as I’ve invested so much of my time on this guy and he decides that a long distance relationship is not worth it (he moved to another state for college). And the last words he said to me and how easy it was for him to say “it’s for the best” leaves me confused and bitter. But I guess we all are not allowed a happy ending I guess. Anyway, hope you enjoy this series!
Song: Saved - Khalid
Part 1   ||  Part 2  ||  Part 3  ||  Part 4   ||  Part 5  ||  Part 6  ||  Part 7  ||  Part 8  || Part 9  ||  Part 10  ||  Part 11  ||  Part 12  ||  Part 13  ||  Part 14  || End
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          God. You love him. For as long as you have known the Dean Winchester, you were in love. But did he know? Of course not. You were more likely viewed as a sister figure in the Winchester’s life. The same way you see Sam Winchester as your little brother. But as for Dean, you feel nothing but pure love. Although some say to just go for it and tell him you love him (as Sam would say), it wasn’t easy for you to just do exactly that. Being his friend before any of your feelings developed to love, you have watched his consistent habit of bringing a woman back to the motel for a one night of pleasurable fun and even sometimes going for another day and even going as far as getting their number and calling them whenever he needed a release of some sort. But lately, this habit of his has seemed to stop for a while.
          “Got it! I just figured it out, it’s an old witch using traditional witch craft to lure her victims in thinking she can grant them any wish they want”
          “Seriously Sam? You couldn’t wait until we finished eating huh?” Dean mumbles as he chews loudly on his burger.
          “Seriously guys? You can’t discuss this without food in your mouth?” You chuckle as you throw away your empty bag that was once full of french fries and a burger. As you begin to sit down on the couch, Dean perfectly throws a piece of wrapper in your face. “Hey watch it Dean-o! You need this pretty face to lure in the enemies!”. He ignores you pleas and begins his second burger of goodness. 
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         “She’s right. This witch only seems to attract female victims. Nothing particular about them, just the fact that their a female. And most of these cases of missing females disappear at every fancy party held by the mayor. And lucky us, there’s one two days from now and if we leave by dawn we’ll be able to be there one day before the party starts. So eat up and gear up. I’ve got our outfits prepared and...” Sam continues to ramble as he types at rapid speed on his laptop, “we’re on the guest list.” Just as Sam finishes his sentence, Dean throws another burger wrapper his way. “Ugh! Seriously Dean”, You and Dean laughing hysterically.
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         “Just tell him. Dean Winchester might be a lady’s man but I know him enough to know that he won’t hurt you intentionally. Besides, he cares about you too much to hurt you”.
          “Easy for you to say Sammy. You’ve never been in this position. Besides look at him and God! look at her! How can I compete with that!?”.
          “Ouch!” It wasn’t the first time Sam has hit you in the back of your head. “Seriously (y/n), he’s not even doing anything. And can’t you see her struggling for his attention?” And it’s true, strangely enough. Dean hasn’t paid her any attention since he’s been at the bar, grabbing you and Sam another round of beer. And now that you’ve thought about it, every time you guys came at the bar after every hunt, he hasn’t taken a single woman back to the motel, choosing to down a couple beers and play a game of pool. 
           “Yeah you’re right... I wonder why that is...” Even though he hasn’t paid her any attention, it still makes you insecure. Knowing that these were the types of females he goes after-- skinny, blonde, gorgeous, and tall. Looking down at your fingers resting on your chubby legs you don’t notice Sam giving you a sad look. 
          Sam groans inwardly, frustrated that you don’t see what he sees. Dean’s glances and lingering touches. But how could you? Just as much as you know them both, he knows all too well of your insecurities. Curtesy of your drunken nights at the bar while Dean is away with another woman, you have nothing but Sam at your side, listening endlessly of your rants about the things you don’t like about yourself and how Dean will never notice you in the way you have noticed him because of how you look.
           Groaning, you place your head on the table “Ugh... Why couldn’t I have fallen for you instead?”. Again, missing the sad look Sam gives you.
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          “Well, Good Morning to you sweetheart”. Damn Dean and his choice of words. You groan, lifting your head from the window, “Are we almost there?”.
          “Not quite. It’s taking us longer than I thought. We’re gonna head to a dinner just a couple minutes away from where we are, you good with that?”. Sam says looking back at you. You say nothing and nod, placing your head back on the window. It’s a nice scene for once, green trees and blue skies, a complete different contrast to the dream that you just woke up from. 
