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the-redheaded-league · 2 years

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Midnight Mass One Shots Part 1

Moving these to their own post so I can be organized. NSFW content is marked with a star (*). Possible TW content is marked with a carrot (^) and further specifics are tagged on Ao3.

SFW/Fluff/just really cute:

Father Paul realizes he’s demi

The Deepest Darkness - our poor little meow meow has a lot of nightmares

As the World Caves In - Paul’s always hated storms...

To See the Face of God - Paul realizes he’s falling in love (pure fluff)

A Glass for the Saints - It’s New Year’s Eve on Crockett Island, and Paul finally gets his first New Year’s kiss.

Touch Starved - Paul doesn’t realize what he’s missed for so long until he has someone to hold whenever he wants.

Good News of Great Joy - Some Christmas cuteness in which Paul hears some of the greatest news of his life.

Witchy Woman - Paul gets to spend Halloween with the love of his life and gets an excuse to dress up as the poor little meow meow we know he is.

The Woman Made of Stars - Paul wakes up on Erin’s couch with Grace… and then realizes they’re not home alone. Even more of the embarrassed little meow meow being so in love.

Wicked Game - Paul’s afraid the love of his life is seeing someone else.

To Have and to Hold - Paul finally gets to marry the love of his life... if Bev doesn’t step in and ruin the day.

Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy - "Dance with me?" Paul looked at Grace, such sweetness in his eyes as he held out his hand.

Sharing the Night Together - Paul gets lonely in the middle of the night and keeps calling the one person he knows will always answer.

Forever and Always - No matter how old and forgetful they get, Paul and Grace will always love each other. A sweet glimpse into them being cute old people who are still so in love no matter what happens.

Illicit Affairs - In a world where Paul isn’t the only newly young person on Crockett, Grace is afraid he’s falling for someone else.

Adam and... - Paul always knew he was different. He thought he had it all figured out, until he heard the youth group kids talking about "bisexuality". And then he did some research. Kind of a follow-up to "Perfectly Normal", but can also be read on its own.

Don’t Touch the Artwork - A sweet little museum date on the mainland, where Paul can pretend to be someone he’s not turns into him being seen for who he really is.

The Good Seminarian - Paul more or less followed the commandments and followed his vows, but now he’s fallen so desperately in love... and has to confess to the bishop and risk getting kicked out of the diocese.

Silent Night - “You carried them for nine months, I can get up in the middle of the night when they’re crying.” Paul being the best dad and best husband ever.

The Mystery Florist - Paul’s first somewhat-kiss in 50 years makes him so infinitely happy.

What Happens in the Uppards… - Paul finally asks Grace to be his officially official girlfriend when they sneak off to the Uppards together.

The Priest’s Fairytale - a sweet glimpse into their honeymoon (tiny NSFW warning if you squint)

The Priest’s Wedding Night - for so many people who have asked (tiny NSFW warning)

The Devil in My Bloodstream - Paul Hill died. No heartbeat, no breath, fully dead. It may have been a miracle that brought him back, but it wasn’t the miracle that everyone else thought it was.

Marty - A short fic about Grace coming home from a trip to the mainland to find Paul curled up with someone else.

Our Miracles - Paul meets his babies for the first time :’)

A Crazy Little Thing Called Love - all of Paul’s Valentine’s Day plans go horribly wrong, but Grace loves him anyway.

Singles’ Night - Paul is horrible at trying to pick up a woman in a bar... thankfully she’s so in love with him that it doesn’t matter.

I Need My Girl - Even more self doubt (and even more comfort) for the little meow meow.

Can’t Help Falling in Love - A couple glasses of wine + two people who are so in love but have barely touched each other = shy, sweet first kisses

Crock Pot Luck 2.0 - Grace & Paul make Bev’s life miserable by being the sweetest friends and neighbors.

Quackariah - Paul adopts a lost little duckling & Grace gets to see how good of a dad he’s going to be. *soft eyes*

The Priest’s Proposal - Paul finally asks the love of his life to marry him

Feels Like Heaven - Paul’s been to too many funerals. This one might break him.

Date Night - a collection of Paul & Grace’s mainland dates

Magic in the Moonlight - Paul and Grace and their early-relationship late-night confessions.

Sadness Runs Through Him - Grace finally confronts Paul about all of the times he asks a fearful “Do you really love me?”

Hello My Old Heart - This was everything she’d ever wanted, everything she ever dreamt of, and here she was, sobbing alone in a dark room.

Someone to Stay - the first time Grace sleeps over

People Will Talk - “Monsignor, have you seen this?!” Paul definitely had seen the pink lace Bev was holding up. Just for a second, as Grace stripped in the confessional. He gulped, shaking his head.

Specially marked for potential TWs:

Out of the Woods^ - inspired by one of Haim’s favorite Taylor songs - Bev tries to poison the priest before he’s had enough of the sacrament... all the hurt, all the comfort

The Purest Expression of Grief^ - for the anon who wanted Paul to cry his heart out

Remorse, Regret, Repentance^ - Paul thinks he’s completely fine after being cured of his vampirism. He’s most definitely not.

Through the Valley^ - Paul & Grace experience one of the worst losses anyone could ever bear. Though they each deal with it differently, they’ll always have each other.

Alice^ - “Why did you not name me after Auntie Alice?” It broke Paul’s heart, but he had to explain that the twins weren't their only children. A bit of a sequel to Through the Valley, though it can be read on its own.

Blood of the Lamb^ - Paul’s so afraid of blood after being cured of the angel’s blessing that even the tiniest, most unavoidable injuries make him wonder if he’s hurt the people he loves the most.

Sunlight^ - Vampire!Paul is so tired of being a monster that he takes matters into his own hands... at least until Grace finds out. A “kiss it better” fic :)

When Your Heart is Tired^ - The Pruitts’ struggle with postpartum depression, in which Paul doesn’t understand why Grace isn’t happy but he supports her and loves her all the same.

Just a Holy Fool^ - Paul meets Grace’s family and realizes why she never talks to them.

Aftershocks^* - Paul and Grace struggle to have a normal sex life after they lose their first baby.

The Persistence of Memory^ - One mistake brings back a flood of awful memories for Grace, and Paul is the absolute best about it.

An Unholy Hoax^ - a request for the meow meow to have even more religious trauma than previously thought...

The Mouse^ - before his kids are born, Paul has to confront something about the man he was and the father he wants to be

Fragile^ - the seemingly perfect Pruitts actually get into a big fight that ends in a lot of tears

NSFW/NSFT:

For I Am About to Sin* - “Kinks? Like in your neck? When you’ve been praying for a while?”

No Sweeter Innocence Than Our Gentle Sin* - my answer to “what if he finishes just from kissing?”/the thigh riding fic everyone wants

Like A Virgin* - based on a request asking for Paul & Grace’s first time bc we all know this poor little meow meow is capable of more than a few minutes of sad missionary... once he learns a little

Broken Hallelujah* - the c*ckwarming fic I was asked for... the homily gets finished first, and then the priest is allowed to finish ;)

Blood from Eden* - Vampire!Paul and his unusual comfort methods...

Moment’s Silence* - Paul gets his first bj (what more summary do I need?)

Midday Confessions* - What happens in confession stays in confession...

A Hazy Shade of Winter* - Paul & Grace get snowed into the rectory during a record-setting snowstorm over Crockett Island. Cuddling (and more) for warmth ensue.

Catholic Guilt* - Based on a request for Paul fantasizing about Grace and then having to confess every dirty thought he had and everything he did about those thoughts.

Rituale Romanum*^ - Paul finds a way to make an exorcism less painful, but he awakens something else in the process.

Perfectly Imperfect (*ish) - the time it really was just a few minutes of disappointing missionary (he’s so excited, he can’t help it… and it def makes him cry)

Not Going Anywhere* - A soft little love story in which Paul is filled with doubt, but he has nothing to worry about, because while he isn't complete without Grace, she's also not complete without him. Based on the Penny and Sparrow song "Duet". Maybe they’re even coming home from this sweet little story.

A Rosary Made of Pearls* - Paul comes home from Mass to find an interesting present waiting for him.

Stigmata* - Paul asks Grace to help him when the angel’s been missing for too long, but he makes sure it’s well worth it for her too.

Everybody Talks* - Erin & Riley throw a party right after Paul & Grace tell the church about their relationship, but their guests of honor end up sneaking off for some alone time.

Shameless Wonder* - “Hey, uh, what’s this?” Paul has no idea what sex toys are, but he gets to learn in the best way.

Blessed Assurance* - strap-on/peg the priest fic request!

Perfect Salvation* - “peg the priest” part 2

Living Water of Our Salvation* - the answer to the anon who asked for “man I would just love a fic focusing on Paul going down on Grace and being fantastic at it”.

Perfect Penance* - “Can you tie me up?” … the kink list returns ;)

Like a Heathen Clings to a Homily* - the “what if Paul has to have a full convo with Bev through a door while Grace is giving him a bj” fic I was asked for ;)

Bad Believer* - “I need… I need you to punish me, Father.”

Somewhere Only We Know* - Camping sex fic request!

Attention* - bratty Paul fic request!

The Paper Year* - Paul & Grace’s first anniversary

The Hot Priest Calendar* - Grace starts leaving photos of herself in lingerie around the house, and Paul knows just how to get back at her ;)

All the Saints Adore Thee* - Paul goes on a trip and he’s been gone for entirely too long... based on a request for reunion sex, rosary biting, etc

Hanging On a Moment with You* - Paul learns about edging and Grace learns how much of a tease he can be.

With My Body I Thee Worship* - “Let’s see how slow we can go”... aka the most agonizingly slow sex they could ever have

Teach Me How to Pray* - Paul tries his hand at being the dominant one…

Only Love Can Hurt Like This* - “I am… so sore that I can’t really move, but I need you.” The follow-up to Teach Me How to Pray

When I Kissed the Teacher* - an innocent dinner with their friends ends with Grace & Paul breaking into the school and desecrating Bev’s desk

Priest and Penitent* - “You’ve been a very, very bad girl, Gracie...” the companion story to Judge and Jury is posted here!

#midnight mass #father paul #monsignor pruitt #father paul and his amazing grace

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linxuelian · 3 years

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I found a Chinese BL Warring States Game of Thrones, three years older than The Untamed

And I just had to write a review about it! It’s 60 episodes long so I haven’t finished it yet at the time I’m writing this - but I decided to just go ahead and recommend it anyway.

Why, you ask?

For one, it’s Romance of the Three Kingdoms with all the Hollywood action and adult HBO things. It’s got explosions:

Horses falling down:

People getting flogged:

Sweaty soldiers getting mauled to death:

Children used as hostages:

Dead bodies presented in court:

Stylish dye jobs:

Loving father figures:

A Jon Snow lookalike:

And very gay innuendo:

That’s right, unlike The Untamed, which was first written as a straight series featuring Wen Qing as the main female lead and then rewritten again after fans of the novel decided to boycott it, this series was written to be gay from the very beginning. It got taken down by the Chinese Censorship Board after twelve episodes and river-crabbed to death, but a good number of scenes survived censorship. Those that did not made it to BiliBili in the form of “hidden” videos and disguised as “music videos”.

That’s not all. For a warring period Wuxia series, it’s got very beautiful actors, backdrops and clothing. It’s dressed like a fairy tale, with different kingdoms sporting different colours and styles in fashion and tastes.

In terms of art direction, it’s pretty low-budget for a series but the team makes good use of existing props, locations and brighter-coloured fabric to make up for the quality. The costume design is more fantasy-based than period, and the vivid takes and angles in the first season add to its charm.

There’s also its complex story line, which brings us to...

Men with Swords is not a title for the faint-hearted. There is an acute absence of black-and-white morality depicted in it.

If you think a BL series with such beautiful backdrops and fairytale-like clothes is for the simple-minded, one-track-good-vs-evil sort, think again. The series is a tale about Murong Li, a vengeful prince disguised as a musician and his rise to power, leaving behind a trail of death and destruction in its wake.

Where The Untamed fails at delivering gray morality unlike the novel it’s adapted from, choosing to alter its script to fit a more general audience (a commercially-wise decision which got it into Netflix), Men with Swords succeeds in faithfully telling a tale where there is no good or evil, only humanity, jealousy, grudges, rebellion, loyalty, life, death, greed and love.

Everyone has both good and bad sides, just different camps and motives. Men with Swords tells the story from not just one person’s perspective, but from the perspective of many different people, all of whom become entangled in a battle for their figurative Iron Throne - to become the king of the world.

There are no “what ifs” in this story, only decisions, reactions and repercussions

A prevailing theme in this series is that there are no “what ifs” and no turning back in life, only things that have happened and will happen. Murong Li starts his journey as a prince who has lost everything and a victim of war, wandering around for three years while being put down and getting sexually harassed, eventually losing it, taking his chances and hardening his heart as he walks down his conniving, badass path of destruction towards the top.

