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falsegoodnight · 3 years

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this is part two of my december fic rec! this list encompasses the fics i’ve read from the 18th to the 28th!! it’s also my birthday today which makes it even more special! i can think of no better way to spend today than spreading positivity! :)

you can find part one of this month here

✰ there’s happiness because of you by @hadestyles | NR | 1k - (so soft, tender, and beautiful!! rori’s writing amazes me always! and this was written for my birthday because they’re an angel <3)

Thursday mornings have always been their favourite.

✰ and it gets colder and colder by @hadestyles | E | 2K - (another rori fic!! once again, beautiful prose! made me feel emotional!)

Harry wants to take care of Louis. Things take a turn.

✰ make my wish come true by @soldouthaz | M | 3k - (drabble from this series) (so cute, lovely, soft, amazing!!! made my heart so happy! this is also dedicated to me which :’) sarah angel chant)

The taste of Christmas cookies fresh out of the oven and peppermint hot chocolate is still heavy on his tongue. Harry’s sweater provides some warmth and it still smells of him from before he left for his internship two weeks ago, but it’s nowhere near the feeling of his arms wrapped around him. Louis shivers despite the blankets.

✰ spirit meets the bones by @hadestyles | E | 3k - (i had to edit to add this because rori wrote another beautiful little fic for me :’) beautiful prose, beautiful emotions, so so so beautiful, gosh. pure poetry!)

The action shouldn’t fill his eyes with tears but it does. These small gestures mean the world to him. A steady reminder that Harry does notice all the tiny, seemingly insignificant details that make Louis him.

✰ 29 Blows by @quelquesetoiles | E | 4k - (super hot but also so cute!! love the concept of the birthday tradition in this one!!!)

For over a decade now, Harry has had his little tradition. It wouldn't be a Louis Tomlinson birthday without his best friend finding new, ingenious ways to make his life more difficult.

It's cute, it's funny, it's theirs, until Harry takes it a step too far on Louis' 29th birthday.

✰ calm me down (before i sleep) by @erodiansunflower | E | 7k - (a pwp and super hot, but also super cute??)

Prompt 24: Harry is a sex shop owner that has a crush on Louis, the shy customer who flirts with him while buying cute buttplugs, lace panties, and collars. One day, Louis asked Harry to help him put on a corset (they end up fucking in the dressing room). Things escalate quickly from there, so they start seeing each other seriously while trying other sex stuff.

✰ You’re Never Alone With a Moon This Bright by @helloamhere | T | 8k - (part one of this series) (WOW this was incredible and i am ENTRANCED! this author is an all-time favorite and idk why it took me so long to get to this series but i’m here now!! and loving it!!)

Louis was a monster. But sometimes, even monsters get a Christmas.

✰ Be a Good Girl For Me by @sincetheywere16and18 | E | 9k - (really hot and cute!!!)

Based on this prompt: “AU where Harry is Louis’ older brother’s best friend. He catches Louis dancing around his room in panties and blackmails him, saying that louis has to do anything he says or else he’ll tell Louis’ family that he wears girly underwear. Secretly soft for him, Harry gives him easy tasks and uses the whole thing to spend more time with Louis. Eventually, the orders begin to escalate and Harry teases Lou about his secret, making Louis shy and embarrassed. Louis loves the attention though, and forms a crush on his brother’s best friend. Lots of feminization, secret relationship, and enemies to lovers. Thank you!”

✰ it’s hard to fight naked by @loustarlight | E | 11k - (LOVED this so much!!! a big fan of enemies/flatmates to lovers especially when there’s a walk-in involved!!)

Louis leaves dirty socks on the couch, Zayn does assignments while he's high, and Harry is hopelessly crushing on his roommate.

✰ Sweet Scary Creatures by @specklelouis | M | 13k - (jurassic park au!! so cute and fun!!! loved louis’ character growth in this in particular!)

They stare into each other's eyes for a while until Louis remembers this is too intimate and looks at Harry’s hands on his thigh. It spans a big portion of his thigh and Louis has always been insecure about how thick he is, so he loves that Harry has huge, dustbin hands that hold him and makes him feel smaller, safer.

✰ hereafter (ad infinitum) by @larryent | M | 13k - (this was absolutely beautiful!! the writing was incredible, the contrast between the old timeline and new one impeccable, and the letters!!! love them!! and vampire harry is always a win!)

"A legacy is every life you’ve touched. And you’ve touched mine twice."

On the coast of San Francisco in 2024 is when Harry falls in love all over again.

✰ Believe Me When I Say You Have It All by @helloamhere | T | 20k - (part two of this series) (loved this even more than it’s predecessor. not to be dramatic, but i’d die for the louis and harry in this series. this whole world has my heart)

Harry had never faced anything in this forest that had actually succeeded in scaring him. Louis was no exception.

✰ Yours to Lose by @loulicate-recs | M | 26k - (so cute and soft and sweet!!! louis and harry were both angels and IAN <3 little cutie!!! so proud of you hanis!)

Louis always gets distracted with his mummy duty and he eventually catches Harry's attention.

✰ But It’s Useless by @thinlinez | E | 26k - (this put such a big smile on my face!! so cute and lovely!! louis was a relatable and adorable menace and harry was a smitten idiot but they both got there in the end!!)

Omega Louis would never guess that he would be trying to hack into Alpha Harry's Wifi. That is until everything changes when he tries to get to know his enemy.

✰ Stuck On You by Writewhatiwant | E | 34k - (so so sweet! loved the aspect of stickers in this fic and how louis found joy in them!! really loved how both louis and harry (especially harry) grew throughout this story and how they found peace at the end!)

Louis’ life revolves around his stickers. Harry’s life revolves around his job. The universe has decided their worlds should revolve around each other.

✰ smoke between your teeth by @soldouthaz | E | 37k - (i think everyone knows how much i adore sarah and her fics but this one just might be a new favorite! loved all the psych stuff, the pining, the rom-com worthy confession <3 brilliant!)

Louis tries to stop his addiction to cigarettes and discovers he's been addicted to Harry for much, much longer.

✰ Your Life Worth Walking on a Bright Morning by @helloamhere | T | 38k - (part three of this series) (it just keeps getting better and better <3 so comforting and consistent and beautiful!)

For all its complexity, Louis sometimes reminded himself, life could always be simplified into a series of forks in the road. Even overwhelmingly big things were survivable when you broke them down to their choice. One path or the other, left or right.

✰ On The Edge by @zanniscaramouche | E | 47k - (so crazy good!! zanni is always amazing me!! loved the ice skating, the hockey, the misunderstandings, the multi-faced and beautiful characters and relationships - all so perfect!)

Figure skating is as vital to Louis’ identity as his DNA, so when his skates go missing right before the last Olympics of his career there may be a meltdown only vanilla bath salts can fix. Well, that and the stupidly charming hockey player he met on the plane.

Harry’s too old to be the wonder kid and too young to be taken seriously in the NHL. As an alternate thrown in at the last second, he fights to prove himself on the national team at the largest sporting event known to man. Or he will, once he gets off this flight and can focus on something other than the fussy figure skater and his stunningly blue eyes.

A baggage mix-up skews both of their perfectly laid plans for gold, forcing the two to work together as the clock clicks towards the minute they’re expected to shine on centre ice.

✰ made for lovin’ you by @cuddlerlouis | E | 53k - (loved this so much!! touch depri/accidental bonds are my favorite and this was no exception!!! the characterizations, the tension, the misunderstandings, the tenderness, the fluff!!! so good!)

A quick, horny decision ruins Louis’ summer plans, but may also lead to unexpected discoveries. Featuring the road trip of dreams, misunderstandings, and a bit of fate.

✰ social cues by @outropeace | E | 56k - (so fucking good!! the slow burn in this was impeccable!!! pair it with friends with benefits, mutual pining, angst, misunderstandings... amazing <3)

To Harry, Louis was becoming as tangible and essential as music in his life. He still was a mystery but at the same time, he was one of the most real things Harry had. He just hoped he could live up to the image Louis probably had in his mind of him.

He could play the part, after all, what was published of him wasn’t as detached from reality. He didn’t think of himself as a rockstar cliche, although he couldn't deny he did sleep around, partied a lot, and did some drugs. But then again, wasn’t that what the majority of his friends back in his hometown were doing at college?

Harry wanted to impress Louis, he didn’t want to disappoint or leave his expectations unfulfilled, so he’d give him the full rockstar experience.

It was a very simple plan, what could possibly go wrong?

✰ dripping like spider milk by @raspberryoatss | E | 64k - (pip amazing me with her talent? a common occurrence. this was so wonderfully written and so well done!! loved the characterizations, the dynamic, the angst, the miscommunication, the pining, the HUMOR!!! it was all so amazing!!)

When he sees the alpha, his brown hair curling around the top of his neck and his broad back that’s filled out over the past couple of years, Louis freezes for a moment. The alpha turns around, Louis’ surprised expression mirrored on his own for a fraction of a second before he schools it into a big, yet shy grin and a wave of his huge hand. With his nostrils flared, Louis knows that he can smell him, too.

They never hired alphas, except for—

“Harry.”

✰ a taste of freedom and sweetened passion by @tomlinvelvetfics | M | 74k - (okay technically haven’t finished reading this one yet but i want to get this up early and i already know this is amazing because it’s LATE and she’s incredible!!! and, i mean, anne of green gables?? abo?? best birthday gift ever!! will be spending the day reading this in bliss <3)

“Are you mad?” he explodes, throwing his hands up, groaning. “I was so, so close to reaching my goal, and your stupid, stalking ass had to creep up on me, hm?”

Harry is trying to keep his laughter in, walking closer to him, eyes soft. He doesn’t like the way those eyes make him feel, an odd, dangerous mix of nervous and flustered, so he bends down to pick up the books, raising an eyebrow when Harry growls in protest.

“I wanted to pick them up for you,” the alpha pouts, and Louis glares at him, getting into position and lowering the pile of yellowed pages over the top of his head.

“I’m a functional human being, thank you very much,” he grits out as he begins to walk and mentally count the amount of steps he takes. One, two, three, for heaven’s sake Harry fuck off!, four, five. He doesn’t let himself be distracted as the alpha walks along with him despite the slow pace, green eyes focused on him in a way that would, in any other cases, compelled him to throw a book in the alpha’s face.

He doesn’t know why he doesn’t do it and certainly doesn’t want to think about the reason, whatever it might be.

If you read any of these lovely fics, remember to leave kudos and comment to show your appreciation!

*if i made any errors, please let me know :)

enjoy!

#fic recs #my fic recs #28th appreciation #2020 recs #december recs #december 2020 recs

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disownedbytiime · 3 years

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I’ll write my opinions in the order the novels came out (even though I read them the other way around). It’s a mess and honestly I’m forgetting a lot of things I want to say.

SV/SSS:

It’s the shortest of the three stories, yet it doesn’t feel like you’re robbed of stuff. Mostly everything gets resolved. The plot is interesting and the characters are two dimensional (as opposed to the original novel). One of the complaints about the original novel written by Airplane [...] is that the villains are dumb and don’t have depth, they just are evil. But thanks to plot filling, you’re able to see that they in fact are all complicated and you can’t even manage to hate the original scum villain or protagonist.

The extras are my favorite of the three novels. Since the novel by itself doesn’t focus on other characters too much, they get some character development in them. It would have been nice if they were included in the main story, but I can see why they aren’t. The story would deviate and then with so many extra plots you’d get lost, so I think they work great as extras.

Romance wise is okay. You’ll see Luo Bing//He’s feelings since almost the beginning but as for Shen Qing//Qiu.... it’s not too obvious. I mean you can definitely see when he starts worrying about him and when he accepts the other’s love, but because he is a tsundere it can be a bit hard to believe he’s actually in love with him (a lot of times it looks more like he just loves him as a disciple.) So while the romance is there since early on, it’s not too overbearing and you can definitely overlook it on one side. Also let’s not talk about how it can definitely be problematic (master-disciple, a forceful top with anger issues, etc), but overall I do like the ship. Also this is the only novel that has a second canon ship, isn’t it? That’s nice.

MD/ZS:

The plot captivated me immediately when I read the synopsis, yet I felt it didn’t live up to its name. I felt like it was too much of a simplistic plot, and it’s so early when you find out who’s the boss and the reasons, I kept thinking it was too easy and there was going to be a twist. And.... it was definitely too easy, there’s not even a final confrontation or anything. And sure, there is a twist that I loved so much, but it was only in passing. It was like just explained as; ‘oh wait, isn’t this what happened?’ So it left me a bit disappointed. Also.... it had a lot of flashbacks, like half of the story were flashbacks and the other half was in the present. It could be fine, but it just happened whenever and sometimes there were even flashbacks in the flashbacks so I think it was a bit messy.

What I did love a lot about it is the main topic of “not everything is white and black” because if you think about it there was no character that solely did evil things, they all had reasons (not to say they were justified of course). The side characters were more developed than in the previous novel too. Also ngl the SiZhui story plot is what basically made the story for me.

The extras were okay, but they feel like all of them are just about the main couple having sex, which I guess it’s okay for some people but they disappointed me slightly.

Romance wise, I think this is the one with the least romance. The three novels are told by the ‘bottoms’ and the three of them are quite oblivious at first, yet you can infer the ‘tops’ are super dedicated to them. But because of Lan Wang//Ji personality you barely see he’s in love with him until it’s basically spelt out. I guess this is more the fault of an unreliable narrator, but in this case I felt the romance was barely there. In the other two stories the romance is basically part of the main plot, yet here is more on the side, more like a support (which is nothing bad! It’s nice that it wasn’t thrown in your face all the time), so that’s the reason why I felt like the sex scenes were kinda needed here, to make up for the lacking romance.

TG/CF:

In general this is my favorite novel for many reasons. At first it seems like it doesn’t have a plot in concrete and it’s just Xie L/ian going around resolving cases, so I can see why people say it’s just “filler”, but in my case that’s one of the reasons why I love it. It starts slow but little by little the world unravels, you’re able to see how heaven and the ghost realm works, how heavenly officials can be corrupt too and how ghosts can do good deeds. Same as in the other two, not everything is black and white. Since it’s a long novel you’re able to learn a lot about side characters and see their reasonings and everything. Honestly there’s no character I don’t like, they’re all complex. (The other two novels have certain characters that are a bit hard to like). Also while it’s long and has many side plots it never feels like a drag, yet you can definitely get a bit lost with so many things going out. The reason why it doesn’t feel like an arc starts and then ends and another starts is because not everything gets resolved right away, and while that helps the story to keep cohesion sometimes you end up forgetting what was the issue in the first place or overlook certain things. This book has a lot of flashbacks too but in this case I thought they were better presented. I remember that when I was in book 2 I realized the whole book was going to be flashbacks and I felt a bit disappointed and tried to read faster so I could go back to the present, but by the end of the book I didn’t even care about that, I was too immersed in the story that it didn’t feel like a whole book had passed. (Plus both book 2 and 4 are actually short). Out of the three novels I cried the most with this one, yet the three are tragic enough.

The relationship between the characters (barring the main couple bc that comes later) is also really nice and complex. Honestly all these characters are so well developed.

