forever obsessed with dynamics between vampires, specifically that of a maker and fledgling, as a way to explore abuse. the creation of a vampire itself can so easily be a literalization of the lasting impacts of trauma and also much more simply the ways a perpetrator might shape their victim’s very identity. the extremes of isolation in the way that the new vampire, in most narratives, must cut all ties to their mortal life, or else go through an elaborate charade to maintain the facade of humanity, while forever still being removed from it. and the sheer dependence and vulnerability of being in an entirely new state of being, wholly uncertain of what it entails, and relying on another person to define… everything.

Hi!! Random question but do you have any thoughts or ideas/HCs about “what if dracula was actually able to produce viable offspring?” Whether it’s the BBC version or Van Helsing version (or both) is up to you. I’m just curious if you had any thoughts about what he’d be like as a “parent” because in some adaptations he’s trying so hard to reproduce but we never see him succeed (unless you count the vamp baby in BBC or films like Dracula’s Daughter)

HI! I loveeee dracula questions, vampires are my most favorite creature out there.

I do however think that each version of Dracula is so different and has so many different desires/ways to achieve them. At the root of it, I think Dracula (all versions) crave both power/status and also crave the elegance to do so in a quiet way. We often see Dracula's having his wives (as a clergy of sorts, a way to further his power) but there's also so much in Dracula's character that has to do with his 'one true love' or something of the sorts. We see that in Coppolas Dracula in particular or in Castlevania (or in Van Helsing).

HOWEVER for these two in particular, I think if they were to achieve some sort of parent role (weather that be a Claudia-Lestat situation or a biological offspring), it would be interesting. I could see both versions turning a small child for the sake of their own ego, to create a child to use at his will. It's very Lestat though, in the sense that he would likely have a lot of feelings for the child ANYWAY, but on a subtle mode.

Though it has been a while since I watched both Van Helsing (NEED to rewatch that banger soon) and the BBC show, here are my thoughts on them!

I see BBC Dracula being more atoned to that. He would likely be the most likely (within the confines of the show) to have offspring and have some sort of normalish relationship with them. He would be a doting father, though slightly strict. Heavy on the teacher aspect of being a parent, always wanting to show off his skills and pass it along.

I see Van Helsing's Dracula more likely to do it out of curiosity and a way to further his power. His wives are a good example of expanding his own agenda and I think he would do that with his children. I don't see him having any kind of obsession with the child at all, just because it shows no interest to him outside of existing. He would leave it all to the wives. I see this Dracula in particular being more interested in his 'other half' rather than a child.

SPOILER Review for ‘Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald’

I repeat, THIS is a spoiler review of the movie. Do not read beyond the cut if you have not seen the movie and don’t want to be spoiled!

*

I have started and re-started this review so many times now and each times it becomes so damn long. I am trying hard to make it shorter here. Edit: I failed big time. Whatever, here we go lmao

SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS!

- The cast is lovely. Initially not that fond of Depp being cast as Grindelwald (though not for the controversial reasons people wont stop bitching about) he has absolutely grown on me over the two years and it was worth it. He is sinister. He is calm and collected. Not over the top. He and his followers murder a couple in Paris to take over their home. Then they find they have a baby boy and... they murder him off screen too. Very chilling. 

- Queenie Goldstein. Not a character I connect with, but I don’t hate her at all. I just don’t know what to think. But Alison is wonderful and I personally love the dark twist her story takes. And she goes willingly with Grindelwald was a surprise to me. It broke my heart on Jacob’s behalf wow. That was rough.

- Newt Scamander. Despite obviously being my favorite and I completely adore him - I was still absolutely surprised how wonderful he is in this movie. He is just such a delight and Eddie is just gorgeous. Inside out. Can’t take my eyes off him. He’s funny, but not in a cracking jokes all the time way, but neither in a making a fool out of him for his awkwardness either? It was just such a spot on portrayal even superior to the first movie and he absolutely got the most laugh and love from the audience along with Jacob. This was absolutely what I needed the very most from a character I relate so much with.

- Jacob Kowalski. Again, there’s a reason why Dan Fogler points out his bromance with Newt in this movie. It’s the heart of it all. It’s funny, it’s warm and it entirely endearing. Jacob spends the movie almost like a guide for Newt on how to approach Tina and talk to her because Newt is just terrible at this. And it leads to just amazing scenes both between the boys, but also Newt and Tina. 