Men with Swords is not a series for the faint-hearted. It’s a game of chess where the main character, Murong Li, is cunning and decisive, cold and ruthless and many recurring characters die horrible, sudden deaths, friend and foe alike, a la Attack on Titan.

The series is filled with political strife and warfare, peppered with some sweet, comedic and romantic undertones. There is a stark contrast between fluffy and dark in its narrative, which is pretty refreshing overall.

With that all aside, I know what you’re probably scrolling down for:

The main characters and their boyfriends

This is it. This is what you’re here for. Most “BL” series are actually bromances, but the real upside for a BL fan is that this show is not a bromance - it’s a BL title, and even with censorship, the love stories prevail.

I’m going to put this under a cut because it’s LONG AF, but what that means is that there is a LOT of BL content available, and not the type that you have to hunt for. They’re very open about it.

While the show itself has a lot of ships, there’s a larger focus on three main ones, namely the beautiful Murong Li and two powerful kings, the fairy-like Ling Guang and his servants, and King Jian Bin with his general.

Murong Li: Da Ji 2.0 and his rich and powerful kings

If you’re a Jin Guangyao fan, you’ll probably enjoy Murong Li and his elegant, charming viles and ruthless scheming. He’s a surprisingly good fighter too, and unlike most elegant and waif-like beauties in dramas and novels alike, he’s a beauty with brains who uses his physical weakness as his strength, bending and seducing his way up to power.

Murong Li only really goes after rich and powerful people, worming his way into the kingdom and taking them down from the inside. Two main love interests are King Zhi Ming, the childish but rich king of Tianquan:

And Yu Xiao, a powerful barbarian king with a soft heart:

Murong Li, while wandering around as a musician, picks up many tricks along the way to hone himself. He’s adept at dressing up, making himself look helpless and alluring to bewitch powerful men, for one:

See that small smile right there? Yes, our boy knows what he’s doing.

Aside from that, Murong Li’s also pretty good at manipulating people by using their jealousies and insecurities, getting them to fight with each other over him.

Murong Li, although modeled after the cruel and beautiful Murong Chong, the Emperor of Wei, is likened to Da Ji, the favorite consort of the King Zhou of Shang. Da Ji was said to be a malevolent fox spirit who started the art of foot-binding to hide her fox feet. Everyone else looking in can see it, but the King was blinded, just like Murong Li’s powerful love interests. In fact, the series draws a direct parallel to it:

The Guo Shi here uses the term “yao”, which alludes to a malevolent spirit.

It’s not that Murong Li doesn’t have a weakness, though. Just like every Jin Guangyao has a Lan Xichen around to cause him to slip now and then, Murong Li surprisingly is weak towards the most naive and childish character in the series, the truant King Zhi Ming, whose only qualities are having purple bangs and being rich and playful.

No matter how calculative and ruthless Murong Li is in the series, he does end up almost slipping up and giving everything away when it comes to this bumbling fellow:

He’s saved only at the nick of time by one of his followers. Murong Li tells a lot of lies, but the one thing he can’t lie about are his feelings towards King Zhi Ming, who is ultimately the one thing he can’t give up next to his kingdom.

There’s a lot more one can write about a complex character such as Murong Li, but the second ship is just as good. It features:

Ling Guang: The Ex-Arrogant Depressed Hamster hung up over a dead ex

Ling Guang, the mortal enemy and foil to Murong Li, is a baby-faced, very-much-older-than-he-looks character whose sole purpose in this series is to wear frilly magenta clothing, destroy the kingdom of Yaoguang, set Murong Li down a path of vengeful destruction and piss off eligible, probably younger bachelors by comparing them to his very handsome, very loyal and very dead boyfriend, his personal guard, Qiu Zhen, who died sometime over thirteen years ago.

The bachelors’ pissed off takes to this are particularly priceless:

Here’s another one from season 2:

That HMPH face is to die for.

Ling Guang’s delusions are met head-on by these eligible bachelors, his ministers and his allies alike:

Only to be met by a, “haha, NO.”

Frustrating, right? It only gets worse as the series progresses. Due to Wuxia’s fantastical existence of sword souls, he begins to actively test his subjects out to see if they’re his dead boyfriend, whose sword soul is still alive:

Gu Shi’an: WTF.

So why do these eligible, handsome bachelors, particularly this guy from season two, jump at his lap every chance they get?

First off, he’s very, very pretty. He’s arguably the prettiest and fanciest king in the series, with a cute rounded face, favoring fluffy organza, frills and feathers in his garb, and sporting fabulous curls like that of a swan princess on a good day.

Secondly, and more importantly, it’s likely because he’s the type loyal dogs adore.

He’s stupidly and openly attached to his bodyguards and servants, unable to hide his feelings or control them. Ling Guang’s relationships are technically the opposite of Murong Li’s. While Murong Li hides his feelings and goes after men of power and tends to use them before leaving them, Ling Guang’s willing to sacrifice everything, including his kingdom, his health and his own life for men who are merely servants.

He's a king who doesn’t know proper protocol. He’s the type who’ll demand to eat with you at the same table:

Creeps outside the palace to see you off:

Hugs your sword around like a pillow while he waddles around listlessly and sleeps with it by his side after you’re long dead (grand total: 13 years):

Coddles you when you’re sick:

Takes arrows for you:

Isn’t afraid to cry and tell you how it is:

Faints violently and won’t rest until he can get your stolen body back:

The results?

If he’s not what loyal bodyguards like, I don’t know what he is. If Murong Li’s love interests have to pit themselves against each other to show how useful they are for his sake, Ling Guang’s love interests need to wrestle with a dead man he can’t let go of... which is hopeless, because you can’t kill a guy who’s already dead.

As a foil to Murong Li, what’s also interesting to note is that it’s alluded to and foreshadowed that he’s exactly the sort the loyal Yu Xiao, the current barbarian king, would have loved to have as a lover - honest, loyal and doting - unlike Murong Li himself. Gongsun Qian, a deputy minister with great foresight, had wanted Ling Guang to go to see the new barbarian kingdom, but he had refused to go outside the palace, shutting himself inside like an otaku. This decision ultimately gave Murong Li a step forward with his plans, at the great cost of four kingdoms, including his own.

Jian Bin: My boyfriend can (REALLY) fight

Next up is Jian Bin and his general. Jian Bin’s the king of Tian Ji, a new kingdom founded by astrologers. The catch here is that Jian Bin and his boyfriend, Qi Zhi Kan, are both men of science, and this tank of a boyfriend is a genius on the battlefield who doesn’t give a single shit about star signs, astrology and superstitions.

A story between a serious, loving king and his handsome general who was once a simple sword-maker in the woods, King Jian Bin meets his handsome ex-lumberjack boyfriend when he’s attacked, falls down from his horse and is rescued by the man himself.

Jian Bin then brings the guy back to his palace and dresses him in armor:

This puts the king’s general on the war path of several ministers and the superstitious people in their kingdom. As lovers, the two go through various trials together in an attempt to run their kingdom their way.

Qi Zhi Kan may seem like a herbivore in front of the king, but he’s really not one at all. He’s terrifying to a degree when it comes to warfare, and very, very difficult to take down. Unlike the other ministers, Qi Zhi Kan knows that he can expand the kingdom quickly and solve problems by waging war.

Even his allies are scared of him:

Ultimately, it’s a ship meant for those who like watching the king teasing his loyal subject and caressing armor whenever he’s around AND not around. Jian Bin even admits to it on-scene:

This loving and devoted couple were originally blessed as the ones with the most piggyback scenes, tender bandaging-your-chest and armor fondling, but they got censored unfortunately.

Scenes like these made the cut, though:

And that’s it! There are actually other minor ships, but these are the main ones for now.

If you’re sold and interested in the show, the series is available online on Rakuten Viki. https://www.viki.com/tv/35524c?locale=zh

#bl series #chinese bl #series recommendations #c-drama #men with sword #chinese period drama

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raeynbowboi · 3 years

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Building an Embodiment of the Fairytale Princess (2.0)

This is nothing new. I’ve done this build before, which I’ll link right [here]. The post did really well, and people seemed to love the concept. However, since then, Mythic Odysseys of Theros and Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything have both come out, bringing with them not only new subclasses, but new features, spells, mechanics, and elements that I couldn’t take into consideration the first time around. So, I decided that rather than just adding a tag on post like I did before, I’d just remake the build with the new features being taken into consideration. Like before, the focus of the build is to create an embodiment of the generic fairytale princess and not any one particular character. So without further ado, let’s get into it.

Like before, we’ll be choosing Variant Human for our race of choice. We’ll channel Sleeping Beauty to be gifted by the fey with blessings of Beauty, Grace, and Song for +1 CHA, +1 DEX, and Performance proficiency. We also get a bonus feat, and thanks to Tasha’s, we can now take Fey Blessed for +1 CHA. However, if she doesn’t cast with Charisma, then substitute those CHA bonuses with Wisdom instead.

The generic fairytale princess is a maid of purest heart, so we’re Lawful Good. But for your more rebellious princesses, Neutral Good or Chaotic Good are also valid.

Background is obviously Noble for proficiency with History and Persuasion.

CLASSES & SUBCLASSES

BARD

This one seems pretty obvious. Bards love to sing and dance, like your stereotypical princess. Because Charisma is their top stat, and they have expertise, it can make them great negotiators, and allow them to excel in dialogue interactions.

GLAMOUR

This college is very fitting for a fairytale princess, as it is focused on making oneself as beautiful and charming as the Fairest of Them All.

LORE

Lore bards share information, whether they tell stories, recite plays, share philosophy, or spread juicy gossip, the Lore Bard gets more magical secrets, and added expertise to make your princess an even bigger Mary Sue. In actual medieval history, princesses often learned to play instruments and sing, recite prayers or poems, or tell stories to visiting guests, and it was considered a part of her education and duty to do so.

CLERIC

While not every princess is a devout religious girl, their stories tend to be set in the medieval period when a good princess would have been expected to be chaste and pious. So on that front, worshiping a good deity would be befitting of such a character.

LIFE

The fairytale princess raises up those they care about, and nothing is more supportive and helpful than keeping your friends on their feet. The Life Cleric turns your princess into a kind soul who weeps for her friends and patches them up after the battle, turning your princess into a useful ally against the wicked witches and dangerous dragons.

LIGHT

Not all Fairytale Princesses are passive or support players. Those who lean toward Light are the princesses who stand as the Big Good of their story and battle the forces of Darkness with the power of the Light. Of the three Cleric options that fit the archetype, this is the best option for being a powerhouse in combat.

PEACE

Don’t get me wrong, I still hate this domain for wearing the skin of the Love Domain we were supposed to get, and you can absolutely still play it that way. How this domain went from Love to Togetherness to Pacifism is beyond me, but it’s a fairly strong subclass. The classic princess archetype is supposed to be gentle and kind, fitting for one who worships a god of mercy and forgiveness. It’s a value often toted as the strongest characterization of the early Disney princesses.

DRUID

My first time building the fairytale princess, I ignored Druid as an option because the wildshaping didn’t really make sense for a fairytale princess, but a lot of the Bardic Magical Secrets were used to steal Druid spells. However, thanks to the optional rules from Tasha’s, Druids can now use their Wildshape to summon fey that take on the shapes of animals instead of turning into the animals themselves, which makes Druid far more viable, as summoning animals is very in-character for a fairytale princess.

DREAMS

The Circle of Dreams has heavy Fey associations with references to the Summer Court ruled by Titania. It also is strongly focused on healing, and has a very Fairy Tale flavor to it. It’s an especially great option if you want to invoke Sleeping Beauty, as you can cloak your party while you sleep and send messages to people through your dreams.

SHEPHERD

The fairytale princess is strongly associated with animal buddies, and nothing makes better use of that than the Shepherd Druid, which focuses on amassing an army of critters. What’s more, the Unicorn Totem is very fitting, not only because Unicorns only approach maidens with pure hearts, but Shepherds of the Unicorn Totem get empowered healing.

SORCERER

The sorcerer is born with a spark of something special in them, and a lot of fantasy royalty have magical powers that other people in their world lack.

DIVINE SOUL

The princess doesn’t literally have to be the descendant of the gods, as the original name for the subclass was more about being favored by the gods. Still, if you want to lean into the idea of the princess as the Big Good against the Big Bad, then having her be born with the spark of the gods inside her makes for a neat characterization.

WILD MAGIC

With the new Sorcerer Shards as I’ve come to call them, we were introduced to the Feywild Shard, which was heavily geared toward Wild Magic Sorcerers, which seems to be WoTC’s way of saying that Wild Magic Sorcerers are the fey-linked sorcerous origin, so I’m including it because of our fey connection.

WARLOCK

This is the only class where there’s exactly one good option, but it’s one that works surprisingly well.

ARCHFEY

As a Warlock with a Pact of the Chain, your fairytale princess can choose to Find Familiar any cute little animal companion, or a Sprite to be your Fairy Godmother. Or rather, you can sign a pact with your Fairy Godmother, and use your Chain Pact to summon one of her emissaries to help you. The Archfey patron themselves can act as your Fairygodther, granting you and your party boons and aid where they need it.