The extras are good too, but it’s a shame there are so little, however I understand. Since the story is already long and basically includes the backstories of many characters there’s not much that could be added, and it was cute to see the main couple being a couple. However wouldn’t it have been nice to have a side story about SQX and his current fate?? Let me dream

Romance wise, oh boy. One of the first things I read about this novel was that people kept saying that ‘Hua//Lian invented love’ and it’s definitely not an overreaction. The romance is amazing. It’s there since they met and I’m sure there’s no scene where Hua Ch//eng is not flirting with Xie L//ian. Of course because it’s from XL’s pov it’s not super obvious, but then you realize that everybody else sees it like this. In any case, the whole novel is oozing with flirting and cute scenes but it’s not overbearing. This is the only novel to not include sex scenes and, while I would have welcomed them, the story definitely doesn’t need them. It’s so obvious the main characters are in love even before their first kiss. (Though okay, XL realizes he likes HC while they’re making out.) anyway!!! While I read a lot of romance and I love shipping, I’m super picky with it too. I hate romance when it comes out of nothing and it’s thrown in your face and when it’s super forced, but here??? Not at all. Here I love it so so so much. HC’s devotion really makes this story.

In conclusion, I loved the three novels for different reasons though I do have favorites. I recommend them 100%. Watching/reading the other adaptations is nice too, but the novels are superior.

#yes I definitely missed many points but this got too long and my mind is a mess when trying to talk about things I love #cn rambling/

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ianthedisastrous · 4 years

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Task 30: Create a beauty/make up/getting ready for the day routine for your character. Must include at least 7 steps

Ian's morning routine begins, technically, around eight AM when his alarm clock shrieks, and is promptly knocked off the shelf next to his bed to silence it. Several hours before his first class at noon, plenty of time to accomplish the morning. If he would get up, which he does not. Then, roughly an hour later it's time for alarm clock number two; strategically placed on the far side of the shelves so it's a necessary evil to nearly crawl over them in order to silence the screaming beast. Still refusal of the morning, Ian burrows and clings to sleep until his third, and final, alarm sounds. That one is set on the far side of the room, forcing him to abandon the bed and face the day as near to noon as he can hold out to.

Onto clothes, which of course takes a huge amount of time and effort. An entire wardrobe of t-shirts that are variations on half a dozen science puns and the like; it's a very complex decision. So is the rest, given that Ian owns jeans. And basically nothing else. From blue to black and of course the difficult task of debating if he wants the ones with ripped knees rather than plain. Of course he does. Clothes takes a full scale ten minutes and fall under the scrutiny of; is it clean and does it fit. Not always in that order. - he has on occasion picked up one of Miguel's shirts instead given how clothing migrates around in dorm rooms - And the scale is more flexible given his state of awake.

Then shower, because that's a thing, and Ian living in a dorm means Ian does most of his dressing and undressing in said shower. Most mornings he makes it there by default of needing to put clothes on for the day and the hot water - he loathes even the thought of anything less than a hot shower - finally wakes him up. Mostly. Sometimes he dozes a bit until the water runs cold, even more of a motivator in getting finished and dressed. He hasn't fully fallen asleep in the shower yet, but sooner or later it'll happen. Brushing his teeth is another part of the shower routine, as in brushing them in the shower. No logic, just one of those random habits.

Ian's hair exists to bring him misery, the only reason he tolerates the unruly mess being that he considers it to be the one cute thing about himself. Whatever bizarre genetic mix in there that made it both prone to curls and fluff? It's nothing short of laughing in the face of style, and basically any hair product known to man because none of them tame it. He's fallen into acceptance; he scrubs it dry and glares it down in the mirror, makes a pointless attempt to smooth some of the curl out with his fingers and admits defeat. The whole...tussled disaster is a good thing, right? That's what he's going with anyway, yeah. Usually that same scrutiny convinces him to shave most days while he's there, not a fan of arguing with his spastic ability at facial hair; he's saving himself some grief with that one by staying ahead of it.

And we come to the part of the morning that involves Ian wandering the room, coffee stashed from the night before - drank cold yes since it has been sitting on his shelf - in hand while he checks everything. His bag, his phone, his notes to himself, and takes a few minutes to himself to gather his focus and find a corner to sit and write while he finishes his early morning - by Ian standards - caffeine. It's a matter of re-centering, calming and bracing for the day ahead. Once everything is in order, notebook tucked into his bag, phone messages sent and schedule searched, notes set aside, he's mentally as prepared as he can be.

Cue the panic portion of the morning. It happens nine times out of ten, often enough to be considered the routine. As Ian realizes he's late, for either class or elsewhere depending on his plans. So there's the scrambling for his sneakers, the writing a few quick new notes to add to the ones already occupying most of the wall space behind his bed, and the jolting effort of balancing phone, bag and self one foot at a time to pull on said sneakers - he's in too much of a rush to sit down and do it properly, okay? - as he scrolls back through the mental lists and gives himself a last look over and smoothes out the rough edges in hair, clothes and the full sum of himself until everything is neat and nice.

Then promptly finishes his getting ready routine by grabbing whatever hoodie he's happened to leave within reach, pulling it on and ruining the entire earlier effort - seriously what is his hair even doing? - and darting out the door to catch up to his already late start on morning...er...day.

#BDRPWrimoz #task30 #okay it’s funny but also true #ian why are you like this

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mike-rowe-katze · 4 years

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My megapost/rant on Steven Universe, villains and various other things about purity culture (ported from plebbit)

GREETINGS, MOTHERFUCKERS OF THIS WRETCHED HIVE KNOWN AS R/STEVENUNIVERSE! IT IS I, FUBARMEMESDX, WARRIOR OF HATRED AND MISERY! I AM HERE TO DESTROY YOU AND ALL OF YOUR MISCONCEPTIONS REGARDING THIS FINE ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAMME!

Anyway, as for my first point, which I have argued in the past, here is why Diamonds Did Nothing Wrong™ (nothing that's not reversible or inconsequential):

I love the Alright Diamond Authority so much. They're my favourite virtual band. So cute and heartwarming. However, there is an issue here. Whenever you so much as mention a Diamond who isn't coloured pink, you fools immediately start screeching about politics. What I question here is "why?". I shall address all of the common "arguments".

They committed genocide!

As much as the sub loves this word, they don't know what it means. It's the systematic, targeted extermination of an ethnicity from society.

Stop trivialising this word. We need a new word for actual genocide. By your own stupid standards, by eating plants or animals who eat those plants, you have """""""""""""""""""""""committed genocide""""""""""""""""""""""", with massive sarcasm quotes, and I am about to explain this. Who did they commit "genocide" against?

Against planets!

If Peridot's cluelessness about complex organics as a "scientist" and Jasper being a "perfect soldier" while fighting with a crash helmet and breaking down to cry in the middle of a fight didn't already tip you off, Rebecca's 2013 pitch notes for the show, which are identical to the final lore, and a tweet by Ian (https://twitter.com/ianjq/status/1166481003780530176) confirm that Earth was the first planet with intelligent life encountered by Homeworld. Pretty much, the colonies were a good thing, because they created lots of cute Gems, while only sacrificing plants (which you also do, by necessity to live as a human being) and possibly animals (and, if you haven't been vegan for life, you're in no position to preach) to do so. I am a vegan (cue "HAHA HE TOLD US" jokes) and have been for several years, but understand that consumption to continue your species is not fucking genocide. I bet you think Animal Crossing's fishing renders the game an extended metaphor for the genocide of Native Americans. By the way, I'm glad Steven is veggie now. It makes sense, because I always wondered why Steven gave White shit for her "lower lifeforms" stuff, while continuing to consume beings he saw as "lower". Glad that angsty Future Steven is consistent. Also, White isn't wrong. Every lifeform in the show other than Cluster and Obsidian stands at a lower height than her.

Against off-colors!

First, let us establish that an off-color Gem is an imperfect one. An imperfect Gem is one who shows any emotion in their decision-making whatsoever, as androids designed for unfeeling self-reproduction.

White is motivated to stay in her room doing fuck-all because she is afraid that people will see her imperfect body and no longer love her.

Blue is demotivated by pure grief. ("What good will any of this do? The more I make these Gems suffer, the more I long to see you again, Pink.") As far as she knows, the Crystal Gems murdered her daughter, just for doing her job of colonisation. She still doesn't just crush them under her comically oversized fingertips. If that isn't merciful, I don't know what is.

Pink has transitioned into Steven. When he's not out there encouraging the other three to be honest with their emotions, he's emulating White and beating himself up over the fact he can't make everything perfect.

This brings us to our interlude - why Steven is trans Pink:

But GONE!

That meme line doesn't mean what you think it does. Steven has her body (both the gemstone and the light form, seen as a past form in Change Your Mind), her memories (reawakened in Jungle Moon, Can't Go Back, Familiar, Together Alone and Change Your Mind), her powers (to create life, to raise the dead, to cure corruption, the shield) AND her position (as a Crystal Gem and member of the Diamond Authority).

The only things different are the identity, and the flesh body (which is weak and cannot function as an independent human being, and can shapeshift and fuse).

Basically, if you interpret GONE as meaning "he never was her", it's the story of an asshole who abandoned everyone who ever loved her, then dropped all her problems onto her son.

On the other hand, if you interpret GONE as meaning "he no longer identifies as Pink", it becomes the story of a trans boy who became kinder and fixed his mistakes.

It is very clear which one fits more with the show's central theme of self-improvement.

But Pink wasn't an asshole! She saved Earth!

Nope. White did. Can a single Lapis drain Earth's entire ocean? Yes (albeit not killing anyone doing so, since people outside of the cast only exist when the show calls for them to, and Earth would be irreparably fucked in Ocean Gem if the realistic consequences of ocean draining applied, so it's safe to say they don't). Who commands Lapises? Homeworld. Who commands Homeworld? White. Pink's rebellion was non-lethally ended with a single hand attack. If Homeworld really wanted Earth to be destroyed, they could and would do it. They're a bunch of filthy tsunderes.

The point is here is not that Pink was evil, or that Pink was an angel. It's that Pink was bad, but she got better as Steven.

The trans Steven interpretation is further supported by

Blue's "she prefers to be called Steven".

The Tale of Steven book, a retelling of Change Your Mind's dedication to trans kids.

White's pointing out that Steven knows things (the aforementioned memories) that he could not know if he were never Pink.

The parallels between Pink and Steven, especially with Cactus being the new Spinel.

Rose's tape saying she's going to become half of Steven (the properly functioning gem half). Not die for Steven. Become "half of" Steven. Love being him.

This is blatantly obvious. I'm not even trans... or maybe I am and don't know it yet. Anyway, that's irrelevant. How this stuff flies over the heads of 99% of you puzzles me. Hell, it even flies over the head of faelapis, who is otherwise the smartest person in the SU fandom.

Anyway, now that's out of the way, back to the main subject:

Yellow, the only Diamond who even pretends to be competent (she is who you commonly refer to as "the Diamonds"), and is motivated by a desire to look strong and please White, Blue and Steven. Her big boots allow to her stomp any of her enemies into the ground with ease, yet she cannot bring herself to even shatter Amethyst, who is defective, a rebel, an Earthling and directly fighting her,, when given the opportunity. If she won't shatter Amethyst, then who will she shatter? No-one.

Basically, they are off-colors. They also create all the other ones and cast them away as their imperfect parts, their waste which they are ashamed of.

You might bring up those drones, but the fact that Padparadscha, who sees constantly into the past, is still alive, that the drones only scan the gemstones, you can hide behind a fucking rock, and that the drones are indiscriminate and attack Steven, a Diamond, defuses any threat the drones may pose. Either Yellow knows they're useless and is just keeping her reputation up, or she is too naive to be dangerous. Take your pick.

Yellow, after knocking Steven out in Reunited, doesn't even stomp on his body. That's right. She won't even kill the person who, as far as she knows, is the Rose Quartz who murdered her beloved Pink. She says "time to execute" in The Trial, but if she was really so dead-set on that, she would just... do it. With her bare hands. They're big enough. Her later speech about being "brittle" and not cut out for the job suggests the "pretender" interpretation.

Now, to continue:

They're fascists!

Diamonds possess an unholy amount of physical power. They say they'll shatter off-colors and rebels, and could with their bare feet, but don't. This leaves two possibilities: either they're tsundere characters who don't really want to, which is in line with the show's theme of "you're better than you think, you should stop being so hard on yourself", or they're too stupid to realise that they can do that. Either way, they don't pose a real threat, and certainly don't enforce a political ideology. Unlike most "evil emperor" villains (think Star Wars' Galactic Empire), who do kill their enemies, albeit inconsistently as the result of an "idiot plot" required for to the heroes to win, Diamonds are so physically powerful that they literally cannot be defeated in battle by the heroes (Blue can take her entire ship crashing onto her without a scratch), and have the ability to poof enemies or take control of their minds instantly. They absolutely could kill their enemies effortlessly, but 100% consistently don't. This means that they, for whatever reason (probably just being big softies), are merciful and don't actually want to.

Stop poisoning this show with politics. All of the characters are motivated by raw emotion. If they had grand political goals, they wouldn't break down, they would be mechanically dead-set on achieving them.

You might cite Jasper's speech in Earthlings as "fascism", but in the very same episode, this is rendered moot - she, as Homeworld's "perfect soldier", stops fighting to cry, with no tactical advantage.

Pretty much, picture this:

You are God - an invincible being who creates every person as an imperfection of you that you split from yourself. You are also a robot, created with express purpose of assimilating the cosmos with no second thought. You also have very big sandals, allowing you to stomp anyone who dares oppose into the ground. You are faced with the opportunity to do this countless times. Instead of actually doing it, the job makes you miserable and you choose not do it.

Instead of praising you for your bravery in defying your programming and showing everyone mercy, a subreddit forms a lynch mob saying you need to be executed, as pointless vengeance, for things you didn't do, after you opened up.

This is the story of White Diamond.

I feel that most people who disliked Change Your Mind, were operating on the false premise that this would be a show about "beating muh fascists", ignoring every single hint that it gave them about its personal themes and every single time the antagonists spared Steven and co. The show couldn't make it more obvious that its combat was irrelevant and inconsequential, but I guess you're so accustomed to conventional "good guy kills bad guy" shows that you forgot this one was different, and desperately grasped for ways to degrade it into a show about evil.

You also claim that White was rushed, which is probably based on your fallacious idea that "character is x% evil, they must take x long to change". White Diamond is my favourite fictional character. She's been a real source of comfort to me and my OCD, with her whole "feeling guilty and embarrassed about things she really shouldn't" thing. She's a bit like Pink from The Wall, with the "learning to break your metaphorical wall of isolation" theme.

Pink (Floyd, not Diamond), funnily enough, imagines himself as Hitler at one point (In the Flesh Part 2, Run Like Hell, Waiting for the Worms). I can relate to these power fantasies, the feeling of wanting things under your control, then realising acting meaner won't solve anything. Not to the actual Nazi aspect, but to that.

White, however, has none of these. She's like The Wall but with none of the political charge or Roger Waters' bitterness. Of course, the sub still tries to Nazify her anyway. Perhaps it's because of her name... poor choice.

They're dictators!

