I was unreasonably excited to see Echo’s ears this episode. Like really excited.

I’m also highly distracted with concern over him being able to get his tbb armour back…

Feels like things are forever changing and I’m not sure I can handle it 😂 I just hope the enormous number of unravelled threads means a new show is gonna be announced. Hopefully on the 4th 🤞

And finally, what fun it was to see him messing about with that droid hand! He should magnetise it to his armour (you know where) so he can keep it … ahem … handy.

As for Omega telling Emerie about the Batch… my poor heart can’t take it!

Alright this is my THIRD time relistening to 5.1, lets dump ALL my thoughts then:

-first of all, one of the best opening story sequences. I love when unwell does this framing, and it is always well done. "We may be going home soon" is a line that disturbs the shit out of me, and once again unwell's sound design is absolutely incredible with all that the dogs do. I do also want to see silas get his teeth punched out.

-i could talk for hours about chester this episode. But i just want to say both the writing and pat kings performance were perfect for him. The way he aporoaches the house practicing what to say, and specifically stumbling through all their namea, then is immediately thrown off by the house being casual is so comedic and him. I really want to know how pat king manages to sound that pathetic, its amazing. Hes also amazing later in the episode where hes freaking out over norah and wes.

-"come in!" "Mrs. Harper? Its me? Chester Warren?" "What of me yelling come in didnt you understand?" The way the cast acts is so fhdjsjjdjdbsjs seeing dot tentatively accept chester is so nice, while she still keeps bullying him a bit throughout the episode. Its such a good dynamic on full display.

-abbie is a bastard. Its perfect.

-"lily-an"

-"i can eavesdrop from here!" "Tell him to speak up!" AND THEN CHESTER ACTUALLY TALKING LOUDER IS FHDJDKSKNFNDA. Once again character dynamics are shining this entire episode, and having chester play the straight man to their antics is a good role for him.

-"i dont know how to proceed!" Have you ever met a man so pathetic-

-chester is a 24/7 mental breakdown at this point. Yeah this is what i wanted from season 5.

-i should write a fic where chester reads rudys will and all that-

-When you arent exactly a found family because you fell apart and didnt know each other long enough but in the end your the only person left to stand over their body-

-Abbie getting their character development shown off this ENTIRE EPISODE we're so proud of them learning to handle their own emotions.

-also lily WES IS A KID TF ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT???? Like yeah hes a ghost but come on. Tinee.

-chester refusing to enter the house is such a good character detail. My guy needs help.

-and now we're at the norah scene where she needs SO MUCH THERAPY

-once again applause for the sound design making Norahs voice have an interesting echo that isnt distracting!

-dot immediately asking Norah to stay there in rudys room absolutely made me and my friend start screaming at her. Im glad it turned out well but we both kind of just had a spittake

-btw dot actually sticking to joking about norah being her daughter is cute and hilarious. Like yee girl you got found familied

-wes being the only one to grive the way chester knows how to handle is so fucking funny to me actually-

-now this is the point of the episode for me that i freak out for. Chester not remembering ghosts or wes. I have a lot of general thoughts about this episode regarding it and 4.12s status, but i will say this specific scene mightve been good to include at the start of the new season rather than the end of last because i genuinely dont remember if wes and chester know each other. Im sure they should, and im sure chester does know about ghosts, but its been months since i heard the last few episodes, so i start to question my own knowledge. Its so unsettling and uncomfortable and i think seems like a good point of tying an audience effect to the plot. Like, its good metatextualy. And if im completely wrong and chester wasnt meant to know these things then. Idk. Bully me in my askbox

-regardless, once again im applauding pat king for the best, most pathetic performance ive ever seen

-chester and abbie getting into a theological debate is the type of content i need while im being forced to take a terrible theology class

-the mugs as a joke in this episode are goddamn hilarious. Its also nice how they manage to make some history with it, despite the audience not seeing it, its more in the little things of dot and lily joing its bc "shes fancy" in such a way it feels like they both know the joke. Its nice. Also wes getting fenwood house!!!!

-the way they manage to audibly convey dot walking over, snatching the alcohol of chesters hand, and drowning it is fucking skillfull and hilarious

-lily and norah getting the final mourning scene broke me. Norah crying broke me. I have nothing really to say about that scene other than it was good and made me wanna cry.

-the rain beginning is terrifying me. I am so ready for this season i am so hyped.

-FINAL THOUGHTS:

- if i could start season 5 in any way, it would be like this. This is all i wanted and more. The character dynamics and cast performances that (for me) are the pinnacle of unwell are on full display, its acknowledging a life changing event from the last season, and everything that happens in the episode is incredibly gripping on a character level

-the episode i think masterfully balances both a tone of mourning and humor, often getting into some darkly humorous places, and seems to be a concerted effort by the entire team to balance it. The writing, acting, design, all really make this tone work.

-can i keep mentioning the acting? The actors are incredible

-i get the feeling this might be chesters last appearance. I dont want it to be, but this feels like it could also be a send off to his character, and i wouldnt blame the writers if they did so, just so they had a smaller cast to focus on in the finale. I hope chester returns though, hes somehow become a bright spot in the show for me, and i blame his actor

-im also very concerned for what will happen to lily this season. Shes definitely struggling a lot with guilt, and i dont think shes going to be making the best choices. Regardless, i love her and norahs friendship, and she and chester also got a weird friendship that i think should lead the two to try to kill silas together.

-for my final thoughts, i deleted what i wrote about this and 4.12, but to summarize, i just hope the writers didnt feel pressured to write this episode, but that this episode serves as a good leadin to the rest of the season.

-i loved this episode, and it has already become one of my favorite. Unwell season 5 is delivering!

my review of jojo’s bizarre adventure: diamond is unbreakable

hi everyone! yesterday i finished part 4 of jojos and it was rly fun so i figured I’d do a little mini review of what i thought!

character analysis

ok so I’m just gonna run through the main cast of characters bc it would take way to long to do everyone haha

1. higashikata josuke

josuke being the main protagonist of part 4 fit so perfectly. i felt like he had a great balance between the two previous jojos, he had the silliness of joseph but could get serious like jotaro in a fight. i would say he ranks number 3 on my favorite jojos protagonists (1 being jotaro and 2 being Joseph) but i did enjoy his character a lot! there were just others in the season that stuck out to me more.

2. nijimura okuyasu

what a lovely jobro. i enjoyed this character so fucking much. i always love the kind of dumb characters and he’s a perfect example LOL. i also just loved seeing his character develop into someone independent from his brother. he also delivered some of the funniest moments in the part.

3. hirose koichi

an adorable boy we must protect. i love koichi sm you guys. echoes 3 is hilarious. this is just an all around great character he’s genuinely a wonderful person and tends to see the best in people. he’s also just so reliable

4. kujo jotaro

ok I’m gonna start my saying I’m so bias towards this man being he is my favorite jojo and favorite character in general. but i did rly enjoy seeing him again in this part. he took a bit of a back seat to let josuke shine, but he still DELIVERED that final blow which I’m gonna talk abt a little later.

5. kishibe rohan

i love this man so much. would do anything for him. beautiful boy. he’s pretty and driven and has a bit of sass. perfect 10/10.

6. joseph joestar

Joseph was a major side character in this one but i did enjoy his usual antics. my opinion of him is a bit lower after the whole cheating on his wife thing, but i feel like the main reasoning was just so araki could introduce another jojo so i try not to think of it too much. but i absolutely love the va in this part, i haven’t done my research but he sounds exactly like kizaru from one piece aka my favorite marine. so that was great. also the way he just TOOK the baby at the end. like oh yeah we couldn’t find the mother (did they even look???) so i just took this thing overseas with me. classic Joseph

7. yamagishi yukako

one of the most interesting characters. female characters aren’t very prominent so far in this series so she was definitely a stand out. and the CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT. seeing her grow from the obsessive control freak she was in the beginning to a genuinely loving person was beautiful. i throughly enjoyed the redemption episodes with the Cinderella salon. and koichi was just a sweetheart there too.

8. kira yoshikage

phenomenal writing. this man was GENUINELY terrifying. god during that bath scene and the entire sequence of bites the dust genuinely had me just as afraid as little hayato. up until the “when i first saw the Mona Lisa i had an erection” moment, that man did not fail to frighten me. all the past main antagonists being dio and kars had some silliness (in dios case A LOT) so it was easier to not take them seriously but this guy???? wow.

favorite moments

1. the Italian restaurant

fucking hilarious. one of the best episodes of the whole season imo.

2. Joseph buys the entire fucking baby store

god help him

3. the detail of rohan being there the night reimi was murdered

tugged at the heartstrings. also later on when he said he’ll miss her, breaking his arrogant facade. beautiful.

4. Cinderella salon

i mentioned this earlier but i loved this whole episode. the development between koichi and yukako was so much fun to watch.

5. the first encounter with Kira yoshikage

these few episodes were insanely creepy but set the stage for part 4s main antagonist perfectly. Being backed into a corner just to take the identity of another truly just had my adrenaline rushing

6. The bites the dust sequence

as mentioned before, this was just a masterpiece. psychologically terrifying, we are put directly in the POV of hayato and feel every bit of fear and despair he does. May i also say i was absolutely horrified before they revealed this ability bc i truly thought Rohan died.

7. star platinum ZA WARUDO

yeah. this was so needed. the entire final fight i was just dying to see jotaro show up and kick some ass. and when it finally happened it was SO satisfying. ora ora bitch.

8. reimi sends kira straight to hell

UGH I LOVED IT i cant even rly put into words u just need to watch it

andddd that about does it. this is my second favorite part so far, stardust crusaders still has a very special place in my heart. but i enjoyed this season nonetheless. i am about 7 episodes into part 5 now, so when I’m done with that one expect a review!! until then…

What I Thought About "Knock Knock Knockin' on Hooty's Door" from The Owl House

Wow. They are really pushing it for that secret message, huh?

