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r-o-s-e-f-i-r-e · 10 months

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idk i’ve been thinking for the last day about modern day corroded coffin, semi-successful in the local music scene, did a self-funded tour through six states last fall where they all lived in the van together and didn’t shower for four weeks, has a standing gig at the dive bar next to the highway and the strip club, they’re established, they have a small but dedicated local following, they —

“can’t play a WEDDING, are you fucking with me?” eddie says, when gareth shows him the text from his cousin who’s getting married in two weeks and who, as of last night, has no wedding band because they accidentally double booked themselves and gareth’s cousin had sent the deposit in late.

“i’ve explained to him so many times,” gareth says, furiously texting his cousin back, “we’re not that kind of band—”

except gareth’s cousin, instead of responding directly to gareth’s text outlining the musical thesis of corroded coffin or watching the youtube link gareth sends to the show last month where eddie got a black eye in the pit from someone in an inflatable garfield costume, just sends back —

“holy shit,” eddie croaks, looking at the string of zeros on the end of the number gareth’s cousin offers me to pay them in exchange for saving his ass and his wedding and his marriage, since his fiancé was demanding a live band. “that’s—”

“three months of rent for each of us,” gareth says, awed. “that’s buy actual fresh vegetables money. that’s go to the dentist money—”

“yeah, okay, give him my number,” eddie says.

so they spend the next two weeks practicing every white people wedding song they can think of. there’s no way they’ll be able to do, like, get low, tragically, but they can pull off the classics, especially after they bring chrissy onboard for vocals and keyboard. there are places where eddie draws the line — no fucking journey or especially insipid top 40 — but they can do some whitney. abba. fucking — mr. brightside. a lot of it is pretty simple, when you get down to it, “and people will be wasted anyway,” jeff reminds them. there’s an open bar at the six figure venue gareth’s cousin booked. hopefully everyone will be too hyped just hearing the opening baseline to i want you back to notice if they fumble anything hard.

rehearsal montage, chrissy takes the boys to the mall to buy suits montage (except for gareth who, like most transmasc dudes, already has a custom fitted and tailored suit ready to go in his closet; instead he makes catty remarks about brian’s tie choices.) chrissy makes eddie put his hair up and eddie makes jeff shave the experimental mustache he’s been growing and eventually the day of the wedding arrives and they load up the van and drive 45 minutes to the six figure waterfront reception venue.

they riff for about ten minutes while the whole wedding party makes their grand entrance into the massive tent set up on the lawn, ending with gareth’s cousin and his new wife dancing in, the whole crowd screaming and clapping. it’s cute, eddie thinks, vamping as long as he can while gareth’s cousin’s best man takes the mic and introduces the new couple and directs everyone to their seats for dinner.

and meanwhile: best man is frankly one of the hottest dudes eddie’s ever seen. he’s got longish brown hair that he keeps pushing out of his eyes, full lips, an insane shoulder to waist ratio, big hands. eddie sneak looks at him while they play a bunch of low key jazzy standards for people to eat their expensive dinner to. he’s sitting with his arm around the shoulders of a girl with shaggy auburn hair, and they keep leaning in to whisper to each other and giggle, so. oh well. but it doesn’t hurt to look, eddie thinks, watching the guy take his suit jacket off and roll up his sleeves and make a toast to gareth’s cousin and his new wife’s long and joyful marriage.

once most people have had their plates cleared away jeff turns to eddie and the rest of the band and nods, once, and while chrissy plays the opening synth chords to i wanna dance with somebody, jeff turns his front man showmanship deal all the way up.

it’s good. people are fucking hyped, so they throw themselves into it, feeding off the crowd’s energy, and almost no one is more hyped than mr. best man. he’s jumping up and down, his arms around gareth’s cousin and his wife. he knows every word to dancing in the dark (hot). when they transition into robyn’s dancing on my own he turns to the girl with auburn hair and points at her and screams. cute, eddie thinks, watching best man pick her up and spin her around while she downs her wine and shouts along. okay, really fucking hot, eddie thinks, when he finally pulls his loosened tie all the way off and unbuttons the top two buttons of his shirt and eddie can see a hint of chest hair peeking out.

they slow it down for the first dance. it’s the leon bridges one everyone always does, but it’s perfect in jeff’s range, and there is not a single dry motherfucking eye in the audience. they do a couple more slow ones, throughout the night. best man dances with his girlfriend and then gareth’s grandmother and then with every child under the age of 10, letting them stand on his shoes while he twirls them around. how is this guy fucking real, eddie thinks, which of course is when best man notices eddie looking right at him and their eyes meet. best man looks a little flustered, at first, and then grins at eddie, right at him, before spinning the flower girl around in dizzying circles.

jesus christ, eddie thinks.

they’re closing out the night on the only other request gareth's cousin gave them: the one from the end of dirty dancing. jeff thanks the crowd, offers his congratulations to gareth’s cousin, and then goes right into it. except as jeff sings the first line everyone absolutely loses their shit, turning to best man and jumping around him and one of the bridesmaids. what the fucking hell, eddie thinks, keeping one ear on jeff and chrissy’s duet and one ear on the crowd piling around best man “—you guys HAVE to, dude, you’ve GOT to—“ but whatever it is he has to do is not immediately apparent to eddie. best man dances in a circle with the rest of the wedding party and auburn hair and the bride and groom, shout-singing along, and then during the build up to the second prechorus gareth’s cousin’s wife and her bridesmaids start pushing everyone to the sides of the dance floor, so there’s a long space in the middle, so the bridesmaid with curly dark hair is at one end and best man is at the other end and oh my god is he actually going to —

the bridesmaid runs and then launches herself at best man, who lifts her perfectly, right on cue at the peak of the second chorus, his hands steady on her hips while she floats her arms out in front of her just like jennifer grey. they hold it for a few moments while everyone loses their fucking minds and takes a thousand pictures. eddie actually takes his hand off his guitar for a minute. he thinks his mouth is open. he can see the muscles in best man’s arms flexing under his white button up shirt as he carefully lowers the bridesmaid back to the ground, laughing, his eyes scrunched up in joy.

eddie is maybe a little bit in love.

they close it out. the whole crowd whistles and stomps and applauds for them, which feels pretty good, eddie’s not gonna lie. as they start packing it up and high fiving each other and a couple people come over to ask if they have a card, if they’re still booking for next year or the year after (what?) gareth’s cousin comes over and hugs every single one of them, almost in tears, and then adds another 2k to the check he writes for them. eddie pulls out his cigarettes right then and there.

“steve, come meet the band,” he yells, when steve and auburn hair walk past. “gareth saved my whole ass, oh my god —“

“you guys were fucking incredible,” steve says, grinning, shaking gareth’s hand. “best wedding band i’ve heard in years —“

“they’re not even a wedding band!” gareth’s cousin shouts. “they’re like metal — moshing — thrash, i don’t know, LOUD—“

“whoa,” steve says. he pushes his hair out of his eyes and then turns that blinding smile right on eddie. eddie feels struck by it, wants to stagger back like he’s taken an actual blow. “cool, so you guys — play locally, or —?”

