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thebibliomancer · 3 years

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Essential Avengers: Avengers #239: Late Night of the Super-Stars!

January, 1984

1984! Can’t wait to make a bunch of Orwell jokes that are poorly thought out and land poorly!

But I guess it’ll have to wait since we’re on Late Night with David Letterman in this issue.

This sure is an interesting turn of events. Although the team we see on the cover doesn’t seem to be the actually active roster. They’re over in the corner box turned away - either from shame or because they’re off doing their own thing.

Because its Assistant Editors’ Month!

A fun-sounding non-event. Although, looking it up, very few books that were considered part of the event actually did anything with it beyond a slightly goofy issue box on the cover.

So we’re going to see some Avengers go on a talk show today.

Superheroes as celebrities! What a novel idea.

Anyway, I learned an interesting detail about the cover that would have totally missed me. The checkerboard strip at the top was a hallmark of DC comics around this time. And the round MC logo in the top right is an obvious spoof of the DC logo from this time.

It’s not much more than a goof for this book but the Captain America book released for Assistant Editors’ Month also had the checkerboard and logo and was a style parody of DC comics.

Last times: Vision went into a robo-coma from walking into an invisible dome created by Annihilus and only recently recovered the ability to talk. New Avenger Starfox hooked Vision up to ISAAC the Titan computer and overclocked Vision’s robot brain so now he can project himself as a hologram and has an even faster computer brain. At the end of Avengers #238, the Avengers got a call from Tigra about some nonsense going on in San Francisco involving Spider-Woman.

Meanwhile, Hawkeye got a whole miniseries all to himself where he met Mockingbird, lost his job at Cross Technological, his girlfriend revealed that she was paid to date him and also hated him, he teamed up with Mockingbird to uncover an evil scheme by Crossfire to kill all superheroes, Hawkeye lost his hearing by putting an ultrasonic arrowhead in his mouth but foiled the scheme plot, and married Mockingbird. He’s had a very busy week or so!

This time: Hawkeye comes back to the Avengers Mansion to show off his cool new wife.

Hawkeye: “Hey, everybody -- your wanderin’ boy Hawkeye has come home... And you’ll never guess what I’ve gone and done!”

I can just imagine Mockingbird replying “Me” with the biggest shit-eating grin. She feels the sort to do that.

When Hawkeye and Mockingbird arrive there’s no one to greet them except the floating disembodied hologram head of the Wizard of Vizh.

Hawkeye has also made the decision, for some reason, to not wear the hearing aid that Mockingbird got him so he can’t hear what Vision is saying when he compliments his new costume.

Mockingbird introduces herself for Hawkeye and Vision tells the two to join him in the medical labs so they can catch up.

When they arrive, Vision raises his volume so Hawkeye can hear and recaps everything that’s happened to lead up to him becoming a robot in a tube who can hologram around.

Vision: “[Starfox] set up a direct link between ISAAC, the world-computer of Titan, to better diagnose my condition. But, instead, my brain became overloaded with ISAAC’s energy-information matrix --!”

Hawkeye: “And you became several with the universe, right?”

Vision: “‘Several with the’ --? Oh -- hah-ha! Very witty!”

Overclocking his brain seems to have done wonders for Vision’s sense of humor.

He even finds Hawkeye funny now.

Vision also explains where the dickens everyone else is (because Hawkeye asks him where the dickens they are. Its so weird for Hawkeye to say dickens).

Jarvis was given the day off to visit his mother, Captain America and Thor are both busy with nonsense in their own books, and the rest of the Avengers are off to San Francisco because of that call from Tigra.

Hawkeye offers to fly out and give them a hand, which Vision declines since they’ll call if they need help.

Instead he asks Hawkeye how he met Mockingbird and Hawkeye recaps the miniseries in only five panels.

He’s better at this than I am...

Hawkeye: “Anyway, Mockingbird and I had made a pretty good team -- so when it was all over, we ran off and got married!”

Mockingbird: “What can I say? The big lug needed somebody to keep him out of trouble!”

That’s the task of a lifetime, Bobbi. But good for you two! Cute couple is what I say.

Vision: “Marvelous! I hope you two will be as happy together as Wanda and I have been!"

Vision and Scarlet Witch probably are the healthiest superhero marriage of this time.

Vision asks if Hawkeye and Mockingbird intend to stay in the mansion, which they do. But it’s cool because Mockingbird has security clearance from working with SHIELD so they won’t need to bother Mr. Sikorsky and agitate his hatred of living in the superhero genre.

After Hawkeye takes Mockingbird off on a tour of the mansion, Vision receives a call from his brain brother, Wonder Man.

Who, very reluctantly, is coming to the Avengers with hat in hand. So to speak.

Wonder Man: “Okay. Here’s the situation -- my acting career hasn’t been going anywhere lately! So my agent, without my approval -- used the fact that I’m a reserve Avenger to get me a booking on David Letterman’s show, and now, they want me to bring other Avengers along with me! My agent really put me in a tight spot on this one. I hate to impose, but -- !”

Vision: “It’s no imposition at all, Simon! I’ll personally call the network and confirm the Avengers’ appearance!”

Wonder Man: “You’re sure it’s no trouble?”

Vision: “None whatsoever! After all, we have many Avengers -- !”

You sure do! Not as many as you’ll have by the No Surrender days. But still.

Also, I love this can-do attitude from you, Vision!

This is a pretty low priority in terms of fighting crime and whatnot but Vision is like THIS IS EXTREMELY DOABLE, I AM THE INTERNET.

Although imagine how sad it is from Wonder Man’s perspective. His agent put him on the spot pulling sorta-rank to get Simon some media attention but the media is like ‘ok but do you have something better?’

This man is trying to improve his career and the David Letterman show looked at him and said ‘ok but what else have you got?’

Oof!

Anyway, Vision uses the superpower of being wired into the phone system to call up some extra Avengers who aren’t very busy right now.

He calls Black Panther, Beast, and Black Widow.

Their varied responses are pretty funny.

But Black Panther’s is probably the best. He interrupts a meeting with his advisers to take the call and then he’s like ‘yeah sure I can drop everything I’m doing to appear on David Letterman!’

T’Challa really would rather be doing anything but kinging.

Beast initially protests that he’s too busy with the Defenders to just jump on some Avengers business but...

Beast: “The Letterman show? Hey, why didn’t you say so?”

And Black Widow is unbusy sunbathing at the Waldorf Towers while between missions. She doesn’t really want to make a television appearance (it’s kinda counterproductive for a spy, I would guess) but Vision mentions something that has Natasha agree to be there.

Based on what happens later, I guess Vision mentions that Hawkeye will be there.

A couple hours later, ELSEWHERE, well if it isn’t our ol’ friend and punchline Fabian Stankowicz!

Remember this goofus? He attacked the Avengers right when everyone was feeling bad about Hank Pym? Iron Man easily beat him up while the rest of the Avengers breezed on by. Or when he attacked Wasp’s cool superheroine brunch? Which was a hilariously terrible idea because he got between She-Hulk and breakfast foods. Also, nobody took him very seriously there either.

I guess the Avengers didn’t bother to press charges either time because he’s not in jail. He’s at his home working on some machines while his dad criticizes how he spends his time.

Dads, amirite?

Granted, what he’s criticizing is Fabian’s tendency to pick fights with superheroes. And... granted. Not a great use of his time.

But apparently Fabian can afford all the robot suits he keeps attacking the Avengers with because he won the lottery.

So he has a pretty good position to shoot down his dad’s protests, really.

Dad Stankowicz: “Fabian, I’m glad your poor mother didn’t live to see what’s become of you... It would’ve broken her heart!”

Fabian Stankowicz: “Aw, gimme a break, old man!”

Dad Stankowicz: “‘Old man’? This is the way you talk to your father?”

Fabian Stankowicz: “What do you want, egg in your beer? Was it you who won the state lottery and got us out of the Bronx? No, it was me! I won the money, and I’ll say how it’s spent! And I’m gonna use it to make a name for myself! Me... Fabian Stankowicz!”

And when Fabian sees an ad saying that the Avengers will be on Late Night with David Letterman, he has an idea. A wonderful, awful idea.

Also, who the heck puts egg in beer?

I’ve looked it up and I get that it’s a saying but apparently the saying is based on people actually doing that! Why??

The next afternoon, at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, where the show 30 Rock and this issue of Avengers both happen, this issue of Avengers is happening.

A CBS page shows Black Widow to the green room where the other Avengers are already waiting.

Also: I know that it’s all the Avengers who weren’t busy (even though T’Challa really should have been?) but this is a fun roster.

Hawkeye, Wonder Man, Beast, Black Widow and Panther?

Heck, I could imagine this being the Marvel equivalent of the Justice League International team, one more geared for some light-hearted comedy?

Except we’re in 1984 so this predates that.

But you have Beast and Wonder Man, your comedy duo best buds. You have Black Panther and Widow being varying levels of straight man to the nonsense. And you have Hawkeye who can be very serious or very ridiculous depending on how hot-headed he’s being at the time.

This team could be hilarious!

(Avengers International. Think about it, Marvel.)

Outside the green room, our ol’ buddy ol’ punching bag, Fabian Stankowicz is in disguise as a repairman with a mustache as cover for installing some devices in the studio. Then he puts on a beard to disguise himself as Perfectly Normal Bearded Audience Member.

I appreciate his intiative although I doubt any of the present Avengers are gonna recognize this guy on sight even if he wore a t-shirt that said “I’m Fabian Stankowicz.”

Fabian Stankowicz: Boy, this is gonna be so sweet, especially after the way the Avengers made me look like a chump those last two times! This time, it’s gonna be different! This time, I’m going to have a ringside seat for the defeat of the Avengers!

Or at least the Avengers that were available to show up on the Tonight Show with David Letterman.

Y’know, I like Fabian Stankowicz. He’s just smart enough to be dangerous and dumb enough to be entertaining. I think there’s a place for an ineffectual doofus with delusions of grandeur in the foe Rolodex of any superhero team.

Meanwhile, back with said Whoever Was Availables, Black Widow and Mockingbird are meeting for the first time.

And luckily, they’re both mature adults who don’t act like you’d usually see in media when the missus meets the ex.

So with a fight to the death NOT happening in the green room, Hawkeye gets to asking Mockingbird about the errand he sent her on which was why she wasn’t in the room when Black Widow first showed up.

Presumably using every bit of skill in espionage at her disposal, Mockingbird got a copy of the questions Letterman will be asking during the show.

Because Hawkeye will be fielding the questions and he has made the decision not to wear his hearing aid. And has also made the follow-up decision that not only will he not be hearing anything tonight, he’s also definitely going to be fielding all the questions.

Mockingbird: “Why won’t you wear a hearing aid?”

Hawkeye: “No can do, sweetheart! The fewer people who know I’m half-deaf, the safer it’ll be for all of us!”

(I don’t really get this reasoning but okay, man)

Mockingbird: “Then why not let someone else be spokesman? This is supposed to be Wonder Man’s big night!”

Hawkeye: “Sure... but I’m the only active Avenger here! Give me a kiss for luck!”

Not for nothing does Mockingbird think that he can be impossible sometimes. And she’s only known him a couple weeks! She’s already come to the correct read on him in that short a time.

David Letterman starts the show with an opening monologue.

David Letterman: “Tonight... What can I say? Tonight is something really special! In fact, it’s probably the most special show we’ve had since our 'camping with Barry White’ program! Yes... hard to believe, isn’t it? But with all due respect to Mr. White -- I think that this show may be our greatest ever. But, as they say, ‘that’s for history to decide!’”

Imagine being a talk show host and getting to introduce the Avengers. Pretty neat.

I like that bandleader Paul Shaffer is wearing a Captain America jersey. Although that makes me wonder once again what merchandising is like for Marvel superheroes.

Clearly it exists but did Cap sign off on a jersey mimicking his costume? Does he see any money from that? Or at least did he get to say that all profit goes to such and such charity?

Letterman introduces the Avengers for the audience.

(Fun how you can get a sense of their personality just by how they’re sitting. It’s the little touches that make a comic fun.)

Hm, I wonder how well the marvel public follows superhero roster changes.

I know that sometimes new Avengers rosters have gotten attention with press conferences and everything. And sometimes they just swap in and out members as personal business comes up.

Some of the people in the audience may not even recognize Black Widow as an Avenger. Becaaaaause, wait I don’t think she ever was one. She’s assisted on some missions and they were ready to vote her in when she vanished to go do a SHIELD mission.

Okay, better example, does anyone remember that Wonder Man- oh wait, he very publicly burst out of a crate in front of Avengers Mansion during press furor over a roster change. Also, he’s a pre-successful actor.

Black Pan- no, no. He was framed for killing the Avengers his very first day on the team. There was a manhunt.

And of course, everyone knows Beast was on the Avengers. He got around. Romantically.

David Letterman mentions that this group isn’t even all the Avengers because some couldn’t make it (read: were busy with more important things).

Which leads to a funny cut to audience where Beard Fabian is annoyed that this group is who got caught in his revenge scheme.

Fabian Stankowicz: Blast it, where’s Captain America? Where’s that &#%$ She-Hulk?

You better wash your brain out with soap before She-Hulk finds out you thought that about her. She’s dunked people into the garbage for lesser offenses.

Beast decides that this Late Night interview is the best time to reveal that he’s quitting as a reservist Avenger to focus on his version of the Defenders.

Letterman: “Wow, that was some bombshell the Beast just dropped, Hawkeye! You’re group spokesman... What do you think of that?”

Hawkeye: First question -- ! “Well, David, the Avengers is a non-profit organization, fully sanctioned as a peace-keeping force by just about ever international organization you could think of!”

Letterman: “Eh-heh-heh! You don’t say!”

Oh god, Beast’s bombshell messed up the order of questions and Hawkeye is firmly sticking to script because he can’t hear.

My god, Hawkeye.

Letterman: “You know, I was just about to ask you something along those lines. You wouldn’t be psychic by any chance -- ?”

Hawkeye: “No, of the founding members, only the Wasp and Thor remain as active Avengers.”

Letterman: “You little dickens! You’ve been peeking at my question sheet, haven’t you? All right, I might as well as my next question which is... ‘I hear you were recently married! Is that true?’”

Hawkeye: “Yes, Dave... just a few weeks ago!”

Letterman: “How about that!”

Did Hawkeye just think they were going to blaze through the questions? Even if Beast hadn’t preempted the first question, did Hawkeye think that there would be no follow-up questions? No discussion?

I’ve been on the fence on whether the jokes about Hawkeye not hearing the questions are poking fun at deaf people or at Hawkeye and yeah, Hawkeye is definitely the butt of this joke.

Fabian Stankowicz loses patience for this very dry question and answer session and decides to start his attack nnnnow.

One of the studio cameras is secretly A GIANT LASER. Because. And it blasts the stage.

Mockingbird is watching this on a tiny screen in the Green Room and goes out to help only to run afoul of some kind of mechanized steamrolling dumpster.

Back in the studio, Wonder Man has found his new nemesis.

Move over, Grim Reaper. You’re one-dimensional and everyone especially me hates you. Hello, laser blasting camera.

Wonder Man: “Let me at that thing, Beast! It’s ruining my guest-shot!”

Beast: “You’ll have to wait your turn, Wondy! It just shredded my favorite shirt!”

Priorities!

You know, this was supposed to be about Wonder Man and he only got to say two words during the interview portion.

Dangit, Hawkeye.

Apppppparently, the audience is just assuming that this is all part of the show. A cliche, sure. But it makes sense.

Would you really have the Avengers on a talk show and just have them talk? That’s a waste of perfectly good superheroes.

Also.... apparently? David Letterman used to run things over with a steamroller a lot? So a steamroller looking contraption crashing through the wall to attack the Avengers does seem like something that might happen?

Also, Paul Shaffer decides to just roll with it so as not to panic the audience.

