A simbot is born!! 🤖

Ottavia Blossom is named after Eduardo's childhood imaginary friend, she's brave, disciplined, neat, hydrophobic and a bit of a hopeless romantic <3

Shout out to Craig McCracken characters.Gotta be one of my favorite genders

🔪People who are weird about kid characters don't interact🔪

Hiding on a Greek island - part 2

Massimo, a 40-year-old ex-special forces operator, had spent his career as a bodyguard for high-level individuals. He was dedicated to protecting his clients and had even saved Eduardo's life after he was shot. they When found themselves in danger, they sought refuge on a secluded Greek island, where they hid in a house.

However, life on the island posed new challenges for Massimo. His usual active lifestyle, focused on fitness and staying in shape, was disrupted. With no gym on the tiny island and the house situated on a hard-to-reach hill, exercise became a rare occurrence for him. On top of that, Eduardo, who was disabled at the time, relied on Massimo for transportation, making it difficult for him to prioritize his own well-being.

To add to the problem, the couple who cared for them, Stavros and his wife, provided ample amounts of delicious food. Eduardo's waistline began to expand rapidly without his usual exercise routine, and Massimo's chiseled abs were concealed beneath a layer of fat. Both men found solace in eating, with Massimo's frustration and boredom driving him to consume even more. Eduardo jokingly commented on his bodyguard's growing waistline, further highlighting the issue.

Eduardo's blossoming romance with Alexios, the baker's son, exacerbated Massimo's weight gain. As Massimo frequently chauffeured the couple around the island, he found himself with ample idle time. Meanwhile, Eduardo and Alexios retreated to their private rooms, leaving Massimo with little else to occupy his time but eating. Alexios made sure there were plenty of pastries, and Massimo indulged to fill the void he felt. As he overheard the intimate sessions between Eduardo and Alexios, he used food to cope with his embarrassment.

Though Massimo's muscles remained intact from years of training, they were merely concealed beneath the accumulating fat, giving him the appearance of a massive bull. However, when he met Alexios' sister, Olympia, who had returned from university, his attention diverted. They struck up conversations and enjoyed coffee during Massimo's waiting time, making the hours feel less monotonous. Olympia made a point to provide him with deablelect pieces of fresh baklava during their interactions, further fueling his growing appetite.

One fateful night, with Eduardo and Alexios in the house, Massimo took the opportunity to secretly go on a date with Olympia. Their evening was filled with passion and excessive indulgence in alcohol, inhibiting Massimo from safely operating his scooter back to the house. They succumbed to the dangers of drunken driving and spent a passionate yet secretive night together. Knowing the importance of his duty to protect Eduardo, Massimo departed early in the morning. Olympia, however, ensured he left with a substantial breakfast for the three men and an additional pastry for Massimo's journey. This clandestine affair continued for weeks without Eduardo noticing Massimo's prolonged absences.

As the weeks passed, Eduardo's weight continued to climb. Despite his cramped polos and snug attire, he relished in the image of being the strong, larger bodyguard. Olympia also found pleasure in her relationship with Eduardo, making certain that her secret boyfriend was never left hungry. Unbeknownst to Alexios, his sister mirrored his actions, ensuring Massimo's insatiable appetite was always satisfied. Consequently, Massimo found himself steadily catching up to Eduardo's weight. The sight of two vain, macho men succumbing to their weakness for pastries thrilled Alexios, encouraging him to keep them coming.

When Massimo deemed it safe to return to Italy, he felt a mixture of sadness to leave Olympia and relief at resuming his normal routine. Upon their return, Massimo yearned for the familiar restaurants he had missed and indulged in his favorite dishes several times a day for a week. Meanwhile, Eduardo decided to return to Greece and open a hotel, whereas Massimo found solace in being back on the mainland. After six weeks of savoring his favorite delicacies, Massimo's weight became noticeably larger. Realizing his need to get back into shape if he were to continue his career as a bodyguard, he attempted to go to the gym. However, after two years away from lifting weights, he quickly grew disheartened and found himself seeking comfort at the nearest bakery, ordering a light version of the baklava he had grown accustomed to in Greece, longing for Olympia's presence.

Feeling lost without a clear purpose, Massimo spent hours on the sofa, binge-watching Netflix and ordering copious amounts of food. His weight continued to climb, and Eduardo began to miss his loyal companion from their time in hiding. Concerned, Eduardo reached out to Massimo, checking in on him. Massimo confessed his struggles with weight gain and his failed attempts to get back in shape. Uncertain of his future now that bodyguarding seemed out of reach, Massimo's spirits plummeted. Eduardo, not wanting to lose Massimo's companionship, offered him a new position on the island as the building and construction manager instead of his bodyguard. Grateful, Massimo accepted the offer and boarded the first boat back to the island, where he was warmly greeted by Alexios and Olympia, who presented him with a hearty lunch. Massimo's heart swelled with joy as he settled back into his old routine, even if he was much larger than before.

