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xtrashmammalstefx · 21 days

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Chaos Monster & Her English Gent (A Callum Turner x Reader Smut)

Warnings: Smut, language, kiddos under 18 do not interact!

Notes: When I said I've become a total slut for this man and his bf Austin I wasn't fucking around. Lemme know if y'all want an Austin smut/sequel because I totes have some ideas I think you'll like.

Looking back I don’t think any of us expected this to happened. I certainly didn’t and I was the one who had the most to lose if things had gone sour rather than go the way they did.

I’m getting ahead of myself though so I’ll just start where this whole mess began: the first time I visited Austin on the Masters of the Air set. I’d sneaked up behind Austin, my best friend for life and possibly longer, as he was talking to a rather handsome man with the most unimaginably contagious smile. I put my finger to my lips once he’d seen me and jumped onto Austin’s back. “’Sup Elvis!”

“PRISCILLA?! FUCK!” Austin turned and scooped me up. “YOU SCARED THE SHIT OUTTA ME BABE!”

I laughed and squeezed him back. “Well that’s what you get for taking for fucking ever to return my texts you ass!”

“Sorry ‘bout that sweetheart but duty called a hell lot more than I thought it would,” he said once I was back on the ground. “Oh,” he turned back to the smiling man. “By the way, Callum this is my best girl, Y/N, Y/N this is my new best friend Callum.”

“Nice to meet you my handsome replacement,” I said.

Callum smiled nearly bringing out a giggle from deep inside me. Fuck, he is good. “Pleasure’s all mine love, and I am definitely not replacing you. You’re more beautiful than I will ever be.”

Struck dumb by his buttery smooth British accent and killer icebreaker I turned to Austin. “He is a hell of a keeper.”

“Yeah I think so too,” Austin laughed. “So how long are you staying?”

“I’ve taken a week off work so I’m gonna be yours until about Sunday,” I said.

“Oh sweet. Can’t wait to show you off to the rest of the boys, they’re gonna love you,” Austin said as we started towards a couple other guys in period attire.

“Only until they get to know me,” I said. “Let’s see how they react once they see the true chaos monster you know and love.”

“Well, this is gonna be a right interesting week,” Callum said walking on the other side of me.

Of course he wasn’t wrong about that. The next few days were filled with me and Austin being a chaotic duo in front of his cast mates who were also quite chaotic themselves. I’m not sure how or when it started happening but whenever Austin was away either in costume or make-up, Callum and I started to talk. Barry would sometimes be there but most of the time it was just us.

“I’m really gonna miss having you around,” Callum said two days before I was due to leave. We were in his trailer. Austin was busy talking with his manager so I figured I’d bug Callum for a bit. He was changing out of his costume and into civilian wear while I hung out in his make up chair.

“You act as if you don’t have my number and social medias,” I said. “I’m heading home, not dying.”

“Well, talking with you on a phone or in DM’s isn’t exactly the same as having you here,” Callum continued.

“What can you possibly say that can’t be said over the phone?”

“It’s not what I wish to say but rather what I wish to do that can’t be done over a phone call,” he said starting towards me wearing nothing but his boxer briefs which left little to nothing to the imagination.

“And what exactly is it that you wish to do good sir?”

He smirked and started leaning down. “This,” his lips connected with mine. His plump lips were soft and warm as he kissed me. It wasn’t enough to send me off the edge and before I knew it I had my arms around him letting him carry me to the small couch. Once there he pulled back and brought his lips down to my neck. As he left what I was sure was gonna be a massive hickey I reached down and started palming him through his underwear. He groaned at the feeling, his body trembling on top of mine.

“I’m a bit overdressed don’t you think?” I breathed. He smiled and sat up. I reached down and lifted my shirt over my head. He took it from me and tossed it to the side before reaching for the zipper and button on my pants. Not even a minute later I was fully bare in front of him.

“God you’re so beautiful,” he whispered pecking me on the mouth. “So. Fucking. Beautiful.” As he started to kiss me again I nudged at his briefs, doing my best to get them off. Callum got the hint though and pulled them off tossing them with my clothes. I think he could see how big my eyes got at the sight of him for he chuckled softly and said, “Like what you see, darling?”

I had no idea how to answer. If I’d though he was big when flaccid it was nothing compared to how endowed he was when he was hard.

I looked from his crotch up to his face as he continued to look at me quizzically with that smile that didn’t seem to go away. “C’mere,” I said moving from the couch to the floor beside it. He laid himself on top of me sending a shiver through me as his dick brushed my folds, ghosting my entrance. He reached down, gave himself a tug and placed himself there.

“Okay, love?” he asked. I nodded and just like that he was inside me. I clung to him as my body got use to the stretch. Callum cussed a rainbow of curse words in my ear as I enveloped him. His thrusting began soon after.

Turns out Callum is a gentleman in every sense of the word. He kept his movements slow at first, not daring to go faster or harder without my say so. Once the stinging subsided I brought my mouth to his, kissing him harder before telling him, “Harder… I need you to go harder.” With that he picked up the pace, almost slamming completely into me. “FUCK!”

“You’re taking me so well darling, fuck!!” He took me into his arms and slowly lifted me up, still thrusting into me. I held onto him moving up and down as he sat back. I rode him like that for a while until he lied completely back, putting me in charge for a bit.

As I moved my body conscious of the fact that I could see a small bump pulsating in my lower stomach, Callum reached down and started rubbing me with his long fingers. I bit back a scream at the feeling but let him keep playing with clit. It made me feel alive in a way I couldn’t put into words and before I knew it I was riding him like my life depended on it.

We continued like that until I began to feel the pressure build up inside me. “Oh fuck I’m gonna cum!”

“It’s alright, darling, just...just let go on my cock,” he said grabbing my ass and slamming me harder on his length. The pressure continued to grow more intense, until finally I was screaming and tightening around him. As I remained clamped down on his length Callum wrapped his arms around me and flipped us back over so that he was on top.

He continued to thrust as I came down from the most mind boggling orgasm of my life. I was still seeing stars when Callum’s thrusts became sloppy. Suddenly the gentle boy I’d been falling for became beastly, almost roaring as he twitched inside me, filling me up until there wasn’t a single drop left in him.

My body was still shaking, my cunt throbbing, as he pulled out and collapsed beside me.

“That was… incredible...magical even…”

“It was the best damn shag of my life,” Callum said breathless making me giggle. I turned my body to face him and cringed at the soreness between my legs. “You alright love?”

“Mentally and emotionally speaking I’m fucking great,” I said. “Physically speaking...fuck… Callum, I love you with every fiber of my being and will gladly do this again and again with you but god damn I think you just about broke me in half.”

He laughed at that and kissed my now swollen lips. “So, you agree then? To be my girlfriend I mean.”

I looked up at him and smiled. “I’m pretty sure I’m more than that. I mean, I did just say I love you, and lord knows those are words I don’t say to just anybody.”

“Just to the lad who shags your brains out?” I slapped him playfully on his chest. “Only joking darling. I love you too, and I don’t say those words to just anybody either.”

“Just to the girl that rode you and milked you for every last drop of cum in your body?”

“Actually, I believe I just said them to the girl I want to marry.”

“Quite the fast one aren’t you?”

“Only when I know deep down in my bloody heart and bones that I don’t want to do this with anyone else,” he said.

“Alright, but there’s something we gotta do first… Something pretty damn risky.” He looked at me questioningly.

“And that is?”

I looked up and smiled nervously. “We gotta tell Austin.”

“OH FUCK!”

#callum turner #smut #callum turner x reader #austin butler

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minijenn · 3 months

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Jen Tortures Herself With Every Dreamworks Animated Movie Ever: Puss In Boots: The Last Wish

Holy shit, ya'll, holy shit. This movie, THIS FUCKING MOVIE is probably one of the most insanely BEAUTIFUL, expertly crafted MASTERPIECES, not just from Dreamworks, but from any studio EVER. Like what the hell, how did they DO THIS? How did they take a sequel to a decent, but somewhat forgettable spinoff movie and turn it into something THIS FUCKING GREAT? It's utterly unbelievable, and yet absolutely magical in every way. So let's get into me gushing about how much I adore this movie because how can I not?

After losing the eighth of his nine lives, Puss falls into something of a slump, until he hears word of a magical Wishing Star. Hoping to use the star's power to get his nine lives back and escape from the (utterly terrifying) clutches of Death, he once again teams up with Kitty Softpaws, and a new addition to the group, the adorably innocent Perrito, to brave the Dark Forest and find the Star. However, they're not alone in the race to the star, as Big Jack Horner and Goldilocks and the Three Bears are all determined to beat Puss and crew to it and take the wish for themselves.

So there's like... so much happening in this movie, you'd think it'd be a jumbled mess of characters and plotlines with nothing getting the focus that it should, and yet... I don't know how they did it but everything just... fits so perfectly here? The pacing is some of the best I've seen in any movie, all the plot beats and scenes go on just long enough and everything flows so naturally and right? The charactesr are all given so much depth and time to just interact here, and not just our leads either (I'll get into that more in a sec). At no point does anything feel like its dragging and at no point does anything feel like its going by too fast. I don't know how they did it, but it all feels, in the words of Goldi and the Bears, just right.

As for our characters, Puss is just as great as always here, with a really compelling arc of him learning to value his life and the people in it. Kitty herself has a good arc too of learning to trust as her and Puss rekindle their relationship. Perrito is absolutely precious and adds this genuine sweetness and heart to an otherwise grizzled and world-wary duo. Goldi and the Three Bears are absolute standouts though, like oh my god, ya'll oh my god the feels I had for this sad little orphan girl and her theiving bear family? I want an entire series or spinoff movie about them, Dreamworks, PLEASE I'm BEGGING you, I need MORE of this beautiful little found family!

We have two villains here, and both are pretty great in their own right! Jack Horner is our more traditional insane villain played for laughs (the fact that he's voiced by John Mulaney helps) and he's pretty funny while also being appropriately sinister and ruthless, making him effectual to boot. But then there's Death and holy shit, if this movie had come out when I was a kid, I think this wolf would have had me pissing my pants because he is terrifying. Like seriously, hands down, the scariest villain in any Dreamworks movie by both design and in terms of just the way he moves, the way he speaks, his eerie whistling any time he enters a scene? No wonder Puss has multiple panic attacks when faced by this motherfucker, because honestly, I would too.

The themes of this movie are all so wonderful as well, from the ones I mentioned above (learning to value life, trust, found family, etcs), but I think its overaching message is absolutely beautiful and shines its way through all of its various subplots. The idea that sometimes, the thing you're wishing for most is something you already have. Like damn, Dreamworks, hit me hard with that kind of beautiful, inspiring truth.

Also fucking hell, the ANIMATION??? IS UNREAL??? This is by and large the most BEAUTIFUL movie dreamworks has ever made, with such a unique and vibrant style that makes everything feel so... dreamlike, I'd say. The texture work here is so complex and yet so simple, the backgrounds are so intricate and colorful, the MOVEMENT IN SOME OF THESE FIGHT SCENES? Insane, unbelievable, Idk how they did it, but they DID it, and it's GORGEOUS. Also so is the music! The score SLAPS, especially in those fight scenes and also I just gotta say, Favorite Fearless Hero? Gonna be stuck in my head for a week. I ain't even mad about it.

So yeah, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is probably one of the single greatest things Dreamworks has ever made. It just hits in every way, an excellent ride from beginning to end with a story that flows so well, characters that are just a delight to watch, animation and music that practically make me foam at the mouth, gah, its just... perfect. Truly, utterly perfect. (Or Purrfect, if you want to be catty about it (ok, I'll stop).

