#and season two. my season two knowledge is minimal but I think about it so fucking often
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<- guy who misses lifesteal season three all of the time
#I rewatched it two months ago and I need my fix again#top tier season absolute fave complete NONSENSE going on I am going to start watching any vod from then I can find I swear to god#and season two. my season two knowledge is minimal but I think about it so fucking often#but alas. my YouTube queue is massive and my in attention is chronic#cats.txt
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.・。.・゜✭・. .・。.・゜✭・. .・。.・゜✭・.
his engineer, her driver
pairing; female!engineer x lando norris
warnings; none!
type; head cannons
a/n; underrated dynamic me thinks
.・。.・゜✭・. .・。.・゜✭・. .・。.・゜✭・.
having the cutest radio moments
so many youtube compilations of your interactions
“Radio check please, Lando.”
“I love you!”
“Loud and clear.”
you’re trying to remain professional, but he doesn’t really care
i mean the team is pretty much used to it by now.
that doesn’t mean you aren’t embarrassed every single time he says something affectionate over the radio.
especially because you just know it’s going to get broadcasted.
sky sports eats it up every single time
getting scared every time he crashes, but also having to stay composed.
“Are you okay? Confirm you’re okay.”
“M’ Okay. Were you worried about me?”
“Engine off.”
needed to set clear boundaries to separate your work from your relationship
there were definitely some arguments after sochi 2021
as soon as you’re both off track, work talk is BANNED
no matter how much you try to explain it, he has no idea how the car works.
“I just don’t get it. How is Red Bull so fast on the straights?”
“I told you. Their sidepod design really minimizes drag while still optimizing down force. It’s actually pretty brilliant-“
“Yeah, okay- but, like, how are they so fast?”
“You’re lucky you’re pretty.”
him defending you in the media when bad strategy calls are made
you cheering him up in the garage after a dnf.
you making regular appearances on lando.jpeg.
constantly posting him on your story.
representing mclaren on the podium for his first win and celebrating with him!!
champagne kisses omg
surprise cameos in mclaren media videos and in the media pen!
occasionally making appearances on stream and in Quadrant videos.
always being paired together in the team videos! you carrying the both of you in the jeopardy video with your knowledge of F1.
him carrying the two of you in the mario kart video because as smart as you may be, you are a terrible driver.
the both of you facing a bit of controversy in both your shared workplace and on social media
having to deal with nosy reporters
“I guess it can be tough sometimes- but I love what I do, and I love being a part of this team. Lando is my best friend, and my partner in every sense of the word. We support each other and understand the unique demands of our careers.
Honestly, being in love with someone who shares your passion for the same thing is incredibly special. We get to experience some of the most exciting moments of our lives together, and that's something I wouldn't trade for anything."
with both of your very busy lives, you definitely prefer staying in whenever you get the chance.
much of summer break is spent snuggling under the covers and binging all the tv shows that you missed during the season.
always being the first person to congratulate him over the radio! and the first one he goes to after getting out of the car.
“That’s P5 Lando! Incredible drive, love.”
“The car was beautiful today, let’s keep up the good work!”
“Recharge on, darling.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
passing notes to each other during briefing sessions
one time zac caught you passing lando a note and made you read it out loud.
“You’re so cute when you’re not paying attention.”
in conclusion you two would be the most dynamic duo in the paddock ok thank you bye
.・。.・゜✭・. .・。.・゜✭・. .・。.・゜✭・.
#formula 1#formula 1 imagine#formula 1 x reader#formula 1 x you#lando norris imagine#lando norris x reader#f1 x reader#lando norris#ln4#lando norris x you#f1 imagine#f1 x you#lando norris mclaren
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Okay so I’ve finally got my thoughts together. I’ve been watching the show the day each episode came out, within the hour and I am a very very big fan of the books. HOWEVER, there are many aspects of the show I loved, but I’m going to focus on my main critiques.
1. In all of the marketing campaigns, everyone had said that this was an absolutely faithful adaptation. That though there were a few changes, they were minimal. That was not true at all. Every single episode had some minor or major change, and I enjoyed some of them, and was pissed about others.
2. The shows pacing and decision making in the writer’s room made my teeth itch. They are talking and talking and talking to explain everything, and I want to be SHOWN, which is like the main point of TV. The talking also leads into my next point:
3. These characters were not allowed to have “flaws”. They knew everything going into it, and there was no sense of wonder, no build up, and no sense of discovery because these are kids. I was so disappointed every time Annabeth was deprived of being soft (like crying over Cerberus) or naive, at Aunty Em’s. They just didn’t seem natural enough. And this critique has nothing to do with the acting. I think the acting was phenomenal, but the writing left things to be desired. And I’m sort of wondering if they were worried about displaying characters of color in a “negative” manner.
4. There were many many changes that made absolutely no sense to me. I think it has to do with the fact that this show takes its self so seriously. One of the reasons PJO was so popular is because of how funny and engaging it was. And the show, apart from a couple jokes here and there, just lacked it. There were some scenes where I honestly thought the movie had done better.
5. Episode 7. They changed so much, and the characters were made to be so flat. I know that the kids are meant to have all this background knowledge, but god do I wish they were allowed to be dumb. This was my cracking point.
Overall, I am very very very much hoping for a season two. The actors and the books deserve it. I loved so many parts of this show, but I truly am begging they fix at least a couple of these things. That is all I need.
(Also Disney, you’re absolute cowards for not making the Charon scene fun. I don’t care how much you want good publicity for not paying your workers well but this was cheap and so horribly hidden).
#pjo tv show#percy jackon and the olympians#percy jackson#pjo#pjo spoilers#percy series#percy jackson and the olympians
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Best Way to Start a Fire?
Camping is a fun and (somewhat) easy way to enjoy the outdoors. The most important part of the experience? Securing heat, warmth, and light through a cozy campfire. Not only does this fire provide safety and warmth, it also can be used as a source for food and fuel. There's usually someone in the group or duo that can whip one up given the resources. But what if you take a trip an nobody has had experience? Where does one begin?
I think first and foremost, wherever you end up picking your camp site to be, make sure it is safe and allowed to build a fire. To note, some states, including Ohio, enact a fire ban in order to minimize the likelihood of a wildfire during certain seasons. I learned that the hard way while camping in Colorado during September without checking the state's fire ban status. Don't be like me!
There are different ways to construct a fire and the elements and situation vary. Personally, I like to build a fire by making my base mimic a Lincoln-log style. First, I start by layering kindling, mostly dry sticks and leaves on the bottom. Then, I add larger sticks but they're generally smaller than a piece of wood but larger than a twig. Following the start of my base, I add two small pieces of wood (these are the largest of the timber, but shouldn't be full logs). I lay the pieces two by tow, beginnning the stack with two pieces vertical, followed by two pieces horizontal on top. I do this for about two to three layers until I feel there is enough tinder. However, I keep in mind to not place them too close together, in order to encourage airflow. Once I have my wood stacked, I pepper in the paper. I ball up small pieces of non-colored newspaper. I strategically place them all over the stack so that all corners can become aflame. It's also a good bet to make sure the paper congregated mostly at the bottom of the stack, as that is where the flame will catch and spread. If you find yourself struggling with this aspect, you can use a cheat sheet but packing and using dryer lint. Dryer lint is extremely flammable and will help with the acceleration of the flame. This is why it's important to clean the lint from your dryer! It can quickly become a fire hazard for your household.
There are a few factors that can influence the successful start of a fire. You should definitely have dry, seasoned wood. It becomes difficult to catch if your wood is wet or damp. The wood pieces also shouldn't be too large. The bigger they are, the longer they take to come alight. You also want to make sure there is enough oxygen circulating, as oxygen fuels fire. If your base build is too tight, packed, and condense, the air wont flow which will lead to a stagnant and eventually extinguished flame.
There is no one correct way to start or construct a fire, given all situations are unique. After reading this, I hope you're able to safely and confidently build a fire. Whether it be for a tailgate, camping, survival, or fun, it's always important to have fire knowledge and security. If necessary, do some trial runs, see how they turn out!
#fire#woods#pyre#camping#outdoors#survivalist#activity#backpacking#self help#skills#experience#hiking#nature#birch trees#safety#blog#tumblr#flame#ignite#fun#adventure#tailgate#bonfire
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my opinion, like many in the fandom, is that Buck has always been a little bi coded, and I think handling it like the way abc handled Rosa Diaz being bi, by simply having Buck drop some information he’s always known about himself but never been comfortable sharing, would be a decent way of handling it. for one thing, having both buck and eddie go through a gay panic thing would be a lot for one season, and maybe a bit repetitive, and I think it would be perfectly in character, while adding a really lovely layer to Maddie & Buck’s relationship, that Maddie has always known Buck was bisexual, and has attempted (maybe awkwardly) over the years to get Buck to be more comfortable with it. I also think it would add a really wonderful layer to Buck and Chim’s relationship (again, to make the b99 comparison bc this is a textbook “if i had a nickel for every time a beloved, diverse show involving police officers got canceled by fox and picked up by ABC bc beloved diverse shows with a really active fan base are their bread and butter i’d have two nickels” situation lol), the same way it was a natural & moving way to have the first person Rosa came out to be Charles, if Chim finds out because Buck needs to talk to Maddie about how he and Eddie had a stress induced make out on Eddie’s couch and then Eddie had a panic attack over being gay, and Chim is there trying to connect the dots of this conversation & be supportive bc Buck is anxiously mumbling while bear hugging Jee in his kitchen. And “Buck has been bisexual the entire time” leaking out to the rest of the 118 has a lot of potential; we know they’re all gossipy & nosy about each other, and Chim is terrible at keeping important secrets, so Hen & Bobby piecing it together from Buck‘s sudden interest in LA Gay Culture & Chim’s nervous stuttering, while Ravi is like “happy that you’re comfortable enough to come out to me Buck but again, i do not need to know this much detail about your personal life” all of this just seems like a very natural, easy way of getting Buck to come out.