          And just as Sam says, the diner appears in your line of sight just after 5 minutes. And just like any diner you’ve been to, it has that classic retro vibe like the one they had in the olden days. Climbing out of the impala, you notice Dean constantly checking his phone screen from his pocket. Thinking nothing of it, you follow after Sam entering the diner, deciding to pick a booth by the window. As you sit down, you notice Dean through the window on the phone against the impala, a wide smile gracing his facial features. “Wonder who he’s talking to...”.
          Sam too, after ordering food for the three of you guys, looks out the window and says, “Probably Bobby Singer. Heard that he’s getting married to this chick called Jane”. You look at him in disbelief, “Seriously? You knew and didn’t tell me anything about it!?”. He shrugs nonchalantly, “totally forgot about it”. You roll your eyes and notice Dean and his suppose phone call with Bobby is over, walking over to the two of you guys. And as always, Dean sits by you. 
          “Im gonna head to the restroom”. You watch as Sam leaves to the restroom and wait until he’s inside, you finally turn to dean, “Who was that? Bobby Singer? I can’t believe you and Sammy knew he was getting married and didn’t bother telling me about it!” you exclaim, hitting his shoulder blades. 
          He looks at you, with what you think would be mild uncomfortableness, “Uh yeah, forgot to tell you about that...sorry...” he quickly looks away from you and gets up to the bakery side of the Dinner to order a cherry pie. Suspicious and knowing that there’s probably more to that phone call, you put it in the back of your mind as your food arrives. 
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          “Sammy are you crazy!? Im not wearing this!” you cry out. There is no way your wearing this dress. Your chubby arms are in view and just looking at the slit of the dress resulting in your legs in view for anyone to see makes you sick. Your not used to wearing these types of clothes. Of course you’ve worn dresses for hunts like these, but you wore dresses of your choice that concealed your whole body. And knowing Sam picked out this dress for you AND knowing your insecurities, you cry out of frustration.
          Sam is shocked to say the least. You were so beautiful, the dress hugging your curves in all the right places. So just as you are frustrated, he’s also frustrated. But seeing those tears run down your face, his frustration fades and a wave of sadness hits him, “Hey now, why are you crying?” with no response from you, he cups your face “You are so beautiful (y/n). I picked this dress out because the color compliments your skin tone, it brings out the colors in your eyes, and...” you don’t notice it but his voice shakes, “I knew this dress would look absolutely amazing with your gorgeous body...” Sniffling loudly and still frustrated, you don’t catch his last sentence and finally look at him “what?”.
          Releasing his hold on your face he lets go and coughs “Nothing. Look, we have don’t have much time to waste, the party is gonna start in two hours and we have an hour drive to the hotel”. You nod silently, deciding to put your heels on and again not noticing the lingering stares of Sam. 
          Dean walks in and Sam quickly turns away, facing Dean “Are you guys ready? Wow...” Putting your last pair of heels, you don’t notice the silence in the room and two men staring at you, too caught up in your self-discrimination. With the strap hugging your ankle, you turn around “Im ready” and begin walking towards the door to the impala, again not noticing their eyes following you. As Dean finally register that your standing by the impala he leaves the room. But Sam just stays behind and shakes his head. Dense she is this woman. If you would just stop and look at them, you’d see how beautiful you are to the both of them. 
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          You’re blown away. You’ve never seen anything like this before, it was like you were in another world, a fantasy world. Immediately, you feel silly about your reaction on your dress, as you look around, you feel under dressed. But no time to linger on those thoughts, as you hear your ear piece pick up with Sam’s voice and Dean’s arm around your waist tightens. “She’s there somewhere. Not sure of her appearance or age, but based on most witch cases, she should be able to stand out from the crowd”. You nod unknowingly and allow Dean to lead you to the bar. 
          Standing closely to you, you hold your breath as Dean leans down to whisper in your ear, “Notice anything suspicious about any woman?” You shake your head softly and whisper back, “No, but Sammy said that any woman that stands out from the crowd could be her”. He nods back at you and as planned, he leaves your side to get a couple dance with a few women, on the look out for any that stands out. You release your breath as you watch him lead a woman to the dance floor with a wide grin on his face. 