Overall Rating: 10/10

Verdict: Have a realistic depiction of a panic attack

Previous Review (The Bad Guys)

Next Review (Ruby Gillman: Teenage Kraken)

#jen watches #dreamworks watch #jen tortures herself with every dreamworks animated movie ever #puss in boots #the last wish #dreamworks

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nono-bunny · 7 months

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I loooove how the magic festival and the wild hunt are both revisiting the ideas from Enchated Parade! It and the first movie are both brilliant and I personally never neglect to watch them alongside the series, but... Yeah, they sorta follow a different canon because LWA was never meant to get a full series initially, and even though I could've sworn they used to be on Netflix alongside the show, they aren't available there anymore. Despite being the originators, they seem to have become sorta harder to find, which really is a shame because of how great they are, but!! The series truly does a magnificent job at re-presenting the battle visuals, the red trio's friendship crisis, and in furthee developing the green trio-aside from Jasminka, my girl was ROBBED!! WHAT THE FUCK WAS UP WITH HER STOMACH DEMON??? She's still the best though and I love her a bunch

Anyway the wild hunt is such a cute episode, it's somehow always both surprising and makes complete sense that Akko is a complete nerd even in matters unrelated to Chariot.

Tbh I do really wish we got an episode focusing on Constanze and Croix, because even without this episode to hint at an unseen mentorship between those two they feel like a no-brainer duo I would've LOVED to see interact. Like, Constanze is literally ALL ABOUT modern magic, there's just no way she doesn't idolize Croix and that she in turn doesn't take her under her wing- Constanze is incredibly gifted in Croix' exact field, and I can so easily see a version of the story where Constanze becomes her unwitting apprentice, it would've been so interesting to see her coming to terms with what she helped with, and have Croix later repent by propely helping and teaching her!!!! I GET why it's important that Croix fools Akko, and like, girl, same, I get it, she's hot- but fr I can't help but feel that it's a shame that other characters aside from Diana weren't more integrated with the main plot, even when it would have made sense for them to be. As much as I love all of their individual focus episodes (again, everyone except for my girl Jasminka) I feel like there was also room for them to be a bit more involved.

LWA had so many great ideas, and even though it actually got a relatively big amount of episodes to flesh them out in for a modern original anime (ESPECIALLY for a shoujo) I kinda can't help but be a bit sad sometimes when thinking about it because? There was so much stuff left a bit open ended, and so many ideas and concepts that weren't ever explored to their fullest potential, and like? If there ever was a show that ended perfectly while still leaving plenty of room for a sequel, LWA is definitely it. Every time I come to Cavendish I get a little sad and apprehensive about keeping on watching, because I never want it to end, and to me that episode signifies the beginning of the end of the show, and like. Sure, it's been six years... But by god, an announcement for a new season of this show would NEVER feel too late or out of place.

LWA academia is like, the one shoujo I didn't even have to try to convince my guy friends to watch, because as soon as one of them found it, he loved it and soon after all of them were watching it... And they still love it to this day! Legit, everyone I ever knew who watched this show loved it, because it has such a broad appeal and so much charm, and!! Fr istg so many people would love to see another season, even those who maybe only ever watched it once ages ago, as well as all of those who haven't watched it yet and might give it a shot in the hype of a new season

#little witch academia

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meimi-haneoka · 2 months

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hii ! First of all I LOVE your blog I think you are a very sweet person and I’m looking forward for your analysis and expectations for sequel anime of clearcard!! I’m a huge tomomei and syaosaku shipper and I really wanted to know you thoughts on tomomei aaa!

Hi anon! Thank you for all the nice words...I might look like a nice person but I learned to bite too along the years 😉😂

I won't absolutely miss to analyze and talk endlessly about the anime sequel of Clear Card, when it comes!! 😉

I love TomoMei!! I am not sure if I ship them, because I respect CLAMP's view over Tomoyo, but it is undeniable that they are a perfect duo and their interactions in the anime always made me very happy...I feel like, if anything else, Meiling can find in Tomoyo a very good companion who can understand her quite deeply... I also always love to see them "scheming" to bring SyaoSaku closer 😂 I remember, when the Clear Card anime was about to start in 2018, I hoped with all of my heart that we would see Meiling again, and I still remember the excitement when she was confirmed!! CLAMP confirmed her presence for S2 too, so I am really looking forward to see her again (and maybe some more moments with Tomoyo)!!

#reply #anonymous

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crystal-tit · 2 years

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SSO characters playing TF2 because why not

Alright so here's the post I needed some characters for. Sorry if this disappoints you but it was just such a funny idea in my head.

Syntax

Pyro and Scout main. They play either casual and hang out with friendlies or go absolute ham in competitive. They have every inch of maps memorised and are very effective at Spy checking.

Evergray

It's been 20 years since he had to abandon computers and his favourite game Team Fortress Classic (and the Team Fortress mod on Quake). He finds out the game got a sequel. Time to play his favourite class – the civilian. He's gone. He's absolutely devastated.

Avalon

He would play the TFC with Evergray before he went off to Pandoria on computers that they had in secret because back then druids were strictly against computers. After Evergray left, he would still play the game and now he's absolutely cracked at it compared to Evergray and he's so smug about it. He's great at playing Spy, landing a great amount of trick stabs.

Mario

He plays Sniper mostly. Looking through the scope reminds him of the observatory and since he's so far back from the battle he doesn't have to interact with people much. He doesn't really change up the hats (because he would look too not ordinary) but he does have several weapon loadouts he switches between.

Kora

She doesn't play it but has it installed on her laptop that she has for communication reasons because it's the only thing that shuts Beeper up sometimes. Yeah, he is trained but sometimes he just screeches until he gets to jump on the keyboard and he's somehow very good at it. And he also keysmashes into the chat. Kora doesn't understand why he likes it so much.

Sonja & Emma

They're both Medic mains and prefer playing Mann vs Machine since that game mode is just much more chill compared to the others. They discuss good strategies and who to Über together. They form a really nice duo in game and are very nice to the team mates.

Luciana

She doesn't play the game but she has read the comics because she wants to understand what her friends talk about at least slightly. Her favourite character is Merasmus and her favourite comic is Bombinomicon because of Demoman's backstory.

Rowan

Hardcore Scout and Soldier main. They're brave and unafraid to rush into a situation. You don't even realise how they appear into the situation. Has the best weapon loadouts and some of them are like very rare.

Alonso

I can't imagine him as anything other than a Medic main. He likes helping his team mates and makes sure everyone is healed properly before and during the game. Says gg every time the round ends.

Bonny

She can play all the classes pretty okay but she's a master at Engineer. She knows all the best locations to place the dispenser, sentry, etc. She can adapt to the situation quickly and is a great asset to the team.

Carney, Marley, Barney and Courtney

Derek

He doesn't play TF2 but he is familar with the characters because he uses SFM to make posters and animations! He really enjoys playing with the lighting, models, etc.

They always play the same class. I don't mean this as in they each main a character, I mean this as in they always try to match. They have matching loadouts on all the classes (only varying in colours) and people dislike how little diversity they bring to the team but somehow they just make it work. Somehow the team is 4 Heavies, 1 Medic and 1 Scout and somehow they still win. They became some sort of TF2 cryptids this way.

Justin

He has a LOT of hours on the game. He doesn't have a main, he just presses the random class button and then goes into spectator mode. He only watches the other people play and doesn't participate at all. He just stands there at spawn, looking at what others are doing. He has so little achievements which he himself doesn't know how he got.

#not tagging all these characters because I don't feel like it #sso #ssoblr #also outing myself as a tf2 fan 😔

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todayimgonnaplay · 10 months

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Today I'm gonna play: Final Fantasy XIII-2

This is my first post! I don't have a format on how I'm going to discuss games, so I'm just going to rant out whatever comes to mind I guess! I'm putting an apostrophe for terms exclusive to the game and will detail them at the end.

I've recently finished FF13, which...wasn't the most enjoyable FF I've played. Although its level design was linear, and the characters can be a little tropey, I had more issues with the lack of party customization that only gets unlocked later on in the game, and the general difficulty as well as its expensive economy, it had some very impressive art direction and music that still holds up to this day! I've jumped on to its sequel to see how it fares.

I'm currently on episode 4, and I've seen some nice improvements so far! The Paradigm Shift* system is a lot faster and responsive, and the game allows you to do Preemptive Strikes* which gives you an advantage with the Stagger Bar*, as well as grant Haste* temporarily which is a nice tactical advantage. Your additional party members now consist of up to 3 monsters you capture and equip, who each have their own paradigm class. Overall this makes the combat very fun and customizable!

The first game also constantly focused on combat. This time, I'm seeing puzzle segments, which are somewhat confusing, and some options to dress up monsters you catch. Not perfect systems, but it's nice to see some downtime. I do find the Mog Throw* funny though.

Levels this time are larger and non-linear, giving more replayability as well as a sense of exploration. This exploration is linked to the main story too, so it doesn't feel too much like a chore. I'd say it's somewhat of an improvement.

The graphics are still the same, but I'm enjoying one area in particular for its futuristic aesthetic, so it still has some nice artistic direction going on. I would say the character designs are a hit or miss compared to the first game. Serah's outfit in XIII-2 seems...odd despite looking more battle-ready. Her gloves and weapon are the only pluses, but it looks like they're more keen on showing more skin for some reason (with her having a swimsuit outfit too apparently). Noel on the other hand has a more appealing design! His head gives me Squall Leonhart vibes but with the hair grown a little.

I also like the characterization more than the first game. Noel is really smart and capable, and even shows a side of impatience so he's not perfect. Serah is also interesting as she journeys from being a girl that couldn't do anything to being a courageous heroine. The duo's dynamics are more pleasing to watch compared to where the first game had a larger cast that was constantly at odds with each other but awkwardly come together at some point.

The story is also easier to follow as there's not a lot of weird terminology anymore that doesn't explain itself. Even though it's about time travel, I haven't seen anything crazy yet.

One detail I really like is that it reminds you of previous events. Every time you get back into the game, it has a ''story so far'' segment that pops up before entering a world to catch you up to speed, and for those that have not played 13, there's a whole summary section available in the menu. This may be annoying for people who have been continuously playing the game (like me) and don't need to be reminded, but there are times where we drop a game because life happens, or another game catches our attention and we wander off to playing that. But having a reminder is a nice touch for a positive experience. Perhaps this feature could have a toggled off option in the settings.

One detail I dislike is the pacing of the extra dialogue that plays in the overworld. The first game paced this well, but this sequel seems to have longer dialogue that could potentially pressure you to stop and listen if you want to hear the extra details, otherwise interacting with anything else risks you from skipping them. Grand Theft Auto also has this issue, when you're driving during a story mission and you cannot hit the destination marker yet because the characters are still talking. The only solution I can see to amending this would be to allow the player to see/hear the next dialogue by pressing a button. NEO: The World Ends With You has (non-voiced) dialogue pop up in the overworld, which you can interact with to see the rest of it while still on the go.

Overall, I'm looking forward to what the rest of the game has in store! The music is as great, if not even better than the first! I have listened to some of the tracks long before getting on this game, but I've heard some new ones that are absolute bangers! 13 made me a fan of Masashi Hamauzu, but 13-2 is now making me a fan of Naoshi Mizuta too! I'm gonna put a link to my current favourite track.

Terms exclusive to the game: Paradigm shift - Strategic set of roles your characters can have which you can switch around during combat. Preemptive strike - Allows you to strike an enemy first to gain an advantage. Similar to Player Advantage/Ambush in the Persona/Shin Megami Tensei games. Stagger bar - A gauge the player fillswhen fighting (best by casting magic) which allows the enemy to be vulernable to more damage Haste - An effect (or spell) common in FF games that makes you act faster Mog Throw - An ability that allows you to throw Mog (Moogle, a creature in FF games) to inaccessible/far places and give you treasure in return

youtube

#game analysis #ff13 2 #final fantasy xiii 2 #Youtube

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sepublic · 3 years

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Lumity and the Illusion Coven Leader?

So I’m really interested in Through the Looking Glass Ruins. Not only because it’s another important Gus episode (and the implications of him being at Glandus and how that can connect to the premise of Escaping Expulsion), but also…

Luz and Amity are at the library- I’m not sure WHICH library, it could be the one at Glandus, or the one in Bonesborough. But given the mention of ruins, and how the background image that reveals the synopsis shows us what appears to be the desolate ruins of an arena of sorts, surrounded by cloaked statues… It makes me wonder. Aside from the obvious possibility that these statues were real witches petrified by Belos or some other entity;

The title is interesting, because it invokes the sequel to Alice in Wonderland, itself a fantasy tale about a young girl entering a fantastical world… In other words, an Isekai, which fits Luz’s whole schtick in the Boiling Isles! Obviously I should be careful about using the reference in the title as a basis for my speculation; Sense and Insensitivity references Sense and Sensibility, but otherwise has zero correlation with the book as far as I can tell, beyond the idea of King being of higher social prestige and that sort of concept I guess?