The show must go on, after all.

The steamroller also starts firing missiles at Beast, as ya do.

Beast: “Hunter missiles? I don’t believe this is happening on network tv!”

Wonder Man tries punching the steamroller to no avail but which does give Black Panther a chance to pull out the tried and true “Wonder Man’s fists carry as much bludgeoning power as Thor’s hammer!”

Y’know, originally, that was a flex that set Wonder Man as a threat to the team but after he joined, that never really seemed to actually be the case.

Imagine if Wonder Man always hit as hard as Thor’s hammer? Like, he’s minding his own business and then the Gorr the God Butcher arc happens and Wonder Man is like ‘huh, why do I suddenly feel like my punches could destroy planets light years away? That’s a very specific feeling!’

Fabian Stankowicz takes advantage of the spectacle chaos to walk out of the audience, plunk himself down into one of the interview chairs, remove his entirely convincing beard, and introduce himself to David Letterman as the guy who is definitely to blame for all the action setpieces going on.

Letterman, like Paul Shaffer, just decides to roll with it. Humor the guy. Ask him why he’s doing this.

Fabian Stankowicz: “Why? To prove it could be done! To show what one incredibly gifted individual can accomplish...”

Letterman: “... To get your name in the papers?”

Fabian Stankowicz: “That too! After all, the Avengers have battled Zodiac... the Masters of Evil... Doctor Doom! I want to make as big a name for myself as those guys!”

Letterman: “Seems to me that ‘Stankowicz’ is already a pretty big name!”

Badum pish?

He asks Fabian to explain all of his devices and Fabian is happy too.

I mean, he’s being a supervillain for the notoriety and supervillains already love to hear themselves talk so he’s double dipping into the ‘I will exposit everything at the drop of a hat’ well.

And imagine, Fabian built all this stuff in his garage with lottery winnings.

The steamroller thing isn’t just a steamroller, it’s also got a gravity generator. Which, I guess, makes sense if you’re expecting to go against a She-Hulk or a Thor. A regular steamroller isn’t going to do more than annoy.

Wonder Man fighting so hard against the roller makes it increase gravity so much that Simon and steamroller just fall through the floor.

Hm. I wonder what’s filmed in the studios the floor down. They’re about to have an exciting guest star in that steamroller.

Black Widow (still tangling with the laser camera) points Hawkeye towards Fabian. Although she has to shout and Hawkeye still doesn’t really get it but is happy to shoot an arrow at someone that Black Widow is vigorously gesturing at.

Alas, Fabian is one of those prepared villains we’ve been hearing so much about.

He built a force field too, and the arrow just bounces right off.

(Hey, uh, Hawkeye? What kind of arrow was that? Because it looks technological and you just shot it at this guy’s head)

Truly, can nothing stop this insidious yet not very menacing criminal genius?

Oh, I guess David Letterman can.

Knocks him out with a big knob.

It’s just plain big.

Prop comedy, amirite?

The audience seems to love it anyway. I looked up a clip of the big doorknob and it didn’t meet with this much applause. Maybe its because it was used to do violence this time?

Was the giant door knob a beloved part of Late Show lore?

David Letterman: “I guess that’ll teach you not to mess with David Letterman!”

That’s a line with weird energy to it.

Anyway, it would be a sad day for this random assemblage of backup Avengers if they were upstaged completely by David Letterman and his big knob.

Black Widow and Hawkeye finally manage to blow up the laser camera.

I’m not sure why it took them this long. Sure, the camera could apparently move, based on motion lines in previous panels. But the world’s best marksman couldn’t nail it sooner?

But the important thing is that eventually, they did do it.

The floor starts rumbling as well as Wonder Man flies back up with his belt-jets with the trashed roller and a shit-eating grin.

Wonder Man: “Sorry this took so long -- But I guess I’m a little rusty at tackling big hunks of tin like this!”

Fabian Stankowicz: Rusty? It took me a month to design that, and he totaled it in less than five minutes!

But since everyone’s focus is on Wonder Man (for once), Fabian tries to sneak away.

And runs smack dab into Mockingbird who has a lot of justified anger over almost getting run over by the roller earlier. But she just throws him over to some police that have finally shown up.

Letterman tells the audience not to try any of this at home, just in case any of them have gravity-generator osmium steel steamrollers lying around? And cuts to commercial, presumably so that some basic tidying can happen.

Hours after the filming of the show concludes, the Avengers TV Squad have returned to the mansion, with Vision wishing he could have taken part of this assistant editors month special issue.

Vision: “What became of Stankowicz?”

Black Panther: “Well, with all the charges NBC is leveling against him, the only machinery he’ll be dealing with for some time will be in the New York State Prison library!”

So, he attacked Avengers Mansion. He attacked Wasp’s superheroine brunch at the Van Dyne residence. That’s all well and good. He attacks the Avengers again in the NBC studio and the man is going to jail forever.

I guess the Avengers really haven’t been bothering to press charges on Fabian. But a massive media corporation isn’t so kind.

Since Hawkeye is technically the active Avenger (even though Vision’s hologram head is RIGHT there) he has to follow up on the thing Beast said about quitting the Avengers reservists.

Beast says its not right for him to be an Avengers reservist if he’s also trying to turn “the Defenders into a for-real group!”

Uh, Defenders fans? Wasn’t the appeal of the Defenders them being the not-team team? How did people feel about Beast going ‘ok but what if they were more like other teams instead?’

Meanwhile, Wonder Man is pacing, waiting for the Late Show to come on so he can see how he did when WOMP WOMP the show is interrupted by a special news bulletin.

Wonder Man is aghast that his big break isn’t even airing but when the special news bulletin is about a burning chemical barge, his hero instincts that he has suddenly swell up.

Wonder Man: “This... This is awful! What’re we standing around for? Let’s do something! We’re Avengers, aren’t we?”

Black Panther: “That we are, Simon! Let’s go!”

Beast also decides, hey, one more time won’t hurt and accepts his Avengers ID card back from Hawkeye.

And as they’re headed off to the Quinjet, Beast has a hopeful note for Wonder Man.

Beast: “Hey, Wondy -- remember, there’s a three-hour time difference between the coasts! If we can get this mess cleaned up in time, maybe some folks in California will still see you get your big break!”

Wonder Man: “And if we don’t -- ?”

Beast: “Well, that’s show biz!”

Pretty enjoyable issue! Like, sure, its a good for Assistant Editor’s Month. But if you’re going to do a goof, then you can do worse than bringing back Fabian Stankowicz for a third time’s not the charm.

Speaking of charm, having the Avengers appear on a talk show is a charming concept. Not a whole lot was done with it except the joke about Hawkeye answering the wrong questions but its still a fun idea.

And having the Avengers off busy lets us brush off some Also Avengers that haven’t been in play for a bit. That’s a fun idea that I wouldn’t mind seeing some more.

Have the reservists called in because of a situation happening when the Avengers are already busy.

Heck, I’d like to see a situation where the silliest and least regarded Avengers are the only ones available to respond to an emergency. Have them bounce off each other as a group. Maybe they’re mutually aware of their bad reputations.

Anyway, I expected this issue would be ridiculous but it was also enjoyable. Didn’t mind it at all. And (though by a different writer) the Hawkeye miniseries was very enjoyable too.

This is just feeling like a good era for the Avengers team.

Next time, apparently The Ghost of Jessica Drew. So she’s some kind of ghost spider? Nobody tell Carol Danvers.

Follow @essential-avengers because I typed this post partially while a cat was lying on my wrist. That’s dedication. Which you can’t spell without cat. Also, like and reblog if you think its likeable and rebloggable.

#avengers #Mechano Marauder #Hawkeye #mockingbird #Wonder Man #Beast #Black Widow #Black Panther #essential avengers #essential marvel liveblogging #the one wherein they appear on david letterman #pretty fun

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tchallasbabymama · 3 years

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M’Baku’s Love- Chapter 4

Heyyyyyy y’all, enjoy chapter 4! Check out my masterlist HERE to catch up and read my other fics. Let me know if you want to be tagged!

Word count: 3052 After their kiss, Monae seemed to be avoiding him. They arrived and left at the same time almost every day, but she always found her way to her car quickly and was gone before he even stepped out the door. About a week had passed before M’Baku grew sick of it and headed down to her office to confront her on the sudden change of behavior when he almost ran over N’Jadaka.

“Yo, what’s up with you?” asked the prince.

“Nothing.”

“Nigga you walking around here looking like ‘Hulk smash’, what’s wrong?”

M’Baku sighed, not in the mood to deal with N’Jadaka at the moment. He reluctantly gave in, knowing he needed to talk to someone before he did something stupid like barge in on her in her office like he had planned.

“She is not talking to me.”

“Who, Monae? The fuck you do?” His right eyebrow lifted as he eyed M’Baku curiously. The Jabari chief rolled his eyes.

“Nothing! I just- we kissed,” M’Baku sighed. “And she has not spoken to me since.”

“All I’m hearing is you’re a bad kisser,” N’Jadaka smirked.

“...Is your cousin still here?” M’Baku deadpanned.

“Nope, you’re stuck with me and Lil Bit.”

M’Baku started massaging his temples, he could feel the stress headache creeping up on him.

“Fine,” he gave in as he and the prince ducked out of the hallway and into an empty conference room.

“The issue was not my kissing, the issue is that damn ring on her finger. Sometimes she is hot, sometimes she is as cold as the mountains. I know she is engaged, but I cannot help but want to be around her.”

“Damn, you got it bad. What happened to being ‘unattached’ while you’re here? I was just talking to Neicey, the new Black American history teacher, about you and she seems like she’s down for whatever, if you know what I mean. She might be able to help you get Monae off the brain. Here’s her number.” He handed M’Baku a slip of paper. “You do know how to use your phone right?”

M’Baku loved the prince like family, but sometimes he just wanted to punch him in his smug face.

“Yes I know how to use my phone, N’Jadaka.”

“Don't ‘N’Jadaka’ me, I’m trying to help your big ass.”

“You are right,” he conceded with a sigh and looked down at the number in his hand. “You said her name is Niecey?”

“Yup. Go talk to her, she doesn’t have another class until 3. Last time I saw her she was down by the court.” N’Jadaka said while walking backwards and disappearing through the door, leaving M’Baku alone to think about his next moves.

Of course he wanted to pursue Monae, but he knew that would be a dead end with the way she was treating him now. He decided a little fresh air wouldn’t hurt and stuffed her number into his pocket before heading outside to the basketball court.

M’Baku saw her before she saw him, and once again Monae ran straight into him. Without even looking up she knew who it was. She’d know that body and that cologne anywhere.

“M’Baku! Hi, I’m sorry...again,” she tried to laugh off her nervousness.”Anyways, gotta jet!”

“Not so fast,” M’Baku lightly grabbed her arm. “Why have you been avoiding me?”

“I’m not-” M’Baku cut her off with an eyebrow raise and a look that made her heart beat in her pussy. “Ok fine I am.”

“Why though?” He pulled her in closer and she backed away.

“Because that kiss should never have happened and if I’m around you too much it might happen again.”

He smirked.

“So you avoid me because you cannot keep your hands and lips off me? That is understandable, I have been told I am irresistible.”

She chuckled, neither confirming nor denying his statement.

“Monae, as much as it pains me to say this, we could just stay friends. That way you keep your honor and I get to keep you in my life without you running away every time you see me. Eh?”

Monae was quiet for a moment, contemplating the proposal. Could she really be friends with this man?

“Deal.” She reached her hand out to shake on it and he returned the gesture.

“So where were you ‘jetting’ off to?” M’Baku asked her as they walked towards the front doors of the outreach center.

“Home, actually. I know it’s early but my sister, Jazz, is in town and I want to spend as much time with her as possible before her break is over.”

“Oh, well, have fun and give her my best.”

“Will do.”

And with that, they parted. Monae headed to her car and peeled out of the parking lot while M’Baku watched with a smile on his face. Friends? Who was he kidding?

Shaking all non-platonic thoughts of her out of his head, he finally made his way to the basketball court where he noticed Niecey heading right for him.

“M’Baku, right?” She asked, clearly knowing the answer already.

“Yes, and you must be Niecey.” He took her hand and kissed the back of it.

“I am. So N’Jadaka tells me you’ve had your eye on me...I thought you were feeling Monae for a minute there.” she laughed.

“Monae? She is engaged. So, would you like to go to dinner tonight? You pick, my treat.” he tried to play it off and change the subject. Luckily it worked and her face lit up at his proposition.

“Ok, it’s a date.”

_______

“Look, she is a nice girl, but she was so...dull. I had to try way too hard to engage her in conversation.”

“Maybe she was nervous?” Shuri asked, only halfway listening as she examined the communication device designs her highschool aged students came up with.

“For what? It was only dinner,” M’Baku sat down in a huff.

“Some people get nervous around people they like, M’Baku, it’s normal,” the princess said defensively.

“Ohhh, the plot thickens,” said N’Jadaka as he entered the room. “They didn’t like the flowers?”

M’Baku and Shuri answered at the same time.

“What flowers?”

“Shut up!”

“My bad cuz, I thought that’s what- you know what? Imma go-”

“Actually I would like to talk to you after we discuss the princess and her crush.” M’Baku added teasingly.

“They’re not- ugh, fine.”

“How did you meet?” M’Baku asked her, desperate to talk about anything other than his boring date with Neicey.

“I met them at a conference for Teens in Tech at UC Berkeley. They’re the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen, but they barely know I exist and I didn’t send the flowers because I chickened out. There, happy?” she rolled her eyes and went back to her work.

M’Baku grinned, finding her nervousness a nice change of pace from her usual arrogance.

“Ah, young love. I do not miss it,” he mused.

“Oh like your situation is any better? At least my crush is single.”

“At least I can talk to mine,” he said under his breath.

“Not without her fiance coming up to the Center,” Shuri pointed behind M’Baku to a tall thin man in a nice suit heading down the hallway towards them.

“Derrick, my man. How’s it going?” N’Jadaka put on a fake smile and tried to dap him up, but Derrick wasn’t on the same page so it ended up being more of an awkward fist bump.

“Going good, going good. Just here to see my girl,” he turned and stuck his hand out to M’Baku. “I don’t think we’ve met. Derrick Jones, attorney at law.” M’Baku stared at his hand a little too long before shaking it.

“Lord M’Baku, Chief of the Jabari,” he introduced himself with a sly smile.

“Oh a chief? That’s awesome man, I bet all this is boring as hell to you huh?”

“Quite the contrary.”

“Cool...cool...well, I gotta go find Momo. See you all later!”

Shuri gagged as he walked away and they all looked at each other in disgust at the nickname.

“‘Nae’ would be so cute, but ‘Momo’?...For an adult human? Absolutely not, I don't know how she stands that man.” Shuri rambled on about her disdain for Derrick. “Did you see how he deflated when M’Baku introduced himself with his title? He thought being an attorney was such a big deal? Ha!”

M’Baku couldn’t help but laugh and agree with the princess. Even without Monae in the picture the man was insufferable.

“And he didn’t even acknowledge you.” N’Jadaka added, shaking his head.

“Nope, just the men.” Shuri smiled sarcastically before turning to the chief. “If it’s not clear already, I’m on Team M’Baku. Fuck that guy, Monae deserves better. Even if it's not you, she doesn't deserve...that.”

“I agree...and thank you, I knew I would grow on you eventually.”

“Yes well it would’ve gone quicker had you not insulted my intelligence when we first met. This ‘child’ can hold a grudge.”

“Oh I am aware.” They smiled at each other before M’Baku’s assistant found them and interrupted.

“Excuse me, M’Baku?”

“Yes, Deontae.”

“There’s a phone call for you from Abiola, he says it’s urgent. Something about a snow bank...”

“Ah yes, thank you. Udakus, I will see you both later.” M’Baku saluted them in jest and was on his way to handle his business when he overheard two people arguing in a conference room.