- Tina Goldstein. Oh she’s not going easy on Newt at first, but you understand pretty quickly that it’s her way to put up a shield to protect herself. She is very much her own character though don’t worry about that! Both Newt and Tina are given a chance to evolve a bit but also be themselves before a relationship which is a good thing. The Archive scenes in the French Ministry (fondly named Salamander Eyes by fans because of the song playing) is amazing for Newtina fans. No there’s no kiss. No touches, but it doesn’t need that because it is downright amazing and unexpectedly funny. Jacob has already told Newt not to talk about her eyes reminding him of salamanders, but of course he starts talking about it before going “I’m not supposed to tell you” and the whole scene is just delightful. It really ends with Tina herself totally getting it and finishes to compliment for him. After that there’s not much time for romance, but she warms up to him and work together and is therefore the ONLY canon ship in this movie not at a terrible place at the end!

- Credence and Nagini. I’m going to say it as it is. I am not invested in Credence. I don’t particularly like him. Though it’s better off in this movie than the first. But while the moment when he met his old nanny or whatever was lovely, it dragged on. I just didn’t care enough and wanted to get back to literally anyone else. Claudia Kim as Nagini though is captivating. She’s absolutely stunning and like with Eddie it’s not just because she’s beautiful to look at. Just, captivating.

- Albus Dumbledore! His introduction scene is fantastic and the lovely little music playing. Wonderful. He talks about the view and conjures the fog and we know the following scenes with him trying to convince Newt to go to Paris. Eddie and Jude has wonderful chemistry and plays off each other absolutely great! Jude makes a far more likeable Dumbledore. Not to say the old actors were bad, but I’m not really a Potterhead either so I don’t particularly care. 

- Theseus Scamander and Leta Lestrange. Not in it as much as I thought, but I am certain their screentime is less than what it felt like. I adored Theseus. I did expect to like him, but that he’d be so lovely? Wow. I’ll talk about him and Newt further down. Leta was also wonderful. I am not a huge fan of Zoe Kravitz, but girl can act and she gives Leta a whole lot of heart and... she does meet her end in this movie as I expected. I did get the feeling that she would be a one movie character.

- The soundtrack. Wow. Of course I listened to it once it was released. I am very fond of listening to movie soundtracks and while the first one was good, this one is more complete. It’s full songs from full scenes, not cut to pieces from all around the movie. It’s epic, it’s cute, it’s sad, it’s... it has everything. I got to say the Salamander Eyes helped make it’s scene so magical. ‘Wands to the Earth’ and ‘Spread the World’ are the epic ones. Like massively so. Chills down my arms and legs. And big shit going down on screen.

- Creatures. Can’t have a review of a Fantastic Beasts movie without mentioning the beasts eh? I did miss Dougal and the Occamys, but there were new wonderful creatures here. Favorites being baby nifflers of course. Wildely adorable! The Kelpie scene is wonderful and Newt with wet shirt and Bunty suggesting him to take his shirt off was hilarious btw. But the very favorite was the ZouWu. I was enchanted by that creature from the moment we first saw it in the Comic Con trailer. Wonderful creature. Wonderful interactions with Newt. And the Niffler from the first movie. Adorable as ever and even robs Grindelwald at the end. I did worry for it’s life there, but phew! Survial!

- Newt/Leta/Theseus. You’ll be glad to hear there really isn’t a love triangle going on here at all. In fact Newt don’t seem to have no issue with his brother and childhood friend being engaged at all. In fact he humorusly points out that he’s set to be the best man (HEARTBREAK). A curious moment though near the end. We get a close up of Newt, then cut to Leta saying “I love you” before camera cuts to Newt and Theseus. Both of them. Leaving it a bit “Was it meant for Newt or Theseus?”, but afterwards I think it was giving a double meaning. “I love you” to Newt for the years of friendship. “I love you” to Theseus for his romantic love. It was very touching as she then dies. But yes people will start bitching about woman dying for a man and “male tears” as well as people being racist for killing her. 