and that leaves the Gay Panic storyline to Eddie, lmao. because whether they decide to go with the common fandom idea of “eddie is gay but due to being a really macho dude from Texas, born into a family of very typically ‘we will always love you no matter if you’re straight or choose to be gay’ esque family, has been heavy repressing it all these years” or they decide to make him bisexual, it’s clear that Eddie’s continued wild misses at dating women, panic attacks over the idea of being with a woman, and naming another man as the caretaker of his child in case he dies, that Eddie is primed to have an absolute break down if he ever comes out. Is it very similar to Carlos’ story? Yeah, obviously, but they’re incredibly different people, and more than that, the type of family they come from is incredibly common in this day and age, and whereas we’ve seen the fallout of all the shame that comes with feeling like your parents love isn’t unconditional wrt Carlos, we never saw the initial, badly handled coming out that prompted this break in the Reyes family, and we would be seeing that with Eddie and the Diaz family! not only that, but we have Hen & Toni there to help Eddie (and his parents & pepa & abuelita) through it, to help them handle what are bound to be difficult conversations on Eddie’s history of dating women his family will like that he has minimal interest in, and what happens now that Eddie is once again testing the unconditional aspect of his family’s love.
And that’s not even touching The Bobby And Athena Of It All, from Bobby once again relating to Eddie’s struggles of “what do you do when you feel like the core of who you are has shifted and everyone else is standing still” to Athena having intimate knowledge of the effect of coming out late in life, after you’ve lived a whole life as an ostensibly heterosexual man. We could get a really touching scene between Bobby & Athena and Buck, discussing how this is something he’s always known but it’s just been easier to let it go unsaid even if he knew Bobby and the rest of the 118 would be loving and supportive if he ever came out. Imagine the jokes re: Buck, Eddie, AND Hen being the messiest gays in LA while Ravi is begging them to Say Less.
I think the storyline potential of “Buck and Eddie impulsively make out after a stressful call in ep 1 and then skirt around their feelings for at least half a season” can be really rich, and also kind of in line for how abc has handled a character who got popular for being bi coded, and I’m not saying i trust them to not be cowards about it, but I am saying they shouldn’t be cowards about it.
#rani makes text posts no one will read#buddie#118#firefam#like i won’t say jake was ever queer textually but i do think abc let them lean into it a lot and i did appreciate that. and while i wish#that eleanor had said the words ‘i am bisexual’ out loud once again i can appreciate them consistently highlighting her attraction to women#AND letting tahani end up single instead of shoehorning in a male love interest. as well as the climax of jason/janet’s story being hit he#‘let’s go get our girl’ ‘not a girl’ moment. and however i thought the first two abc seasons of b99 sucked they always handled rosa & ray#wonderfully!!!! they literally gave us kevin & ray falling back in love and having a wedding!!! they’re capable of not being cowards!#unlike fox who put a woman who clearly dislikes eddie & the concept of found families in charge of the show 💀💀#911#rani attempts meta#this goes in that tag bc it’s long and speculative
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Just dissociated into my GA persona again - one of the better/more accurate feeling times this time - and watched the van scene.
And I think it’s function is supposed to be for Mike to finally start to get it and get what’s going on with Will. It being about getting Will’s feelings across to the audience feels a lot more fourth-wall-break-y. If you’ve been paying attention, you already know based on all the lingering stares and lingering camera shots on them and his reactions even when he’s not doing them. His reactions to Mike have been really emphasized. But even so, it can serve both purposes: putting us and Mike in the same shoes. And there is no/minimal informational purpose of a scene that is just two characters being oblivious to each other when it doesn’t even cause a miscommunication. And within just volume 2, without knowledge of season 5 - which is, of course, how it is meant to be watched: chronologically - the implication is that this scene only exists to reaffirm Will’s feelings to the audience (an insufficient motive if it is has such little affect on the characters if you ask me) and to help give Mike the confidence to tell El he loves her. But if that was the only goal it would have been done without the emphasis on Will’s personal feelings.
In the past, Mike’s said things and regretted them because he knew they hit on insecurities of Will’s and were just generally not super cool things to say and that’s why he felt bad. But he never knew Will’s specific or personal feelings before. Just inferred that it would hurt based on his knowledge of how Will’s been treated and Will’s immediate facial reaction.
But in this one, the entire scene, Mike is entranced. He’s listening to every word. I’ve said before that he avoids interrupting like he’s scared it’ll ruin it - treating it like new information that is fragilely and vulnerably being delivered to him unlike the claim that Will is just repeating it. The entire scene, Mike is entranced. He’s listening to every word. I’ve said before that he avoids interrupting like he’s scared it’ll ruin it - treating it like new information that is fragilely and vulnerably being delivered to him unlike the claim that Will is just repeating it. He’s gaining new information. And that would also be applicable to just the information about El - if it weren’t for the way he looks at Will. And I don’t just mean in a romantic sense. In fact, I mostly wouldn’t consider it one inherently. It’s more about the up and down looks - examining Will’s face - putting the focus on Will. How Will is saying it; what Will’s micro-expressions mean for the subtext of the information - as if how Will feels about the information has bearing on the information itself. Which wouldn’t be true unless Mike believes that Will is truly the one delivering it.
He is invested in other conversations with Will. He has been the whole rest of the season. And many of them have been emotionally intimate in a similar positive way to this one. But he has always made steady eye contact with him. He has kept that mutual intimacy through eye contact. This time, he’s analyzing Will visually, looking all across his face for answers, he’s darting back to the painting every time El is mentioned...he’s having A LOT harder of a time processing this information. Will in the scene where he’s packing is a great example of being relieved by hearing something you want to hear that gives your confidence back after a fight. He does not break eye contact. He just takes in the moment. He lets it be until it’s interrupted externally. But Mike isn’t doing it. He’s almost looking like he wants to get out of it not to stop the flow of information but just to escape into his own head (which he seems to do in the end). Will is the one more invested in the actual conversation. At the end, he too wants to break off because he needs to cry in private. He wants to break off for a similar reason of being alone with himself to process everything. But while he is trying to juggle processing it emotionally, Mike is trying to juggle processing it logically. He doesn’t want the flow of information to stop. And he is entranced. His full attention is on Will. Even when he glances away, it’s only in a dash because he is holding his focus and taking everything in, trying not to miss anything, and taking it in emotionally - things like why Will pushed him away.
I’d also like it noted that before this, they were also having quite an intimate conversation! An emotional one about how Mike feels and his deep insecurities. Will hadn’t talked much during it but when he did, this was not how Mike treated it. He didn’t treat it as morsels of invaluable information. He treated it like a normal response in a conversation. And yes, Will’s speech is more important information but still. During the speech, his faces aren’t so ambiguous for the audience. No good art is truly created for its audience. The characters in this have motives. Just like we may be placed in his shoes with Will even for those who knew to have confirmation, we are being placed in his here as well. It is ambiguous because he is confused. He doesn’t know how to react internally. He’s still just taking it all in trying not to miss anything vital.
Will’s words aren’t romantic. But the fact that he passes them off as Will’s is. And the fact that he would feel the need to hide them at all is too. Mike knows this. And he doesn’t know what to do with it. And he doesn’t know what to do with the fact that he doesn’t know what to do with it. Because one fact ABOUT not knowing what to do with it is that he doesn’t immediately know. He doesn’t immediately reject the idea mentally. He doesn’t KNOW that the answer is no - even a kind no. A mental “no” is fairly immediately. You just know these things. Of course, this is all just speculation. The entire point is that Mike’s face is unreadable from his confusion. We don’t GET any reactions from him. That’s. the point.
Until the end. He only responds one time, one word. And it’s to look for confirmation. It seems like a close to the information he’s getting: a concluding statement; an answer to his previous words. So he speaks for the first time. “Yeah?” “Yeah.”
And he’s happy.
HE’S HAPPY with this. He isn’t still confused - I’m sure he is still processing, he goes back to the painting immediately after and continues looking over it (providing motive to look back up at Will, preoccupied enough to not notice Will is crying when looking back up at him, and/or see it and not be able to emotionally or decide he can’t situationally help). But his emotions are visible here. If we’re meant to be seeing Will’s feelings here. And we’re meant to have seen nothing from Mike indicating feelings for Will previous to this. The information we get is still clear: Will has feelings for Mike. And Mike is happy.
I don’t think it was delivered this way so that Mike doesn’t know about Will’s feelings. I think it was delivered this way so that Will doesn’t know that Mike knows.
And this also indicates to me that Mike didn’t know before this. About any of it. We know from an interview with Finn Wolfhard that Mike was, as of Vol 1 to note, completely oblivious. I am applying this to his own feelings as well. One can act in reaction to their feelings without being consciously aware of them. Mike’s reactions in the van scene are almost universally to himself. You don’t do that that much unless you have A LOT to say to yourself. And you don’t have that much to say to yourself if you’ve already had time to think on your own feelings - even if you have a lot of very confusing feelings. No, Mike is grappling with the concept itself. I don’t know that he has logically come to a conclusion by the end of it - in fact he probably hasn’t - but he does have an immediate emotional reaction upon coded confirmation.