Anywho--Salutations, random people on the internet who certainly won’t read this! I am an Ordinary Schmuck. I write stories and reviews and draw comics and cartoons!

I think it goes without saying at this point that Season Two of The Owl House is setting itself up as a season without filler. Now, filler episodes aren't always bad. Yes, it hurts when a series turns away from the main plot for a week. But at best, they're utilized as a chance for the writers to play around with the characters and developing said characters without it relating to the overarching story. So, some people who see that consider it a bad thing that a series doesn't have that many filler episodes.

I like to call those people: F**king morons.

Don't get me wrong, I see where some of you are coming from. And I'd be willing to agree...if The Owl House was a plot-driven series. Which it's not. It is a character-driven series. Because for every plot thread and narrative that the show presents, they always relate to the characters and develop them further each time these threads get brought up. For example, look at "Knock Knock Knockin’ on Hooty's Door" (It pains me just to write that). Several narratives move forward, and it’s all done to make the characters grow. And to explain how requires going into spoilers. So keep that in mind as you continue reading.

Now, let's review, shall we?

WHAT I LIKED

Hooty: Might as well start with the character that this episode is about.

To tell you the truth, I wasn't a huge fan when I found out we're getting a Hooty-centered episode. I've grown to love him over time, but he is a comedic character that's best used in small doses. Primarily due to how his voice is grating to me (My ears are still bleeding...). With that said, I do really love his contributions in "Knock Knock Knockin' on Hooty's Door" (Seriously, there couldn't have been a less awkward title?). Hooty's antics when trying to help everyone are as hilarious as they are heartwarming. He deeply cares for his friends but just doesn't understand how his plans could do some unintended harm, which is pretty lovable if you ask me. We also get some surprisingly great insight into his character, as he feels insecure about basically being the comic relief who doesn't really do that much other than being funny. Rarely do you get that level of dimension from a comedic character, and it's even more uncommon for that to work out as well as it does here. It once again proves just how competent the writing is in this series to the point where we get an episode about Hooty, and it's funny and heartwarming instead of being annoying. And whoever is responsible for that, you're the best.

Lilith’s Letter to Hooty: I mean it when I say that I love how Lilith kept her word about her and Hooty becoming penpals. Their friendship was something I would have never expected to love, and I'm still shocked that it works so well, so seeing it continue like this just warms me to the bone. Plus, it is pretty sweet that Lilith's kind words are what inspired Hooty to do what he's done in this episode...meaning it's Lilith we should thank here--SON OF A WITCH! Even when she's gone, she's still working her way into my heart!

King going through Puberty: What?! KING IS EVOLVING!

(There, I made a Pokemon reference. Do I get my cookie now?)

Eda Keeping Herself Awake to Train Herself: I'm willing to bet a large sum of money that this has everything to with Raine getting captured last week. If Eda was still the most powerful witch in the Isles, she might have actually saved them. But she isn't, and now the love of her life is in the clutches of a tyrant planning something that could potentially be the end of everything. So I can understand Eda pushing herself to her limit to get back on top again, as I would probably do the same. It's not healthy in any way, and Eda would be doing more harm than good. But when it comes to the people you love, logic doesn't always win out in the end.

Luz Wanting to Make her Way into Amity’s Heart by Making the Echo Mouse Happy: ...That's it. I Just...I just love everything about it, ok?

This was also when I knew that I was wrong to doubt that there would be zero Lumity in this episode. I realize my follies now, and I humbly apologize.

Hooty Teaching King About Demons: This was so funny. So, so funny. Probably doesn't come as a surprise, especially since The Owl House proves itself as a comedy before, but the jokes have never hit as frequently and as hard as they did here. From Hooty getting offended by King's dance to him and Dana's insert wanting a "DNA sample," everything managed to successfully make me lose my s**t. It does come at the expense of King suffering, but I can stomach that much more than if it were Eda or Luz. And, as a bonus, we get lore about how demons work, added with another great joke of King getting in trouble with Hooty for saying he already knows this stuff. Humor isn't always the show's strong suit, but when it works, it f**king works.

King Wanting to Know What he Is: But despite how funny King's vignette was, we still get to see more of his character grow. We learn that he's frustrated now that there's this big question mark over his life now, feeling extra angry that his father "abandoned" him to leave such a present mystery. It shows the hidden resentment he has that Lilith inadvertently brought out, made even worse when King's father hasn't responded to the video yet. King hasn't really gotten that much development until "Echoes of the Past," so it's pretty cool that the writers haven't really slowed down on it. Especially when it leads to these great moments of King venting his frustrations.

King’s Shouting Powers: KING learned FUS RO DAH!

(And now that's a Pokemon reference AND a Skyrim reference. WHERE'S MY GOSH DANG COOKIE!?)

Eda’s Nightmare: If King's vignette hits you hard with the laughs, Eda's will absolutely hit you harder with the feels (never make me say "feels" unironically again). Knowing that Eda's life got thoroughly screwed over by the curse is something we could figure out on her own. But seeing just how much the curse ruined her life and tore apart relationships that mean the world to her really does a swell job at ripping apart the soul. What's even more tragic is, technically speaking, it's all sort of Eda's fault too. She kept hiding the curse, refusing to be a burden to others who would do all they could to help. If she had only been open and honest, things probably wouldn't have changed much, but they most likely would have been better than they are now.

Eda Attacked her Father as the Owl Beast: ...I don't know what I was expecting when "Keeping Up A-Fear-Ances" hinted that there was some possible tension between Eda and her father...but it definitely wasn't this.

The fact that we see blood where his eye used to be doesn't make things any happier, either.

Raine Broke Up with Eda: Before we get into anything else, let's celebrate the fact that it's now confirmed that Eda and Raine really did use to date in the past. Because this show is just f**king phenomenal with its LGBTQA+ representation!

But, seriously, this is a fantastic reveal that goes far beyond just shipping...well, sort of. It shines a new light on Eda and Raine's interactions from last week, revealing that while they're not a couple anymore, they still very much love each other. It helps make their last interaction especially tragic, as they were both on the same page now and could very well be together again. Only for them to be forced apart for the second time in a way that's much worse than the first. And I frickin' adore that this series changes the impact of one episode one week later. Again, it shows just how competent these writers are, and kudos to them for making something so...perfect.

The Moon Person: WHO THE FU--Nope. Nope! We have more than enough mystery bulls**t to deal with through CreepyLuz and Philip Wittebane, so I am PUTTING YOU ON THE BACKBURNER FOR NOW!

(They're probably nothing more than a one-off character, anyway)

The Owl Beast and Eda are Connected: Through visuals alone, we, the audience, can clue into what the curse really means. The Owl Beast doesn't want to be a part of Eda as much as she doesn't want it to be a part of her. Whether they like it or not, and they very much don't, they're stuck together. The thing is, and this is what I love the most, they still decide to make the best of their situation rather than let it ruin their lives even more. This might be the best possible turn Eda's curse could have made. It'll still affect her, and there are probably more negatives than positives, but at least now, it's not the worst thing in the world. And I feel like that's all anyone can ask when in a position like her own.

Eda's “Pretty Dream”: I don't know what emotions are toiling inside me more with this moment. Awe and wonder over how beautiful Eda's dream is, or heartbreak over the implication that she has only had nightmares since getting cursed...I'm gonna say both. Yeah, it's definitely both.

Eda’s Harpie Form: Well, fan artists are gonna have a field day with this...especially the freaks.

(You know who you are. And you're weird!)

Luz Calling Amity a “Cotton-Candy Haired Goddess”: ...Have I ever mentioned how much I love this show?

Hooty Kidnapped Amity: ...Hooty, if your stupidity wasn't charming, I would be more than willing to call the authorities over how you kidnapped a girl in your version of a knapsack and locked her in the basement. For that is going to ring SO MANY alarm bells in people's heads.

Amity and Luz Stuck in a Tunnel of Love: *Smacks lips* Mmm. The adorable awkwardness of this moment is just *chef's kiss* magnifique!

Luz being afraid of getting made fun of:

Amity’s look of hope: I mean...just...f**king--LOOK AT HER:

That is the look of a girl who, while embarrassed as hell, still is ecstatic to learn for a brief moment, everything that she is hoping for has a high chance of being real. Who, in their right mind, wouldn't go "Aw!" at something so pure and innocent?!

Luz Destroying the Tunnel of Love: This is how to effectively utilize dramatic irony. The audience can understand why Luz is tearing the place apart because she explicitly states that she's afraid of Amity rejecting her in the end. They also know that's bogus, thus making it extra painful to watch Amity's heart break more and more with each second (which is perfectly represented through Amity's expressions). You feel bad for both of them, and even worse when you know that it can easily be prevented by the simple art of communication. That's what makes it great dramatic irony. Knowing the point of view of each character results in a scene that evokes emotions in two different ways.

Hooty’s Breakdown: This was...genuinely hard to watch. Not that it was badly written, far from it. It just...hurt seeing how destroyed Hooty was when he realized he failed the people he has such an admiration for. On the upside, a wholesome moment follows soon after as the Owl House gang tries to reassure Hooty that he's done a lot of good that night. It's a pure action that shows even though Hooty gets on their nerves all the time, they still care about him...damn it. I think I'm gonna cry.

Eda’s Advice for Luz: ...Eda...You're the best.

You found out that your surrogate daughter wants to ask a girl out, and not only were you quick to deliver the best possible advice ("Just go for it!"), but you also quickly reassure her that it doesn't need to be perfect.

And you know what? That's it. Eda is the best cartoon mom! She might not technically be Luz's mom, but I don't give a s**t because she is the best!