“You don’t have to! I make more than enough money!” said a man whose voice M’Baku couldn't quite place. He continued down the hall with Deontae typing away on his tablet, but stopped in his tracks when he heard the other person. They both looked up at each other, recognizing Monae’s voice immediately.

“But I want to! What part of that don’t you get? I like being here with these kids a-and these people. The Wakandans are amazing and-”

“I’m sure they are sweetie, but this neighborhood is dangerous and I don’t like you being here. Do you know how many kids are probably downstairs trying to break into my car as we speak?!”

M’Baku rolled his eyes and he and Deontae shared a look. No matter how nice his car was, it wouldn’t attract anywhere near as much attention as the Wakandan technology in the Center.

His disdain for Derrick grew as he realized he had just mentally defended the useless gadgets of the lowlanders.

“Nobody wants your stupid car Derrick! There are literal hovercrafts in this building, nobody cares about your Audi.”

Deontae stifled a laugh.

“Wow, so it's like that? Why are you lashing out at me?”

“I’m not lashing out at you, I just want to keep my job that I love and you didn’t even ask me about moving first!”

“I figured if you didn’t want to go with me we could do long distance. LA isn’t that far-”

“Yes it is.”

Derrick let out an exasperated sigh.

“I’m taking this job whether you're coming or not. You need to figure out your priorities.”

Deontae’s jaw dropped and he wasn’t able to pull it back in time when the door swung open and Derrick pushed past the two of them. When Monae looked up and saw them her face turned to stone. She was horrified that they had just witnessed her in such a vulnerable state.

“My apologies, we were just walking by and-”

“We didn’t hear anything!” Deontae forced out. M’Baku gave him a look and he shrugged. He wasn’t good under pressure.

Monae wiped her eyes and M’Baku felt so helpless. All he wanted to do was hold her in his arms and make everything better...that and beat Derrick senseless.

“It’s ok, we were uh, pretty loud,” she said, avoiding eye contact with M’Baku.

“What do you need from me?” He asked her, his voice soft as a pillow. Deontae’s head tilted to the side as he took in the scene before him.

She thought about it for a moment, not able to say what she really wanted, which was to crawl into his big strong arms and never leave.

“Just some time,” she sniffled and cleared her throat. “Are we still on for lunch?”

“Of course-”

“Great, see you then!”

Monae breezed right past them and towards her office, and Deontae turned to see M’Baku’s dejected face.

“Wooooooow,” he started with a laugh. “Woooow… you like her don’t you?”

“Keep your voice down,” M’Baku whisper yelled, looking around for any possible prying ears.

“You got good taste, I’ll give you that. Shitty circumstances though.”

“Yeah, tell me about it…” M’Baku’s shoulders slumped as they made their way back to his office.

--------

“You have barely touched your burrito.”

Monae looked down at her plate and noticed he was right.

“I guess my appetite isn't too big today, too much on my mind.” She sighed and pushed her plate forward.

“I know it might be weird, but as your friend you can always talk to me about anything.” M’Baku knew he didn’t want to talk about Derrick, but he would do anything to make her feel better.

She looked at him for a few moments before she began. “I don’t know how much you heard, but Derrick got a job in LA and wants me to move with him. He’s always hated that I work here for some reason...I just wish he would have discussed it with me first, you know?” She twisted the ring on her finger and bit her lip nervously. M’Baku nodded to show he was listening, but his eye kept being drawn down to her ring. That little silver band with the fancy rocks in it that meant so much to her.

“He just- he means well, he does. He wants what’s best for me-”

“But should that not include what you want?” he asked in earnest, trying very hard to remain friendly. “If he is to be your husband, ask yourself if you can marry a man who doesn’t listen-”

“M’Baku”

“-to what you say you want. What do you see in him? He treats you like a child-”

“M’Baku, stop! Ok, I didn’t ask for this. It’s more complicated than that.”

“It doesn’t have to be…”

She looked at him as a tear escaped.

“It’s been seven years M’Baku, I can’t just throw that away!”

“So you would rather waste a lifetime being miserable all over seven measley years?”

She stared at him with a silent fury in her eyes.

“I knew this was a bad idea.” Monae called the waiter to bring her a to-go box and her check, refusing to let M’Baku pay for her this time.

“Monae, I-”

“Don't bother. I’ve had enough men telling me what to do for one day.”

M’Baku had never meant to make her feel that way, and as she left the restaurant his heart sank.

The walk back to the Center was a blur, as was the rest of the day. M’Baku couldn’t get her words out of his head. He decided to give the one person he knew he could come to with this a call, hoping they would answer.

“My son, how is America treating you? You have not seen any police have you?”

“Just in passing, mama.”

“That is still too close for my liking with those killing machines they carry everywhere. Are you eating? You look thin. I will send some stew with the king next time he goes to the Center.”

M’Baku smiled warmly at his mother’s unnecessary concern. He was eating just fine and hadn’t lost a single pound, but he would never in his right mind turn down his mother’s cooking.

“Thank you mama, I would love that. How are things?”

“I will be happy when you come back and I can retire again. The council is driving me crazy. This week the big issue is snow bank height. Can you imagine? Arguing over damn snow banks.”

He chuckled, missing his mother’s animated voice.

“Now, you have not called me all week. What is wrong?” she abruptly changed the subject.

“Why does something have to be wrong?”

She sucked her teeth and he could already picture the look on her face. It’s the same one he gets when he senses bullshit.

“M’Baku, I raised you. I know you, now talk to me.”

He let out a deep sigh, contemplating how much he should tell her.

“I met a woman here, but she is engaged to a man who does not treat her well.”

“Engaged? M’Baku I raised you better than that-”

“I know mama, but I did not know at first. Apparently here the women wear rings to signify they are betrothed.”

“Just the women?”

“Yes, it is quite an odd culture.”

“I can see that...well son if you truly have feelings for her and this man does not treat her the way she should be treated, what would it hurt to make your feelings known?”

“That is the thing, mama. She knows, we-” he sighed, knowing this wouldn’t go over well. “We kissed.”

There was silence on the other end of the line before a slow chuckle turned into a belly laugh, leaving him confused and speechless.

“Mama, are you done?”

“I am sorry son,” she said, wiping the tears from her eyes. “You just reminded me so much of your baba. You know, we were in a similar situation. He was in your shoes, and I was the young lady. What is her name?”

“Monae.”

“Such a pretty name, I am sure she is just as beautiful.”

“Even more so.”

“Hm, I bet. Anyways, long story short, your baba stole me from my betrothed.”

“He what?!”

“I was supposed to marry Hodari-”

“The head fisherman?”

“That is the one. Our parents had arranged for us to be married, but my heart was not in it. Then along came your baba, all tall and handsome, and I never looked back. My point is, if it is meant to be then it will be, but you cannot just give up if you truly think she feels the same way you do.”

“I do not want to give up, mama, but I do not want to push her away either.”

“Then let her come to you.”

Next Chapter

Taglist: @maddeningmayhem, @theblulife, @devnicolee

#cecewritessometimes #black panther fic #m'baku #m'baku x oc #black!oc #m'baku's love

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outside-the-mailstrom · 3 years

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GENERAL BACKGROUND

I've always been a fan of Marvel comics (or, Marvel Comics' properties, at least) I've fragmentary early memories of Batman The Animated Series, and some associated Batman and Superman comics (aimed at younger readers, in a 'Timmverse' style of the TV shows then airing - gorgeous, simple, iconic Art Deco inspired designs), but for the most part my early conception of superheroes came from what was called "Marvel Hour", a Saturday morning television timeslot ft. back-to-back episodes of cartoons from between the 60s and 90s, starring basically the big names you'd expect. I was quite wee, and don't rightly remember who did and didn't have their own show; obviously the big titles are easy enough for you to guess but I also feel (nebulously) that Iron Man, Hulk, Daredevil, and even the Silver Surfer had their own programs; the line-up jostled, there wasn't an Avengers or Defenders team-up show as there would be these days. There was always Spiderman, of course, and there were generally The X-Men.

X-Men The Animated Series, which was written and produced around the same era as Batman The Animated Series, does not (it has been noted) hold up near so well as its famed compatriot; it has its charms, and is a fascinating window into history, but it's not... strong on revisits. It's a little hard to say how much all this galvanized my interest in the subject matter, and how much it merely looks like it as an artefact of looking back through years of other things layering up (notably the early 00's onward movies, the X-Men Evolution tie-in cartoon [of which I was still, as a viewer, at quite a formative young age], a steadily developing interest in the concept of transition and transformation in all things, and ways that my own self-reinforcing creative projects drew from my standing experience of X-Men as a source material in ways that deepened my interest in, and sympathy for, it as a set of signifiers). Substantial engagement with actual X-Comics, however, comes later; primarily as a fan of the podcast Jay & Miles X-Plane The X-Men (which is pretty much as it sounds; a two-hander deep-dive through X-History & continuity, which settles early in its own run into a charisma and humour driven analytical recap of the major story arcs of the history of the franchise, starting at the Bronze Age [70s onward] and working forward practically issue by issue), aboard which bandwagon I found myself early in its days as a snowballing project (less than a dozen episodes as I recall? Certainly some time before it began to resemble a leading voice in intersectional leftist queer focal fandom, although it was always stridently those things, as well as advocating for a pro-soap opera, pro-minor characters, pro-Cyclops revision to popular understanding of what makes X-Men great).

Of course, if you sit two X-Fans down to talk comics for an hour a week for any length of time, really, under no x-ternal supervision or hard guideline parameters for what subjects are, and are not, on topic (amongst many other things more broad ranging and personal) they're going to get to discussing contemporary releases as well as ancient history. So, at the same time as learning, by glitzy guided tour, the history of The Hellfire Club, how the Phoenix Force actually works, why Scott Summers is autistic and Kitty Pryde is queer, I also got the nod-here-reference-there back ally tour of the contemporary X-Line, as it was shaping up; the early days of the Brian Michael Bendis run, the stuff that came out of Schism and Battle Of The Atom.

Consequently this particular period has always seemed, to me, beguiling.

I spent a period intrigued by it (not least because it’s intriguing, and this is a creative, perhaps even visionary author with strong, distinctive, and original ideas for stories that could be done with this premise and set of characters, and [by the accounts that I was receiving] was executing said ideas, if not flawlessly, at least with panaché). The podcast soon became somewhat of a bonding point between myself and my sister, who (being close in age to me) has always been very immediate in my life, but in such a way as can mean a lot of treading on one another's toes (less risk of that now). Like me she was a long time X-Fan, like me mostly from growing up on related media and finding them abstractly cool (we both had tween crushes on Evolution Nightcrawler - I remember printing out pictures of him from the school library, she now has a tattoo). My sister's completionist tendencies led her to track alongside the podcast, reading originally trade paperbacks and eventually Marvel Unlimited (with a cursory reading of revisionist takes on the Silver Age [60s] - X-Men Season One by Dennis Hopeless and Jamie Mckelvie, then hard-in with the real Bronze Age [70s onward], starting at All New Giant Size X-Men #1, and just working forward). I don't know quite where she's up to now.

I gave this a go, I certainly appreciated things about it, but in general it didn't grab me as my starting point - and while there are many other jumping on points between 1975 and 2013 (already three years in the rear-view by the time I decided to get around to this) the more-or-less present day just seemed the more-or-less obvious point to jump on, so I jumped.

Actually I read the first volume of G. Willow Wilson's Ms. Marvel, up to the 2015/2016 Secret Wars event, then I backed up and read Bendis' entire runs on Uncanny and All New X-Men (which notably, themselves, conclude at the start of Secret Wars), I also read, to my knowledge, all accompanying X-Titles coming out concurrently with the Bendis run, comprising what I'll generally refer to as the wider Bendis Era; Storm by Greg Pak, Cyclops by Greg Rucka, Magneto by Cullen Bunn, X-Force by Si Spurrier (all of which were really quite good, to my mind), and All New X-Factor by Peter David (which wasn't really for me - by which I seem to imply that it's probably for someone... in practice I think perhaps it is simply not really that good). I then read all of the X-Related crossover material that tied in to the aforementioned Secret Wars event (as well as a few non-X-related Secret Wars titles on general recommendation from Jay & Miles' Patreon stretch-goal video reviews of contemporary [primarily X] comic publications). My general process was to read an issue or two at a time then cross-reference with video reviews, as a lot of my engagement with media involves parsing it through the lens of critical voices who represent known quantities relative to my tastes (although it would be erroneous to suggest that by this point I'm not in some way attached to somewhat of a cult of personality around the public personas of the hosts, albeit what seems quite a calm and good natured one).

After finishing the Secret Wars titles I faced a relaunch of the line, and, eager as I was to find out what this experience (and the itemized content within) was like, I'd been a diehard Bendis fan through the process so far and wanted to let my recent reading mellow somewhat; to ruminate, and take a beat to work on other projects - breathe, mourn, let my first formative era of fandom settle before steam-rolling on with a new age.

It’s been… a few years, and while I really do have plenty else I ought be on with I've decided to throw myself back in and read some damn X-Men.

As follows are broadly my thoughts on what I will, somewhat snarkily be calling the 'Ordinary Era' (that is, post Secret Wars, through to the end of Jeff Lemire's Extraordinary X-Men, concluding with the Inhumans vs X-Men event), and beyond.

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lurafita · 5 years

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Peter/Avengers, dub/con, captivity, Part three

TAGGING PEOPLE DIDN’T WORK! I don’t know why, but everytime I tried tagging someone, tumblr suddenly redirected me to their blog, instead of just writing down the name. I’m so sorry, I don’t know what the issue is. I have got in contact with support and am awaiting their answer, but until then, I hope you were still able to find this part! Again, so sorry!

Read Part 1: here

Read Part 2: here

People, heed the tags for upcoming parts in this story.

kidnapping, dub/con, captivity, chains, bondage, obsessive Avengers, Peter/Everyone, darkly soft Avengers (in the sense that they hold Peter captive, but only want to love and protect him), non-powered Peter, dark-ish Avengers, 18+ Peter, Clint is not married and has no kids, Tony is not in a relationship with Pepper.

(I feel like a cheat for tagging these things, even though I still haven’t gotten to the juicy bits in this fic...)

Part 3

Peter had long since retired, when the others gathered in the common floors living room, to further discuss the bomb the younger man had dropped on them mere hours ago.

Clint was waving his phone around wildly. “Australia is the most poisonous continent in the world! There are frogs that can kill you! Frogs!”

Bruce was frowning deeply. “The climate is drastically different there. Neither his body, nor his immune system will easily adapt. Petey could develop numerous illnesses because of that.”

Sam was likewise shaking his head. “Pumpkin doesn't have the physicality for weeks long hiking in the jungle. He may be good at parkour, but that is still miles away from the terrain that will await him in the underbrush.”

Steve made a sound like a wounded animal. “Don't remind me of that particular hobby of his, please. I still have nightmares from that video he showed us.”

Tony threw back his scotch. “Six months. Possibly longer. Sweetheart shouldn't be away from us for such a long time. Shouldn't be away at all.”

Bucky was pacing, the Winter Soldier clawing at his very being. “There isn't enough Intel. We don't know the people that would be part of his group. Don't know the terrain. Can't predict the conditions. Can't entrust Doll to strangers. Not safe.”

Natasha was stoically silent, though her face was stormy.

Thor looked contemplative. “...Then maybe we shouldn't let him go.”

The others stilled, all looking at the Asgardian.

“Hate to break it to you, L'Oreal, but I already tried bribing the University's board, in order to make them reject Stoddard's little excursion. No dice. Figures Peter would attend the one university in this stupid city that holds academic achievements in a higher regard than funding.”

A snort of pure disgust left the billionaires mouth, as he stood up to refill his glass.

But Thor shook his head. “I'm not saying to not let other people embark on this quest. I'm saying not to let Peter go.”