And this gives Mike time. He knows what Will feels now, so he confirms within Will’s code. He doesn’t ask “do you agree”, he keeps Will safe in his code. But he can clearly see and hear the emotion in the way Will answers. That’s the confirmation he needed. And this way, he keeps Will in the dark about him knowing. He gives himself time to sort it all out. And I’m not analyzing the reasons he does what he later does right now but I will say I know this: he does it in an effort to sort it out. Whether that be just to do what he has to in the moment or out of suppression. And I can also say that when Will telling him to tell El he loves her seems to hurt him. Right now, I don’t think because he takes it as a rejection, but rather because he understands more than we give him credit for. He understands what Will is sacrificing. That Will is hurting himself. He might have thought during the van scene that it was meant as a coded confession. A confession with a fallback plan. But now he sees that it wasn’t. That it was actually a secret always meant to stay a secret. That Will’s confession wasn’t him dipping his toe in the water. It was him being as self-indulgent as he would ever allow himself to be.
So now the ball is in Mike’s court. And he knows it. And he already bought himself as much time as he needs. There are loads of other factors including how he takes much of the information covered and not in this post. Who knows if he takes Will’s self-sacrifice as an invitation or a rejection, for example. But ultimately: Mike is the only one who can make a move, he is on his own time to do it, and he knows it. Now it’s just up to what he’ll do with that information.
a little analysis backtracking into s1-3 to explain his oblivion in the tags
#broke: duffers i am in your walls#woke: mike wheeler i am in you skull#mike wheeler sexuality analysis#<< i didn't cover anything pre season 4 but i think it comes down to he plain and simple didn't know himself or will's feelings and is just#bi boy acting out of impulse and knee jerk reaction to his feelings like a kid does#and this year that had way more consequences#because he was so genuinely frustrated by not knowing why he was doing what he was doing to hurt people#why he said and didn't say things#i don't think he was juggling#because i don't think any of it was calculated or some failed calculation#i think he just didn't know anything so he didn't know why it was all happening#he couldn't balance it all because he didn't know he needed to or even WHAT he was balancing#maybe there is no big conspiracy#maybe he's just a dumb kid who doesn't know what he's doing#everything was a knee jerk reaction#but now he knows more#and it can't be anymore#and season 5 is gonna be really interesting because NOW he's gonna be making thought through decisions#or trying too#he could still just be processing and mulling over it for a while before he even does anything#he could spend the whole season deciding#who knows#but we know and he knows now that there are decisions to be made#and his reactions and actions will all be informed now#and maybe he'll just exchange knee jerk for frantic to get it right#but it is different now#stranger things#van scene#byler povs#mike knows
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fic writer questions
tagged by @fireandiceland :D
1.) How many works do you have on AO3
19... it was 39 but I had a major self-loathing moment
2.) What’s your total AO3 count?
word count? 166,516
3.) How many fandoms have you written for and what are they?
if you mean currently on AO3? just Hetalia. If you mean only on AO3 ever: Kuroshitsuji, Hyouteki no Finder, BotW, and Hetalia
In total through my whole life uhhh >.> a few more than that
4.) What are your top 5 fics by kudos?
Thief of Spades Season One
Thief of Spades Season Two
Trust
If It's You
Desperate Measures
5.) What’s the fic you’ve written with the angstiest ending?
It's gonna be between Last Hurrah and Payback probably... Payback probably wins just because it is incredibly bleak
6.) What’s the fic you’ve written with the happiest ending?
Uhhhh hmmm I mean I'd say everything else that's finished they're all about equally happy. I write most fics with the intention of reaching a happy ending that feels earned. From most contrast between the rest of the fic and the ending, I'd say An Impossible Situation
7.) Do you write crossovers? If so, what is the craziest one you’ve written?
Nah, I'm not interested in crossovers.
8.) Do you write smut? If so, what kind?
Oh yeah. What else is there? XD I hope I write *good* smut. After Kuro, I think was really uptight about it and trying to be "clean," but I've loosened up on that a lot and I think it has greatly improved the quality of the smut I write.
I think I have a slight reputation for adding BDSM elements and of course there's my super hardcore kink of writing scenarios where everything is consensual and all parties involved care about and respect each other. It's pretty intense, pretty niche, not a lot of people are into it. LOL As for gender/sexuality >.> who really cares about that kind of thing nowadays?
I also primarily write UKUS, which many people find extremely offensive. 🤣
IT'S A JOKE!
9.) Do you respond to comments, why or why not?
I used to forget, but I try to do so consistently now because it shows my appreciation because I really like getting comments.
10.) Have you ever received hate on a fic?
EEEEEEYUP.
11.) Have you ever had a fic stolen?
Not to my knowledge
12.) Have you ever had a fic translated?
I have! :D I consider it to be quite an honor ^-^
13.) Have you ever co-written a fic before?
Yes. A long time ago.
14.) What’s your all time favorite ship?
USUK/UKUS. Nothing else even comes close.
15.) What’s a WIP that you want to finish but you don’t think you ever will?
T_T so many, but mainly Technicolor Heart. I just really like the concept, but that fic would have been soooooooo angsty..... also I don't wanna get ... fuckin.... run off of tumblr.
16.) What are your writing strengths?
Pacing. I know I just have a sense of how a story should progress so that everything feels earned but there's minimal to no dragging. I get told people like my characterizations a lot which is nice ^-^ also my prose is pretty nuanced, but I don't count that as a strength because I think most people don't even notice.
17.) What are your writing weaknesses?
>.> speed. or lack thereof. I can't write action scenes, which dramatically altered the direction of Thief of Spades in particular. I don't have a beta so there's always typos I'm catching months after posting P: I struggle with description/creating atmosphere using sensory info.
18.) What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in fic?
I agree with Riva that salutations or endearments are fine, but writing whole scenes that way comes across as pretentious and annoying. Not to mention it can just be really confusing. Write in the language of your audience, it's basically just that simple.
19.) What was the first fandom you wrote for?
Pffff. As if I'd say it in public smh. I'll spare 11/12 y/o me the indignity
20.) What’s your favorite fic you’ve written?
Uhhhh hmmm
I mean the Thief of Spades series is always going to have a very special place in my heart but writing something that long with that much plot over such a long time, there's a lot of things about it I wish I could change.
In terms of canonverse type stuff, I love The Shape of Modern Imperialism. For shameless self-indulgence I think Three-Part Harmony is best. But I actually worked really hard on Precious Thing and I'm still quite proud of it.
tagging whoever wants to be.
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NOTES FROM THE FRONT LINE (#132, APR 2012)
It’s generally accepted that Walter Murch (along with friend and colleague Ben Burtt redefined the role of the cinematic sound engineer, coining the term “Sound Designer” for Apocalypse Now (1979), which was foreshadowed by his “Sound Montage” credit for The Conversation (1974).
Murch later turned his hand to directing, helming Return to Oz, the 1985 sequel to the beloved classic. It was his friend George Lucas who offered him the opportunity to take the director’s chair again for The Clone Wars season four episode from the Umbaran quadrilogy, “The General.” Interview by J. W. Rinzler
Star Wars Insider: How did you first get invited to direct an episode of The Clone Wars?
Walter Murch: I heard about Bob Dalva, who’s a friend, film editor, director, and cameraman. George Lucas had asked him to be a guest director on the show (Season Two’s “The Deserter”) and I kept tabs with him, checking how it was going. He was having a great time doing it. I think it was a year later that George said, “What about you? Do you want to be a guest director?” Based upon the experience that Bob had, and my own general interest in the interface between art, story, and technology, I thought I would see what it was all about.
Did you choose a script from the four episodes of the Umbaran story arc?
They just said here it is. I didn’t get to choose. I think I would’ve been overwhelmed if I had to choose, because I didn’t know anything about the process other than what Bob and George had told me. It was much better just to get an assignment and not have to make a choice, weighing variables that I had no knowledge of at that time.
What did George tell you about the show?
Not much. He said, “It’s great, you’ll love it!” What he’s interested in with guest directors is people coming on board and injecting whatever it is that makes a metal into an alloy: a little extra something that’s not normally in the metal, but that helps to turn it into something else: iron into steel, brass into bronze, hopefully stronger. There are four directors on staff—very talented directors who are each working on three projects at once in various stages, whereas a guest director is only working on one thing and doesn’t hang around after the job is done. I wasn’t involved at all in the final animation. It’s just a very specific 12-week gig—to learn the software and produce the work.
George also wanted to bring in, with Bob and me and Duwayne Dunham—another guest director who has done two shows—someone who has experience in live action. George wants an infusion of a live-action sensibility into the process of doing animation, so it becomes scene-based rather than shot-based. Animation tends to be shot-based work because of the expense of producing animation; you want to minimize the amount of work, so shoot only what is absolutely necessary. Whereas with the zViz software (a proprietary software platform developed by George Lucas and Lucasfilm that helps directors compose shots), which is what we were working with, it doesn’t cost anything to keep the shot going, especially in a dialogue scene. It’s covering the dialogue the way you would cover a normal dialogue scene in live action from many different angles, which allows you to choose in the editing how the scenes will be constructed.
So you had 12 weeks. At this point was the script already written?
Yes, it was finished and, other than meeting at the end of the process, I never had any interaction with the writer. [Supervising director] ave Filoni did ask, “What do you think about the script? Any ideas?” In this story, the two clones, Fives and Hardcase, have to penetrate an alien airbase and there’s a perimeter fence around it. In the original script, they walked up to the fence and turned it off with some device they had. I thought we should make it a little harder, just to get a bit more action into it; also, if you can do everything with your own devices, it makes the opposition look weaker. So the whole idea of climbing up the tree, and then booby-trapping it to distract the guards —that was my contribution to the story.
So once you did the script, it went to the story reel phase using zViz. Was there anything in between those stages?