WARLOCK INVOCATIONS

Agonizing Blast Armor of Shadows Beast Speech Eldritch Mind Eldritch Sight Gift of the Ever-Living Ones Shroud of Shadow Voice of the Chain Master

CHARISMA vs WISDOM

The big split in how you build your princess falls down the line between these two camps. The wise princess works better as a Druid/Cleric, while a charming princess is more of a Bardlock. For me personally, as much as the Cleruid fits the fairytale princess, the stereotype of the princess is usually that she is gullible, naïve, and overly trusting. Insight is a wisdom check, and something the classic princess archetype is usually bad at. Granted, Animal Handling is also Wisdom, but the Bard’s expertise can overrule a low Wisdom score. Think of it like a clash between Princess Zelda from the Legend of Zelda vs Princess Peach from Mario. Princess Zelda is wise and is much more focused on leadership and protecting her kingdom. Peach is more about the pretty dresses and having servants help her. They’re two very different camps on the princess archetype. Ultimately, which one you choose will depend on the type of princess you wish to invoke. The Classic Damsel or the Wise Matriarch.

SIDEKICKS

A new feature added in Tasha’s, sidekicks are secondary characters that can help the party and are basically simplified character builds with fewer bells and whistles. There are three main camps:

Expert. Experts are clever and knowledgeable, be they minstrels, librarians, pickpockets, merchants, or assassins. They can pick proficiency with DEX, INT, or CHA saving throws, and can be proficient or an expert with any five skills of your choice, and humanoids also gain proficiency with light armor, simple weapons, and two tools of your choice.

Spellcaster. Trained in the secrets of the Arcane, be they a priest, a fortuneteller, or a magical creature. They can choose proficiency with INT, WIS, or CHA checks, and can be proficient in Arcana, History, Insight, Investigation, Medicine, Performance, Persuasion, or Religion. They choose a roll to determine their spell list: Mage (Wizard), Healer (Cleric, Druid) or Prodigy (Bard, Warlock). The sidekick has access to the spell list of the classes their role aligns with, as well as casting with that stat.

Warrior. trained fighters, be they a soldier, a city guard, a trained animal, or a hired sword. They can pick proficiency with STR, DEX, or CON saving throws, and their skill options are Acrobatics, Animal Handling, Athletics, Intimidation, Nature, Perception, and Survival. Warriors can pick a fighting style: either Offensive to add +2 to attack and damage rolls, or Defender to impose disadvantage on hitting creatures other than them while within 5 feet of the princess.

Generic Princess Sidekicks

Humanoid Guard Warrior (bodyguard) Humanoid Commoner Expert (handmaiden, governess, etc.) Humanoid Magewright Spellcaster (court mage, or advisor) Any Beast-type Warrior (animal companion)

Fairytale Inspired Sidekicks

Seven Dwarves - Dwarf Warrior Fairy Godmother - Sprite or Pixie Spellcaster Prince Charming - Humanoid Noble Warrior Wicked Witch - Barovian Witch Spellcaster Beast - Gnoll, Jackalwere, Orc, or Troglodyte Warrior Puss in Boots - Awakened Cat or Tabaxi Warrior The Frog Prince - Awakened Frog or Grung Warrior Three Little Pigs - Awakened Pig Expert, Spellcaster, & Warrior Big Bad Wolf - Wolf Warrior or Awakened Wolf Expert Robin Hood - Redbrand Ruffian or Bandit Expert Djinn of the Lamp - Dust, Ice, or Magma Mephit Spellcaster Pinocchio - Giant Stone Statue Warrior White Rabbit - Awakened Rabbit Expert Cheshire Cat - Awakened Cat Expert or Spellcaster

There is no actual limit to the number of sidekicks your character can have, so in theory, your fairytale princess could have an entire posse of talking animals hanging out and helping her.

Skills, Spells, and Features

As a Variant Human, we got Performance proficiency alongside our Fey Touched feat, and as a Noble, we have proficiency with Persuasion and History. For everything else, we’re just looking to be a standard Fairytale Princess. So we should look to be proficient with: Animal Handling, Arcana, Religion, Nature, or Medicine.

BASIC FAIRIES

Dancing Lights Faerie Fire Healing Spirits Spirit Guardians Summon Fey Conjure Woodland Beings Conjure Fey

BASIC PRINCESS THINGS

Animal Friendship Command Heroism Speak With Animals Animal Messenger Calm Emotions Find Steed Warding Bond Zone of Truth Conjure Animals Mord’s Magnificent Mansion

SNOW WHITE

Armor of Agathys Mirror Image Beacon of Hope Aura of Purity Heroes’ Feast

CINDERELLA

Fabricate Creation True Polymorph Wish

SLEEPING BEAUTY

Sleep Phantasmal Killer Dream Wall of Thorns Dream of the Blue Veil

THE LITTLE MERMAID

Charm Person Shatter Suggestion Tidal Wave Compulsion Control Water Dominate Person Maelstrom Control Weather Tsunami Storm of Vengeance

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

Charm Monster Unseen Servant Tiny Servant Animate Objects Awaken Hold Monster Summon Fiend

Last time I built the fairytale princess, I gave her exactly 1 build. 18 levels of glamour bard and 2 levels of Archfey Warlock. But recently I’ve begun to instead put more stock in leaving builds open, showing instead the options that a player has to choose from. So, for this update, I’m not pushing for a specific build. I’ve laid out the appropriate spells, and the types of princesses that a player can strive to emulate with their spell lists. Consider this more of a guide to help you decide how you want to play your fairytale princess.

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helpicant-stop · 3 years

Note

sylvester do u have any song recs im asking because you’re a cool and funky person and also i need more songs

YES I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR SO FUCKIN LONG TO BE ASKED THIS

we're going by genres now bitch

vocaloid: check here

dsmp: out of touch by tia jade if by some miracle you haven't seen it yet and also betray somebody by oh no he's here. also if you haven't seen derivakat/kanaya songs yet how the hell are you in this fandom /lh

songs for when you are a cat but also own a copy shop: copy cat by melanie martinez, copycat by vocacircus, my copycat by orange caramel, copycat by billie eilish

stuff that has fairytale vibes: jabberworky, tarts, winter moon, come little children, the willow maid all by erutan; sera was never cover by alina gingertail {erutan also has one on her instrumental channel the menagerie}; le bal des chats by cecil corbel

songs that are kind of dark but have fantastic vibes: the evelyn evelyn album {cw because i'm pretty sure sandy fishnets is about pedophilia}; the murder of jane crow {my lobotomy is a banger but cw for alcohol and [you guessed it] lobotomies}; we're all mad by the circus contraption; death of the cog by the cog is dead; blood right by madame macabre {fun fact i found this song about 4 years ago via a now deleted gachaverse series }; the silent by tragic tantrum {cw for like slight ableist language, parasitic behaviour, eating someone inside out without consent and general disturbing themes}; bully boys by the tiger lillies {this isn't even dark i don't think it's just a little quirky goofy silly and a little weird}

song that feels like if queer people turned the colour purple into a drink: all dolled up and cosmicandy girl by the orion experience {see also: adrianne by the orion experience. it doesn't have the same vibe i just love the song in general}

old songs with good vibes: the george baker selection {favourites are dreamboat and una paloma blanca} and bad girls by donna summer

metal/rock??: yorktown and monster ball by butcher babies; inkya impulse from asobi asobase {shoutout to the unused one that also slaps}; this guy called falkkone who makes banger covers {they did baby shark for april fools once and i listen to it every morning as motivation/hj}; linzey rae {she has her own band but she made a cover of shut up and dance like 6 years ago and i love it}; pisces by jinjer; idol, telephone, and toxic covers by lauren babic; anything by babymetal {but i love iine and shanti shanti shanti}; age age money by ladybaby; the in-between and as above, so below by in this moment; lies behind your eyes' cover of fake love; our last night's 7 rings cover; everything by the oozes but specifically wanker, bitchboy and cryin' (like a baby); the cover of usseewa by futakuchi mana

stuff with unplaceable genres but are really poggers: tantrum, maggots and daisy 2.0 by ashnikko and brutus by buttress {cw for murder}; undertaker by graveyardguy {cw for ??? weirdly graphic suggestive themes and a mention of maggots}

hyperpop: anything by dorian electra but specifically my agenda and ram it down; the friday remix and personal by rebecca black; toxic by pussy riot {cw for blood and a mention of a dick}; legend by alice longyu gao and alice glass; this one mashup of faceshopping by sophie and nicki minaj's monster verse or something; in my mouth by the black dresses {cw for suggestive themes}

this one artist with a genre that i can't describe: lil mariko but specifically boring and i'm baby {cw for suggestive themes in a lot of them}

songs that absoputely SERVE: fashionista by jimmy james; immature couture by poppy; hot couture and robbed by manila luzon; my beauty by beauty freak ft. malee; let's face it i'm cute by 11 acorn lane

poppy: poppy. she does like. so many genres you're bound to find at least one thing that bangs but for more pop-ish stuff go to girls in bikinis/am i a girl, for stuff that sounds like 90s rock (?) her and so mean are banger, for stuff that sounds calming go to poppy's christmas album or the majority of flux, for her like electronic(??) aggressive loud soundy stuff in a similar vein to derivakat's revived i really like the eat ep {cw for: political shit in CUE, antinatalism (???) themes in breeders and an ed in EAT} and the extras in i disagree. her music also frequently features screams! bite your teeth is i think one of the most traditionally metalish ones she has and i have no idea where meat, voicemail and choke fall but boy do they bang {cw for themes of consuming humans/slaughterhouse practises and asphyxiation}; she also has instrumentals, like music to scream to

also no idea what genres these are: jazmin bean's music bangs and is also really diverse. my personal favourites are super slaughter and worldwide torture but they're all amazing

musicals: lizzie the musical, especially the house of borden {general cw for domestic abuse, poison, food poisoning, death, prison and murder} ; the guy who didn't like musicals, especially join us and die {cw for gross cult shit??, murder, police brutality being satirised??, gore, and a small emetophobia warning}; chicago but my favourite changes depending on the day but cell block tango is a good start because it is about women murdering their husbands; and six, especially all you wanna do {cw for grooming. also haus of holbein has a historically inaccurate line about corsets}. avenue q is mildly questionable but boy if i don't listen to if you were gay every day {cw for ?? a song about racism ??? and suggestive themes but they're fucking puppets so idk man}; the cats musical but specifically mr. mistofellees, memory (reprise) and rum tum tugger {cw for vaguely suggestive cat behaviour}

opera {these are prety popular but i still like them okay}: habanera from carmen; the doll song from tales of hoffmann; fruhlingsstimmen {big q's lore stream had the instrumental version of this as the background music}, figaro's aria from the barber of seville; queen of the night from the magic flute

anime osts: the youjo senki and puella magi madoka magica osts (including the opening and ending), the asobi asobase ending song

horror(??) instrumentals: check out colin stetson! i especially love among the sef

classical: literally anything by tchaikovsky, but can can music by offenbach; in the hall of the mountain king by grieg {which, fun fact, was interpolated into ashnikko's halloweenie iv: innards. by the way if you watch innards it has very graphic body horror fx, insect mentions, and general unsettling themes}; beethoven's 9th symphony; the planets by gustav holst; and lacrimosa by mozart are also really good

rap ?? music: anything by rico nasty but i like the smack a bitch remix and ohfr and also pj by ppcocaine is really good {suggestive themes cw also i think there's a straight up moan in there at some point}; and roman holiday by nicki minaj {cw for converstion therapy and an exorcism if you choose to watch the grammys video of it}

childrens songs {mostly disney} that make me want to buy a giant oven and bake a failed elsa cake /pos: shiny; a girl worth fighting for; how bad can i be {i'm being so serious rn fuckin fight me on this /j/lh}; evil like me; the walrus and the carpenter; how can i refuse and barbie songs in general;

and lastly: threnody by missmi. yes i am fucking promoting her songs again because yall better listen to them they're legit so good. part 7 just came out yesterday and it's a banger now go watch them

#long post #asks!!#spider ////o\\\\#bestie im so sorry it took me like 4 months to get to this ask #magnificent song recs #<- so i can find this again next time in case i want to rb and add more #chitter

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prrplwtch · 4 years

Note

With so much angst in the dressverse AU, May I request a scenario where MC is so excited to see Levi’s dress that they just run up and hug Levi right away because they always wanted to dress like a Princess?

Hi nonnie :) Yes, I think you are right, it’s time for fluff 💜

“Thank you.” Levi x f!MC

Levi was pacing around his room, feeling a cold wave of anxiety rise in his chest. What was I thinking?

It all started with that romantic anime Levi was watching one day. In that anime, a character could not muster the courage confess his feelings to his love interest, so instead he sent her a beautiful dress to wear to the ball – and when she showed up wearing it, he knew she liked him too.

Suddenly, Levi had a brilliant idea. Perhaps I should send a dress to MC to wear to the upcoming ball at Diavolo’s castle…Then she will know I like her.