Steve wrung his hands. “We can't exactly keep him from going...”

Thor raised a challenging eyebrow. “Why not? He is a lovely creature, but he is not blessed with strength and battle prowess like the rest of us are. I imagine it would be quite easy to keep him here.”

The others looked around them uncomfortably.

“It's not that we wouldn't be capable of keeping him here, Thor, so much as that we... shouldn't...do something like this.” Sam awkwardly rubbed his neck.

“... Why shouldn't we?” But this time the question didn't come from Thor, but from Bucky.

Nervously wiping his hands over his thighs, Bruce tried to give reason to his words, while the Hulk was roaring in agreement with the Winter Soldier.

“It's... We can't... Peter isn't a child. Or a pet. … We have no right to just... keep him.”

Natasha spoke for the first time, her voice even.

“Don't we? Haven't we taken him in? Haven't we taken care of him for the last year? Aren't we the ones most responsible for his safety and well being? You just counted off all the dangers awaiting Lastashka if he joins this excursion. It's not safe. And he is ours to protect.”

Tony slowly set down his glass, eyes going back and forth during his inner debate.

“It's not like we would be doing something bad... He needs us. He can barely remember to feed himself.”

Clint gave him a sardonic look for that.

“Yeah, I'm not gonna comment on how very hypocritical that is coming from you. But you are right. Last week he almost fainted, because he wanted to finish his thesis, and didn't sleep for two days straight.”

Tony's head shot up at this.

“What? Why didn't I know about this? Friday? I thought I told you to keep an eye on my Sweetheart's sleeping schedule.”

“Peter asked me not to inform you of this, when I attempted to get him to sleep. He said it wouldn’t be a regular occurrence, and that after he finished with his work, he wouldn't have to neglect his rest so severely again. Since you yourself have abstained from sleep on far more occasions, I promised Peter discretion on the matter.”

Dammit!

Clint simply pointed to him.

“See? Hypocrite. But this just helps to prove the fact that Pete isn't very good at taking care of himself. And we can't leave him to a bunch of nerdy strangers. Nat is right. He is ours to protect.”

Bucky nodded along with this reasoning, as Sam pursed his lips.

“It's not like there is any guarantee that this plant this professor is looking for will really cure the disease, right? It's not worth it for Pumpkin to risk his health, possibly even his life, on a fools errand.”

Bruce couldn't ignore the words of his friends,and the desires of himself and the Hulk, any longer.

“I have been on such fruitless excursions during my time in university. I remember the hopeful anticipation in the beginning. And the crushing devastation when we came back empty handed. I would like to spare Petey such an experience.”

Steve held up his hands.

“Whoa, whoa, guys. You aren't seriously considering,- what? Kidnapping Peter? Keeping him locked up here with us?”

Bucky spoke before anyone else could.

“He would be safe here. We can protect him. Care for him. Love him.”

Natasha nodded.

“We won't hurt him. He won't understand or like it, at first. But he will come around.”

Tony carefully chimed in.

“It will take some time. Patience. Affection. But... since everyone will be thinking he is gonna be in the depths of the Australian underbrush for at least half a year...”

Clint was already a step ahead.

“The Tower is listed as Peter's official address, and Tony and Bruce as the overseers of his internship. It wouldn't be suspicious if one of them called the university the day of the groups departure, to report that Peter can't make it due to sudden injury or illness.”

Sam hopped right on.

“They will want to catch a very early flight, won't they? It's a bit of a trip to another continent. We could throw a little 'Good-bye' party for Pete. Invite his friends and aunt. Tell everyone one of us would drive him to the airport the next morning...”

A thoughtful crease appeared between Bruce's eyebrows.

“The professors usually tell the students and volunteers in their group to leave things like their cellphones at home. There is rarely opportunity to charge the battery, and if you are deep in the jungle, there is no reception anyway. So no one would be expecting to hear from him before the excursion team gets back. By that time,... surely Petey won't want to leave us again.”

Steve took a step forward.

“Okay, stop. Do you realize what you are talking about? We can't do this.”

“Don't you love him?” Thor's usually booming voice was quite, almost a whisper.

Steve nodded. “Of course I do. But-”

“Don't you wish to protect him? To know that he is safe?” Sam added.

“I do. But that doesn't mean-”

“Haven't things been so much better since he came to live with us? We have all been more careful during missions, taking less risks, causing less damage, because we know Peter is here, waiting for us to come back.” Clint threw in.

“I-”

“Peter was underweight when he started living here, you know? He got some acid on his shirt, and had to change out of it. I could count his ribs back then. His clothes don't look like they are his two heads taller brother’s hand-me-downs any longer, because we have made sure that he eats regularly. Do you think anyone else will do that for him in Australia?” Bruce asked.

“They.. no, they probably wouldn't..”

“You have been drawing more, since Peter found some of your older sketches. It has helped you relax. Been a way for you to deal with the things we have been through. I know half of your sketchbook is full of drawings of him. Do you really think you can go back to before? Capture other motifs on paper? Be without your muse for six whole months, and possibly longer?” Bucky implored.

“I didn't think of that.... I... I couldn't...”

“When I was a child, I have never been allowed to want something. We were weapons, there was no room for wishes. I have gotten to experience friendship and trust since then, and maybe it is selfish to ask for more. But I want more, Steve. I want Peter. I want him to be here with us, not somewhere in some jungle that might take him from us. My trainers kept me from wanting then, will this world's ideal of morality still keep me from wanting now?” She looked at him with eyes fuller of emotion than they had ever been.

“Natasha, I... no, of course you are allowed to want-”

“I don't care if I'm being selfish. We are heroes, Steve. Earth's mightiest defenders, isn't that what they call us? We go out there and fight everyone's enemies. People are safe because of us. But I will tell you right now, the only reason I have been able to sleep through a whole night recently, is Peter. I have seen so much shit in my life, Steve. Before the Avengers were ever formed, and then even more after we got this little superhero boy-band together. I used to tinker in my lab for days on end, because I knew that at one point my body would shut down on its own, and I would get the sleep I needed, with only the minimum of all the delightful nightmares my ptsd ridden brain could come up with. But ever since Peter has been here, it's better. I go to bed thinking about the way his eyes light up, whenever I show him a new upgrade for a current project, instead of the wide open eyes of the dead child we were too late to safe. I'm able to sleep dreaming about the noises he would make, if I bit the nape of his neck just so, instead of recalling flying a nuke through a portal and falling to what was supposed to be my death. Don't try to tell me you haven't had similar experiences with him. Don't try to lie about this. We deserve to be selfish with the person we love.”

“I, I know, Tony. I'm not saying that I don't understand...” The protest was feeble, weak. Steve was already more than halfway convinced.

“In Asgard, Peter would be called a 'Melmir'. A gift. Something to be kept to ourselves and safe at all cost.” Thor had stood, stepping closer to his friend.

“Peter isn't a thing.”

“I did not mean to imply such. A treasure needs not be an object to be called precious. Peter is precious, is he not?”

Steve looked determinedly into the eyes of his taller friend.

“He is.”

Then the super soldier looked at his teammates around him. His friends. And he saw his own feelings reflected in their eyes.

“And he is ours.”

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Read Part 4: here

Yeah, so this part was supposed to dive right into the chains and captivity and other stuff that I promised, but then I got caught up in the dialouge and, well....

I do hope you still liked it though. I will try to be faster with the next part.

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abadpoetwithdreams · 7 years

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Nirvana in Fire Episode 3 Reaction

I’m back with more long-winded babbling about this incredibly complicated show! I mean that as a good thing–this plot has so many plates spinning at once, and so many layers of character interaction, and it’s all done really well and we haven’t even really started yet! This is still just setting the stage! By the end of this episode, however, it feels like things are actually getting ready to kick off more. The basic foundation that we need of who all these people are and what their agendas are is firmly established and now we are ready to see where the story goes. Or not ready? Ready in the mind but not in the heart.

Note: this reaction is really just a glorified recap. I tried shortening it because, uh, LONG, but this episode is SO FULL OF IMPORTANT EXPOSITION that I couldn’t really comment on my reaction to any one thing without having to contextualize it with other things, and any of the few seemingly non-important things were all really fun character bits so I want to talk about them and. Um. I guess I’ll alternate how I format my reaction posts between more streamlined bulletpoint reactions and long-winded recapping depending on episode content.

Also! This was the last episode I watched where I took any kind of notes until episode like 12 (I’m on ep 17 now guys help but I’m holding off watching more so I can write these. Barely). When I write up eps 4-11 I’ll keep my later knowledge from coloring what I remember my initial responses to be as much as possible.

(And a HUGE thank you to everyone who has welcomed me to this fandom and to those of you who have sent me feedback on my recaps and helpful commentary! I LOVE THIS SHOW. I will reply to your comments in a separate post because I want to foster this dialogue, because I LOVE THIS SHOW and want to talk about it! So thanks, guys, don’t hesitate to send me messages or whatever, every one of them makes my day!)

We resume the story in this episode exactly where we left off in the last one (as seems to be the norm with this show): with Ni Huang and Lin Shu–I mean, Mei Chang Su–I mean, let’s be real he’s always Lin Shu whenever Ni Huang is around–ok let’s start over. We resume the story with a slave child getting beaten by a eunuch. When the eunuch realizes the boy has a book on him, his rage only increases, but I’m immediately interested because this slave can read?? Hm.

The eunuch taunts the boy, telling him the fact that Prince Jing favors him does not protect him because no one likes Jing, lol. But Chang Su instantly looks even more interested in the scene, and speaking of Jing, he comes running up, and insists the eunuch stop hitting the kid. The eunuch responds by listing the boy’s punishable offenses (among them “talking back” and like lol did you forget which Prince you’re talking to??? I’m pretty sure all you did was make Jing high5 this kid mentally) and trying to pull rank via the Empress, but while Jing just stands there tongue-tied and stormy like he seems to be a lot (I really love him and his Serious-Sad-Grumpy face) Ni Huang interrupts by WHIPPING THE EUNUCH FROM LIKE SIX FEET AWAY.

Have I said I adore Ni Huang? Because I adore Ni Huang. I love how she uses her popularity and power to sort of defend Jing. Based on the last two episodes we can see what a good match she is for Lin Shu, as she is brilliant and charming and you can see how they click intellectually (even as he tries to disguise himself from her, their minds work together too easily) but here we can also see what a good partnership she has with Jing. I don’t mean romantically. I just mean she is exactly the friend he needs. “Thank you for your help, but I can handle a servant,” he tells her gravely. No, Jing. You can’t. It’s adorable. While Ni Huang kindly explains to Jing about how politics works, Chang Su, who has been watching this all with poorly concealed heart eyes, hurries over to comfort the boy and ask his name. THAT gets the immediate attention of the other two. Jing looks worried as he suddenly remembers that Chang Su is there. Iiiiiiiiinteresting.

The boy’s name is Ting Sheng, and he’s eleven. The big battle that killed Lin Shu’s father? Happened twelve years ago. Iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinteresting.

Jing doesn’t seem pleased at this line of questioning. Chang Su looks startled when Jing speaks up, like he was so interested in this kid he had forgotten he was not alone. Whenever he looks surprised about something or like he’s scrambling about something I can’t help but wonder if it’s legit or if he’s just playing what he wants the others to see. This time, it looks genuine to me but he recovers fast.

Meanwhile, back at the tournament, the Crown Prince and Prince Yu look bored out of their minds because Chang Su isn’t around for them to fawn over. As soon as they realize he isn’t coming back, they ditch. I know that doesn’t sound funny on paper, but trust me, it’s funny as heck. I love these actors so much. Their mannerisms as they squabble (both when they’re actually arguing and just in the tension whenever they’re near each other) are hysterically funny, but their power and motivations in the story are very serious, so they remain formidable opponents for our Hero With Three Names. It’s a wonderful balance that the show’s writing and these actors manage to achieve, and I am enjoying it a lot.

(I hope Yu Jin and Jing Rui can relax and have a bit more fun now that those two have left the premises, btw. I want only happiness for those sweethearts. Ha. Haha. Don’t mock me in your replies to this, fandom. I know it’s a foolish hope. Don’t crush my dreams, not this early in the show.)

Back with our dream team, Jing is suspicious of Chang Su. In this whole conversation, Ni Huang plays an intriguing role in both supporting Jing but also defending Chang Su. Chang Su asks Jing why he cares about this boy. Jing, after an uncomfortable pause, says the kid is literate and his mother was a disgraced woman who could read and so Jing feels bad for him and that’s all. And okay, granted, I haven’t been given enough time yet to get to know Jing very well, but what I do know is that he is a TERRIBLE liar. Even Ni Huang looks like she feels a bit sorry for him. I believe what he’s saying–up to a point. But no way does Jing care just because this kid wasn’t born a peasant. There’s more to this for sure.

Chang Su offers to help teach the boy how to read, as I guess he is technically literate but not very good at comprehension yet. The boy is excited, but Jing seems even more unhappy at the attention Chang Su is showing the kid. Poor Jing. Learn to stop wearing your unhappiness on your sleeve, man.. Be like Ni Huang. Everyone should be like Ni Huang.

Then we get some exposition courtesy of our favourite princess, explaining that as a slave Ting Sheng cannot come and go freely, and only a decree from the Emperor could free him, but not only does the Emperor never free slaves, he dislikes even the suggestion that he free them. Thus Jing, who is already on dangerously thin ice in court, has had to keep quiet on the subject, which also explains his worry at Chang Su shaking things up. Our sneaky drama boy just smiles and says he’ll think of something. Attaboy, Shu.

Jing asks aggressively why Chang Su is so very interested in helping this kid, Chang Su replies with what I can already tell is his patented “I’m sorry could you repeat that I can’t hear you over the sound of my illness and harmlessness” smile. Hilariously, Ni Huang then cuts in to turn the question back on poor Jing. Chang Su’s smile turns just a shade smugger at that. He’s got to control himself around Ni Huang. She already clearly suspects him, and he’s only been around her for like ten minutes.

Anyway, I’ve spent way too much time on this scene because I loved it so much (I love these three people so to see them all spar together for the first time was super fun) but the scene ends with Jing walking away with the boy and looking quite adorable as he does, and saying he will wait and see what Chang Su does. And Ni Huang continues to be very intrigued by Chang Su.

Back at the tournament, Ni Huang’s baby brother arranges to have one of his men test Chang Su somehow because he’s alarmed that this strange scholar has been getting friendly with his sister. It’s hilarious that this brother thinks that Ni Huang needs protecting, but also that’s very sweet of him. I guess.

The show is unnecessarily cruel by having the old Dowager’s calling to Lin Shu play as VO as Chang Su walks pensively out of the palace. I’m never getting over that scene. But then he gets attacked by baby brother’s man and doesn’t so much as blink when the soldier charges because Fei Liu is there to save him! THIS KID. He is all ready to Hulk Smash the soldier, but Chang Su almost amusedly makes sure he doesn’t. (Side note: The attacker mentions Chang Su looks weak. I can’t help but wonder more and more if Shu is frustrated about how his body has (apparently?) failed him, leaving him with only his mind and charisma as weapons against the people who wronged his family? Since he’s such a great thinker, I am assuming he must have been a prodigy in warfare as well when he was younger. Since filial piety is a huge thing for his culture (basically virtue #1 if I remember my Chinese studies from college accurately) I am guessing a major motivation for him isn’t just revenge for his sake but for his father’s sake somehow. That’s a huge task he has set up for himself, but his means to accomplish it have been very handicapped, and meanwhile all these other characters get big action sequences and stunts and he just has to. Stand there. And smile blandly. And bury every part of himself that IS himself deep down inside. Related to this, I wonder if the actor himself found it frustrating at times how he just has to dress up and stand in the background of all the fun wirework scenes, lol. Maybe he gets to let loose a bit more later in the series. I have no idea.)