Reuniting with Eduardo, Massimo discovered that both had significantly gained weight. Unbeknownst to them, Olympia and Alexios had secretly fostered their lovers' weight gain, acting as feeders to satisfy their desires. Massimo confessed his affair with Olympia to Eduardo, who found the revelation amusing and enlightening. Realizing why Massimo had gained weight so rapidly, Eduardo asked Olympia to be his girlfriend, an offer she happily accepted. The couple moved into a small apartment above the bakery, where Olympia would prepare a sumptuous breakfast for Eduardo each morning and pack a substantial lunch. Eduardo, in turn, would order snacks from the bakery for the workers, and he would return home to a lavish dinner and passionate intimacy as a way to unwind. Their weight continued to climb, but both men found contentment in their lives. They had everything they desired, and there was no limit to their indulgence.

The loft was dark, quiet, still. The usual chaos that she would come home to - her children playing and laughing, her husband telling them some crazy story - was nowhere to be found. Just a near-silence that was broken only by a heavy streaming water.

Given that she had called earlier in the day to break the news that she would have to work through their anniversary dinner, she had assumed he would have cancelled the sitter and that she would be coming home to a very lively, very full house.

She shrugged off her coat, slipped out of her heels and made her way across the loft. She followed the sound of running water through the bedroom and into the en suite. Candlelight flickered, dancing along the walls and the scent of vanilla and cherry blossoms filled the air.

“Alexis insisted the kids still sleep over tonight,” Rick informed her as he stepped into the room, his presence startling her. She spun on her heel, looked at him with wide eyes. “Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you. You okay?”

“Didn’t hear you come in,” she said with a shrug, stepping closer and wrapping her arms around her husband’s waist. “I’m a little out of it at the moment. Had a long day.”

“I know.” He placed his hands on her shoulders and turned her so that she faced the tub. “Which is why I had Eduardo buzz me when you arrived so that I could have this ready for you.”

Kate sighed contently and let her head drop back against his chest. “This is perfect,” she whispered. “Thank you.”

“Well, then-” He pressed a kiss to her temple. “Why do you still have your clothes on?” he added in a whisper.

She began to unbutton her blouse as he moved toward the tub and dipped his fingers into the water, checking the temperature before he turned off the taps.

“That should be to your liking,” he announced proudly. He turned back to his wife and kissed her forehead. “I’ll leave you to it.”

“You’re not going to join me?” she asked, not even attempting to hide her disappointment.

“You don’t want to be alone?”

She smiled, wrapped her arms around his neck and lifted herself onto her tiptoes to press a romantic kiss to his lips.

“What I want is to spend the few hours I have left of my anniversary with the man I love.”

“In that case, I would love to join you.”

Don’t Say Goodbye

Pairing: Eduardo “Lalo” Salamanca x GN!Reader

Rating: PG (Mutual Pining, relatively tame romantic energy)

Description: You’re relaxing after a long day, it’s late, and then someone comes knocking at your door.

Author’s Note: This is kind of short, but I am willing to elaborate if anyone wants. I wrote this to incite some inspiration in another work of mine, also Lalo related.

From Mexico With Love

Wait for Me

Knock. Knock. Knock.

  You flinched, but only because you hadn't been expecting any visitors this late at night. You slowly put down the bowl of popcorn you had been snacking on, eyes trained entirely on the door. The only light to rely on streaming electric blue from your television.

Knock. Knock. - Knock. Knock. Knock!

Your hand snuck under one of the fluffy pillows on your couch and you stoically procured the handgun you always kept within reach. You inhaled a deep breath, keeping the gun close to your hip as you rose to approach the door. The TV played loudly in the background, muting each creak and patter of the floorboards beneath your bare feet. Your finger toyed at the trigger and you tucked behind the door as your free hand grasped as the knob.

Uno. Dos. Tres.

You swung the door open, holding your body behind it for a decent amount of cover, the gun still pinned at your hip. You felt instant relief at the sight of a familiar face. You pulled the door open completely and rushed into him for a hug.

"Eduardo!" He chuckled, arms wrapping around you. Swiftly one of his hands dropped down the length of your arm to swipe the gun from your fingers.

  "What the hell were you doing with this? Huh?" He grinned, teasing you with it when you tried to reach for the gun. 

"You could had been anyone!" You laughed, feeling like a bullied child as he dangled the loaded weapon over you. "Lalo, stop making fun of me." He conceded, lowering the gun back into your grasp. You then gave him another hug. Eduardo made you feel secure, warm, you knew that if he was near, nothing could hurt you. "I'm so happy to see you got out, those pigs are too stupid to get one up on you."

"You gonna' shoot me with this thing?"

"Of course! Nothing can keep me, I'm a Salamanca." You tucked your arm around his back and attempted to guide him into your home. He wouldn't budge. Your eyebrows furrowed in confusion and you withdrew slightly to send him an expectant stare. He was frowning now, so suddenly the delight of seeing you again was absent from him.