He’d spent so much time looking for the dress, until one day he came upon a perfect one. The dress looked like it would suit a fairytale princess – it was sky blue, off shoulder gown with a fitted bodice and a full skirt. Levi was too ashamed to admit just how many hours he’d spent dreaming of how radiant MC would look in that dress.

But now that the day of the ball had finally arrived, and Levi knew that the dress had been delivered to MC, his excitement was gone replaced by intense anxiety. Why did I ever think this would be a good idea? What if she hates it? What if she hates…me?

I’m such a fool. Life is not an anime. Someone like her would never like an otaku like me, Levi thought, as he continued pacing around the room, What if she wouldn’t want to be my friend after this? Did I mess up everything with this stupid idea?

Suddenly, there was a knock on Levi’s door and he stopped, startled - he was not expecting anyone. He glanced to Henry 2.0, as if asking his friend whether he should open the door, but Henry 2.0 was ever wise in his silence. The knocking repeated, and Levi took a deep breath before heading over to the door and opening it.

As soon as he opened the door, Levi’s heart sank – MC was standing in the corridor, and, by the look on her face, she had been crying.

What have I done?

Levi’s thoughts were panicked and frazzled, but he knew he needed to say something.

“MC,” he finally stuttered, “What’s wrong?”

Suddenly, instead of answering MC threw her arms around Levi’s neck, pulling him in for a hug. Levi’s heart raced in his chest as heat rose to his cheeks. He stood still in her embrace, unsure of what to do and too afraid to move in case this was all just a dream.

“I just wanted to say thank you in person, before the ball,” MC murmured still holding him tight, “For the dress. You know, when I was a girl I’d spent hours daydreaming of being a princess – and in all my dreams I wore the dress that looked so much like the one you gifted me. So thank you, for making my childhood dream come true.”

Levi was stunned by MC’s confession – she seemed happy with his gift.

“So you like it?” Levi asked, his mouth feeling suddenly dry.

“I absolutely love it,” MC said, pulling away and looking him into the face, “Thank you so much.”

Her face was just inches away from his, and Levi felt his blush deepen. Suddenly, she leaned in pressing a featherlight kiss to his cheek, and, before Levi could say anything, pulled away from the hug.

“I can’t wait to see you in a couple hours,” she smiled before walking down the corridor away from his room.

Levi was standing in the doorway, absolutely stunned. He put his hand to his cheek, absent-mindedly tracing his fingertips across the spot where her lips touched his skin.

Who knew real life could sometimes be better than anime.

#obey me #obey me shall we date #obey me leviathan #obey me leviathan x mc

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alltoozelle · 5 years

Text

Each lesson from the ELLE magazine cover corresponds to a track on the album.

Shes said its got more tracks than usual, so why not 30? The number shes been talking about so much?

This fits with the ME and YOU theory quite well. The first half of the article/album seems to be a lot about her personally (ME) and the second half is about her relationships with others (YOU).

There are quite a few running themes - resolving fights in a mature way, self love/self care, friendship, family.

There are also a few that are more difficult. These lessons could be referring to a particular lyric in the song, or a symbol, or something that inspired something in the song.

Track 1 - a song about ignoring the haters and blocking the noise. A fitting start to the album given the themes of reputation.

Track 2 - a song similar to IDSB maybe? “Be like a snake, only bite if someone steps on you” would be an iconic spoken lyric interlude thang. A song about trusting yourself and defending yourself.

Track 3 - a song about learning from your mistakes and getting back up again and not blaming yourself for messing up and being human.

Track 4 - ME or possibly another self love anthem how good would that be

Track 5 - A song about removing toxic people from your life and removing yourself from toxic situation.

Track 6 - a song about societal pressures and overcoming them. Basically a feminist anthem.

Track 7 - “Every day I try to remind myself of the good in the world, the love I’ve witnessed and the faith I have in humanity. We have to live bravely in order to truly feel alive, and that means not being ruled by our greatest fears.” A great song concept if I’ve ever heard one

Track 8 - a relationship on her terms, not as society thinks it should be.

These 3 are some of the difficult ones. Taylor loves mentioning drinks “old fashioned’ ‘spilling wine in the bathtub’ ‘make me a drink’ etc. this could just be a homage to a similar reference in this song. She loves cooking and baking maybe a particular incident of this inspired or is referenced in this song. Command tape might be some sort of inside joke or maybe the holes in my walls is significant IDK DUDES.

Track 12 - a song about staying after a fight and working things out and being in a more mature relationship “and when we had that fight out in the rain you ran after me and called my name” we all know Taylor loves this theme in songs!!! Could also be an apology song like back to December?

Track 13 - a very special personal track for Taylor, the first time she addresses her sexual assault case in song form, a song of empowerment.

Track 14 - a song about grief and supporting someone going through grief. Maybe something like Ronan?

Track 15 - a song about being healthy and loving life?? self care?? maybe about dealing with stress and anxiety?? this is a tough one

Track 16 - this marks the transition from ME to YOU and from personal to interpersonal. A song about really knowing someone ‘not because he owns me but because he really knows me’ and having a fully developed mature loving relationship.

Track 17 - another tricky one - again could be self care but maybe the make up is a line reference? tears of mascara in the bathroom, red lipstick?

Track 18 - a song about how childhood insecurities has a lasting impact or a song that addressees those fairweather friends

Track 19 - i think a big theme in the album will be being in an adult mature loving healthy relationship where fights are worked through, apologies are made and communication is key. There’s no room for mind games. “Love is a ruthless game unless you play it good and right” she’s playing it good and right y’all this is the golden age of something good and right and real

Track 20 - a whimsical, nostalgic song about friendships of the past and those that are lifelong.

Track 21 - a playful song about trying new things? Or maybe the bleachella is significant? Looking back on the past having learnt from mistakes?

Track 22 - again this theme of handling fights in a mature way and overcoming obstacles together as a couple. I’d say this song is called TEAM. There ain’t no i in TEAM but there is a ME.

Track 23 - a song for the fans.

Track 24 - a song for her family.

Track 25 - ME? A song about being happy. Total bop. Will make you dance.

Track 26 - a song about looking forward to the future. Hopeful. Optimistic. Happy. A good song to have towards the end of the album, a sort of Begin Again.

Track 27 - a song about laughing at the haters and being the bigger person. Mean 2.0. Her enemies have no hold on her now. Shes doing better than she ever was.

Track 28 - the political song she’s been teasing us about.

Track 29 - We all know Taylor’s hair is symbolic. Might just be a lyric in the song. Could also be a nostalgic song?? She misses the fairytale days of curly hair and princess dresses? Her hair changes as she changes, represents the stages of her life. A song about THIS stage of her life, but like her hair its always changing? Maybe its significant that she always wanted straight hair but now she wants the curls back - be careful what you wish for?

Track 30 - a song about letting go of the past, forgiving yourself. STEP INTO THE DAYLIGHT AND LET IT GO. Letting go of reputation, moving into her bright future.

Thank you for coming to my TED talk.

#ts7 theories #taylorswift #taylor swift #ts7 #taylorswift theories #theories #swifties #taylor swift lyrics #reputation

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prairiedust · 5 years

Text

Red or Green? The literary and folk themes of Oroborous

Red or green is the official state question of New Mexico as ratified by the legislature in 1996. Order anything at any restaurant, even a burger in some places, and you’ll likely be asked “Red or green?” Do you want red chile sauce on your entree, or do you prefer green chile? The “state question” can sometimes reveal geographical origins-- red sauce is supposedly favored in the northern half of the state, while green is more popular in the south (I lived in the south, and you could easily get either one anywhere so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ .) The best green chiles are grown in the south, so maybe that has something to do with it-- like wine grapes, chiles from different parts of the state have different flavor profiles. Green chiles from the Hatch area are world famous.

But it’s important to remember that the sauces are made from the exact same fruit. The difference is all in the timing. Green chiles are harvested early, unripe, then roasted and chopped up and canned or put in the freezer, whereas red sauce is made from chiles that have been allowed to ripen fully and are then (typically) dried.

It’s all about timing. Let your chiles stay on the plant too long, and you miss your chance at the magical elixir that is green chile sauce.

Timing.

The sister stories of Snow White and Sleeping Beauty are, to a great extent, about timing. They are about waiting, about vigils, and about being at the right place at the right time-- or the exact wrong time.

(If you have not already read this rundown of Snow White in season 14, I suggest at least reading a few of the translations of the original folktales here or here. And cw the Sleeping Beauty story called Sun Moon and Talia is dark. I’ll be discussing the difference between the original material and the Disneyfied stories somewhat. Usual disclaimer that this is lit crit and not spec, why you ask, because I am a hundred years old is why.)

I want to say first that Steve Yockey in Ouroboros did a truly wonderful job allegorizing the story of Snow White, which has been teased for a while now. In the Grimms’ Snow White, as in other tales of that type, Snow White has been 1. run into the wilderness by her stepmother, B. taken in by a group of dwarfs, Three: then poisoned by that stepmother and fourthly laid to rest in a glass coffin. While the story has been poked at over the course of several episodes, Yockey sums it all up again in this one.

Dean-- along with the rest of TFW 2.0-- has been traipsing around New Mexico looking for a peculiar monster. Trope one. From the screen shot it looks like they’ve possibly been through Clovis, Roswell, Albuquerque, and finally made it up to Raton. As far as wildernesses and in-between places go, New Mexico is the most liminal state in the union-- many people in the country think it’s part of Mexico and if you think that’s a joke when I was a senior looking at colleges I had two well respected schools send me their foreign student applications. Roswell. AAAAaaaaahhhh Roswell. Roswell is the city that straddles reality and science fiction. They fry ice cream in New Mexico, they eat both ripe and unripe chiles there, and they have old mountain forests and arid white sand deserts within fifty miles of one another.

Another nod to the Snow White story is the Ma’lek Box that Dean mentions again-- B-- it can be seen as an allusion to Snow White’s glass coffin (in other versions, it is merely ornate or sometimes bedecked in rare gems but it is definitely something that she alone can not get out of… being dead and all...)

Finally, when the Gorgon knocks him out and Michael escapes, Sam tends Dean’s wounds while he is unconscious, which fulfills the traditional Snow White requirement for someone other than the king/prince to affect a physical change in the heroine’s state-- cutting off an enchanted dress or jostling the coffin so that the bite of poisoned apple can be coughed out-- in order to bring her back to life. Walt Disney and his studio added the “first love’s kiss” into the Snow White matrix in 1938, not even a century ago, but it quickly took over the narrative-- Disney also brings the story into a more accessible reality for modern viewers, he introduces the prince into the actual storyline earlier than in the folk tale, and then has him awaken her with The Kiss. Which do we, as an audience, prefer? The rabbit-hole of darker, more psychological Snow White tale types, or Disney’s recent and overwhelmingly iconic romantic reimagining?

Red or green?

Yockey gave us green, the version that has not ripened into what most people know as Snow White through the Disney cinematic behemoth.

The other duality in this episode is that we have Sleeping Beauty being referenced simultaneously with Snow White’s allegory.

Sleeping Beauty is Cas’ story and elements from that tale type can be seen in how the Gorgon stalks and overcomes his prey. The Gorgon uses sex to snare a human for consumption-- he says he’s an opportunist but that women have begun to be more cautious now that they are “waking up” from a long period of oppression. Sleeping Beauty’s deep sleep comes as the result of a symbolic sexual awakening-- in the more recent stories that awakening comes from the machinations of an enemy, so it is more a violation than a sudden innocent awareness. Where am I going with this? I don’t even know, this seems like it belongs in a different essay. What I’m trying to say is that the Gorgon uses sex to put people into a state of paralysis, and the evil fairy (known in the Disney movie as Maleficent) used a sexual metaphor to lure Briar Rose to her doom before she was ready for that kind of encounter. We are asked to contemplate the symbolic aspect of the Gorgon’s predation because he also uses a symbolic act-- eating eyeballs-- to see into the future and thus subvert the natural order of time.

In Sleeping Beauty, the evil crone/Maleficent also subverts the timeline by jumping place in line. She was not invited to the party in honor of the infant princess, but after nearly all of the other wise women have given Briar Rose their blessings, she breaks in to curse the baby. There is always one fairy left who, while not powerful enough to nullify the curse, can modify it to a deep sleep instead of death. In Ouroboros, TFW2 exploits the fact that Cas and Jack exist outside of the workings of Fate to defeat the Gorgon, but not without great cost.

Which brings us to The Wrong Kiss. I didn’t even want to meta the Sleeping Beauty stuff because of the kiss, seriously. So. What happens to Briar Rose is tragic, but in the three most famous versions of the story she comes out of her enchantment because a prince falls in love with her. Jack, here, as a result of Cas’ deal with the Empty, is no longer in the Sleeping Beauty story, he is not a Prince but a Giant-Killer once more, and the antidote he administers to counteract the Gorgon’s venom will not work. Once he activates his giant-killing powers, he can heal Castiel. (In the reciprocal, Cas is an agent of the SB story and the antidote works on the dude the Gorgon was about to eat because Cas administers it. It’s a very meta way of treating the folklore theme by both subverting it and keeping certain characters strictly within the parameters.)