But things only get REALLY interesting here when who shows up but that general I liked last episode!! He’s still great, and dismisses the soldier angrily: “You’re not leaving yet? Are you waiting around to have a meal with me?” -best burn of this show so far, oh my gosh.

BUT THEN.

“It’s been twelve years. You’ve finally made your way back.”

!!!!!!

HE KNOWS WHO CHANG SU REALLY IS.

Not only that, but they apparently were corresponding for five years now, and he is worried because he had repeatedly warned Lin Shu that it would be too dangerous for him to return. But, now that he’s here, he’s 200% ready to do whatever Lin Shu wants and to help him do whatever it is he’s trying to do in whatever way he can. This guy is an AMAZING friend. And, given his high status in the palace as the head of the guard, from what I can tell, he’s an immensely valuable ally. I’m so glad!! I’m honestly also surprised, as I did not expect people to start recognizing Lin Shu as early as episode 3..

(“I’m finally home,” Lin Shu says, and ugh, isn’t that depressing.)

Also, it’s confirmed that he planned to have Fei Liu attack the general so that would serve as their sneaky introduction, because Lin Shu is ridiculously dramatic. Was he always this way, or is that just one of the ways falling off a cliff Mufasa-style changes a soul?

They arrange to meet at his house on Jing Rui’s dad’s estate that night(it’s called Snow Cottage, apparently? Cute name) to talk more freely. Cut to that night: Ni Huang is furious at her brother for his horrible attempt at protecting her. The actor who plays her brother plays the character as so much more casual and spontaneous than 99% of the characters on this show, and it makes him seem both very likable and very young. Don’t hurt him, show. Pls.

Ni Huang explains that Chang Su isn’t just a random scholar friend of Jing Rui’s: he’s the lord of that Eastern Yangtze Alliance and he sent tactical help once when she and her brother were having difficulty defeating their enemy at some battle. She’s convinced there’s more to him than meets the eye.

Then we cut to mister mysterious himself, who has fallen asleep sitting in his chair all wrapped up in his robes and then if that isn’t cute enough Fei Liu hurries up to tuck furs over him and I nearly died from this cuteness squared. Then, alas, the moment is ruined by the arrival of the general–Commander General Meng, actually, seems to be his name proper. Fei Liu still hates him because of their fight, and Meng is concerned that Lin Shu is burning coals in a brazier even though it isn’t that cold. Remember: he’s sickly. The show keeps throwing up little “HE IS UNWELL” flags like this, but so far there isn’t any evidence really of what exactly is wrong with him beyond his restraint in action and his apparent sensitivity to cold. I’m guessing this is planting seeds for episodes to come.

Something else that jumps out at me is that for the first time Lin Shu admits he isn’t 100% sure of what his plan is. He has obviously planned ahead a LOT (he did have 12 years to scheme, after all), but there is a certain amount of winging it that seems to be happening, too. Part of the fun of this show so far is trying to figure out how much of what happens is Lin Shu influencing events 20 moves ahead like a chess master, and how much is him being very adaptable and fast on his feet with strategy.

Meng insists on being Lin Shu’s ally in whatever he’s doing and will continue to pretend they don’t know each other well. He is apparently this loyal because he was part of the Lin army at some point. He asks how many people survived the battle. Shu says as far as people Meng would recognize goes, it’s only him and someone called Wei Zheng. I don’t think we’ve been introduced yet?

Meng then asks what happened in the battle. YES. TELL US THIS.

Flashback time!!!! … It shows nothing we haven’t seen before, though. Dangit. But when we cut back to Shu’s face, he’s got actual tears in his eyes and it’s all very intense. Poor boy is still traumatized, seemingly. And angry. He tells Meng he’ll reveal all when the time is right. I want to argue that the time could be right right now, but oh well. I can wait. Maybe.

Meng agrees, because he is a Good Friend and can see how the topic affects Shu. Then he basically asks for orders, and I guess we will find out what those are later! Next day, Yu Jin and Jing Rui are leaving for the tournament and are greeted at the door by literal wagonloads of gifts from Prince Yu and the Crown Prince. This got a good laugh out of me, I love how their very serious rivalry manifests in absurdity at least in this stage of the game. I also love Jing Rui’s frogface expression of “I am not amused but secretly I rather am.” Protect him, show. I’m worried about how close his story is tied with Chang Su.

Montage time! Jing Rui looks splendid in his fight at the tournament, and Yu Jin actually looks almost as good! They’re both great fighters despite being so laid-back, and that makes me love them even MORE. “You could have won with 58 stances, but you had to stall until the 65th to show off your gorgeous pose,” Jing Rui tells a very, very pleased with himself Yu Jin, and it’s so Good. Just. I want these two to run far away. Now.

Btw, I’m assuming they’re in the tournament to try to take two of those top ten spots, not because they actually want to marry Ni Huang. I’m pretty sure it’s established she could defeat them in combat anyway.

There’s a brief shot of a giant hairy wall of a man who is winning his bouts by punching out swordsmen. I am guessing he will be important as the tournament progresses. Oh, and the boys do get spots in the final two. Yay! I’m very proud of them.

The emperor is pleased that most of the final ten are not foreigners and thus make his kingdom look good. The lady who I think is the Crown Prince’s mother tries to coyly convince the emperor to favor a candidate she likes, but he replies that the Empress has already asked the same thing, just for another candidate. Ha. He then says that it doesn’t matter anyway because he’s not going to judge the exams: some random impartial scholar Ni Huang recommended is going to.

Good Lord, Emperor. You are making a mistake. It’s almost pitiful how wrong you are.

(I am distracted throughout this scene by how beautiful the woman’s eye makeup is. I tend to paint my eyes exactly those colors when I do my own eye makeup, so I feel vindicated. I guess it’s the Chinese ancestry in me coming out in mysterious ways.)

Chang Su’s reaction to the news he is to grade the exams is curious to me. I don’t know for sure, obviously–but it looks like the wheels start spinning very quickly in his head. I feel like Ni Huang requesting him as the examiner was a power move on her part; I do not think he was expecting it and now he has to adapt fast. I could be wrong. But I think his question of “how does the emperor know about me?” is him genuinely thinking out loud. Did he not plan on being this conspicuous this fast?

The giant man at the tournament is Baili Qi, and he is from Northern Yan, so outside the kingdom. This is problematic, because he totally demolishes another one of the finalists in a single punch, leaving the three boys (Ni Huang’s little brother, and the duo) thunderstruck. I LOVED Yu Jin’s tentative “maybe we could beat him together?”/Jing Rui’s incredulous face/Yu Jin conceding that nah, they’re toast. These two. I believe in you guys! Defeat him with the power of friendship!

The Emperor is LIVID. Marrying Ni Huang off to a former enemy would strengthen that enemy with her considerable following and would potentially embolden them to new war. He asks the Princes for a solution, and for once they are dead silent. Meng says when asked that he does not think Ni Huang can defeat Baili Qin, but I wonder if he has something up his sleeve here because he looks a little shifty, and in his nighttime meeting with Chang Su he did ask for orders … He looks uncharacteristically calculating as he watches the princes, is all I’m saying.

Meanwhile, Ni Huang’s little bro (whose name I must learn) is even MORE LIVID. He is acting like he is the one that’s getting married, lollllll.

Ni Huang, however, seems weirdly calm until she asks gently, with a pensive smile: “Do you know what a perfect match is?”

AAAAAAND CUT TO MEI CHANG SU.

I live for obvious editing like that. It was very satisfying. Oh this sad couple.

Now here comes what feels like one of the most important scenes in an episode filled with important scenes (this show is ridiculously dense, guys. I can’t believe I’m only on 3?????): a long bit of exposition explaining the significance of Jing Rui’s name. Told by a gleeful Yu Jin. Can he do all exposition for this show? He’s so fun.

I’m not ashamed to say I rewatched this scene twice to make sure I followed, because it just feels like such an important story I don’t want to be confused ten or twenty episodes on. But basically: Jing Rui was named so to mark him as being related to the Imperial family. This is because (I THIIINK) his mother is the current emperor’s sister??? HOWEVER. When he was born, there was a plague or something that made it necessary for his mother to leave the palace and go to some remote area for her safety. Because the princess is a kind person, she let another traveling pregnant woman (who I guess is from a powerful family in her own right but is not royalty) stay in the same place while she was there, and they became friends. They also ended up going into labor at the same time, and birthing sons the same stormy night. During the storm, however, the lights were doused and in the confusion the babies were misplaced so when the lights were restored, no one could be certain which boy belonged to which mother. This problem was compounded when one of the infants died the next day. So each family had equal claim to the living baby. Instead of solving this problem like Solomon would have done, the Emperor just declared Jing Rui is the son of both families, so he has two moms and two dads I guess but he only lives with one set of parents? Anyway his name signifies that. So it could confuse foreigners into thinking he is the emperor’s son, which we see borne out when one of the Northern Yan delegation bribes a eunuch to find out this whole story.

In addition, him being the son of both families has bound his families together into one big happy family??? The son of one set of parents has married the daughter of the other set and it’s all very confusing but Jing Rui seems comfortable so ok. I don’t know if I’ve met both his sets of parents. I know I’ve seen the princess and the Marquis … Xie? Something like that. Roundish face, beard. But I don’t remember seeing a Zhou or Jing Rui interacting with a Zhou, so. Hmmmmmm.

This story is too detailed. It’s gotta come back to bite us later. I don’t know how, but I’m already upset.

Jing Rui plans to challenge Baili Qi at the feast for the final ten suitors, in hopes of injuring him enough that Ni Huang will be able to beat him. He’s so pure. Ni Huang’s brother bursts into the manor like a breath of fresh air and literally drags Chang Su away, babbling at him about how he trusts Chang Su to defeat Baili Qi and totally steamrolling Chang Su’s attempts to keep his usual reserved and polite man of mystery facade intact. The unspoken rule of this show is that everyone hangs of Chang Su’s every word; Ni Huang’s brother just cuts him off mid-sentence lol. Arguably the best-delivered line of the episode: “If you can’t handle him, I’d have to have him beaten up.”

And then! Chang Su! Is announced! In the palace! Well, it’s his other fake name but whatever. He walks in and Ni Huang looks very pleased with herself and the theeeeeme music plaaaaaaays

The music feels very internalized. This moment isn’t important to anyone except Lin Shu right now but it’s SO important to him, so–MUSIC.

I also got a bit giddy at this whole scene because the camera keeps cutting to show all these characters gathered in one place and it was like–oh. OH. Everyone is here. Our major players are here. The game is officially started. It was a pretty cool moment.

And he gets to sit next to Ni Huang, so he’s already winning. And so is she, judging by the look on her face XD

Prince Yu suggests the finalists duel each other as entertainment. The Crown Prince, of course, immediately bounces up to argue against this idea, but hilariously in the middle of his pompous speech he notices Chang Su ever so slightly shake his head: no. The lame, stuttering backtrack the Crown Prince clumsily manages is beautiful to behold, and Yu looks very smug. Both princes seem to think Chang Su is helping them, which I feel like might lead to problems later, but for now Lin Shu is just having fun with playing them both like a couple of bratty, red-gold fiddles.

Oh, and intercut with this is the harem of Emperor concubines (is harem the right term here? Idk. You know what I mean) discussing Ni Huang’s upcoming marriage, but it isn’t that interesting a scene so I’m glossing over it. It just reinforces that the emperor’s actual wife and favourite concubine hate each other and are playing power games of their own, trying to one-up each other. Meanwhile, Jing Rui’s mother is both angelically lovely AND angelically nice, apparently. I really like this actress’s voice.

Ok but enough of that scene. At the feast, the emperor happily agrees to this idea to have the men fight, and good ol Jing Rui immediately jumps up to challenge Baili Qi. Ni Huang watches keenly, but Chang Su is seemingly entirely absorbed in peeling a tangerine, this jerk. He is having waaaaay too much fun with this.

To be fair, tangerine peeling is a task that requires 100% attention. Gotta get rid of all those white fibers that stick to the segments.

Jing Rui gets into this amazing stance that almost kills me from how pretty it is, and then–fight, fight, fight! This is my favourite bit of combat of the entire show so far (admittedly there hasn’t been THAT much fighting anyway) because of the contrasting choreography. The styles are very distinct and the camerawork is so smooth. I also feel SO BAD for those actors, because filming complex choreographed sequences while wearing all that fake hair and layers of satin and silk must be the WORST. I would know; I’m an Irish dancer.

While Jing Rui easily looks the faster and more disciplined fighter, however, it’s like he’s hitting a wall; Baili Qi is simply too strong. So our boy ends up only barely holding his own, much to the Liang crowd’s distress. Except for Chang Su, who still only looks mildly interested as he chews what looks like the entire tangerine in his mouth. This jerk. I love him so much. No one is even watching him and he’s still gotta be extra.

Yu Jin, worried about his friend, calls out that for the match to be really fair, Jing Rui should have a sword, because that’s what he usually fights with; he’s not a brawler like Baili Qi. The emperor nods, and so Meng CHUCKS A SWORD AT JING RUI. I would not feel like that was a greaaaat help if I was him, but Jing Rui has much better reflexes than I do and so he does this fantastic flip-kick-the-sword-into-the-air stunt and tries to maneuver Baili Qi under it. Alas, he forgets that he is not the stronger of the two, and Baili Qi easily spins so Jing Rui is under the sword instead. In the nick of time, however, Jing Rui snatches the sword out of the air BEHIND HIS BACK and presses to the attack. Once again, however, Baili Qi wins the upper hand and manages to both snatch the sword from Jing Rui AND send Jing Rui flying into a table, smashing into and over it and scattering fruit everywhere.

(“Oh no, the tangerines!” Chang Su says for the benefit of anyone listening, or at least I’m headcanoning this is his reaction offscreen. In the wide shot literally NOBODY ELSE in this entire hall is eating except him. Extra funny: he looks like he’s having issues swallowing that ridiculously large mouthful of fruit he took earlier. He needs to curb that part of him that likes Drama, because if he wants to be inconspicuous he shouldn’t be so obviously flagging that he’s impartial and uninterested here, good lord. LOOK AT ME IM SO NOT WORTH LOOKING AT, he screams. I wonder if he was a prankster growing up, as he seems to get a prankster’s delight out of stuff like this. It isn’t all grim and dark on his journey to do whatever it is he’s doing. Not yet, anyway. I still don’t trust his friendship with the boys. And he’s already manipulating the heck out of everyone, including Ni Huang–although that latter might be a mistake, because she clearly knows something is Up with him.)

Before Baili Qi-with-sword (aka Baili Qi the Grim Reaper) can take Jing Rui out, however, the emperor yells for the fight to stop–and that’s the cliffhanger ending of this episode.

Will Baili Qi marry Ni Huang? (HA. As if.) Will Jing Rui be okay? (I have my doubts about the long run because he is Too Good, but for now I think he’s pretttttty safe.) Will Mei Chang Su manage to swallow that tangerine fast enough to say whatever it is he needs to say to spin this situation to his advantage? (50/50 chance on that one.) Only one way to find out–on to episode 4!

#badpoet watches #badpoet watches nif #nirvana in fire #long post #nirvana in fire episode 3

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flourish · 7 years

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My life with comics

My best friend as a child has issues of Witchblade. Her parents bought it for her? Maybe. She has video games too, other things that I am allowed to engage with at other people’s houses but that I am not encouraged to bring home.

I love the sexy, powerful women in it. I don’t know that I want to be them, but I want to look at them forever. I don’t know how to get more issues. I know my mother wouldn’t approve.

I’m in high school. My best online friend is involved in scans_daily, and I’ve seen how much she loves superhero comics. I want to get into comics so I can talk with her about them.

There’s a comic shop about a quarter-mile from my house and I walk there in the Central Valley heat, ignoring the catcalls from the road. I’m used to it: in my suburb girls with long blonde hair don’t walk anywhere, and when they do they are fair game for any and all harassment. I’m still in the closet about being bi, still always femme, still painting my mouth with bright red lipstick. I don’t know any other way to be yet.