No, they're gods. They don't possess just political power, they create every other member of their species out of their excrement, are near-invincible, can raise the dead, and every other member of the species is inherently predisposed to following them. Do Christians complain that the biblical God, who is actually massively homicidal in his depiction, is undemocratic? Do you go on "Mario-critical" rants because Princess Peach, a "dictator" - a member of a fictional royal family, albeit one who actually does stomp her enemies, is portrayed in a positive light? Of course not.

They cause corruption!

Yeah, and that was great. It ended the rebellion without killing anyone. It only muted and confused Gems, then Diamonds healed it. White's initial reason to come out of her room is to reverse corruption. It worked out in the end, and we see that the formerly-corrupted Gems are still friends of Diamonds.

They made the Cluster!

If you're talking about destroying Earth, remember that the Cluster's concept art shows her as only 12 temples tall, which matches her arm length in Reunited of about 3 temples tall. She couldn't. I have said "I want this planet to die" before, in one my blow-outs. Depression is a bitch. Sometimes I feel like that. Doesn't mean I'm actually gonna destroy the world. It's just Yellow spouting shit to reassure Blue. Either that or she is dumb and harmless. Pick one. What competent general's best weapon is a friendly anxious girl who gives you thumbs ups?

If you're talking about suffering, have you forgotten Gem Drill? The Cluster isn't a crime. She's a person. One who is capable of peaceful existence and learns to love herself. She stops worrying once Steven assures her that she is not alone and has company in the form of all the shards composing her. This can apply for other forced fusions, too.

I always thought the Cluster's arc was about body positivity - if you're shaped differently, but are not at risk from your physique, there's no reason to worry. Undertale fans commonly make the same mistake for Amalgamates - for characters who look weird but are friendly and capable of peaceful existence, the mistake of portraying them as endless suffering for the sake of sounding edgier.

Pretty much, the shattered Gems composing her found new life. She's good. And the other ones are safely bubbled in Yellow's room along with the Crystal Gems in Change Your Mind.

They're rapists!

Not this fucking shit again. Fusion isn't sex. Sharing food can be used as an analogy of consent. That doesn't mean food is sex. If you say this, you also call Pearl (Cry for Help) and Steven (Change Your Mind) "rapists", which is incredibly insensitive.

They're slavers!

Creating AI servants then, out of your own compassion, allowing them to act freely, isn't the same as finding free people and enslaving them.

They made the zoo!

The zoo is a "cruise ship", as Y-6 describes it, where caveman and Quartz inhabitants (except Holly) live blissfully in utopia. The show has a theme of "if it makes you happy and harms no-one, keep doing it". What's wrong with staying in the zoo, then?

Do not mention actual human zoos. Those were not utopian. Those were racial segregation prisons. The human zoo in the show is one in name only.

They're Hitler / any other real political/criminal/racial/religious/economic/military figure!

https://i.imgur.com/kkczmoN.jpg

Have this. As for non-Nazi individuals or organisations you may mention, they obviously don't exactly match the left checklist, either.

Godwin's law isn't cool.

For the few of you tankies here who think that Andy is a Nazi, see this: https://faelapis.tumblr.com/day/2019/06/06/

Nazi Germany and World War II are interesting historical subjects, and funny ones to satirise, but this show doesn't feature them at all.

Now I am done explaining why they are not bad. Your entire view has been shattered. Or not. You might still try to argue your objectively wrong view by repeating the word "genocide" over and over, but you cannot argue against what I have just explained. I cited the sources and the show themes. The crew and u/PixieDustFairies are both (unintentionally?) on my side. You have lost.

I say "Diamonds", but I mean "any character from this show", including but not limited to Lapis, Jasper, Bismuth and Spinel.

But it's like I'm pissing in an ocean. No matter how many people receive my message, the sub's dominant mindset will be "muh war, muh genocide, muh vengeance, muh dead Pink". They will always be ignorant and follow the zeitgeist of objective incorrectness. I can't voice my frustrations enough. The Muse lyric in my flair was chosen because I wish I could destroy the city of delusion that is this sub.

Anyway, onto the second point: Self-improvement.

Even in an alternate universe where Diamonds actually did any of the bad stuff you mindlessly accuse them of, that wouldn't change the fact that they want to help, and there's no reason not to let them.

You might bring up real-life criminals who pretend to improve to escape prison then re-offend, but the difference is that Diamonds aren't in danger. They couldn't be imprisoned or killed, and their enemies are always at their mercy. Furthermore, these criminals are motivated by psychopathy or political ideology, whereas Steven Universe villains are always motivated by raw, genuine emotion. Any improvement they show is, therefore, out of kindness and not ulterior motives.

Also, why would improvement in a show about self-improvement be fake? This is not a show about "people trying to kill you" (the villains stop themselves, and saying "I'll kill you, Steven, Earth go boom!" is the status quo in the show, not a special "evil" exception). Steven lampshades this in Space Race from season 1. He's used to it. The villains are not representations of real attackers (the poof/bubble system exists to stop real combat comparisons). They're you. Representations of different issues you might have, and how you shouldn't hate yourself for them. If the show were to have a "some people are just irredeemable lol" message, it would be giving up on you. I've seen a lot of people say "oh, this show's only real flaw is that it redeems everyone". Nope. That's its strength. That all of its major villains, who are essentially therapy dolls, find hope. The reassurance that you will find hope.

"Some people just can't change" is also objectively wrong. You can't change other people. They can. You might say "muh hitler/other reviled political figure", but the difference is, Hitler and co chose not to change. It would be an entirely different story if they did. Too bad for you and for them, they didn't. IRRELEVANT! INSENSITIVE! FRIVOLOUS! FUTILE! Saying "Steven redeems (insert character)" is a critical misunderstanding of what Steven does - he encourages the villains, but ultimately, the villains themselves make the choice to open up.

Why would a show about emotional comfort suddenly switch to being a cynical court of law? If it were a court, Amethyst would be jailed in Gem Glow and Steven in Laser Light Cannon, for theft of Cookie Cats and destruction of Beach City respectively. The point here is, anything that doesn't result in any permanent damage to characters is irrelevant. Why would the characters be Machiavellian manipulators in a show explicitly intended as a therapy tool for its author and its viewers?

A fandom with a similar problem is Undertale. Sans explains in neutral routes that, although "self-defense" would be acceptable in real combat, your save/load powers mean you're never in any danger. The best way to explain Undertale is with kittens. That is to say, a kitten scratches you, in an "attempt to kill you". You know for sure that the kitten can't hurt you. Why would you stomp on the kitten, then? That's all it's saying. Not anything specifically about combat. Just "be nice when reasonably possible", nothing more complex. In the game, because you are an immortal time-travelling puppet, it's always reasonably possible. The other things it says are "you can doesn't mean you have to, don't push it" and "depression is a bitch". Fans seem to disregard this, and that's where the common but inaccurate names, "pacifist" and "genocide" runs come from. The "pacifist" run isn't pacifism, it's just common sense. The "genocide" run isn't targeted, it's "destroy absolutely everything". It's omnicide if anything.

The monsters don't give a fuck about politics, and just want freedom, which could be obtained with your soul, but even then, they're willing to turn over within minutes if they like you. Asgore did nothing wrong, because he (1) keeps the human souls alive in jars, and they help you later, (2) arranges a duel with you and will only fight you with your explicit consent, (3) is responsible, along with Papyrus, Alphys and Flowey, for the freedom of monsters without a second war, (4) wants you to win and (5) holds back in battle. He's too hard on himself, and so is Toriel too hard on him, but fans often forget all of the previous to paint him as an evil murderer.

Anyway, if SU were trying to be a combat manual, why would the characters be magical androids whose bodies are made of light and can be poofed and bubbled? You cannot be forced to kill Gems, Steven has psychic powers allowing him to confirm mental processes, and humans in-show can be revived by Diamonds, so any real stakes are dissipated, leaving a solely emotional and personal context. A glorified talk show with fantasy battles to look exciting.

Here's point three: They are near-invincible.

As explained in the point about Blue taking the whole ship, you would be at their mercy. Attempting their murder would not be a good idea. If they so wanted to, they could crush you in an instant. Befriending them is the only way forward here.

Fourth, they create every other Gem:

If you were to kill even one Diamond, you would fuck Gemkind forever. It's not cool to end a species for the sake of vengeance. Diamonds themselves are cool enough not do that, despite having Lapises and boots at their disposal.

Now for point five: They are required to heal corruption.

Are you forgetting that Yellow, Blue and the Crystal Gems' explicit goal is to coax White out her room and heal Nephrite and co? If you murdered her, you would never be able to do that. Keep this shit in mind.

Point six, you can poof and bubble Gems.

Even if Diamonds were hypothetically evil, unwilling to change, not invincible, not mothers and not required to heal corruption, there would still be no reason to shatter them. Poofing and bubbling is easier, more effective and causes less suffering.

Do you support the death penalty? If so, why? I'm not talking about war or defense. I'm talking execution here.

It can only be performed after the target is imprisoned and helpless, so it has no advantage in public safety over life imprisonment.

The only purpose it serves is vengeance for the sake of it, which has no place in a justice system, something which is logically intended to protect the public and nothing else.

Basically, say, there's this guy who eats babies, stabs grandmas and kicks puppies. You might say he "needs" to die, but if police have already captured him, they can just throw him in jail and be done with it. He can't hurt anyone further. Killing him will not un-eat those babies. It simply enacts vengeance, which is understandable to want, but the death penalty isn't just for this guy. It's a system. One which kills helpless prisoners and, sometimes, innocent people.

But that's not really relevant. Diamonds couldn't be imprisoned in-show anyway. Too powerful. They aren't baby-eaters, either. As I explained earlier, this isn't about justice, or crime, or survival. The show defuses itself.

Finally, the seventh: They're fucking fictional. Warning, Star Wars ahead:

Even if Diamonds were just one-dimensional symbols of evil and corruption, like Palpatine (who is my favourite Star Wars character for that reason - being over-the-top, smug pure evil), it would still be okay to like them. Fictional villains, if they even kill, which Diamonds are shown not to, kill other fictional characters. Not real people. Liking villains doesn't make you recreate them. They're here to drive plots. Liking Vader doesn't make you kill children in military strikes. ~~Working for the US Army might.~~ Liking Hux doesn't mean you like blowing up planets. Liking Poe doesn't mean you like blowing up planets. SW is a series in which brazen mass destruction and ridiculous numbers of background character deaths are commonplace. This says nothing about your personality if you think its characters are cool. It goes for heroes, too. Liking Luke doesn't make you a space-wizard-fighter-pilot. Liking Han doesn't mean you like smuggling spice. I could go on and on.

Oh, and don't get me started on Kylo Motherfucking Ren. This dude kills a bunch of fictional characters, including his daddy. He does so because he's an unstable goth witch. His First Order, while containing Nazi-inspired imagery in some areas, hires black soldiers, so he is certainly not a (fictional) Nazi. Also, stop calling him a school shooter. He didn't shoot up a school. He lightsabered up a Jedi Temple, a military academy. But, you have fuckers on the internet saying that you support the KKK if you have a picture of Kylo Ren on your cereal box. You can relate to Ben without stabbing your dad, just as you can relate to Luke without getting your hand cut off by your dad. Liking a character doesn't mean re-enacting them. Characters are vehicles with which to drive the plot.

Here are some handy things to remember before you spout politically loaded terms about cheesy villains: did your character shoot up a school? If not, they're not a school shooter. Is your character an anti-Semite? If not, they're not a Nazi. Does your character pass up an opportunity to kill their enemies when they feel like it? If so, they're not a fascist. Does your character believe that the state should control all resources? If not, they're not a communist. Is your character a military agent? If so, they're not a serial killer. Did your character sexually violate someone? If not, they're not a rapist. Is your character an adult attracted to prepubescent children? If not, they're not a paedophile. Is your character fighting for Islam? If not, they're not a jihadist. Is your character fictional? If so, it's okay to like them regardless of their in-universe status. https://dingdongyouarewrong.tumblr.com/post/187991068090/yall-have-gotta-stop-using-words-like-abusive is a post that summarises my feelings here.

Kylo Ren is perhaps the character with the most obsessed hatedom of all time. He does bad stuff, they all say "HES EVIL KILL HIM". He decides to stop doing bad stuff, they all say "REEE HES NOT ALLOWED TO BE GOOD". He can't catch a break either way. If you're looking for an asshole Star Wars character who has no conflict within him and relishes in pure demonism, see Palpatine. If you're looking for a court of law, if you're looking to see a lynching, don't watch Star Wars, a series whose original trilogy stars technically a terrorist as its protagonist. That's right. If SW were a court like you wanted, rather than an adventure film, Luke would be executed. The Empire is the government, remember. Is this what you want?

I wish SU's fanbase was as chill as Final Fantasy VII's. FF's fanbase overall is split as fuck, to an even greater degree than SW's, but let's talk VII specifically. Everyone likes Cloud, Rufus, Sephiroth and whoever. In-universe, one is an ecoterrorist, one is a corrupt businessman, and the other is an arsonist. The fans seem to understand, for the most part, that these characters are just driving a fictional plot - didn't hurt any real people, aren't in a court, and it's okay to like them and even ship them.

I hate your "anti-improvement" attitude. If this fictional edgelord wants to become kinder, why not let him? That's what I don't understand. Your obsession with "justice" doesn't protect anyone further, it just tries to make sure bad never becomes good. I say Vader's redemption is "deserved", because you get the right to be less shitty, by, well, being less shitty. Who cares if he killed children? So did Obi-Wan and Yoda. It's Star - it's fantasy, and it's Wars - it's massively destructive in-universe. It's Star Wars, not Real Isolated Incidents of Violence. Do you say Luke is irredeemable because he killed 1.2 million background characters in a terrorist attack? It's not about the actions. It's what they represent. The younglings represent Anakin killing his innocence, whereas the Death Star represents Luke beating the odds, stopping the doomsday weapon. What matters is that Anakin showed his ability to care, reawakened by Luke. That Luke was right in saying Anakin wasn't completely fucked.

Anyone can improve. This is an objective fact. If you strive to be the best you can, that's enough. Some people, like the politicians and criminals you always bring up, choose not to. If the real Hitler hypothetically decided to stop the Jew-killing thing and join the Allies, why stop him? Of course, he didn't. This disqualifies him as a comparison here. The desire to improve is what, fictionality aside, separates characters like Anakin and Ben from MUH POLITICS. The obsessed antis are all like, "y u ship rey with dad killuh?", which is like saying "y u ship leia with drug smuggluh?" - they're fictional - explorations of concepts and personality, not criminal records. As soon as you're space, you're not Hitler. I am sick and tired of all these useless and often asinine comparisons. If you try to equate fantasy villains 1-1 with real figures, you're gonna have a bad time.

I also find it very insensitive to put fictional villains on the same level as real depraved criminals. Someone who kills fictional characters to drive a plot of entertainment versus someone who destroys real lives for no purpose. I like playing as Bowser in Mario Kart. I don't like kidnapping princesses. I like Radiohead's Knives Out. I don't like cannibalism. Town of Salem is my favourite online game. I don't like witch hunts.