In Through the Looking-Glass, Alice goes through a large mirror to enter a fantasy world. The imagery of mirrors intrigues me, because it directly invokes the symbol of the Illusion Coven… And we can bet that the Coven Heads will make their appearances this season, especially with how Season 3 is too short and more likely to be a final battle/climax of sorts. Not only that, but we also have the other plot of Gus, who is an illusionist… And of course, the library reminds us of Lost in Language, and the twins Emira and Edric, who are both also illusionists.

I don’t think the twins would be messing with Amity and Luz again, but then again, maybe Odalia and Alador are making them; We don’t know what will happen at the end of Escaping Expulsion, but if Amity and Luz are still hanging out, perhaps they’re feeling pressured. The concept of illusions also ties back to Luz a second time… Remember Witches before Wizards? And how a puppet demon, Adegast, used illusions to put Luz through a whole segment straight out of her favorite fantasy books, of a special chosen one travelling through a world with wacky companions?

Adegast’s plot appealed to Luz’s sense of fantasy, her desire to feel special and important, as validation/justification for being so ostracized back home. With the idea of illusions, and fantasy worlds, not to mention literary references because Luz and Amity are at a literal library, and it’s brought up the idea in some fans’ heads of like… Luz and Amity going through a fantasy segment taken straight out of Alice in Wonderland.

So, to get it all out of the way; I think the Illusion Head will play a role in this episode, debuting in Through the Looking Glass Ruins as the main antagonist. I suspect that each coven leader will get their own episode introducing and featuring them as antagonists and characters, so an episode hearkening back to Lost in Language, which had the illusionist twins… With a side-plot of Gus the Illusionist, who wants validation; Not to mention the idea of fantasy stories come to life, feeling special, and how that’s reminiscent of Adegast…

I think Through the Looking Glass Ruins could be a major episode for Luz and Amity and their characters. Perhaps as a major stepping point that helps to tie together previous events thematically, the Illusion Head might place Luz and Amity in an illusion even more grand and powerful than what Adegast could dream of; One that places the duo in a saccharine fantasy world. Luz and Amity of course have to navigate this fake world and its inane rules, while exploring their own relationship… Perhaps Gus will come into play, or his story will just be a parallel, I can’t tell. But again, it calls back to Luz and Amity having their own experiences with illusionists, so having them face off against the most powerful Illusionist of all, together, would be a nice culmination of those respective arcs!

What’s interesting is the mention of ruins, and the image we see… It reminds me of that one article description for a ‘Witch Arena’ at the titan’s knee (which foreshadowed Adventures in the Elements), but aside from general ruins, we don’t see any duels occur there, nor is there reference to that site hosting sacred rituals and events for witches. Perhaps we’ll see this actual arena here, or not… This arena could just be part of the elaborate illusion, hence why Luz and Amity encounter it in the library, or they get transported. Maybe the library is next to the ruins, if it’s the one for Glandus or one besides the Bonesborough one.

(Personally I’m hoping for more Amity and the library lore, possibly the return of that librarian who seems to be on good terms with her.)

Like Adegast, the Illusion Head could taunt Luz and Amity with visions and deception… Perhaps hearkening back to Enchanting Grom Fright, by showing illusions of Luz rejecting Amity or vice-versa. Luz and Amity of course have to see through and realize what’s real or not, as part of their character development, Luz’s especially with recognizing reality and not being deluded by fantasy. For all we know, the Illusion Head might cruelly play with their feelings, by having ‘Luz’ or ‘Amity’ confess their feelings to the other… Only to sadistically reveal it all be fake in the end.

Perhaps the ruins will be a part of this illusion world that Luz and Amity confront the Illusion Head at, by the climax of the episode! Or the ruins are/hold some entrance to this fake world… Regardless, we could see Luz and Amity dealing with their ‘fantasy’ of being friends, and possibly more, with the other… Both might want more, but be afraid that’s just fake in the end, or just hopeless romance that only happens in their little fantasy books that they love, and the Illusion Head might capitalize on these insecurities. Perhaps they’ll try to sway Luz with a perfect world, only to change plans when she’s clearly used to that; And Amity, she might need Luz’s help, as she hasn’t faced this kind of dilemma before. Mirrors are symbols of self reflection, so perhaps this will give Luz the chance to reflect on her own feelings for Amity and realize them, to look back at past interactions with Amity and realize the hidden meaning and all new context that comes with what she learns about Amity...

Maybe the Illusion Head will try to manufacture situations, trick the two girls into ruining their friendship, thinking the other doesn’t like them, acting rashly, etc. Perhaps they’ll create a fake scenario that leads one girl to act at the cost of the other, for whatever reason… Maybe Amity will be so caught up in the idea of a perfect world where everything is ideal; Where her parents love her, where her siblings respect her… And where she can confess her love to Luz, and Luz reciprocates. Luz may or may not stumble across and see, and realize, how Amity feels… And we could get some painful angst skin to Grom rejecting Amity’s invite as Luz, but dialed up with the Illusion Head’s more immersive, fake reality.

Perhaps the despair created by the Illusion Head leads to Amity turning to the side of the Emperor’s Coven, losing hope in finding a better life for herself because that’s just ‘fantasy’. Rejecting her favorite childhood stories like Otabin and The Good Witch Azura, attempting to be more ‘mature’, which could also lead to a brief discussion about how it’s okay for older people to enjoy stories for younger audiences! It could contribute to Amity’s constant feeling of shame for who she is, that feeling of inadequacy and not being enough, hiding behind a façade; Hiding the truth beneath an ‘illusion’, which of course the Illusion Head might poke fun at. Maybe offering a literal illusion to help Amity pretend and fit the image of the Emperor’s Coven?

From what we’ve seen, the Illusion Head could be a pair of twins like Emira and Edric, or like Gus, an individual operating alongside a copy. Amity might be directly reminded of the twins and her relationship with them, so this could be an opportunity to explore her relationship with the twins and their past together, perhaps showing what happened between them in the fallout between Lost in Language and Adventures in the Elements.

We could see how she feels about them and vice-versa, maybe look at their interactions throughout the past, with the Illusion Head possibly even taking their appearance and poking at Amity’s memories knowingly. Maybe they pretend to be the twins, hurting and mocking Amity, only for her to acknowledge that while they ARE flawed, they’ve also grown and the real Emira and Edric would never do this- This could help to develop the relationship with Amity and the twins, and her own potential disdain for illusions because of that association with her siblings.

Another thing to note with the Illusion Head is that amongst their two selves, one face smiles, the other is frowning; Invoking the image of the Comedy and Tragedy masks. Fitting with the idea of written stories and fantasies, perhaps the Illusion Head will operate as two halves, one light-hearted, the other morose; And both toy with the idea of Luz and Amity’s story being a tragedy, or a comedy.

The dual symbolism, two sides of the same coin concept, could come with Luz embracing Comedy, the happy ending, while Amity sides with Tragedy, the sad ending. Maybe Amity breaks free of this conception and her and Luz get their happy ending together… I can see the Illusion Head being a MAJOR theater nerd, and thus invoking the kinds of stories and tropes that the two kids are familiar with. And Amity will of course be reminded of Emira and Edric, making her more insecure and uncertain, while Luz might call upon memories of Gus to guide her. Luz and Amity are parallels and opposites, again, two sides of the same coin, and this might be paralleled with the Illusion Head being composed of two halves, with it yet to be seen if both halves are separate individuals or not; For all we know, it could be a witch and an illusion so immersed in the other that they’ve both forgotten who is the real one!

Am I saying Luz and Amity will kiss and/or realize their love for one another in this episode? I can’t say for sure… But this episode might play on the idea of their relationship and its progression regardless. It could end in Tragedy, or Comedy, what a duality- Maybe even both! We’ll just have to wait and see… I’m excited for this, for more Gus, and I wonder if he’ll show up at the end to help, or provide more insight into the idea of Illusions, which will then enrich the other plot of Luz and Amity! The audience might gain a better appreciation for the mechanics of what the Illusion Head is doing.

And of course, the illusions here could lend to a trippy nightmare sequence where the animators can REALLY flex and mess with our heads and the visuals, confusing both the in-universe characters and the real-life audience as well, as we’re uncertain of what’s real or not- Perhaps the ending of the episode could play with this question, with Luz and Amity not entirely sure if what happened was totally real or not or some elaborate dream, and the Illusion Head’s status and actions also uncertain.

So, what do you guys think? Will we get an episode dedicated to Luz and Amity’s relationship, to their pasts with fantasy, with illusions, entering an unusual world together, taunted by the Illusion Head while another major illusionist, Gus, operates elsewhere? Could the Illusion Head serve as a thematic exploration of duality, of opposites and parallels, and how Luz and Amity’s relationship with one another, their dynamic, is built on those foundations?

Will we see Emira and Edric here- Perhaps with Luz and Amity… Or even with Gus, acting as ‘cool kids’ who ARE impressed by him, unlike the students from Glandus High? I’ve always wanted Gus and Twins interaction… I think Gus is also an interesting duality, parallels and opposites, two sides of the same coin dynamic with the twins; Emira and Edric are individuals who are like one, while Gus is his own person split amongst himself and his clone! Both with a knack for showmanship, and wanting to be noticed on some level.

Maybe when all is said and done, Amity grows a greater appreciation for Gus, Emira, and Edric, getting to interact with Porter properly for once, and helping repair her relationship with the twins; Imagining their surprise at Amity suddenly hugging them, only for the twins’ playful wit to melt away into endearing appreciation… Only to finish it off with a practical joke, because they can’t be TOO sappy of course!

I’m really fascinated and I can’t wait to see what we have for store in this episode… Sounds like the first five episodes alone are ALL going to be jam-packed with very important, major events! Wasting no time I see… Alas, because Season 3 is shorter than anticipated.

#the owl house #lumity #the owl house luz #luz noceda #the owl house amity #amity blight #the owl house gus #augustus porter #the owl house edric #edric blight #the owl house emira #emira blight #speculation #theory #analysis

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metaldragoon · 2 years

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Finished my 2nd game of the year! Or so I thought until rethinking that statement and also remembered Milk outside a bag of milk outside a bag of milk, so I finished my third game today I guess. Quickly talking about Milk outside a bag of milk outside a bag of milk, it’s a very brief visual novel (I think it took about 3 hrs to complete all paths) that is a sequel to an even briefer visual novel (I watched someone else play it in about 30 minutes). It’s a very self-contained story about a girl basically just falling asleep after the first game which saw her buy some milk for her mother. She’s got some issues to say the least and we play as her medication that tries to guide her to making the right decisions, I guess? It’s a unique POV in that regard and almost everything is cryptic since you can’t really tell what’s true or what she’s warped her mind in to believing. I found it pretty engaging and my friend who I played it with and I had fun trying to decipher what everything meant. Cheap indie game if you want to try a thriller, got some music that really stands out too IMO. But my third game which inspired me to slap the ol’ right-hand index finger on the “Text” button and start typing to everyone is AI: The Somnium Files. I was initially pretty in to it, I thought all the characters were pretty good, especially the main investigation duo of the player character and his partner, an AI that resides in his eyeball. I only state that because I read a bunch of people saying it took them to the end game to actually like it. The game really shoots itself in the foot with all the “haha i’m a perv” moments with the main character that are usually not funny at all, and I would say the mid-game can get pretty slow depending on what route you’re taking. That said I do really like the main character, he’s just chill and funny and his insanity is mostly self-contained to internal dialogue with his AI so he doesn’t really feel awkward in his social interactions most the time. Six years ago there was a serial killer who fancied himself plucking some eyeballs as his calling card. Present day we find a victim killed in similar, but not identical fashion and we are tasked with trying to discover who the copycat killer is. Six years ago we also lost all memory of who we were! And a bunch of other things happened six years ago too. Is it all related?! Yerp. Like I said, the end game is what usually makes everyone a fan, and once the game reveals how everything is actually related it really takes a huge step up, and ending on the highest note is always good for a game. I have some minor gripes with the end of the game, mainly the implied relationship we are going to pursue after the game which seems kinda forced, but very minor like I said, and as stated the mid-game is a bit stagnant at parts, specific locations just having boring ass music and you know nothing’s gonna happen. There’s a sequel coming out in June, so I’m looking quite forward to that. Uchikoshi has a shaky track record with sequels as I thought 999 was really good and VLR/Zero Time Dilemma were awful, but we’ll see. It features a different main character (who is a big character in the first game) and I expect most every character will return so that’ll be nice. I guess that’s all I have to say, it is 4:20 AM so lets blaze it!!!