I get to the shop. It’s in a strip center that’s seen better days, and if you didn’t know it was still in business already, you might assume it was abandoned. I’ve been places like this to buy Magic cards before, got in and got out quickly, keeping my head down. I knew what happened when I played Magic with strange boys: they laughed at me, beat me hollow. After a few experiences like that I kept the cards not to play but just to look at the illustrations and imagine the worlds beyond them. I wanted to play, but I didn’t want to be humiliated.

No one speaks to me when I enter. I thumb through longboxes, feeling the eyes of the men behind the counter on me. I can feel the sweat drying on my back. I don’t want to ask questions. “Shopping for your boyfriend?” one of them finally ventures.

In retrospect, it was probably meant as a kindness.

At the time, I fled.

A few months later I’ve met a guy online. He’s into comics, so I gather up the courage to try again. This time when I go in to the same shop I can say “yes” when they ask whether I’m shopping for my boyfriend, but it’s not true. I have heard about Neil Gaiman’s 1602 and I want to get it weekly.

I go back over the course of months to pick up my one, singular comic. Once or twice someone tries to pick me up. Once the sales guy quizzes me on my knowledge, holding the issue hostage behind the counter as I struggle to explain that I don’t have a history with comics, that I just picked this one up because I like Neil Gaiman. He finally, grudgingly, gives it to me. “You should read—” he says, but then he catches himself: “it’s not out in trades and I don’t think we have all the issues.”

It doesn’t matter. I couldn’t afford to buy a long run of single issues anyway. My parents could, but I don’t have pocket money, and I’m supposed to be focusing on school, not getting a job. Or reading comics.

I like 1602, but I don’t get it. It’s so referential to characters I don’t know, storylines I can’t track. Every time I go into the shop, I feel more like an outsider. I’ve crossed the Rubicon. I am a regular, or anyway, a person who regularly comes in, even if I still don’t know anyone’s name. So why do I feel more left out than ever?

I end up at the same college as the guy I met online. He runs the comics library. Even after we break up, I’m welcome there. I finally feel like I can come in and flop down, pick up any comic I want, read it. I don’t have to talk to anyone if I don’t want to, and if I do talk to people, they are people I already know. I will not be quizzed.

The comics are in hardback books comprised of many single issues. I know they’re sent to a monastery to be bound together. (This is, though it seems fantastic, true.) I suppose that the monks are puzzled by the contents. My imagination doesn’t yet stretch to consider that some of the monks probably loved comics as boys, that they probably enjoy illicitly reading the issues as they bind them.

I can go back as far in comics history as I want to, here. There are first issues of all sorts of things. But I don’t. Every time I pick up something from the 80s or before, it’s too old, I don’t get it. When I try to pick things up in the middle, even the spots where people say “here’s where to start,” I feel that shivery misery of out-of-placeness. Maybe I’m not made for these. Maybe these are not made for me.

I read the full run of Ultimate Spider-Man, because I don’t have to know anything about what came before. I read V for Vendetta. I read Bone. I read Blankets. I read zines published by local artists. I don’t read any more superhero comics, after awhile. It’s not any individual person’s fault. It’s my fault, for not being more persistent. I shouldn’t have been put off by those actually-nice-guys who were just trying to be welcoming in an awkward way. After all, no one ever did anything really offensive. I should have listened more to my kind feminist boyfriend, to the scans_daily friend, even to my childhood best friend who somehow managed to get her hands on all sorts of pop culture that I wasn’t privy to. I shouldn’t have been daunted by canons that stretch back years before my birth. It’s me. I’m the one who’s at fault.

I watch people love superheroes from, it feels like, a long way away.

What if I loved superheroes?

I wax poetic about the new Spider-Man movie, about how much I hated the Tobey Maguire films because they weren’t really about a high school student. I scream with delight when the trailer comes on at SDCC, when I’m in Hall H and suddenly Peter Parker is in a high school comedy and Zendaya is flirting with him and it’s so great. Elizabeth is startled to find out that I care at all.

What if I was a fan of Spider-Man?

It’s not possible that I am a fan of Spider-Man. I know nothing about him. After all, I’ve only read Ultimate.

I feel confident at Comic-Con, going to the CBLDF party, walking around the floor. I know a lot about this stuff compared to most of the people here. I am a True Nerd.

I’m not a True Nerd. I only know a lot about comics compared to the Muggles.

The fact that I call them “Muggles” and not something else, something comics-specific, only illustrates that fact.

I read indie comics. My husband likes them more than me. I can’t compete with his expertise. I can’t compete with anyone’s expertise. So I begin to say, “I don’t read comics.” This is a lie.

I personally buy many of our comics, but they still feel like they belong to him.

I don’t look femme anymore, at least not high femme. I see myself in zines I buy at Printed Matter or at St. Mark’s Bookshop or online: people with long eyelashes and men’s haircuts. I don’t, somehow, connect these people with Witchblade, or with 1602. Their work is sold in bookstores. Their work is sold in Artists’ Alleys. They aren’t comics. Or they are, but they’re not that kind of comics.

They’re the kind of comics that I can read, not the kind of comics I can’t read.

I lift weights a lot. My favorite shirt reads THE SAVAGE SHE-HULK. I have never read a comic about She-Hulk.

I begin to think I might be non-binary, but I don’t care enough to insist on pronouns.

Maybe I do care enough. But I am set in my ways. People assume I’m straight, people assume I’m absolutely female. When I send up a test balloon about it, the reaction is stark: what the fuck. I don’t want to get into the argument.

I also don’t want to get into the argument about comics. I would rather not read superhero comics than have to defend my enjoyment of them, or have to fight my own instincts in order to enjoy them. So I don’t. I’ll study them and know all about them, intellectually, and I’ll watch the movie when it comes out but I won’t give my heart away.

This makes me a coward. I have recently come to recognize that I belong in Slytherin. I guess it comes with the territory.

I study fandoms for work. My closest colleague loves to read single issues, loves Marvel and DC. She follows a million superheroes, she writes criticism for fun in her off hours, she brings great insights. We do projects to look at superhero fandoms together and I know I’m resting in the fact that I can focus on just the parts I feel comfortable with and leave the rest to her. If I squint it’s almost like I’m just engaged in the fandom spaces I always have loved, the spaces that are familiar to me. The internet spaces where people write fanfic and make fanart. The spaces that are mostly female and enby.

On the internet nobody knows you’re a dog.

So why is it that I know so many women, so many women who are much more femme than me, so many women who are much more women than me, who embrace superhero comics?

Who identify as comics people, even if not superhero comics people?

Why can’t I seem to do it too, no matter how much I read?

I don’t normally self-disclose this way, for a lot of reasons. My work involves actively trying to ignore personal feelings about fandoms, checking and double checking against data to make sure that they’re being represented accurately and truthfully and honestly and fairly, and I think I do it pretty well. More to the point, I do it with a team, and we check each other.

Fansplaining involves criticism of fandom as well as celebration of it. A lot of times our experiences as hosts are beside the point. When Elizabeth said she thought we needed to do a big quadruple episode and address racism in Star Wars fandom, my stomach sank. Star Wars was my jam. I wept at the new movies. I owned a whole bookshelf of extended universe novels at one point. I didn’t want to look at how the fandom was flailing (and failing). But she was right. And my feelings were beside the point.

Still, it’s impossible to set aside everything you feel.

Are we really negative about comics on Fansplaining? I can’t tell. Or, I can: I combed through every time we’ve discussed them, and was satisfied that we weren’t. But then I got to the end and had another email from another listener saying that we were. I know from experience that perceptions are untrustworthy. My perceptions are untrustworthy. Relying on your gut means you get things wrong.

I resent that I feel obligated to write this post. I don’t want to talk about how easily intimidated I am. I don’t want to talk about my life as a teenager, when everything to do with gender felt momentous. And I don’t want to have my voice, as an upper middle class white person who isn’t usually visibly non-binary, be the voice that’s heard on this subject, when our interviewees on Fansplaining have surely been speaking from experiences of racism as well. But I guess I’m writing it anyway.

I don’t know how to unpick this knot. I don’t want to be unfair, but I don’t know how to be “neutral,” not in the podcast that Elizabeth and I manage to produce by the skin of our teeth around everything else in our lives. If it were my job I could do it. But I already have a job, and I do have to be neutral there, and I can’t do it any more than I already do.

There’s no answers here, but maybe there’s something useful.

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jaredthegreek · 7 years

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Review - Secret Empire, May Part 2

SECRET EMPIRE MAY PART 2

To be honest, this is becoming very difficult. The main series is a painful read and side stories that sound interesting (battles of Chicago, Wakanda, etc) are not covered. There are still many more comics left in this event. I will push through because now that I’ve gotten this far I may as well see how it all ends.

Mighty Captain Marvel #5: This issue is a little bit mixed, but mostly due to the tie-in with Secret Empire causing issues. This tells the story of Alpha Flight defending Earth while the shield is down yet again with nothing to really add to that side of this story. However, the rest of the issue follows Captain Marvel as she starts training some new cadets and deals with the painful results of the last arc. The dialogue is great and it has some great dark humor. The art is fantastic, especially the emotional faces during some of the more tense moments of the story. While this arc will likely add very little to the event, it is still a great book in general and worth reading from the start.

Secret Warriors #2: The road trip across the country begins as the team tries to avoid Hydra as they head West to find the X-Men. Meanwhile, in the past we see the initial attacks of Hydra against the Inhumans that led to the eventual imprisonment of their people. The writing is great and all characters have their moment for humor. The pacing keeps you on your toes and reading because both the past and present offer interesting stories. The art is also great with the facial expressions during the car ride offering a little boost to the humor and the action sequences feeling intense. It’s nice to have a book that offers a more unique perspective in this event that isn’t covered by the main book. Like many other side books in Secret Empire, this is far better than the main comic line.

Steve Rogers #17: Secret Empire is full of problems and this issue is a microcosm of many. Key among the problems is that the storytelling is bad. This book is so coated in Spencer’s political agenda that it is almost a parody of itself. The sad part is, this isn’t a bad concept for an event, but Spencer is terrible at logical storytelling that you just have to accept that people in the 616 are just completely stupid. This issue follows a reporter interviewing Steve Rogers with a few cut aways to show the inside of a Inhuman prison camp and Magneto accepting Steve’s offer of land in exchange for not fighting Hydra anymore. The writing is competent with the long speeches by Steve being handled in a very propaganda-like manner and the reporter getting more aggressive as the story unfolds. However, that doesn’t make this an enjoyable read. There are leaps in logic and nothing in this timeline makes much sense unless everyone is an idiot. The art is great and I do like Steve’s Supreme Leader costume. I do have to recommend this book to those reading the event because the scene with Magneto is a key part of the overarcing story, but be warned this is not a fun read.

Doctor Strange #21: While this wasn’t as bad as I expected, this issue still has many problems. The story is almost entirely internal monologue and/or exposition. The art is bland and sometimes difficult to follow. This is a clear tie-in as it better defines the condition of New York City being trapped in the Darkforce as well as what has become of some of the heroes of the city. This is worth a skim, but like most of this event it isn’t very good.

Sam Wilson #22: This issue takes Sam Wilson who recently quit being Captain America on a long winded internal monologue trip that fails to tell any kind of real story. Outside of Sam’s mind we also see that some ‘average’ people are fine with Hydra, which still makes no sense nor does Hydra’s ability to hold the entire country in martial law as that would require millions of troops. However, this book avoids answering the logical problems of this series and instead has a montage where Sam helps people off panel to my annoyance. The non-existent story of this book is terrible and sad sack monologues get old real fast. The only good part about this book is the art, but otherwise this is a big skip. It lightly ties in with the rest of the event via Sam’s attempt to help Mutants, Inhumans, and others who want to leave the country. Overall, nothing is really gained with this book, but it does keep the political overtones if that’s what you like to read in your escapist fantasy story.

Secret Empire #3: After seeing the horrendous art and the eye assaulting coloring that has marred most of these main series issues I wanted to close the book after three pages. This was a difficult read due to the horrible art and when you have no idea who is talking due to the over saturated coloring the whole book becomes one big headache. Then there’s the moment when you look at the credits again and see no credit for a colorist. While that does explain why the panel are filled with a single color, it does not explain why Marvel would be so cheap in the production of this book, unless this is a corner they are cutting to save a little money on a book that almost no one wants to read, including myself. With the first two issues (0 and 1) have different art teams, issues 2 and 3 have the same terrible duo of Andrea Sorrentino and Rod Reis both of whom should be ashamed of the amature level work they have produced. As for the story it is following three groups with little actually progressing. Black Widow meets with Maria Hill, Ant-Man meets with Sam Wilson, and Zemo leads an assault on Atlantis. I’m sure some of these scenes will be expanded upon in the tie-in books, but thus far this story is moving at a snail's pace and it is a chore to get through. Avoid these comics at all costs and read anything else.

Secret Empire: Uprising #1: This one-shot follows Black Widow’s team as they move toward the attempted assassination of Captain America. However, that all gets sidetracked by Hulk and Wasp attempting to join the Hydra Youth Choir as part of Widow’s plan. The first step in Black widow’s plan seems a bit odd, but it makes for an interesting read with some unexpected twists. The writing is great and it works well as a spy story rather than the usual beat ‘em up type tie-in comic. The art is about average for Marvel and it is easy to follow everything that is going on. Even the vague reason given for why some kids would want to join Hydra kind of makes sense in this book, but it is still a major plot hole overall. Finally, I’m not fond of one shots being listed with numbers when there will never be an issue two, but despite everything this is a good read.

Deadpool #31: This was a good issue, but not a good Deadpool issue. The story follows Deadpool as he tries to find Agent Coulson under orders from Captain America. Meanwhile, Coulson tries to warn everyone that Captain America is compromised, but sadly fails due to Deadpool’s interference (otherwise Secret Empire would have been way different). The book isn’t funny, it’s almost tragic watching Deadpool do the wrong thing, not because he’s on a chaotic-neutral streak, but because he is following the wrong person. The art is great and the battle between Deadpool and Coulson has quite a bit of emotion tied into it. Not really a necessary read, but it does tie up loose ends from a previous Deadpool issue.

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placetobenation · 5 years

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This Week in the WWE will go down as the week to build up the Crown Jewel event in Saudi Arabia. And with that comes the fact that Smackdown gets pre-empted on FOX due to World Series game 3 between the Nationals and Astros, sending the WWE to Fox Sports 1 and many fewer available viewers. So, yes, a challenge to be had even with FOX airing a special one-hour episode of Smackdown on Sunday either before or after the NFL game depending on where you live and what game you get. For instance, here in New England, it will air after the 1pm Eagles vs. Bills game and directly up against the Patriots vs. Browns game, so there will be no traction there.

As for the build, the one thing that’s stood out has been the WWE doing a nice job building up the Brock Lesnar vs. Cain Velasquez WWE Championship match. We get another beatdown on “la familia” as Lesnar, on Friday Night Smackdown does the honors as Rey Mysterio, Jr. and Velasquez stand helpless in the ring and ultimately F5’ing Mysterio into a wall and then Velasquez onto a prone Dominic on a trainers table. But, with Crown Jewel on Thursday, are we done of the buildup with only RAW left Monday Night or do we get a pre-produced vignette? Either way, it would be better than what we got last Monday night from Velasquez. We’ll get into that in our RAW review.

Outside of that, RAW and Smackdown held little outside of the build. Missed opportunities all around but maybe in their eyes, here’s hoping that the WWE has a revamp starting on Friday after Crown Jewel with Survivor Series and Royal Rumble just around the corner.