On a related note, emphasis is everything. Luke Skywalker might have more kills than a slasher villain. That doesn't mean he's more disturbing than one. It's all about focus and narrative purpose. Luke is no sadist or pervert. There is no emphasis on the pain and visceral suffering he might cause. This is also why, for example, I am more comfortable with Ravenholm in Half-Life 2 than I am with, say, a screamer shock site. Ravenholm may be more "graphic" (screaming zombies, dismemberment and whatnot), but it serves its purpose as part of a whole - a good game, with a specifically and effectively spooky part. The hypothetical screamer, on the other hand, is a cheap one-trick pony with no greater purpose or tonal merit. Anakin burning is more disturbing than the destruction of Alderaan, because despite being zero deaths vs. countless, the former has emphasis on pain and desperation, whereas the latter is simply a depiction of a big rock exploding. I like Town of Salem, but I probably wouldn't like it if its lynchings were less comical as a gameplay mechanic and actually tried to depict suffering.

Finally, this is why your government is probably less despicable than a terrorist organisation. Your country's government might have killed greater numbers, but it is probably less targeted and ideologically extreme, and serves a purpose other than to destroy. This is also why despots are less viscerally disturbing to discuss than serial killers. It's why Waiting for the Worms has more artistic value, and is less disturbing, than actual neo-Nazi propaganda - it serves a tonal purpose within its greater work, rather than simply being a glorification of Nazism. Depiction and advocacy are two different things.

But, enough Star Wars (and real wars). Diamonds and co don't even do anything like that.

Anyway, I hoped you enjoyed the complete absolution of Diamonds. You probably won't listen. You will probably ignore all of the evidence and citations I have provided, and will counterargue with politically-loaded words whose usage I have already debunked.

In summary:

Actual show's Diamonds:

A group of four people, who learn to understand each other and realise they're not that different.

Can be a bit scary sometimes, and absolutely have the power to wipe you out, but never do so because they are soft pushovers.

Created every other Gem as an extension of themselves.

Are motivated by a feeling of inadequacy, desire to cheer up the others, sadness and all three of the previous, respectively.

Created the Cluster, a revival of the shattered as a being capable of love and healing, under the guise of blowing up Earth (which it would only take a single Lapis to do).

Haven't a clue about alien biology.

Are walking disorders, but trying their best.

VERSUS

Sub's idea of Diamonds:

A single person named "The Diamonds", who is pure evil and not like the heroes at all.

Always shatter their enemies with no second thought.

Took over Homeworld, and should be overthrown.

Are motivated by a lust for power and political ideology.

Created the Evil Cluster, a horrible abomination of eternal suffering that is beyond help.

Enslaved several other sapient alien species.

Are pure evil and all their help is fake.

Now, which one seems more in line with the therapy show? The top, of course.

Appendix on Kevin and Average Dickery:

You may ask why Steven has more sympathy for Diamonds than Kevin. Other than the fact that no-one here is that bad, as explained previously, here's why:

Major vs Minor: All four Diamonds are major characters. Kevin is a minor recurring character. Of course Diamonds are going to be given more attention than him. If you're looking for a character who initially acts like Kevin (an average "jerk"), but is major and warms up to Steven, see Lars. On a related note, Kevin himself seems to be hiding some kind of affection when he comments on how genuine Stevonnie is. This is like asking why Luke Skywalker has more sympathy for Darth Vader than, say, Ponda Baba, or why Mario goes racing with Bowser and not some random Goomba.

Emotional discharge: Steven is about helping people in need of comfort and encouraging self-love. Whereas the show's "serious antagonists" (eg Jasper, three Diamonds, Lapis) show deep insecurities and flaws, Kevin is simply there to teach Stevonnie a lesson about obsession - Stevonnie is willing to give Kevin the benefit of the doubt, with his lying "little brother" story, but he's just being a heel, some dude who lives for the haters, rather than an actual mess. This is like asking why I like Thom Yorke, who frequently threatens to kill me in song lyrics, over some random dude harassing me in the street.

Necessity (Banana Co.): Befriending the Diamonds, healing corruption and not starting another war are the goals of the Crystal Gems. Central plot. Kevin, on the other hand, is some dude occasionally harassing/partying with Stevonnie.

Status quo: Saying "Imma kill you, Steven, planet is boom" is the status quo for new major characters - engaging in inconsequential magical fights, singing and crying. On the other hand, mundane creepery/dickery is something uncommon for the show.

It's great if Kevin helped you stop being creepy or obsessed, and I think he's cute, but obviously him and (more majorly) Lars' thing is less important in the show's context than the central theme of emotional difficulty, and getting over it, presented with Crystal Gems, Diamonds et cetera.

Other Appendix on how White/Yellow/Blue are no worse than Crystal Gems and this is intentional because it's about sobbing messes who find comfort in each other and not good guys versus bad guys:

Threatened to kill Steven/Garnet/whoever!

Garnet threatens to permanently bubble Lapis and Peridot, simply for not being on her team, essentially threatening to kill them. Also, the Crystal Gems have seemingly endangered Steven's life or directly fought him in many situations.

Forced fusion!

Pearl tricks Garnet into fusing with her. Steven also fuses with the other Crystal Gems to awaken them from poofing.

Called fusions they don't like abominations!

Garnet called the Cluster an abomination, and said she wanted her destroyed. Blue's "fusion police" attitude also spreads to Garnet when she's anal about Sardonyx and the mutant fusions. Funnily enough, the Cluster is probably a healthier relationship than Garnet. Ruby and Sapphire can split, but are left helpless without each other. The Cluster's components, on the other hand, necessarily stick together and never separate, to feel whole. That is to say, Cluster is symbiotic, whereas Garnet, although contented, takes away the autonomy of two Gems who could function separately.

Threatened to destroy humanity!

Bismuth threatened to destroy the Diamonds, and thus Gemkind which is kept alive by them.

Killed (insert being here)!

Didn't happen, see earlier analysis.

Pretty much, it's just the term "Crystal Gem" that instantly marks a character as "good" for you. Perhaps. Or maybe the star. If you're going to judge "the Diamonds" as one entity, at least be consistent and judge "the Crystal Gems" as a single entity, too.

I very strongly disagree with people who say that the show "needs" an "irredeemable" villain. While pure evil villains are fun, this show is not about this kind of person. It's not saying that psychopaths don't exist, it's just not about psychopaths. The point with this show's every major character is that they all represent different temper and self-worth issues, and how to overcome them and be loved in spite of them.

Saying this show is bad because it doesn't try to be a combat manual and isn't about Machiavellianism is like saying The Dark Side of the Moon is a bad album because it doesn't have any death metal songs on it. Alternatively, it's like asking "why doesn't my yoga class teach me how to operate a tank?". Man, I wish my therapist gave me a licence to operate M249 SAWs. "Why doesn't Animal Crossing let you go to hell and slay demons?" "Why doesn't Doom let you relax and build a town?"

Death metal is cool. Pure evil villains are cool. But, just as Pink Floyd is not a metal band, Steven Universe is not a good-versus-evil show. TDSOTM, as an introspective album, would not benefit from a death metal song. SU, as a hurt/comfort show, would not benefit from a psychopath character. The villains might be you. That is, they're not representing enemies you will face so much as problems and quirks you might have.

On a related note, I despise the "appeal to worse problems"/"children in Africa" fallacy. Just if you're sociopolitically sound doesn't mean you're personally sound. It conflates "X is bad" as a statement with "X is the most globally important issue". It's like saying "You've been shot? Don't complain! You could be on fire!". Radiohead's Palo Alto sums it up (I'm OK, how are you? Thanks for asking, thanks for asking! I'm OK, how are you? I hope you're OK too!). You get rich, or maybe you have a nice life on paper. You have to pretend you're fine because that would be "spoiled" to be honest with your feelings. MGMT's Time to Pretend also does it well, as does Yellow Diamond's character in the show.

Different things have different subjects. That's it. You might like a cold political drama on a massive scale. That's cool. It tackles societal and political issues. But SU isn't that. It's about personal issues. A different kettle of fish entirely.

That is all I have to say about Diamonds.

Now for an interlude, a different point: Stop calling people paedophiles and rapists over a show.

I will make the point if you are attracted to Steven, Connie or whoever else, this does not make you a paedophile, because:

Paedophilia is the primary sexual attraction to prepubescent children.

Steven is a teenager, a point at which sexuality is natural.

Steven is drawn in such a way that he does not resemble a real person, so attraction to him for whatever reason does not mean attraction to any real age group. Amethyst, Peridot, Ruby, Sapphire and Spinel are all shorter, less mature and higher-pitched than him. I don't any crusades against liking those five.

You might say "bUt hE's 17!", but that's just an informed attribute in-show. The form of Ame/Peri/Ruby/Sapphy/Spinel means your objection is not appearance-based. If wanting to fuck Steven meant you wanted to fuck real children because 17-year-olds are children, then wanting to fuck Jasper or whoever would mean you want to fuck mummified corpses, because that's what real 6000-year-olds are.

It would also mean you're calling Rebecca Sugar a "paedo" for having drawn Ed, Edd 'n' Eddy smut as a teenager.

They don't look like real children, so nothing deeper is meant by that. Hell, even Pearl looks more like a real child than Steven does. That is, still not at all similar in any meaningful way.

Also, it's okay to ship anyone.

Don't give me the "ShEs 6000 and hEs 17" bullshit. Gems don't age, so the physical time they've been around has nothing to do with their maturity or feelings, unless you're going to argue that Peridot, Amethyst and Spinel of all people are intended to be like old women.

FUCKING STOP CALLING RULE 34 ART "CHILD PORNOGRAPHY". SERIOUSLY, ARE YOU PUTTING HEAVILY STYLISED FICTIONAL DRAWINGS THAT DON'T ACTUALLY HURT ANYONE IN WHICH THE AGE IS SIMPLY AN INFORMED ATTRIBUTE ON THE SAME LEVEL AS ACTUAL CHILD SEXUAL EXPLOITATION? JESUS FUCKING CHRIST, WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU? THIS IS THE MOST TRIVIALISING AND SENSATIONALIST SHIT I'VE EVER HEARD.

Also, for the few of you who call Steg "child porn", FUCKING STOP. Not only does Steg look more like Freddie Mercury than he looks like an actual child, so, even less realistic than Steven, no children were sexually exploited to produce him.

Stop harassing real people over the rights of drawings. You may say they "normalise" CSA, but that's the "Doom makes people shoot each other" argument verbatim. Cartoons don't look real. Shooting stuff in Doom doesn't feel real. I'm saying real harassment causes more harm than a picture of a cartoon Steven's little wiener.

Even in the case of real child abuse, you still shouldn't want people murdered over it. If you do that, if you celebrate the murder of imprisoned child molesters, you're still celebrating murder. Murder of helpless people who are incapable of doing any more harm, and usually didn't even kill anyone.

Here's a disclaimer: I'm ace. I'm not attracted to any characters or real people, nor do I have any ship I particularly like other than generally "every Gem loves every other one".

I am not defending Nazism or child abuse, just telling you to stop fucking TRIVIALISING those terms and explaining why this show and its fandom are neither.

Anyway, now my three controversial points are fully argued, have one that's a bit more minor but still pisses off this contrarian sub:

Spinel did nothing wrong.

Whenever I view this sub, the top post is always about how Pink is a pure angel and Spinel is evil, saying "oh, neglect doesn't excuse Spinel's doing nothing of consequence but it does excuse Pink's ruining of Spinel". Fuck off.

I have already explained how Pink became Steven, so he's out the way now.

Anyway, let's get to Spinel.

She's literally Bismuth 2.0.

She was screwed over by Pink/Rose for 6000 years. She lashed out and said she would destroy Earth/the Diamonds (and, by extension, humanity/Gems), but a single girl with a drill couldn't do that. She decided, ultimately, of her own accord, not to kill anyone despite the vast physical power she possessed. She's a big sobbing pushover. She worried that no-one would love her, but Garnet/White, Amethyst/Yellow and Pearl/Blue proved her wrong.

The movie is basically Made of Honor but longer.

This sub upvotes literally anything that shits on Spinel, but not the same for Bismuth.

Why?

It's just contrarianism, isn't it? In September, we were all gushing over her.

She was tricked and abandoned by her "best friend", only find out after patiently waiting for six fucking thousand years that Pink had lived a life without her and replaced her with "real" friends. I'll say it, Spinel's rage is completely justified and understandable. The Crystal Gems, Rose cared for them. But she didn't care about Spinel. Those other friends stole everything away from her. And then, you know what? Who stopped Spinel? Spinel, you fucking imbecile. Not Steven. He says things, but it's ultimately her decision to break down crying, not kill anyone, smash the distinctly non-ocean-destroying machine, and admit that she needs help. That's brave.

And you know what? When Steven lowers his shield, Spinel could use her giant fists that have the power to break the injector with a single punch to uppercut Steven's fucking head off. But she chooses not to. She doesn't have it in her.

The sub says "tRiDe tA kaMMet jingledinglecide!". Well, guess what: it's not fucking genocide if there is no target ethnicity, and it's not fucking "trying" if you stop yourself. That's like saying being a misanthrope is racist.

So, what are her "crimes", in the end? Just being upset. That's literally it. But you think she should be killed for thoughtcrimes because she had one bad day. Apparently, all her hurt and anxiety doesn't "justify" being upset. She's "evil" because she even did the status quo for the show, consider destroying Steven and Earth. And, before you starting ranting about property damage, Ctrl+F Laser Light Cannon.

Picture this:

You were created to love someone.

That someone leaves you and says she'll return.

You wait six fucking thousand years, patiently, for her.

Turns out, as far you know, she's dead. She lied to you. No-one ever loved you.

Now, her "son" and his friends, celebrate "everyone getting a happy ending", while leaving you high and dry, when you were the one literally created to be her friend.

One of those other friends remembers you. She still doesn't tell anyone about you.

You have a "planet-destroying" injector. Fuck that planet. It's full of worthless, ignorant scum. Scum who ruined your life and gloat about having a happy ending.

You, naturally, snap. You slam the stupid-ass drill into the planet. Literally anything you do would be understandable at this point.

Bastard son cuts you in half, after stealing your weapon from you. This isn't self-defense, it's vengeance.

You regenerate without your memories.

You regain them, revisiting that garden you were left in.

Son sings song about how you'll feel found again.

Then, he basically admits that he only cares about his "real" friends, and only needed you to turn off the drill and nothing else.

Alright, fuck that guy. He knows exactly what your issue is, abandonment. He still thinks abandoning you will be a good idea. Selfish prick. Wilful ignorance. He claims the be the saviour of the universe, yet only cares for a few people. Some of those few people - the water one and the rainbow one, they have the exact same issue as you. He wanted to help them. Why not you?

Turn drill back on, fight him.

He finally realises that his previous understanding and care is what led him to his "happy ending" in the first place.

He lets down his shield.

Your fist, which can grow to infinite size and break your entire comically oversized drill with one punch, could blow his head off.

You choose not to, because you're nice. You're sad, not a psychopath.

He's probably ready to abandon you again for his "real friends", although he says he won't.

Three nicer Diamonds come and adopt you.