Luz and Amity Ask Each Other Out: Shh-sh-sh-sh...

Do you hear that?

...

...

...It's the sound of dozens of Lumity fans collectively losing their s**t...and I'm one of them.

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

HOO-HOO-HOO-HOO!

IT!

IS!

CANON!

AH-HAHAHAHAHA!

HOLY S**T! Holy s**t! Holy s**t...might just be the best way I could possibly describe this! Finally, after all the waiting, speculating, and praying, THESE TWO IDIOTS FINALLY GOT TOGETHER! AND IT WAS PERFECT! I mean, it was awkward as s**t, but that's what makes it perfect! You know why? You wanna--Hey! *snaps fingers*. You want to know why? It's because they're teenagers. Of f**king course, it's going to be awkward! This is their first relationship, so there will be a lot of missteps along the way. And that, in itself, brings me to the best (second best part?) thing about it happening in episode eight of the new seasons. Most endgame couples get together in the climax or even at the end of the series. But to have them get together this early on, means there will be quite a few episodes dedicated to showing them grow as a couple.

And better than that--EVEN F**KING BETTER THAN THAT--dozens of kids are going to see these two, a realistic depiction of young love that just so happens to involve two girls, and are going to learn once and for all that there is nothing wrong with being who they are. That fact alone is f**king incredible. Yes, it sucks that season three got cut short, and we'll have even less time with Luz and Amity, but knowing how many kids have felt seen today almost makes it worth it in the end.

And if I see one mother f**ker saying this was poorly paced, I might just hunt them down for SPORT...Sorry if that was an overreaction. I'M JUST SO HAPPY! Because they're happy! Look at them. Listen to them! It's so...GAH-HAHAHA!

“They’re adorable! And deserve all the happiness!”: You're darn right, Hooty! You're darn right.

King’s Father(?) Shows Up: What the--WHAT?! They're doing this now?! Here?! After everything else?

Oh, man. What could this mean? What dynamic changes will this cause in the main cast? How could the writers fit this in during the next two episodes? And what--

Hooty Eats the Letter: ...Pfffft--HAHAHAHA!

Oh, man...I should be mad, and I wouldn't blame others if they are...but that is too much of a brilliant f**k you that I can't help but appreciate it. Bravo writers. Bravo.

WHAT I DISLIKED

...Dislikes? Dislikes? You would honestly believe that after everything I witnessed in this episode, that I would have the gull to list anything wrong with it?!

HOW DARE YOU ASSUME THAT I WOULD BE SO CALLUS TO--Actually, I do kind of have an issue with the episode's title. It's just too much of an awkward mouthful for me to get behind. I understand that the writers wanted to sneak the K into the secret message, but were there really no other titles starting with K that they couldn't come up with?

But that's just a personal issue, and in no way do I think anybody else would feel the same way. Especially with how well-written everything else is anyway.

IN CONCLUSION

"Knock Knock Knockin' on Hooty's Door" (title aside) is another A+ episode. It was hilarious, heart-wrenching, and downright adorable while keeping me entertained with every minute. I'm sure there are some issues I was willing to ignore due to how expertly written everything else was, but why bother looking for the chinks in the armor when I could just enjoy a perfect episode for being so...perfect! Some of you might be willing to disagree with me, but to that, I say: Don't knock it till you've tried it.

(Now, if you don't excuse me, I'm going to go lie down. It's...It's been a day.)

a love like the movies  — todoroki shoto

ೃ pairing: (new pro hero! shoto todoroki x female reader)

ೃ  warnings: none

ೃ genre: fluff overload

ೃ word count: 2,024 words

ೃ   𝐦𝐲 𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐚𝐤𝐮𝐠𝐨 𝐱 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐮 (𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐝𝐨 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞! 𝐮𝐰𝐮) 𝐦𝐲 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 (���𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐦𝐞 𝐜:)

ೃ 𝐢 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐬𝐨 𝐬𝐨 𝐬𝐨 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐟𝐮𝐧 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬. 𝐢 𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐠𝐮𝐲𝐬 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫!! 

ೃ 𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐨: 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐬 𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐲 𝐛𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐱 𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐲

ೃ Shoto spends his only day of rest and relaxation by watching iconic tv shows with you 

Being one of the top pro-heroes of Japan, Shoto Todoroki always had a tight schedule. May it be fighting off villains, attending interviews from local and international news, managing his father's hero agency, or seeing through the internship of some aspiring heroes, he barely has enough time to be with his family and loved ones. Today, Shoto has one and a half days off before he has to go off to this big mission in the South of Japan.... and what better way would the Top No. 3 Hero do than spend it than with you? "Hey (Y/N)." Shoto calls out to you, in his usual monotonous voice that you know and love, holding a bag of popcorn. "What's up?" You look up to him, whilst propping the pillows on the couch and the table for your TV show marathon. "I got a joke.." He says monotonously, to the point you couldn't even tell if he was even about to say a joke or not. "Is your name Ariel?" "Why?" You ask, playing along with his joke. "Because I think we mermaid for each other." He stifles a laugh, trying his best not to laugh out loud (at a joke he apparently made on his own) as he jumps onto the couch. "Oh my goddd Shoto-kun." You groan loudly, shaking your head. "Since when were you one to make dad jokes? This is slightly out of character for you in all honesty." You cross your arms, still trying to process the fact that your boyfriend. The ever so proud and handsome, Todoroki Shoto, literally just said a dad joke right in front of your face. As in directly to you. Who knew this day would come? "Kaminari said that you'd fall even more head over heels in love with me if I told you a dad joke" He deadpans, cuddling up next to you. "I missed you too much." He pecks your cheek and you couldn't help but giggle. It was a pleasant surprise when your Half Cold-Half Hot boyfriend was in your doorstep this morning. You initially thought that he would be spending his whole day resting, but he did promise that he would at least have a movie or TV marathon with you before he had to go off in a important mission. You just felt guilty that he had to spend it on his only day of rest and relaxation for the month, and then he's back to work. "These are the shows that Izuku recommended." You show him DVDs of Friends, The Office and How I met your Mother. "After all, you do want to watch some old popular sit-coms right?" "Aside from that, Izuku might have slipped and confessed to me that you said that you've been dying to watch some of these." He looks at you and tilts his head, grabbing one of the DVDS. "Well then, let's get to it." "I have a list of some of the most recommended episodes of each show right here." You bring out a piece of paper, hundreds of words scribbled onto it. The love of your life couldn't help but laugh at your eagerness and your interest at the shows that you two were going to be watching. "I'll go cook up some Cold Soba for the two of us. Are you sure you're fine with setting up the TV?" "Yes... I mean Of course!" You nod profusely. "It'd be a huge mess if I was the one who cooked our food instead." Shoto smiles at you and ruffles your hair as he stands up from the couch and heads to the kitchen. After fixing everything up, You put in the 5th Season DVD of The Office (as Izuku had recommended it had one of the best episodes in the series) and you press on the remote control for it to skip to the 13th episode titled Stress Relief. Shoto comes back earlier than expected with two bowls of Cold Soba on both of his hands. "So...what did I miss?" "Gee. That was fast." You get one of the bowls and chopsticks from him and start munching on the noodles. "Not that I'm complaining though. Amazing as always Pee Pee guy." You giggle. "You're really bringing that back huh?" He smirks at you and puts down his bowl of soba. You wonder why until he scoots over to you and slides his hands on your waist. Now, you knew exactly why. "Hey! Stop it! You might think I'm All Might's love child!" You laugh, teasing him again, even though you were already being tickled mercilessly. Shoto stops for a second to give you an enticing glare and then tickles you again, only harder this time. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) The episode had started playing as the intro of the Office appeared in the screen. Shoto stops tickling you as he didn't want to waste more time than he already has, and the two of you start watching You take a deep breath, trying to recover from your endorphin rush. "You have to watch the intro to this episode! It's hilarious!" You nudge Shoto, wanting him to pay more attention. The two of you start snickering when one of the main characters, Dwight, as a way to teach fire safety, sets a fire in an office trash can with a cigarette, saying "Today smoking will save lives." with a straight face. Chaos then ensues in the episode. During the subsequent panic, the office's only copy machine was destroyed, one of them smashes a window to call for help, and an improv of one of the characters, taking advantage of the havoc by raiding the snack machine. One of the female worker characters even had a cat hidden in her file cabinet, and she had tossed it into the air vent so that it could escape. You were already laughing your heart out, looking at Shoto to see if he was laughing the same way as you were too, only for your glance at him to time perfectly, as he lets out a burst of laughter; one that you rarely see from him. Your eyes lit up and you feel your heart burst from seeing your usually so stoic and stern boyfriend, show such an array of positive emotions. "Why is this funnier than it should be?" His cute laugh echoes throughout your apartment. "I have to go do this with Izuku and the others some time." You laugh along with him, "Make sure to call me up if ever you guys ever end up making one!" You watch a few more episodes until you hear rain pouring outside. You pause the episode that the two of you were watching for a minute, and then stood up to look outside the window. "This is so cool! It really sets the mood!" You jump up and down as you couldn't contain your excitement and rush to your room. Your boyfriend looks at you puzzled, as he didn't know what you were being so happy about, until you came back from your room with a long and big fuzzy blanket. "It's cuddle weather!" You sit back on the couch and nuzzle next to Shoto, putting the blanket on top of the two of you. You rest your head on his shoulder and continue watching. You ended up watching all the episodes of season five of The Office for the whole morning. You took a look at the time. It was already the afternoon and you had several more hours to spare, so you then pop in a DVD of the 3rd season of Friends. "Rachel and Ross' relationship is really getting on my nerves." Shoto pouts in disappointment. You chuckle lightly because of how cute he looked and because of how interested he was. "There's so much drama in this series. How come Izuku considers this as one of his favorite shows?" He shakes his head yet continues watching. "They were on a break." You nudge his arm, referencing one of Ross' most iconic lines. "You know what? Speaking of breaks, I'm going on a bathroom break." He stands up from the couch and goes straight to the bathroom. You giggle at his sudden interest in the show, since he is now able to have his own criticisms and opinions on it. He comes back with a huge grin on his face. You look up at him. "Hm? Anything wrong?" "Hey, how you doin? "He says in a thick Japanese accent as he winks at you, trying to copy Joey's iconic pick-up line from the show. "Oh my goddddd Sho-kun." You groan at his antics again. "I can't even give you a pass for that. That was a really bad joke." On the inside however, you wanted to die of embarrassment and of giddiness. His sudden spike of confidence and how hot he looked whilst reciting one of the most iconic tv show lines of all time. You just wanted to tackle him down and cuddle all night, just from him saying that line alone. You were that aroused. "If Joey can get a girl to fall for him through that line, then why can't I do it on you?" "Because- I'm not like one of those girls... I'm one of a kind." You wink back at him. "Okay now that was a bad joke." "Yea yea I know... Let's just get back to watching Friends." The last episode of the season ended with the beach house, and you turned to look at Shoto for his comments. "Chandler really was the star of the show in this season. So was Phoebe. You know, I'll bet you 500 Million Yen that Chandler and Monica will end up together after that last episode." You were surprised at Shoto's attention to detail on the body languages of the characters. How'd he predict that the two would end up in one of the later seasons of the show "Wait til' Season Four." You boop his nose, keeping the spoilers for another future Friends marathon. The next show on your list was How I met Your Mother, though the show was quite similar to Friends, it did have a lot of good elements that the latter didn't have. Although the two of you just ended up watching the last few episodes of How I Met Your Mother since both of you were able to watch the previous seasons prior to your marathon. In the middle of one of the last episodes, Shoto gets comfortable and lays down on the sofa. He leaves a little space for you to sit on, though you didn't complain since you were too invested in the show. The last episode ends, and the credits start to roll. It was already the middle of the night and you were quite sleepy. You stretch your arms and lay down on his chest, Shoto brings you closer for warmth and whispers, "You know, I can't wait to tell our future kids our love story and tell them, "'And that kids is how I met your mother." You giggle and smile at his comment and slowly close your eyes, you hear the faint sound of the TV turning off and the rain still pouring outside, as you drift off to dreamland. "Midoriya. I'll probably be a bit late for our call time tomorrow." Shoto speaks in a soft voice on his phone, as a way to try and not to wake you up. "I just got into a little situation. Nothing big." Your boyfriend smiles, playing with your hair and looking at you with all the love he has to offer in this world. "Thanks. I'll see you tomorrow." Shoto whispers loudly and then ends the call. He turns off his phone and plants a kiss on your forehead. He closes his eyes, a contented smile on his face, as he also drifts off to sleep whilst you sleeping soundly on his chest. That night, both of you could not imagine spending an even better day with each other, but being in each other's arms. ♡ The End.