“oh my god,” his girlfriend says, rolling her eyes; steve elbows her in the side.

“i like your guitar,” steve says, gesturing at the warlock eddie’s still holding in his non-cigarettes hand.

“oh, uh, thanks,” eddie says.

“it’s a cool shape,” steve says, stepping closer, flicking his eyes down and then back up to meet eddie’s. there’s sweat gathered along his hairline, dampening the ends of his hair. behind him, his girlfriend coughs something loudly that sounds vaguely like slut.

eddie feels his eyebrows go way up.

“uh, thanks, shapes are. you know. shapes are great,” eddie says, nonsensical. he sees gareth shoot him an incredulous look out of the corner of his eye.

“can i bum one?” steve says, looking down to the cigarettes in eddie’s hand.

“totally,” eddie says. “let me just—“ he holds the warlock aloft and gestures to the open guitar case.

“sure,” steve says. he waits around while eddie hustles through getting his shit sorted out and then turns away politely while eddie has a silent desperate telepathic conversation with the rest of the boys, who roll their eyes and make their way over to the still open, still free bar.

where auburn hair is standing and talking to chrissy, putting a hand on chrissy’s arm while she laughs at something chrissy says.

hm, eddie thinks.

“so,” eddie says, walking out from under the tent with steve, down towards the water, awash in the moonlight. he holds out his cigarettes. “you like springsteen?”

#here have some dumb shit #steddie #stranger things #yes the joe keery dirty dancing lift video is playing in my head 24/7 #mine

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blissfullyecho · 1 year

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how to create a leveling up/dream girl/rebranding plan 🤍🍸🖤

establish your aesthetic

first thing’s first, you need to know where you want to go in life and what is your “aesthetic”? do you want to be giving “classy, businesswoman”? what about “nyc socialite”? of course these are just examples, but you should know what type of girl you want to embody. remember, you don’t have to fit a narrative, but you should have a general “aesthetic” that you want to be associated with. even if it’s 50 million different aesthetics, it’s whatever makes you, you.

visualize yourself/life

get inspired by making a vision board (physical or digital) and add to your board (if digital) daily. i find that this helps you stay in alignment with where you want to be in the future. you have to stay in that frequency and remind yourself of what’s next to come… because this new life is what’s next to come.

start with habits

please refer to my “starting your leveling up journey” post, but basically— you should create 1-3 habits for each of your goals and work on them until they become second nature. then when you’re ready, start implementing more habits that are aligned with your goals.

create routines with your habits

can you incorporate some of these new habits into a morning or evening routine? we all know that routines are important— they almost become our personalities and they set the tone for the day and night, and even the next day. for me, i know i’m only inspired to exercise in the morning around 10am, so exercise is part of my morning routine.

create daily + weekly goals

let’s say part of your journey is learning a new language. a daily goal could be learning one new vocabulary word in that language. your weekly goal could be knowing the alphabet in that language. use this method for all of your goals.

don’t overwhelm yourself with goals, routines, and habits

start slow; don’t overwhelm yourself. if you want to work on one goal at a time, then work on that one goal. burnout is real and it’s very hard to get back into the swing of things afterwards. i understand most of us are impatient when we just want to be a different version of ourselves, but it’s going to take some adjusting. i suggest not working on more than 3 things at once, but if you can work on more, go ahead

be a part of a community to keep you accountable

tumblr and facebook groups in my opinion are the best ways you can connect with other women who are working on the same thing. you can inspire one another, bounce ideas off of one another, and it’s super fun. you might want to even document your journey online.

set milestones and have a reward system

let’s say you would like to lose or gain weight, no matter the number, focus on 5-10 pound increments. when each milestone is successfully completed, reward yourself with something nice. maybe it’s getting your nails done, or splurging on a product that everyone on tiktok keeps talking about. apply this to any of your goals where there are milestones to get to.

don’t waste the day

you should not have any “zero days” meaning… you should be doing at least one thing everyday to reach a goal(s) you have. it doesn’t matter if one goal was to maintain a more organized, clean environment— do your dishes, set the trash out, clean up the hair from the bathroom sink, etc.

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pedanther · 3 months

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Since @canyourfavesurvivecastledracula made its first foray into Chinese literature, I've been pondering nominating my own favourite Chinese novel.

But, the thing is… it's Journey to the West.

Sun Wukong can survive Castle Dracula. That's not remotely in question. He's the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, he fought the celestial armies to a standstill single-handed, and he's literally three times as immortal as anyone else. After he scent-marked the Buddha, he was encased in stone for five hundred years with no food or water, and that barely slowed him down. Sun Wukong can survive anything.

Which is good news for him, because his ability to be appropriately submissive to Rich Jerks, especially Immortal Rich Jerks, is less than zero, even when he has a reason to try. Dracula is going to want him dead within five minutes of meeting him. It's just not going to go any better for Dracula than for the 108 other sorcerers and man-eating demons Sun Wukong has already pissed off.

But, just for fun, let's go down the checklist:

Sun Wukong knows perfectly well that the supernatural is real, he's not going to waste any time accepting the truth of Dracula's nature.

He probably wouldn't take the old lady's crucifix, assuming she offered it to him, but that's not going to make any difference.

He would definitely go poking his nose in places he was told not to.

Managing the whims of a Rich Jerk: see above.

The cliff face would present no problems; Sun Wukong has jumped greater heights than that.

Sun Wukong, faced with the choice between being eaten by wolves or being eaten by vampires, would choose the wolves, pretend to be ripped to shreds, and then come back as his own ghost and haunt Dracula.

#journey to the west #sun wukong #dracula #crossovers #not a reblog

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celeste444spacey · 2 months

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Manifesting Fame: Debunking some stuff

(Yes in an angry way)

Part 1 of idk how many

Look i have had freaking enough!

All these goddamn doubts about manifesting fame that i keep seeing. I can't believe it that people are being controlled by their minds like seriously what the hell.

We will debunk certain limiting beliefs and fears that some people (& me ) have had while in their fame manifestation journey.

Number 1: The fame itself

Look i don't know what to say. I still can't believe you are sitting here in like 2024 and you still think that fame is something crazy

I seriously don't know anymore. I still can't believe that you are willing to sit there thinking that you can't have fame when there's people with zero talent being watched by cameras all the time.

I mean you are sitting there wasted potential

WHEN WILL YOU REALIZE THAT SOMEONE OUT THERE IS WAITING FOR YOU?

SOMEONE IS WAITING FOR YOU TO BE THEIR FAVORITE ARTIST, FAVORITE ACTOR, FAVORITE MODEL

SOMEONE OUT THERE IS WAITING SO YOU CAN BRING THEIR SCRIPT TO LIFE, THEIR PRODUCTION

WAITING FOR YOU TO WRITE A SONG WITH THEM, WAITING FOR YOU TO BE THE TAYLOR TO THEIR JACK

SOMEONE IS WAITING FOR A MUSE AND ITS YOU

A RECORD LABEL IS WAITING FOR YOU

A LIFE IS THERE WAITING FOR YOU, TO BE CHANGED

and i can't believe you sit here, like this, DOUBTING yourself

Can't you see how selfish you are?