That's Spinel. This sub has the idea that, because Rebecca said the word "toxic", Spinel "deserved" her abandonment and crippling self-esteem issues - the idea that she's "evil" and Steven is the perfect victim who can do no wrong. "Toxic", God, I hate that word. It usually avoids explanation for a predefined good/evil mindset. The whole point of the movie is that Steven improves himself, just as Spinel does. He realises that he's not being as helpful as could be, and decides to change that. You might "oh, he has no obligation to help her", but if he's helped people like her before, there's no reason for him not to continue doing so. Are you content with regression? What Steven does before his realisation is the equivalent of throwing a firework display in front of someone who you know is a PTSD-riddled ex-marine, knowing what will happen but doing it anyway, for the pleasure of your "real friends" - reassuring her worry that no-one really cares for her.

Don't tell me you wouldn't snap if the above sequence of events happened to you. Hell, that's a good benchmark. "Would I feel this way if x happened to me?" If the answer is "yes", it's justified. I'm not talking politics here, I'm talking emotional breakdowns. Not justified in a court, but in terms of understandability. If I had a fist that big, I would have almost certainly murdered at least one of you by now. I'm not saying I want to, I'm just saying I don't think I could manage that level of restraint with such great power. That, as discussed earlier, is why Diamonds are exceptionally merciful and patient characters. If you were a robot, literally created for the express purpose of managing quarries and producing more robots, but then choose not to use your massive physical power to crush your opponents anyway, what did you do wrong? Why do people call you "HITLUH"? That's the greater Diamonds. When people say White, Yellow and Blue "abused" Pink, they don't seem to realise that Pink was literally engineered for the things White and co. made her do. It's use as intended.

With Spinel, it's special needs. You don't seem to understand this. If you feel no sympathy for Spinel, either you don't feel from fiction (in which case, I admire that, but why are you watching Steven Universe?), or you're heartless. You're like one of my brothers. The one who knows I self-harm, and jokes about it at my expense. Someone who thinks upset people are just "acting" and are "unjustified" - they need to "man up". Fuck off. The central message of this show is that you shouldn't suffer alone, you're worth it and you should love yourself. I've seen some of you say the characters "deserve" their self-hatred. FUCK OFF. You're not helping anyone this way. You might end up driving someone to suicide one day, and that person, I fear, might be me. You make me feel awful for liking these completely innocent and uplifting characters.

One last thing: This show isn't political.

It never says anything about how to handle war, race, religion, economy or crime. Is it that many of the characters are LGBT+? That's not an ideology. People call this show "feminist" and "essjay woowoo", but it never advocates a political system or says anything about "men vs women". LGBT+ is just identity and comfort. Religions, parties and feminist/racial groups feature a set of laws and codes, whereas mental conditions and gender/sexual orientations are purely personal. I, unlike many, perfectly understand non-binary people, because, like hugging a pillow to bed, or having essential oils diffused through your bedroom, it's just something you do for personal comfort. Not an ideology you enforce, or a gross physical habit you perform, just an identity, something you prefer to be called. Why do you give a fuck?

Now, just as I was writing this essay, I discovered that the show was ending in March. Fuck. It was my iron lung. I'm chained to it. I probably would have killed myself due to a severe bout of depression and self-harm about 1.25 years ago, if it wasn't for this show. That's how White Diamond made me feel. Loved. The depressing thing is that everything dies. Either your show dies young, or it lives long enough to become stale. It's like the end of Off. If you side with the Batter, the world ends. If you side with the Judge, the world continues to suffer. It raises the question of what is preferable: oblivion or suffering? This show took the former route. I'm excited, with worm Steven and whatnot, but also dreading it. Petscop, my other favourite show, ended back in November. No more new episodes to think about and overanalyse. Maybe I'll write a fanfic. I have had dreams about SU characters, after all. At least it's not Pokémon, where greed and complacency turn you to shit.

What's next? "Radiohead disbands!". Probably. "Everything ends, broken. Why can't you forget?", they said, in Planet Telex. That's true. Everything, from shows to relationships, ends in either disrepair or death. I just can't cope. I wish I could just not get attached to things. I wish I could distance myself, and not care when they go away or turn bad. I wish I could be the sun, and not care when the stars go out. I don't know what to do. The sky is falling in.

That will be all.

#rant #fuck you all #i'm a piece of shit #purity police #anti-anti

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scrapsofsky · 4 years

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I have once more (and a very long time ago) been challenged by Ian Sales to join him in our un-named war to come up with the best arbitrary list of films within an equally arbitrarily selected category. You can find previous iterations of this absurdity here, here, here, here, and here. We have, alas, not done this in a long while, which we can both blame on being busy with many other things.

But in the interest of rekindling silliness, I have been loosely challenged by Ian to come up with a list of 10 underrated SF/F films from the last 20 years, which is a direct response to this ScreenRant list. Since this list is in response to a link with a remarkably open prompt, I’ve opted to stick to the 10 item list format. Future challenges will go back to our favorite number: 5.

Ian, of course, has already dropped his list. Go check it out!

With that in mind, the following list of 10 films represent my attempt to put together films that I consider to be overrated. My criteria is fairly simple:

It must be a SF/F film released since 1999.

It must be underrated in the sense that it is underappreciated by the SF/F community or has largely been forgotten. Box office numbers may be part of the equation, but mostly I will go on my own interactions with the SF/F community and sadly arbitrary interpretations of what has been “lost” to everyday discourse.

I literally don’t care if the movies I pick are considered “good” by other people, and so I’ve picked films that I think are interesting for some reason or another. This inevitably means that you will hate my list and wish me to fall into a pit of endless fire.

So, without further adieu, here’s my list:

The Place Promised in Our Early Days (2004)(dir. Makoto Shinkai)

One of my first academic essay publications focused on this film, which should tell you how much I enjoy it. Kumo no Mukō, Yakusoku no Basho is, in my opinion, Makoto Shinkai’s magnum opus. A story of friendship, betrayal, and love. A story of the Cold War, imperial control, and out of control technology. Shinkai’s method of storytelling is remarkable: low key and vibrant, emotionally tense and freeing. In a world where Hayao Miyazaki is considered the King of Japanese Animation, Shinkai’s work has sadly not received the appreciation it deserves — Kumo no Mukō, Yakusoku no Basho especially.

The Chronicles of Riddick (2004)(dir. David Twohy)

I strongly considered putting 2000’s Pitch Black here instead, but I think that film, while perhaps a bit underrated today, has received considerable praise. Its sequel, The Chronicles of Riddick, however, has often been derided for one reason or another. Unfairly, in my opinion. From its Gothic (with a side of emo) aesthetic to its expansion of the Riddick universe into a sprawling space opera to its total commitment to the gritty, morally ambiguous treasure trove of dirty, grungy themes, places, and characters, The Chronicles of Riddick is easily one of my favorite science fiction films of the last 20-ish years. Plus, the cast is fantastic. This is a hill I’m willing to die on. (Also: I look forward to checking out Furya and Merc City in the near future!)

Night Watch and Day Watch (2004 and 2006)(dir. Timur Bekmambetov)

I’m counting these as one because it’s my list and I can do what I want. This Russian duology is based on Sergey Lukyanenko urban fantasy novels about the conflict between two supernatural factions who monitor the actions of one another as part of an uneasy truce. Part detective thriller and part dark fantasy, the films pack quite a punch. However, outside of the circuit of foreign film lovers within SF/F, they’ve largely flown under the radar, this despite starring well known Russian actor Konstantin Khabensky. If you’ve never seen these films, you owe it to yourself to watch them, even if for no other reason than to watch someone drive a sports car across the face of an apartment complex!

Sunshine (2007)(dir. Danny Boyle)

I considered putting Danny Boyle’s 28 Days Later here instead, but I don’t think that film is actually all that underrated even if it doesn’t get as much play today as it did a decade ago. Sunshine, however, has spent most of its existence floating between general praise for its visuals and premise and general dislike for its second act. And, yes, it is a spectacularly gorgeous film, but that second act is, in my opinion, far more interesting than most people are willing to admit. Turning a space thriller into a horror film as a commentary on the paradoxical frailty and strength of the human spirit is, in my opinion, a gutsy move. For me, that move pays off, and it’s one of the reasons I think this film has remained underrated. It doesn’t follow the pattern these stories usually follow. It’s basically Armageddon if that film took itself seriously and Rockhound actually went insane. And that makes it an infinitely more interesting film.

Upgrade (2018)(dir. Leigh Whannell)

If you didn’t get a chance to see Upgrade, you’re missing out. This sleeper scifi action thriller had some of the most compelling fight choreography and shot compositions of 2018, and yet it flew under the radar. I had the good fortune to see the film in theaters; the experience did not disappoint. Much of the fight choreography relied on some impressive camera trickery to follow the lead actor’s movements, giving the entire film a robotic and wonky feel. It’s truly exciting to watch, and I wish more people had had the opportunity to do so in an actual theater. Because it’s gorgeous on the big screen!

Push (2009)(dir. Paul McGuigan)

I will watch almost anything with Djimon Hounsou in it. Push is one of those forgotten little films that takes a less in-your-face approach to the whole super powers concept. In this world, people with powers are test subjects or hidden in plain sight, monitored by a nefarious organization with equally nefarious intents. By comparison to the typical superhero film we have today, Push is quite restrained, relishing in the quirks and trickery of its list of powers and giving actors like Dakota Fanning the space to place (watching her drunkenly stumble around is kinda fun). It’s an imperfect film to be sure, but one that I still love.

Hulk (2003)(dir. Ang Lee)

I’m going to catch hell for this, but Ang Lee’s Hulk is one of my favorite superhero movies to date. I even prefer it to that other Hulk film by a long mile. Lee does give us some of the stuff you expect from a superhero film (big fight scenes and visual spectacle), but I particularly love the softer focus on Banner and his mental state. It feels more like a film that is trying to say something about human nature than a film stuck in an endless action sequence or caught up in villainy for the sake of villainy. For me, that means the film takes more chances with its performance and themes. And I’m always more compelled by the film that tries to do something interesting and failed than I am by the alternative.

Another Earth (2011)(dir. Mike Cahill)

Independent cinema has a tendency to produce some truly introspective and powerful films. Another Earth is no exception. A film about loss, guilty, love, and second chances, Another Earth‘s science fiction premise (a mirror Earth) is really just background, offering an opportunity in the conclusion and lending weight to the central thematic of loss and guilt as the romance between the protagonists comes head-to-head with a secret that threatens to tear them apart. The narrative is at times quite haunting, but it also commands us to think more deeply about what it means to seek forgiveness, to seek second chances, to live with loss, and so on. And if you like this one, Sound of My Voice (2011) is a far creepier film about cults that also stars Brit Marling!

Dredd (2012)(dir. Pete Travis)

We will never get an adaptation of Judge Dredd that is as good as 2012’s Dredd. A vicious, unrelenting and dark film, Dredd is one of those films that desperately deserves more credit than it has thus far received. Karl Urban’s performance is textbook perfection, and Travis’ direction gives this a brutally honest tone. And unlike its predecessor adaptation, Dredd isn’t endlessly mockable; instead, it is a visually arresting satire that makes most action thrillers look tame. There are few films on this list that I would say are perfect. Dredd is one of them.

The Cat Returns (2002)(dir. Hiroyuki Morita)

Studio Ghibli gets a lot of well-deserved love for its many Hayao Miyazaki films (my favorite Miyazaki is actually Mononoke Hime / Princess Mononoke). But one film the studio doesn’t get enough credit for is the utterly delightful Neko no Ongaeshi / The Cat Returns (or The Cat’s Repayment). It’s an Alice in Wonderland type tale (or tail, heh) about a young girl who gets sucked into the secret world of cats. Calling this film delightful is an understatement. It is downright adorable, and it has been sadly overshadowed by Ghibli’s many other exceptional productions. But if you’re looking for a cute (and sometimes hilarious) fantasy adventure involving talking cats, The Cat Returns is the film for you.

And that’s it. That’s my list. I could add many other films here, but I’ve limited myself to ten.

Now for a challenge to Ian and anyone else who wants to take it: pick your five favorite films featuring talking animals! Go!

It's time for another #FilmChallenge. @ian_sales challenged me to come up with 10 underrated SF/F films released between 1999 and 2019. So here's my list! :D I have once more (and a very long time ago) been challenged by Ian Sales to join him in our un-named war to come up with the best arbitrary list of films within an equally arbitrarily selected category.

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teenybeanielinguine · 5 years

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Outlander S4 - A Reflection

With that explosive finale behind us and a long Droughtlander ahead, I’m taking a moment to look back on this season and reflect on the good, the bad, and the ugly.

(I’ve had some time to unpack and process, so be warned: this is a LONG review, with mild spoilers for The Fiery Cross.)

The Good:

I understand that this was a divisive season for many fans, but I personally loved it! I could write a whole book about everything I loved, but for the sake of time, I’ll confine my praise to the best part of this season: the amazing cast of actors who bring my favorite characters to life.

Caitriona Balfe reprised her role as Claire Fraser with stunning success, and really sparkled when she shared the screen with her fellow cast members; her most powerful moments this season were definitely the mother/daughter conversations she had with Bree and Marsali. Though she handles tragic scenes with ease, I hope she is given a chance to enact lighter, happier sequences in Season 5; Jamie and Claire need more laughter and teasing, less heart-felt speeches and drama.

As our leading man, Sam Heughan played Jamie to perfection; he managed to tell entire stories with his eyes alone. Same as with Balfe, he captures tragedy easily, but I want him to stretch out a little and show off his acting chops. There will always be drama in Claire and Jamie’s lives, but please sprinkle in some more fluffy moments, so we can see Heughan laugh! Jamie’s roles as patriarch and leader are also going to be significantly expanded in the next season (the last few moments of the finale teased that a bit), and I can’t wait to see Heughan tackle that challenge.

I’ve been tentative about Sophie Skelton in the past; after all, Brianna is one of my favorite characters, despite her polarizing nature, and I was worried about her portrayal. But Skelton nailed everything (the rape scene and its aftermath, in particular, were deeply chilling), and I have complete confidence that Bree is in safe hands. In the finale, we saw Bree finally become a mother and reunite with her husband (not gonna lie, I’ve had that reunion on a loop ever since it aired); these two events are going to play major roles in her character growth (so excited for next season!).

Richard Rankin was a tour-de-force as Roger; I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the screen every time he appeared. Any issues I had with his character were purely a result of writing and production choices, and despite those issues, Rankin still managed to make the character wonderfully, emotionally, lovably human (for further evidence, please refer to the idiot hut). Roger’s journey is one of the most difficult transformations in the series, and next season will be challenging for Rankin; I’m particularly interested to see how he handles Roger’s growing relationship with Jamie.

All the leads were supported by a strong set of secondary characters, from Duncan Lacroix as the miraculously resurrected Murtagh to David Berry as the fabulous Lord John Grey. John Bell was one of my absolute favorites, with his spot-on portrayal of Young Ian (that proposal! the emotional goodbye!! running the gauntlet!!!). Ed Speelers played Stephen Bonnet in a way that brought back shivery memories of Black Jack. Honestly, there was no weak link in this cast. Special shoutout to Braeden Clarke (Kaheroton) and Tantoo Cardinal (Adawehi/Nayawenne in the books); hopefully we’ll be able to see even more powerful and complex First Nations characters in the coming season (to this effect, may I humbly suggest showing Young Ian’s time among the Mohawk? Would love to see that first-hand rather than having the character describe it after the fact; also, you can never have too much John Bell).