- Theseus and Newt. Now this one was the big delightful shock alongside Newt’s character. Based on trailers and promos we are led to believe the brothers’ relationship is very strained, but in fact it’s quite lovely. Theseus shows a lot of love for Newt from the get go. Yeah there’s the “Be less like you” moment, but they’re brothers. That’s hardly the worst thing one has said to a sibling trust me. Theseus also hugs Newt quite adorable in which Newt’s like O_O Eh? Without hugging back, but it allows Theseus to whisper that he’s being followed. Theseus isn’t the one chasing after Newt. He only does that once Newt polyjuices himself to look like Theseus in the French Ministry XD Of course the heartbreaker is at the end when everything is over and they get a moment where Theseus has in fact lost his fiance. Newt goes over and hugs him and tells him he’s on his side now. Just wonderful. I am every bit a lover of bromance and this movie gave me so much of it with Theseus and Newt and Newt and Jacob.

- I’m going to try to sum it up here. The minor cast is wonderful too. I quite liked Kama. The young Newt and Leta are great. McGonagall being alive and an adult is not explained at all unless I completely lost out on something. The editing is terrible in this movie and the pacing is a bit off. Some scenes are quite rushed, but at the same time the movie feels long. But not in a bad way. It’s just some editing are weird. Like one moment they are in the sewers, they hear the zou wu roar and suddenly they’re in the streets for a minute clip perhaps and it’s all done so quickly. Which is a pity because it’s a lovely scene. I also wish they had made more out of the fact that Newt’s book titled “FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM” weren’t made more fuss about. Like, it’s the title of the first movie man? 

So it has it’s flaws and I understand why people that are not into these movies wouldn’t really follow on here. I mean I’m not a Potterhead so I didn’t understand the last twist of the movie before someone told me. But in the end the good outweights the bad so far. It’s a very rewatchable movie because so much happens. Too much even, but still. I love a movie that gives and gives even after watching it many times. 

Go watch it yourself. Make up your own mind. I will be watching it again tonight already XD

Hello!! I know you're a farscape gal, but I was wondering about your feeling for Stargate?? Cause I've enjoyed the little I've seen of farscape but I've never seen stargate and I just read an AMAZING fic (Ordinary Life by astolat and Speranza if anyone is curious that's John/Rodney) and I was wondering if you'd recommend SG??

Yessssss! I actually wrote WAY more Stargate fic than I did Farscape fic, just because Farscape was such a good show I had nothing to add to it fic-wise. But Stargate... now there was a rich fandom reading experience. Plus just really nicely immersive? I’m more of an SG-1 fan, most of my fic centered around Cam and Vala (Ben Browder and Claudia Black, who also starred in Farscape, were in the last two seasons and the follow up movies) but I read so much McShep fic - there were just so many good writers in that fandom. 

I will say that in terms of the shows themselves, they’re very standard episodic scifi. SGA was probably a bit smoother of a viewing experience just because they had storylines that ran more tightly and wove together better. SG-1 is a bit of a slog sometimes, but maybe that’s just upon rewatching. It might actually be good if you’re a first time viewer - I mean, I think I did all ten seasons in like a month. (But that was college and I had... a lot of time to mainline.) The characters were engaging enough that I dabbled in a whole lot of pairings and read almost everything. Just don’t expect a to of relationship resolution in the show; every romance in the show reads like at’s a nice slow burn fic where in the last chapter the author decided maybe they just wanted it to be gen fic after all. But oh it made the moments between characters so delicious when they did happen. 

So basically: it’s not Farscape, but I’d recommend the show with an even stronger supplemental recommendation of reading fic alongside the show. 

WTF Wednesday (or, Thoughts after 7x12)

Hello My Darlings,

Kate here. Another WTF Wednesday has dawned... and by that, I mean my brain just circles around WTF all day long whilst I pretend to be a professional but really am solely preoccupied by trying to figure out all the pieces of the PLL puzzle! (Like my brother, I can also expect my "Employee of the Year" award any minute now!)

TODAY however, I figured I would take you all on the journey that is my crazy mind today and live-blog my thoughts as I have them! I can't promise any of this shit will make sense or be in any sort of coherent order, but hopefully it will spark theories, ideas and maybe some answers! I don't know about you, fellow Rosewood residents, but I am desperate to either figure this out before actual EndgAme or be checked into to Radley trying!  (BEWARE TO THOSE WHO ARE BEHIND - Spoilers yonder!) 