"What's wrong?" It was then you noticed Ignacio, waiting in his car that was parked out by the curb. "Did something happen? You want me to go get dressed, I'll check it out with you guys?" He didn't answer, he didn't make a move, his sharp brown eyes burned two holes straight through you. You hesitantly stepped back from him, nodding your head in understanding. "You're leaving." You knew this day would come, you just didn't think it would happen so suddenly. You wished you had more time.

"It's only a matter of time before they find out who I am..." He cocked his head from side to side. "But this won't be the last of me." He pointed to punctuate his words. "It will only be a few months, until the heat dies down.” 

"Well, uh..." You smiled, patting a hand on his shoulder. "You'll be missed." You cared about Lalo, but you knew this business and attachments were never a good idea. You needed to let him go, it was your job. You tucked your gun into your shorts, wedging it between your belly and the waistband of your underwear. When your eyes met his again, his lips were quirked up in a soft smile and he was considering you with a certain fondness. The same smile that made your heart skip a beat and heat blossom in your cheeks. "I guess it's back to Nacho Nada." You gestured loosely in Ignacio's direction, waving awkwardly at him when your eyes met from a distance. He didn't look too comfortable, or happy. 

"Nacho Nada?" Lalo laughed, one eyebrow lifting in question. 

"Yeah, it's what Tuco and I call him: all work, no play, nada divertido." Lalo glanced back at Nacho and smirked, turning back to you. 

"I like that. Nacho Nada." You crossed your arms and diverted your gaze to the concrete path leading up to your home. "Hey..." The soles of Eduardo's expensive shoes scuffed at the pavement as he stepped closer. His fingers pinched delicately at your chin and lifted your gaze. "I would ask you to come with, but there will be a lot going on. That doesn't mean you can't always come visit another time." 

"I would like that." You grabbed his wrist and turned his palm up to lay a tender kiss there. "You can finally teach me how to cook the Salamanca way." He snorted, making no effort to remove himself from your touch.

"Maybe. A good magician never reveals his secrets." You both laughed at that, until it died down to a stark silence. You rose your other hand up to cup his cheek and he leaned into you.

"You'll call me, right?" You whispered, caressing the dimple alongside his lips with your thumb.

"You know I will." You watched his Adam's apple bob, his hand twisting to grab yours and caress your knuckles. "Nacho will be coming with me for a few days. You'll be okay taking care of everything?"

"You know I will." You recited his words back to him. Part of you burning to crush those few inches that separated you both. All the time spent together, all the bonding, the growing trust, the unrelenting protectiveness over one another, and neither of you had shared such an intimate moment as this. 

"Take care of yourself, cielito." 

"I promise." He nodded, reluctantly withdrawing himself, his expression hardened and he slowly turned to walk away. 

He looked at you one last time before entering the vehicle. Little did you know, that would be the last time you ever saw Lalo Salamanca.

Tibby idk if we are mutuals but to me you are the one whose article about how men in movies and tv are the same as teen girls in other tv and movies I would read and trust.

I hope I am conveying this ok! I mean I feel like the way you draw connections between various media and like depictions of girlhood and fraught connections between girls in media is really interesting!!!

OH LMAO thank you!!! i take some issue with the way twitter and tumblr and tiktok try to present "girlhood" as this unifying thing every woman on earth can relate to, as if every single woman (or woman adjacent, given that i personally do not identify as such but that is how i was raised and how i am perceived. but i digress!) have had the exact same experiences across the board. and a lot of it results in tenuous links between various characters in media who have nothing in common except...being women. maybe sharing a genre.

and it's funny to me, because the same links can be made between just about any character if you try hard enough, and the idea of writing off middle aged men as teen girl coded is entertaining. i don't think there's enough there to ever explore it outside of joke posts, but also if there's one truth i know, it's that peter strahm is betty cooper coded. but betty cooper is not necessarily peter strahm coded. SHE is the blueprint and he is the copy, and she actually outsmarted the killer who had a psychosexual obsession with her, so.

and maybe that is making a mockery of quote unquote girlhood but also the idea of ""girlhood"" as presented on tumblr is so empty and hollow and reinforces gender roles and acts like a universal concept when it really isn't.

like. jason blossom fulfils the role of laura palmer and lawrence gordon is a quinn fabray kinnie and eduardo from the social network would relate to the melodrama alsbum. does any of this fucking mean anything? not necesarily! but neither do "womanhood is [specific experience of the op who doesn't realise not everyone lives in suburban ohio]" posts.

anyway this sounds like me being a hater and also now i'm concerned i misinterpreted what you were trying to say, as i sometimes do. but much love anyway and never forget that in a world where the term has been butchered to mean "any woman in a horror movie," matias o'brien IS a final girl <3

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

You know that feeling you get when your package shows up? The feeling of bliss and whimsy? I get that same feeling when my library emails me and tells me the book I've put on hold is ready!

Another beautiful cover greeted me and I took my dive into the land of Yaxaktun and the works of Dr. Moreau. I was immediately enchanted with the story telling; Silvia paints as she writes. She allowed my imagination to blossom with her vivid and detailed description's.