Your people are waiting for you man

#self care #manifesting #law of assumption #affirmations #self concept #it girl #manifestation #manifest #law of attraction #loa

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thewritetofreespeech · 1 year

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Vox Machina + Valentine’s Day

Percy De Rolo

Finds the whole holiday rather frivolous.

A whole day just to coo and moon eye at each other? Seems completely wasted.

But, he is a man of tradition. And traditions must be followed.

The obvious choice is jewelry. Something clean and elegant.

Or, if he was getting more in tune with the spirit of the whole thing, a music box. Hand crafted of his own design to play your song.

Vex

Incredibly flirty any other day of the week, so be prepared for it to be ten-fold.

Her mission in life for the day is to tease, taunt, and tempt her lover all day with her wiles.

Of which there are many.

The entire day would be like foreplay. Culminating in an almost violent passion of love making; followed by many other more gentle bouts.

Her gift would be an ornate arrow that she had carved out of one of her bolts, as a symbol of the cupid’s arrow that had struck her heart for you.

Scanlan

Never was a day more made for Scanlan.

Aside from being hopelessly addicted to ‘love’, Valentine’s day is a bard’s bread & butter.

A lot of coin to be made sing sweet songs to love struck couples.

He’d invite you to the inn he was playing at and dedicate a special song to you. One he wrote of course.

The rest of the evening is yours, where he’ll be at your mercy, for all the toe curling fun the two of you can cook up.

Vax

Genuinely forgets about the holiday. But he’s so suave that he plays it off like he hasn’t.

He forgot because he’s terrible with dates & holidays. Not that he doesn’t love you.

Vax thinks about you all the time, so one day out of the year didn’t even register to him.

Rattles off some silver-tongued lie about a surprise he had in store for you. One he is clearly making up as he goes along.

It works out in the end as he led you on some far fetched journey to the top of hill or tower, where he presents you with some night blooming flower he had snatched long the way (like he planned it).

Keyleth

Oh….our poor little turtle duck….

Extremely confident in the planning phase, but looses her nerve as the day comes around and she has to ask you to be her Valentine.

Wastes most of the day running away, or darting around corners, or babbling on as she can’t get her words out.

Eventually, she does. In true Keyleth earnestness.

Gives you a potted plant she grew on her own, and enchanted to always thrive & bloom. Like her feelings for you.

Pike

Happy to just be around you. No matter what day it is.

Pike loves her friends but they can be….a bit much. So a day with just the two of you would be wonderful.

Would like to, for once, do tourist-y things around the town your staying at. She never gets the chance.

Take a break to make a small offering to the Everlight for her loving comfort and her continued protection of you.

Makes a small cake for the two of you to share while you’re out. Grog was the official taste tester.

Grog

Has zero idea what Valentine’s day is.

He doesn’t get it. Doesn’t get what it’s about. Doesn’t get why this is a holiday.

Aren’t you supposed to tell someone you love them all the time? Are you supposed to be around them all the time too if you love ‘em?

Tries to play along, but is really a disaster at stuff like this.

Gives you a big bear hug and takes you out drinking. If your going to celebrate there’s no better way to do it than with ale!

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lurkingshan · 4 months

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Random BL Grievances, 2023 Edition

Listen. I was going to be nice. I was going to listen to my better angels. Shan, I said, there is no need to hate, it's all love! Just let it all go! But then my Tay Tawan was cruelly ripped away from me and @my-rose-tinted-glasses gave me inspiration. So fuck it, we ball. Hateration turned up to 11, let's go.

Worst Waste of a Good Start: Jun & Jun

Remember when this show started and it was all about scent kink and extremely horny energy, and then suddenly that all evaporated so we could add a bunch of side plots and do four different love triangles instead? Yeah I'm still mad about it!!

Most Overused Metaphor: Dangerous Romance

Hey y'all, did you know windmills need wind to power them?

Rudest Boy: Lomfon, La Pluie

The audacity of this boy. The chaos he sewed. Look at this scene! Immediately after this he not only plotted a secret date with his situationship's brother, he kissed said brother without consent. He made Tien cry. I may have forgiven your lanky ass, but I sure didn't forget!

Worst Retcon: Naughty Babe

This is not Men in Black and you can't just mind wipe me into forgetting these two already worked through half these issues in Cutie Pie. Not to mention suddenly turning a dog into a CGI tiger!! Thanks to Nat and Max for their service though those sex scenes at the end did help me cope.

Biggest Audience Betrayal: Minato's Laundromat 2

Plot contrivance amnesia! In my painstaking slow burn self acceptance journey that I have spent two entire seasons on. I will never forgive them.

Most Egregious Lack of Threesomes: Only Friends

You put me through all that messy drama and all those teases and I did not get to watch even one (1) threesome? Just a couple of kisses and everybody vacates the pool. I ask you, what was the point of Boeing if he wasn't here to fuck everybody! For shame, Jojo.

Most Undeserved Forgiveness: Eun Ji and Tae Hyung, The Eighth Sense

These two assholes are really up there amongst the worst friends in drama this year. I don't care what Jae Won says, I do not forgive you. Ji Hyun should have kept that petty energy for the both of them.

Biggest Character Letdown: Sand, Only Friends

Eternally pouring one out for the rougher, more cynical version of Sand who was wielding a baseball bat in the trailer. I don't know what happened to you, my guy, but you live on in my heart.

Most Baffling Dropped Plot: Thyme, A Boss and a Babe

Why was Drake even in this show? What was the point of all that plot set up in the first half if they weren't going to resolve it?? Why wasn't Thyme the mole??? Make it make sense.

Most Obvious Lack of Purpose: Between Us

How on earth did this happen? You have literal years to write a compelling sequel story for a wildly popular side ship and this is all you can come up with?! Aside from a couple nice sexy scenes at the start, this show really had no idea what it was about and nothing interesting to say.

Biggest Waste of Everyone's Time: Absolute Zero

New Siwaj, you're getting the triple dose on this list!! And AZ is your biggest sin this year because what the fuck was this! You had all that money, all that talent, all that time at your disposal, and this is what you did with it. UWMA squad was lined up to see you finally do another masterpiece, and you delivered this mess instead. What is going on with you, sir, I feel it's time for an intervention.

Worst Derailing of a Good Show: Step by Step

You didn't think this post was ending without me mentioning this disaster, did you? An all-time cautionary tale in how to waste a good slow burn. Jeng deserved better and so did we.

#bl grievances 2023 #la pluie #only friends the series #step by step #the eight sense #jun & jun #dangerous romance #a boss and a babe #absolute zero #minato's laundromat 2 #naughty babe the series #shan shouts into the void

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ceilidhtransing · 6 months

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Here to once again sing the praises of Duolingo (and go on a long ramble about language learning)

I see a fair bit of criticism of Duo that essentially begins and ends with “Duolingo alone won't make you fluent”, stated as if it's obvious that this point alone is enough to totally condemn the app.