There was a lot of work already done in set and character design, all of which I inherited. They just said, “Here it is!” I slightly changed the nature of what some of the weird creatures were—that was another script idea I guess—I made the weird flying creatures into vultures so that they would try to eat the bodies of dead clone troopers. In the script they were just seen as passing clouds, but since they looked like vultures mated with manta rays, I thought, Let’s give them a personality and a purpose. What do these guys do? So that was another thing. I didn’t modify the look of the creatures, but I did modify what they did.
You then moved onto the zViz story reels.
I went to zViz class for the first two weeks. I had a one-on-one tutor and I was learning the software. Co-incident with that, in the afternoons, I started to play with the set and the characters, and reading the script, and working out how we were going to stage everything; just arranging the basic elements of the “soldier” aspect of the work, which is: “Here’s the army. There’s the enemy. Our army is moving in this direction. They’re coming from that direction. They’re in single-file, and so on.” At that stage, only basic camera parameters had been set, so I went through the script scene-by-scene and blocked it out using zViz. I had a team of four story artists who were going to be working with me—Bosco Ng and Dave Brickley would sometimes be standing next to me saying, “Don’t do that. It’s more efficient to do this,” just like when you learn to drive a car. You have an instructor there to prevent you from crashing. I got about two percent into using zViz. Maybe five percent. Maybe I would have been able—for the story reel—to do some actual story reel animation, but this particular show is so full of action that I left it to the artists that were working with me.
What was the next stage?
After the blocking? The story reel. I assigned scenes to the story artists and they would phone me up four hours later and say, “Want to take a look?” And that would give me other ideas and I’d make suggestions and they would work their way through the scenes.
As with live action, do you have to choose the “virtual camera lenses” you use?
Yes. I began to sketch that out in the plotting stage. But I generally left that up to the animators, except for a few specific places like that shot of the first emergence of the scorpion tank: I wanted that to be a telephoto lens.
Did you find it liberating?
Yes, it was. I felt insecure during the two weeks when I was learning the software and not knowing how much more I had to learn. If we had all the time in the world, it would’ve been different—but this is an ongoing series and you have to hit schedule milestones. And I was very happy with the work the story artists did; they saved my bacon a number of times when there were things I couldn’t quite figure out. Based on their own experience being animators and working on The Clone Wars, they knew what could be done and that would trigger ideas from me. So it was a very good collaboration with all four guys.
Did you have any involvement with the direction of the actors?
Yes, once we’d recorded and cut the temporary voices in. and then made any adjustments, we went down to Los Angeles and recorded the actual voices of the clones and Krell. So I was there for the final recording. It’s very important, I think, for the director of the recording.
The episode has a lot of action in it, but is also quite violent. There’s a scene where some Umbarans walk past and the clones shoot them in the head.
That was another idea I had. And another was the amount of stomping that the scorpion tanks do. There are many clones that get killed by being stepped on. This was an idea I came up with based on exploring the ability with zViz to articulate the character’s movement, like a puppet. The scorpion tanks are a six-legged mechanism. It wasn’t specified in the script what those legs could do—it just walked forward and shot. I thought it would be more interesting if it appeared to be alive in an animalistic sense and, working with Dave Brickley, we started tooling around with these creatures. We made them stand up on their hind legs, so to speak, and put the front legs up in the air. Once you did that, it was clear that it would be good.
These ideas arise spontaneously out of the directing process and if nobody stops me, then I’ll do them. It’s grisly—people killed by being stepped on, and the idea of finishing off this Umbaran pilot—and it begs the question. “If they didn’t shoot him, what were they going to do with him?” Then there’s the whole idea of these vulture creatures feeding on the flesh of clones. I plead guilty to the grisly parts of the story, or emphasizing them anyway.
Is that because you think kids today can handle it?
I think so, but I wasn’t thinking about the audience spedifically. It’s shown at eight o’clock at night, and I know that the viewing age ranges very wide. I thought it was my duty—I’d been invited in to do this stuff and they were looking for somebody from the outside. So I guess I was pushing the edge of the envelope. And I think that’s one of the very interesting things about the show. It gets into some pretty deep, philosophical waters about what an army is: Who are the soldiers in an army, and what are they really doing? Do they obey orders without thinking or are they obliged to think on their feet and countermand an order if they know a better way to do it and what’s the cost of that? How does identity emerge out of group of soldiers who, in this case, are literally bred to be the same. And yet different identities do emerge out of their DNA—how does that happen? How do you cohere as a military fighting force where the idea is to sublimate your identity and not be individuals? Once you start thinking about all that, you get into some pretty interesting areas.
It sounds like it intellectually engaged you.
Yes, it did. But all this is not specifically limited to my episode. That whole Umbaran arc in particular is about the assassination of a kind of Hitler. When do you kill the guy who’s supposedly your commanding officer? What he’s doing is wrong and against all military code, and yet you have to obey him. it’s a dilemma that the human species confronts over and over. I looked at maybe 12 other episodes in the course of 12 weeks. and I was really impressed with the range of subject matters and the implications of some of the ideas that were being explored.
Also, I was taken with the density of the storytelling in a 22-minute session; I would be watching one of these episodes, looking at the animation and being impressed with the style and the production design and all of that, and then the seven-minute moment, the commercial break, would come and I’d realize, wait a minute, that felt like 20 minutes not seven! It felt like a lot had happened and it had only been seven minutes. Each of these 22-minute episodes feels like an hour in terms of the visual and thematic complexity of the stuff that’s being explored. Those experiences quickly eliminated any sense that I was making a film for kids. But by the same token, Return to Oz, which is essentially a film for kids, also has some heavy-duty stuff in it. I think kids can take it.
Did you get to see your episode before it went to air?
Yes, but the first version I saw I thought the picture was way too dark. I would not have animated things the way I did if I had known it was going to be that dark. I had been told Umbara was a dark planet, but I didn’t know it was going to be that dark. There’s a saying in England: When you do live-action night shooting, you’ll get the question, “Where is this light coming from?” And the answer is, “That’s ‘Customer’s Moonlight.’” In other words, the audience paid to see the movie—the light is there to allow them to see what they paid for. But when I saw the aired version of “The General”, the darkness had been lightened. I don’t know what knobs they twirled, but there was much mom light. And yet it still looked like a dark planet. So I was much happier.
Is there anything that you’d like to have differently?
The Clone Wars animation is getting on good. particularly for certain characters. that I would like to see them move even more in a live-action sense. There’s still a tendency, especially in the story reel stage, to over-articulate body language. There are lots of hand gestures, kind of in a marionette sense, and you tend to fall into doing that because there is no facial animation at the story reel stage, only rudimentary changes from anger to joy. And with the clones wearing helmets, you don’t see any face, so there is a tendency to over-compensate with body-language. I think that may have been necessary in the early days when the animation wasn’t as sophisticated. Now it’s getting so good, it might be time to back off from the marionette aspect and treat them more like real people, real actors.
Do you think they should invest a little more in that?
Yes, but with some characters I think they’re already there! There’s a wonderfully evil female character Asajj Ventress. She’s fantastic—both as a character and how she’s animated. I love that character.
THE CINEMA OF WALTER MURCH
Walter Murch enrolled at the University of Southern California in 1965. In its School of Cinema, he met George Lucas, future writer/director John Milius, author Donald Glut (who penned the novelization of The Empire Strikes Back), Director of Photography Caleb Deschanel (who shot 1979’s More American Graffiti), and a host of other luminaries who came to prominence during the late ‘60s and early ‘70s. After Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola founded American Zoetrope, Murch helped edit and mix sound on the latter’s The Rain People (1969). His résumé soon filled out with a series of Lucas and Coppola projects: THX 1138 (1971), American Graffiti (1973), and The Godfather Part II (1974), before winning an Academy Award in 1980 for his sound design on Apocalypse Now. His subsequent credits include, among many others, Ghost (1990), The Talented Mister Ripley (1999), Cold Mountain (2003), Jarhead (2005) and The English Patient (1996), for which he netted Oscars for both film and sound editing.
#season 4#408#crew#insider#i132#the clone wars#guest directors#got real detailed into the process and the episode!
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Ramblings watches Halo
Episode 9: Transcendence (or to the ground again)
“Oh good, you’re not dead!”
In which silver team kicks some ass, Makee is suffering, Dr Halsey is plotting and I can at long last cancel my paramount plus subscription.
Note that paramount plus no longer lets me take screenshots so not as many pics this ep :/
Endings are hard. I had a problem dealing with the “pressure” of writing my last recap that’s read by like maximum 10 people, so to end a season of an anticipated tv show must be very stressful. While to me, this episode does not reach the peaks of last episode (you could say in many ways that this episode was more of a conclusion, compared to last episode’s climax), I think it was overall successful. In order to give my very late recap so structure, let’s talk about what I believe were the objectives of this season finale, and how it measures up.
Let’s tie up some loose ends
We know that Halo will be back for season 2. Therefore, we need to finish up some of the setups we started in season 1. This is a bit of a mixed bag.
If we go back and look at episode 1, some promises are kept. Cortana is obviously a full-fledged character, Halsey and the government as a whole have been exposed, Miranda is a leader and Kai and JMC’s bond, something that really sticks in episode 1, is stronger than ever.
Two characters were done a little bit dirtier than others. The most stark difference, obviously, is that Kwan is wholly absent. Her arc (as far as that goes) has been put on hold, anchored as of two episodes ago. With how much time we dedicated to Kwan early in the season, her absence retroactively makes these early scenes all the more pointless. I hope, for the sake of Kwan’s actress, that she has a good contract, because I could easily see them writing her out for two, barring the weird floaty robot that my compatriot mentioned that I still don’t understand.