          “Easy (y/n/n), try grabbing a drink from the bar and act like your looking for a potential dance partner”. You release another shaky breath and order a drink. As soon as you have your drink in your hands, you have no time to look around in the crowd as a man approaches you with a flirtatious smile, “Hello love, name’s Brian, and you are?” you take a minute to study him, tall, blonde hair, blue eyes staring back at you, and a golden suit you’ve never seen a man wear before. it really does seem like you’re in another world. You shake his hand firmly, “Daisy”. You quickly glance back to the dance floor and notice that Dean is nowhere to be seen. “Beautiful name for a gorgeous dame like you” in your ear piece, you can hear Sam scoffing. Alarmed at Dean’s disappearance, you nod a thank you and excuse yourself. But you don’t get far away from him as he is in front of you offering a dance. Thinking of it as a way to look around in the dance floor more closely, you accept. 
          “I’ve never seen someone like you here before. Whose family name are you from?” Completely. Different. World”. Another quick glance over his shoulder and you see her. She’s talking to an elderly man and Dean still nowhere to be seen. where the hell is he? You look back at him, “Im from no family name. I just happen to know the mayor”. The look he gives you impales you. You’re not sure if you should be intimidated or flustered at the intense look he gives you. But before you can even think about it, a hand taps your shoulder and relief floods you as you recognize Dean’s cologne, “May I?” The guy takes one final look at you and then Dean and kisses your hand and leaves. You watch him walk away towards the witch not realizing how close Dean is holding you.
          You finally look back at him and realize he said something to you. “What?” He spins you around and brings you back close, whispering lowly in your ear and again, your breath hitches in your throat, “I said did you see her? The guy that was just with you came with her, i’ve noticed.” You look back at her, talking to “Brian”. You nod gently to him, “how do you know they came together?”. They’re walking to another room, a female following closely behind. “I was at the entrance and saw them both come in, holding hands. You think there’s two of them?” They’ve just entered the other ballroom. “Dean we gotta go, a girl is following them to another ballroom”. With quick actions and Sam confirming that there is indeed two witches, you finish the job quickly and stealthy. 
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          “Good job guys. Im leaving the motel now, where are you guys?” Dean looks back at you, “It’s cool Sammy, we’ll walk. (y/n) insist that we do. sides’ its snowing and you know girls and snow” you can hear Sam laughing from the phone, “yeah don’t worry “Dad”. Okay okay bye”. As you stare up at the sky dripping down snow, Dean begins to mumble something, not hearing him clearly, “What?” He looks away rubbing his neck, “I said you look...” he looks back at you “...beautiful”. Your heart rate picks up. But before you can something his phone starts to ring. He excuses himself from your stare and leaves you breathless. You begin to think back on what Sam said, 
 “Just tell him. Dean Winchester might be a lady’s man but I know him enough to know that he won’t hurt you intentionally. Besides, he cares about you too much to hurt you”.
          “Yeah okay... Bye”
          You look at his back, concern radiating from your voice, “Everything okay?” He turns back at you with a smile in his face, “Yeah. Everything is great.” He walks back at you and you stare at him, with your palms shaking and sweating, your heart racing, and throat growing dry you finally say, 
          “I have something to say”
          “I have something to say”
         Dean chuckles at you, “You first” 
          Releasing a shaky breath, you stare at him intensely and say “I don’t know how to say this but...”
          “...But??”
          “I-i-i love you” 
         “I love you too”
          You shake your head frustrated, “No, I mean... Im in...” you exhale another shaky breath, “Im in love with you, Dean Winchester”. 
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Part 1  (you are here) || Part 2 ||  Part 3  ||  Part 4   ||  Part 5 ||  Part 6  ||  Part 7 ||  Part 8  || Part 9  ||  Part 10 ||  Part 11  ||  Part 12 ||  Part 13 ||  Part 14  || End
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endwalkr · 5 years
Text
this is an ask based thingy but im really in the mood to infodump so im just gonna answer them all under the cut !
Favorite video game?
starting off with the absolute hardest question huh? i can’t possibly name ONE favorite game of mine because i adore my favorites for many different reasons. my overall favorite video game is ffxv or botw. ffxv because it has brought me so much joy for such a long time, and because i have such a connection with the characters. botw because i was actually in the fandom when it first got announced in 2016 so i got to be there when the hype was at an all time high– and finally being able to play the game after waiting for so long was an unforgettable experience. i have more favorite games but ill talk more about them in the ‘’special place in ur heart’’ question.
First console you owned?
my first console wasn’t a console. my friend and i used to play on her nintendo dsi all the time and at one point tiny little me reeeally wanted one of my own so i saved up and got one in [redacted] when i was 7. my first actual console was a wii though, we got that around the same time.