The thing is, “Duolingo alone won't make you fluent” is true*, but also a) pretty obvious to most dedicated language learners and b) not nearly enough to automatically render Duolingo not worth using.

[*It's also worth pointing out that “fluency” isn't really a single coherent concept: people can have radically different fluency levels across, for example, reading and speaking; different levels of proficiency can count as “fluent” in different settings depending on the needs of that setting; and not everyone learning a language is even aiming for “fluency” in the first place - though this also leads into a huge can of worms about the somewhat prevalent idea that fluency is the only worthwhile goal for learners and if you're not aiming to be fluent then it's a waste of time, but that's a discussion for another day.]

The value of Duolingo varies a lot by course, but my experience is that even though Duolingo alone won't “make you fluent”, the bigger, better-developed courses can take you a long way. Yes, obviously not to C2 “basically a native speaker” level, but pretty far. And that's personally where I find the app's real value: giving enough of a grounding in a language that other learning materials - short stories, podcasts, conversation groups, etc - become accessible. Of course Duolingo alone isn't going to make you fluent, but for a lot of learners it's an irreplaceable early tool on their journey towards proficiency.

Early on, when your level of knowledge of a language is zero or near-zero, so much of the struggle of learning is a feeling of total overwhelm as you try to figure out how to learn and find a method you'll stick to. Independent learning can feel like walking blindly through a maze of disparate and sometimes contradictory resources, some on grammar, some on vocab, some that say “start speaking immediately!”, some that say “get to grips with these grammar foundations before even trying to speak!”, some that insist there's no replacement for immersion, some that argue that immersion is like being thrown in the deep end and expecting yourself to swim, and this is where so many people burn themselves out. You can't read short stories or listen to podcasts when you know literally nothing of a language, and if you use a random unstructured assortment of materials then you'll probably end up learning grammar concepts in a very random and disconnected and confusing way. Duolingo bridges that early gap between “zero proficiency” and “some proficiency”, providing a structure that says “just keep doing this and you will watch your ability grow”.

Really, I think it's in precisely what “doing this” means that the disagreement arises. It's a very YMMV app, depending on how each person uses it. Someone using Duolingo for >30 minutes a day, making rapid and intense progress through their course, and seeking out alternative sources to clarify bits of grammar that they're confused by is having such a different experience from someone who does one lesson a day just to keep a streak going. Of course someone doing the latter isn't going to be “made fluent” that way - because there is no language-learning material on earth that is going to produce genuine progress with that little time and attention (and frankly there is no material on earth that is a 100% comprehensive standalone course from beginner to fluent and doesn't require any supplementation). Regardless of which material you're using - Duolingo, Babbel, Rosetta Stone, LanguagePod101, a YouTube series, a university course, a textbook, or any of the many other miscellaneous methods - time and attention is basically what it comes down to, and personally, in the beginner-to-intermediate stages of language learning, I've found Duolingo to have a pretty good ratio of “time and attention” to “language progress”.

Ultimately, Duo can be excellent at holding your hand through those early months of language learning, getting you to a point where you don't use “Duolingo alone”, because you now have enough confidence and grounding to supplement with things like short stories and podcasts and conversation partners - things that you would have found unbelievably daunting at the beginning, but that are now accessible to you thanks to a free app that guides you through a clear learning structure. I think that's great.

Zu lang, ich habe nicht gelesen - vielleicht bin ich noch nicht fließend, aber ich kann viel mehr mit Duo als ohne Duo sprechen :)

#duolingo #languages #language learning #learning languages #langblr #germanblr #german #learning german #linguistics #my posts

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therainscene · 1 year

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There’s a genre of anti-Byler argument that I like to call But It Was The 80s.

I’m sure you’re familiar with it: Will getting his heart broken would be good rep actually, because that’s just what it was like in the 80s; Mike being queer too would be unrealistic, because there weren’t that many gay people back then; and did queers ever really experience joy prior to 2015 anyway?

...But I think it’s worth taking a look at what the show is trying to tell us about being queer in the 80s. Stories, especially ones with fantastical elements such as monsters and superpowers, aren’t obligated to be perfectly realistic so long as they resonate with our experiences.

So how does Stranger Things resonate with queerness?

Every season so far has given us an iconic moment in which a character tries to stand up to a monster and is horribly punished for it:

In S1, Will loads a gun and faces the Demogorgon in self-defense... but he can’t fight it and gets dragged into the Upside Down.

In S2, Will takes Bob’s advice to tell the Mind Flayer to go away... but it gives zero fucks and consumes him anyway.

In S3, a small act of compassion from El inspires Billy to betray the Mind Flayer... but he’s immediately killed for trying.

In S4, Eddie decides that he’s done with running, so he distracts the bats to buy his friends more time... and succeeds! But at the cost of his own life. A waste, given that his friends’ plan to kill Vecna didn’t even work.

The show even brings this (lack of) progression full circle by paralleling Will and Eddie’s disappearances:

If we read the monsters as metaphors for the overwhelming force of bigotry and conformity in the 80s, it seems as though the show is telling us that there’s no point in trying to fight back, because it will crush you back down every time.

Indeed, we see a more literal but subtle version of this message play out in S3′s rain fight -- Will tries to call Mike out on losing himself to comphet, but Mike defensively lashes out at him, (unintentionally) reminding Will that he doesn’t have the right to question heteronormativity. Devastated that not even his plan to be Best Friends Forever with Mike was an acceptable compromise, Will takes that reminder to heart.

This definitely resonates with what it felt like to be a queer adolescent in the 80s... (and 90s... and 00s...) but it’s an awfully bleak message. Is that really the story Stranger Things is trying to tell?

The rain fight is the lowest moment in Will’s arc -- it’s only uphill for him from here.

In S4, he repairs his friendship with Mike and accepts that this is the best he can hope for, which is exactly the sort of bittersweet note a bleak story about the reality of being gay in the 80s might end on... if Will didn’t have a whole season’s worth of uphill journey left to do.

Let’s take another look at those iconic monster-facing moments. Was there really a lack of progression there, or were they, too, building up to something?

In S1, Jonathan and Joyce aren’t home and the phone isn’t working, forcing Will to face the Demogorgon by himself.

In S2, Will is emboldened by advice from an ally... but that ally, though well-meaning, has no idea what he’s talking about, and isn’t there by Will’s side when the time comes to actually face the monster.

In S3, El’s act of compassion is too little too late, and Billy doesn’t have time to fix his mistakes and team up with the party.

In S4, Eddie ignores Dustin’s demands to regroup with him, and faces the bats alone. The rest of the party are working as a team to fight Vecna... but interestingly, Will isn’t there to help them form a plan.

The problem isn’t that the monster is undefeatable -- it just can’t be defeated by any one person, nor can it be defeated without the guidance of its victims who understand it better than anyone else.