The other side of this coin is Makee. Makee is in this episode, and it’s not as bad as I had anticipated, but it’s obvious as soon as you see her that she will die. I was worried that this would be like Game of Thrones and make John MasterChief kill Makee, and that did not happen, we did not get any intimate partner violence. In fact, I think JMC’s best acting moments come from him dealing with Makee’s death. But this still a fridging moment, her death is being used as much by the writers as a tragedy for JMC to overcome as it would have been for the Covenant as a sacrifice. Makee is set up in episode 1 and it feels as though she will be an integral character, perhaps an overarching antagonist, but alas, she stops being a character this episode. And she is a loose end that we need to deal with before season 2. Especially because, and this is a threat and a promise, a ship war is on the horizon lovelies.
2. Keeping promises.
While I can, and I got my parents to, enjoy this show without any knowledge or affection for the game on which it is based, this is still primarily watched by and made for fans of the show. We ditch several of the show original characters and focus on Halsey getting sent to jail (a think my brother told me happened in the games), the bond between Cortana and John MasterChief, and Killing ! Some! Aliens
When I watched the episode where JMC explores his house, it was at my childhood home with my parents and brother. While I was having a grand old time, mentally crafting my work on a Pirates of Penzance epic, my brother said the following: “when are they going to shoot aliens.”
And I mean is he wrong? The action at this point in the show had been fairly minimal; we had seen many more master cheeks, makee cheeks, that one guy from pacific rim? Is naked? Makes you wonder about the level of budget we had to contend with (especially because as I mentioned in episode one,,,, the cgi is not very good!).They saved the action for the finale, one assumes, because they knew that this is what people wanted and it would make us watch this season to completion. Wanted to leave a good taste in your mouth for season 2.
This is also by far the most screen time for Cortana so far. We see her power, in taking over JMC completely and essentially just having a whole ass first person shooter game within the show. We see that she’s funny for the first time in a long time with some quips including my lead-in line. She says spaghettified, I clapped And, of course, she and JMC.
So like. Guys. I don’t know what they’re gonna do.
3. So what happens next?
This section should be reserved for the cliffhanger, which a lot of the imdb reviews were concerned about. There is so much happening, like the fate of the halo, whatever the hell Halsey is up to, what’s going on with the artifact, how the covenant will act now that Makee is dead. But I didn’t write enough about that in my notes, I’m really late, I canceled the subscription guys and even if I went back???
You guys think I got into the x-files this month because I’m in a good place and or that I care about Aliens? Or did i get into it because my life is hard and I love love so much and maybe I need a little tenderness baby! I kid, sometimes. I care about this show, I care about more than just ships, I haven't already bookmarked 20 x-files fanfiction on ao3 even though I’m only on season 2. I want to watch season 2, but I can’t say that how this will unfold is what keeps me up at night.
No what intrigues me is this
What will a show that has so tied itself to nudity and sexuality, especiall if I’m right and it’s because they don’t have the kind of money to spend on big action, deal with the fact that the main ship is romantic, but not necessarily sexual
What are they going to do with Kai who seems to have a crush on JMC? That seems dumb but MoR has picked up on it and she does shoot Makee, so?
Is Kwan coming back? If no, what’s the b plot? If yes then what on earth is she doing? The stake of the show do not seem that they can contend with a planet level conflict when we’ve gone intergalactic.
Is the rest of Silver team beyond Kai going to get any character?
How do you make the Covenant understandable to the mainstream when they have removed their literal human avatar
So yes, I am excited to see season 2, but I’ll admit that I am more confused where they’re going to go now then when I went in blind. But as always, I’ll be here for it. @sonofcarnelian thank you for going on the journey with me, take us out baby!!!
PS: Oh I almost forgot!!!! Adun dies like a DOG
PPS: I know what you’re wondering. Ramblings, you paid for paramount plus for so long, what did you use it for other than halo. Well I’ll tell you. I’ve seen the paw patrol movie 10 times now.
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He Did Create - an Interview with Fraser Moss
Gutted to hear of the recent passing of Fraser Moss. I had the pleasure of spending a day with him in 2018 and he was a true fountain of subcultural knowledge who knew everything about seemingly everything good in life—with conversation ranging from vintage military jackets to the third season of Twin Peaks with no let up.
This interview from an old magazine we made at Oi Polloi captured a small portion of that conversation, telling his story from his beginnings in the clothes industry getting sacked from World's End to flogging rare trainers before anyone knew about rare trainers, starting YMC and beyond. He had a lot of good stuff to say which applies today. RIP Fraser Moss. He did create.
Founded by Fraser Moss and Jimmy Collins back in 1995, You Must Create (or Y.M.C. to give it its snappier title), has been a firm Oi Polloi favourite for donkey's years. It was one of the first things we sold in our old Tib Street shop back in 2002, and although a fair bit has changed in the world since then, their trademark blend of stripped-back design, high-end fabrics and left-field cultural references is still as flavoursome as ever.
Fraser is the man who designs the stuff. Curious to hear the yarn behind the garms, I made the perilous voyage down to Brighton to hassle him with some questions..
Starting from the beginning, where did you grow up?
Newport in South Wales. I grew up in that period when youth culture was really important, and it was all led by music. I was too young for punk, but I was old enough to recognise it. At that time it was more that post-punk thing - we could see what was happening up in Manchester.
There were only two magazines you could buy which involved style - I.D. and The Face. And you couldn't even get those in Wales. I had to subscribe to them like some saddo, getting them delivered to my mum's house. You were limited on the knowledge you could gain.
How did you end up working with clothes? Was it something you were always into?
I was working in a sports warehouse. I was working there and thinking, "I've got to get out of here." So I'd get the coach up to London, and in those days it was all about the Kings Road. I used to go up and down there trying to get a job. I ended up getting a job at Vivienne
Westwood, at World's End. It was just after all the Seditionaries stuff, so it was like a dream getting to work for her. But then I got sacked because I got pissed up and fell asleep on the counter - someone came in and robbed half the shop. So then I started Professor Head, which was dealing in old school trainers.
Was anyone into old trainers then? That must have been a relatively new thing at that time.
It was just us and the Japanese. We'd go to the library and get the Yellow Pages for a district of America, then sit there all afternoon ringing them up to see if they had anything. Then we'd get on a plane, hire a van and then go around Boston or somewhere.
You'd go into the basement and they'd have full stacks of Jordan 1s and the Wally Waffles. And they'd be selling them for two or three dollars a pair. We had this little office in Soho and a stall in Camden Market, and we'd just sell to the Japanese. It was good while it lasted. I wish I'd taken photos, but no one had cameras - no one cared.
How long did you do this for?
Until our addictions collapsed the business. By 94 it was going tits up. In 95 we started Y.M.C.
How come you started Y.M.C.? What was the thing that set it off?
I was really sick of the fact that the only fashion that was available at the time was big Italian labels, hip-hop or skate. I'm not against any of that, but it was either American or European stuff, and I just felt there was a need for understated, minimal clothing that people could create their own style with. At that time, people didn't have quality simple clothing—it wasn't available.
Where does the name come from? It's a quote or something isn't it?
Yeah, that's Raymond Loewy, who did the Shell logo and the Coca-Cola logo. He was one of the first graphic guys who felt he could put his hand to everything. He'd design a logo, he would do architecture and then he'd do a can of soup. He was multitasking.
He did this lecture, and he said, "The thing is, you must create." And we just nabbed that. At that time it was all very well me being anti-this and anti-that, but I had to do something.
It was a lot easier back then, the world was much more D.I.Y.—but to be honest, apart from the ideas, our first collection was shit—the fabric would be the wrong way around, or one sleeve would be longer than the other. We were learning as we were going.
How basic was it back then? How many people were involved?
It was just me and Jimmy.
How did you meet him?
I met him because he had the same German agent as our trainer shop, Professor Head. We were both disillusioned with what we were doing, so we set up Y.M.C. When we first started it, I was homeless. I'd been dumped by my girlfriend, and I was living on my friend's floor. And then we got this little office, so I just lived there. It didn't even have a shower; there was just a tap and a sink. Slowly we built it up so I could live like a normal person, but I remember for a month I was living on Oxo cubes. It was good though, I had a 28 inch waist.
Going back to you in Newport, was there a regional style when you were growing up?
Yeah, particularly when the casuals came along. Every football club had its look. Some might have been more influential than others, so the other teams would copy them. Newport might have nicked this from the north, but we really went for that gentleman farmer look—a deerstalker hat, a wax jacket, some plus four cords and a pair of Forest Hills. Seeing those guys on the terraces was bonkers.
Do you think that regional thing still exists now?
There's less tribalism. You can be anything you want today, but that doesn't mean to say you're part of something. But these guys lived for the clobber and the weekend - it was different. When you're in that tribal gang, that's all you know. You're kind of blinkered.
I imagine you'd get a lot of stick for dressing like that back then.
Can you imagine? Newport is a working class town. You've got the steelworks, the mines and the docks. I used to dress up like an absolute clown back in the 80s. I'd wear these opulent Nehru suits, I had my hair long, I had a walking stick and a fur coat. I'd be pissed out of my head, rolling into curry houses at three in the morning and going to sit with a load of rugby boys. You can Imagine the abuse I got.
Do you think that adds to the appeal? You were putting yourself on the line.
Definitely. It's edgier. Today, I can walk around how I want and no one is going to bat an eyelid, but walk around Newport in the 80s like that and you're putting your life at risk.
I suppose it's like tattoos. In the 60s having a tattoo would be a pretty raw thing.