HERE WE GO:

- Going back to my obsessive rant from my last post, there is NO way Melissa could have "not known" about Spencer's grand entrance into the Hastings family... How does a 5 year old - especially a smart, precocious, question-asking 5 year old like we can only assume Melissa Hastings was - get a baby sister sprung on her with no explanation!? I don't know where to go with this line of questioning really... Is Melissa AD or involved in the whole AD game? Even if Ron-Ron and Miracle Grow Peter managed to dupe a 5 year old, at some point in her life Melissa would probably have questioned why Spencer all of a sudden showed up when Ron Ron was never preggers, so is THAT why she's such a bitch to Spencer? She knows that there's some sort of mystery or drama around her younger "sibling" and resents having had the spotlight taken off her for even a nano-second by someone who isn't a total Hastings? This could provide some depth as to why Melissa was so cruel to Spencer - or the actual secret she wanted to protect Spencer from.  Let's not forget that Melissa, suitcase in tow, gate-crashed Mona's Army against Ali meeting, all large and in charge! She's always been too mysterious and suspicious to justify simply so she must have a hand in all of this, right!?

- WHY THE BOARD GAME... or rather, what are the stakes? Is the point of the game to get the PLLs to go to jail (since there is a "Go to Jail" spot on the game board)? But they were already in jail and then poached and put in the dollhouse. That would be an awfully repetitive end goal for AD... unless of course Cece's entire "confession" was a lie and it wasn't really her that poached them and doll-housed them. But we saw the video of Noel helping torture them in the dollhouse so this is all just SO convoluted! So for argument's sake, let's cross off the purpose as being them going to jail because CLEARLY if that were anyone's top priority, these ladies (and their parents!) have done more than enough to lock them up behind bars and, always, each incarnation of A has video evidence. The only logical motive, really, is torture. Whatever AD's beef with the PLLs is, they want to torture them by controlling their lives (like they are dolls)... But what about this "Winner Takes All" thing? Is AD challenging them and insinuating that if they WIN the game, they defeat him or her? Is this a duel to the death....? For a show that has been SO clever and has managed to outsmart me every season I need to believe that there is more to this EndgAme than just the show ending. WHY WOULD AD BE READY TO END THIS!? Like, why now? Why is it all ending NOW? For this to make sense there has to be a reason.

- I've been really, really thinking about this whole feeling of letdown and disappointment that Gavin and I expressed during our live blog - a feeling that seems to be echoed as I hit the rest of Tumblr and the PLL-watching world. Yes, we were promised "answers every episode" and at first glance we seemed to get none. But the more I think about it the more I'm coming back to the WHY as well as what answers DID we get? In the past, seasons were 24 episodes so the fact that there are only 20 this season (with a 2 hour finale) lead me to believe that the showrunners are not in need of filler episodes to stretch the story out for a set number of episodes to fill a specific tv schedule. (Plus -- and here's the mid-30 year old side of my brain that is mostly suppressed given my penchant for teenage-geared tv -- more episodes = more ad revenue = more money for those in charge so its ESPECIALLY prudent to think about the fact that this season is rather short.... they COULD have stretched it out into 15 episodes and I would be just as glued and watching live, soaking in the advertisements... ahem, rant over). Back to my point! The fact that there are SUCH few episodes leads me to believe (hope? deluded hope?) that there is really important information and answers in this episode that are not beat-us-over-the-head obvious. I need to rewatch it tonight...

- So hold the blind phones a sec... can someone please remind me - when Jenna was carted off in the 7A finale and shoved in that van and had a rubber mask thrown at her, she groped around and - with fear? awe? in her voice exclaimed "You're AD!" KEEP HOLDING THOSE BLIND PHONES KIDDIES - was this the first time we got acknowledgement of Jenna knowing about AD?! And if that is the case - and even if its not - HOW DOES JENNA KNOW AD WEARS A MASK!? Like... whoever this creepo is was walking around in broad daylight without people completely realizing they were decked out in more prosthetics than Mrs. Doubtfire so how on EARTH does Jenna know?! AD must have something on Jenna (and Noel) have been using them as pawns somehow. How else would that comment even begin make sense!? So she knows about AD, and is then carted off... her glasses are removed and she's nervously drinking tea (end of episode 7x11) and then says "You promised to tell me about the game today". IS SHE PART OF THE GAME!? Why would AD revel anything to Jenna? So AD hands her a braille binder (seriously, bitch better be thankful AD compensates for her blindness) and she smiles while whispering "Endgame". So let's think for a second.... AD can't be solely communicating with her through Braille (also, how does one produce Braille at home? Some sort of special printer perhaps? Just curious) so at this point she has to know who they are, right!?! Regardless, she waltzes into the police station to chat with Marco Fury and obsess over Spencer's breathing, so clearly she's either a pawn or a voluntary player... she's not a victim, otherwise AD wouldn't let her just traipse around Rosewood with her "bookends" to guard her. I feel like these facts are important, I just can't yet piece them together.