Carlota is the 20 year old doting daughter to her father, Dr. Moreau. He's been funded by el patron, Mr. Lizdale. Lizdale expects the creation of hybrids, a combo of human and animal, to serve as his workers. While Moreau has been able to create multiple hybrids, he's has yet to provide any to Lizdale. They live a sheltered life on the property but the bill has come due in Lizdales eyes.

In a classic plot, Carlota has been expected to marry Eduardo Lizdale in order to secure the families future. These sentiments are not shared by mayordomo Montgomery. He loves her and while he may not be her prefect match, he cannot deny that a marriage to Eduardo is not in Carlotas best interest. The desperation in Moreau reveals his ultimate truth and forces Carlota to face her truth.

Love, war and a twist build the foundations and Silvia's writing allows it to flourish. Overall I enjoyed this novel, would absolutely read it again.

4.5/5

Do you have a list ranking characters with the highest IE to Lowest? Like Highest would include jakethedog | Extremely high would include dee dee, ice king | High would include Goo and jonny | high mid would include mac, billy, powerpuffgirls, Ed | Mid would include Ben, flapjack, numbah 3, terrance | low Mid would include Ace, coop, edd and eddy, mandark | low would include dexter, PB, finn, doc, numbah2 | extremely low would include rex, max, gwen, mandy, numbah1 | (PS thanks for prev replies)

Although I haven't done much of a ranking for IE, I have made a post for headcanons on IE levels here. To summarize, I'd say there are two big factors with IE that can affect how much an individual has. It doesn't usually keep to a stable level nor do people with traditionally creative outlets necessarily have high amounts of IE:

To elaborate on the first point, IE is always waxing and waning throughout a person's life. That's simply the nature of human beings, as we can't constantly run at full sprint. Factors such as age, experience, burnout/blocks, and physical and emotional health all play a role. This is one of the reasons why it can be difficult to study and/or master. A big example of this is how children are much more likely to creative imaginary friends than adults.

For an example of how difficult it can be to find patterns of high or low IE, let's focus on the matter of experience: A person closed-off from experiences is likely to have a low IE, but even a person with many experiences under their belt may also have a low IE if they're the type to copy rather than create. There's an example of the latter in one of the FHFIF comics, with a child who originally comes to Foster's to adopt an imaginary friend, but ends up creating one instead only after by combining the traits of Coco, Wilt, and Eduardo in his head for the type of friend he wanted. Even Wilt in one of FHFIF's first episodes would acknowledge this lack of creativity by pointing out a Mojo Jojo friend. It's not a lack of inspiration causing this, but rather an inability or lack of practice building off of said inspiration.

As for the second point, there are several ways people across various fields and hobbies can show off their creativity and in-turn high or low IE. They won't always be traditionally creative types as we often think of them--artists, writers, etc. A strategist needs to think outside of the box to outsmart their enemy. An inventor or businessman needs to be innovative. People like Dexter and DeeDee both have high IEs, they're just channeling that energy differently.

For others on your list, I agree that Goo, Jonny, Jake, Ice King would all have high IEs as well. However, I would also move Numbuh 3 to that list. She has a tendency to drift into her own flights of fancy, even on missions. She's noted to possibly be responsible for many of the KND acronyms--which aren't always easy to make, especially the longer they get--in The Grim Adventures of the KND crossover. I also imagine she's greatly imbued many of her stuffed animals with her IE because of how much she treats them as living beings.

Mac, Billy, Blossom, and Bubbles would likely be high-mid. However, as Buttercup tends to be more direct and simplistic in her thinking, not really strategizing, but just willing to power her way through everything she does and relying more on impulse, I'd say she's more in the mid-range. All three of the Edds would be high-mid though. Ed is almost always living in his imagination, but it also takes a lot of creativity to constantly come up with new ideas for their scams, as Eddy does, and bring them to life through inventions, as Edd does. Terrance can also be included in this list, however, I feel like his IE is also rapidly declining. He can still create imaginary friends, like Red or Pizza, but he's also pretty much a copycat. Pizza was brought to reality because Terrance was hungry and Red exists as a foil to Blue. His destructive nature wears on his IE too (more on this later).

Coop is kind of a step below this, as he's pretty accepting of new experiences and is shown to seek improvements through Megas' upgrades and personalization. His IE was also imbued into Megas, which allowed the creation of Megas nanos. However, what inhibits his IE is his laziness/lack of self-improvement. He likes working on cool machines as a hobby, but he was also known to constantly sit around playing games rather than really work toward building anything. In short, he has a lot of potential he doesn't use. I'll place Mandark here too, simply because I think placing him on more of a mid-tier is a bit much, but his obsessive rivalry with Dexter and destructive habits both hold him back. You can't grow personally when you're constantly worrying over or trying to one-up others. As such, the moment Mandark devoted much of his scientific goals to simply beating another person, he gave himself a major obstacle.