Yes, in S4 they have Max, who provides some helpful insight, but this is her first time dealing with Vecna -- she doesn’t have the level of experience that Will does. Compare to S1, when Joyce reaches out to Will through the lights for advice on how to rescue him -- he provides a little insight, but ultimately, Joyce doesn’t get the information she needs until she teams up with someone with lived experience.

This principle isn’t unique to queerness, of course, but it certainly resonates strongly with queerness.

The 80s may have been a godawful time to be gay, but it’s hardly as though gay pride didn’t exist. The progress that we’ve made since then was only possible because the LGBTQ+ community banded together and fought for their rights -- in the 80s.

And that’s the deeply homophobic core of But It Was The 80s as an argument: that queers shouldn’t remember the work done by our elders or be inspired to do the same, but instead swallow the lie that cishet society benevolently decided on its own to stop being homophobic. That we should be thankful for what scraps they’ve granted us, and wait patiently in the closet for them to grant us more.

Where Will finds himself at the end of S4 -- grateful that at least he’s loved platonically and too beaten down to ask for more -- is precisely where the heteronormative audience expects him to be. His queer arc has satisfactorily resolved itself, as far as they’re concerned, so in S5 he might as well die or become a villain or whatever.

Or, more charitably, he can unlock his powers and be the hero, but only on the condition that it’s strictly a metaphor for coping with trauma and he doesn’t get all gay about it.

But he is absolutely going to get all gay about it.

Will’s story, much like Stranger Things as a whole, isn’t about accepting the bleakness of being an outcast in the 80s -- it’s about staring that bleakness in the face and saying: “Unacceptable. I deserve to be happy on my own terms.”

#stranger things #byler #will byers #analysis

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midheavenastrology · 1 year

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🥂Hey y’all here’s another astro observation

Happy Sag Season 😇 as a 9th house stellium, I’m here 4 it 🙌

𓃗 Chiron in Gemini could manifest as either not knowing how to drive until later in life/having chronic car problems or having trauma to do with cars (could’ve gotten into a horrible car accident or died in a car crash in a past life)

𓆣 This just came 2 me but I’ve noticed a lot of celebrities have Pisces moons and it makes a whole lotta sense: Pisces: fantasy, illusion, being able to morph into the environment around them/the moon: emotions, ur subconscious. Using ur emotional/subconscious nature to create a fantasy character:an illusion: the basis of acting

𓅟 Neptune conjunct mercury: ur dream world is probably hella vivid. Like when u dream, u probably dream in real vivid colors with creatures who have five heads and weird foreign places that have spaceships made of candy or some shit. I mean 4 real if u have this aspect, u gotta write a movie script or something about ur dreams. (Note to self 😝)

𓃟Neptune aspects to ascendant, moon or Mercury : any new place u live in or sleep in u probably pick up on the vibes, energy and especially dreams:fantasies:traumas of the people who have lived there. U will often see this in ur dreams. Hello nightmares….😖 ...But imagine…the type of dream work healing ❤️‍🩹 u could do 🥲

𓆏Neptune in Sagittarius aspects to moon or ascendant, as well as in the 12th house: sag placements are SO physic. More so than any water sign. It’s because they have foresight- the archer’s arrow shooting into the distance- seeing ahead of time. If a Sagittarius placement, especially those with these aspects and placement tell you something that might happen to u in the future…take note(this placement reminds me of the quote from dune “do you often dream things that happen, just as you dreamed them ?”)

𓆉The house placement of a stellium is just as impt as what sign and planets the placement is in. It can completely change the flavor of how that sign/planet presents itself. For ex: someone with a Libra stellium in the 8th house will def have a darker, more secretive side to them than an average Libra. In some cases, they’ll seem more scorpionic than anything.

𓃰Look at ur 8th house placements and then look at ur 9th house placements- the Scorpio to Sagittarius transition is literally the butterfly emerging from the chrysalis. Think of ur 8th house placement as a gift from the universe before u passed onto ur next soul journey and the 9th house is how u can manifest it into the 3D realm.

𓄿For ex: I’ll use zendayas placements: zendaya has her sun in virgo in the 8th house- her soul gift is about sharing her innate gift of humbling ur ego to heal trauma: she has Mercury, Chiron and her north node in Libra in the 9th house- so she did this by playing her character Rue in Euphoria- a young adult struggling with drug addiction that ultimately finds a way to heal both her own trauma of loss and her families as well by losing her ego and humbling herself. She “shared” her resource through communicating it in a Libra way- acting.

𓆈If you have significant 6th house placements and you don’t have a soft spot for animals……I dunno what happened ?

𓆜If you have ur north node/rahu in the 2nd house and ketu/south node in the 8th house: this lifetime is ALL about money 💰 and how to secure money for yourself. You MUST respect money, u have to treat it like ur greatest teacher because in many past lives you were born into wealth, so you did not respect it. You probably wasted someone else’s resources away on whatever you pleased with zero respect for the hard work that another person went through to acquire that wealth. Kinda like Marie Antoinette…”let them eat cake 🍰 “ mentality in past lives. You might also do such things, like gamble, borrowing against ur means, stealing etc to acquire money.

𓆙In vedic astrology, Rahu is a kind of obsession, therefore having it in the 2nd makes you almost obsessed with money, gaining wealth, so you could do this through illegal means. It’s only when u respect and value money gained through true hard work and integrity will the fruits of ur labor shine down on you.

𓃮On the other hand if you have the opposite - north node/rahu in 8th and south node/ketu in 2nd, this lifetime for you is about the spiritual, it’s about letting go of a need for security, a need to obtain and hoard possessions/wealth and live a very nomadic, spiritual existence of letting go of control in the material realm. Kinda like a gypsy, free spirit. It’s about living a life that is less focused on stability/structure in the 3D and more about finding ur souls true calling in the 5D.

Das all y’all 💜💜💜🌞🌞🌞👏👏👏

Hope this was helpful 🍵

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supercalifragipopculturevomit · 1 month

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A GUIDE THROUGH DANIEL BRÜHL'S FILMOGRAPHY

Now that I’ve gone through most of Daniel’s works, I thought this table might help those who are about to embark on the same obsessive journey I began months ago. I have no intention of spoiling anything, I’m only hoping this will provide someone a good idea of what to expect and help them in the selection process. Like, All Quiet on the Western Front is an excellent film but I wouldn’t want to watch that when I’ve had a really shitty day and I just need something light and dumb.

I do a 1 to 10 rating to make it as precise and objective as possible but know that some areas will be subject to my personal taste, factors like the mood I was in while watching it, and the oft-faulty machine that is my memory.

Before I get into the sections, let me quickly paint a picture of my personal taste. From Daniel’s works, my top 3 are Rush (2013), Goodbye Lenin! (2003), and Inglorious Basterds (2009). If we get into favorite films of all-time, it would include Parasite (2019), Before Sunrise (1995), When Harry Met Sally (1989), Atonement (2007), A Quiet Place (2018), Amélie (2001), The Dark Knight (2008), Arrival (2016), and Past Lives (2023). I’m always down for a dark comedy, an epic drama/romance, and a psychological thriller.