Jack finally lives up to his name as a Giant-Killer when he takes out Michael. In Appalachian and English Jack Tales, Jack is always clever, sometimes to the point of unscrupulousness, but in the story Jack and the Beanstalk he is a naive picaro who betters his circumstances through reliance on his simple nature as much as his wits. Often “Jack” does not change as a result of his adventures, as most fairytale heroes do, but like many other mythological tricksters he operates outside the bounds of normal morality. Jack Kline has managed to hold onto his innocence despite initiation into the Winchester clan. Now that Jack has, presumably, burned off some large portion of his soul, it will be interesting to see how his picaresque nature might actually change. Because the story of Jack the Giant-Killer? Not the same story as Jack and the Beanstalk. The Giant-Killer is the story of a deadly clever young man who defeats several giants as well as Lucifer using mainly his wits and is afterward given a place on King Arthur’s Round Table. The story in its entirety borrows from Cornish, Welsh, and Briton mythology, echoing other simple folktales as well as hearkening to high heroes of the Mabinogi. Jack has become larger than life. (AN I started this before Peace of Mind, I’ll get to that one by the end of the season maybe :P )

In a less meta sense of course, this episode is one huge mythological allusion-- Cas refers to Dean’s imprisonment of Michael as a “herculean” feat, the MOTW is a Gorgon (and traditionally gorgons were a trio of cursed sisters in Greek legends,) and Dean enthusiastically references the 1981 Clash of the Titans film twice. In a /more/ meta vein, Andrew Dabb quotes the more recent Titans movie in a tweet on this ep’s airdate. I find that exciting because the story of Perseus in CotT features a descent into the underworld, and again while I flirt with speculation here I would REALLY like to see these nerds freaking raid the Empty.

As for Snow White and Sleeping Beauty now? Red or green?

It feels as though the Snow White story has possibly been tied up and tucked away now, solving the riddle of the “red or green” sister stories. Michael, Dean’s evil rival, is dead. Pretty sure. Whether his grace is contaminated and will have an adverse effect on Jack remains to be seen. See drsilverfish’s lovely analysis of the oroborous symbolism in the last two episodes for more discussion about what it means for Jack to have consumed Michael’s grace. But. Unless there is a Ghost of AU!Michael coming up, he’s gone.

We are left, however, with Cas’ deal with the Empty-- he gets to operate under normal parameters as long as he does not exceed the minimum threshold of happiness (and I want it to be an accidental or unexpected moment, unlike a lot of meta writers, but then that isn’t spec it’s just what I hope for.) And what does that mean for destiel subtext? I don’t know. Honestly, this is a little too intense for me, I am not “canon positive” or “endgame positive” and this episode freaked me out. Analytically, though, it places the subtext at a really interesting place. It means the princess who gets rescued from an enchanted doom is still on the loose, still avoiding Fate, and the prince is still out there having Adventures in the Woods. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

#the folklore of supernatural #snow white #sleeping beauty #sister stories #spn meta #the title of the next episode is killgingg me

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filippoinzaghi · 5 years

Note

scheville 2.0 and 28 face my Wrath

[send me a prompt]

Scheville 2.0 + 28. First Kiss

Phil has imagined his first kiss ever since he’s been four and listening to his mother’s stories to put him and his siblings to sleep. At that age, it’s wasn’t even anything specific in his head but merely an action that happened in fairytales when the knight saved the princess. And he loved fairytales. He loved imagining he was a knight in shining armour or a hero of some kind. Even when he had a football at his feet, following Gary’s every steps, or a cricket bat in his tiny hands- he thought about it.

The ball became a horse and a spear at the same time, a goal would mean the dragon was defeated, while the bat would obviously become a sword he would swing left to right and right to left, barely failing to knock out anybody who was nearby. And at the end of each of his adventures, he would kiss the princess - a tiny, soft peck of lips against the cheek. He can’t count all the times he bribed Tracey into playing the princess for him in exchange of practicing netball with her. In hindsight, maybe that’s why she became the best out of the three of them.

When he’s ten and Gary proudly brings back home a worn out VHS of Rocky from the video club, he understands that a kiss like the ones in fairytales can actually be given on the lips. Sure, he’s seen his parent kiss every now and then but he just assumed it was… different, somehow. And to be fair, it was a rather infrequent occurrence. Or maybe he just didn’t remember. But now that he’s looking at the boxer kissing Adrienne, he can’t help but feel both fascinated and disgusted. He half wants to try it but… He uses his lips to eat, right ? Then wouldn’t he feel all that went through someone’s mouth with a kiss ? That’s gross, he thinks.

He does asks Tracey about it though, he always asks Tracey about things, Tracey always knows everything. She chuckles fondly, like she’s older than him or something and not his literal twin sister, and that’s how he learns he can’t really ask her to be the princess anymore, not if he intends to try this new kind of kiss. He pouts at the prospect, if Tracey can’t be the princess then, who is he going to save now ? Gary tells him not to worry while he ruffles his blonde hair: football and cricket are more important, anyway. Phil is not going to argue with that and jumps outside, having a kickabout with his brother.

The first time he really thinks he’s going to experience his first kiss, he’s in the cinema. He has asked one of Tracey’s friends out. She looks cute with her ginger hair pulled into a ponytail and her freckles and to Phil so far, that’s well enough of a reason to ask a girl out. Or so he assumes- girlfriends, boyfriends, love, this all sounds so very complicated to him.

Still. He is quite proud of himself that he gathered the courage to ask that girl out on his own, no help whatsoever, and that she accepted. He has saved every penny he could find for months so he can bring her to the cinema. Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, obviously. Of course he goes to see a film about the famous outlaw, not a knight but a hero nonetheless, one he has dressed up as a lot when he was younger. When the epic theme of the overture hits the theatre while the Bayeux tapestry is shown extensively on the big screen, he almost forgets he’s actually on a date. He grins and simply cannot wait to see how the film will retell the legend he still knows by heart.

When Lady Marian appears on screen later on, he looks at Tracey’s friend - Gemma - and he thinks. From what he understood from the other boys at school and at practice, he should kiss her at some point - that’s apparently how dating works. Phil would have liked more input from Gary but his big brother is sixteen now and solely focused on football. So when he had learnt about his date, he had simply scoffed and said he was meeting with David for a run.

(“He’s just jealous and lonely.” Tracey had tried to comfort him. As Phil got older he realised she probably had been right. Still, he remembered how disappointed he had been and anxious that Gary would not see him fit anymore to become a pro.)

He looks at Gemma, her ginger hair now auburn in the darkness of the room and he looks back at Robin and Lady Marian, entangled on a rope going back down on the ground. He feels this is it. The scene, the music, no one to laugh at them : this can’t get more romantic than that. He boldly grasps the girl’s hand with a sweaty palm and leans in. He really can see her face going closer from his and he closes his eyes, just like in the movies.

He waits. And he waits. But nothing comes. Until Gemma pulls her hand away, wipes it on her pullover like it’s full of dirt and pushes him gently back in his seat. She shakes her head, half pitying him and turns back towards the screen.

The rest of the film is spent in awkward silence. He still buys her ice-cream at the end, though, following his mum’s advice, and waits until she’s on the bus to turn and leave.

He walks (runs) home and he goes directly into his room, barely saying a word, and flopping onto his bed. He wants to cry but he doesn’t. Instead he looks at the fading wallpaper and vows that love, and kisses and girlfriends are really not worth it and too complicated. An hour passed, or maybe it was just five minutes but Gary comes in and ruffles his hair hair softly.

“Come on, stupid, let’s have a kickabout.” He says gentle and surprisingly soft.

Football is simple. That Phil can do.

Gary still loves him and for a minute he forgets about his rejection.

Life goes on. Phil realises there are far more important things than being denied his first kiss at fourteen by some girl he didn’t even fancy that much. Football for instance, Manchester United more precisely. Always loyal in Gary’s shadow, he followed him at the academy, worked twice as hard to be noticed but especially to make his brother proud. And it’s not like Gary is going to let him go easy anyway. Training session here, morning runs there and extra gym session, that’s how daily life looks like for the both of them now. It’s not hard because Phil wants it just as much as Gary and he knows, he knows - sure and pure of heart - that all of this will be worth it, that it will lead him somewhere - anywhere, really (but preferably at United).

It has to be.

That’s when he meets Paul.

He has known him ever since Gary and him have played together but he was just that, then- Gary’s friend. Now that Phil’s with them at the academy, though, it’s different. He can’t really call them friends, he still has this little brother label hung around his neck, but they’re kind enough to him so that’ll do for now. There’s Becks, of course, flamboyant and a shining bright smile to die for - like the knights (he sees how Gary looks at this London wonderkid). There is Ryan and Nicky too, more than ready to have a laugh- Phil is kind of scared of them sometimes, afraid they’ll pull a prank on him. And then there’s Paul. Tiny, asthmatic Paul. Angry ginger Paul. Crazy talented Paul. Phil thinks he probably must have heard him talk thrice in his life and he already feels lucky.

(“To be fair, he addressed you way sooner than he did to us. I think he likes you.” Gary had said, half joking.

Phil didn’t exactly know why but he had almost wanted his brother to be serious.)

He likes Paul.

Not like like (although Tracey has been quite annoying about this lately) but he connects more with the one they all call Scholesy. It’s in the the barely-there smiles Phil has learnt to recognise or the exaggerated rolling of his eyes at something naive the younger Neville said. It’s even in the little slaps on the shoulders when he does a good pass or a good run. It’s good to know someone other than his brother has his back. It feels good to be accepted properly in the team- painful towel initiation and kissing the mop included.

They’re all watching a movie on one of their few breaks when Phil thinks about his first kiss, or lack thereof, again. He doesn’t even know the name of the film but suddenly the big, strong hero kisses his love interest and some of the lads begin to talk about their own girls. The discussion soon derives towards girlfriends and kisses and relationships and sex like the bunch of horny and stupid teenagers they all are. They all listen to Giggsy telling them the best (gross if you ask Phil) ways to kiss a girl or the latest news about Dave and his new girlfriend. Phil pretends (like Gary) that it’s great and they’re women experts until they go back to training.

(“Have you ever kissed a girl, Gaz ?” Phil asks on their way home, looking at his feet.

It’s raining and the pavement is wet and shining.

“Why ?” His brother answers, not looking away from the horizon.

“I’d like to know. I feel like I’m missing out.”

“You’re not. Tracey excluded, girls are stupid and gross and girlfriends are the worst. And anyway, they take away all your mates…”

Phil doesn’t ask more questions.)

But he still thinks of kisses- of a first kiss. It’s when he sees couples in the streets holding hands, or in the shows on the telly or even just the lads in the team talking about it. It’s in the stories he remembers his mum telling him about when he was just a kid. It’s everywhere in the fucking world and he constantly gets reminded he still hasn’t had anyone or just a single peck on his lips. He feels like the biggest idiot in the world for not having experienced what is apparently considered a milestone of teenagehood.

And somehow he thinks about Paul. It happens when they play against the academy of City and he takes a hard blow, falling on the ground. Scholesy extends a hand to put him back up on his feet while glaring at the City players, probably plotting murder what with the stormy glint in his eyes (if Gary would stop yelling at them that is). He’s no knight, Phil thinks, but he wonders what it would feel like to kiss him all the same. He shakes his head. What the hell is he thinking ?

Still.

It happens again. And again.

It happens when Phil has a rough training and is getting yelled at from everywhere and Paul just sticks close and waits for him once training is done. It happens when the ginger-haired boy comes in into that smelly old hotel room they’re staying at and offers him a sweet while Gary has left him all alone to spend the evening with David.

(He almost hates David sometimes. But then he remembers Gemma, and Tracey’s words and he lets it go.)

Suddenly, even when he’s not with Paul he thinks about him. There are times when Phil wonders if he does because Scholesy is just being nice to him or if there is actually something more to it. He brings it all up with Tracey when she’s back from an England call up. They see each other less, and what with her going to Leeds to play, but he always goes to her, probably always will.

“How d’you know you fancy someone, Trace ?” He asks while they’re playing netball in the garden- more like Tracey trashing Phil.

“How would I know ? It’s not like I have the time for this kind of thing.” She answers honestly.

“All three of us don’t have the time and yet, I’m pretty sure things happen. You always know these kind of things.” He almost snaps.

Tracey stops playing and throws the ball away.

“Sorry, didn’t mean that.” He apologises, softer.

She sits next to him. It’s so strange how he can sense her thoughts in the silence except for the windy chill of the late summer evening. It’s awfully cold for the season. Above, there’s that unmistakable cloudy grey sky, raindrops waiting to fall, the same way someone could be on the verge of crying. Phil exhales and observes the faint steam escaping his mouth even when it has disappeared.