A game that holds a special place in your heart?
ffxv and botw mean the absolute world to me, but super mario galaxy and skyward sword are very important to me too. skyward sword is the game that got me into zelda which got me into anime which got me into final fantasy etc etc etc.  super mario galaxy was the first non-mini game collection and more adventure story-ish game i played. i was so proud when i beat it for the first time and mario was my first ever ‘’fandom’’ :’) 
Favorite video game character?
bro. i cant pick just one so i’ll choose one per game : prompto, ryuji and link. they were all my comfort characters at some point and i projected like crazy onto them. this doesnt mean that i wouldnt absolutely die for noct or zelda. 
Least favorite video game character?
i dont think theres anyone i distinctly dislike? i always talk about hating ardyn but that’s because he’s just a salty bitch. as a character i think he’s a great villain and i rly love him. i honestly always end up liking everyone somehow, maybe there is someone i just forgot about but i cant remember at all. 
Favorite genre?
adventure games, or action rpgs. 
Video game character you’ve had a crush on?
every character ever, but i distinctly remember the moment i fell in love with prompto sjghfkshd i was watching a playthrough of xv in december 2016 because i didnt have a ps4, and the guy got to the scene in galdin quay where the bros learn insomnia fell. i had watched about 6 hours of the game by that time and wasn’t particularly interested in the characters but not uninterested enough to drop it. i hadnt even gotten a good look at the characters faces yet, so when the camera zoomed in on prompto when he said ‘’might not be save for us here!’’ i noticed he had freckles. oh god. oh fuck. oh my god hes fucking cute. oh my god better watch 30 hours of this game now
First video game you remember playing?
wayyy before i got my own gaming systems, my then-best friend had a gamecube in her attic. i was around 5 or 6 at the time. whenever i was over at her house and we didnt know what to do, she’d sometimes propose to play ‘’mario kart’’. important is that we are dutch, and i was a literal child. i thought mario KART meant it was a fucking card game, so i always declined whenever she asked. on one fateful day, i finally gave in and was pleasantly surprised it was in fact not a card game, but a viddy game. so we played mario kart double dash. (…i had never played a video game in my life besides browser flash games and was Very Very bad)
Age you started gaming?
so i played my first video game that i didnt own when i was about 5 or 6. then i got my first supply of games at age 7/8, but i dont really consider that time to be when i started ‘’gaming’’. i’d say that was when i started mario galaxy, so i’ve been playing video games for real (ie. story adventure games with boss battles) for about 6 years now.
Hardest video game you’ve played?
this is gonna sound stupid, but the witcher 3. there’s like 7 difficulties and i played on the EASIEST and still had a hard time, i just couldnt get used to the combat. i had the same problem with assassin’s creed syndicate, but after about 10 hours i actually knew what i was doing, and ive played the witcher longer than that and still am clueless. this is kind of an unpopular opinion but i dont particularly like that game
Video game you’ve spent the most time on?
i guess i am what you’d call a casual gamer; i really like video games but during a normal school week i only game for like 2-6 hours. most of the time i dont play for like 2 weeks if im busy. gaming has kind of taken over my life not because i play so much but because i get so emotionally invested lol i’m currently on summer break and even now im not playing a lot because of exhaustion and executive dysfunction. this derailed slightly but the game i’ve played the most despite my casual gamer status is …. … …. ffxv. surprise, right? the runner up is botw, but xv wins by a landslide. 630+ hours. botw is 350. my main save in ffxv is almost 200 hours i think. damn. i really managed to keep myself entertained with that game… (………i was thinking recently, since the loading screens in xv are so long, how much of this total amount was spent watching screens. i imagine it’s several hours, especially if you fast travel a lot.)
Most embarrassing gaming moment?
many moments in my gaming experience are embarrassing, but a more recent one: i was in xv’s postgame, beating some dungeons on my new save file. i had just finished daurell caverns and hadn’t saved in about 2 hours. (uh oh) i was driving around in the regalia type d and got to the big cliff near lestallum, and remembered someone made a gif of jumping in there so i wanted to try it too. i imagined the game would just put me back on the road, like it does when you crash into something. except it didnt. i got a game over. where was my last save? 2 hours back all the way in hammerhead. yippee.