There's no edge to most things now. Everything is accepted. From antiques to records, everyone knows what's what. Everyone's an expert and nothing shocks anyone. You can stream 'Love Will Tear Us Apart' on the internet and then say you're a Joy Division fan, but it's only on a basic level, the passion has gone.
I'm an obsessive vinyl guy, but I always have been. When I was young it was only vinyl, and when CDs came along, I didn't reject them, I just couldn't afford a CD player. And now I have to deal with my own son telling me that vinyl is fashionable and putting records on his wall. I say, "No, you play it, you don't put it on your wall." It's not a trophy.
I collect records because I want the music. I go to record fairs, and there's always dirty old fat blokes in overcoats looking for a Japanese import Madonna picture disk - it's Madonna, what does it matter?
You've mentioned a few times about having an edge. How important is that?
It's everything to me. I have this argument with people all the time.
I'll say, "Taylor Swift is shit," and they’lI say, “Yeah, but she's successful.” But she's still shit. People in the modern world can't differentiate success with talent. And that's why it's important to have an edge.
What about for Y.M.C. - is it tough to strike a balance between what you want to do and what you know will sell?
Yeah, when we first started it was all about creativity, and ultimately it got to the stage where it was too out there. We were doing turquoise leather tracksuits in the late 90s. We weren't doing four armed jumpers and hooded underpants, but it was still pretty out there. You’ve got to be creative, but it's a business, it's not a folly.
Is it hard not to be swept away with trends and stuff though?
It is, and I don't want to be disrespectful to anyone who lives in a small town, but if you're living in a small town, and you're craving the latest thing, then you've only got the internet to tell you what's happening. But when I was young we had nothing so we had to create it ourselves. And now I just sound like some old bloke.
When I design things, I tend not to look at other people's stuff. I'm not on Instagram and I don't have a Facebook account - I'm not totally unaware to what's going on, but things are as pure as I can make them.
Obviously you're mad on records and bands and all that. How does that feed into Y.M.C.? People talk about Influences, but I always want to know how they actually affect things.
When we first started, I was listening to Stereolab and a lot of library and soundtrack music. It was that retro-futurism thing - that idea of looking to the past and twisting it to create something for the future has always been relevant. You can't create a 100% new thing. And it's the same with clothes - everything we do has a twist on something that has come before - but we'll never take anything literally.
What do you mean by that?
Well, we wouldn't just say, "We're making a hippy collection." You can use elements from the past, but you've got to make it relevant and modern clothes still have to be wearable.
What are your thoughts on that remake angle - people who make clothes exactly how they were in the past?
I understand why that's done, but it's just not for me. I want to watch Peaky Blinders, but I don't want to dress like them.
A lot of the stuff you reference is military or workwear. Why do you think men always come back to these functional things?
Men like there being a reason for something. We just love all that. It's that idea of the working man. It's all fantasy - I mean look at me - I look like some Vietnam veteran.
Haha, like Lieutenant Dan?
Yeah, we all play these rolls. You can't take it too seriously.
I suppose you lot aren't making clothes for the military, but that functional thing is still important.
Yeah, it doesn't have to be ballistic, and it doesn't have to be fireproof. I just think of my mates when they go to watch the football. I've got to make sure that if they wear one of our coats, it'll either keep them warm, or protect them from the rain.
Is it hard to find things to reference? There are only so many jacket shapes out there.
If you’ve spent the last 20 years immersing yourself in it, there aren't really any surprises anymore. So when you do find something new, it's a good feeling. A new shape or a shoe no one has seen before. It's interesting how something can seem outrageous to someone, and then within a couple of years, it's something they can't live without. Believe it or not, when we first made a V-neck cardigan maybe 20 years ago, people were like, "What the fuck is that?" But eventually, it registered.
It's like the cropped trouser. We've always done a short-legged trouser. I don't know why, it's just something we've always done. In Wales we say you need to put jam on your shoes and invite your trousers down for tea. But now look around and everyone is wearing ankle flapping trousers. It becomes the norm.
I remember when I first moved down here twelve years, I had a quiff. And I used to get people shouting, "Elvis!" out of their car windows. 12 year ago, a quiff was seen as outrageous.
Yeah, things move pretty fast. How have things changed for Y.M.C. since it first started?
Computers, the internet, social media - it's changed everything. It doesn't matter how much I moan about it, but this stuff isn't going away. When we started people were still photocopying and using fax machines.
On a deeper level, how have things changed? Are you still trying to do the same thing with Y.M.C. as you were in 1995?
Yeah, we've kind of always kept true to our beliefs. Basically, we've got the same ethics now as we did when we started twenty odd years ago.
What would you say those ethics are?
Well, it all goes back to the name. You Must Create. All we want to do is create nice pieces of clothing that the customer will want to buy and wear how they want. It's all about the product.
It's important that it's not fickle or trend led. I'd like to think someone could have bought a pair of trousers off us ten years ago and still wear them today.
We've rattled on for quite a while now. Before we wrap this up, are there any words of wisdom you'd like to add.
Nah, after rabbiting on for this long, I haven't got anything left to say. I've probably contradicted myself a hundred times.
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Top Fps Multiplayer Games 2022
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Extraction
One of the main elements of the entire extraction experience is studying objectives. Maps contain unique objectives called studies that players can choose to finish or ignore. Maps has approximately 27 primary study objectives divided into three categories. They initially function as background training, tasking you with doing basic tasks like hitting enemies with a ping or obtaining weak points, but they grow to offer a far greater degree of difficulty and add an element of excitement and tension to every mission.
On our last run, we were required to save my favorite operator from the threat of aliens; however, it was hidden behind the third stage of the mission. It can be an extremely difficult task, especially if there are only two or three players. We managed to complete the first two objectives, but endless ambushes from enemies and unsuccessful stealth strategies caused us to be in a somewhat tense situation. I had minimal health and was lacking ammo, so the obvious choice was to extract, but at the same time, I was also faced with a study mission that required me to take from the third area of the mission. The primary idea behind Extract is a risk-reward system, and this simple set of background objectives just pushes that tension to new heights.
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Extraction is one of the most intense and exciting co-op games currently available. It's an amazing new addition to the Siege universe and one that is a stand-alone illustration of the power of innovation within a genre that is largely stagnant. Before I begin this review of Rainbow Six: Extraction I'll admit that I have some basic knowledge regarding Rainbow Six: Siege. I played it when it first came out many years ago; however, I only watched two seasons of The Walking Dead and couldn't provide much information about the state of play. Well, besides the internet being pretty negative about it, it's also a coincidence that it's
It's not because of a lack of effort; it's been pretty siege-free for the past six years. I've attempted to enter the fray on many occasions and was disappointed when I found the "community" isn't as welcoming to newcomers as the Korean Demilitarized Zone. This is especially disappointing given that Siege is a real game that checks all of my boxes. Violent, tactical, teamwork-oriented gameplay is my thing. Let's put it this way: I'd rather join the team than drop into anyone's battle royale map.
This left me scratching my head in a few ways at the idea of reviewing Rainbow Six: Extraction. It's a riff with confidence from the Siege playbook, and I was thinking that you'd need at the very least some previous knowledge of the franchise to understand it. Happily, you don't. It's also not your typical Ubisoft fare, at least not at the time of our review. If you're expecting another muddled whale farm to get money from fools, you could be delighted.
It's been a while since they've launched something other than a variation of the by-now-patented Ubisoft Sandbox. There's no laundry list of tiny icons to gray out spread across exhaustingly vast playing areas. Extraction draws a lot from Siege and features an array of meticulously designed, compact maps, brought to life with an impressive array of mission objectives, operators, and enemies.
The plot isn't very significant in the grand scheme of things, but it is a great method of combining Siege's universe with this one. As a result, an unknown parasite infiltrated Earth, destroying cities and bringing civilization to its knees. These alien creatures, the Archaeans (or Archies, for short), appear in a variety of forms from pupating egg-like nests and kill whatever they see. To counter this, a tiny selection of Siege's tactical combat specialists have been put together to make up REACT. The group is led by Mira, Elena, and Thermite; it comprises a small group that is likely to grow over time, depending on the success of Extraction.
I say "small," but there are 18 operators in all—nine at first and nine to unlock—and they offer a wide range of weapons and skills to carry into the incursions with them. Each incursion is split into three distinct missions, separated by sealed airlock doors. You can take off at any time by stepping onto the helipad and calling in the chopper, but the more objectives you complete, the more XP you bank.
There are more than twelve different mission types in Extraction, spread across a variety of maps in different geographical locations. The mission line-up is randomized each time, so it's impossible to know exactly what you're going to get. The missions range from Biopsy, which entrusts you with stealthily killing a particular enemy, to missions like Rescue, which require you to locate an NPC and then take them to the Extraction Point.
Each mission is limited to 15 minutes, and when time is up, you'll lose your trip. If this happens, or if your operator goes down for any reason, one of the objectives of the next incursion will be an extraction. The operator is covered by yellow foam that protects them; however, they'll require saving before the Archaeans can take them into one of their arch-trees. You'll need to locate the foam and then free them so they can be used again. It is critical to remember that not only the rescued operator, but any operator who sustains a significant injury during a mission, will be disabled for a short period. Their health will be restored gradually, based on the amount of XP you manage to the bank in subsequent incursions using different operators. Each character has their weapons to unlock, their stats and skills to improve, as well as abilities to acquire. Only cosmetics are universal, and, so far, there's plenty to unlock in-game before you ever reach the storefront. Rainbow Six: Extraction is an extremely tactical and extremely strategic game. This game demands constant communication and absolute concentration, even at the lowest difficulty setting. Your operators can't tank more than a couple of attacks, even from the most Grunt enemies. If one of you falls and isn't able to be revived, someone is likely to be required to carry them out of the incursion or let them go and call for the extraction.