#8.2 outta 10 is my score where the decimals mean nothing #no maybe the decimals mean everything

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dtrhwithalex · 3 years

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TV | Leverage (Season 1, Rewatch)

Rewatch of the first season of TNT's LEVERAGE (2008-2012), created by John Rogers and Chris Downey together with Dean Devlin and his production company Electric Entertainment.

In anticipation of the show's reboot / revival / sequel LEVERAGE: REDEMPTION coming to IMDbTV on 09 July this year, I am rewatching the original 77 episodes and writing about my favourite moments and things from each episode, season by season.

(Just a note, this first season was aired out of order, so the dates won't actually form a chronology, since I'm going with the intended order rather than the one they were aired in.)

101: THE NIGERIAN JOB

D: DEAN DEVLIN. W: JOHN ROGERS & CHRIS DOWNEY. Original Air Date: 07 December 2008.

I have lost count of how many times I have seen this episode (or any episodes of this show to be completely honest), but it holds up every single time. It is one of my favourite, if not the favourite TV pilot episode I have ever seen.

The way this pilot sets up who the main characters are and what the core of this show is, is simply perfect. The introduction of Nate at the bar being approached by Dubenich, then the intercut between him convincing Nate to do the job and the actual job happening -- just wonderful. The same goes for the individual introductions of the other players. Nate's comment about Parker ("no, but Parker is insane") which plants a thread for the rest of the show already, the flashbacks of each character to exemplify who they and what their talents are, combined with the episode then showing you those talents and what Nate can do with them -- which is, of course, his talent -- sets up this whole show so well.

So many seeds that come to fruition throughout the show are already planted right here. Nate's mentoring of Parker to become his eventual successor as Mastermind ("Haircuts, Parker, count the haircuts" -- "I would've missed that"), Eliot's role as protector, the iconic overhead shots and the gloating, the alternate revenue streams, "Hardison dies in Plan M" -- it's all already right here in this episode. A brilliant piece of writing. Hats off to Rogers and Downey, no questions asked.

Rewatching this episode made me think of what this show is about, in its essence. Yes, it is about standing up for those who can't do so themselves, taking on the bigger bad, showing how corrupt and terrible the world can be, but also how much good there is to still find in the world. But also, this show is about a lonely man being actively bullied into the family he didn't know he needed or wanted, but will eventually come to realise is the one thing, the only thing that is keeping him alive. LEVERAGE is the story of a man and his crusade to avenge the death of his child, but is is very much also the story of a man who finds a reason to keep getting up every morning in the four people who are on this crusade with him. And this pilot episode already holds the seed and the potential of all of that. And that is why this show is to this day still my favourite show of all time, because it is utterly perfect in every way.

102: THE HOMECOMING JOB

D: DEAN DEVLIN. W: JOHN ROGERS. Original Air Date: 09 December 2008.

I absolutely love how John Rogers was like okay first episode, some greedy asshole who does whatever he wants for his own gain, we'll take him down a notch. Episode two? Hmm, oh yeah, the government is completely corrupt, filled with rich greedy assholes who do whatever they want for their own gain and always get away with it. Not on my watch (I love him very much, thank you).

This episode, once again, so good. The re-introduction of every character in this new reality of Nate's crusade is just as brilliantly done as the original introduction of them all. Sophie at an audition (love the John Rogers cameo here) completely butchering it once again, Eliot beating up some thug, Parker stealing valuable art, and Hardison doing what he does best: creating a beautiful office-slash-home space for the team, putting his all into their backstories, the equipment, the behind-the-scenes workings of what they need to get the job done. My man.

The message of this particular episode is also just something I am very fond of. The rehab facility doctor's words in the beginning, and then in the end again -- "people don't just show up to help. that's not the way the world works" -- as well as Nate's ultimate answer to her, "so change the world." That right here is the message of this show. It's already right here, all up in your face, episode two.

I completely adore what this episode does for the character dynamics already. The detail Hardison puts into the other's backstories, the interactions around the conference table, Eliot sharing his knowledge, Nate explaining the money laundering scam, the whole thing about laws being in a wooden box, Sophie elaborating why she knew Congressman Jenkins was lying to her -- they don't just work together, they already start giving the others insight into their talents and their knowledge and share that. It's beautiful. I especially adore the shot of them at the end, everyone leaning against the car while watching Corporal Perry and the other veterans debating what to do with the money. They are already so comfortable and at ease with each other, leaning into each other's spaces. They're family. You can see it here already.

Absolutely fantastic episode. For a long time, whenever I thought about The Homecoming Job, I somehow associated a more negative emotion with it than with other episodes, but I don't quite know why, because this is a brilliant episode and I love watching it.

103: THE WEDDING JOB

D: JONATHAN FRAKES. W: CHRIS DOWNEY. Original Air Date: 13 January 2009.

We love Jonathan Frakes in this house and every single time his name shows up with the director tag on this show, I know that I will enjoy every last second of the episode I am about to watch. Frakes directed the hell outta this thing. The Wedding Job is an absolutely excellent episode. Dan Lauria as our main baddie Nicky Moscone is perfect casting and there are so many great comedic beats in the scenes with him and Nate. Everyone, generally, is so weirded out by Priest!Nate, but Moscone just takes the weirdness in stride. This episode holds a very special place in my heart because it contains the introduction of my favourite FBI duo -- McSweeten (McSweetheart, as we call him) and Taggert. I adore these two bumbling fools so much, and I am so glad they kept being brought back, because they are both just so lovely. McSweetheart especially is very dear to me because of the D.B. Cooper Job from the last season (where, I ask, do I start my McSweetheart for Leverage: Redemption campaign?). Overall just such an excellent episode, really. So many great moments between our main characters--Sophie and Nate and their little "relationship" problem, Hardison and Eliot talking about marriage, Parker pretending she was waiting in the screening room to have sex with Hardison, Hardison appreciating Eliot's cooking. I also absolutely adore the beginning, the four of them convincing Nate that Teresa is definitely the type of client they take on. And Nate's resigned "Yeah, okay, yeah. Let's go rob Nicky Moscone. A guy who kills people and lives in our city. Yeah, let's go do that" as if they weren't going to go above and beyond any of that in the five years they will spend together on this crusade of his. You're so precious, Nathan. Of course, the ending of this episode is beyond brilliant, and lives both in my heart and my head rent free. It is such a magnificent found family moment. Getting Teresa the restaurant back, the news footage regarding Ray's appeal, and of course, Eliot cooking for them all, and them celebrating together, all of them. It is such a beautiful moment.

104: THE SNOW JOB

D: TONY BILL. W: ALBERT KIM. Original Air Date: 27 January 2009.

I adore what the client says to Nate in the beginning of the episode: "You work hard, you play by the rules, but when you need help, you really need help? They let you hang. They let you hang and it's your kid who pays the price." This show hammers home its message so many times in such great character moments and it makes watching these brilliant people take on these greedy bastards and robbing them for all they've got that much sweeter. It is such a satisfying thing to watch. Especially because they're all so damn good at this.

This is a great episode but it is infinitely funnier if you know and speak German, because it makes the scenes between Sophie and Eliot absolutely hysterical. And the delivery of the line that Ute Ausgartner says when she discovers they replaced her with Sophie is just wrong enough to crack you up.

Again some wonderfully brilliant comedic beats -- the Frakes cameo in the hospital waiting room, Parker casually hanging off the ski lift, Hardison and Eliot arguing over who puts dye in the dead body, Eliot carrying off a pissed of Parker, and so many more.

This episode also, for the first time, really gives insight into Nate's drinking problem. We had the one moment in The Homecoming Job, but this episode starts to explore it more in depths. And something that I've always appreciated about this show is that it never glorifies the drinking, but Nate is also never vilified for it. It is a fact of Nate's life and they explore different aspects of it, and everything is done with such care (which does not surprise me one bit since this is John Rogers' show).

The ending of this episode is also, once again, so beautiful and nicely done. It is just so incredibly satisfying to watch these greedy bastards get what's coming to them, and to see the clients be compensated beyond anything they'd ask for.

105: THE MILE HIGH JOB

D: ROB MINKOFF. W: AMY BERG. Original Air Date: 20 January 2009.

Another fantastic episode (you will realise that I will say this about every single of the 77 episodes this show has)! Amy Berg wrote some excellent stuff for this show, and this episode is one of them. Always a lot of great character relationship moments, and absolutely brilliant comedic beats.

I am very fond of the fact that here, in the early days, we have the whole team present around the table during the client meeting. We see all their reactions and inputs here already, and not later when Nate or Hardison (usually) relays the information of their next job to the rest of the gang. It's a very lovely moment.

I am also very fond of the entire recon bit at the GenoGrow office. Sophie's French rave-girl act, the others having to climb stairs, Hardison's absence, the cut from Parker's bomb to the microwave at the HQ, Nate, Eliot and Parker yelling "Oh it's right behind us, it's chasing us!" and grabbing Sophie on the way out, meanwhile the security guys completely buying it. Absolutely brilliant, all the way through.

Both Hardison's adventure at GenoGrow as well as the others on the plane contain so many great comedic moments. Hardison's Spanish maintenance guy act, his interactions with both Cheryl and Steve (talking into the cupboard? His fake meeting and getting Steve to take a dive? The whole birthday thing? A+ all around. Amy Berg, everyone) and of course the reaction he has to the plane safely landing on the highway ("lord I was so scared, I wanna cry and call my momma" I love him so much, y'all). I also have big feelings about Nate's pep talk to Hardison, "you can do this, I trust you ... the only guy I can count on in a situation like this." Sir, I am experiencing an emotion alright.

The sequences on the plane are of course also absolutely fantastic. Nate and Sophie's domestic, Parker's day job and her interactions with Marissa, Eliot being a big softie who holds Marissa's hand all the way up to the in-flight bar and hugs the woman he sat down next to when they safely land (womaniser, big softie. tomayto, tomahto). Also big shoutout to the fake names Nate and Sophie have. We love our DOCTOR WHO references in this show. I love these nerds very much, thank you.

106: THE TWO HORSE JOB

D: CRAIG R. BAXLEY. W: MELISSA GLENN & JESSICA RIEDER (GRASL). Original Air Date: 16 December 2008.

This episode also holds a very special place in my heart because it contains the introduction of our dearly beloved antagonist, Mr Jim Sterling, the absolutely amazing Mark Sheppard. We love Sterling in this house, yessir (again, where do I have to address my Jim Sterling For Leverage: Redemption campaign to?). Every moment he is in is fantastic, but I especially adore the conversation he has with Nate at the race track (especially the "Nathan Ford is a common criminal" -- "Common. That's just hurtful" bit of it).

This, of course, is an episode by our wonder twins, Glenn and Rieder (now Grasl), which they ended up naming the in-universe safe company after. Always fantastic work when the two of them are involved. Some amazing character moments again here.

We get to see some of Eliot's backstory with Aimee which in turn gives us two fantastic moments with him and the women of the team. I love his interaction with Sophie at the racetrack: "I like Aimee, I do. I mean it, I like you both, Eliot. I just, I don't know what comes of chasing the past, you know." -- "Well Sophie, sweetie, I don't think you and Nate get to serve me that particular meal." Just fantastic moment between these two, who I like to call The Conference of Mom Friends whenever they are in scenes together. The other interaction is with Parker in the car: "We need you to do this. I need you to do this." I adore Eliot and Parker's relationship and this already is a very early glimpse at the dynamic they develop which will eventually lead to beautiful moments like that in the ice cave in The Long Way Down Job in season four.