t100 6x13

(crossposted to dreamwidth, livejournal, and pillowfort)

Okay, first thing first: Murphy just became immortal. He also drank blood. So, technically, Murphy is a vampire! xDD (I really need to finish the The 100/Blade fusion in my drafts smh).

Emori and Murphy were the stars, technical vampirism or not, idc (tho man, I want Emori to get more screentime). On a purely shallow level, the were HOT AS FUCK. Emori with that commanding voice, moving Bellamy’s face, stopping Murphy for a kiss… damn (the Mellemori moment was niiiice. So was the Memoraven hug, with Raven’s smile. My bbys.). LOL at Murphy’s reaction to kiss-dude (“that was interesting”, “you seem nice, and a good kisser” xDD). And he’s such a drama llama, ILH (being a god should be fun! For the glory and grace of me!).

The episode kept feeding me small crumbs of my fave crack ships, with Octavia’s awe when she thought Diyoza was coming (and her happiness the daughter they raised together, no I don’t take constructive criticism xDD. Though I got to say, I’m meh about the actress they picked for Hope atm. We’ll see next year. What’s with all my main fandoms having some precious daughter called Hope, btw?), or Echo and Octavia acting all ~simpatico –and Echo calling Octavia(‘s tattoo) beautiful ahahaha.

I haven’t ~felt any of the Primes were truly immortal until this episode, with Gabriel being so clearly amused at Murphy’s antics and proud of Echo for figuring out the tattoo was a code LMAO. He vibed like a weird grandpa. Though my fave Prime moment was Creepy Widower Chris Argent telling her wife they needed the Earth people to clean their toilets lol.

Speaking of Primes, I’ve read some people in Sanctum will insist on worshipping Memori and I CAN’T WAIT OKAY. Murphy will enjoy the hell out of it… at first xDD. And the supposed incest better be brought up again, that shit was hilarious.

I’m going to assume only the evol Commander jumped to the ship (I better get some AI!ship/pilot!Raven shenanigans, js), and the rest remain on the flame… so Echo can get it xDD. Or I’ll write that AU, IDEC. And I loved the “City of Light Community College” comment.

I’m guessing the end, setting up Bellamy for a search/rescue of Octavia next season, is what they mean by him “regressing to s1”… because let me tell you, I was not getting that impression from the rest of it xD. The whole “return to the bare necessities” for a last season is very typical, and given certain… preferences of mine… it could be interesting, I think. We’ll see. Though I have to say, I’m pre-annoyed at the fact that plot is going to Joss my Anomaly!Biyoza fic (which will be read by maybe two or three people xP). I got too comfortable with my space fam headcanons remaining intact thanks to the time jump lmao.

Funeral Masses for Aaron Echolls: Viewing Hours 4 to 6

by iateyourheart

xx

Reporter 1: We're here outside of the Neptune County Jail where the body of actor Aaron Echolls was discovered this morning. The star of such films as In Pursuit of Happiness was awaiting trial for the murder of Lilly Kane, daughter of software mogul, Jake Kane. The official cause of death has not yet been revealed...

xx

  The worst part of all of this crap, has to be the look on their faces. It's a rather piss poor attempt at sympathy that's more than likely fueled by good manners than any honest-to-god trace of the aforementioned emotion. Despite the maximum sadness factor, you appreciate the effort they put into the lie.

And, yeah, you get it. Honestly, you do.

Aaron Echolls may have been god's biggest misuse of human cells, but the man was still your father; a bit of respect is still required in situations such as these, whether the not-so dearly departed truly deserves it.

You understand where they're coming from. Why they would feel the need to offer you condolences and ask how you're doing. Seriously. You understand completely.

But, you don't for a second let this rare sign of maturity keep you from being annoyed as fuck by all of these forced, insincere pleasantries. You weren't fucking born yesterday and you know the breaking news blurb on the death of that part-time actor, full-time sociopath lifted a weight off of many-a-shoulder. Somewhere, church bells were probably ringing, and little forest creatures with wide anime expressions were probably hopping around singing with glee.

You may understand where they're coming from, but you just wish people would cut the shit already and be honest.

So, when you breeze into the hotel room and find Veronica and Duncan cozily snuggled up like the walking embodiment of teen-dream puppy love that they are, and they grace you with uncomfortable looks and fumbled words "How are you holding up?", you're armed with a plan.

Well, not so much a plan as it is a statement. There's no doubt your feelings are going to be conveyed quite nicely:

Duncan says nothing and Veronica gives you a look that smells of righteous indignation when you flop down in between them with a bottle of Boonesfarm in your hand. Deliciously ghetto, but gets you wasted all the same.

"Flip it to CNN," you order as you go to work on unscrewing the top of the Blue Hawaiian flavored alcohol.

"What the hell are you doing?" Veronica's giving you the eye. She disapproves already. That's ashame, really, cause you planned on sharing.

There's a sigh from Duncan, but he complies, and the moment you hear the reporter mention dear ole' daddy's name, you take a big swig from the bottle.

"Celebrating," you tell her after a particularly hard swallow. "Here's to..." you begin hoisting the bottle in the air with mock dramatics, "here's to aneurysms. Nature's little miracles."

  xx

Tonight, on The Insider – the emotional interview with the daughter of Aaron Echolls, you don't want to miss.

:video clip:

Pat O'Brien: Had your father lived, do you believe he would have been acquitted of murder charges?

Trina Echolls: Oh, definitely. Definitely. I, know he was innocent. There was just so much misinformation about him before he died...

Pat O'Brien: The claims of abuse...

Trina Echolls: Right. It's all nonsense, Pat. My dad was a good man; he couldn't hurt a fly let alone his own children!

:end video clip:

xx

  "To my beloved daughter, Trina, I bequeath all of my personal effects in the house..."

A snort. "Good luck collecting that."

"Totaling two-hundred and fifty thousand dollars. In addition, I also leave you a total of five million dollars. To my son, Logan..."

This should be good.

"...I leave a total of five million as well..."

Your face scrunches; hell, you were expecting a little more than a measly five mill – five million doesn't exactly say "Sorry I murdered your girlfriend, son".

"That's it? What about my trust fund?"

A sour expression forms on Barry's face and he makes a show of clearing his throat and ruffling papers. "Not to be touched until you're twenty-one. Both of your parents made that fact very clear."

"And, uh, how exactly am I supposed to collect all of my share?" Trina speaks up suddenly. "Half of it is char grilled thanks to him."

Obviously, your sis missed that memo on the fire that claimed casa-de Echolls; the one that points out the fact that the arsonists backs were considerably wet in nature. You, however, fake shock complete with your hand on your chest and a gasp. It has the desired affect and Trina narrows her brown eyes while mumbling something that's either a threat or a curse – most likely both. She can be so incredibly easy sometimes.