Scariest video game you’ve played?
i never play horror games, cuz for me games are supposed to be relaxing experiences. no hate towards horror games of course, they just stress me out. the only time ive played horror is when friday the 13th was for free on ps+, and my friends really wanted to play it. (theyre kinda addicted to it now. huh) they had already gotten over the initial fear of having jason chase you, but i was still terrified. i can play the game without getting scared now tho. the horror sound effects just rly freaked me out at first jhsdkghsd
Most memorable gaming moment?
playing breath of the wild for the first time, or beating it for the first time. both experiences were filled to the brim with excitement and nostalgia. seeing botw as a blank slate, a world for you to explore, having no idea where you’re going… that was pretty incredible. now i know every nook and cranny of the map, so i wish i could play it for the first time again. i was so incredibly immersed. beating it was insane. i cried for 30 minutes and the end wasnt even sad, i was just so amazed at the fact that i was really here, playing breath of the wild, it was really real. the fucking main theme in the background (which i cannot for the life of me listen to without crying) didnt help with my emotions sgkdjh
Video game character you wish you could meet in real life?
…………..its prompto again. maybe 2017 me …. was .. kind of a kinnie
PC, Xbox, Playstation, or Nintendo?
i dont care about console wars at all, but i think hardware-wise, pc is the best, because if you have a good pc you can basically do anything. i however do not, so i just play on consoles. ive never particularly liked xbox, so i only play ps4 and nintendo. not the switch though. its kinda petty, but my best friend and i really dont like the switch djghks
Gaming company you’re most loyal to?
none. i used to call myself a nintendo nerd (oh my god…. i m. gonna die) in like 2015 but since the switch came out and since i got a ps4 they kinda lost me. i still like their game series of course, but as a company i don’t care for them. the only reason i see square enix as one of ‘’my’’ gaming companies is because ffxv took up like 70% of my gaming experience, but besides final fantasy i don’t really love them too much either.
If you could only play one video game for the rest of your life, which would you choose?
atm i’m really into ffxiv because theres just so much to do, but that’s just a new, possibly temporary interest. if i had to choose, i’d say botw. maybe i’d say ffxv, but i feel like running around doing nothing in that game isnt very fun, because the world is sorta empty after completing every quest and getting to level 120. in botw, just fucking around on your horse is still really relaxing and nice. 
Do you use strategy guides?
yup. in certain games i try to avoid them but i usually end up stuck or in need of advice. i couldn’t have gotten so many p5 trophies if not for the internet lol
How often do you use cheats?
never, simply because the games i play often do not have cheats. unless im playing the sims and are in need of a motherlode, i dont use them.
Competitive or single player?
single player. im bad at video games and like to do stuff at my own pace. online multiplayer can be fun every now and then in games like mario kart 8 or splatoon, and i also like teamwork stuff like ffxiv or comrades. but ultimately, i prefer playing on my own.
Video game character you want to/have cosplayed?
have never cosplayed, dont have plans to either, but it would be fun to cosplay link. omg. i just remembered i have that fucking chocomoogle shirt… sorry link im gonna slap on some sasuke hair, black jeans and ugly sneakers 
Ever go to a video game convention?
i have not, i have however gone to three (3) video game concerts which is basically the same thing. 
Hardest boss fight you’ve been in?
the hardest bosses for me are usually the ones with a gimmick. you have to use a certain item or tactic to beat them or something. other hard fights for me are when you fight someone with a similar skill set. (in ffxv, this happens twice, once with the iggy-noct sparring match and once against ardyn. somehow, the final boss was easier than getting the prince to eat vegetables.) i don’t know an actual example of THE hardest boss fight ive been in though. at the time, the first bowser battle in mario galaxy was the hardest thing in the universe and i got stuck for like a month. currently, i’m having trouble with the riku-ansem fight in kh1. 
Video game you wish you could burn from your memory?
the zelda cdi games? no, i dont really know. i dont hate a game so much that i’d want to forget about it altogether, but i dont exactly love ocarina of time that much. it hasnt aged well and playing it on the gamecube for the first time in 2015 wasnt a good idea. im sure it was revolutionary at the time, but i cant handle the outdated controls gsdgksjs 
Favorite gaming series?
see, i love ffxv itself more than the entirety of the zelda series, but i dont love ff as a SERIES more than the zelda games. so if were talking series, zelda for sure. i fucking love those games and they mean a lot to me. 
Do you skip tutorials, or find them useful?
i often skip them because i cant pay attention, but then find that i need them anyway. so i usually do skim through them. 