I think Numbuh Two, Flapjack, Rex, Ben, Numbuh One, and Max would be more mid/low-mid IE in that order from greatest to least. Numbuh Two is constantly inventing and striving to improve the KND arsenal, to an almost tireless degree, so he'd have to be at a decent level--probably even higher than what I'm giving him. Flapjack is still a young, easily impressionable kid with a strong sense of wonder. With Rex, how he controls his nanites by creating various machinery shows off his somewhat creative side and willingness to learn/adapt. Ben can come up with unorthodox, yet impressive strategies as a leader. Meanwhile, Numbuh One, while also very strategic and often more driven than Ben, can have a bad habit of getting trapped in his own head. I place Max on the low end of this mainly from his age. He can be clever, open, and experimental, but is also highly likely to have reached a point where he's pretty settled with his way of life. In his mind, he's also done so much that it's become a block all to itself.

Of the ones you mentioned, Ace, Mandy, PB, Finn, Doc, and Gwen would have the lowest levels for three separate reasons. For Gwen, she can't help it: It's mainly her Anodite side conflicting with her human one. (See more on why that is here.) I won't say it's impossible for her to use it altogether, but she'd struggle with how the two powers separate themselves, especially with being so used to her Anodite abilities already.

PB, Finn, and Doc, all have a mental block through their inability/unwillingness to use their imaginations and/or accept things like magic. Ironically enough, the denial of reality will make you less imaginative. Closing your mind to truth means closing it to learning, growth, and a willingness to see beyond what you think you know or even the simple fact that you just won't understand everything. Magic exists in FusionFall's world, but instead of accepting it for what it is, those like PB and Doc try to twist it to fit their worldviews, which obviously can backfire.

For Ace and Mandy, it's their destructive sides. Pretty basic: You can't hope to create if you focus on destruction. This can come from many types of flawed personalities. Instead of taking inspiration from the past or from old stories, there are those who think they're better than the people who built what came before them. Rather than look for ways to actually improve or do anything original, thanks to their hubris, they just end up ripping things apart. There are those who, rather than try to add to the world, only desire to take from it. Ace, fortunately, is on a better path along with the rest of the Gangreen Gang since they've formed a band and are now using that as a productive outlet, so their IE levels can rise over time. Mandy, however... she's pretty set with who she is. She has little to no wonder for the world. She sees little to no good in it and her plans for world domination set her on a bad path.

My idea for why Terrance--and others like him--doesn't have a low IE, despite how destructive he is, is because of how he grew up. Keep in mind, he and Mac are in the same boat as kids left home alone while their single mom works without giving them the proper care they need. (It's not entirely her fault, but when she has one child that's basically one more hole in the wall away from juvie and then she looks to her younger child and tells them to get rid of their one friend and protector from that nut... Yeah, I wouldn't say it's outrageous to call her a bad parent either.) Terrance has issues. He's undisciplined. He throws more tantrums than his "baby" brother. And yet... he's still basically a kid. He's only thirteen. He should be more mature for his age, but not enough for his mother to give him with both the freedom and responsibilities that she does leaving both of her sons alone day after day.

Moreover, consider what kind of friend Terrance made with Red. Again, he's Blue's foil. Imaginary friends are partly made not solely by the desires of their creator, but what their creator needs. While Mac needed Blue to be confident, outgoing, and brave where he was lacking, there's a good chance Red's empathetic and sensitive side is a reflection of what Terrance needs. He still has a strong imagination, but for the wrong reasons, and as such, it's eventually going to shatter if he can't develop it properly.

may eduardo’s filmography blossom because wtf

Working on a list of (mostly underrated) characters and ideas for multi-part, x reader fics.

So far I have:

Eduardo Dorado Jr & reader end up in the same batch of Metateen abductees, and after the Wally thing, the Runaways all go their separate ways. Season 3, Reader shows up at the Meta-Human Youth Facility to offer their services as a counselor, and they reconnect with The Golden One. How does their relationship progress?

Tye Longshadow grew up with both Jaime and reader. After his abduction and Jaime's subsequent "school trip", reader gets nervous and asks Jaime what happened. He admits that he got Tye's call (which reader did as well), and when he showed up, Tye was already gone. Queue Reader moving away and somehow meeting their childhood friend again. He offers for Reader to join the Runaways. How can they respond?

Icicle Jr! He meets you when you have a school.. idk, psych or law or something project and visit/interact with inmates at Belle Rev. He takes a liking to you - the first person who's tried to actually connect, even for just an assignment. Just before he knows he's set to escape, he tells you to meet him "when you think you can" and hands you a rose made of ice. He's taken away immediately and the rose is confiscated, but handed back to you with the rest of your stuff as you leave. (Changed this one a lil bit, it's this now)

Anyways. Wrote these while tired asf. Open to more suggestions 💙🩵💙

Ps everyone thank @cherry-aqua-blossom for giving me Icicle Jr brainrot 🩵💙🩵

'Christopher Nolan has made history with his acclaimed and commercially successful new film, Oppenheimer. While society has been stricken with Barbie Fever, and the dual release of Greta Gerwig's delightfully pink, crowd-pleasing hit alongside Nolan's hefty, three-hour biopic has taken the world by storm, there is another great film to consider as a double feature with Oppenheimer. Nolan circles around themes of unchecked bureaucracy, science run amuck, and how the world reckons with a creation we were not ready for; one we maybe should never have been trusted with in the first place.