Still, the best show for my money continues to be NXT on Wednesday night! Pound for pound, it’s the best ring action of the week with the triple threat North American Championship Match between Roderick Strong, Keith Lee and Dominic Dijakovic going down as a Full Sail classic. Add in an epic heel turn and a strong effort from Rhea Ripley and Bianca Belair and you may have the best two hours of WWE product all week long!

These men are NOT holding back as @roderickstrong, @DijakovicWWE, and @RealKeithLee BATTLE for the #NorthAmericanTitle! #WWENXT pic.twitter.com/kfuY1LXH4H

— WWE (@WWE) October 24, 2019

I’m still waiting for that breakout edition of Monday Night RAW that we can finally say Paul Heyman put his complete stamp on. For now, we get small doses. The Street Profits, Humberto Carrillo and a returning Kevin Owens. But the seeds are planted for a big heel turn coming for the Universal Champion Seth Rollins. The rub, IMHO is that Heyman can never push the limits as far as his ECW days, the Attitude Era or even AEW’s current product. The WWE is just too mainstream with too many general sponsors that won’t allow its content to go non-PC and push that TV-14 limit. But, I’m sure Heyman will keep trying!

RAW

RESULTS

Drew McIntyre defeated Ricochet

Aleister Black defeated Jason Reynolds

Andrade defeated Sin Cara

Sunil Singh defeated R-Truth to win 24/7 WWE Championship

Non-Title Match: RAW Tag Team Champions The Viking Raiders defeated Ryder & Hawkins

Non-Title Match: Universal Champion Seth Rollins defeated Humberto Carrillo

The Street Profits defeated The OC – Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows

What we loved:

Respect is earned, not given. The future is bright my dude. Welcome to #Raw …I’ll see ya down the line. @humberto_wwe pic.twitter.com/e136HZRVJP

— Seth Rollins (@WWERollins) October 22, 2019

Humberto Carrillo – Building up the new young stud of a draft pick against the reigning champion is a shout out to the yesteryear of the territory days. A well-done match that leaves you wanting more. Plus, the next few hints of a Seth Rollins heel turn are planted. It’s what Rollins needs. Definitely a Heyman stamp on this one.

The Street Profits (and Kevin Owens)– A very cool entrance to the ring through the crowd. Check! A win, aided by a returning Kevin Owens as the Street Profits mystery partner to take out AJ Styles. Check! Dancing with a baby to close out the show. Check! New blood to give some energy.

Ric Flair – The Nature Boy shooting on the Cleveland Browns in the front row is always pure enjoyment! Getting Drew McIntyre over in an entertaining match against Ricochet, paying over his King of the Ring upset, is a bonus!

Vignettes anyone – The build for Aleister Black, Authors of Pain and Buddy Murphy through quick vignettes is giving a good backstory without the standard WWE stand in the ring or backstage feel.

What we didn’t like:

Rusev/Lana/Bobby Lashley angle – Between the King’s Court and the restaurant beatdown between Bobby Lashley and Rusev, this love triangle angle is played out. Lashley has no personality to carry it out and it all looks too forced. Finish it, scrap it and move on. Best line of the segments goes to Lana yelling at Rusev “take him to jail!”

The announce team – Is it me or is there a lack of energy at times there? Jerry Lawler’s one-liners are a lift but it seems like Vic Joseph and Dio Maddin are lost at times.

Where are the ladies? – I get that there are no women matches on Crown Jewel thanks to the Prince in Saudi Arabia, but at least throw us a bone of a match while you’re still in the States. Lazy creative there WWE!

The good & the bad (and sometimes ugly!) – Cain Velasquez, Rey Mysterio, Jr. and Shelton Benjamin – Loved the real-life backstory of Shelton Benjamin being friends and roommates with Brock Lesnar back at the University of Minnesota. Loved Benjamin trying to push Mysterio around in looking for a title match, just like Velasquez used Rey to get a title shot from Lesnar. But then Velasquez comes in and manhandles Benjamin with punches that weren’t even close. Ruined the segment for me. The physicality didn’t match up to the promos. Missed opportunity and made both Velasquez and Benjamin look bad.

NXT

RESULTS

Rhea Ripley defeated Bianca Belair

Matt Riddle defeated Cameron Grimes

Breezango & Isaiah “Swerve” Scott defeated The Forgotten Sons

Angel Garza defeated Jack Gallagher

Tegan Nox & Dakota Kai defeated Marina & Jessamyn to win a shot at WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles vs. Kabuki Warriors next week

North American Heavyweight Championship Match: Roderick Strong defends title over Dominic Dijakovic & Keith Lee (Strong pins Dijakovic)

What does this mean? Could this be a glimpse into @FinnBalor's future? #WWENXT pic.twitter.com/LzJ9jpDGLs

— WWE (@WWE) October 24, 2019

What we loved:

OMG Finn Balor – What a well-done heel turn! Did NOT see that one coming. Just when you thought Balor was back to complete his “future in his present” and help Tomasso Ciampa & Johnny Gargano against the Undisputed Era, BAM! A Pele kick to the head of Gargano. It certainly leaves me wanting to see where it goes next. Does Balor Club include the UE now? Or is it just a means to an end to get the NXT Championship?

Main event triple threat – Just before Balor’s heel turn, we get an epic triple threat where Roderick Strong steals the pin, letting Keith Lee do the work to get Dominic Dijakovic down for the count and Strong runs in for the win! Beautifully laid out as Strong adds another layer to the feud between Lee and Dijakovic.

The Kabuki Warriors are coming to NXT – We’ve been waiting for the Women’s Tag Team Championship to be defended on NXT and next week we get it as Asuka returns to Full Sail with Kairi Sane. Next up: Tegan Nox & Dakota Kai.

What we hated:

NOTHING!

SMACKDOWN

RESULTS

Bobby Roode & Dolph Ziggler defeated The New Day

Lacey Evans defeated Cameron Conners

Kalisto defeated Drew Gulak

Nikki Cross defeated Mandy Rose

Ali, Gable, & Roman Reigns defeated King Corbin, Shinsuke Nakamura, & Cesaro

What we loved:

A main event that delivered – After a Miz TV start to the Friday Night Smackdown night with Ric Flair and Hulk Hogan facing off with their respective members of their teams for Crown Jewel, we get a very solid finish highlighting Ali and Shorty Gable in helping Team Hogan get the victory with Ali pinning Cesaro. BTW: nice to see Cesaro subbing in for an “injured” Sami Zayn as well. Crowd was well into this one, as was I!

The offer – Sami Zayn and Shinsuke Nakamura offering a hand and a stable spot to join them to Daniel Bryan is intriguing. I like Bryan walking the face/heel line and letting it play out to see if they eventually go back to the YES movement, something Bryan again said was dead or continue to let Bryan play full heel, something he’s embraced.

Pure CARNAGE. #SmackDown #WWECrownJewel @BrockLesnar @cainmma @reymysterio pic.twitter.com/yQFRm8QJPP

— WWE (@WWE) October 26, 2019

Brock vs. Cain – As we mentioned above, keeping the heat on “la familia” keeps that personal emotion going. Plus, Brock gets an F5 in on Velasquez gives him some momentum headed into Crown Jewel. Well done, especially after the misfire on RAW with the Velasquez/Benjamin interaction.

What made no sense:

New Day – How does the New Day still have a title shot next week on Smackdown yet lose to Roode & Ziggler this week? How is that effective booking?

Firefly Funhouse– It just flat out made no sense and seemed like a throwaway. If it’s not going to be special, don’t do it. It’s a red-hot segment that the WWE had nothing with this week. Breer Rabbit’s funeral leads to his rebirth only to have Buzzard eat him? Really? No thanks!

Drew Gulak – What’s the need to bury Drew Gulak, this week losing to Kallisto and then abused by Braun Strowman, on back-to-back weeks? Isn’t there a better way to build Strowman?

Thanks for letting us share our thoughts! Shoot me an email at [email protected]. We’d love to hear you comments and suggestions! You can also check out my blog, The Crowe’s Nest as we delve into more pro wrestling, sports entertainment and the World of Sports. My apologies ahead of time – I AM a Patriots and Red Sox fan! If you’re not down with that, I’ve got TWO WORDS for you…. NEW ENGLAND!

#IFTTT #Place to Be Nation

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thebibliomancer · 7 years

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Essential Avengers: Defenders #8: “... If Atlantis Should Fall!”

September, 1973

So, here we are. Looking at something completely different.

There’s no tiny disappointed Vision judging us. No A that’s gone off exploring the cosmos.

We’re in new waters. Except for Silver Surfer, all these folks have appeared in Avengers before. I think that purple guy on the cover has appeared a few times.

But what we have in the Dynamic Defenders is something quite different. Its the book about the non-team. Kind of like a support group for ornery loners that work best alone. But frequently accidentally team up.

This is part 2 of the Avengers/Defenders War (well technically part 1 since last time was a prologue) but it doesn’t get to that for most of the book. There’s some Red Ghost/Atlantis Nonsense that is more pressing.

Honestly, before I can get to the / War, I need to go over some context. Because Defenders is the book that explains what happened to the Black Knight and why Strange put a Troglodyte-repelling shield around Castle Garrett.

So how did we get here?

It all started when Namor was dropped from the sky in front of Hulk like a limp bag of smelly fish.

Hulk vaguely recalls liking Namor so he went to get Dr. Strange to help him. And it turned out that it was all a plot by Necrodamus to sacrifice Namor to the Nameless One in front of Hulk and Dr. Strange out of revenge for the three of them thwarting the Nameless One at various times and assorted team-ups.

At the end, Namor recalled that Silver Surfer was the one who dropped him out of the sky so Dr. Strange, Namor, and Hulk all go searching for the Surfer. Surfer doesn’t know anything about any of this because he’s been busy teaching some innocent mountain apes about fire and manners. But it turns out that instead of gentle yetis, they’re secret wizards and there’s a big wizard fight.

After, Dr. Strange mentions he might be able to help get the Surfer past the barrier Galactus used to trap him on Earth by taking a shortcut through another dimension. They end up in the Nameless One’s dimension, where after some shenanigans with a macrocosm maelstrom, Dr. Strange discovers that Barbara Norriss, who sacrificed herself to save him once, has mated with the Nameless One and become his third head.

The four heroes manage to trap the Nameless One and Dr. Strange forcibly separates Barbara from the Nameless One. Which sort of drives her insane. Whoops.

They also discover that you can’t circumvent Galactus’ barrier so easily and the Surfer runs off, feeling betrayed. Oh and then Hulk also runs off, pissed that Dr. Strange harmed Barbara.

It turns out that their dimension jaunt popped them out in front of Garrett Castle. Strange and Namor chase the Hulk inside but are transported to a magical realm and captured by the Executioner and an army under his command.

Remember how Executioner dumped Enchantress like a limp smelly bag of stink fish to hook up with a queen? Yeah. That’s important again.

Dr. Strange and Namor find themselves in castle jail with unhulked Bruce Banner, catatonic Barbara, the Enchantress, and Black Knight.

After Avengers #100, Enchantress snuck off the first time Zeus took a nap and wound up at Castle Garrett. She charmed Black Knight into helping her travel to Queen Casiolena’s realm so she could kick her ass for seducing the Executioner away from her.

It didn’t work out.

But, hey! A catatonic woman! That’s just the tide-changing thing that Enchantress can use to change the tide!

Using her powers, Enchantress implants the Valkyrie personality that she used before over Barbara, creating an All-New, All-Different Valkyrie.

They bust out and fight Casiolena’s army again and this time Enchantress kills the queen, with the aid of a distraction from Valkyrie.

Now with no queen, Executioner has no choice apparently but return to Enchantress’ service.

Black Knight is pissed. He loves her because she magically forced him to and now she’s just going to dump him like a stinky bag of Namor? Well, you know what? He’ll fight Executioner for her!

She’s touched by this display of how much he loves her. So turns him into a stone statue to make an eternal monument to how lovable she is.

And then she ditches the Defenders and Valkyrie. So Valkyrie takes Black Knight’s horse and sword and decides that she’s going to join the Defenders, despite protests that its not really a team. And also that they don’t need her anyway.

Dr. Strange seals up Castle Garrett to keep it safe and takes Statue Black Knight back to his Sanctum Sanctorum in Greenwich Village.

From there, some other stuff happens. Valkyrie helps defeat the Omegatron, a doomsday weapon that Dr. Strange once stopped but then accidentally restarted in issue #1. Silver Surfer returns to apologize for being so melodramatic and helps stop Cyrus Black, a second-rate wizard pissed that he can’t beat Strange even in his dreams.

They run into Hawkeye and he asks to join the team after getting into a pointless misunderstanding fight. They learn that Attuma is going to attack the surface world and go to the beach to stop him. Hulk ditches because he doesn’t want to go into the water. The Defenders sans Strange, sans Hulk, sans Silver Surfer, are captured along with a marine biologist. Red Ghost is working with Attuma and is creating a cosmic radiation brainwashed army of fishes and whales. Valkyrie and Hawkeye manage to break out of their cells only to discover that Red Ghost has brainwashed Namor.

And that’s where this issue picks up.

With a brainwashed Namor being ordered to kill Valkyrie and Hawkeye.

Um. It doesn’t go well. For them, I mean.

Hawkeye’s arrows break on Namor’s skin and he’s stronger than Valkyrie. Hawkeye does manage to knock Red Ghost in the noggin with a vase but his elation is short-lived because it doesn’t break the brainwashing.

Brain POW! Haha.

See, the brainwashing is perpetuated by natural cosmic rays, the kind that strike the Earth continuously. Only way to break the brainwashing would be if... I don’t know... the Earth stopped getting hit by cosmic rays. But that’s unlikely to the extreme.

Anyway, Red Ghost is going to use his brainwashing machine on the recaptured Hawkeye and Valkyrie now. I mean, its never worked on humans before. Usually just kills ‘em.

So two weeks later, Dr. Strange returns to his Greenwich sanctum with good news, everyone!

Using the powers he gained from the departed Ancient One, Strange has made some progress on undoing the spell which turned Black Knight to stone.

On Clea’s suggestion, Strange decides to summon the other Defenders to share this good news with everyone.

But only Silver Surfer and Hulk respond to his summons.

Because remember that thing? With Red Ghost? Cosmic ray brainwashing? That’s still happening.

There is some good news there too. Hawkeye and Valkyrie survived the process. But the bad news is that Red Ghost’s brainwashed fish army is big enough to take on Atlantis.

Back in Greenwich, Silver Surfer wants to forget the missing three Defenders and get on with the good news about Black Knight.

But Hulk pipes up that he knows where they are. But he’s not telling because he doesn’t do what dumb magician wants.

So Silver Surfer puts him in a headlock and Dr. Strange puts him in a trance.

Tranced Hulk tells them about how an Atlantean showed up to get Namor because Attuma was going to attack. There was a fight, Defenders got spanked and taken onto Attuma’s water ship, and Hulk left because he didn’t want to go. He doesn’t know how long ago it was because Hulk does not understand time.

So Dr. Strange puts Hulk into a mystical sleep that he will only awaken from when Strange returns. And then Strange and Surfer surf off to try to find the others.

Meanwhile, thousands of leagues under the sea: ATLANTIS. Brainwashed whales and squids come bursting through the walls. Although, what good are walls in an underwater city? You can swim over them.

But the whales strong enough to SHOK through walls with no problem aren’t as scary as Namor leading the charge.

So the three brainwashed Defenders lead Attuma’s forces into attacking the Atlanteans. Even Hawkeye somehow is effective, shooting special underwater arrows. What some might call “spear-gun spears.”

But suddenly, Valkyrie stops fighting and collapses screaming in sheer, stark terror. And she’s seeing everything in acid trip monster vision.

Its explained that only the Valkyrie personality was brainwashed, leading the original Barbara personality to partially break free again. But Barbara is still insane. And apparently the personalities are trying to kill each other.

On the plus side, this allows Dr. Strange to locate her because mental emanations. Sure.