"You'll have to take that up with the insurance company. Although, I think there were a few items of Aaron's that survived the fire..." Barry's sifting through papers again and you take the opportunity to clean your fingernails with his letter opener. "Ah, yes," he says when he's found what he was searching for, "Three of Aaron's awards were recovered: two Golden Globes and a Blockbuster award. They now belong to you."

You can't help but smile,

"No fair! Clearly, dad liked the you best!"

  xx

Reporter 2: Funeral services for Aaron Echolls get underway today at St. Francis Catholic Church...

xx

  "You, know, I don't understand this at all."

It's amazing, the amount of strangers who show up at the church. Fans with your father's face adorning their T-shirts. Reporters with their cameras and questions.

"What is with this attitude, son?"

Only five people Aaron actually knew in life came to his funeral. Trina's flavor of the month, counted just as much as the flask you hid away in your pocket. And when your grandmother disappeared back into the comfort of her limo, and Conner Larkin walked outside to take questions, and Barry decided to head to the cemetery, and Trina's date grew tired of the bleak atmosphere and whisked her away, you were the only one left.

All alone. With him.

"Where I stand, you should be thanking me."

The grin on your father's face is enough to turn your stomach so hard you fear you might collapse. His head cocks to the side on that pillow of eternal rest and those cold eyes burn into yours.

"Thanking you?" your voice is shaky. You grip the side of the casket for support.

"For taking Lilly off your hands," he tells you simply. "She didn't exactly love you, you know."

Your mouth fills up with blood and at that point, you think it's best to remove your teeth from the meat of your cheek. "Shut up."

"I was only trying to protect you, Logan. It's just like you to take a piece of ass and try and turn her into a housewife." He tsks. "Once a whore, always a whore."

"You know shit about Lilly."

"C'mon, you've seen the tapes." Aaron chuckles and you feel a sudden urge to vomit. "For all intents and purposes, I think I knew her pretty well. I did you a favor, boy."

"You murdered my girlfriend, and you fucking got away with it! Do you really think I'm gonna mourn you? Shed one tear because you got to die in your sleep all quick and painless?" You glower, your hand gripping the casket's side so tightly your knuckles are white as sheets. "I should've bashed your head in while I had the chance. Or set you on fire."

"Oh, so is that what all of this hostility is all about? Veronica Mars?" His laugh echoes in your ears. "I hear she's dating Duncan again. Don't 'cha wish she would have stayed in that refrigerator just a few minutes longer?"

Aaron's casket rattles violently when you kick it. Your right foot feels as if it's been broken in two, but on a scale of one-to-ten measuring how much your very existence sucks beyond the telling of it, physical pain doesn't even register.

"Logan?"

It's her concerned voice that pulls you back to reality.

  xx

:video clip:

Conner Larkin: All I ask is that you show the Echolls family the respect they deserve during this difficult time.

:end video clip:

xx

  You fractured your right foot. Way to go, brain trust.

Veronica sits, arms folded, watching you greedily gulp down the pain killers the nurse handed you. She patiently waits until the two of you are alone again,

"Did it make you feel any better?"

The question's sincere; you're just too slow to stop your mouth from spitting out the first dickhead-ish sentence that comes to mind.

"Right as rain," you snicker. "Grey skies clearing up. I'm putting on my happy face."

"Logan, I'm..." she starts and stops at the sound of your hollow laughter.

"Don't even think about telling me you're sorry, Veronica. If you feel that bad – pick out a Hallmark card and let Snoopy say it for you, cause I've heard enough 'sorrys' to last a lifetime."

She stares at you for a minute before wordlessly sitting down on the end of the hospital bed. "I'm sorry he never paid for what he did," she says quietly and you know that will be the last you ever hear of it from her lips. Veronica Mars isn't exactly the queen of overstating emotion and you'd likely drop fucking dead of shock if she did it more than once.

The pills are kicking in and to say that you feel good at the moment would be an understatement.

You fall asleep with your fingers entwined with hers.

  xx

Tonight on The Insider... Brad and Angelina, could wedding bells be just around the corner?

xx

  Giving you a cane is like giving a wino a bottle of Old English. You're quick to use it to test the limits of your fellow man; you poke waitresses, jab unsuspecting children, and get out of hours of tedious homework. When your temporary cripple status doesn't work, you kindly remind everyone you're an orphan.

An orphan with a bum foot.

Dick thinks it's hilarious. Duncan merely shakes his head and smiles at your antics. Veronica says that maybe you've been watching those House dvd's a little too much.

After your episode at the church, everyone suggests you go and see a shrink. Talk things out. Get some closure.

"Batter, up?"

You've got your own ideas on the matter.

Cane in hand, you hobble up to the makeshift plate and throw Veronica a smile over your shoulder as you fix the goggles over your eyes.

"I still don't think it's fair that you get first up," she pouts.

"Hey, when your daddy kills your girlfriend, then you can get first bat," you sardonically tell her.

She grins. "Pinky swear?"

"Cross my heart and hope to die."

Never one to pass up an opportunity for the dramatic, you point your cane out toward the sky as if you were the Great Bambino himself, and with one fluid motion, you bring the oak crashing down.

The Blockbuster Award for Favorite Actor in a Romantic Comedy shatters into a million, tiny pieces.

You'll do this closure thing in your own, special way.

via AO3 works tagged 'Veronica Mars - All Media Types' https://ift.tt/2K1PYik April 3, 2019 at 04:50AM

Review: Mystic Pop-Up Bar (2020)

It was good until it wasn’t. (Shoutout Kehlani❤️ )

Synopsis

Wol-ju is the proprietor of the “mystic pop-up bar”, a pop-up bar in Seoul where people can go for food, drinks, and, thanks to Wol-ju’s supernatural ability to go into the Dream realm, settling grudges. The show follows the end of her 500 year quest to settle the grudges of 100,000 souls. With the help of Chief Gwi and Kang-bae, she needs to settle the grudges of 10 more souls to avoid going to hell for eternity. However, even though the mistakes she made in her first life 500 years ago landed her in this situation, her past continues to haunt her. 

Start for Hwang Jung-eum as Wol-ju, stay for the family-like antics of the main characters.

MZ Overall: 8/10 if you ignore the last four episodes, might watch again

Mystic pop-up bar starts off with a simple premise and offbeat characters that draw you in with their antics. The first few episodes are a delight, a great mix between heartfelt and funny moments. Around episode 9 it tried to have a more complicated plot, which sort of undermines the main characters’ relationships. The ending was more or less what I wanted, but the way it got there was disorienting, leaving me with more questions than answers. I’d probably watch one of the first few episodes again because those were the most compelling, but definitely not anytime soon. If you enjoyed the fantasy elements, both Hwayugi (2017) and Bride of Habaek (2017) would be good shows to follow up with. If you’re looking for something with fantasy but not a lot of romance, I would try School Nurse Files (2020).

MZ Review

I’m a sucker for fantasy shows, so I pretty much knew I was going to watch this show as soon as it was suggested on Netflix. As I’ve said above, I really enjoyed the first few episodes and they are pretty much what you expect. Just enough romance to be interesting, but not enough to call it a rom-com; it relies primarily on the comedic dynamics of the three main characters, Chief Gwi, Wol-ju, and Kang-bae. I L-O-V-E-D them as a group, individually, and each of their separate relationships. The side characters also bring a lot to the table (except maybe the Grim Reaper character) which made the plots of each of the early episodes fun to watch with sometimes unexpected resolutions. 

What I did not expect with this show was a plot beyond needing to help Wol-ju solve grudges to keep her from going to hell. The show didn’t really need it, first of all, and certainly didn’t need to add it at the end of the show. You can tell me they were setting it up since the beginning, and I will listen to you, but I cannot agree with that. Yes, technically there was a thread of the show that was dedicated to getting Yeo-rin and Kang-bae together as a couple, but it was still in service to solving Wol-ju’s problem. Anyway, the twist at the end of episode 9 tainted many of the relationships for me, and the last four episodes create more problems than they solve reasonably by the end of the show. It still had the ending you would expect from the beginning, but it got there through a convoluted series of events that leave you feeling like there actually isn’t a lot of resolution in the end. Maybe they are setting it up for another series, but I am seriously doubting that is the case. 

I’d still recommend this show, if only for the first few episodes. As a whole, it’s definitely a fun watch. 

AC Overall: 7/10 if you ignore the last four episodes, 4.5/10 because of them

Echoing MZ, the first few episodes are cute and funny. The show begins as a quasi-anthology series, which I enjoyed. A different grudge is explored in each of the first episodes, with running plots surrounding Wol-ju’s past and Kang-bae’s romantic interest in the yin to his yang, Yeo-rin. Episode 9 was it for me though. By this episode the writers decided to delve deeper into Wol-ju’s past, forget the anthology aspect, and force the relationship of the trio to have a larger raison d'être. So, the last four episodes became a different show (or two) altogether, one that I honestly did not ask for.