I also love how it is Hardison and Parker's discussion about horses that ultimately reminds Nate of the Lost Heir con. Aldis' delivery of "Wilbur loved Mr Ed! He loved him like a second cousin twice removed" is absolutely brilliant. Unsurprisingly, however, my favourite interaction of this episode is the one Eliot has with Aimee at the end: "You're never gonna be the kind to settle down, but I'm glad you found a family." -- "Th-those guys?" Yes, Eliot, those guys. You might not know it just yet, but that is absolutely your family, and the fact that an outsider already comments on it this early is simply perfect. My deepest gratitude to you, wonder twins.

107: THE BANK SHOT JOB

D: DEAN DEVLIN. W: AMY BERG. Original Air Date: 30 December 2008.

Amy Berg on the typewriter once again (typewriter? Alex what are you talking about this was 2008...)! I really like this episode a whole lot. An excellent one for Nate/Sophie, as well as Hardison/Parker. I have a huge soft spot for my crime children pretending to be law enforcement. Any combination of them is good, but Parker and Hardison as FBI agents especially is just exquisite.

This episode is also just fantastic for illustrating some of the small town criminal activity that happens from the top down. Judge Roy's entire bit about how "these little people" will do and say whatever he tells them to do and that, because he is the law in the town, he gets to decide what is actually true and what is not. To then have Hardison fake security footage and them turning the story against Judge Roy is of course poetic justice. I adore the moment when the bank manager Frank decides that sticking with the false facts these random people have come up with is the better choice than having the judge remain in charge.

I also really love the interaction Derrick has with Sophie and then later with Parker, as well as the moment of uncertainty in-between. His "I don't know what to do with that" when Sophie tells him she's a thief is so funny and so good. The turn of "but they're criminals....then again" when he looks out of the window on the way to Parker is also just a nice moment to illustrate exactly what Parker then later says, "sometimes bad guys are the only good guys you get." Ethics and justice are such muddy concepts and especially in situations like Derrick is currently in, there is no way of knowing who is actually good, who is bad, and who is just trying their best. It is a lovely moment and once again, one of those great instances of "important message within character moment" that this show does so well.

Of course, I am also very fond of Hardison's mention of DOCTOR WHO, his "Geek power baby, stay strong" line, Eliot's fight scene with the crack dealers ("stay in the car!"), Hardison's bullshitting the demands at the bank (Hall & Oates!) and, of course, last but not least, the return of my favourite FBI fools, McSweetheart and Taggert, getting yet another win laid in their lap by the Leverage crew. This episode is filled to the brim with greatness.

108: THE MIRACLE JOB

D: ARVIN BROWN. W: CHRISTINE BOYLAN. Original Air Date: 23 December 2008.

An absolutely excellent Nate-centric episode! We finally get a bit more of a view into Nate's past, aside from the ever-present flashback to Sam's death at the hospital. I really like the relationship of Nate and Father Paul, which I think is very interesting and so well done. Through Paul we get another side of Nate, which may have stayed hidden otherwise. I am also very fond of how Maggie is introduced here. She doesn't get a voice yet, but we learn about her through Nate, Sophie and also Paul, and I quite like that. It sets up expectations for her appearance in the finale, which is really intriguing.

This episode has so many great comedic beats as well, and I barely even know where to begin. From the team's inability to deal with Sophie's acting talents (or lack thereof) to the whole "It's not Santa" gag, the amazing faces Sophie pulls when the mark tells her about Bibletopia, Hardison's "God will smite us" thing -- there is just too much good stuff in this episode.

One of my favourite interactions in this episode was on the construction site, after Grant takes what he thinks are his meds.

Sophie: What is that you just took? Grant: Xanax. For my nerves. Parker: Actually caffeine. With a dash of dextroamphetamine. Eliot: You have him speed? Hardison, shrugging: He beat up a priest!

The look Eliot gives them then with a half-shrug, an expression which cannot be described as anything but "aight, fair enough" -- just absolutely excellent.

What I also really loved about this episode, is that we get to see more of the HQ than just the conference room. We have the team meeting in Nate's office, we see Sophie picking through her mail, Hardison making space so he can build fake Saint Nick statues. Added to that, the team is setting into such a nice familiarity with each other. Eliot brings Sophie a cup of coffee to the meeting in Nate's office. The fact that they all do get mail at the office. This is their space. I love it so much.

What this episode also gives us, is a first instance of the con possibly going side-ways because of how convincing it is. I adore that their possible downfall will never be incompetence, but rather over-competence. They are so good at what they do that sometimes their talent comes to bite them in the ass. We see this again, a bit different, in The Juror #6 Job.

The ending of this episode is very dear to me. It is a very lovely moment between Nate and Paul, but also Nate and the team. It creates such a beautiful moment of intimacy between these characters, which I think is done with extreme care, and it shows. This episode also very nicely sets up a nice sort of grounded-ness for the next episode, which I think the subject matter really deserves and needs.

109: THE STORK JOB

D: MARC ROSKIN. W: ALBERT KIM. Original Air Date: 06 January 2009.

This one and the next episode are excellent Parker-centric plots and this one in particular also has some wonderful Parker/Hardison content. Nate, also, is just very good in this episode as well. Keeping the tone the last episode established especially toward the end, this episode has such a nice grounded-ness to it. Nate's first meeting with the client is so careful in a way, and we don't always see that. Generally, Nate is careful and considerate in this episode, I think. Even when Parker goes rogue, he is so good with Parker (I attribute the brashness entirely to his director role here). It meant so much that he doesn't shoot down the idea of coming back for the other orphans, he knows how important this is to Parker (and Hardison).

With this episode we learn that both Parker and Hardison have grown up in the foster system. I really adore the conversation they have at the van after they find out about the orphanage -- Hardison telling Parker about his Nana, Parker's fear that foster system will be cruel to those children, Hardison's "I like how you turned out" -- it is such a lovely and meaningful moment. This and the "we're a team" / "a little more than a team" moments are such great instances that highlight the importance of these characters and their relationships in this show. It isn't just some crime procedural where every characters is replaceable at any given moment -- this show is about people, and about these specific people.

On a lighter note, I also really adore Nate and Sophie's dynamic in this. How they coach Parker and Eliot individually but at the same time, while also arguing about Sophie conning Nate back in the day, is just brilliant. Their "delightful banter" as Hardison calls it, is so good, and I absolutely love that Nate figures out the way to con Irina is the same way he would have to con Sophie. It's just too good.

David S. Lee as Nicholas is also incredibly good, although since watching THE LIBRARIANS I always expect him to swoon over a blonde and call her Duchess any minute.

110: THE JUROR #6 JOB

D: JONATHAN FRAKES. W: REBECCA KIRSCH. Original Air Date: 10 February 2009.

The lighter of the two Parker-centric episodes, but a brilliant one nonetheless. This episode also brings us the introduction of Peggy played by the lovely Lisa Schurga. We love Peggy in this house and, once again, I ask: where do I address my Peggy For Leverage: Redemption campaign to?

This episode is great for many different reasons, one of course being that Hardison is so good at what he does, that Parker's alias has to go to jury duty. What a talent, we absolutely have no choice but to stan. I love him so much. Other fantastic things that make this episode absolutely excellent are

- Nate's "there is not some evil conspiracy lurking behind the curtain of every routine civic activity" speech which he then has to retract,

- Sophie teaching Parker about persuasion with the help of Eliot who is absolutely precious in this interaction,

- Eliot's friend Donnie, who poses as another employee from the company Sophie pretends to be from, who then turns out to be Scottish,

- Nate and Sophie sending the kids off to work at the door, with a briefcase and handshake for Hardison and a snack and high-five for Parker,

and Hardison's entire act as a lawyer. He is so good. Of course his stalling is brilliant, but the turn-around once he has to actually try and win the trial? A masterpiece. I love how he tears the doctor apart for his drunken airplane misconducts, but what takes the cake by miles is of course his closing statement. He is just, so good, and such a goodhearted, wonderful person. I love how he directly addressed Parker. Hardison is full of sunshine and I love. him. so. much.

And I would be remiss not to mention how incredibly fond I am of the rest of the team watching the feed of the jury room from the HQ with such proud looks on their faces as Parker leads the other jury members and they vote in favour of the plaintiff. This is their girl and she's done so well. What a brilliant episode. My love to Becky Kirsch, honestly.

111: THE 12-STEP JOB

D: ROD HARDY. W: AMY BERG & CHRIS DOWNEY. Original Air Date: 03 February 2009.

Another episode, another instance of me asking the question: Where do I address my Hurley for Leverage: Redemption campaign to? We love Hurley! Drew Powell is absolutely fantastic, I adore him. Also huge shoutout to Joseph LoDuca for that absolute banger of a song that plays during the intro and the credits.

This episode has some fantastic Eliot/Hardison moments that are very dear to me. The two of them looking for Hurley and fighting over Hardison's slushy spill is just lovely. The whole car bomb sequence is also just completely brilliant. It's such a step in their relationship and I love it so much. The moment of "D'you want me to kick it?" / "God, I'm gon' die" is a wonderful comedic beat in this tense situation, but it is the bit after that I really adore. Hardison figuring out how to trick the bomb and then,

Eliot: What's our margin of error here? Hardison: 'bout half a second. Eliot: Run the ba-bag of bricks by me again? Hardison: Are you ready? Eliot: No.

I am just, so fond of these two. Also the fact that Eliot's hand shakes when he reaches for the cables and waits for Hardison's signal always puts me all up in my feelings about him. I also of course adore the scene at the rehab facility with Hardison's "I'm with him. No, I am with him. See, he thinks the flirting makes me jealous, but it doesn't. But if you was like Brad Pitt or Denzel or somebody, oh girl it would be on." It love it so much.

Nate, of course, is also just great in this episode. His entire experience in rehab is another wonderful insight into his character, his issues, how he sees himself and so on. The hallucination of Sterling says so much about him. I think this also very nicely sets up how Nate behaves in the finale double episode.

I also really want to mention Parker here, because Parker in rehab is also something I am very fond of. I love the moment where she pickpockets the Koreans searching for Hurley and then so innocently comes to Nate to confess what she's done and tells him in this tiny voice "I didn't meant to, it was just instinct." I love her so much. And her, at the end of the episode, skipping along and then running toward her people, jumping on Eliot while tossing her stuff at Nate, and then going to hug Hardison, is such a lovely moment. I love how the three of them then walk toward the car arm in arm, too. I love these kids.

112: THE FIRST DAVID JOB

D: DEAN DEVLIN. W: JOHN ROGERS. Original Air Date: 17 February 2009.

First half of the first finale! I gotta say I really love the David Jobs very much. It is such a fantastic first finale. I really adore how the opening of this episode is mirrored in the opening of the second half.

Given the set-up of the previous episode, I really like how for a first time watcher, this opening sequence very much looks like Nate is completely off the rails doing his own thing getting revenge on the man who, basically, killed his son. It isn't until Blackpoole introduces Nate to 'Portia' and we see Sophie turn around that it becomes clear that we're on the con, which I think is done very nicely. Only then giving the viewer the "how we got here" part is just great.

This episode of course also brings us, finally, Maggie (yes, I'll ask again: where do I address my Maggie For Leverage: Redemption campaign to?). I absolutely love how she is introduced here as Eliot's date. I also love how absolutely terrified Eliot looks once he realises that she isn't just anyone, but Nate's ex-wife. Maggie is such an excellent character, and I adore her. I also am very appreciative that this episode holds the singular moment of jealousy Sophie has toward Maggie. After her momentary outburst as Maggie tells Nate she hasn't stopped caring about him, we never see it again. Even better, once Maggie learns about Nate's crew, Sophie and her even become friends. And it is lovely.

We also have some great Parker/Hardison moments in this episode as well. I adore Parker and her enthusiasm for their "little naked man" and Hardison being weirded out about it (and turning the little David around so Parker can change in private). I, of course, absolutely love the kiss (and Eliot's grinning question at Sophie who of the two of them Parker had kissed) and then the theft of the First David. Hardison is so in awe of Parker and it is a sight to behold.