Reading her mind, Dr. Strange learns what happened to the missing Defenders and that the brainwashing process depends upon the continual flow of cosmic rays.

So obviously the solution here is to dam that flow.

Which Dr. Strange can do. Although it does require him combining his powers with Silver Surfer and the pair of them using every iota of strength they possess.

But yeah. They put a barrier around Earth that blocks all cosmic rays.

... Yup. That sure looks like it covers everywhere on Earth alright.

But it does the trick. More than does it. It depowers Red Ghost, leaving him to PLOOG! in some undersea mud. I kind of have to wonder if the Fantastic Four were similarly depowered during this.

Ben Grimm unrocking and a brief shining hope swelling within his heart. And then at the end of the issue, ploog, back into the Thing.

Anyway. The fish army is now amscraying and Valkyrie is charging at Red Ghost.

So he does the sensible thing and flees. Right into Hawkeye swinging his bow like a bat. Which was the healthier alternative. Valkyrie was going to shove the ebony sword through him.

Namor comes to too and is less than absolutely thrilled with what’s going on. And he has former personal history with Attuma so even less thrilled than that.

So he swims over to Attuma and knocks him out with one punch, man.

That sort of thing is always happening to fish jerks though.

So with the day saved, the Defenders return the marine biologist home and then return to Strange’s sanctum for Part 1 of the Avengers/Defenders War.

Dr. Strange explains he convened the Defenders because he has made the first breakthrough in his efforts to undo Enchantress’ stoning spell.

And some of the Defenders respond to the news.

Hawkeye just thinks he had been wondering why his back-stabbing Avengers buddies didn’t replace him with Black Knight. Because Hawkeye.

Hulk is pissed off at Dr. Strange and Silver Surfer for putting him to sleep but he likes Black Knight. He’ll wait to see if Strange can fix him before putting his fist through some Strange face.

And Valkyrie feels an overpowering, irrational love for him. Possibly because the Valkyrie personality and the stoning spell were both created by the Enchantress. This has come up a few times before. She feels conflicted about it. If she’s cracking up, she doesn’t want to take the risk of loving someone.

Anyway. Magic.

Dr. Strange has found Dane Whitman/Black Knight’s soul in the dark realm it fled to when his body became stone. Because that’s how stoning works. And using the Orb of Agamotto, Strange will contact Black Knight.

A torquoise pencil scribble finds Black Knight’s soul floating in the void and contacts him. Telling him that the Defenders are trying to rescue him and asking if he has learned anything from his vantage point that could help break the spell.

Black Knight responds that there’s nothing except desolate emptiness. But time isn’t moving and he isn’t suffering. He’s had faith but now that the Defenders have contacted him, he has certain hope that they will save him.

So the message scribble turns around and heads back to Dr. Strange.

But it is intercepted. It was Dormammu who guided Strange’s psychic feelers so that they found the Black Knight’s soul. So he knew that Dr. Strange would send a message scribble and with his power combined with Loki’s he knew he could alter the message without Dr. Strange realizing it had been tampered with.

We also learn that Loki’s salary for his aid in tricking the Defenders will be the return of his eyesight. We also learn that Dormammu isn’t much for small talk.

So the tampered message scribble returns to Dr. Strange and gives him the message:

“Yes, I can hear you! I can! Knowledge that I’ve assimilated in this mystic realm tells me I can be rescued through the power of the Evil Eye! Hurry, please! I have had faith -- and now I have certain hope -- that you will save me!”

Dr. Strange has no reason to suspect that this is a ruse. Silver Surfer thought that the Evil Eye had been destroyed but if random mystical knowledge tells Black Knight that it’s around, then it must still exist!

So the Defenders vow to find the Evil Eye or perish in the attempt!

Hm. So we have the Avengers and we have the Defenders. We have the / so now where is the War?

Guess we’ll find it next time when we swing back to the Avengers side of things.

#Defenders #Avengers Defenders War #Dr Strange #Valkyrie #namor mckenzie #Hulk #Silver Surfer #Hawkeye #Black Knight #Loki #Dormammu #Amora the Enchantress #enchantress should be banned #she's the worst #hoo a lot going on here #Loki and Dormammu commit mail fraud #Hawkeye gets punched #Essential Avengers #Essential marvel liveblogging

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barbosaasouza · 6 years

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Marvel Powers United VR Review: Avengers (Almost) Assembled!

Virtual reality grows and thrives in many industries, but the casual interactive entertainment consumer is still waiting for a big VR gaming hit. There are major ports like Skyrim, quality VR exclusives like Lone Echo, and a scattering of other notable releases, but the masses await a recognizable experience that will usher them into the new branch of gaming. Oculus secured a major exclusive with Marvel Powers United VR, with dev team Sanzaru tapping into childhood imaginations and capitalizing on comic characters that are becoming pop culture icons, but this game feels like a sample of more ambitious virtual reality experiences to come.

Heroes Assemble!!!

The characters are front and center in Marvel Powers United VR and there’s a stout playable stable to pull from. There’s a handful of gestures and moves that I’m able to use in the game and the movesets of the heroes can only be so diverse, but there are subtle differences that keep each hero feeling unique. For instance, Storm and Captain Marvel have similar standard attacks, but Storm can raise tornadoes with her more advanced ability and Captain Marvel can create an energy shield around herself. Wolverine and Black Panther’s mirrored skills are another example of this.

A small touch of note is the stable including Mutants from Marvel Comics. The roster in the most recent Marvel vs Capcom fighting game felt limited by the characters used in the Marvel movies under the umbrella of Disney, which is notably absent of Mutants due to the licenses held by 20th Century Fox. Marvel Powers United VR not only breaks through that limitation, but includes even lesser known heroes and villains like Scientist Supreme, Madame Hydra, Blackbolt, and Crystal.

Once I chose a character after finishing the tutorial “Prologue” chapter, the game opened up into the brunt of the experience. Gameplay happens in matches where four heroes defend objectives against waves of enemies that grow stronger. Twice during the matches, boss villains appear and the team of four must focus their attacks on them while also avoiding their powerful abilities. In the end, a large generator is summoned into the map by the dog Lockjaw and then teammates must defend it while also grabbing cores around the map and inserting them into the generator to power it. That final segment is when things really heat up and is also when the second of the two boss appearances happens.

Walking, running, and hovering around while taking down the enemy fodder is a blast during these matches, but it’s all that the game offers other than replaying the Prologue (more on that in a bit). Variety comes in the form of working with different heroes and teammates, but that wears thin very quickly.

Infinite Immersion

VR is all about immersion and Marvel Powers United VR does a good job of it in a few different ways. First and foremost: The Powers. Ninety-nine percent of the characters did enough to really captivate me as I played around with different power sets. There are understandable limitations, but the development team did a wonderful job with letting the characters thrive within the frame of the game. The powers, the sounds, and the movement all felt good.

And then, there’s Spider-Man. There's no web swinging! When I looked at the available characters, everyone had options that made them work like I assumed they would. Flight simply takes me up to another plane of horizontal movement, but Spidey is completely grounded beyond leaping around to platforms. Granted, you can use the web tether to pull yourself to platforms and it's almost enough. I'm not counting this against the score for the game, but it’s something that fans of the character will surely notice. No swinging, webheads.

A subtle touch I enjoyed is most noticeable with the largest and smallest character: Hulk and Rocket Racoon. I was aware going in that the model for Hulk was larger than other heroes, but it was legitimately jarring to see the smaller heroes when I entered the match. The flipside for Rocket Racoon was equally jarring and just as entertaining. No matter the stature of your chosen hero, Marvel Powers United VR was very comfortable for me while using full locomotion. There’s a comfort mode for those more susceptible to motion sickness as well.

The development team harnessed the comic book charm for the heroes and villains, but also did so for the environments. Each space has a similar layout, but is themed based on iconic comic locations like the X-Mansion. Textures were solid, but most of what you see is repeated regularly. This isn’t so noticeable in the Prologue, which is what I’ll address next.

The Prologue

The very first mission in the game allowed me to choose between Captain America and Black Widow so I could learn the ropes. The conflict took place in what seemed like a destroyed New York, ushering me through set piece after set piece as I learned how to play. Throughout, I teamed up (and bantered with) with Hulk, Rocket Racoon, Spider-Man, Deadpool, Wolverine, and Captain Marvel, even grabbing onto the hand of Marvel to fly up to the final staging ground.

It was such a cool experience and it’s disappointing to learn that it’s the only one of its kind. The rest of the game takes place in the wave defense matches and lacks the personality that the tutorial exuded.

Conclusion

As I tackled some of the hero goals and complete multiple matches, I went into the Victory Lounge to open up loot crates (cosmetics only) and enjoy my rewards in a physical space. The costumes that I earned called back to fan-favorite versions of characters from the comics and is another example of the heroes being front and center and the best part of the Marvel Powers United VR experience. I was also welcomed by Baby Groot, which was a neat touch.

Marvel Powers United VR feels like a game headed toward greatness, delivering a robust experience mirroring the standards of non-VR gaming. It comes up short, though, and leaves a good bit to be desired. The experience of embodying superheroes is a lot of fun at times, but the lack of variety sets it way back. There’s a lot of potential here, so I hope the Sanzaru team fleshes out the game more over time.

This review is based on a code provided by the publisher. It was played on the Oculus Rift with Oculus Touch controllers. Marvel Powers United VR is available now for $39.99 on Steam. Check out our many other reviews from the Shacknews team and stay tuned for more.

Marvel Powers United VR Review: Avengers (Almost) Assembled! published first on https://superworldrom.tumblr.com/

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dukeofriven · 6 years

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VOLTRON: LIVEBLOG DEFENDER

So it’s been 195 days since I last watched Voltron, stopping unceremoniously in the middle of Season 2 Episode 3 but people are talking about VOLTRON again because something big just went down, and even though @heir-of-puns likes to reblog memes reminding me that the show never really gets deep I... I kind of want to watch more Voltron. Well, what I really want is to re-watch Gravity Falls. And it’s a full two weeks before Steven universe comes back. And Bee and Puppycat doesn’t come back until next year. So, y’know. for the moment... Voltron: Legendary Defender, and not Legacy Defender like I thought for the entire first season. Here’s the problem, though: 195 days is a long time. So here’s what I remember about the show:

Voltron: Longitude Defender is a reboot of the 1980s show Voltron about giant robots that form a big robot defending the universe not like Power Rangers. The art is done either by the people who did ATLA/Korra or is so similar as to be unnerving. It has characters! Sorta!

Shiro: Shiro is the leader of the Voltron team, a group of kids from... some sort of Earth Academy (IT WAS NEVER MADE CLEAR) who were essentially abducted into space to drive robot lions and a big lion. Only Shiro is a grown-up who wasn’t at the academy, but I think he used to be? (IT’S REALLY NOT CLEAR). He has some sort of important destiny, which is that he is fated to have all the personality of soggy cereal. He’s super boring and looks like this:

His colour is black, his lion has dumb wings and the power of LEADERSHIP, his lucky number is 18 and he is a Scorpio.

Lance: Lance is the guy who wants to be The Guy, thinks he’s The Guy, but is actually just kind of sad. He trained to be a pilot at the Academy of Vague Purpose, which is kind of pathetic given literally everyone they meet is a highly competent pilot - it doesn’t seem to be that special of a skill. He likes to fuck mermaids and looks like this:

His colour is blue, his lion has the power of... nothing?... his lucky number is 3 and he is a Pisces. Hulk?: Hulk? (Maybe Hunk? Hank?) is the round one, a guy who trained to be an engineer at the academy, but isn’t as good with tech stuff as Pidge is, making him - like Lance - kind of surplus to requirements. He’s very sweet though, and like to eat. He’s a sweetheart and looks like if Korra and Bolin had a baby like they should have:

His colour is yellow, and his lion has the power of being one buff SOB. His lucky number is 95 and he is an Aries. The One Whose Name I Don’t Remember: The One Whose Name I Don’t Remember is an academy drop-out (I GUESS? IT’S NOT CLEAR) who has a rivalry with Lance over... something. He’s the resident badboy as evidenced by his unbrushed hair and frequent stupid, stupid, stupid ideas. He’s an asshole and looks like this:

His colour is red, and his lion has the power of speed and RECKLESSNESS. His lucky number is 43 and he is also an Aries. PIDGE

Pidge is the best and at times only character in the series. Pidge has this bizarre, not-satisfactory backstory of being a girl who disguised herself as her own brother to get into Vague Academy for... reasons?... and then doesn’t return to her old identity after being found out. If the show had any guts Pidge would be openly identified as trans or non-binary or even just have a scene where someone goes ‘hey Pidge why do you still call yourself Pidge when we all know the secret’ and Pidge goes ‘cuz I like being Pidge fuck off’ - and before anyone goes ‘hey jerk, maybe Pidge is so comfortable in themselves that the show doesn’t feel the need to address it’ I’m afraid the show seems to have all the progressive chops of a Trollope novel. Pidge’s gender identity feels like its ambiguous not because the show is trying to make a statement or be an ally but because the show doesn’t seem to remember its own plot points and wouldn’t know what to do with them if it did. Regardless, Pidge is my non-binary wunderkind - they’re smart, funny, caring, and don’t give no fucks about what anyone thinks. They are the only reason I finished the first season and the only reason to watch the show. They’re the best and look like this:

Their colour is green, and the lion has the power of smol and stealth. Their lucky number is 1 and they are a Libra. Aurora: Aurora is a princess who flies a spaceship castle. She and her valet are the only survivors of a civilization that was killed by an evil dude thousands of years ago. This should make her interesting, but while hints of personality peek out here her character thus far has been dictated more by the demands of the episode rather than any internal consistency. She had a dad who was a hologram but is now just dead - since he was a king she ought to be Queen Aurora, but since cartoons never understand monarchy she’s just stuck as a princess, which is generic and bad. She’s unremarkable and looks like this:

Her colour is pink and her lion is a castle with the power of shields and trans-warp functionality. Her lucky number is 101050 and her star sign is Adrian Brody on his Best Day Ever. Coran: Coran is Aurora’s bodyguard-cum-valet. His defining trait is that he is terrible at his job, and so openly a comic relief idiot that the show’s credibility is constantly jeopardized because it’s really hard to take the universe seriously when the King chose this dipshit to protect his daughter during the apocalypse. I hate Coran - he is the worst and looks like this:

He doesn’t get a colour or a lion, and he was born on a starless night ignorant of numbers. Thanos: The God-Emperor Villain of the piece. It’s not his name, but it is who he is. He looks and acts exactly like Thanos, if Thanos had no charm or personality and also used to drive a Lion for work. He looks like this:

And there is nothing else to say about him because he’s so generic I can’t even make a funnier joke than a Thanos reference. ... man, it took me over an hour to write this, and now that I have I’m having a hard time remember why the heck I watched Voltron. VOLTRON: Laparoscopy Defender - it’s a show that exists! Woof.

#Voltron #voltron season 2 #voltron liveblog #Voltron: Legendary Defender #Pidge Gunderson #Hunk Garrett #Lance McClain #Takashi Shirogane #Keith Kogane #Princess Allura #Coran #Thanos #bee and puppycat #gravity falls #steven universe #His name is KIETH you guys #I found it in my tags

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barbosaasouza · 6 years

Text

Marvel Powers United VR: Avengers (Almost) Assembled!

Heroes Assemble!!!

Infinite Immersion

The Prologue

Conclusion

Marvel Powers United VR: Avengers (Almost) Assembled! published first on https://superworldrom.tumblr.com/

0 notes

barbosaasouza · 6 years

Text

Marvel Powers United VR: Avengers (Almost) Assembled!

Heroes Assemble!!!

Infinite Immersion

The Prologue

Conclusion

Marvel Powers United VR: Avengers (Almost) Assembled! published first on https://superworldrom.tumblr.com/

0 notes