As a consequence, every action you take is important. If you miss an opponent, somebody gets hurt. That's on you. If you choose the wrong gear in the field, do you find yourself completely useless? It's your fault again. Each operator has something of value to bring, but different types of incursions require distinct skills. Alibi's Decoy might be great to keep enemies entertained throughout sabotage missions, but when you're trying to lure an enraged Elite back to the Extraction Point, then Finka's Adrenaline Rush is essential.
Resident Evil Village
Is Resident Evil Village supposed to be a Resident Evil game? It does. While the plot and setting explore some areas you would never expect, it provides a ton of fan service for long-time franchise fans. A number of my favorite Easter eggs tend to be the guides that were published in the Winters' home at the very beginning. One book was developed by Joseph Kendo, and another was authored by George Spencer. These names will prick the nerves that are in every RE supporter's senses, and that's only the beginning of the entire iceberg. The story centers on a father carrying out all he can to protect his family members, but there are a few amazing details about some of the most storied stories. Trust me, it can take all of my willpower not to reveal the information I want to reveal. Although some may not take pleasure in the plot, I felt Capcom did an excellent job of balancing Ethan's story with the story of a more classic Resident Evil recreation.
Capcom is a fan of how Resident Evil 4 feels, and I also presume that this was the best choice. Together with the action and horror enhancements of Resident Evil 7 put into the gunplay and action of RE4, this makes a great balance between both, making the game accessible for both new and old players alike. If you've never played RE7 but are worried about it, there's a brief recap at the beginning that will bring you up to speed on the plot. If you love RE games, then play this video game.
If you've never played a RE game, you should give it a shot. Capcom designed a stylish knowledge that can take an entire 9–12 hours at the very least, and it's worth every second. This has easily wriggled its way onto my list of top RE titles, and I am also currently on my second playthrough. You'll be able to easily replay Resident Evil Village three times and certainly not get sick of it. I think this is a fantastic suggestion. Go with Dimitrescu and ignore the Heisenberg.
Buy cheap games with the best deals.
Many monsters hide in the shadows. Ethan Winters understands this within moments of arriving in this isolated settlement located at the foot of a castle dating back to the medieval period. Sunlight has barely shattered the actual morning mist when the fang-toothed, ferocious monsters begin to strike at him. Resident Evil Village's opening hour sets a tense and intense tone that blends a creepy, atmospheric atmosphere with rollercoaster-themed firefights that put Ethan in the nick of time. The village, like an ultramarathon runner, maintains this thrilling pace until the end credits.
Ethan's journey takes him to a run-down shantytown, blood-soaked wine cellars, and a foreboding mansion littered with animated porcelain dolls. These settings are the perfect backdrop for a blood-sucking overall experience. My stomach lurched when a deformed baby-like form pursued me through a dark room, then I was forced to take a breather and stop after a harrowing shootout with a snarling, truck-sized hound. Village's environments and the design of its enemies are fantastic, which makes it one of the most frightening Resident Evil games up to now.
Ethan slowly accumulates the typical number of guns, revolvers, and grenade launchers to fight this array of frightful creatures from another dimension. The armory in Village isn't much of a surprise; however, the overall gameplay is far more polished than what was available in its predecessor. The challenge of escaping the village's slow-moving bad guys is not a problem; however, navigating their flurry of fangs continues to be thrilling. Finding the time to get a set of headshots while these hordes attack the location is the real obstacle, but I also walked out of most circumstances feeling a surge of epinephrine. Other opponents, such as Lady Dimitrescu, a meme-like mistress, relentlessly pursue Ethan throughout the match, much like RE2's Mr. X.There's no way to know the moment one of these villains will stroll around a corner, creating heightened anxiety, but these scenes consistently eventually resolve independently in a massive, resource-draining boss battle.
When I wasn't fighting with teeth and claws for the sake of my own life, I happened to be looking through every hotel room from floor to ceiling in search of more and more ammo, healing things, as well as other useful tools. Similar to other Resident Evil gaming titles, Village's map does an excellent job communicating which rooms are cleared of clutter and still have some hidden treasures. Certain items are better hidden than others. The village, on the other hand, encouraged me to go over its intricately complex environments with a fine-tooth comb. I liked the majority of these scavenger hunt captures, and verifying rooms off my list was going to be rewarding. However, several items were elusive even after hours of scouring the area, and so trying to locate each item in every house became a tiny bit tedious. It's good to know that even a quick search for each hotel room yields enough equipment to help you get through the tests ahead.
Consumers could buy cheap PS4 Games.
Producing an exciting vision for details is also vital for solving the village's number of environmental enigmas. I enjoy how these puzzles provide a much-needed release of tension, and many of Village's puzzles had me becoming clever. Unfortunately, a few puzzle solutions are generally obscured by fuzzy reasoning. Case in point: I had to force my method through one challenge that required the rotating of statues because its clues were ambiguous. Once I had found the choice, it still took me some time to understand the reasoning. Fortunately, Village isn't going to litter the road with mysteries, the majority are simple enough, and speed bumps are uncommon.
Resident Evil Village's narrative is more intriguing than I anticipated. Ethan is somewhat of a boring everyday person, but his path to saving the girl is filled with outlandish characters and a handful of unexpected situations. Village's narrative wasn't the only reason for me to keep playing; I'm happy to see that Capcom put some ideas into this world, and some of the late-game turns are making me eager to find out where this series will go afterward.
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☕️ + any combination of [hannigram, cc!dream, c!dream, ecology, religion]
hello! :] under the cut for length:
hannigram: i. so i haven't actually even finished season 1? there is probably A Lot that i am missing, it is safe to assume a certain about of Saying Words Recreationally, but i am a little obsessed with the way that people keep talking about will like he automatically gets no say in any of the things they're deciding about him? (i am thinking of, and this may be a misremembered scene, alana bloom and hannibal talking about What's Best For Him, having-a-therapist-wise, while he is conspicuously absent from the room) and it's... he's already meat to them. meat that does interesting things when poked, meat that can be very useful, but meat! hannibal being a cannibal is just allowing the possibility of making that literal. and i get the other appeal here, of [being known by someone in ways no one else ever will], but i don't know if i have a solid feeling about that yet? also, i'm sure the fandom is insufferable about them. no i will not elaborate. (lying because i'm immediately elaborating now: i've seen at least two really good fics that the authors labelled as spitefic, and they were just Correct, to the best of my knowledge? i'm deeply apprehensive about what they could possibly have been a response to.)
cc!dream: part of me wants to say "oh okay time to swing bats at hornets' nests today" but i don't really believe that my opinion of him is that controversial? (the thing i do believe is that if the wrong person sees this at the wrong time, it will be like i did that swinging anyway. such is the nature of massive fanbases. whatever.) starting with Current Events: i haven't read the google doc, and probably won't look into The Current Events further than what i've already seen, but i understand he at minimum was flirting with a fan who was still in high school when he was 21 and sending her private snapchats and that's. Don't Do That?? Hey, That's Fucked, There's A Power Imbalance Here That You Cannot Ignore, Don't Do That. i get why people's reaction was to drop him. i think it's fucked [in ways and for reasons i cannot elaborate on in this already giant post] that he's probably still going to be completely fine after this. beyond that, the amount of attention i pay him is minimal.
god, fuck, i think i talked myself into being kind of mad about this by remembering the fact that there are probably so many kids that look up to him. fucking hell. okay. I'm Not Learning / Thinking More About This. You Can't Make Me. The World Is Not Changed By Me Getting Mad On My Tumblr Blog Of Twelve Followers Total. moving on.
c!dream: oh my god he sucks so bad i want to strangle him (<- thinking about the exile trials + verdict)
no further analysis.
ecology: uh. surface opinion: cool field of study! ecologists in general seem like really cool people. more people should care about this. more personally: i feel weird about this one? like as a kid i read every animal book i could get my hands on and completely sincerely believed those pages they always had at the end about how You Can Change The World By Recycling :) . but also being In Nature wigs me out? but also i care about living creatures and their relations to each other? but also how much do i get to really say that and mean it when the most i've done is Occasionally Relocate Bugs Outside and Nod Sympathetically At Spiders? conflicted about this.
religion: another one i feel weird about! because i was born and raised in canada (sparrowlore for you, i guess, if you couldn't guess from how i spell colour) i feel there's like a background radiation level of knowledge i have about christianity that i don't really have for any other religion? so i am a bit suspicious, like, when i say 'religion' do i mean that or do i mean 'christianity'? and i keep saying the universe, which feels like i just want the christian god to go by a different name, but if asked directly i would say i'm probably an atheist? i... would like to be more principled about my atheism. also, part of me wants to be like "other people's religion is none of my business, let people be", but also part of me that wants to be like, "here are the specific historical instances that show i cannot ignore how religion has been repeatedly used to justify / perpetuate horrific acts and i want to be wary of the institution that allowed for those acts". i don't have a good sense of how to... reason about that divide? and like maybe i shouldn't even be framing it as that particular dichotomy? what i'm saying is both these impulses exist in me at once. and that is, all at once, how i feel about religion.
#chattering sparrow#wow having opinions out loud is cathartic and terrifying!#goddamnit. i get it now.#why do people share so many personal thoughts online i thought. i will never share personal thoughts online i thought.