The atomic bomb is an extremely destructive and definitive example, but another far less dramatic but still Earth-shattering invention of the modern world has been social media. In 2010, David Fincher made a movie about Mark Zuckerberg's creation of Facebook, The Social Network. Although we did not understand the extent of Zuckerberg's influence over our culture at the time, he has come to be known as a man who moved the Earth in his own way, making Fincher's film a perfect pairing with Oppenheimer.

'Oppenheimer' and 'The Social Network' Deal With Similar Themes Oppenheimer can be viewed through the lens of a specific approach to history known as the "Great Man Theory." This concept posits that history can be understood largely as the stories of a few individuals who disrupted, reshaped, and created industries and movements which have guided our growth as a culture. The Social Network traverses similar ground, contextualizing the genius of Mark Zuckerberg as something which blossomed into an entirely new and unforeseen behemoth that became Facebook. The films almost feel as if they are in conversation with one another, with Oppenheimer being the answer to a question The Social Network asks about whether their particular subjects did something that was ultimately detrimental to our society.

Additionally, both films rely on a nearly identical story structure. This is an interesting connection as the thematic overlaps are apparent, but the movies are even framed similarly. This may feel like a more superficial connection, but the films being in rhythm with one another in this way makes their thematic connection even more evident.

'The Social Network' and 'Oppenheimer' Employ Similar Framing Devices

The Social Network is framed around two different depositions which are occurring at different periods of time. One involves Jesse Eisenberg's Mark Zuckerberg in a legal conflict with the Winklevoss twins, played by Armie Hammer, over the intellectual property theft of Facebook. The other involves Zuckerberg facing a suit from Eduardo Saverin, played by Andrew Garfield, who claims Zuckerberg unlawfully diluted his shares of the company.

Oppenheimer follows two different proceedings by the US government involving Cillian Murphy's Oppenheimer and Robert Downey Jr.'s Lewis Strauss. Oppenheimer meets with attorneys and goes through something of a trial of character as the Atomic Energy Commission considers whether to revoke his security clearance due to his left-leaning ideologies and anti-war sentiments. Strauss sits in a senate hearing which will confirm or deny his pending status as the Secretary of Commerce. These two perspectives are differentiated in the film through Oppenheimer's being depicted in full color while the perspective of Strauss is shown in black and white.

Both films feature a lot of quick cutting across different character perspectives and timelines. Oppenheimer is masterfully edited by Jennifer Lame, and those who are familiar with Nolan's work know that editing his films seems like no easy feat. Nolan likes to rely on non-linear storytelling in order to create a rhythm based more on thematic parallels than a conventional, sequential plot. It may feel harder to follow in the moment, but both of these films become more rewarding on a repeat viewing when audiences can better understand how every sequence is related.

What Do 'Oppenheimer' and 'The Social Network' Tell Us About the "Great Man Theory?"

Nolan's film offers a devastating look at a man whose greatness was weaponized into something which may have torn apart the fabric of our reality. The characters were unprepared for the consequences of what they were doing, and this is reckoned with directly in the film's final hour, which has been criticized by some but is vital to understanding the internal fallout of Oppenheimer's Promethean Act. Cillian Murphy's powerful performance emphasizes a mental struggle to cope with the immense power of what he has done, a feeling which will linger forever.

Watching The Social Network when it was first released, audiences may have felt good about the position Zuckerberg finds himself in by the end of the movie. However, given how social media has grown into a seemingly untamable beast in the years since, the film leaves us with a lot more dread about the ramifications of Zuckerberg's work. So much has shifted in the public consciousness about what Facebook means that even the film's writer, Aaron Sorkin, has discussed making a sequel. Zuckerberg is positioned as something of a tragic hero, a character who, as Rashida Jones's Marylin Delpy says in the final moments of the film, is trying so hard to be the cutthroat industry killer that he knows he is not. Facebook's influence on our political world, as well as its status as one of the largest advertising platforms in the world, has changed how many feel about the website and the man who created it. Maybe he is a killer after all.

The two films center on a singular figure who became an icon of their respective times. Oppenheimer was hailed a hero for his contributions to what many at the time considered a necessary end to a devastating war. Zuckerberg, as seen in the film itself, was portrayed as a bit of a rock star in the tech world, albeit an awkward one. Each movie leaves us in a place of reflection, where will these men go from here? What will they do with the influence they have garnered? Was their work worth all the collateral damage, both personal and on a broad scale? Time has changed and complicated the way we view both of these men, but they will no doubt go down in history as two of the "Great Men" who built the world as we know it for better or worse.

Perhaps great men did build the world, but Oppenheimer and The Social Network show us they can destroy it just as quickly.'

Luis Hector Espino-Muñoz ♦ cismale (he/him) ♦ 43 ♦ Government ♦ Mayor of London

“It is time to say that the problem is that of those who gorge themselves : the banks, the big bosses of the NASDAQ and the CAC 40.”