AC Review (Spoilers ahead)

I wanted to watch because I still have a Hwayugi-sized whole that I’ve been trying to fill with other fantasy-comedy K-dramas ever since. Mystic seemed like it didn’t take itself too seriously. And I kept watching because of the unconventional family dynamic that Wol-ju, Chief Gwi and Kang-bae had without truly being related. Wasn’t really here for Kang-bae and Yeo-rin getting together because they seemed a little childish (they’re in their late 20′s?? jokes) but I did like the idea of them being yin and yang; I’m a sucker for destined relationships. So I would’ve been perfectly content watching the mystic trio settle grudges and be a fun, easy-going family until the end with a hint of young romance. BUT the writers really had to, at the last minute, throw in that (spoiler!) they’re all related! They became a legitimate family unit and it pissed me the fuck off. Did she have to be pregnant? At thirteen?? Pedophilia aside, I also never wanted Wol-ju and Chief Gwi to get together, was really rooting for them to just be close friends and not have a romantic relationship, but oh wait, Chief Gwi is the crown prince, loves Wol-ju romantically and continues to “protect” her against her wishes. Was this a joke? Throughout those last four episodes I kept thinking, and saying out loud, “I don’t believe them?”. I’m not sure at which point it switched, but at some point I stop being invested in the characters and instead was watching to see how the shitshow would continue to unravel. If it needed to happen at all, it would have been more engaging if the plot was developed slowly throughout the series, not crammed into the last few episodes. That just made it more chaotic and turned a light fantastical comedy into an action-drama. Also, the villain was completely unnecessary. His backstory did not make his actions any more believable to me, and he was always one step behind everything. It’s actually hilarious that he can be considered a villain. I did appreciate that Wol-ju and Chief Gwi aka the crown prince sacrificed themselves for Kang-bae, went missing for a bit, and came back together to run the bar in the Living Realm though.

That being said, honestly, just watch While You Were Sleeping (2017). At least the romance makes more sense, and they stick to quasi-anthological episodes that all come together at the end. And it doesn’t have an identity crisis mid-way through.

801. Mercy: Grab your shittin’ pants and buckle up for the ride.

The wait is over! The long awaited premiere is finally in our laps and what a premiere it was indeed. As promised there was a hell of a lot happening in this episode and this is only the beginning of what promises to be an action packed season.

I started writing reviews last season although they fell to the wayside a little. This season I’m back and I’m eager to jabber on about the story as it unfolds and our favourite characters on both sides of the conflict not to mention the awarding of zombie kill of the week. Without further ado this is your last chance to turn back before the spoilers begin!

So we open with our hero Grimes, the man of the hour who in in a few cut together scenes begins to provide us with what I assume to be the overarching themes of the season: Hope for the future and strength and determination in the communities of the Kingdom, Hilltop and Alexandria. In all honesty I wasn’t a huge fan of how those scenes were put together mostly because I feel it seemed confusing and took away from the drive of the moment. That being said I was still thoroughly engrossed in all the apprehension. Who wouldn’t be when all the allies are being rallied to war by leaders like that? Extra points for Rick showing his kids more attention in one episode than just about all of season seven. Oops.

The answer to all our burning questions about old man Rick were answered straight off the bat which was a pleasant surprise. If I was Rick I’d be spending my thinking time living in a thriving world surrounded by my beautiful family years away from the present conflict too. I think we all felt just how badly he wants to make it all work - we do too buddy!

I must admit I was glad to see Carl out and about on his own. Of course this isn’t the first time Carl has gone rogue but this might be the first time that Rick actually knows about. Carl wasn’t the only one disappointed when it turned out that Rick had been following him the whole time. I was pretty bummed too. Give the kid a chance! With my limited knowledge of the future of the show and the comic (I haven’t read ahead of the show) I’d say it’s setting up for some familiar discussions about what Carl is and is not capable of not to mention with the new face in the gas station, the overarching argument about who to trust and how to keep hold of our humanity and give others a chance in this barren world. Watch this space!

I definitely enjoyed seeing the complex plan unfold bit by bit rather than hear them talk about it. Every single person brought their A game - and twizzlers if you’re Tara. The uncertainty and fear is palatable amongst the ranks and the stakes felt at an all time high. Because they are of course. Above it all was a real sense of community and more importantly hope. I feel like a lot of it was an echo of the initial season 6 episodes in the whole herding of a horde to a set destination. The difference being this time the group had experience and community on their side and made it look like a walk in the park. Special mention goes to Daryl, his motorcycle and his impeccable aim. That man means business.

I thought it was an important touch as well to be provided with a reminder why team family are fighting against the saviours. The sequence with the lookouts gave us reasons (if we needed more) to justify the oncoming bloodshed. The saviour keeping a tally of kills particularly gave me the ick. I had no issue with that guy dying. It was good to see Dwight keeping to his side of the bargain too. There was a lot of uncertainty at the end of season 7 about his character and I’m calling it now that he’s trustworthy. Don’t let me down Dwight!

Moving forward to the standoff outside the Sanctuary, I was pumped as hell to hear the fire in Rick’s voice again. Even if it was from behind metal barricade. The man has well and truly taken his balls back and he wants to make Negan pay.

Speaking of Negan, he was also on form in this episode not disappointing us bringing his usual spice not to mention his crude jokes. He literally made a dick joke to the delight of myself and I’m sure a few others. Someone needs to tell him it’s not the size that counts it’s what you do with it. There was a brilliant bit of mirroring between the season 7 finale and this premiere where one side thinks they know shit but it turns out they didn’t know shit and it almost gets everything they give a shit about destroyed. See what I did there? As much as I love Negan it was great to see the tables turned on him. I felt kinda awkward for him when it almost looked like all his friends were about to ditch him and join Rick though.

Moving down Negan’s ranks to see all Negan’s lieutenants at once really linked up all the different saviour story lines from last season and it gave Negan’s ensemble more humanity somehow. My heart still aches for Eugene. I haven’t given up on the mullet man yet and to see him conflicted even for the smallest moment – a bit more screen time would be awesome just sayin’ – really hit home how difficult a position he is in. (As a side note if any of you reading this gave Josh McDermott abuse for his part as Eugene then shame on you. It’s not a documentary y’know.)

Now we need to address the snake in the room. Greggory. Fucking Greggory. I’m sure everyone else was just as pissed with his antics in the last season. From his sexist patronising remarks in the beginning, his outright treachery when he tried to expose Maggie and Sasha’s whereabouts, the time he almost killed Maggie to leaving for the sanctuary to tell on them all to Negan like a spoiled baby. Coupled with the fact that he can’t even hold his own against the undead Greggory earns absolutely no respect from me. At one point his cowardice was hilarious – still kinda is not gonna lie – but now it’s downright dangerous.

This episode was so satisfying for me in terms of Greggory being shown up for the horrible scumbag he is. There he was throwing his weight around putting on a little show for Negan and lo and behold it comes to bite him in the ass with the inevitable yet still incredibly satisfying mutiny from Jesus and the other good people of Hilltop. “Hilltop stands with Maggie!” Hell yeah. Maggie is so badass I would follow that woman anywhere. Her leader story arc is one of my favourites and I feel like it suits her character perfectly. Here’s hoping she stays out of the line of fire and has a healthy pregnancy. Baby Rhee for president!

Did everyone see Simon’s complete shift in demeanour with Greggory? It was pretty clear that Simon probably had one hell of a bad side, he’s a lot like Negan in his charisma and charm so it makes sense his ‘wrong side’ will be equally as dark. Becoming one of the newest season regulars, I get the feeling we’ll see more of this in future episodes. Did it make anyone else a little happy that he got to shove Greggory down the stairs?

Onto the main event, there was another reference this time to the season seven premiere when Rick started counting. For those of us who haven’t been fortunate enough to block out the trauma of hearing Rick Grimes scream as he tried to comprehend he idea of chopping his own son’s arm off, the dialogue of Rick channelling his inner parent and counting down will feel very familiar indeed. To me it shows just how much that day affected Rick and how he hasn’t forgotten it for a minute. He knows and he’s letting Negan know he’s going to have his revenge.

The ensuing gunfire reminded me of those stalls at the fair ground where you have to knock down all the little pictures to get a prize. For every 20 windows someone shoots through do they get an extra pack of chilli mac’n’cheese or something? I hope so. Someone’s shot hit their mark if the limping Negan was doing as he dove for cover was anything to go by. Why he left the inner sanctum of the sanctuary to hide in an RV carcass is beyond me but hey it made Rick almost loose his cool so that was fun.

By this point between the knocking down of the sanctuary walls and the incoming horde I had pretty much figured out what the full plan was but there was still enough tension in it to be afraid of it all going wrong at the last minute. But thankfully it didn’t. Well almost.

Father Gabriel was the MVP for me in season 7 with his savage comment to Spencer and how he risked his life while letting Rick know where he went when the ‘Garbage people’(?) took him. He really came into his own in season 7 and became a trusted member of team family despite going off the rails for a while back in the day. This season seems to be no different with Gabriel being almost a guiding force for Rick. A role that Hershel and Dale both played in the past. It would seem that his good nature did him a disservice this time when it came to Greggory. Fucking Greggory. I was literally shouting at my TV as though I could help the poor man as that weasel made off with his only means of escape. Now he’s stuck with Negan in what looks like a port-a-cabin. Perhaps the first victim on our hero’s side in the all out war Gabriel is far from safe.

The action didn’t stop there, team family and Co. move onwards from the sanctuary to the outposts. It was a little glossed over and the outcomes were left out entirely so I think it’s logical to assume that will be at least part of the focus for next week’s episode. With part of the gang in a walker infested smoke bomb cloud and the other infiltrating the old outpost from season 6, and the survivors from the sanctuary attack stranded inside the building for now at least, it’s safe to say the war is far from over.

Zombie kill of the week goes to Morgan with his trusty stick. It's awesome to see him in action killing saviours and walkers alike. Will he have his shit together or is he still struggling with his own morals? Only time will tell.

While this season’s premiere episode may not have been as gripping and as emotionally traumatising as last season it certainly makes up for it in the giant scope of the world that is the walking dead and the anticipating promise of so much more. If you didn’t bring them to this week’s episode, make sure you take your shittin’ pants with you next week because it’s going to be one hell of a ride.