Now that's out of the way, onto the TABLE SECTIONS:

ROLE PROMINENCE – how much do you see of Daniel in this film? And, no, this has nothing to do with his ass—though that is always a welcome sight.

IMPORTANT – do we learn something from this movie? Are there interesting concepts being explored? Is it relevant? Does it carry a significant message, however obvious? Is it a career highlight for Daniel? These are the considerations for this category.

PAINFUL – are the themes dark and heavy? Is it stressful to watch? Is Daniel tortured into a pulp? Does it tug at your heartstrings? Is the movie deliberately cringey and embarrassing? This section covers a wide spectrum, so you must refer to the other sections to infer if it’s worth the pain. I have a high tolerance for violence and dark humor, what pains me is a plot that goes nowhere, a poor script, or a movie that wastes so much potential. How invested I am with the story and the characters also has a bearing on my rating. For instance, I feel zero empathy for Chris in Cargo because he's an idiot who had it coming.

WATCHABLE – does it hold your attention throughout? Is it enjoyable? Is it something you can watch over and over again? I have to stress that this section is sometimes influenced by my expectations of a movie and, often, by what I need in that moment.

ADDITIONAL NOTES – here I try to add factors that might have affected my viewing experience, further insight into my rating, and other vital (or not-so-vital) information.

p.s. didn't bother watching 2 Days in Paris and 2 Days in New York because I knew he only had a cameo in those.

OTHER RELATED BLOGS:

The Best of Daniel Brühl 5 Types of Daniel Brühl Characters In search of Daniel Brühl movies?

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babyghouly · 1 year

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I’ll Be Alright Without You

Pair: Eddie Munson x GN!Reader; Eddie Munson x BestFriend!Reader

Genre: Angst, Heartache

Words: ~2k

Summary: You and Eddie have been best friends for a while now and you’ve recently realized something. You’re in love with him. The only issue? He’s in love with someone else and she is amazing. In an attempt to get over him, you decide to flee Indiana altogether. Of course you couldn’t leave so abruptly without letting your best friend know, so you confess everything to him.

Warnings: Cursing, Sadness, Heartache

Namesake: I’ll Be Alright Without You - Journey

Series: Part II; Part III; Part IV

Notes from Ghoul: OOO THERE’LL BE SOMEONE EEELSE, I KEEP TELLING MYYYYYSELF... wowee, look who is back and taking a complete 180 from her previous writings? THIS GAL! It’s been a while for good reason: I had zero motivation to write. But recently I’ve been feeling A LOT of feelings so I decided to take a crack at writing again and thus this fic was made. I honestly don’t know if I will get back into the swing of things, but I do have another unfinished fic that I’ve been meaning to finish sooooo.... we will see what happens there. I hope you enjoy it and please don't be afraid to reblog and let me know what you think 💖

Ghoul’s Masterlist

Tags: @staygoldwriting @akwzilla @creme-bruhlee @hellfire-wren @maitre-de-marionnettes

The morning air was still throughout the trailer park as Eddie's eyes slowly opened. He groaned when he looked at his alarm clock reading quarter to six, forty five minutes before he needs to be awake. Through the open window Eddie could hear a faint sound of tires crunching on the gravel outside.

A car? He thought, wondering if he was just hearing things.

It sounded like it was outside his house which was weird for this time of morning. Most people here were still working the night shift or fast asleep. The car didn't stay long because soon enough he heard a door open and shut one last time before driving off on the gravel road. Curious, Eddie turned his alarm clock off and got out of bed early.

The cool breeze from the window hit his bare skin sending a shiver throughout his body, but he didn't stop to put on a shirt or pants. He made his way onto the porch from the backdoor closest to his bedroom. Whoever was there is long gone and it didn't look like they left anything behind. Eddie shrugged, and made his way back to his room.

"G'Morning, Ed"

"Good Morning, sweetheart," Eddie leaned over the bed to give his fiancé, Janie, a kiss, "Sorry I woke you up so early, I didn't mean too"

"It's okay, I'll make it back to sleep just fine," Janie smirked, wrapping her arms around Eddie's pillow to cuddle it, "What was that about?"

"Oh nothing," Eddie said, grabbing some clothes from his dresser, "I thought I heard something outside, but there wasn't anything out there"

Janie nodded letting out a yawn while her eyes drifted back to sleep, "Have a good day at work, my love"

Eddie smiled, blowing a kiss her way before making his way to the bathroom. Once showered, he got together his breakfast, a cup of coffee with a piece of toast, and made his way to the porch to eat. Stepping onto the planks he felt something beneath him, something smooth. He looked down to find a stark white envelope with his name plastered on the front in cursive. Both intrigued and confused, he picked up the letter.

Y/N?

He recognized the handwriting and wondered why you left a letter instead of calling or just talking to him. Eddie made his way towards the couch outside and sat down. He sipped at his coffee before setting it down on the table beside him. Once settled on the couch, he wasted no time opening the note. As he did, a familiar scent tickled his nostrils ever so slightly, bringing a smile to his face as it reminded him of you; his best friend.

His fingers delicately pulled out the folded letter written on a single piece of lined paper. It looked like it was ripped out of your journal as it featured doodles in the top corner of each side. He could see smudges in the ink from where your hand brushed it before it dried as he flattened it out before he began to read:

My Eddie,

You mean the world to me, I know you know that. Never in my life did I think that the intimidating metalhead in my ninth grade science class would become my best and closest friend, but here we are eight years later. Those eight years were pretty rough for both of us, but overall they were the best years of my life. I couldn't imagine a better person to have by my side through it all.

How sweet Eddie smirked gleefully while brushing toast crumbs off him and reminiscing about the past.

Eight years of friendship sure was a rollercoaster, one of the biggest conflicts being Eddie's graduation. Since ninth grade, Eddie's been your only close friend at Hawkins High. Sure there were other friends you had, like Nancy, Robin, and Steve, but none of them were there for you like Eddie was. Being in the same grade, of course both of you planned to graduate as the class of '84 together. You had also convinced Eddie to go to prom with you after he told you a thousands times that he wouldn't be caught dead at prom.

Things seemed to be going well until the last couple weeks leading up to graduation. Eddie didn't pass a couple of his classes and ended up flunking, leaving you to graduate without him. To top it all off, Principal Higgins didn't allow him to go to the prom at all given his track record and recent flunking. Eddie knew he fucked up big time. He knew how excited you were to go to prom with him and he ruined that for you. That incident alone had Eddie fearful that this was the end of your friendship. That you'd choose to get out of town as fast as you could come graduation. But you didn't. You stayed in this deadbeat town and for who other than Eddie himself.

When it came to Eddie, there was a feeling different than any other friendship you've had before. Of course you were disappointed with him after hearing the news, but you've seen him through pretty much every other downfall in his life. At the end of the day you loved Eddie more than anything and something in you told you to stay and take care of him and so you did. It took him two more grueling attempts at twelfth grade before he graduated, but he finally did it. With the help of you, of course. Two years later and he is still thanking you for it when he can.

Eddie snapped back into reality and took a gulp of his coffee, continuing to read the letter.