I also quite enjoy the "downfall" in this episode. Sterling showing up (we love the bastard), the fight between Eliot and Mr Quinn, the conversation about Sophie conning them on the roof, and then of course the final confrontations on that same roof as well as the HQ. This whole thing of "and then I asked myself, what would Parker do?" / "but then I thought, what would Hardison do?" is just brilliant and lovely. It shows how far they have all come throughout this first season and how much they have learned from each other already. I am very fond of it.

I am sad about the offices being blown up, though. As much as I love both McRory's pub and Nate's apartment in Boston, as well as the Brewpub in Portland, I've always really liked the LA offices as well. It was their first home and it was lovely. I am however very happy that Old Nate made it out unscathed.

113: THE SECOND DAVID JOB

D: DEAN DEVLIN. W: JOHN ROGERS & CHRIS DOWNEY. Original Air Date: 24 February 2009.

And the last episode! As I've said above, I adore how this opening sequence mirrors that of The First David Job. Similarly, I also love how until Sophie notices Parker's laser pointer and Eliot sees Hardison, as a viewer you assume they are on the job together, which is again the reversal of the first half of the finale. Just lovely storytelling, I adore it. Speaking of mirrors, the scene in the MC Hammer mansion where Nate inconspicuously manages to get them all thinking about the con together and putting their differences aside once more, also mirrors one of my favourite scenes from the first episode of season two, where the team does the same to Nate.

This episode on the whole I also just marvellous. Eliot's awkward date with Maggie, Nate finally telling Maggie about Blackpoole's involvement (or lack thereof) in Sam's death, the team involving Maggie in the planning of the con and her, precious as she is, questioning Nate's ability to just get people to do what he wants -- it is all just so good. I love Maggie on the con, too. Sophie coaching her, how good Maggie is at it immediately. Just lovely.

Then, of course, the entirety of the con from the moment Nate shows up at the museum. Sterling hurrying all over the place trying to figure out what Nate's plan is, finding out about the mummy, the release of the gas, the evacuation, the David statue replicas, them finally getting in and finding Nate alone in the exhibit room. I adore that shot of him leaning against the display case with the two Davids still inside, only highlighted from the open hatch in the roof. It is such a beautiful shot. I really enjoy Nate and Sterling's dynamic here, too. And I am very happy that Maggie gets to punch Blackpoole just like Nate got to in the episode before. They both deserve to give this man hell.

The ending of this episode and therefore this season always has me in all of my emotions. If I didn't know there would be more after this, I would just go lie down and weep for a while after watching it. The trademark overhead walkaway shot is of course a must, but the fact that they stop, that all of them hesitate, thinking about turning around, thinking about changing their minds. And then it cuts to black, and if this had been it, we would've never known! Ah, what a show, what a first season. I am completely in love with this show, as pretty much everyone knows, but I just -- this show is so damn good. It gets me every single time. Every time.

[image taken from the electricnow website]

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multimaniac · 2 years

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The Batman - here's what I think (spoilers)

IT WAS FCKIN AMAZING! ! ! GO SEE THE MOVIE IF YOU HAVENT! ! GO !

First of all - Batman

Robert Pattinson is definitely without a doubt my favorite live action batman. He held so much emotion in his eyes I could tell what he was feeling the whole time even with the mask on. he is a great actor and his batman is everything I hoped for. Smart, violent, angry, and yet still compassionate and understanding of the people and the city around him.

I want to see more of him. There's something about the way his batman interacts with gotham and its people that just brings it home for me. the best way I can say it is that his batman feels like he IS a part of the city, he blends in perfectly, his entire character is so ingrained, both in the history of gotham (as a wayne, his family not being exempt from the corruption), and in his appearance (the scars, the dents and stitches on his mask). Everything he does, everything he stands for, is resembled in the city around him.

If Batman is vengeance, then so is the city. But if he finds hope, then so does gotham.

Now on to - Catwoman

my absolute favorite. everything, from the way she moves and fights to her emotional scenes, was absolutely top tier. zoe kravitz is selina kyle. I still can’t believe how good the casting is.

Her story was well done, I liked how her own struggle with vengeance and justice was portrayed, and while I knew about the Falcone twist it was all very well executed and tied beautifully into the overall narrative.

Selina leaving at the end was classic batcat, and a good choice I think. If there’s a sequel she’ll no doubt come back, and I can’t wait to see where they take her character next.

also that whip though👀

The Riddler

ok ok ok. So, overall? pretty cool. loved the zodiac serial killer vibe. that and the structure of the movie really set him apart from the other main batman villains we've seen.

paul dano was an absolutely fantastic choice. he was terrifying and unsettling and his backstory was also solid. the whole internet influencer thing was interesting and seems like a modern and clever way for him to get his 'goons'.

but, I will be disappointed if this was it. like if this is the last we see from the riddler. I know there is a scene that suggests that's not the case but still. Maybe I'm a little delusional about this because he's my favorite batman villain but his character arc and especially that last scene made me think this was just the beginning for him?

I'd just really love it if maybe this time he could be batmans main adversary instead of the joker

Gordon, Alfred, and Penguin

I'll keep this one short because I want to be done with this at some point, so here it goes:

Loved the Gordon-Batman duo. They really worked so well together, as partners, and the way they trust and respect each other shows us so much about their history without actually going into details.

alfred is great, as always, even though I thought he'd be in it more. the few bruce-alfred interactions we had were important but left me wanting to see more of their relationship. just more alfred, please :)

gonna take this as an opportunity to give a shout out to the costume and make-up department. all the designs were amazing but I have to mention penguin in particular, because colin's make-up and prosthetics still make me drop my jaw on the floor. it was even more amazing while watching the movie because his performance and facial expression didn't seem affected in the slightest. no doubts, he's a great penguin, and I hope we get to see more of him.

Guys, this movie is an EXPERIENCE. Trust me. If the visuals and the cinematography are what pulls you into this world, then the music is what keeps you there. Absolutely fantastic.

also the sound of THAT batmobil engine still haunts me (in a good way)

this brings me to the overall atmosphere of the movie which is easily the best thing about it. gotham feels so real and intense; this movie really brings out the city with all it's neon bright lights, gothic architecture, and creepy dark alleys.

the fight scenes were great. this movie isn't your classic action packed superhero flick, so don't expect flashy boss battles, but instead enjoy incredibly well executed and organic fight moves that remind me of the arkham games. and since I really don't know how else to put this - there's a lot of violence in this movie that isn't limited to physical fights but is also apparent in the quiet moments like a powder keg that's getting ready to blow.

The tension on screen is just insane, and the music and the performances of the actors just add onto the visual masterpiece that is this movie. Also I will never stop gushing over Nirvana as a music choice and influence.

In general, this movie plays off a lot of the things we already know about batman, and about gotham, and focuses on showing us the parts we haven't seen yet. This movie breathes from the characters matt reeves chose to set the tone for this universe. penguin, riddler, catwoman, they are the ones who introduce us to this particular version of gotham (and batman with it). we're all familiar with them, and yet we've never seen them presented in this way. I really hope it gets a sequel because I feel like there is still so much room for these characters to grow in.

This batman universe has the chance to become something different and unique from all the other superhero stuff we've seen. And I really hope they take that chance.

still a 10/10

#the batman #the batman spoilers #spoilers #movie review

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mystical-salamander · 2 years

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First Lines Meme

Copy the first few lines of your last ten fics, note any fun observations, then tag a few more friends.

Thanks for tagging me @thatonegreyghost ! I'm gonna tag @checkmate-gargoyle and anyone else who wants to join in.

Unfortunately I don't have ten fics, but I do have five! From recent to oldest:

Up for a Dance? (kalluzeb fic. Currently still working on the second chapter. Kallus struggles to stay undercover as Zeb becomes the subject of an Imperial's affections.)

It had become increasingly difficult for Zeb and Alex to have any time together. The Ghost was sent off-planet for weeks at a time and they rarely had a moment to stay on base. It was a selfish desire he knew, after all, they were fighting a war, and they both knew there would have to be some sacrifices on their end for the Rebellion.

And this time was no different.

Ringing in my Head (kalluzeb fic based on a post I made a while back. Currently thinking of rewriting the two chapters already posted before continuing on with the rest. Kallus and Zeb are sent on a mission together. They have to deal with their rising feelings for each other and the resurgence of a certain weapon. )

She was hunched over her datapad to hide its traitorous blue lighting from the dark forest. She watched the bar slowly upload the information onto her datastick.

Come on! Come on! Come on! DONE!

She pocketed the datastick and smashed the datapad into a tree. She wiped away the blood that ran down her forehead before running off deeper into the forest. She held her blaster in her hands, her knuckles nearly going white. She needed to get to the rendezvous point.

Day 4: Stranded on a Desert Planet (kalluzeb fic. The fastest I ever finished a fic– 2 days I think. Still really like it. Title explains the plot, but Kallus and Zeb get stranded on a desert planet and Zeb suffers from a heat stroke.)

It was kriffing hot.

The thought repeated itself in Kallus' head for the millionth time. The former agent growled to himself as he stared into the endless golden landscape.

He sighed and looked over at the unconscious Lasat next to him. The rapid and shallow breathing Zeb produced made Kallus' insides twist horribly. The former agent leaned over to grab his jacket and fanned at the Lasat's sweltering body.

Bleeding Love (first kalluzeb fic. I don't love the intro to this, but I still reread the rest of the fic. Currently trying to plan out a sequel. Zeb gets captured by the Empire. Kallus decides to rescue him and leave the Empire before his cover as Fulcrum is blown.)

Stormtroopers gathered in the hundreds, their orderly groups waiting for the ship to arrive. Nowadays, with the Rebellion growing every day, it was uncommon for a mission to prove to be successful. Much less to exceed expectations.

Kallus stood with the other officers at the hangar. News of a captured rebel was cause for stress for him. Not only would he have to report back to the Rebellion so they could extract their rebel, but he would also have to help with that rescue.

Endless Love That Owns Me (Tales of Arcadia/Wizards fic. My first fic, its old and not super terrible. I really wanted more Gunmar and Bular interactions, might write another fic focused on this evil father and son duo. Gunmar's thoughts and reaction after finding out that his son was captured by King Arthur. Lots of father and son thoughts and feels ensue.)

Gunmar wasn't worried, when the messenger arrived with the news that Bular was missing, he didn't get a sinking feeling, a lump didn't form in his throat, he didn't have to force himself to not immediately go searching for his son. He tried to deny every uneasy sensation that arose when those words were uttered.

Bular was missing.

#tag game #salamander writes #looking back at these fics i think ive grown as a writer #proud of myself #the fact that i still enjoy these fics has to mean something right #most of these are kalluzeb and i am not ashamed

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scarlet--wiccan · 3 years

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your ideal billy/teddy duo comic (plot, character designs, artists and writers involved etc)

One thing that I've always wanted to see is a comic about Billy and/or Teddy that was produced entirely by mlm creators. Vecchio, Robles and Gracia are all gay artists who've worked with the characters on recent titles, and I'm eager to see more from them. While none of these artists have ever shown the characters in a way that exactly suits my wants, they've each demonstrated a clear personal vision of who Billy and Teddy are that I can respect. I find that Vecchio and Robles, as illustrators, both articulate a gay sensibility in their designs and are able to represent a range of gay identities and expressions with not only dignity, but real love, which is frustratingly hard to come by. Oh, also, Kevin Wada covers, because duh.

Writers are a little bit more difficult for me. I love Anthony Oliviera and I know that he's got a lot of ideas for the characters, so I'd be delighted to see anything that he might pitch. Vecchio also does write, and his creator-owned series, Sereno, is an urban superhero story in a modern fantasy setting-- something he describes as Batman Beyond meets Sailor Moon. Based on that, I think he'd do a great job telling a story about a witch and shapeshifter from New York. I know that Sina doesn't work for Marvel anymore, but I've always wished he could've done Billy and Teddy in a sweet little rom-com miniseries, or even just a single issue special. He's particularly good at writing tender, funny, and just unapologetically gay characters who signal authentic elements of our culture and community without making them cheap or laughable. That is a quality which I find essential for Billy and Teddy, and it's part of why I want more mlm creators to work with them.