“We’re both really crap at this, uh.” Tracey reflects, hands in her pockets.

And they laugh. And suddenly they’re five again, with no worries in the world than to play knights, do sports and listen to their parents. It’s carefree and Phil has missed this- maybe these weird scientific facts his biology teacher told him about twins back in year 9, are true. It just feels like the old times and at the moment everything is moving so fast that Phil is glad for the reminder of something strong and stable.

“Trust your instincts and don’t change for someone, yeah ? You’re a good lad, Philly Nilly. That’s about the best thing I can tell you.” Tracey smiles at him, with a tender tone in her voice.

(he played knight, but she never played. She just was).

He nods and brings them back inside for dinner. Gary is surprisingly in a gay mood and it’s Phil’s favourite thing : all three of them, in Manchester, united.

There’s the game against Leicester soon. Their opponents are currently at the bottom of the league and there are some injuries in the first team. Phil knows it’s a hard stretch but he’s been doing good with the reserve lately, coach Harrison has given him positive feedback (which doesn’t happen a lot). So even though he knows there’s only a ten percent chance he could make it into the squad, he hopes. He’s livelier than usual, chirping all week long. If it annoys the lads, they don’t comment on it- except Scholesy’s scoffs and Gary trying to calm things down a bit.

He hopes. He hopes so much.

Until they put the list on that wall. He sees Gary’s name, of course. And Paul’s- that was to be expected. But he doesn’t see his.

Hopes crushed down, kaboom, thank you, goodnight.

Phil probably stand there for hours, stoic, not quite believing it’s still not his time. Maybe if he stays longer, he thinks, his name will magically appear and this would have only been a joke from the older lads. But the paper doesn’t change, the black ink unmoving. He hates it- the paper, the ink, the folding lines still visible.

He feels like an idiot. A powerless idiot.

They’ve all made their debut already- except him. It’s always like this. He’s always left behind, he’s always late. For everything. He wants to scream, he wants to run, he wants to hit someone.

He doesn’t do any of those things.

He stays put and burns the offending list in his memory instead, unable to tear his gaze away. He’s kind of a masochist, he discovers.

Gary finds him and it’s only when one of his hands touches one of Phil’s that the younger Neville realises he had put them into fists, his knuckles turned white. His big brother looks at him with a pained expression and the blonde hates it. He hates having to be, once again, poor little Phil, always in need to be consoled or looked after, always pitied. He pushes Gary’s arm away when he tries to wrap it around his shoulders and he storms out.

He goes running around one of the fields, he punishes his body - himself - for not being good enough and intends on keeping that up until everything hurts and he can’t feel his damn legs. He likes running, it usually helps him to clear his head.

It’s night when he begins to tire himself out. Yet, he still insists on going on, it doesn’t hurt enough, his throat doesn’t burn enough. He sees large puffs of air coming right out of his mouth, it helps him focus.

Suddenly, he sees a shadow behind him going straight to him.

Scholesy. Paul.

The short teenager is now running beside him, breathing loudly. His face is getting redder and redder by the minute.

“Paul, what the fuck are you doing ? Your asthma !” Phil manages to say, breathless.

“You fucking weirdo. You’ve been at it for ages after the three trainings today; you’re gonna get injured. So what the fuck are YOU doing!” He replies, furious.

“I can’t stop.”

“Can’t or won’t ?”

“… Both. But-” Phil tries to explain.

“Jesus, Philip. Grow up and use your fucking brain ! You get injured now you throw away your chance.”

“Fine. But I can’t stop.”

“Wh- For christ’s sake, Nev-”

“No ! I just… Literally cannot stop. My legs are just going on and on.”

“… what the fuck…” Paul mutters, divided between feeling amazed or murderous.

Phil doesn’t really have time to register what happens that Paul has his hands on his shoulders, probably trying to stop him. However, although they’re not sure how, their feet make an entangled mess of sort and they fall on the wet grass in a loud thud.

The two teenagers are a mess of grunts and breaths until they stop moving altogether and silence falls between them. The cold grass tickles Phil’s hands but he’s not sure if he shivers because of that or because he realises he’s sprawled over Paul, his face resting on his chest. He does not dare move an inch, not because he wants to (although yes he has no desire moving from where he is, but that’s another thing), but mainly because his legs are failing him and partly because he’s not even sure what to do. Underneath him, he feels the slowing rhythm of Paul’s breathing, his stomach going up and down proving to lull him. He could have fallen asleep right on the spot- maybe running that much had not been such a great idea.

“Take your time, Neville. It’s not like you’re preventing me from breathing or something.”

“I can’t move. My legs are like jelly.”

“Oh. If only someone had warned you about that, you idiot, if only… Oh wait, actually I did and you didn’t listen !”

Phil moves his head up so now he can see Scholesy’s face, frowning like he knows how to. The blonde feels bold tonight and chuckles, not caring about the wrath that is sure coming his way. He has nothing to lose anyway.

“That makes you laugh, Philip ? You think it’s funny, uh ? Oh you just move and I’ll wipe that stupid grin off that silly mug of yours.”

The younger Neville feels bolder still.

“Oh yeah ? And what if I don’t move ? How are you gonna do that ?” He asks smugly.

Paul’s answer surprises him and makes him freeze altogether. Suddenly, he feels the brush of lips- rough, dehydrated ones, ones that have exhaled large breaths of air and which the cold air have bitten with icy claws. Suddenly, he feels his shirt being grabbed in a fist, making sure he’ll stay right where he is and he shivers at the thought. Suddenly, this is happening, this is not a drill.

He’s having his first kiss.

Suddenly, suddenly, suddenly…

Suddenly Phil just feels nothing but the wind upon his mouth and the sensation leaves him so quickly that he fears he has imagined it all, that it actually did not happened, that he fell asleep and dreamt.

But this can’t be.

Paul’s fist is only letting go of his shirt and the ginger’s eyes are wide open in horror, realising just now what he has done.

It definitely happened. Phil wants to pass his fingertips on his lips but he has a more urgent, burning question to ask first.

“Why did you do that for ?”

Paul still has not moved, almost paralysed under the blonde-haired teen but his face has changed. Instead of shock, now he looks almost… embarrassed. Phil’s face falls, starting to think this kiss was a joke to his friend and he would burst out laughing at his expense any minute now.

“Scholesy…” He pleads, desperately.

Still no answer and the fullback can’t take it anymore, this is the last straw of the day. He rolls off Paul and sits up, turning his back to him. His eyes sting and he bites his lip as hard as he can not to cry.

They stay like that for a while until the younger Neville feels the urge to escape, to flee from him, to run home like he had done after Gemma and that date at the cinema.

“This is stupid, I’m going home.” His voice breaks and wavers.

He stands up and goes to fetch his bag on the sidelines to leave. He was stupid to forget dating isn’t worth it for a minute. He feels humiliated and the feeling is only growing thinking of Gary trying to comfort him, poor sweet, little Phil, when he will inevitably pick up in his sour mood. Why can’t he be like the rest of teenagers; having a reciprocal crush, going to prom, being kissed- hell, even having messy short-lived sex ?

There’s football, of course, and football means sacrifices, especially when you don’t have a natural talent like Becks. But still, that hasn’t stopped some of the lads of the team to have girlfriends, so why can’t he experience that too ?

The younger Neville is about to leave the pitch when his friend stops him:

“Phil, wait !” He cries, grabbing his wrist.

He wants to shake his hand off of him but Paul’s fist stays strongly put.

“Don’t you think the joke has lasted enough ?” Phil asks affronted, trying his best to keep his eyes dry.

Scholes opens his mouth to say something but stops, his lips forming a perfect, round “o”.

That’s a first. Paul Scholes not looking totally in control. Phil is left bewildered and watches him, seemingly thinking about an appropriate response.

Instead, he goes for that :

“It’s not a joke.” He grumbles, half-muttering to the grass below.

The blonde looks at his friend with big eyes, so big they could roll out of their orbit soon. He must have misheard, that must be it. Paul Scholes, tiny, angry, likes-nobody Paul Scholes can’t actually be saying he kissed him and meant it. He can’t let him hope like that, it’s too cruel. Still, now Phil cannot get the idea out of his system and thinks of that brush of lips a few minutes ago and he needs to find out more, he needs to feel more, he needs more.

“Can I kiss you, then ?” He blurts out, cursing himself silently for being so awkward.

“Uh… Yeah.” The ginger-haired teen replies, just as awkward.

So that’s it, then. This is the moment. The one he has imagined ever since he was a small kid listening to fairytales. Paul is no knight but he kind of is in fact, in his own special, personal way.

The blonde takes an hesitant step towards the smaller man and he gulps. Tracey was right- as always: he really is crap at this. But practice makes perfect- that’s how the saying goes, right ? Maybe he can remember how kissing goes in the latest movies he has watched to guide him.

Phil cups Paul’s face in one humid hand and use the other one to lift his friend’s chin to be levelled with him. He gulps again and licks his lips. He’s really going to do this, this is really happening. Part of him is still terrified a hidden camera will appear out of nowhere and reveal he has been pranked. Or maybe Paul has changed his mind, which would actually be even worse. The blonde is still hesitating, inches from the ginger teen’s mouth, until he hears his friend sigh and grouses.

And suddenly they are kissing again. Lips firmly placed onto one another. Just that, nothing less, nothing more.

It’s wet. More so than their first try earlier. It’s soft but strong too, Scholes having fisted his hands into Phil’s shirt again, near his waist this time, making sure to keep him right in place. He’s not going anywhere. He doesn’t plan on moving anytime soon, Phil has forgotten all about fleeing home.

The kiss lasts longer than the first one, enough for the sensation to remain almost palpable, permanent on their mouths, but not enough to make them breathless- they’re not there quite yet. Their eyes flutter open and they don’t say a word. Paul has the faintest trace of a smile on his face and that’s enough for Phil. He grins and feels his cheeks burning red at the same time.

It’s okay. Life is good, he can have that.

“Let’s get you home, Phil.” Paul says while rolling his eyes, forcing them to move and break out of their reverie.

He’s no knight, Phil thinks again. But his armour shines all the same to him. And maybe, just maybe, they can try to shine together.

#Scheville 2.0 #Prompt #My Fics #Hope you like it Sam !!#Football fanfic

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katimanki · 1 year

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Part one of Fairytale Dresses 2.0 ✨

Erica 💖

#because I would wanna draw chrissy and vickie #erica sinclair #elamx #ronance #el hopper #max mayfield #robin buckley #nancy wheeler #stranger things art #stranger things fanart #all the st main girlies if I didn't forget anyone #I'll leave this on a little hiatus for now #myart #shitbyme

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mimiswift1328 · 5 years

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ENCHANTed TS7

She said she's more excited about 'Next Chapter' which we all know it appears in the song 'The Story of Us' from Speak Now; and it's track 7! Let's look back to that era again! We see heart sign, purple color, glittering & sparkling clothes...and look at these.

HEART and PURPLE are the themes in Speak Now era 💜

Also the Fringe Dress!

Speak Now was just "the very first page, not where the storyline ends" and TS7 is the real 'Next Chapter'

That piece of cloth she posted similar to this outfit from Speak Now era

Remember when she surprised her fan's wedding? I don't think it's Red or 1989 vibes, it's Speak Now vibes!

And this photoshoot guys...familiar?

I think Delicate seems to suggest the vibes of TS7 a lot, or maybe the conection to TS7, and it seems to be a mystery of what she smiles at, at the end of the music video.

Not to mention that the video has to do with MAGIC and ENCHANTMENT ✨

Enchanted for Taylor is when you "feel a connection to someone." It's about the "feeling you get after you've met them, after you've fallen in love" and "like really romantic and magical and kind of daydreamimg about love...it smells like warm and sweet and enchanted."

See the similarities? I'm dead!

✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨

I think that this TS7 will be the 'Next Chapter' of the Speak Now era. That's why we see a lot of vibes from it.

And all the signs she's been suggesting: rainbows🌈, clouds☁, butterfly, flowers🌺 and all nature stuff🌒🌴, suggesting that this 'Next Chapter' or TS7 will show pure nature of this woman! and the whole album maybe written all by herself, just like she wrote the whole Speak Now by herself!

Taylor once said she wanted the 3rd album to be titled 'Enchanted', not Speak Now. But someone said it seems too young and fairytale-like for her. Maybe this is the chance for her to make her dream come true! That's why we see a lot of magical, enchanting fairytale-like and glittery stuff.

She also said that Wonderstruck Enchanted (the red fragrance) is the "next chapter" of Wonderstruck fragrance (the purple one),

So, I think this 'next chapter' will truly express the relationship and bond between the couple, Taylor and Joe. It's not just a wonderstruck-blushing-all-the-way-home relationship anymore. It's more than that! Their relationship is formed firmly and beautifully now...

To sum up, idk whether this TS7 is named Enchanted, 13, Halo, or Angel, but I truly believe that it is the 'Next Chapter' of Speak Now (some people would call Speak Now 2.0) and we will get the similar romantic love vibes, but more grown-up and firm ones!