Born on April 19th, 1979, in London, the second child of María and Eduardo Espino, Luis was raised by parents who had to flee Cuba. His father was involved in local politics, and he had to leave the country when Castro took power. The two political refugees eventually decided to settle permanently in the UK, but for a long time Luis thought he would one day have to leave the only country he had ever known all while being reminded of how lucky he was to be living here in the U.K.

This segment of his life is one that was exploited by his P.R. team during his campaign for mayor and earned him several points in polls.

It was at around the same time that his parents signed him up for scout camps as they didn’t want their son to be idle for two entire months. His older sister spent her summer taking gym classes, and he could use some time away from books. After a few summers, the young boy was put in charge of his group of scouts and that was his first-time experiencing leadership from the top of the pyramid rather than the bottom. He found that he quite enjoyed that, and that he was good at it too. When he started school again in September of that year, Luis had blossomed into a much more confident teenager than he was a couple months before. Although according to his best friend, he was still, by all means, a huge bloody raging nerd, he stopped being nearly as introverted and shy as he once was, and found that through opening up to others, people did the same to him (or maybe was it this little thing called puberty that hit him like a guardian angel).

It would have been a bit disheartening, of course, to realize that your brains and your words mattered a lot more to people if your face was pleasant to look at. Luis fortunately for him, remained oblivious to that. Then, his older sister’s persistence in reminding him that he looked like a Gremlin and a dinosaur had a love child may have helped with being oblivious.

While in high school, Luis volunteered to help a politician for the local elections with the hopes that it would help him in his college applications. Considering how he had been brought up, it wasn’t complicated for him to pick a party to root for: the Labour Party was the obvious choice and one he has stuck to ever since. He learned quite a bit about campaigning, and quite a lot about the way things worked, but although he might have not been the toughest young man, he lacked nothing else to engage in local politics. While studying in college, at the London School of Economics, he used the very few connections he had made while in high school to lend a job with a London councilwoman’s office notably on matters regarding immigration and graduated with a first-class degree award on his bachelor in Local Policies and Economics. He then worked for a non-profit (The British Red Cross) and spent most of his free time assisting Labour party politicians until he was asked to be campaign manager for a candidate in the 2008 mayoral elections.  Their candidate won the elections and moved onto the British Parliament in 2016 at the end of his second term. Luis, in the meantime, had dropped his job with the Red Cross and gotten elected to public office in 2012 as councilman of London. He was reelected in 2016 and decided to offer his name to the Party for the Mayoral elections of 2020.

Now in office, Luis pushes for liberal ideas, advocating for issues ranging from the state of the NHS to the ecological transition of London. He fights gentrification and has launched a series of projects aiming to help the 99% whether through the tackling of immigrational issues, or fundings for promising young entrepreneurs. His long-term plans include Parliament but being the first man of color making it to Prime Minister would also be an honor.

+ / -  Charismatic, level-headed, incisive, passionate, calculating, idealistic, overly empathetic, intense

He’s obsessed with Queen and sometimes quotes the band in speeches. No one’s noticed, so far.

Luis’ hair is speckled with grey streaks, it has been this way since his early 30s.

Luis doesn’t drink often and doesn’t smoke. He makes sure he’s walked at least 10 000 steps every day and does yoga and pilates on  a regular basis. However, he splurges an awful lot on coffee and drinks too much of it. He’s not all that fond of tea, but if you ask him, he’ll pretend he loves earl grey as it is one of those things that makes you untrustworthy to the British eye.

Luis is an avid bird watcher and can imitate many bird songs with ease.

His secretary often moves items in the office to see if Luis will  notice. Detail oriented as he is, it often takes him little time to spot what changed. He could be world champion at the 7 differences game.

Luis eats food in his plate from least liked to most liked.

Luis Hector Espino-Muñoz ♦ cismale (he/him) ♦ 43 ♦ Government ♦ Mayor of London

“It is time to say that the problem is that of those who gorge themselves : the banks, the big bosses of the NASDAQ and the CAC 40.”

Born on April 19th, 1979, in London, the second child of María and Eduardo Espino, Luis was raised by parents who had to flee Cuba. His father was involved in local politics, and he had to leave the country when Castro took power. The two political refugees eventually decided to settle permanently in the UK, but for a long time Luis thought he would one day have to leave the only country he had ever known all while being reminded of how lucky he was to be living here in the U.K.

This segment of his life is one that was exploited by his P.R. team during his campaign for mayor and earned him several points in polls.

It was at around the same time that his parents signed him up for scout camps as they didn’t want their son to be idle for two entire months. His older sister spent her summer taking gym classes, and he could use some time away from books. After a few summers, the young boy was put in charge of his group of scouts and that was his first-time experiencing leadership from the top of the pyramid rather than the bottom. He found that he quite enjoyed that, and that he was good at it too. When he started school again in September of that year, Luis had blossomed into a much more confident teenager than he was a couple months before. Although according to his best friend, he was still, by all means, a huge bloody raging nerd, he stopped being nearly as introverted and shy as he once was, and found that through opening up to others, people did the same to him (or maybe was it this little thing called puberty that hit him like a guardian angel).