- Emily's game piece moved.... I say again.... Emily's game piece moved. IS this like Jumanji (side bar: how Canadian did Shay sound when she said "Jumanji"!? Also, THANK YOU PLL WRITERS for voicing our sentiments!!) or did *someone* move her piece?! I think this is also a huge thing... Also, the fact that Hanna was attacked in the shoe shop (the shoe shop MONA SENT HER TO MIGHT I ADD) with a text threatening her to "wait her turn".... this game is moving them systematically, in turns, just like actual game pieces on a board. INTRIGUING!! More thoughts to come after my rewatch.

- Yes, yes we all hate the ancillary characters like Katherine Daly who appear and provide temporary relevance (*cough* weirdo Johnny I'm looking at you and your homemade paints *cough*) but honestly? Its realistic. This show started with these girls in 10th grade ("That Night") and now they are out of college. OF COURSE there are going to be random people in their lives - and not everyone we meet in our lives is there forever, sometimes we know people for only a short while. Ahem... anyways, stepping on my tangent-flavored-soap box. Clearly there is something UP with Hanna and her budding fashion career and unfortunately I can't help feeling like Mona may be involved here. It is SUCH a coincidence that Mona claimed Katherine knew her and that's how she could hook Hanna up to dress her... and conveniently Hanna wasn't around when Mona raided her closet and nabbed her personal stash of clothing... and conveniently the ONLY dress Katherine is interested in is the one that Hanna didn't totally design herself/designed when she worked for Claudia... and conveniently the only appropriate shoe choice are the shoes Hanna is having fixed in Philly.... and conveniently Katherine, though a rich Daddy's girl socialite, can't afford her own shoes? I mean, *I* get weird about sharing shoes with friends -  but a rich "it" girl who worships fashion? Yeah, sure she's gonna take some random chick's shoes to wear, I believe that 100%.... and conveniently, when Hanna goes to get those shoes she gets locked in a cage and gets a threatening AD text... and conveniently at the same time as this, dumbass Jenna is wearing the SAME dress but in white (bitch can't even SEE the beading!).... Guys, I hate to say it but I feel like Mona may still be riding the A train voluntarily... So no, Katherine as a "person" isn't important in the sense that she's endgame but she may be leading us to clues why someone else is... It was Mona's game to start with - she and Charlotte even had that weird board game in Radley so it isn't far-fetched to believe that Mona is part of the endgame too.

- There is no justifying that little bitch, Addison Derringer, though. Well, it was funny when Emily was all (to Ali): "Am I mistaken or is she -" and Ali immediately cuts her off with "Nope, she's worse". Loved that! I mean, there will always be mean girls, and clearly Emily PTSD Fields isn't cutting any of them slack... Ugh ok, I guess there COULD BE justification for this character. The PLLs are being controlled by AD, again like game pieces on a game board, and they are each being dragged into their dark side. Spencer is having to face the realities of her parentage which has lead her to a very dark place already, especially in her interactions with Ron Ron. Emily finally grew balls......but they are biting her IN THE ASS because she just can't control her attitude now. Even her friends are commenting on it... She's being dragged into a dark place and AD is exploiting her new found backbone. All Lucy Hale seemed to talk about in interviews was Aria being in a "dark place" in this last season... so I'm sensing a theme!

- Its interesting that all their game pieces have them dressed as their High School selves - including Ali in her ever-popular yellow top (on a differently shaped base piece than the other girls....) I feel like this leads us back to AD being in this from the beginning... the conductor of this roller coaster ride... the REAL A. I think Mona could have been a pawn and that her A-days were the first stirrings of this game....

I think its clear I need to rewatch episode 7x12 and compile some more thoughts once I've done so... And I think its clear I need a new hobby.

8 EPISODES LEFT, Y'ALL!

Kisses, -K