@taylornation

I'm having fun solving all your crosswords, @taylorswift . Love you 💋

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annashipper · 6 years

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Hello! I just get here! I used to be a fan of Ben, but I don't know how to explain, when he anounced this engagement I felt something was off. First I thought he was engaged to Sophie Turner, a.k.a. Sansa Stark, and then I discovered I was wrong, but it didn't feel genuine! Recently I discovered your blog and I became heartbroken. I have a few questions, how are you sure Ben and SH didn't used a surrogate? Who's the kid we saw with them at the airport? Why they don't get a divorce? Part 1

Part 2: Are they loyal? Do you think there's a chance they will get a divorce? Do you think Hal was just a publicity stunt? (Since we saw pictures of "Christopher" [at this point i'm not even sure Christopher is really their kid]). When Ben met SH? And my last question: Am i being a bitch or SH looks like the Walmart version of Sophie Marceau? If you don't want to answer my questions i totally understand, i arrived to late for the party!

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Hi Nonny!

First of all, welcome to the club. Second, I’m sorry we’re breaking your heart, but I’ll try to answer your questions as succinctly as possible:

How are you sure Ben and SH didn't used a surrogate?I’m not. I just assume they didn’t, because Ben can’t offer a convincing anecdote about either of the pillows to save his life (e.g. sunburnt infants, sliced apples that are a choking hazard, rushing home for bathtime after 11 at night, Skyping for 4 hours daily with a 4 month old baby, filthy movie props that might be toxic being used as teethers, etc), and because the pillows only ever materialise for photo ops when he’s got a new project to promote.

Who's the kid we saw with them at the airport?The one with the blurred face? I have no idea. One thing I’m certain of is that it’s not the same kid they rented to play the part of Pilo for the NYC pap walk in April of 2016. If it were the same child, we would have gotten the unblurred version of the pics already.Why they don't get a divorce?I believe it’s because Ben is desperate for people to believe his family and marriage are real before the split happens. He made that abundantly clear with his “my wife and child are not a PR stunt” quote on the Vanity Fair interview for Doctor Strange promo in 2016.

Are they loyal? To each other? I think they lead entirely separate lives and only meet up when it’s time for a photo op, so I don’t think loyalty even comes into it. Now, if you happen to believe Enty, Ben was cheating on Weirdo with fangirls in his dressing room during his Hamlet run, and Weirdo has her regular boyfriend on the side whom she spends the pocket money her husband provides her with. But I don’t put much stock into blinds as far as cold hard facts are concerned.

Do you think there's a chance they will get a divorce?I think that Ben could announce a split at any given time, provided he felt secure enough in what the general public think about his marriage and offspring.

Do you think Hal was just a publicity stunt? (Since we saw pictures of "Christopher" [at this point i'm not even sure Christopher is really their kid]). I think that Pilo 2.0 was a vain attempt to shut down any notion that Pilo wasn’t real. I also think it bit him in the ass. Ben, not Pilo 2.0 :P

When Ben met SH?It depends on who you ask. The Fail tells us they met on the set of Burlesque Fairytales. Weirdo tells us they met at a toilet. And I’m not even joking about that last part.

Am i being a bitch or SH looks like the Walmart version of Sophie Marceau?I think that a great orthodontist and an even greater hair stylist could make Weirdo pass as Sophie Marceau’s long lost cousin. Something that instead of being bitchy, I consider a great compliment, because I happen to think Sophie Marceau is a beautiful woman :o)

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squirrel-moose-winchester · 6 years

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Here to the Moon and Back

Title: Here to the Moon and Back

Pairing: Dean x Reader AU

Word Count: 1636 (with lyrics)

Warning: Tear-jerking fluff (and if not, then just fluff.)

A/N: This fic was inspired by the song, “Here to the Moon and Back” (click to listen), by Dolly Parton featuring Willie Nelson. When I first heard the song in the movie, Joyful Noise, I instantly fell in love. It is seriously amazing. In fact, listen to the song before or after reading this fic. If you want, listen to it while you’re reading it. It’s such a beautiful song and you wont regret it.

Finally, you could officially call yourself a Winchester. You and Dean had said your “I do’s” and now here you were at the reception hall of your wedding, having the time of your life with your new husband, and everyone else you held dear to your heart. Dean was laughing, along with his best friend, Castiel, at something Sam had said. You on the other hand was too busy admiring your husband to notice your maid of honor, Charlie, and bridesmaid, Jo, making fun of you for being a love stuck puppy. It wasn’t until you heard their giggles that you turned to them, asking what was so funny.

“Honey, you’ve got it bad,” Jo teased.

“What the hell are you talking about?” You asked, a smile spreading on your lips.

“Dean is all yours! You can stare at him all you want after the party!” Charlie giggled.

“Shut up,” you huffed in amusement as your cheeks flushed red.

Jo reached out her hand, a napkin in it’s grasp, “here, let me wipe off that drool,” she joked, making you and Charlie break into hysterics.

“You’re awful,” you chided, laughing regardless.

As the party went on from dinner to games, the moment you were most anxious for was quickly approaching.

During the final planning stages for the wedding, the topic of the first dance as husband and wife had been brought up. You and Dean had no idea what song you wanted to use, nor did the two of you begin to discuss it. After multiple late nights of discussing which song should be used, Dean had eventually given up and came up with a compromise. The song wasn’t as much of a big deal to him as it was to you, so he had decided to let you chose what ever you wanted. He trusted you and was sure that you would chose the perfect song.

Eventually, you had finally picked a song. When Dean or anyone asked what it was, you simply told them that it was a secret. The only people who knew what it was was your Emcee, Chuck, and his bandmates, who had sworn to secrecy.

You and Dean were incredibly thankful to Chuck and his band. Not only had they cleared up their schedule to provide the entertainment for you wedding, but they had offered to do it for free. Dean was insistent that they’d get paid, but Chuck and the rest of the guys wouldn’t have it. They had threatened to not play at the wedding if Dean paid them. You were truly blessed.

With the song in mind, you anxiously waited for the moment to come. When it was almost time, you excused yourself to use the restroom, reassuring your green-eyed husband that you’d be back shortly. Having planned everything ahead of time with Chuck, your Emcee for the night, and his band, everything was all prepared.

Your movements caught Chuck’s eye, and as soon as you were out of sight, he took to the mic announcing that it was time for the bride and groom to meet on the dance floor for their first dance. The large crowd clapped and howled with glee while Dean searched around the large room for his wife.

“Y/N went to the restroom,” he shouted to his wedding court, then repeating it to Chuck so that he could possibly stall until you got back.

“Oh, it seems that Y/N went to the restroom, but that’s okay. Let’s get the groom to the floor as we wait for the lovely Mrs. Winchester,” Chuck announced instead.

Dean was hesitant, but with the cheering support of his and your family, friends, and other guests in the venue, Dean scrambled his way to the dance floor. He stood there smiling as a slight blush dusted his cheeks, due to the fact that all eyes were on him and only him. He waved at everyone in appreciation attempting to hide his embarrassment while bright flashes were going off around him and phones were being held out taking pictures and possibly videos.

His eyes widened with panic when the music began to start. His eyes searched the room frantically expecting to see you, his wife, approaching the dance floor, but when he didn’t, his anxiety began to bubble inside of his stomach. Just as he was about to run over to Chuck and cut the music, he immediately froze at what he heard.

“I could hold out my arms and say ‘I love you this much.’ I could tell you how long, I will long for your touch. “How much and how far, would I go to prove The depth and the breath of my love for you.”

Dean was not expecting to hear your voice fill the room in perfect rhythm to the live instruments. He knew that singing in front of people, other than him, gave you anxiety, but here you were, singing the song you kept from him and everyone else in front of all these people without a single tremor in your voice. He loved your signing. He loved your voice.

Dean slowly turned, seeing you walking through the crowd with a tiny microphone clipped to your heart-shaped dress, gliding your way over to the most handsome man you had ever laid eyes on. The man you now called yours. The man who was now your husband. You were smiling at him, your eyes sparking in the warm lighting.

“From here to the moon and back Who else in this would will love you like that? Love everlasting, I promise you that From here to the moon and back From here to the moon and back.”

You sang, finally reaching your destination next to Dean before taking his hand, lacing your fingers together. The room was completely silent aside from the tune playing. Dean gently pulled you close, your bodies flush against each other. He guided your hands around his neck, while he slithered his hands across your soft arms, down your sides, and stopping on your hips before sliding to the small of your back. His soft touches were warm, intimate, and gentle, sending goosebumps to litter your smooth skin.

Dean took the lead and as he began to sway you around the dance floor and you continuing to sing.

“I want you to know you can always depend On promises made and love without end No need to wonder how faithful I’ll be Now and on into eternity.”

Dean was grinning widely, the skin crinkling at the side of his smiling emerald eyes. He held you tightly against his body with tenderness and adoration etched into his facial features. The song, it’s lyrics, and your voice, was filling his heart rapidly, that he felt like it was going to explode in his chest. He was overwhelmed with love that he didn’t know what to do with himself, so he continued to smile while his eyes glossed over.

“From here to the moon and back Who else in this world could love you like that? Forever and always I’ll be where you’re at From here to the moon and back From here to the moon and back.”

A tear fell from Dean’s eyes, eliciting a small chuckled from your lips. Your hands shifted from his neck to his cheeks, cupping them as you wiped away the stray tear with your thumb, admiring his every feature in detail.

After all these years of being with him, you still couldn’t believe that he was yours. You couldn’t believe that a man like him would ever chose a woman like you, or would ever love you the way that he did. It was like a fairytale, an unreachable dream, but here you were. He was standing right in front of you, staring into your deeply colored eyes, holding you close like you were going to float away.

“I love you,” you mouthed, Dean easily understanding what you were relaying to him. All he did was lean in and place his full lips against yours in a short but deep and passionate kiss.

Completely breath taken and love drunk just from the touch of his lips, you almost missed your cue to sing.

“I would blow you a kiss from the star where I sat I would call out your name to echo through the vast Thank heaven for you and to God, tip my hat From here to the moon and back

And I’ll spend forever just proving that fact From here to the moon and back From here to the moon and back.”

As the music faded away, Dean’s eyes were glued to yours, unable and unwilling to look any where else. He was looking at the most beautiful and the most incredible woman he had ever met. How he had gotten so lucky was beyond him, but he was so thankful and grateful that he didn’t care how it happened, but that it did happen. You were his everything.

The room erupted into applause, the sound barely a whisper compared to the pounding of his heart in his ears and racing thoughts of you. It felt like no one else was in the room, and if he wasn’t aware that people were watching, he would have taken you right here and right now, not wanting to wait for the honeymoon.

“I love you, Dean Winchester,” your voice traveling into the microphone and broadcasting to your guests.

“I love you too,” Dean responded, his own voice filling the room.

Catcalls came from everywhere in the room, producing giant smiles on your faces. As much as you were going to remember this day, Dean was going to have this day carved into his soul so that in his next life, he would forever remember this moment.

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prettymysticfalls · 6 years

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2018 Oscars Predictions

I tried to watch almost all of the nominees. Sadly, I couldn’t watch them all, even though I did my best. First of all, I don’t watch documentaries, short films and animated films. I didn’t have time to watch all of the action/fantasy films nominated for visual effects. So, my predictions will be based on those films’ trailers. If you want to read my reviews, click on film titles to read.

BEST PICTURE

Call Me by Your Name

Darkest Hour

Dunkirk

Get Out

Lady Bird

Phantom Thread

The Post

The Shape of Water

Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri

It is too hard to choose just one film, especially, when most of the nominees are so good. Personally, I can not choose among “Get Out”, “The Shape of Water” and “Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri”. However, I feel like "Three Billboards outside Ebbing Missouri” is my favorite. “Darkest Hour”, “Dunkirk”, “Lady Bird” and “Phantom Thread” seem like weak choices as the best picture. I don’t think the Academy will choose “Call Me by Your Name” because it would be like “Moonlight 2.0″. Also, I don’t think “The Post” will be chosen because it would be like “Spotlight 2.0″. If “Get Out” wins, it will really be a nice surprise but I don’t think it will happen. I wonder if “The Shape of Water” will be like “La La Land 2.0″ which means it might not win, even though it has a high chance of winning with 13 nominations - well, La La Land had 14 nominations - . Although “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri“ is my favorite, I’d still think it would win, if it weren’t my favorite. Especially, with the “Me, too” movement. The movie might sound problematic for some but it is because it’s black comedy.

The battle: The Shape of Water VS. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

My personal choice: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Dark horse: Get Out

Could win: The Shape of Water

Will win: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

Timothée Chalamet - Call Me by Your Name

Daniel Day-Lewis - Phantom Thread

Daniel Kaluuya - Get Out

Gary Oldman - Darkest Hour

Denzel Washington - Roman J. Israel, Esq.