This Season’s MVPs: Lauren Lyle and César Domboy. Marsali and Fergus are never more than side characters in the books; you never hear the story from their POV. Thankfully, the show saw a chance to expand their roles and took it. And oh boy, did Domboy and Lyle deliver! Their nuanced performances just blew me away (”If Not For Hope” comes to mind). I hope that we see even more of them going forward.

The Bad:

No adaptation is perfect (although if you have found one that is, please message me immediately). It is especially difficult when the adaptation in question has to fit an 880-page book into a mere 13 hours; to put it into perspective, the audiobook version of Drums of Autumn is a whopping 45 hours long! Though I like to nitpick and criticize, I am not so arrogant as to think that I could have done a better job, and I am very grateful to the writing and production teams who tackle this impossible task. I am also strangely content with most of the deviations they’ve made from the source material (Murtagh as a regulator is particularly genius, with really interesting implications for next season).

That being said, there is some room for improvement. And one area that definitely needs some fine tuning is Claire and Jamie. This year, some very vocal fans found issue with the fact that we didn’t see our main lovebirds enough, and there weren’t enough sex scenes, and why weren’t they in this episode?! For me, none of those things were an issue, especially given that we saw Jamie and Claire way more than any other characters this season. I don’t think we need more J/C time; I think we need better J/C time.

I wish the show would stop beating us over the head with Jamie and Claire’s epic love; we know their love is deep and everlasting, that’s why we keep coming back! (That, and the kilts.) But we need to move on from soap-operatic speeches and tender love-making; those were more interesting in the early days of their marriage, when their love was a new, fragile thing. Show me instead the easy comfort of a long-married couple: the teasing, the laughter, the bone-deep happiness. Balfe and Heughan have such great chemistry when it comes to that kind of thing, but we’ve only gotten snippets of it this season! Rather than another over-the-top, tear-jerking scene where Jamie and Claire reassure each other and reaffirm their love (again), give me Claire cuddling up to Jamie under a snowbank after his back gives out and telling him stories. Or exchanging amused looks with him when Young Ian does/says something silly. Or Jamie teasing Claire about that time she hit him in the head with a fish while he was trying to fight off a bear (true story). Or Claire teasing Jamie with her new breeches (I’m not going to say no to sex scenes entirely). Get rid of the excessive drama (this couple already has more drama than they know what to do with); bring on the fluff!

Speaking of moving on, the show needs to let Frank Randall go. By this point in the series, he’s been dead for a few years, and quite frankly, good riddance (pardon the pun). His character was cast in a sympathetic light for narrative purposes; the producers wanted to make him the antithesis of his ancestor, Black Jack Randall, so they carefully omitted the fact that he was at times a racist ass with a string of mistresses (my apologies to any Frank fans; as you can see, he’s not one of my favorite characters). The problem is that they took it too far, painting Frank as a martyr and putting first Claire, then Jamie, at a big disadvantage. Despite this mistake, I’m fine with using Frank to flesh out Brianna’s character (his only redeeming quality is his aptitude for fatherhood), but that should have happened very early on in the season, before Bree makes the journey through the stones. That journey is a pivotal point for Bree; she is driven not only by a need to save her mother, but also by a deep curiosity and longing for this birth father that she’s never met. In the book, she even goes so far as to abandon the name “Randall” and adopt “Fraser” for the journey. But that sentiment was lost entirely by the decision to have Frank accompany her on the voyage, narratively speaking. We no longer get the feeling that she’s eager to meet/bond with Jamie; even worse, the writers had her casually dropping Frank’s name into every conversation! No matter how great Tobias Menzies is, we have neither the time nor the will to keep devoting so much energy to a deceased character (who isn’t that critical to the future story, btw). Heading into Season 5, we need to make our final, belated goodbyes to Frank Randall.

One 20th century man we should have seen more of instead was Roger Mackenzie. As we dove into Season 4, I was so excited to see his developing relationship with Brianna; remember when they were super cute together, a million years ago in Season 3? But too much focus on exposition meant that we didn’t see them until three episodes in, and instead of the slow burn I had anticipated, we got a lot of unnecessary drama. Why on Earth is Roger a misogynist all of a sudden? What happened to the sweet proposal where they both decide they’re not yet ready for marriage? The lack of screen time meant that Bree and Roger’s entire relationship development was crammed into one episode; coupled with poor writing choices, the result was a shaky romance that was hard to root for. I was lucky enough to have the books as a safety net; I know exactly how deeply they love and respect each other, despite the mayhem onscreen. But the fans who hadn’t read the series (and even some who had) didn’t understand why these two were an endgame couple, and I don’t blame them. That last reunion scene helped cement their relationship a little, but not enough; unfortunately, Season 5 is going to have to waste some of its precious time rectifying this misstep.

Which brings me to my last point: the pacing. With so many new characters and so little time, it is more important than ever that the show learn to juggle all the storylines more smoothly. The pacing of this season was so uneven, it gave me whiplash. Gone are the days when Claire and Jamie were the only focus; from now on, their ever-growing family is going to continue complicating matters. Outlander needs to evolve to meet this need if it wants to keep up. (Also, could we revert back to a 16-episode format, like in Season 1? Please and thank you.)

The Ugly:

I will readily admit that I am new to this fandom. I got hooked on the show during summer 2018 and devoured the books shortly thereafter. When I joined Tumblr in the fall, it was because I wanted to celebrate this story with likeminded people and geek out over the upcoming season.

The actual experience was a bit more jarring (suffice it to say, I didn’t know hate-watching was a real thing that people did). I don’t want to chastise or implore certain fans to adopt a more positive outlook; I’ve seen a lot of posts about that already, and I’m not inclined to add to them. Instead, I’d like to share some of the guidelines I impose on myself when I contribute to any fandom (I’m not saying these will or should work for everyone, but they have worked for me):

Love, not hate. To me, a fandom is a community that comes together out of love. Knowing this, I try my best not to express any feelings of hate within that community; I don’t think it’s an appropriate place to share those feelings, and I don’t want to diminish the fandom experience for anyone else. If I find that I no longer love or even like the show/book/movie that the fandom is centered on, I disengage from the community entirely, because I no longer consider myself a fan. And that’s perfectly fine; there is no rule that says that once you’re in a fandom, you’re in it for life.

If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all. Despite the fact that I love the subject matter, it is not an absolute, unconditional sort of love. I often find myself disliking certain aspects or getting frustrated by opposing views (this is doubly true when it comes to adaptations). I let myself express these dislikes and frustrations only if I can see the silver lining; in other words, I allow myself to say a few negative things about a character/scene only if I can supplement them with a good dose of positivity as well. Too much uninterrupted negativity borders on hate.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T. I’m a very anxious person with self-confidence issues, so I have a hard time expressing my opinion online, even anonymously. That’s why I’m never going to tear anyone else down for doing so. I may disagree with you, or dislike the way you expressed yourself, but I’m going to be respectful even if it kills me, because that’s how I would want other people to interact with me. Even with the Internet as a buffer, I think it’s important to remember that we are all human, and all equally capable of hurting others and being hurt ourselves.

Again, these guidelines work for me, but it’s completely subjective. And even though my experience in the OL fandom hasn’t been a bed of roses so far, I’ve still met some amazing people with incredible things to say. My favorite fandom moments of the season? @futurelounging‘s beautiful thoughts on episode 12 and @breefraser‘s hilarious criticism of Roger’s sartorial choices.

I’d love to hear from other fans! What worked for you this season? What would you have changed? Favorite fandom moments? If you choose to reply, please be kind and respectful.

#just a few thousand thoughts #i'm rambling a bit over here #feel free to stop me #or come ramble with me #Outlander #outlander season 4 #drums of autumn

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nellie-elizabeth · 5 years

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Outlander: Blood of My Blood (4x06)

I AM BLESSED. THIS WAS SO MUCH MORE THAN I HAD EVER HOPED FOR.

Cons:

I've been trying to be nice about the wigs, but I really noticed Claire's wig this week. It just does not look like her real hair. It's distracting.

I understand that this is a love story between Jamie and Claire, but their sex scenes have always been pretty uninteresting to me. That's a personal preference thing, and not an actual fault with the show or the books either. I just find myself uninterested whenever things get steamy. It feels like a narrative waste of time when there are so many characters and moments I want to see.

Pros:

That said, I do like the detail of the ring that Jamie gives to Claire. Obviously they're deviating from the books, but I like that we're getting back to something important from the books, but in a different way. The ring is gorgeous!

The scenes where John and William come to Fraser's Ridge are some of my favorites in all of the books. I was thrilled to see that we were going to explore that here, but undeniably nervous that we weren't going to do it justice. There were some things that were cut out, like I think Fergus and Ian are both at the Ridge at this part of the books, and Murtagh certainly isn't, but actually I like that some of the moments are absent here, like Willie falling into a ditch with a snake. It allows us to put more focus on the things that matter the most, at least to me.

The kid playing William actually does a pretty good job. He's playing William as this slightly petulant yet well-mannered young kid. He's acting his age, and it's done pretty well. He plays distraught very well, and I like that his obvious fear for his father shines out throughout the camping scenes. The moment when Jamie and Willie encounter the Cherokee was extremely well done. This was actually one of the few moments so far that I've thought the portrayal of the Native characters was done well. They demand blood justice for William's transgression, which sounds really harsh and alien and "savage." But instead they just cut Willie slightly on the hand, and consider the debt paid, because they honor William's honesty in trying to protect Jamie.

Jamie is so clearly thrilled to see his son, but there's the obvious tension of being unable to be honest with him about their relationship. The moment when Willie says "Mac" was just so satisfying in its heartbreak. Of course, Jamie later tells the Cherokee that he's William's father, to protect him from punishment. William logically thinks that Jamie is lying in order to protect him, and sets the matter straight. Jamie would of course do anything to protect a child in need, but his desperation to save William is obviously particularly strong because of their relationship. The best material with William comes when he asks Jamie why he failed to turn around to look at William one last time when he left Helwater all those years ago. Jamie says he didn't want to give William false hope. Now, as John and William ride away from Fraser's Ridge, William intentionally turns to look back at Jamie, giving him hope.

I talked about this last week, but I do want to mention that Murtagh's inclusion in the story is a really smart idea. Having him around to be a face for the regulators adds personal stakes in an interesting way. It also felt appropriate to have someone at Fraser's Ridge who sees John Grey as the Red Coat that he is, and remembers him strictly in the context of Ardsmuir. Obviously I love John, and Jamie clearly respects him a great deal, but Murtagh is not wrong to remember their past together. It's obviously sweet that Jamie refuses to consider pumping John for information about Governor Tryon, though.

Okay. John. Just. Every little moment. I want to sit here and do a frame-by-frame breakdown of all the stuff with John that I loved, but I'll try and restrain myself. His scenes with Jamie are so great. I love that he calls him "Jamie" in the show, because in the books he almost never does. He is quite open with how pleased he is to see Jamie, and the two of them even share a little joke when John tries to make it sound like he's just swinging by on his way to Virginia, and Jamie points out that he's making quite the large detour. Jamie and John are just so comfortable and genuinely friendly and affectionate with one another. We get to see the chess game, where John asks Jamie if he's content with his life, and Jamie replies that he is, listing among his reasons for happiness that he has good friends. When John falls ill, we see that Jamie is genuinely concerned, not just for Willie but for John as well.

And then there's the stuff with Claire and John. I'm so pleased that they kept this stuff in. It would have been easy to reduce this material or even cut it out altogether, but instead we got pretty much the entire book scene, if not more. Claire and John have this incredibly interesting dynamic. There's respect, there's wariness, there's envy, and there's even some real affection and understanding. John and Claire both know what it is to raise Jamie's child, even if neither of them was able to do so with Jamie by their side.

John getting delirious and saying things he shouldn't be saying out loud really got to me. I love his assessment of Claire as being devastatingly straight-forward. Claire says: "Well it's not by choice. I was born that way." That seemed a very pointed thing for Claire to say, maybe even intentional, and it seems that John picks up on it when he responds: "So was I." For obvious reasons, these characters aren't going to have a particularly progressive view on homosexuality, but I feel like the subject matter is being treated with the right amount of delicacy here. John thinks of his feelings for Jamie as a character flaw, but he doesn't blame himself for it. Not exactly an enlightened take, but it's one that makes sense for the time. I like that Claire treats John as a human being with complex emotions, and doesn't seem disgusted by John's feelings for Jamie. She's obviously uncomfortable with them, which makes sense in the context of watching someone pine after your husband.

I could go on and on. John gifts Jamie with his chess set, which is cute, and then John and William ride off, leaving the story just as quickly as they entered it. In adapting these enormous books into a television show, there is by necessity going to be a lot that gets cut. I'm always nervous that my favorite characters or moments will be the ones to get the short end of the stick, so I was enormously pleased to have a whole episode devoted to some of my favorite book material!

I'm excited to see Brianna's journey next episode!

9.5/10

#review #outlander #outlander review

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miasswier · 5 years

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miasswier’s ultimate glee ranking: no 30

30: Duets

Written by: Ian Brennan Directed by: Eric Stoltz

Overall Thoughts: This was the first episode of Glee that I actually watched all the way through. I enjoyed it so much that it encouraged me to power through the pilot and actually get into this show when I was never able to before. Because of that, it holds a very special place in my heart. It does a good job of balancing storylines that involve basically everybody, almost everyone gets a chance to sing, and honestly it’s the first good episode of season two. It’s when Glee started getting it’s groove back. Also, it’s the first big episode with my son, Samuel Evans. So.

What I Like:

The duet competition is an awesome idea that gives everyone a chance to sing. I wish they’d done it again.

The way that the storylines work allows basically everybody to be involved in one, and to a relatively major degree. I mean, in this episode we have Finn, Rachel, Kurt, Sam, Quinn, Santana, Brittany, Artie, Mercedes, Tina, and Mike all having at least two important scenes. The only Glee club member that isn’t featured is Puck, and that’s only because he isn’t in the episode – but even he is still mentioned when Sam says he’s sure Puck will beat his ass for trying to kiss Quinn. All the storylines feel complete, too. I’m not sure if they ever managed such a well balanced episode again.

Barely any Will! Always a bonus.

My beautiful son Sammy Evans. I love him so much. He’s such a sweetheart in this episode, especially about the Kurt thing. They really did a good job of introducing a character for the audience to fall in love with. Unlike most of the characters that are introduced from season three onward, I actually want Sam to stick around and have more prominent stories. I like Sam.

Finn and Rachel interacting in a healthy way! I think this is the first episode where I’m like okay, yeah, they make a cute couple. The past few episodes of this season really didn’t do a good job of selling me on Finchel.

Quinn gets more than two lines in this episode!!!!!!!!!!

“I realize I’ve tried to punch you a couple of times” I don’t know why this makes me laugh so hard like oh my god Santana.

We actually start to get a look into the sexual and romantic side of Santana and Brittany’s relationship! This episode really introduces how complex their relationship really is, which I really appreciate. Plus, seeing Santana get all jealous over Brittany is cute, even if it’s kind of shitty that she sabotages her relationship with Artie.