If you had asked me this question last year, I would have had an easier time pitching ideas for these characters. I'm eager to see what the future holds for them, but "rulers of an interplanetary nation" was never part of my vision for how Billy and Teddy would be spending their early twenties. I did have this idea for an ongoing series about their "college years", wherein Billy would be studying magic with Wanda and Agatha, and Teddy would work part time with Carol or Alpha Flight while attending community college or learning a trade, like piercing or tattoo artistry. The idea was that they'd often spend time apart, as they'd each be focusing on their own careers and having individual storylines, but they'd always come home to each other at the end of the day and lend each other support, in ways both mundane and super-heroic.

I used to imagine that they'd stay in that nice apartment Sunspot got them, which would act as sort of a crash pad/base of operations for a revolving cast of their friends. They could convert one of the rooms into a magical sanctum for Billy, and another into a study room or art studio for Teddy. Tommy, America, Kate, or whoever could crash on their sofa whenever they're in town or need to do a team-up. Wanda could help Billy ward the apartment so that he and America are the only ones who can portal in and out, but then Loki would find a way to get around the wards and cause trouble, and there'd be a whole dramatic reunion. The whole idea could easily be adapted as a Young Avengers ongoing if you widened the focus from the main couple and treated it as an ensemble piece with individually chunked plot-arcs, much like the original series.

Unfortunately, that idea no longer holds as much water as I'd like because, for one thing, they lost that apartment and never explained why-- it seems like it was passively retconned out in between New Avengers and Death's Head. More importantly, they now live in space, with Teddy being a busy ruler of an interstellar Alliance, and Billy his prince-consort.

I would still like to explore the idea of them pursuing separate goals and working in separate fields while never being truly apart. Empyre introduced a clever plot device wherein Billy is now able to sense Teddy's location and teleport to him instantly, no matter the distance, which, I assume, works in reverse as well. This feat of magic is made possible by their marriage, which binds them symbolically and draws on the power of their love. They can go anywhere and do anything on their own, and still be together again at a moments' notice, which is super romantic and also affords them more flexibility than most superhero couples. I would still pitch a series about Billy doing magic work on Earth while Teddy does diplomacy in space, and one can always warp to the other when they need backup fighting a bad guy. They could even switch back and forth between staying on Teddy's throne-ship, and getting cozy at Billy's little Manhattan apartment when they want to get away from it all.

I guess my final answer is that I want the two of them to be fully realized, individual characters whose love is illustrated through mutual support rather than, like, being glued to each other's hips. The things that I want to see Billy doing are very far removed from the things that I want to see Teddy doing. Superhero characters tend to lose momentum when you marry them off, and superhero couples tend to fizzle when you keep them apart, but Billy and Teddy's unique strength is that they're never truly apart, and their relationship never seems to lose steam-- they've been a pair from the start, and... they're a little obsessed with each other.

The Billy story that I most want to see right now is a full Maximoff team-up. It could go in one of two directions: A) a quest to uncover Natalya's history and finally vanquish the Emerald Warlock, in which they're waylaid by Doom and other magic villains from their past, while teaming up with their magical friends around the world-- basically a sequel to Scarlet Witch; or, B) a showdown with Krakoa and a resolution of their relationship with Erik, which, best case scenario, partially reverses the Axis retcon and proves once and for all that the Maximoffs are mutants. If we got a longer series, we could actually do both plots-- they learn something about Natalya which leads them back to Erik, and the two arcs become a larger story.

The Teddy story that I most want to see is a Guardians-esque space romp with political elements featuring Teddy, Xavin and Noh-Varr as, like, a sexy-alien-boys version of the Gullwings from Final Fantasy X. Does that make sense? I don't have a great grasp on the political landscape of Marvel Space so it's a little hard for me to come up with details, but I know that the status quo has been totally upended, so there are going to be different factions and movements springing up, and likely no shortage of villains and space monsters rearing their heads when the dust of the war has fully settled. Teddy's a monarch now, but he's also been set up as this Arthurian hero-king, so I think there's still room for him to go on adventures and fight his own battles with his magic sword and, maybe, a crew of loyal space knights.

Having said aaaallll of that, I would absolutely die for a full-on fantasy adventure story with Billy and Teddy. I mean, Teddy's a king with a magic sword and his husband is a super-powerful witch. It's gotta happen. I'd actually be into them having a rematch with Mother, who is a pretty adaptable villain, in that her abilities and motives will differ depending on how she's been summoned. I'd also really like them to have a chance to go up against Sequoia directly, and on more even grounds. Quoi is such a great enemy for them because they represent the same generation of Avengers babies, and, actually, Quoi's origins are directly tied to Billy's-- their respective parents had a double wedding together. Sequoia and Teddy's arcs in Empyre paralleled and contrasted each other beautifully, but the two characters had no meaningful interactions. I want to see thems as arch rivals, and maybe, begrudgingly.... friends? Plus, I love that they're both alien princes who live in sci-fi stories, but whose aesthetics and powers are pure fantasy-- Quoi's a dryad wizard and Teddy is King Arthur, if King Arthur was a gay anthropomorphic dragon.

Anyways, that's my Wiccan+Hulkling pitch. The first arc is Billy and Teddy facing off against Sequoia in a magic forest that he's grown on his new planet, only to find out that they've been set up by Mother.

In the second arc, the three of them grudgingly team up against Mother while hashing out their shared backstories and giving Quoi, who's literally never had peers to relate to, a chance to fully come to grips with the way he was conditioned and manipulated by his father. Instead of conjuring dead parents, Mother seems to be able to summon dead children, which makes her particularly dangerous around the Cotati, Kree and Skrull, who've just emerged from a war and have countless recent dead.

In the third arc, Mother has freed R'kll and they've set their sights on Earth. Billy heads out with America and Tommy to ask Loki for advice on defeating her, while Teddy brings Sequoia before the Avengers as his charge in order to ensure that Quoi receives provisional immunity.

Loki is able to provide insight on how Mother might have been summoned and what the parameters might be for breaking the spell that's tethering her to Earth-616. It turns out that Mother is essentially holding Anelle's soul hostage and has been appearing to R'kll in her form. Mother's hold, at this point, has spread to the entire Alliance, and Teddy will have to defeat her or else she'll use it to destroy Earth and decimate his nation in the process.

Teddy recruits Wanda to help face Mother down. (side note, I'm desperate to see more of their relationship as in-laws.) Wanda agrees to work with Sequoia but insists on calling Mantis and making them talk.

The final showdown is the three boys, plus Wanda and Mantis, against Mother, R'kll, and an army of dead alien soldiers. Mantis and Wanda are able to pull Anelle's soul from Mother's grasp, but this doesn't banish her-- Mother's true anchor was R'kll, who'd been carrying Anelle's ghost in her heart ever since the destruction of Tarnax.

R'kll believes that she's always acted in the best interest of her nation, and she thought that bringing back Teddy's mother would finally make him see her way. Anelle and Teddy have a tearful reunion, but he admits that the only mother he's really mourned was the woman who raised him.

Wanda, Mantis, and Anelle, as a trio of mothers united with their lost sons, are able to reverse and seal Mother's power, which was based on lost children. They are not able to banish her, however, until R'kll steps forward and sacrifices herself, believing now that the best she can do for her nation is to rid the Alliance of the curse she brought upon it.

R'kll and Anelle begin to dissipate, but R'kll's sacrifice has called forth the spirit of Mrs. Altman, who is finally granted some closure and dignity in death by getting a chance to see how far Teddy's come and the peace that he's built in her memory.

Lots of crying! I made this sad. I'm sorry.

#young avengers #teddy altman #hulkling #wiccan #billy kaplan #empyre #robintext

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raguna-blade · 3 years

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So, I said i'd do this a while ago and I haven't rewatched Utena to look at it with this perspective but I guess I wanna go through the thoughts a bit, organize before I actually I do whenever that actually happens which knowing me as personally as I do could be anywhere from never to like 2 weeks from now because lmao let's go.

So let's talk about the Third Main Character of Revolutionary Girl Utena, Nanami Kiryuu.

So I'm not joking, and while she doesn't get the explicit focus of Anthy or Utena, I think it's interesting that of literally every other character she get's somewhere near the most amount of episodes focusing on her or things directly related to her. Depending on how you wanna count it (and this is very much an informal count, I just went to wikipedia read the episode blurbs to see if they were roughly A nanami centric episode) she has anywhere between 6-11 episodes that revolve around her.

Now even if we take that at the conservative amount that's 6/39 episodes that focus explicitly almost solely on her, and what's neat is that those episodes damn near without fail serve as ciphers for what's going on with the rest of the story.

Well Cipher may be incorrect. They serve to explain what the hell just went down in much less loaded terms and also infinitely funnier because of how absolutely ridiculous they tend to be.

But if we take the more extreme number there, that's about a quarter of the show revolving around this one singular character who is simultaneously treated as a joke and also remarkably has a lot of....I don't want to say insight, but I was struck by how much Nanami actually understood of the actual problems going on even as she actively fucked up and bought into a lot of them herself. That probably deserves some qualification, and For the moment I'm not going to because like...one this is a thing that struck me towards the end of my first watch so I wasn't looking for it all the earlier times, and it may also straight up be a character development thing because Nanami also ends up (if you think the movie is a sequel mind you) being the only other person who out and out escapes Ohtori.

So...Here's the thing I guess. Anthy is, under the Ohtori role scheme, A Witch acting as a Rose Bride (she's both, which breaks the strict binary that it want's to enforce). Utena is a Rose Bride acting as if she's a Prince (She's both actually, which breaks the gendered nature that it wants to enforce). And Nanami is straight up a Witch who wants to be a Rose Bride (Who realizes in the end that wow both of those suck actually, at least in full)

And that's basically the crux of the series put in real dumb terms, and how that all breaks down as the characters break those molds and and the limits and power of the system end up showing themselves as thread bare and illusory as everything else in Ohtori but that's 39 episodes worth of drama and sword fights you've presumably seen.

But When I say she's the third main character I don't mean it in the sense of like...Oh She's ALSO a major important character. By rights, Nanami doesn't really actually have a specific impact on much of anything. She get's attention sure, but as far as actually influencing events she's basically a footnote. A Couple of spots but mostly? Nothing of particular import.

So...How exactly is she a main character then? That's a pretty big claim to be made I think, and I think part of it has to do with Nanami's well...Invisibility and irrelevance. She is dismissed, she's played a fool, she's given absolutely no realt attention nor treated with any kind of seriousness. She exists at the margins, interacting with the story, someone who get's fought over or with, is bitchy and does some pretty messed up things and that's...about it really.

So basically, she's a perfect example of both a witch and a rose bride. Someone who is, in the system, cursed to be irrelevant, to barely exist as a person really. She clearly has her own desires wants and fears, we get to see them in action constantly...But they're played as jokes. They're played as stupid haha what an idiot things compared to the literal same questions and concerns being played out by the Prince (in Utena) and the Witch/Rosebride (In Anthy). Because unlike them, she is for the most part, absolutely subordinate to the system. She's trying to fit into it exactly, whether she's aware of it or not (and for most of her time in the show she's not).

Like we see the absurd and traumatic hurt that Anthy goes through. We see the damage it all puts on Utena. But as far as Ohtori is concerned they're real actors, at least in part because they are flouting the rules or else are so vital that they CANNOT be dismissed. If you're playing your role though, especially if that role is rosebride/witch you don't get to be relevant. You get to be a speed bump at best, a threat that is swiftly overcome by the heroic prince or maybe a prize.

So what's interesting then, is Nanami's development alongside the main duo mirrors what happens with them. Subservient to the system, trying to fit into it even if it may not in fact fit. Like there's nowhere i'm particularly going with this but I find it SUPER interesting that Nanami's dueling outfit is if anything MORE masculine then the literal wannabe prince Utena's. If we're taking stuff like that into account, Anthy Bedecked in Dresses, Utena with her Skirt suit thing and then Nanami who's just short of dressing straight up and down like a guy save for the slight heels kinda says something though damn if I'm not sure what.

So actually, yeah, no there is somewhere to go with this. I called Nanami a Witch who wants to be a Rose bride earlier and I think that's wrong. We're still using symbols of the fucky Ohtori system of roles here, when like one entire whole prong of the point is that it's not actually viable or useful beyond a very very limited point, but it probably would be considerably more accurate to say Nanami is a Prince who WANTS to be a Rosebride But Ends up being a witch. Because one major characterization of the Prince is proactive action towards reaching their goal, no matter the cost to themselves. Which in Nanami's under this logic, is a cost of immediate relevance, as well getting to be an active player, where she would actualy be a natural shoo in for the role save for the whole gendered nonsense involving it.