Best online gaming experience?
one really good one happened a few days ago in ffxiv, some guy and i exchanged emotes for like 30 minutes and it ended with us becoming friends on psn :’) ppl dont usually emote back at me in that game so this was really wholesome and nice gjshksdj 
Worst online gaming experience?
i dont really have a worst? theyre more annoying. think try harders in gta online killing you 15 times in a row because they want to show you how good they are or something. magically, online gaming hasnt been too hard on me (mainly because i dont game online that much)
Why do you game?
it brings me joy. it’s a fun way of relaxing, while being stimulated at the same time. games have meant a great deal to me the past 6 years and i wouldnt want to lose them for the world.
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bookedbookshelf · 5 years
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Revisiting Harry Potter After 12 Years: The Great, the Good, and the Bad
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Some Background on Harry Potter and I...
When I was a child, I practically breathed Harry Potter. The books were everything to me. I used to connect every conversation around me to HP in every way that I could (to the great annoyance of my entire family.) But I didn’t care that I could see their indifference or that my older sister used to make fun of me for reading it. I didn’t care that I had annoyed her so much with the topic that she began to call it “Harry Pothead.” Harry Potter was my thing as a kid- a fixation I never quite got rid of, even as an adult. To this day, nothing can get me into a passionate debate the way that a Harry Potter-based conversation can. I watch the movies at least once a year with my nephews.
I read Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone for the first time when I was in the third grade. I had trouble reading chapter-books and writing during this time. Looking back on it, it makes a lot of sense that I was probably suffering from some kind of learning disability. If it was ever diagnosed, I’m not sure, but I had been going to a special reading and writing program twice a week since grade one. The purpose of putting me in this program was to try and keep pace with the other students around me who were beginning to read and write with a speed that I just could not match.
Even now, I remember how much it embarrassed me. I hated feeling stupid and like I lacked something the other students had. And so, when my teacher announced to my class that he would be reading Harry Potter to us during Story Time, I asked my father to purchase the book for me, so I could read along. It was a huge decision that I still remember the exact moment that I made it. That decision was the foundation for my love of reading. Reading Harry Potter, and struggling to keep up with my teacher, but doing it regardless, cemented my love for the books. It was the first chapter book I ever read cover to cover. When I put that book down, I no longer felt stupid. I felt accomplished.   
The number of times I reread the first three books are countless. I can confidently say I have read every Harry Potter book, except the last, more than four times. I have only read Death Hallows twice, once when first released in 2007 and again last month.
So, why did I wait so long to reread these books I so desperately loved and endlessly talked about?
I think I was afraid that I’d reread them and find faults and flaws that would make me become sad. I didn’t want to find a reason to distance myself from these books, I wanted them to remain this untouched relic of my childhood that turned me into an avid reader. I know so many people have the same story of learning to love reading because of Harry Potter. For me, it turned something I hated, dreaded, and pretended to do, into something I actively sought. Harry Potter changed everything about my childhood education and is probably a massive reason why I want to be an author today. I owe so much to these seven magical books about a boy who lived in a cupboard.
So...why, after all this time, did I change my mind? Why did I reread all of the books?
That sister who called it “Harry Pothead” finally decided to read them and when she told me that she was on the fourth, I was suddenly inspired to pick up my books and reread them too. And so I did, one after the other, cover to cover, first until last.
So...has anything changed? Is this series still a nostalgic favourite that cannot be touched by criticism for me?
Nope, but I still love them!
The Review: 4.5/5
Let’s start with the fact that this review is not spoiler free, as it has been...12 years since the last HP book came out. I feel that is a plentiful grace period and if you haven’t read it by now, I doubt you care much about spoilers. Even so, please take into consideration that this entire review is spoiler- heavy. 
Harry Potter perfectly captures a few things through the entire series: the pain of isolation, the importance of friendship, and the fear of failure.
But Harry Potter also lacks sorely in some areas and we’ll touch on that. While I will not be going book by book, because I was a dummy who didn’t consider doing this when I began to reread them, I will break down some of the major themes and what the series lacks or did poorly. Having flaws doesn’t make Harry Potter bad. Despite everything, these books are still like a 4.5/5, with just some nitpicky flaws from my perspective.
So let’s get started with what Harry Potter did well, in my opinion.
What I Liked...
Isolation and Character-Building:
All of the books captured Harry’s isolation perfectly. Through every novel, you wish that he still had his family and he didn’t have to fulfill an insane destiny that was thrust upon him the moment Voldemort saw him as a threat. As I am older, I understand Mrs. Weasley so. much. more. I understand why she worried about Harry so much, he was indeed just a boy.