I don’t know how the Artie in this episode ended up being the Artie from “Tested” who was sleeping with two girls at once and trying to get with a third one. Because this Artie is such a sweetheart about sex. It’s actually really refreshing seeing a guy be upset about losing his virginity in less than ideal circumstances, while the girl is the one who doesn’t think sex is a big deal. While it’s refreshing by the end of the series to see a man in a wheelchair who is just as openly sexual as the able-bodied guys, it is kind of disappointing that he lost what he had in this episode: a deep desire for sex, but also a respect for it, and a want for it to be special.

Kurt and Sam have a really cute friendship and while I loved Blaine and Sam’s friendship I do wish they’d done more with Sam and Kurt. Because seriously, they’re both adorable.

“You know they make special shampoo for colour treated hair, right?” “I don’t dye my hair, dude” “Uh-huh”

Santana and Mercedes get to start up their friendship <3

Getting some insight into Mike and Tina’s relationship, even if that insight feels a little racist.

What I Don’t Like:

Finn and Rachel acting like they just have it in the bag. Literally all they have to do to lose the competition is not vote for themselves, which is what they do. I think this really shows how Will’s “Finn and Rachel are Special Snowflakes” has really, really influenced them a lot. They genuinely can’t imagine how they might lose this competition, because they can’t imagine that anyone would be better than them (even though Santana and Mercedes so clearly are) and they can’t imagine that anybody would think that anybody is better than them. They seriously overestimated how much their teammates care about them and their talent. I mean, really, the fact that they didn’t consider that everyone would just fucking vote for themselves and therefore to lose all they had to do was not do that just shows how narcissistic they are.

Will implying they should have sympathy for Puck. He got himself into his own damn mess.

Finn telling Kurt that he has a problem with Kurt not understanding that no means no when the first time Finn ever explicitly addressed Kurt’s crush on him and how the feelings weren’t reciprocated was moments before he started shouting at him that he was a fag. I hate that they took such an amazing scene from “Theatricality” and warped it so that it seems like somehow Finn is the victim and Kurt was being predatory. I mention this in my “Theatricality” review, but I’m going to say it here too: at no point in the show does Kurt every make a physical move on Finn. Finn and Burt both imply in this episode that Kurt was treating Finn the way that Jacob Ben Israel treats Rachel, and he never did. It’s unfair, and it’s homophobic, and it frustrates me.

Glee does that thing where they do something offensive, but they make it clear within the episode that they know it’s offensive, so it’s supposed to be okay.

Songs:

Don’t Go Breaking My Heart: I like this duet, but I don’t think it was necessary.

River Deep, Mountain High: This song should have won the competition, and I think we all know that. It’s energetic, it’s awesome, everyone gets into it, and they sound amazing together. Enough said.

Le Jazz Hot: One of my favourite Kurt solos. It’s really awesome, and a really empowering moment for him.

Sing!: This is a sweet duet, and it’s funny, which I always appreciate out of Glee performances. Plus it’s nice that Mike was given the chance to shine, even if his singing voice wasn’t totally all there yet.

Lucky: Honestly, I find this song boring. I don’t think that Sam and Quinn’s voices go together that well, and I’ve never been able to see the legendary chemistry that made Sam straight. Like I said before: Santana and Mercedes should have won.

Happy Days Are Here Again/Get Happy: I actually really like this song. I think it’s sweet, and it does a good job of showing the beginning of Kurt and Rachel’s friendship, which I do enjoy (although I wish it hadn’t come at the cost of Kurt and Mercedes’s friendship). They sound really good in this song, too.

Final Thoughts: A really strong episode that manages to focus on all the kids while not feeling like any storyline is rushed or missing parts. It will always hold a very special place in my heart.

#ultimate glee ranking

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kurtwagners · 7 years

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Why you should buy: Nova 2016-2017

The Nova Corps, if you don’t know, were basically the intergalactic police force of old. Powered by their technologically advanced helmets and armor, the Corps are now nonexistent except for two Novas of Earth: Richard Rider and Sam Alexander. Marvel’s 2016 series Nova, by Jeff Loveness and Ramon Perez, is essentially a buddy cop series in space. Comedy, adventure, drama, family, friendship, romance, and more, Nova has something for everyone, and is (for me) one of the best ongoing comics hitting the shelves.

This comic really compliments Marvel’s more comedic yet heartwarming tone that they’re implementing in their cosmic/space adventure genre. If you like Guardians of the Galaxy in any form, Nova is definitely for you! Some other reasons to read Nova:

1. Captivating Characters and Latino lead

Richard Rider was Marvel’s original Nova, who died a hero by sacrificing his life for the galaxy, but now has mysteriously returned to life. Sam Alexander is a mixed Mexican teenager from Arizona who inherited his Nova helmet from his missing father, another member of the Corps. While Sam’s narrative is more focussed on themes of growing up, high school, and family, Richard’s is completely different, tackling issues of life, the difficulties of change and moving on, and overcoming trauma. The contrast between the Novas of new and old also adds to why the comic is so diverse when it comes to genres, but instead of feeling convoluted, the narratives complement each other extremely well. The bond that builds between Richard and Sam create a really interesting and fun dynamic that’s less of a typical mentor/mentee relationship then something much more complex and personal. They both learn from each other and grow through their friendship, which makes their character development intriguing and appealing.

The artist and co-writer, Ramon Perez, is also Latino, and he's made it clear how much he loves Sam (lol). He’s very keen on depicting him and his family visibly Not White. So you’re also supporting creators of color by buying this series!

(There’s also a talking Russian astronaut telepath dog, Cosmo, who’s a friend of the Novas and a very cute and hilarious addition to the cast)

2. Gorgeous Art/Colors

Ramon Perez’s art style is extremely dynamic and beautiful, and Ian Herring’s bright color palette full of pinks, purples, and blues create a visually stunning comic. Fight scenes are thrilling, and alien and enemy designs are creative and lovely.

My favorite parts of the comic art-wise are of Richard and the demons that torment and infect him (no spoilers...) These depictions are mind-blowingly gorgeous and haunting. Not much else to say other than to take a look for yourself!

3. Its Pretty Fucking Funny

Jeff Loveness is a Emmy and WGA nominated comedic writer for Jimmy Kimmel, The Onion, and more. His extremely well-crafted dialogue is full of humor and fun, and the comedy makes the characters even more charming. He also enjoys poking fun at the ridiculousness of the comic world:

(This scene has like 20,000 notes so why did none of ya’ll actually buy the comic)

I also love how the humor in Sam’s scenes makes him a very endearing kid you really want to root for. Sam’s self-doubt and typical teenage insecurity is very relatable and always depicted in the best ways:

Unfortunately, despite all the good reviews and positive fan feedback, this comic is getting canceled after 7 issues, which is a huge mistake on Marvel’s part. Nova really feels like it's just starting on something big, and it was heartbreaking for me to hear about its cancellation. I really wish I wrote this sooner (Loveness and Perez were so bummed out about it, I feel like I personally failed them) but I’ll still do anything to promote this comic as much as possible, the creators deserve that much. Its a very charming and entertaining series, and I love this hidden gem with all my heart! I hope this convinced you to read Nova!

Definitely check out if you like: Blue Beetle, Starlord, Guardians of the Galaxy, Power-Man and Iron Fist, Ms. Marvel, and Green Lanterns. Tbh I'd even say space dramas like Gurren Laggan and Cowboy Bebop have a similar vibe.

If you enjoy the comic, please support these creators and sales by buying the comic instead of torrenting! Check out your nearest comic book store, or buy digital issues on Marvel.com or Comixology.com for #1-5!

#sam alexander #richard rider #nova #marvel #long post #sry...maybe i should make it shorter

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adjudicxtor · 7 years

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In-depth Character Sheet

Credit to Sir Ender at this writing forum.

Reblog or repost. DO NOT remove credit.

TAGGED BY: @actuallymuffet

TAGGING: Whomever wants to do this

(Note: This is a mix of my personal headcanon as well as canon. It’s also long ashell and going under a read more.

This also has references to Hive City/Citta Alveare as well as his original canon. Anything talking about Ian Yorkland is Citta Specific! (For now.)

Also, I ended up being lazy in parts of this. Whoops.)

FULL NAME: Peter White MEANING: His surname comes from the fact that he’s the White Rabbit. NICKNAME: Pety, Peta-chan (Pierce), Rabbit (Everyone else), shit rabbit (Alice) MEANING: Derivatives of his name and/or role coupled with insults. AGE: 18-23, though I Have him set as 23 BIRTHDAY: September 5th (Headcanon; in canon he doesn’t have a bday) ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Virgo (See above) GENDER: Male ALLERGIES: TBA SEXUAL PREFERENCE: Bi and ace (largely unknown to him) THEME SONG(S): Song of Love (Character song)

APPEARANCE HAIR COLOR: White/Silver HAIR STYLE AND LENGTH: Short and at chin length. EYES COLOR: Scarlet red. HEIGHT: 175-185cm WEIGHT: TBA OUTFIT/CLOTHING STYLE: Red checkered pattern jacket/coat, pink shirt, brown slacks, red socks and brown shoes with red soles. Buttons on jacket and sleeves are done as tiny clocks; red tie with a clock design on it, though the clock is backwards; has a pink arm band on one of the arms of his coat; frame less glasses. His style is that of a high ranking government official/something loosely based off of the original White Rabbit clothes design as well as having an intellectual appearance. DISTINGUISHING MARKS(SCARS,MOLES): None. All wounds and scars heal after a time period or two. SELF CARE(MAKE UP): He wears none. FIRST IMPRESSION ON PEOPLE: “He gives me chills/Why is he so cold/Why is he a murderous asshole?” SKIN COLOR: White? BODY TYPE/BUILD: Surprisingly well built despite coming off as lean. DEFAULT EXPRESSION: A neutral, blank expression; sometimes he scowls while looking at his surroundings with a cold, distant gaze. POSTURE: Standing upright and proper. PIERCINGS: None. DESCRIBE THEIR VOICE: Very formal but not deep? His voice is high pitched in rabbit form though.

RELATIONSHIPS MOM: Murdered/dead. HOW WELL DO THEY GET ALONG: Not well since Peter murdered her. DAD: Same fate as his mother. HOW WELL DO THEY GET ALONG: Same as with his mother. SIBLINGS: Same fate as their parents. HOW WELL DO THEY GET ALONG: Same as with their parents. CHILDREN: N/A HOW WELL DO THEY GET ALONG: N/A PAST LOVER(S): Alice, though she as never his lover. CURRENT LOVER: Ian Yorkland (Citta); no one yet (indie) REACTION TO MEETING SOMEONE NEW: Disinterest and disgust. Could care less. ABILITY TO WORK WITH OTHERS: ...depends on the person, but really he prefers to work alone because he hates everyone else. However, he can work with others if he absolutely has to. LEAST FAVORITE TYPE OF PERSON: Anyone like Blood Dupre, to be honest. I am way too lazy for this meme. PARENTAL TYPE(PROTECTIVE,ETC): Strict and protective; at times overbearing but genuinely does care. Needs his partner to pull him back into line and be more gentle.

PERSONALITY ..WHEN YOU FIRST MEET THEM: Cold, uncaring, aloof, distant, lonely; when Alice meets him he’s the exact opposite, almost. ..AS YOU KNOW THEM BETTER(AND THEY LIKE YOU): Complex, narrow minded, affectionate, lost, not in tune with his emotions/has very low emotional intelligence; loyal, clingy, excitable, happy ..AS YOU KNOW THEM BETTER(AND THEY DISLIKE YOU): First meeting x 100 that results in murder/death, possibly. Pure hatred. FAVORITE COLOR: Red (But with checkered print!) FAVORITE FOOD: Anything with mushrooms. Also mushrooms. FAVORITE ANIMAL: …himself? He doesn’t have a favourite. FAVORITE ELEMENT: None. LEAST FAVORITE COLOR: None. LEAST FAVORITE FOOD: None. LEAST FAVORITE ANIMAL: Cats and dogs, but he generally hates other animals so... HOBBIES: Learning about his partner/lover in order to better understand them. USUAL MOOD: Neutral/uncaring? DRINK/SMOKE/DRUGS: None, none, and none.

DARK VERSION OF SELF: N/A

LIGHT VERSION OF SELF: N/A HOW SERIOUS ARE THEY: Very serious, especially about those he loves. Tends to treat everything seriously, and take everything seriously to boot. CLASS IN AN RPG: N/A BELIEVE IN GHOSTS: Nah. (IN)DEPENDENT: Very independent. VULNERABILITY: Being alone/abandoned/discarded by those he loves; showing/expressing any sort of feeling because he doesn’t understand them and they are scary as hell to him. OPINION ON SWEARING: Crude and befitting a lower class. However, he has sworn on occasion, but it is rare. DAREDEVIL VS CAUTIOUS: Cautious. He doesn’t let his guard down for a moment. MUSIC TYPE: Classical (probably?) /No music preference MOVIE TYPE: He has none BOOK TYPE: Anything pertaining to work or understanding his love interest/partner COMFORTABLE TEMPERATURE: upper teens, celsius SLEEPING PATTERN: He tends to sleep during the night periods, though most nights not very well. He’ll sleep on his side but tosses and turns. While he technically does not need sleep, he tries to be as rested as he can. He can’t really sleep well due to his thoughts and his inability to turn his mind off. CLEANLINESS/NEATNESS: Very clean, very organized. DESIRED PET: None. HOW DO THEY PASS TIME: Work. BIGGEST SECRET: He is Alice’s Sunday Afternoons/is the period of time that she loved above all else. HERO/WHO THEY LOOK UP TO: N/A WHAT ANIMAL WOULD THEY BE: N/A COMFORTS: Clean/fresh space (bedroom, living room, office, etc.), his lover/partner, affectionate gestures from said lover/partner.

HOW DO THEY REACT TO… DANGER: He basically gives no shits because, to many, he is the danger. He does not see anything as really dangerous because it’s all a part of the norm for him. However, he will be cautious if it’s something/someone he would struggle against. SOMEONE THEY HATE WHO HAS A CRUSH ON THEM: He’ll straight up attempt to kill them, alongside displaying as much revulsion and disgust as he possibly can. PROPOSAL TO MARRY: Complete shock and disbelief, followed by intense happiness once it all sinks in. (If it does because lbr here it takes him a while on the emotions thing.) DEATH OF LOVED ONE: Intense Despair and self blame. DIFFICULT GAME/MATH/ETC: He can get impatient and frustrated very quickly. Depending on what it is he will either not stop until he gets it, or he will brush/pawn it off onto someone else. INJURY: Could care less if he’s injured and will keep pressing forward. He took a deep slash to the back in his manga and was still able to stand upright and showed very little sign of discomfort or pain. His injuries back in Wonderland also heal within a time period or two, so he’s not really bothered by such things. SOMETHING IRRESISTIBLY CUTE: Fawns over and clings to it, which is what he does with Alice. However, he rarely, if ever finds anything cute (except Alice) so this really doesn’t apply to him.

HISTORY

BIOGRAPHY: Peter is the White Rabbit, as well as the prime minister of the Castle of Hearts and the Country of Hearts. He lives in the castle with his superior, the Queen of Hearts whom he serves as second in command (ear piece for the queen, servant, etc etc.) as well as the Knight/Knave of Hearts, Ace whom works under Peter. A number of faceless maids and soldiers live there as well.