It would have been a bit disheartening, of course, to realize that your brains and your words mattered a lot more to people if your face was pleasant to look at. Luis fortunately for him, remained oblivious to that. Then, his older sister’s persistence in reminding him that he looked like a Gremlin and a dinosaur had a love child may have helped with being oblivious.

While in high school, Luis volunteered to help a politician for the local elections with the hopes that it would help him in his college applications. Considering how he had been brought up, it wasn’t complicated for him to pick a party to root for: the Labour Party was the obvious choice and one he has stuck to ever since. He learned quite a bit about campaigning, and quite a lot about the way things worked, but although he might have not been the toughest young man, he lacked nothing else to engage in local politics. While studying in college, at the London School of Economics, he used the very few connections he had made while in high school to lend a job with a London councilwoman’s office notably on matters regarding immigration and graduated with a first-class degree award on his bachelor in Local Policies and Economics. He then worked for a non-profit (The British Red Cross) and spent most of his free time assisting Labour party politicians until he was asked to be campaign manager for a candidate in the 2008 mayoral elections.  Their candidate won the elections and moved onto the British Parliament in 2016 at the end of his second term. Luis, in the meantime, had dropped his job with the Red Cross and gotten elected to public office in 2012 as councilman of London. He was reelected in 2016 and decided to offer his name to the Party for the Mayoral elections of 2020.

Now in office, Luis pushes for liberal ideas, advocating for issues ranging from the state of the NHS to the ecological transition of London. He fights gentrification and has launched a series of projects aiming to help the 99% whether through the tackling of immigrational issues, or fundings for promising young entrepreneurs. His long-term plans include Parliament but being the first man of color making it to Prime Minister would also be an honor.

+ / -   Charismatic, level-headed, incisive, passionate, calculating, idealistic, overly empathetic, intense

He’s obsessed with Queen and sometimes quotes the band in speeches. No one’s noticed, so far.

Luis’ hair is speckled with grey streaks, it has been this way since his early 30s.

Luis doesn’t drink often and doesn’t smoke. He makes sure he’s walked at least 10 000 steps every day and does yoga and pilates on  a regular basis. However, he splurges an awful lot on coffee and drinks too much of it. He’s not all that fond of tea, but if you ask him, he’ll pretend he loves earl grey as it is one of those things that makes you untrustworthy to the British eye.

Luis is an avid bird watcher and can imitate many bird songs with ease.

His secretary often moves items in the office to see if Luis will  notice. Detail oriented as he is, it often takes him little time to spot what changed. He could be world champion at the 7 differences game.

Luis eats food in his plate from least liked to most liked.

FC: Oscar Isaac

Number 3 and 14

3. Edd likes cola, Tom likes Smirnoff, Matt likes himself and Tord likes guns. What would your character’s favourite thing be?

Dr pepper for sure. my romance with edd begins as a cola brand rivalry but it blossoms into a beautiful mutual love <3

14. What would your neighbour counterpart be named? (example: Edd has Eduardo, etc)

My idea is that their full name is Matthew but because we can't have two Matthews they shorten it to Mate

NAME: Hector García AGE: 52 GENDER: cis man PRONOUNS: he/him DATE OF ARRIVAL: 2012 JOB: Radio person - former politician

BIO: Hector García – former congressman of Washington Born on April 19th, 1950, in Seattle, the second child of María and Eduardo García, Hector was raised by parents who had to flee Cuba. The two political refugees eventually decided to settle permanently in the US. This segment of his life is one that was exploited by his P.R. team during his campaign for congress and earned him several points in polls. As a child, his parents signed him up for scout camps: they didn’t want their son to be idle for the whole summer. His older sister spent her summer taking gym classes, and he could have used some time away from books. After a few summers, the young boy was put in charge of his group of scouts and that was his first-time experiencing leadership from the top of the pyramid rather than the bottom. He found that he quite enjoyed that, and that he was good at it too. When he started school again in September of that year, Hector had blossomed into a much more confident teenager than he was a couple months before. Although according to his best friend, he was still a huge bloody raging nerd, he stopped being nearly as introverted and shy as he once was, and found that through opening to others, people did the same to him. While studying in college, he used the couple of connections he had made during highschool internships to land a job with a Seattle councilwoman’s office notably on matters regarding immigration and graduated in Political Sciences with honors. He dedicated his energy in activism and sided along Democratic party politicians, assisting them in their campaigns. But that wasn’t enough for him. As far as he could tell, those elected in office didn’t really have the people’s interest at heart, but only their own. In office, Hector pushed for socialist ideas, advocating for issues such as free healthcare, a greener America, free education but it all ended abruptly in 2012 when he woke up not in his office but on Panopticon Island. He has ever since done the best he can to help those stuck in the outer apocalyptic world, but the more he sees scavengers coming back from the outside the more he wonders if perhaps it wouldn’t be best for Islanders and outsiders if the connection was destroyed. Pillaging a collapsing world? That had to be wrong.

FC: Raul Esparza. Played by Amélie