As the novels go on, every loss that Harry suffers feels like a sucker-punch to the stomach, because you know Harry started out with so little and it feels like he is losing things for shock value. For good or bad, I can say that these books know how to tug at your heart and make you invested in the main character, as well as the side characters. One of the things that Harry Potter does best is its large cast of interesting and sympathetic characters. You even pity Voldemort’s origins and how he was created despite him being a monster of a man.
Magical World Building:
All of the books capture the wonder and magic of the Harry Potter universe with effortless beauty. There was pure genius in ensuring that Harry grew up like a muggle because it allowed us as readers to experience Diagon Alley, Hogwarts, and all of the other magical places in the books, as Harry did. It allowed us to learn about magic as he did and it created a sense of being there beside Harry, learning as he did.
Never once does it feel like laws of the world are being peddled off just to catch the reader up to speed. This is something Rowling does amazingly and something I am so in awe of even to this day. Harry going to Hogwarts during his first year felt like we went with him and I’ll never forget how thrilling it was to read as a child.
Blending Other Genres into a Fantasy Series:
As the books go on, little mysteries are written here and there are truly very well executed. Especially in the Goblet of Fire, which always felt like a hybrid mystery/fantasy novel to me, as we’re trying to discover who put Harry’s name in the Goblet. Furthermore, as the books mature, so do the characters. Through book five, six, and seven, there is an aspect of romance, as Harry has fallen in and out of crushes a couple different times. I love that Rowling blends other book genres into the story very well.
Relationship Building:
As the books go on, the relationships between characters develop. Many people think Ron/Hermione was terrible, but I disagree. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing Ron coming to realise he felt strongly for her and Hermione grappling with her gender identity and feeling invisible to both Harry and Ron as a female. I thought the Ron and Hermione love was actually well thought out and developed over several books, despite popular opinions.
Complex Characters:
Harry Potter has an array of complex characters, ranging from Dumbledore to Lupin, James, Sirius, and Snape. While there are characters that I despise with a bitter passion despite them being fan favourites (ahem, Snape,) I can still recognise that many of the villainous characters in HP are written BRILLIANTLY. I love me some problematic and interesting characters who keep you guessing (ahem, also Snape.) Brilliant writing, through and through.
Conclusion:
Overall, the story throughout the books is gripping and takes you through each page with absolute ease. The pacing of these books never lacked for me or dragged- the story was thoroughly gripping and entertaining, cover to cover.
But there are some things that could be better.
What I Didn’t Like...
What the Hell is Going on with the Magic System???:
Harry Potter is littered with magical inconsistencies and perhaps the MOST glaring is the Fidelius Charm. Let’s talk about Secret Keepers. Okay, we talked about it, they’re flipping stupid. I cannot express how much frustration these things have caused me over the years.
WHY DIDN’T JAMES JUST BE HIS OWN SECRET KEEPER IF THAT WAS POSSIBLE...EH, BILL WEASLEY? EH?
I feel like the Fidelius Charm has the most crippling plot holes and ret-cons out of all of the spells inside of the HP world. Why is this a problem? Well, it is only a huge freaking catalyst in the entire story: using the Fidelius Charm with the wrong people is what caused Lily and James Potter to die. I feel that more attention should be paid to the way a spell can and cannot work in the book, or else everything falls apart. Yes, we could say that James’ flaw was wanting to trust and believe in his friends, and so he didn’t make himself the secret keeper….but that is freaking dumb. The life of his wife and child were on the line, no one would spare any possible measure of safety, not even James Flipping Potter.
Let’s move onto the god.damned.trace. THE TRACE. I hate the trace mostly because of its glaring inconsistencies. It is the worse case of plot-convenience-holes throughout the series. Let’s talk about how Voldemort murdered his father and his grandparents without the Ministry even blinking an eye, as this did not happen in a wizard's house, unlike him attacking his Uncle. Because the exact way the trace works has never been specified in book canon, it leaves glaring plot holes everywhere. While I do not hate the concept of the trace, I definitely hate the execution.
Harry and Ginny? Are We Serious?:
While I did praise Rowling for her relationship developing, Harry being into Ginny felt very very very sudden and out of nowhere. Harry never considered Ginny romantically until the 6th book, fine, but his romantic interest came out of...no where? One day in the common room he noticed she smells like the flowers he smelled in Slughorn’s love potion...okie dokie. 