Timothée Chalamet was amazing as Elio, however, I don’t think he will be able to win the award. Denzel Washington was also good but I have seen better performances by him so I don’t think he’ll win either. Daniel Day-Lewis is my personal choice and he could win Oscar as a retirement gift. It seems like Gary Oldman’s everyone’s favorite or at least, everyone expects him to win. It seems like he has no competitor. However, I think, we all might be surprised with Daniel Kaluuya’s win. If he doesn’t win, it will be like Oscars so white. Besides the diverse thing, Daniel Kaluuya really deserves to win with his outstanding performance. He is a rising young talent for sure.

The battle: Daniel Day-Lewis VS. Gary Oldman

My personal choice: Daniel Day-Lewis

Dark horse: Daniel Kaluuya

Could win: Gary Oldman

Will win: Daniel Kaluuya

ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

Sally Hawkins - The Shape of Water

Frances McDormand - Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri

Margot Robbie - I, Tonya

Saoirse Ronan - Lady Bird

Meryl Streep - The Post

Please, don’t let Meryl Streep win again. I find it personally boring, when previous Oscar winners keep winning Oscars because it is repetitive, even though they are so talented. I also don’t think Meryl was that amazing this time. Saoirse Ronan was good but she was not the best. Although she delivers a good performance each time, she always has this frozen, emotionless look. Sorry Saoirse, no offense taken, hopefully. Margot Robbie was much better than Saoirse Ronan in my opinion. For me, the best performances were delivered by Sally Hawkins and Frances McDormand. They were both fantastic. However, Frances McDormand was more fantastic. It seems like Frances McDormand’s only competitor is herself.

The battle: Frances McDormand VS. Sally Hawkins

My personal choice: Frances McDormand

Dark horse: Margot Robbie

Could win: Sally Hawkins

Will win: Frances McDormand

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Willem Dafoe - The Florida Project

Woody Harrelson - Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri

Richard Jenkins - The Shape of Water

Christopher Plummer - All the Money in the World

Sam Rockwell - Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri

I couldn’t watch “All the Money in the World” so I only was able to watch Christopher Plummer’s performance in the trailer. From what I have seen, it looked good. Richard Jenkin’s performance was enjoyable but not the best. Woody Harrelson was much better than I expected. He really killed it. Sam Rockwell killed it more than him though. However, he has a rival and it is Willem Dafoe. To be frank, I’d say that Sam Rockwell would win it. However, I feel like the Academy might give Willem Dafoe an award because Frances McDormand is probably going to win Oscar.

The battle: Sam Rockwell VS. Willem Dafoe

My personal choice: Sam Rockwell

Dark horse: Woody Harrelson

Could win: Sam Rockwell

Will win: Willem Dafoe

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Mary J. Blige - Mudbound

Allison Janney - I, Tonya

Lesley Manville - Phantom Thread

Laurie Metcalf - Lady Bird

Octavia Spencer - The Shape of Water

If the Academy wants to avoid becoming a trending topic with the “#OscarsSoWhite” hashtag, either Mary J. Blige or Octavia Spencer will get Oscar. However, I don’t think their performances were as strong as the other three. Octavia Spencer is one of my favorite actresses but her role reminded me of some of her previous roles. It didn’t feel unique or different. Mary J. Blige was good but that was it. Lesley Manville’s performance was very good. She could be a wild card. However, I think, Allison Janney and Laurie Metcalf deserve to win more. Races of mothers!

The battle: Allison Janney VS. Laurie Metcalf

My personal choice: Allison Janney

Dark horse: Lesley Manville

Could win: Laurie Metcalf

Will win: Allison Janney

CINEMATOGRAPHY

Blade Runner 2049 - Roger A. Deakins

Darkest Hour - Bruno Delbonnel

Dunkirk - Hoyte van Hoytema

Mudbound - Rachel Morrison

The Shape of Water - Dan Laustsen

The cinematography of “Darkest Hour” is the weakest out of those 5. “Mudbound”’s cinematography is good but it is just not the best. When I watched “Dunkirk”, I was like “whoa, that is the definition of cinematography”. However, it seems like “The Shape of Water” is favored more than “Dunkirk” in terms of cinematography. “Blade Runner 2049”’s cinematography is marvelous. It is a cinematic masterpiece. “The Shape of Water” is an adult fairytale, whereas “Blade Runner 2049″ is a neon-noir.

The battle: Blade Runner 2049 VS. The Shape of Water

My personal choice: Dunkirk

Dark horse: Dunkirk

Could win: The Shape of Water

Will win: Blade Runner 2049

COSTUME DESIGN

Beauty and the Beast - Jacqueline Durran

Darkest Hour - Jacqueline Durran

Phantom Thread - Mark Bridges

The Shape of Water - Luis Sequeira

Victoria & Abdul - Consolata Boyle

I fell in love with the dresses featured in “Phantom Thread”. So “Phantom Thread” deserves to win. The costumes featured in “Beauty and the Beast” were pretty but those seemed like digitally made which made me dislike them a bit.

The battle: Phantom Thread VS. The Shape of Water

My personal choice: Phantom Thread

Dark horse: Beauty and the Beast

Could win: The Shape of Water

Will win: Phantom Thread

DIRECTING

Dunkirk - Christopher Nolan

Get Out - Jordan Peele

Lady Bird - Greta Gerwig

Phantom Thread - Paul Thomas Anderson

The Shape of Water - Guillermo del Toro

Choosing the best director is as hard as choosing the best picture. It is even harder because those 5 directors were all great. There were 2 directorial debuts, “Get Out” and “Lady Bird”, which were both splendid. If Greta Gerwig wins, it will be the second time that a woman has won Oscar as a director. As a woman, I would be really proud if Greta wins. However, if I have to be objective, Greta needs to direct a few more movies before winning it because Christopher Nolan and Guillermo del Toro were slightly better than her. Paul Thomas Anderson was just mediocre this time. For me, Christopher Nolan did wonders. However, it is not the best of him according to the critics. It looks like the odds are in favor of Guillermo del Toro this year.

The battle: Christopher Nolan VS. Guillermo del Toro

My personal choice: Christopher Nolan

Dark horse: Greta Gerwig

Could win: Christopher Nolan

Will win: Guillermo del Toro

FILM EDITING

Baby Driver

Dunkirk

I, Tonya

The Shape of Water

Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri

It is told so many times that “Baby Driver” is edited so well. However, I just can not see the appeal. “Dunkirk” is much better edited than it, in my opinion. I think, neither “I, Tonya” nor “Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri” can win because their attempts to use CGI in a proper and realistic way failed. “I, Tonya” could be a little bit better at using CGI though. I believe “The Shape of Water” is edited beautifully.

The battle: Baby Driver VS. Dunkirk

My personal choice: The Shape of Water

Dark horse: The Shape of Water

Could win: Baby Driver

Will win: Dunkirk

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

A Fantastic Woman - Chile

The Insult - Lebanon

Loveless - Russia

On Body and Soul - Hungary

The Square - Sweden

This is so hard. All of these movies are more powerful than the best picture contenders. “A Fantastic Woman” is a very important movie which sheds light on trans issues. “The Square” is a social satire. It is a black comedy. It is hard to grasp but it is groundbreaking.

The battle: A Fantastic Woman VS. The Square

My personal choice: The Square

Dark horse: Loveless

Could win: A Fantastic Woman

Will win: The Square

MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING

Darkest Hour - Kazuhiro Tsuji, David Malinowski and Lucy Sibbick

Victoria & Abdul - Daniel Phillips and Lou Sheppard

Wonder - Arjen Tuiten

It must have taken a lot of work to transform Gary Oldman into Winston Churchill, right?

The battle: Darkest Hour VS. Wonder

My personal choice: Darkest Hour

Dark horse: Victoria & Abdul

Could win: Wonder

Will win: Darkest Hour

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE)

Dunkirk - Hans Zimmer

Phantom Thread - Jonny Greenwood

The Shape of Water - Alexandre Desplat

Star Wars: The Last Jedi - John Williams

Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri - Carter Burwell

Whoa, this is really difficult. Besides John William’s score, all of those scores were pompous. I am aware that Hans Zimmer’s not everyone’s favorite, but I think he was really good. I really enjoyed Carter Burwell’s score but it might not be as strong as scores of Jonny Greenwood and Alexandre Desplat. I am really torn between Johnny Greenwood and Alexandre Desplat though.

The battle: Jonny Greenwood VS. Alexandre Desplat

My personal choice: Alexandre Desplat

Dark horse: Hans Zimmer

Could win: Jonny Greenwood

Will win: Alexandre Desplat

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG)

"Mighty River" from Mudbound, Music and Lyric by Mary J. Blige, Raphael Saadiq and Taura Stinson

"Mystery Of Love" from Call Me by Your Name, Music and Lyric by Sufjan Stevens

"Remember Me" from Coco, Music and Lyric by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez

"Stand Up For Something" from Marshall, Music by Diane Warren; Lyric by Lonnie R. Lynn and Diane Warren

"This Is Me" from The Greatest Showman, Music and Lyric by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul

“Mighty River” is a terrific song but it is really underrated. “Stand Up for Something” feels like “Glory 2.0″. “This is Me” is just okay. Some might think “Mystery of Love” is overrated but I think, it is “Remember Me” which is overrated. “Mystery of Love” delivers more feels than “Remember Me”. To be honest, “Remember Me” and “This Is Me” are the worst songs out of those 5.

The battle: Remember Me VS. This Is Me

My personal choice: Mystery of Love

Dark horse: Mystery of Love

Could win: This Is Me

Will win: Mystery of Love

PRODUCTION DESIGN

Beauty and the Beast - Production Design: Sarah Greenwood; Set Decoration: Katie Spencer

Blade Runner 2049 - Production Design: Dennis Gassner; Set Decoration: Alessandra Querzola

Darkest Hour - Production Design: Sarah Greenwood; Set Decoration: Katie Spencer

Dunkirk - Production Design: Nathan Crowley; Set Decoration: Gary Fettis

The Shape of Water - Production Design: Paul Denham Austerberry; Set Decoration: Shane Vieau and Jeff Melvin

I really can’t decide between “Blade Runner 2049″ and “The Shape of Water”. Those two have the best production design in my opinion.

The battle: Blade Runner 2049 VS. The Shape of Water

My personal choice: Blade Runner 2049

Dark horse: Beauty and the Beast

Could win: Blade Runner 2049

Will win: The Shape of Water

SOUND EDITING

Baby Driver

Blade Runner 2049

Dunkirk

The Shape of Water

Star Wars: The Last Jedi

I didn’t watch the Star Wars so I really can’t say much about it.

The battle: Baby Driver VS. Dunkirk

My personal choice: Dunkirk

Dark horse: Blade Runner 2049

Could win: Dunkirk

Will win: Blade Runner 2049

SOUND MIXING

Baby Driver

Blade Runner 2049

Dunkirk

The Shape of Water

Star Wars: The Last Jedi

The battle: Baby Driver VS. Dunkirk

My personal choice: Dunkirk

Dark horse: The Shape of Water

Could win: Baby Driver

Will win: Dunkirk

VISUAL EFFECTS

Blade Runner 2049

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

Kong: Skull Island

Star Wars: The Last Jedi

War for the Planet of the Apes

I only watched “Blade Runner 2049″ and I watched the trailers of the rest.

The battle: Blade Runner 2049 VS. War for the Planet of the Apes

My personal choice: Blade Runner 2049

Dark horse: Star Wars: The Last Jedi

Could win: War for the Planet of the Apes

Will win: Blade Runner 2049

WRITING (ADAPTED SCREENPLAY)

Call Me by Your Name

The Disaster Artist

Logan

Molly's Game

Mudbound

“The Disaster Artist” and “Molly’s Game” may be the weakest screenplays here. I haven’t watched “Logan” but I heard a lot of praises about it. I don’t know if the Academy would like to choose a Netflix movie’s screenplay as a winner but “Mudbound”’s screenplay definitely deserves more appreciation and recognition. However, it looks like “Call Me by Your Name” will win for sure and it should win.

The battle: Call Me by Your Name VS. Mudbound

My personal choice: Call Me by Your Name

Dark horse: Logan

Could win: Mudbound

Will win: Call Me by Your Name

WRITING (ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY)

The Big Sick

Get Out

Lady Bird

The Shape of Water

Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri

Some say that the “Shape of Water”’s screenplay is plagiarized. Therefore, the Academy might avoid calling it winner. “The Big Sick” is entertaining but I don’t think it really deserves to win. “Lady Bird” is good but it is not something extraordinary, even though it seems to be majority of people’s favorite. “Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri” is a black comedy which is hard to comprehend for some people. “Get Out” is a political satire with thriller element. It is a tough one.

The battle: Get Out VS. Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri

My personal choice: Get Out

Dark horse: Lady Bird

Could win: Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri

Will win: Get Out

Are you excited for Oscars? Who and what are your favorites?

P.S. If you have a letterboxd account, you can check out my post there, too!

#2018 oscars #oscars 2018 #90th academy awards #academy awards #the academy #2018 oscars predictions #2018 oscars movie reviews #review #predictions

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