If anything, the implied end results of Nanami taking some active action to just ollie out of Ohtori towards the end reinforces this. Under the story book rules of things in Ohtori, The Witch has captured the Prince (Anthy to Nanami) under their thrall and is constantly tormented by them until they escape or else overcome the thrall...Which Nanami DOES by saying she wants out of this shit, and then taking action to do that. I'm strugglign to recall exactly where, but I also remember this scene towards the end where she basically resigns from the student council's dueling circlejerk, which I read to be her realizing it's a rigged game and just not participating.

Again, there's a bit of assumption given we see her still actually IN ohtori in the final episode, but then that's basically everyone once Utena get's the Retcon, and a chunk of this assumes the Movie is Canon to the Show in the sense of a Sequel, which I think is a fair read. Like realizing the problem and then actually taking the steps to fix it is hard, especially if you haven't like gone as far in as you could have and especially especially if you've built part of your sense of self under being part of it so...

Yeah. Again, more rambling and notes for whenever I actually succeed in watching it again.

#Revolutionary Girl Utena #Rambling #nanami kiryuu

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redisriding · 3 years

Text

Reading Schedule

{UPDATED 26 December 2020}

I thought I would share in case anyone is looking for book recommendations, has recommendations, wants to read along, or chat about books. My ask box is always open if anyone has any recommendations that they think I might like, or wants opinions on books I’ve read.

December

From Blood and Ash - [READ] To be totally honest, I found this book disappointing. Maybe I had set my expectations too high because I had seen so many people online talking about it, but it just didn’t do it for me. From the beginning the book is VERY much a tell don’t show. I also found it in places, frankly, boring. The romance just didn’t sizzle enough, and (without spoiling anything) for a maiden who is supposed to be cloistered away from the world, unable to speak to anyone, she seems to have a lot of interaction with people on a daily basis. She even admits in the first chapter to find it difficult to talk to people as she doesn’t understand the cadence of conversation, yet she is perfectly capable of witty interaction with everyone around her??? Also, I wasn’t super keen on the hero, he didn’t make my bathing-suit parts tingle as I hoped. He was kind of an obnoxious asshole and not in a sexy I want to smush genitals kind of way. Finally, the plot twists were utterly predictable and poorly executed. I think the main take away from this book was that it was excruciatingly boring. I will not be reading the sequel.

Splash Me - [READ] This book was the definition of SHORT but sweet. I read it in about a half hour so I’m not even sure if that classifies it as a novella. Regardless, it’s sweet, even if role-play gives me the ick.

Pumpkin Pounder - [READ] This book came in a duo with Splash Me. It’s a little longer but equally sweet. Still only took an hour to read.

Crescent City: House of Earth and Blood - [REREAD] I was in a bit of a book slump and felt like rereading one of my favourite books of 2020. It was great! If you haven’t already, read it! Although I have some THOUGHTS™️ about one particularly storyline that I need to think about some more before expressing.

Wallbanger - [DNF] This book has been on my to read list since the start of the year, I thought it would be nice to read it before the end of the year, but a couple of pages in I knew it wasn’t going to be for me. I didn’t like the heroine and was a bit icked-out by the way she talks about not being able to have an “O”. I just wasn’t in the mood to read a book about a man with a magic penis who can “fix” a woman with a “broken” body. I gave up after three chapters.

The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood 14) - [READ] After the disappointment of the Wallbanger, I decided to return to my old reliable and read the next book in the BDB series. I’ve said many times before that these books are pure trash, not least due to the inconsistent world building and slow erosion of distinct characters, BUT they’re my catnip! That said, I didn’t love the storyline of this book. I kinda hate when couples who had their happily ever after get resisted just so they can have kids. Unnecessary and annoying.

The Chosen (Black Dagger Brotherhood 15) - [READ] Gods, I love the couple at the centre of this book and had such high hopes, but it was all a bit of a let down. There were some MAJOR side storylines that kind of distracted from the main romantic one, and many of the characters who I loved demonstrated really ugly aspects of their personality here, or in other cases, behaved in a way totally out of character for them - it was most strange. What also annoyed me is that the book was drama and angst all the way through until the last 15ish pages when BOOM all of it was magically solved without the couple really working through things or getting to see any happiness/resolution between them. It was more a case of “this thing happened so they’re going to be happy” rather than ever get to see them happy, which I think these characters really deserved.

The Thief (Black Dagger Brotherhood 16) - [READ] This is Assails and Solas book, a couple who, admittedly, when they first appeared in a previous, I skimmed over their chapters. However, overtime I came to really love Assail. This book was honestly just okay, but unlike in previous books in this series when a vampire falls in love with a human, there is some unbelievably wild (and worldly inconsistent) way for them to become immortal and stay with their loved one. That didn’t happen in this book, and I’m not sure if I liked that ending or not.

A Warlord Wants Forever (Immortals After Dark .5) - [DNF] This book series was suggested to me as in a similar vein to ACOTAR/those who enjoyed SJM might enjoy this series. Let me tell you, IT WAS NOTHING like SJM’s writing. The storyline was poor, the stakes appeared unclear and inconsequential, but the biggest issue that I had with it was that it was seriously rapey. Not what I want in a romance at all. It was only a short novella so I persevered, but I will not be continuing with this series.

January

Ahead of the release of A Court of Silver Flames in mid February, I want to do an ACOTAR series reread (I spend so much time in Tumblr I almost forgot what is on the very page and what is comments/criticisms from the fandom!) I don’t know how long a total reread will take me but I plan to start around mid January, to be done just in time for ACOSF.

A Court of Thorns and Roses - [TO REREAD]

A Court of Wings and Ruin - [TO REREAD]

A Court of Mist and Fury - [TO REREAD]

February

A Court of Frost and Starlight - [TO REREAD]

A Court of Silver Flames - [TO READ]

#reading recommendations #Book Recommendations #From Blood and Ash #splash me #pumpkin pounder #crescent city #wallbanger #black dagger brotherhood #immortals after dark #acotar #acowar #acomaf #acofas #acosf

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jgroffdaily · 4 years

Link

It took until Frozen II for Anna’s reindeer-loving boyfriend, Kristoff, to enjoy his first solo number, and when that moment comes in the animated sequel, audiences are in for a surprise. The true-blue ’80s ballad titled “Lost in the Woods” is a wild departure from the classic musical-theater numbers and Oscar-friendly ballads that make up most of the Frozen soundtrack, and no one was more surprised about this shift than Kristoff himself, Jonathan Groff. “In the moment they handed me the song, I couldn’t believe that they were going to go there,” he said. “I found it personally—and even when I still watch the movie—to be truly shocking when it starts. Like, Oh wow, we’re doing this. Okay, here we go.”

The song, which is available online today, is paired with even wilder visuals in the movie and gets a reprise over the credits performed by ’90s alterna-rock gods Weezer. Groff and Frozen II songwriters Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez took Vanity Fair behind the scenes of Kristoff’s big emotional solo.

For some Frozen fans, this Kristoff song is even more hotly anticipated than Elsa’s next big earworm. The cast of the original Frozen was stacked with talented theater stars like Idina Menzel, Kristen Bell, Josh Gad, and Santino Fontana, all of whom got a chance to flex their vocal cords…except Groff. A Broadway star and Glee darling at the time, Groff was left with only a snippet of a ditty called “Reindeer(s) Are Better Than People.” When Groff went on to debut the role of sassy, petulant King George in Hamilton, the retroactive dismay over his Frozen role only grew. “We are ashamed,” Kristen Anderson-Lopez joked, “and will be for the rest of our lives, that he didn’t sing in Frozen.”

“Oh, it was so sweet that people were more upset that I didn’t sing than I was,” Groff said. “It was really sweet that people would express that to me all the time including Kristen Bell who was like, ‘Well, you need to sing more in this movie.‘”

A challenge in Frozen was that Kristoff was a rather gruff, solitary figure, not exactly prone to break out in song and express himself. Even as Frozen II loomed, Groff says, “I couldn’t personally imagine how they were going to get a mountain man to sing. The first one, okay, he’s got a lute, he’s singing a ditty with his reindeer, I buy that. I totally buy that. But how are they going to get Kristoff to sing? I couldn’t even imagine it.” Neither the Lopezes nor Groff wanted to just shoehorn in a song that didn’t make sense for the plot. And, in fact, there was an earlier version of a Kristoff song that didn’t wind up working at all.

“We had originally written a song for Kristoff called ‘Get This Right,’ which was about him putting this huge amount of pressure on himself and it was totally a comedy song, but it kind of fell on the ground for many reasons,” Anderson-Lopez explains. Over the course of the film, Kristoff is trying (and repeatedly failing) to propose to Anna. “[He’s a] a guy that spent his entire life alone in the woods so much that his only friend is a reindeer that he even provides the voice for,” Groff says. “And then in parallel, Anna is a girl that spent her entire life inside the castle walls without ever having any social interaction. It’s like these two socially awkward people come together and of course there’s this inability to express the feelings, and how do I do this, and I want to do it right but I don’t know quite how to.”

For someone as self-consciously closed off as Kristoff, the Lopezes found inspiration in, of all places, karaoke. “There’s nothing better than a man feeling his feelings in a real way at a karaoke bar,” Anderson-Lopez says. “I’ve seen a lot of drunk dudes singing Journey at karaoke,” Groff adds. “And it’s ‘funny’ question mark? There’s also a level of necessity for expression. And Queen is a part of that. Queen was so theatrical and big and when you do something that’s theatrical and big like that and it’s sung by a man, it gives boys the opportunity to really be theatrical and express themselves.”

Kristoff’s unique relationship with his reindeer, Sven, allowed the Lopezes even more musical leeway here. The song is a quasi-fantasy sequence where Sven and a number of other reindeer—also voiced by Groff—provide the backing vocals. This particular element was a stroke of genius from the animators who suggested to the songwriters that they might have some fun with a full supporting reindeer chorus. “That allowed us to go to that stacked Queen-meets-Chicago kind of place,” Anderson-Lopez says. “Bobby laid down like 18 different tracks and then Jonathan Groff did them 18 times. So not only is this a solo for Jonathan Groff, but it’s actually 18 Jonathan Groffs. We gave you 18 Groffs.” Anderson-Lopez is hoping this gift will finally get them off the hook with grumpy Groff fans.

To get Groff in the mood on the day of recording, the Lopezes went down a YouTube rabbit hole of ’80s power balladeers including Bryan Adams. “I don’t think we listened to Journey or Michael Bolton, but it’s like that kind of energy,” Groff says.

For the Lopezes this kind of musical departure presented both a risk and a thrill. “We had never done this before,” Bobby Lopez says. “But where the distorted guitars kick in. I mean, come on. That is the quintessential moment of the ’80s and it just seemed to be perfect.” But the duo were even more delighted by the visual surprises the Disney animators came up with based off one little scribbled note on their lyrics sheet: “Feel free to take this to an ’80s video kind of place.”

“The brilliance of the animators can’t be overstated,” Groff says. “When I saw the hair flip and the singing into the pinecone. The Queen references to ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ with the reindeer, the sort of emotional walking, even like the supertight close-up on the face. I just lost my mind.” It’s a tonal departure from some of the more earnest musical moments elsewhere in Frozen but Groff suspects that added element of comedy might make the flood of Kristoff’s emotions go down easier, especially with young boys watching Frozen II.

“Normally you’re seeing the girl pining over the guy singing an emotional ballad,” he explains. “And in this one Anna goes off to go on a huge adventure and they’ve inverted it. Now it’s giving the boys the opportunity to feel their feelings and sing about whatever is going on for them, which is so potentially exciting considering how many kids are going to be watching the movie.”

Though it wasn’t written with a rock band in mind, the stacked harmonies of “Lost in the Woods” also makes it perfect fodder for the Weezer cover treatment and that version plays over the film’s closing credits.

#jonathan groff #frozen 2 #!#press #interview #robert lopez #kristen anderson lopez

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