While we can say this is because Harry had to spend that summer playing Quidditch with her, Ron, and Hermione at the Burrow, to have these feelings come upon him. I say bull-crap. We know Rowling put years into the development of Ron and Hermione, building it up through multiple books. As a result, Harry and Ginny felt cheap, last minute, and insincere. I wouldn’t have minded the couple, if she put more time making it believable.
What the Hell Happened to Lupin in the 7th Book?:
Lupin turning into a full-on edgelord in the seventh book felt like such a cop-out to the type of character we had seen thus far. And yes, we can explain it as Harry seeing Lupin as an adult to admire and not really like a person with complicated feelings and emotions. But wanting to ditch Tonks to go on an adventure? Sorry, can’t relate. Lupin’s sudden character change felt cheap and like there was nothing leading up to the sudden change. Even the tension beforehand did not seem grand enough for this.
Let’s Talk About Deaths:
The undeniably worst thing for me about Harry Potter is how poorly Rowling writes deaths. They are just...horrible. She leaves so little detail in the actual death happening, it’s always one or two sentences max that vaguely outline someone’s death. And I am sure she does this to give you a snap sense of someone suddenly dying, but it feels unbelievably cheap and poorly thought out. Furthermore, I truly believe no one but Dumbledore needed to die throughout the last few books to advance the plot, and yet we’re hit with death after death that lent nothing to the plot.
Sirius dying felt rushed and unnecessary. What plot did his death further lend, what did it spur into action? You may say Harry needed to have everything taken from him to truly be okay with learning his fate in the last book, but I say no. I think it was just another thing written in to remind the audience of how alone Harry is and it felt lacklustre and poorly executed. I don’t hate that Sirius died, but I hate when he did. I felt killing him so early and for no reason was outrightly silly.
The biggest problem is it did not lend to the effect that Rowling intended- it did not make me feel hollow inside for Harry. It didn’t make me cry when it happened. It doesn’t hit in an impactful way at all. It just felt like Sirius died to a series of clumsy mistakes (largely due to his own actions,) but still clumsy nonetheless. Of course, characters can be killed suddenly and hard-hitting for . However, when reading through the books, it felt like Sirius’ death didn’t actually have such a far-reaching impact as it should have had. He felt discarded of in a very poorly managed way. It was as if Rowling made up a list of “people to kill” because she thought her story wouldn’t be real enough without death.
Similarly, Tonks and Lupin feel very much the same. Their deaths are more justifiable, as they are casualties of a battle, but the problem was they happened off page. You have no connection to how it happened or why, they’re just dead, in a room full of other bodies. Many argue this is impactful because it is the cost of war, but I argue differently. I argue that just seeing them dead in the Great Hall takes all of the impact out of their deaths. I feel practically all of the deaths throughout the Battle of Hogwarts were handled this way and it wasn’t as gripping as I’d like it to be. I loved Tonks and Lupin as characters, but it just felt like a shrug of the shoulders, because it was given so little time of contemplation.
Snape, on the other hand, was written very well. We saw how it happened, we saw that he knew it was about to go down. We saw his last breaths and the painful way that he died. The entire scene is very emotionally gripping, unlike the way the other deaths are handled throughout the ending quarter of Deathly Hallows.
To me, it just felt more effort was put in some deaths over others, leaving a majority of them to feel cheap, poorly planned, and poorly executed.
So, is Harry Potter Worth Reading? Even As an Adult?  
Yes, Harry Potter, books 1-7, are thoroughly worth reading. They’re enjoyable, gripping, suspenseful in places, and truly magical. While there are some flaws, such as a lack of representation and a faulty magic system, the books hold up incredibly well and there is a reason they have endured this long as a childhood favourite. Think about it, the craze of other series such as Twilight, the Hunger Games, Divergent, and so on have all died out, but Harry Potter remains strong and relevant to this day. You can find Harry Potter merchandise easily in physical stores around the world. The truth is that Harry Potter endures so well because it is a coming of age story about so much more than magic.
Harry Potter flawlessly blends many relatable themes together, such as friendship, loyalty, uncertainty, loneliness, anger, and hope in the face of adversity together into a story of fantastically written characters and settings. Backpedaled by a good plot, interesting characters, and a bit of magic, alongside Rowling’s easy to read writing style, I have no doubts that Harry Potter will continue to endure for generations to come.
My sister, the one who teased me, is 32 now. She read through every book this year as well and upon finishing it, she told me that she wished there was more. A common feeling among anyone who has read all of the books cover to cover.
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