There's just something that I've been meaning to tell you though. It's been on my mind a while, I never really knew how to bring it up, but I guess I have to now so here it goes:

I'm in love with you Ed.

Eddie's eyes widened and he choked on the coffee he was drinking. He reread the sentence a couple times, in denial of what it said. Once he collected himself he carried on reading.

I think it's been there a while cause I've pretty much always had a crush on you. I just didn't realize until recently that that's what it was. Things got real for me when you introduced me to Janie. I felt this overwhelming jealousy and hurt because I wanted it to be me. I hated myself for it, but I was able to hide it away pretty well. So well I convinced myself I was over you. When I heard you two were engaged, that jealousy and hurt hit me like a tidal wave all over again. From then on, every time you mentioned her, the lingering feelings would flare up. I don't like feeling that way about someone my best friend adores. I'm tired of it, Ed. I'm tired of wishing it were me with you instead of her. I'm tired of being sad over someone that makes you so happy.

Eddie was shocked to say the least. He'd always been oblivious to people's feelings, even his own sometimes. He's lucky he met someone like Janie, a real firecracker who wasted no time romancing Eddie and telling him exactly how she felt about him. She's really helped shape the man he grew to be. Since they've been together, you've noticed he's become more empathetic, though he still lacks it sometimes. Overall, you're not surprised he fell so head over heels for her, she’s amazing.

There was still more in the letter so Eddie continued.

I bring all this up because I've done a lot of thinking lately. I know I can't change how you feel, but I can't change how I feel either. Normally I would just let myself suffer in silence, but I can't anymore. I am tired of holding back my feelings for you, it's doing me no good. In all this thinking, I realized that I spent so much time taking care of you and making sure you were okay that I forgot about myself. What I wanted to do with my life, where I wanted to be, what I wanted to achieve… which is why I've decided to start college. Fall semester is starting soon. I'm all packed up and moving out of state. By the time you're reading this, I'm already long gone so there's no use in coming after me. I will miss you so much though.

I'll miss you more

But lastly, I want to wish you all the best for your future with Janie. I'm sorry I'm not ready to be a part of that just yet. I feel like such a terrible friend.

Love Always,

Your Best Friend, Y/N

Bullshit, Eddie thought, a tear hitting the page below and ruining some of the lettering on it, You're not terrible

There was one more thing written after the letter's close.

P.S. Don't think for one second I'd ever forget about you while I'm away, Edward Munson. I could never forget my best friend and my first true love.

Eddie doesn't usually cry, but this was his one exception. The sun was just beginning to rise as he stared down at the paper that changed his world just like that. He felt his heart sink, realizing all that you've suffered alone. He didn't want to lose his best friend like this, but he knew you were making the right decision for yourself.

-------------------------------------------------

In the car, you were nervously twiddling your thumbs in the passenger seat of your friend Steve's car. When you told your friends you were thinking of going to college, Nancy wasted no time to help you find a suitable college for you. You settled on one far away from Hawkins, not purposefully but it sure is convenient. Not so convenient for Steve and Robin, who agreed to help you move before you even picked a campus.

"I don't mean to pry," Steve turned down the radio to his car, "but now that it's just us... what sparked the sudden change? Didn't you graduated high school like four years ago?"

You sighed, staring blankly out the window watching as all the cars passed each other on the highway, "Someone…. someone I couldn't have"

"Heartbreak," Steve nodded, "that can do it to you." This earned a chuckle from Robin in the backseat.

"Yeah," You turned your body towards Steve and Robin to relieve the discomfort that was building from sitting in a car for too long, "I fell in love with a guy that thought he didn't deserve shit, but…"

Tears started to well in your eyes. Robin noticed and attempted to console you, "Y-You don't have to continue if you don't want to"

"Thanks Robin," the corner of your mouth lifted upward, "but it's better if I get it out now before I'm all alone in my dorm. I'm trying to let go, not hang on."

Robin smiled and gave you a supportive nod to continue.

"He thought he deserved shit, but I was so set on giving him the life I knew he deserved," You took in a deep breath and let go slowly before continuing, "But what about me? I wanted to go to college, but I didn't because of Eddie"

Both Robin and Steve's eyes widened in shock at your confession. They didn't realize your feelings were for Eddie, your best friend.

"He really thought he couldn't do it," You continued, "but I convinced him to do it not once, but twice. And now look at him"

"He finally graduated!" Robin answered enthusiastically.

"Yes," You chewed at your bottom lip, holding back a smile, "And when he did, I saw his life change for the better. He stopped dealing drugs, he got a job, he expanded Hellfire club outside of Hawkins High, I even hear he is wanting to move out of Hawkins too. He is truly happier than ever. It makes my heart so warm... a-and my heart is like a brick of ice"

You paused to collect yourself, holding back the tears you thought you were finished with.

"I just feel so stupid for letting my feelings get so out of control," You admitted, shaking your head lowly, "I was just too enticed by what could have been, I don't know why though. He has someone else."

"We can't control what we think or how we feel," Steve began, looking over to you, "That includes you too, unfortunately."

You sighed harshly, "That's true"

"But I think you're doing the right thing," Steve continued passionately, "Getting out of the shithole that is Hawkins, doing something for yourself for a change. Don't you feel empowered?"

Robin made a confused face before looking over at Steve, "Since when did you get all motivational, Stevie-boy?"

"I've been through heartbreak y'know!"

"Yeah, no doi," Robin playfully slapped his shoulder, "It's just weird seeing you like that"

"I'm trying to help!"

"And you have, thanks Steve." You smiled, "you too Robin"

"Now turn the radio on, please," Robin pleaded dramatically, "No more sappy shit"

Steve listened to her and turned the volume dial up just in time.

♫ I do these things,

it's all because of you

I'll keep holding on, but I'll try,

try not to think of you

Love don't leave me lonely ♫

You all recognized the song and thought it was fitting given your current situation. Of course you guys had to turn it up louder and sing along.

♫ I'll be alright with you,

There'll be someone else, I keep telling myself

I'll be alright without you,

Love's an empty face, I can't replace ♫

In that moment you felt a weight lift off your shoulder; for the first time throughout this whole ordeal you finally felt optimistic for the future. Even with that though, part of you still ached. This time, however, you knew things would only get better, not worse.

- END -

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alligator-with-a-top-hat · 6 months

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Gonna meditate on Ridley’s importance to the Metroid series, edited from comments I made on a video about him. After some thought, it’s clear to me that every appearance of his after the first ties him strongly to the theme of each individual game. Analysis under the cut, in in-game chronological order.

Zero Mission's whole premise is being a new spin on a familiar story, showing us things we never thought about in the NES game. Zero Mission's cutscenes show him commanding the Pirate Mothership and deliberately tracking Samus down. His robotic double, Mecha Ridley, is the new final boss stopping her escape from Pirate patrols. It's an organized, calculating side to the Pirates never seen before in the 2D games. The game is about insight into the past, and we gain insight through Ridley.