He peeked into a period of time on a whim one day and found Alice, whose feelings of sadness and regret captivated him. He also took notice of the Sunday Afternoons she spent with her sister, which were a precious, treasured time. He could feel Alice’s affection and love for this time period, and before he knew it he found himself watching over her and visiting her often. By loving this time, Alice had come to love Peter himself, who was an embodiment of that time though she did not know it.

Watching over her, Peter saw some of what went on in her life, including Lorina’s death and the effect it had on Alice. He also saw that the time they shared was close to ending, so h needed to act fast. Peter went to Nightmare and asked for his help in bringing Alice to their world, which he agreed to. Between the both of them, Peter was able to take Alice down the rabbit hole and give her the Medicine of Heart, which bound her to the game that would eventually (or hopefully) bind her to their world. He did this because he wanted her happiness, even though it meant that she would have to ultimately reject and discard him. For her to truly be happy means to integrate herself into Wonderland, and to do this she needs to cut all ties with her world. Peter, embodying her Sunday Afternoons as well as the love she had for her sister is one such tie.

Despite all of this, Peter still tries to win over her love and affection, most times with mixed or negative results, because he doesn’t learn and lets his emotions and feelings carry him away.

(Note that from here I get into stuff that applies to Citta only things).

Eventually he ended up in a place called Hive City, and despite Peter being, well Peter, he managed to make friends and find himself a boyfriend while enduring a bunch of messed up shit and slowly changing, hopefully for the better. He still murders people with little to no provocation though. FIRST APPEARANCE: Heart no Kuni no Alice (Game); Alice in the country of Hearts manga by Hoshino.

KNOWLEDGE LANGUAGES: English SCHOOLING LEVEL: Wonderland doesn’t have a school so he is probably self taught. FAVORITE SUBJECT (S): N/A INTERESTED CAREERS: He’s the prime minister of the Country of Hearts, second to Her Majesty the Queen of Hearts. EXPERTISE: Expert marksman, well versed in swordsmanship and hand to hand combat; well versed in politics, well read in some areas. CHEMISTRY: N/A MATH: Knows a bit above the basics/knows the math necessary for his job. LANGUAGE: Very eloquent speaker; excellent writer GEOGRAPHY: He is well versed in the geography of Hearts and Clover due to the three way territory war that is going on. POLITICS/LAW: He’s a prime minister, so needless to say he is well versed in this area. Hell, he enforces laws, collects taxes, does all the paperwork needed to go govern an entire country as well as a large as hell territory. COOKING: He’s fairly good, but by no means an expert. Taught himself to cook because he does not trust other people making his food for him (could be filled with poison or germs or something). MECHANICS: N/A BOTANY (FLOWERS): He thinks they are filthy things and makes it a point not to go near or touch them. He knows how to identify them but he doesn’t use them for anything. MYTHOLOGY: N/A DRAMATICS(ACTING,SINGING): He has a character song so he can sing; he doesn’t act but he can be quite dramatic when it comes to Alice in that his actions and words are over the top and over exaggerated.

READING LEVEL: High. It needs to be for his job. HOW GOOD ARE THEY AT PLANNING AHEAD: Peter is a very cunning, shrewd individual who is never caught with his guard down. Therefore, his planning is as meticulous as his organization. He makes sure to hammer out every detail and as many possible outcomes as he can.

ROMANCE . DO THEY TAKE INITIATIVE: Depends on who it is. With Alice he took the initiative, but only because he got swept up in feelings he fully didn’t understand. With Ian he prefers to have the other take the initiative until he is comfortable to do so himself. HOW DO THEY ACT(SHY,ETC): Again depends on who it is, and who is showing affection. If it’s Alice, he’s very forward and confident, freely expressing affection without a care as to who is watching. If Alice is showing him affection, he tends to get shy and skittish, almost as if he wants to run away.

With Ian Peter is quite reserved and shy, as well as easily flustered. Since they are just in the beginning stages of the relationship, I can’t expand upon this more than I already have at this time. GENTLEMAN/LADYLIKE VS KLUTZY: Gentlemen like. GO SLOW VS JUMP INTO: With Alice he attempted to jump right into things, which did not go well. I think that he would prefer and actually benefit from taking things slow, especially since he has difficulty with understanding feelings and emotions. Taking things slow gives him a chance to work everything out and develop a deeper, more natural bond of love between him and his partner. (By natural I mean not the type of obsessive love he shows in the games.) PROTECTIVE: He is very protective of those he loves, and will even go as far as murdering someone who is harassing/making his lover uncomfortable. You mess with his lover and Peter will kill you. ACT LIKE FRIENDS OR LOVERS: Depends on who it is. With Peter he tried to act romantic towards Alice, but since he didn’t understand his feelings he straddles the line between friends and lovers. Personally he would make a better friend for her than a lover.

Also in general he’ll start out as a friend but move into lover territory. He is friends first, however. WHAT KIND OF PRESENTS DO THEY BUY: Peter tries to buy things that his lover/partner likes, and is dependent upon said partner/lover. TYPE OF KISSER: Surprisingly good, albeit a bit clumsy and forceful at first. DO THEY WANT KIDS: Not really, but if his partner does then he will give in to make them happy. DO THEY WANT TO MARRY: Eventually yes, but it’s too soon for that. MAKE GOOD OR BAD DECISIONS: Depends. Some of his decisions are good, but only after truly listening to his partner and taking their words to heart (Alice). Most of the time he makes bad decisions because, again, he doesn’t listen. He needs to be given explanations as to why his decisions are bad, from which he will strive to learn and do better.

Education is necessary with this bun. ARE THEY ROMANTIC: Very. HOW ARE THEY IN BED: Peter is a virgin, so N/A. GET JEALOUS EASY: Oh hell yes, and if not restrained it can get nasty. WIFE/HUBBY BEATER: Hell no. MARRY FOR MONEY: Absolutely not. FAVORITE SEX POSITION: N/A WHAT WOULD HAPPEN ON THEIR DREAM DATE: Basically anything involving his lover/partner giving him affection and accepting his. Bonus points for his love for his partner being accepted and returned. OPINION ON SEX: “There are germs involved so eeewww. However, if you desire it, I will endure it for you!”

#long post #about muse #about Peter #not doing this again omf

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jurassicparkpodcast · 5 years

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James Ronan's Top 5 Jurassic Park Film Moments!

Jurassic Park is a film that is very close to our hearts here at The Jurassic Park Podcast, so I thought it would be a good idea to share my Top 5 moments from the film. There are many brilliant scenes in Jurassic Park that could make up this Top 5 but having thought about it properly I think the following scenes really resonate with me not only leaving a sense of wonder, but also majesty, shock and horror. Growing up the following movie moments really affected me and still do to this day every time I watch the film. So let’s start with number 5, shall we?

5. Welcome to Jurassic Park (Brachiosaurus Scene)

20 minutes into Jurassic Park we are finally on the island of Isla Nublar and get our first look at the dinosaurs that inhabit Jurassic Park. This being the Brachiosaurus which walks into frame, starts feeding on the tree and rises up on it’s hind limbs to pull some more leaves off the branches above. This all occurs whilst Alan, Ellie and Hammond walk up to the wandering Brachiosaurus whilst Gennaro and Ian Malcolm look on the from the Jurassic Park Jeep Wranglers. This is also when the John Williams score really kicks in to great affect making this scene even more amazing. The scene goes onto show the Brachiosaurus wading through a lake alongside another majestically whilst a herd of Parasaurolophus are gathered at the water bank to drink.

The disbelief of seeing living breathing dinosaurs is palpable not just from Alan Grant, Ellie Sattler and Ian Malcolm but was probably the same reaction from those who had the opportunity to see the film in the cinema the first time back in 1993. The acting from Sam Neil, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum and Richard Attenborough in this sequence is utterly fantastic and sets the tone for what the film is going to go onto show.

I must have been at least 7/8 years old when I first saw this scene for the first time. The Brachiosaurus rising up on it’s hind legs and crashing back down to Earth is such a powerful moment that just watching it makes you feel incredibly small. It is a brilliant piece of cinematography and probably one of Spielberg’s most memorable film scenes.

4. The Velociraptor Attack on Jophery

The Velociraptor attack on Jophery is my 4th Top film moment in Jurassic Park. It is the first action set piece of the film and shows the ferocity, intelligence and cunning of one of the Velociraptors in this case the “Big One”. This scene is very different to the attack scene depicted in the original Jurassic Park novel where a construction worker having been attacked by a Velociraptor on Isla Nublar is taken by helicopter to a hospital in Costa Rica and examined. I like the scene as showcased in the film for two reasons.

1. It sets the scene on the island of dinosaurs being transported and moved to their enclosures, whilst also showcasing the dangerous nature of the Velociraptors which the audience gets introduced to, these dinosaurs get much more screen time later on becoming the main dinosaurs antagonists of the film.

2. This scene also showcases unpredictability in complex systems, which is a running theme not only throughout Jurassic Park but the other sequels as well. The unpredictability of the Velociraptor running towards the gate and knocking Jophery off and grabbing him. It shows that in the moment the Jurassic Park staff are not prepared for the situation. This is another theme that runs throughout the film with the ‘illusion of control’ and whether those who are in control of Jurassic Park actually have any control if at all. The scene is quite a shocking attack scene as well with everything happening very fast, showcasing the Velociraptors as fast and intelligent which is seen more throughout the film.

3. The Dilophosaurus Attack on Dennis Nedry

The Dilophosaurus attack on Dennis Nedry is my 3rd Top moment from Jurassic Park. As a child I found the whole attack sequence quite terrifying yet I was still incredibly invested in wanting to watch it all the way through. Nedry’s demise in the original novel is much more brutal, gory and horrifying but the way it is depicted in the film is just as scary. I think the brilliance of this scene is we don’t see the Dilophosaur much at all until the actual attack. It isn’t shown on the tour at all up until this moment, until Dennis unfortunately comes across it. It hops around the trees in a playful and inquisitive manner and at first you think it is a very cute, inquisitive dinosaur. It isn’t until it unleashes it’s frill though that you realise that the Dilophosaurus is not only dangerous but a rather deadly predator spitting venom at its prey to immobilise it before killing and eating it. The scientific inaccuracies of Crichton’s dinosaurs have been talked to death over the years, most notably his depiction of the Dilophosaurus so I am not going to get into that here.

I have to say though that I really appreciate the design of the Dilophosaur in film. It is smaller then the Raptors to make it a bit more distinguishable, it’s quick, agile and quite intelligent. I also really love the colour scheme it has and the way the frill extends outward in attack mode. The attack sequence on Nedry is one of a few in Jurassic Park where there is no music present. All you can hear is the storm, rain the lightening, the ambiance of the Isla Nublar forests and the hooting Dilophosaur. I think the Stan Winston team did a fantastic job with making you believe the Dilophosaur was real, even now when I watch the build up to the attack it is just really remarkable to watch. The uncertainty and the suspense, the surprise attack, it is all so brilliantly filmed.

2. Badlands Fieldwork (Dr. Alan Grants & Dr. Ellie Sattler’s lives)

Some people may think this is a really odd Jurassic Park film moment to have in a Top 5. However this scene resonated with me loads as a child and it still does to this day. For starters the scene shows paleontological fieldwork taking place. In the film Dr. Alan Grant and his fieldwork team are digging up the remains of a Velociraptor and use an imaging system to show the whole skeleton. I love this scene for three reasons. 1. The scene shows what paleontological fieldwork is typically like. It isn’t glamorous, it’s difficult and it shows the realities of what work is like for both Dr. Alan Grant and Dr. Ellie Sattler.

This contrasts greatly to the life that the billionaire John Hammond heralds from, who we also get introduced to in this scene a little later on. 2. It is also where Grant talks about his hypothesis of dinosaurs evolving into birds which is a running theme throughout the film of ‘life finding a way’ producing the unexpected. 3. The Badlands fieldwork sequence is also referenced multiple times throughout the film. When Alan, Ellie and Malcolm make their way up the stairs in the Jurassic Park visitor centre Alan tells Ellie that they are out of the job, with Malcolm quickly quipping back “don’t you mean extinct?” In reference to how palaeontology has now changed due to dinosaurs now being brought back to life. This is brought up again when Lex says to Grant when they are in the tree “what are you and Ellie going to do now if you don’t have to dig up dinosaur bones anymore?” Grant replies “I don’t know, I guess we just have to evolve too.”

This is again referencing how palaeontology has changed because of this scientific breakthrough in genetic engineering. The final call back to the Badlands scene is actually the final scene in the film when the group leave Isla Nublar in the helicopter and Ellie and Alan both look out the window at the flying Pelicans. It is hard to tell what Alan is thinking in this scene. Possibly never being able to look at birds the same way after the events of the Jurassic Park? An acceptance of nature’s beauty and power? An acceptance of birds being living descendants of dinosaurs? The ending is very subjective. For me though the Badlands scene is the heart of the film, without it a lot of running themes through Jurassic Park wouldn’t be as impactful.

1. The Tyrannosaurus Rex Road Attack

I think many people would agree that this particular scene is a stand out Jurassic Park movie moment. This scene brings about a whole host of emotions. The uneasiness of hearing the Tyrannosaur footsteps getting louder and closer, with the focus on the cup of water vibrating. The goat disappearing. The goats leg dropping on the Jurassic Park explorer roof. The T.Rex putting it’s arm on the fence which has no power. The T.Rex realising the fence isn’t powered anymore. All this takes place and that is just what the dinosaur is doing let alone how the human characters are reacting to the situation, the weather with the rain and lightning crashing down. This scene is very close to what can be read in the original Jurassic Park novel and is so brilliantly filmed that for me it is my number 1. Jurassic Park film moment. The T.Rex attack scene uses a blend of animatronics and CGI to create a suspenseful, tense, edge of your seat experience where you truly feel peril about the story’s characters in the situation. It’s also important to note that no music is present in this scene, the events unfold right before your eyes.

The claustrophobicness of seeing Lex and Tim under the upturned explorer sinking into mud as the T.Rex pushes down on it with it’s leg, or Lex and Alan holding onto the wire on as they climb down the other side of the moat fence are all sequences that are brilliantly acted and captured. I think the biggest achievement in this scene altogether is the animatronic Tyrannosaurus Rex which would often get the shakes from being covered in rain all the time. It had to be patted down with towels multiple times during filming to dry it out - yet despite the excessiveness of the rain, the animatronic continued to work perfectly. It performed magnificently in the end and is a testament to the mechanical engineering at the time by Stan Winston and his animatronic team.

Jurassic Park pioneered much of the CGI and animatronic technology we are so accustomed today and for me the Tyrannosaurus Rex road attack sequence is the perfect example of how a blend of animatronics and CGI can create one of the most breath-taking action scenes that has ever been filmed. 26 years on from it’s release this scene is still as impactful as it was back in 1993 and probably always will be. It is a film making testament which will stand the test of time and will probably be regarded as one of the best directed dinosaur attack scenes ever filmed.

Written by: James Ronan

#article #james ronan #top 5 #top 5 jurassic park film moments #top 5 film moments #jurassic park

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