MAFS couples' infuriating final decisions

Despite countless warnings and protests, Married At First Sights cheating couple has shocked and irritated us all with their decision at a big fancy final commitment ceremony in foggy woodlands while in another patch of foggy woodlands across town, the shows annoyingly content couple has also irritated us with a gushy proposal and sponsorship jewellery. Sunday nights episode has two happy endings and this is clearly Nines attempt at making the show look more wholesome than the X-rated filth-fest weve witnessed over the past two months. Can those people who started that weird online petition against Mel Schilling start another petition banning Dan and Jessika from spending the rest of their lives together? Its not entirely clear if online petitions are prohibited from controlling peoples personal lives, but this is the internet and we make the rules up as we go. What a whirlwind! I never expected the twists and turns this experiment has brought! Jessika splutters to us on the sofa with her hair pulled up into a messy topknot, totally unaware she is personally responsible for all the the twists and turns. Last time we saw Dan, he was sickened by Jessikas drunken mean girl antics at the dinner party. He told us he saw a side of her that appalled him. The disgusting scenes were making him rethink his entire relationship. We rejoiced. Finally, he has seen the light! But he was lying through his veneers. Just minutes after Dan made those threatening comments, they had more window sex. We find them tangled in their rank sheets the morning after.

media_cameraOh Dan. I feel yucky after last night, Jessika splats. Its unclear if its the group fight she initiated thats making her feel yucky, or the nine carafes of house wine she ingested. Ah well. As long as you still love me, she splats at Dan while writhing around in their sweaty sheets. She stares at him. He stares back. Yeah, do you still love her, Dan? we splut, appearing in their doorway while eating fist-fulls of Froot Loops from the box. Remember how Jessika told Dan she loved him and then bullied him into saying he loved her in front of the entire group? Well, to use Jessikas language, hes now feeling yucky. They pack up their apartment and prepare to spend one week apart before reuniting at a private commitment ceremony where they will deliver their ultimate decision. Ill be moving to the Gold Coast with you, Jessika splats cheerily as she chucks all her crap in a suitcase. She hasnt actually asked Dan once if its OK to move into his house with his five-year-old son, and now its too complicated for Dan to bring it up. Weve only been together for a short period and shes already talking about moving to the Gold Coast, Dan whispers to us in a panic. Yeah, its hilarious you should move and not tell her, we giggle, while spitting Froot Loop remnants in his face.

media_cameraWhy so frustrated, Daniel? Meanwhile, Jules and Cam are being annoyingly content and we honestly couldnt be bothered. On the good side of the Harbour Bridge, Jules freaks out that Cam wont propose and, on the boring side of the bridge, Cam stresses about whether he should propose. Its #BoringContentPeopleProblems and we just cant relate. In an ideal world, Cam would propose and Jules would say no but since everyone started making online petitions about this show, producers dont wanna do anything fun anymore. Lets check back in with Jessika and Dan, who are back in their home environments and trying to find really polite ways of telling their families that theyre dirty cheaters. Im moving to the Gold Coast to be with him and Im really looking forward to it! Jessika spluts to anyone who will listen. Dan has a different take. Its moving bloody fast, he shivers, curled up in the corner of his Gold Coast rental. He heads over to his judgy mums house and, as expected, she judges. She judges her son for cheating. She judges him for hurting Tamara even though she hates her and judged her too. But its the announcement that Jessika will relocate from Perth and move in with Dan that his mum judges the most. She freaks out. Somewhere throughout Dans explanation, his mum has decided that Jessika is some kind of hobo who wants to take advantage of free food and shelter. Im concerned with her wanting to come to the Gold Coast, Dans mum tells us sternly. That she just wants somewhere to live and shes gonna take advantage of him. To live with him in his house and his son. Im a little bit worried about it actually. To summarise, Dans mum thinks Jessika is Joanne The Scammer.

media_cameraYoure sharp as a tack, Dans mum. Due to lack of other storylines this evening, we cross back to Jules and Cam. Hes in the woods. Its oddly foggy and Im pretty sure its machine-produced. She walks out of a fern and into the clearing, looking annoyingly content. She says lots of gushy stuff. He says lots of gushy stuff. All the woodland creatures that surround them roll their eyes. You make me so happy Jules. Will you marry me? he gushes. Yes! Of course I will! Jules gushes back. Ugh, original, a bitchy rabbit groans to a deer while Cam gives Jules some cruddy sponsorship jewellery. In a bush clearing across town, Dan waits for Jessika. Suddenly, her limo runs over a bitchy rabbit and pulls to a stop. I am so wholeheartedly, head over heels, unconditionally in love with you, she spluts to Dan. I will always be blessed so long as I have you in my life. Its the perfect set-up for a dramatic ending. We hope Dans judgy mums concerns about Jessika being a catfisher have freaked him out enough for him to dump her right here in the random jungle. Then, while Jess is crying, Dan can steal her limo and leave her stranded.

media_cameraMake ya mum proud, Daniel. Despite my feelings for you, I was really struggling with the lie we were living and the betrayal we were carrying out, he murmurs to her. Yeah, youre both terrible people! we yell down from a gum tree. It echoes throughout the forest. In the last few days Ive had a chance to think about our relationship and the impact it has had on other people. And also the impact it has had on me, Dan continues to grunt. There were moments I was broken and completely shattered at the pain we were causing certainly not how I wanted to start a relationship. It made me question if we could last as a couple He pauses and exhales.

media_cameraBrace yaself, Jeffika. Lifes too short to hide how you feel. I came here to fall in love and hope to have someone to take home and introduce to my son as my girl. I found that girl in you, he mutters. We did not see this coming, another bitchy rabbit eye-rolls. Dan makes out like hes going to propose to Jessika, but he stops short of saying the words and instead gives her a symbol of commitment. To clarify, its just another cruddy ring from the sponsorship jeweller. Dan was bullied into saying he loves Jess even though he doesnt. Then he was bullied into funding her cross-country relocation and allowing her to move in with him, even though he doesnt want that. And now he has been bullied into fake-proposing to her. Hes whipped. Lets hope Ning does something more interesting, that bitchy rabbit mutters. Yeah. Lets. For more observations on cruddy sponsorship jewellery and bitchy rabbits, follow me on Twitter and Facebook: @hellojamesweir Originally published as MAFS couples infuriating final decisions https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/entertainment/television/james-weir-recaps-married-at-first-sight-2019-episode-37/news-story/dfa03c9656adedb43e8f2aa64305130d?from=htc_rss

Instagram Memes Find the Funny Side of Being Armenian

New Post has been published on https://armenia.in-the.news/politics/instagram-memes-find-the-funny-side-of-being-armenian-24440-25-06-2020/

Instagram Memes Find the Funny Side of Being Armenian

“It just goes to show that people want this stuff, they enjoy seeing it,” he said. “I think it’s a great medium for Armenians to share the great things about the culture, to spread awareness, to have conversations about harder topics. Humor is the best way to do that.”

Indeed, lavashlife has fostered meaningful connections with Armenians worldwide, many of whom are eager to correspond with Aris via direct message on the Instagram app. One of his most memorable exchanges was with an Armenian follower based in Italy who wished to communicate a romantic message to her boyfriend in Armenian.

“She reached out to me because she didn’t know any other Armenians to ask, and she wanted to tell her boyfriend ‘I love you’ in Armenian,” Aris recounted. “So, we started sending each other voice messages. So back and forth, back and forth, we were telling each other ‘I love you.’ It was so funny.”

These interactions are not purely limited to Armenians, however. “What I always find interesting is the Americans who follow me saying, ‘Oh I love Armenian culture!’” he remarked. “There are so many Americans with Armenian friends who have told them about the page, so each of those Armenians becomes like an ambassador. The American friends will send their Armenian friends a meme and ask for an explanation, then they’ll talk about it. It’s a beautiful process of sharing our culture. That’s really made me happy, hearing about some of those experiences. I also have a couple of people who have reached out saying that their partner is Armenian, and they follow the page to learn more about them. I think that’s really cute.”

Perhaps most poignant are the conversations he has had with Turkish followers in Turkey.

“The vast majority of them are very nice,” Aris said. “They strictly want to learn more about Armenian culture. I have a few that have reached out and said, ‘Your page has taught us stuff about the Armenian Genocide that we didn’t learn in school. We came here to follow your page because it related to our culture.’ In a way, to some people who maybe didn’t like us before, it’s shown them Armenians’ humanity and humor.”

Representing all Armenians in their various iterations, and thereby building an inclusive community is paramount to Aris, which is why he strives to maintain a low profile.

“I use ‘we’ a lot when I’m responding to people and commenting, because I feel like I can’t take credit for what this page has become, since probably 50 percent of the content that I post belongs to other people,” he explained. “It’s not fair for me to make it about myself.”

By remaining relatively incognito, especially with regards to his family background, Aris aims to avoid falling into the all-too-common trap of embodying the voice of only one specific subgroup of Armenians: everyone from barsgahyes to amerigahyes can find something relatable on lavashlife.

“I want to represent all Armenians, that’s the goal, and I don’t want to pigeonhole myself to only representing the type of Armenian that I am,” he said. “I think that the more people know about me, on a personal level, the less they will be able to relate to the content. The page is all about breaking down borders and finding things on which people can connect.”

He added, “When I was a kid, I’d wonder, ‘Why are there so many Armenian camps? Why do my family members go to that one and I go to this one?’” Aris recalled. “It makes me really happy to see Armenians coming together and finding things we can connect on rather than things that can divide us. Humor is a great way to accomplish that.”

moods.pokhe

If you’ve recently heard anyone emphatically exclaim “Yev bang” or “Pari yegadzek sireliner,” you can thank Haig Injejikian. Hailing from Syria and currently based in Australia, Injejikian is the founder of Western Armenian commentary videos on Instagram, which he posts under his moods.pokhe (translation: change my mood) account. These hysterical, sidesplitting videos are best described by example. This was the first one to go viral (even appearing in the WhatsApp group chats of my own social media-less father).