Prime is about respecting our history and the dangers of wasteful exploitation. Ridley is the face of the Pirates on Tallon IV as they discover and abuse Phazon, and his opening salvo in his boss battle is to bomb the Artifact Temple. However, the Phazon hurts the Pirates as much as it hurts their enemies, and the boss battle ends with the statues of the ancient Chozo blowing Ridley away in violent, laser-y retribution. The game is about destructive exploitation, and Ridley shows what happens to those who go too far for power.

Corruption is about the corruption of the body and spirit by violence, as represented by toxic Phazon. At the beginning, Ridley is his crafty old self, hounding Samus on Norion and forcing her into a boss fight he knows she cannot escape on her own when he knocks her into the generator shaft. But at the end of the game, he reappears, corrupted by Phazon, as an animalistic guardian of the leviathan seed on the Pirate Homeworld, little better than a guard dog. It parallels Samus' own journey as she is corrupted by Phazon, put on a leash by the Federation, and forced to kill those like her. The game is about corruption, and Ridley shows the end of those taken by the corruption.

Samus Returns is like Zero Mission in that it is about shedding new light on an old story, but it goes deeper than that. Samus sparing the Metroid hatchling is the single most important decision in the series, so it's no surprise that the remake should have Ridley -- whose most famous moment in the manga was making the opposite decision in regards to Samus -- appear to try and tear them apart. His appearance also foreshadows his role in Super Metroid, and putting aside the change in tone from the original Metroid II, his appearance gives Samus and the baby Metroid a chance to develop their bond in a way that had mostly been told, not shown. The game is about Samus' moment of mercy, and Ridley is there to see if she can really do it.

Super Metroid is about Samus and the baby Metroid's bond. Samus throws her plans away to recapture the baby Metroid, and in the end it sacrifices its life to save her. Lo and behold, Ridley is the one who separates them, and when she kills him, she finds only the broken Metroid capsule, a tantalizing clue that brings her no closer to the baby Metroid. The game is about what matters to Samus, and Ridley is the one who takes it all from her.

Other M is a game about nothing. Samus does not impact the plot in any significant way because other people sideline her and handle the plot for her. Ironically, Ridley still fits this theme -- he appears as a cloned baby to annoy and distract Samus, has a boss battle that makes no sense in context, and finally is eaten by a poorly foreshadowed Queen Metroid and never comes up again. The game is stupid and Ridley is handled stupidly.

Fusion is about identity and the past. Everything is flipped upside down when Samus is infected by an X parasite, loses everything, and discovers that the monster trying to kill her is, essentially, her. The power of the Metroids, her eternal enemy, becomes the key to her success and survival. In an important scene, the Federation, which Samus has trusted since her Zero Mission, is revealed to have recreated the Metroids. Immediately after this upsetting revelation about an entity she has worked for for years, who does she encounter in the Federation's facility? That's right, Ridley, who has even been possessed by an X parasite as if to mock her situation.

It's not all bad, though. Fusion is the game where Samus finishes Ridley for good (seeing as he doesn’t return for Dread), and fittingly enough she finally comes to terms with part of her past when she reconnects with ADAM. It's a game about the past. Ridley is that past, and Samus finally puts him behind her.

Ridley is so special not just because of his cunning nature and terrifying brutality, but also because of how neatly he fits into the puzzle of Samus' life. He’s a relentless phantom that embodies the violence she cannot escape. He represents everything Samus must overcome to finally find that "true peace in space" from the NEStroid end screen.

Thanks guys 👋

#Metroid #Ridley

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linkemon · 8 months

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Soulmate AU headcanons 1

Friendly reminder that English is not my first language. You can check my Masterlists both in English and Polish here.

Tomo (Kazuha's friend)

✧ You never thought you'd find your soulmate in the saddest way you know. Seeing the writing on your hand, you always assumed that was the first sentence you would hear from them.

✧ It had to be. Those were the last words you heard from Tomo. Immediately after that, he went to fight Inazuma's archon. You couldn't even stop him. The execution took place in the blink of an eye. You ran away with Kazuha. Only later did you realize what had happened. The person destined for you was already dead.

✧ The truth was that you never considered a friend as your significant other. You considered him your friend. It wasn't until Kazuha told you that Tomo had always seen something more in you. However, he never made a move to let you know because he was afraid of your reaction. He didn't want to ruin your friendship. Especially since you travelled together. Rejection would mean big changes.

✧ For a long time you couldn't get over his death. You covered the tattoo with bandages, unable to look at it. You didn't want to be reminded of the loss. Even Beidou said you were drinking too much with her pirates and she discreetly hid rum from you.

✧ You opposed Kazuha's attempts to bring Tomo's vision to life. You thought he should be left alone. Then your paths parted. You didn't meet again until after the opening of Inazuma. Together you honored a deceased friend.

Eula

✧ You've felt terribly cold for several years. Heaps of blankets, hot meals, and thermos bottles didn't help. The cold came and went unexpectedly. You enjoyed your fiery power. Otherwise you could really freeze to death. Even the well-known doctor in Liyue, Baizhu, didn't know what was wrong with you.

✧ You discovered the truth during one of your trips to Mondstadt. You were hoping to learn something in the library there. Lisa Minci greeted you with interest. After you explained what the matter was, she said she might have a clue for you. You had to wait a week for the person you were waiting for to show up. She was busy on a mission.

✧ Eula didn't really feel like talking to you. And she didn't even want to help you. It wasn't until you explained what it was that she understood. She also had similar symptoms as you. She had hot flashes. Your conversation was abruptly interrupted by an attack by several Abyss mages. You dealt with them with your skills. The girl was surprised how well you fight. It wasn't until later that you realized that you were connected to each other. You even did some tests to make sure.

✧ The beginnings of your relationship were not easy. Eula, despite finding a soulmate, refused to trust you. You had to work hard to gain her trust, not to mention going on a date.

Lumine

✧ Your strange counter on a foot stayed with a funny stamp for a long time. Distance: ∞. Family and friends tried to find out what it was all about. You all agreed that it was probably supposed to show the distance from your soulmate. Infinity, on the other hand, was quite a puzzle.

✧ Every night before going to bed you checked your leg. Imagine your surprise when one day it started showing numbers. Without wasting time, you took care of the most important matters and set off on your journey. Over time, the distance narrowed. You had a suspicion that your significant other is in Mondstadt. After some time, however, it began to increase again. When you got to Liyue, you missed each other again. You managed to see a ship disappearing over the horizon, heading towards Inazuma. In despair, you started looking for information about who was on it. That's how you found out about an interesting traveler who was probably the one you were looking for.

✧ When Inazuma's borders are finally opened, you set out on the first ship. You waited impatiently for the moment when your foot showed zero. As you turned your gaze on Lumine in the crowd of people, you knew immediately it was her. You asked her to listen to you over a bowl of ramen, which she agreed to. For now, she's looking for a brother and she's not sure if she'll be able to give her heart to you. However, she admitted that she was touched when you followed her across half of Teyvat. Just like her to her twin. She let you travel with her, so you don't lose hope.

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