Injejikian’s intentions for the page are modest and self-evident, as the name indicates. When I responded that I indeed turn to his page for a morale boost, he replied with a pleased, “Moodut guh pokhvi gor? That’s it! That’s why, I hit the nail on the head with the name!”

The majority of the interview with Injejikian proceeded in his native Armenian, wherein I was privy to his naturally lighthearted and humorous way of speaking, consistent with the witty dialogue in his commentary videos. In fact, he originally created his account in November of last year with the intention of simply posting amusing videos for his own friends.

“Ever since I was a teenager, I used to do commentary like this and everyone would encourage me,” he said. “So, I figured I would make a page, you know, just for my friends, since they always wanted me to make such videos. Everyone liked it, and somehow more people started following it! I wasn’t intending for this to become an international page, but somehow it happened, and I’m thankful for that because people are happy as a result of it.”

Injejikian revealed that he spends a minimal amount of time maintaining moods.pokhe, which he views purely as a hobby to lift people’s spirits and divert their attentions from their concerns.

“An episode of Pari Yegadzek Sireliner (Translation: Welcome My dears) – it’s literally 5 minutes of work,” he explained. “What I do is when I see a video on YouTube or social media that I think is funny and that I want to comment on, I save it and I think of things I want to say. Later, I play it, I speak, and I post it straightaway. I don’t think about it; I just post it, because if you go over it, you don’t want to post it anymore. You start thinking, ‘Oh, why did I say this? Why did I say that?’ So, what I do is just post the video, because I have a message.”

Indeed, devoted fans and acute observers may have noticed that animals make a frequent appearance in the videos featured on his page.

“Since I arrived in Australia, I became a vegetarian,” he said. “I love animals, so I want to impart a message to people to care for animals. The message of the Pari Yegadzek Sireliner videos is ‘Why are the people always bothering the animals? Why are they treating the animals like this?’ Using humor, I can deliver a message to these people, so that they stop treating animals badly. That’s the best part!”

The page has received widespread support, including that of his own twin brother, Hagop, who occasionally joins Haig for skits. With a now international following, Injejikian has succeeded in popularizing his two pet phrases.

“I have a friend in Lebanon who called me and said, ‘Haig, what’s going on? Everyone is saying, ‘Yev bang, yev bang!’” he laughed.

Through moods.pokhe, Injejikian has inadvertently sparked memes of his own, as his followers are inspired to mimic his content.

“Many people will send me a video and a recording of themselves saying ‘Pari yegadzek sireliner, as you can see here, there is a man…’” he said.

The humorist, who cites Vahe Berberian as his ultimate inspiration and teacher, has even begun enjoying a mild level of local celebrity.

“The last time I was in a shopping center, someone yelled, ‘Moods pokhe!’ from behind me, and I turned around to see who it was, but I didn’t know them,” he recounted. “It happened often, and I would feel bad because I didn’t know them.”

Despite the unexpected popularity of his account, Injejikian repeatedly emphasized the importance of remaining grounded and candid in his content.

“I discovered that the more genuine someone is, the more honest someone is, the more success he will find in life, because if you’re genuine, then you can correctly convey your root message to your audience,” he said. “Especially in comedy, you have to be honest.”

This perspective has allowed Injejikian to avoid turning moods.pokhe into a chore.

“If it was difficult, I wouldn’t work on it,” he said. “It’s something that comes from within; it’s something that comes naturally to someone. It happens automatically, unconsciously.”

Echoing comments made by Aris, Injejikian believes that moods.pokhe, along with other Armenian meme accounts, have enabled Armenians to connect through new online platforms.

“It’s through these pages that people are coming closer together: they mention each other in comments, they send the posts to each other, which is good because it’s Armenian content, it’s something which helps us keep our culture and traditions,” he said.

armo_tweets

London-native Sipan Petrosyan originally created his armo_tweets Instagram account as part of a challenge in November of last year.

“My friend started a meme page himself, and I’m really, really competitive, so I told him ‘I’m going to make a page, too, and let’s see who can get 2,000 followers first.’”

Thanks to a shout-out from lavashlife just three days into this contest, armo_tweets gained a whopping thousand followers overnight, with a steady increase over the ensuing weeks. The swift popularity Petrosyan’s page has enjoyed is only fitting considering his childhood affection for the online Armenian comedy scene.

“I literally grew up watching Armenian internet content, especially Antic, AndyK comedy, and Armo_Memes, who was really popular back in the day,” he said. “I just love the old-school Vine comedians as well. Growing up watching Moot.com along with My Big Fat Armenian Family — there was so much content, and I found them so hilarious. I always thought it would be cool if I could contribute something to that as well.”

Petrosyan’s account procures content from Twitter — which is similarly home to a budding “Armo Twitter” community — and spotlights it on his armo_tweets page.

“I wanted to create an Instagram page specifically for people to know that if they post something and it gets attention on Twitter, they will also have a voice on a bigger platform, on Instagram. It’s a more visible way to put that content out there,” he explained. “I really would encourage more young people to get on Twitter and just try putting content out, because it’s such an impartial platform. The Armenian community on Twitter is nowhere near as big as it is on Instagram.”

The name is in large part an homage to the comedians Petrosyan admired in his youth.

“For me, I associated the word ‘Armo’ with the younger Armenian diaspora and the people who grew up watching Armenian internet content,” he said.

armo_tweets has quickly garnered support from not only Petrosyan’s Armenian friends and family, but also his non-Armenian friends. This broad audience inspired Petrosyan to start adding English translations to his posts, which frequently feature content in transliterated Armenian.

“I initially started that because one of my friends messaged me saying, ‘Sipan, I don’t understand anything you’re saying in these tweets. I don’t get it,’” he recalled. “I realized that for a lot of Armenians who don’t understand the memes or don’t really speak as well, it could help them slowly start learning some Armenian words, too.”

Throughout the eight months that Petrosyan’s account has been active, it has caught the attention of certain popular Armenian figures, from 2016 Armenian Olympic gymnast Houry Gebeshian to Super Sako, who started following armo_tweets after Petrosyan tagged the singer in a meme. However, this attention is not something Petrosyan takes lightly.

“Knowing that I have direct access to some of these more famous and influential Armenians, I feel some sort of responsibility to make sure I post content which they can also use and put out in their communities and create awareness and discussion,” he said. “While I’ve got the opportunity, while I’ve got the platform, I might as well maximize it and use it to the best of my ability.”

Petrosyan has acted on this sense of obligation by leveraging his page to raise awareness about issues affecting contemporary Armenian society both domestically and internationally. Earlier this month, both armo_tweets and lavashlife promoted fundraisers for Armenian businesses damaged during riots in the United States.

On the domestic Armenian front, Petrosyan hopes to spark conversation among Diasporan Armenians about how to resolve ongoing questions facing Armenia.

“I think a lot of people associate Armenia with the Armenia of 20 or 30 years ago, and a lot of people think Armenia is still like that now,” he noted. “I want current issues, current topics which are trending in Armenia, to trend within the diaspora as well.”

Noting the lack of engagement with Armenian news organizations on social media, Petrosyan strives to compensate for this deficit by weaving the news into his humorous content.

“I think people are more likely to follow a comedy page,” he remarked. “I’m surprised that the meme pages hit these big numbers within several months. It dawned on me that many people don’t really care to follow the news; they just want something that’s funny, quick, and short. But we can capitalize on that to promote Armenian issues in this format as well. So, in the future, if people want to find ways to help Armenia, they can draw upon issues they’ve seen within these meme pages and see what they can do.”

Petrosyan also spoke enthusiastically and hopefully about the prospects of taking this budding virtual community offline.

“I don’t want to just have a meme page, and that’s it,” he said. “I think we can use this foundation to do so much. A lot of our content is about going back to Armenia, returning to Armenia, missing Armenia. I think it encourages the younger generation to visit Armenia. If I go back to Armenia next year, I’m going to try my best to organize events there for the diaspora and use the profits to give back to the community.”

The spirit of giving back is ingrained in Petrosyan’s outlook regarding the monetization of his account.

“It was important for me to consider that if I am putting out sponsored content, it’s something that I believe in, something that also abides by the good of the general community, and it’s not one person advertising something which is completely random and unrelated to the community,” he said. “I’m currently in the process of making a deal with a company. Once it’s complete, we’re going to donate 50 percent to charity and do five different giveaways, giving the money back to people who’ve contributed to the page. I think that’s also a good incentive for people to level up the content, which will get more engagement in the community as well.”

While armo_tweets has encouraged its followers to become more engaged with Armenian culture, Petrosyan himself has learned just as much from his followers and fellow meme accounts.

“In London, we don’t have a lot of manti, so I had never tried it before — I was so ignorant!” he laughed.

In line with the camaraderie and Armenian solidarity championed by their respective Instagram accounts, all three of my interviewees expressed, unprompted, resounding respect and admiration for each other.

“I’ve had the pleasure of interacting with the admins of a lot of the other Armo meme pages,” explained Aris. “We try not to tread on each other’s space, and I think everyone’s doing really well with that. I love the growing Armenian memes community and being able to connect with all of them on that level as we try to achieve this goal of enriching Armenian culture, together. It’s cool to see. Everyone’s really supportive of each other.”

Petrosyan agreed, adding, “We are aligned, we all have a similar mindset and intention for the Armenian community.”

For Injejikian, his counterparts have provided inspiration for his own content, just as he inspires theirs. He closed with a call for each individual to similarly contribute their talents to the Armenian community.

“If every single one of us finds some avenue through which to contribute to the Armenian culture, I’m sure it will bring our people to a great place.”

Read original article here.