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Three in the Morning
— You’ve missed your best friend after not seeing him for over a week. To fix that problem, you show up at his window at three in the morning to fill the Iwaizumi-shaped void in your heart.
pairing: iwaizumi hajime x reader
word count: 2.9k
genre: college/university au, fluff
warnings: intoxication (reader is tipsy hghfjsd), jealous reader at one point, cuddling in bed, tooth-rotting fluff
a/n: written for bnha sanctuary one prompt haikyuu collab! :D a bunch of writers wrote their take on the same prompt “it’s 3am why are you outside my window” and this is the fic i came up with based on it! check out the other amazing fics here u won’t regret it ;) xx sof
「 hq masterlist 」
Walking around in the middle of the night just the slightest bit tipsy wasn’t the smartest thing you’ve done in your whole college career, but you could safely say it wasn’t the dumbest— Not that it was something you should be proud of.
You and your roommates had just gotten home from a party and, for some odd reason, you had the sudden urge to see one of your best friends, Iwaizumi Hajime, right at that very moment. He had been studying for midterms all week and you weren’t able to hang out with each other like you normally did, causing a Iwaizumi-shaped void that you wanted to fill. (In a strictly platonic way, of course.)
And when you were half-sleep deprived, half-inebriated, it wasn’t uncommon for you to be rather...impulsive. From ordering too much takeout from any “open 24-hour” restaurant within a five mile radius, to uploading a video of you trying to come up with the perfect pasta recipe, you’ve done a handful of bizarre things during the ungodly hours of the night. But even you weren’t sure what was going on through your mind that convinced you sneaking out of your apartment and heading to Iwaizumi’s nearby was the best course of action while still slightly intoxicated.
The clock on your phone read that it was only a quarter ‘til three and you quickly shrugged on a jacket and sent Iwaizumi a sloppy “i’m omw iwaaaachann” text before stepping foot outside your door, making sure to shut it silently as to not awaken your roommates who had just fallen asleep.
As you made your way through your apartment complex, the thought briefly crossed your mind that Iwaizumi might be sleeping at the moment, especially since he had just finished his midterm exams, but you shrugged it off. You would cross that hurdle when you got there.
And so, when you finally—through some miracle from above—arrived at Iwaizumi’s in one piece, you weren’t sure what else to do other then stare at his half cracked open window. Since he lived on the second floor, it wasn't uncommon for him to leave a window open for air to come through during the hot seasons.
“Iwaizumi!” you yelled in a quiet whisper, hoping the wind would carry your words into his apartment for you.
When you received no reply, you pulled our your phone and began to message him. Although Iwaizumi liked to pretend he was an unsentimental guy who didn’t have time to deal with others’ bullshit, it was obvious that was false. He cared a lot about everyone, especially his friends. Maybe even too much. And one of the ways he showed he secretly cared was always having his phone on full ringer in case anyone needed help in the middle of the night— Something that was surprisingly quite common when you were friends with the chaos that was Oikawa.
Would it be mean to use that knowledge to your own advantage and spam Iwaizumi until he replied?
Maybe.
But in your defense, you were practically having an emergency only he could help with. You desperately needed your Iwaizumi fix after not having seen him in over a week and there was no one better to help you that problem than Iwaizumi himself.
Besides, texting him until he wakes up would be better than Romeo-and-Julieting this and climbing in through his window. Trying to scale a building while tipsy was too idiotic, even for you.
Y/N: are u awakeee?
Y/N: wakey wakey
Y/N: i miss u :(
Y/N: i’m outside ur window wink wonk
Y/N: iwaaa >.>
There was a cacophonous sound of loud text chimes ringing one after the other followed by a deep grunt and stretching sound. You pictured Iwaizumi blearily getting out of bed and checking his phone that he kept across the room (to minimize at-night screen time, he claimed) with a heavy-lidded look on his face.
After a few seconds of unidentifiable shuffles, you heard a strangled cry of, “What the—?!” before you saw the shadow of his head through the window screen.
“Y/N?” he asked incredulously, voice still rough and scratchy from having just been awakened.
You waved, beaming wildly. “Iwaizumi!”
There was a deep sigh as he cracked the glass open even wider. “It’s three in the morning— Why are you outside my window?” He peered down at you almost stumbling on the spot. “And are you drunk?”
“Barely,” you assured, though you still felt a slight buzz in your fingertips. “I missed you so I came here.”
“I— What? I mean— Huh?” he demanded, visible confusion in his tone. He rubbed his forehead before correcting himself. “I mean I miss you too. But it’s three in the morning! You couldn’t wait to miss me in a few hours instead?”
You didn’t know whether to pout because he didn’t grow some Rapunzel hair and let you climb it up to the window and fall into his open arms like you’d imagined, or cheer because he said he missed you too. Blissfully, you chose the latter. “You miss me?”
“Is that really all you heard?” said Iwaizumi with a snort before shaking his head in defeat. “Come up here. I’ll unlock the door for you.”
Your face lit up instantly as you nodded, bounding up the stairs of his apartment building and meeting with him face-to-face at his doorstep.
He had his arms folded over his chest as he waited for you at the entrance and, though he had tired circles under his eyes and still seemed half-asleep, was looking as attractive as ever. Not even the white polka dots on his pajama shorts could talk away from that fact. If anything, it made him all the more adorable.
“Iwa-chan!” you greeted excitedly, but still careful as to make sure you weren’t loud enough to wake up his roommate. You opened your arms out and he begrudgingly accepted your embrace. (Well, he tried to seem begrudging at least. But you saw his hidden smile as you nestled your chin on his shoulder.) “I missed you.”
“You said that already, dumbass,” he said with a tsk. He patted the top of your head before pulling away from your hug promptly. “You’re cold. Have you been standing outside for long?”
Pursing your lips, you looked up at him in confusion. “I don’t feel cold.”
“Because you’re too drunk to register it, probably.” With his warm hand on the small of your back, Iwaizumi ushered you inside and shut the door behind you. “Let’s go to my room so we don’t wake up my roommate, yeah?”
“‘Kay.”
Having visited his place so many times before, you knew it like it was your own apartment— Disregard the fact that your apartments had almost the same exact layout since you lived in the same complex. After sliding off your shoes at the entrance, you led the way to his room with Iwaizumi following closely behind you.
“Did you go to a party tonight?” he asked, eyes trailing down your body that was clad in an oversized t-shirt and fuzzy socks. Iwaizumi took a seat on his bed and patted the spot next to him for you to join.
Laughing at his puzzled expression, you nodded. “Yeah, but I went to my place to change and get ready for bed,” you explained. “Tried sleeping but I missed you too much and wanted to see your face.”
You climbed onto the mattress with him and wiggled around until you found a comfy spot. The comfy spot happened to be side-by-side with Iwazumi, your back against the wall and cold thigh pressed against his warm one. You rested your head on his shoulder and he lazily drew circles onto your knee with the pad of his thumb.
Intimacy like this wasn’t an uncommon occurrence for the two of you— That’s just how things were. He was warm and comfy and good at cuddling, and you liked that.
It could maybe be considered just normal friendship things you two did with everyone if it weren’t for the fact that Iwaizumi wasn’t typically comfortable with physical touch from anyone other than you. And maybe if you also ignored that you weren’t too keen on the thought of him one day being this close to anyone else. If truth be told, you didn’t like the thought of that at all.
With a small huff, you hooked your left arm with Iwaizumi’s right, hugging his bicep to you in an almost clingy manner.
“You good?” he asked, lightly chuckling as he looked down at you gripping onto his side. “Or something troubling you?”
You hummed unsure how to answer. There wasn’t enough alcohol in your system for you to completely spill your guts with know remorse, though being tipsy did greatly increase your likelihood of being loose-lipped. “I’m just thinking about someone else being with you like this.”
Iwaizumi stiffened, shoulders tensing ever so slightly before he quickly relaxed his muscles again. He prompted gruffly, throat so tight it came out as a murmur, “And?”
“I don’t like it.”
He let out a sharp chuckle. “I see.”
Out of the corner of your eye you saw a smile on his face and you continued on. “You’ve been studying a lot with Sasaki-san lately.”
“Hmm. Have I?”
You nodded. “You have your biomechanics class with her, right?”
“Yeah. I guess we studied for the exam together for a few nights.”
There was a funny feeling in your stomach at the thought of him spending his nights studying with someone that then spiraled to you picturing them being compatible and falling in love and spending the rest of their lives together. You winced, trying to shake it off. You were one of his best friends; it’s not like you had the right to feel that way.
“She’s really pretty,” you said, hoping it would prompt him to talk more about her. Even if you had no right, you still wanted to know—
By now, the laughter Iwaizumi was struggling to hold in bubbled out of his mouth, cutting you off mid-thought. His shoulders bounced up and down and you reluctantly sat up from your position resting on top of him to give him a look of confusion.
“Why are you laughing at me?” you pouted. Your eyebrows were furrowed and the corners of your lips were quirked down, cheeks slightly puffed.
He nudged your side gently with his elbow. You nudged him back, but moved away before he could retaliate and start a nudge war. “Because you sound jealous and it’s funny.”
“I didn’t say I was jealous.”
“I didn’t say you said that.”
“I’m not jealous,” you corrected.
“Now that’s debatable.”
Your cheeks flooded with heat, grabbing a pillow off the head of Iwaizumi’s bed to hide the embarrassed look on your face, seconds away from throwing it at him if he started to laugh any louder. You huffed. You were not jealous. There was no way. You just didn’t like imagining one of your best friends with another person doing coupley things that you only wanted him to do with you. But that definitely wasn’t jealousy.
(Okay, fine. You were jealous. But you couldn’t admit that to Iwaizumi.)
“That’s just your lack of sleep talking,” you sulked, lying down on his bed with a pillow still over your face. “Go to sleep now.”
“I was asleep. Until someone showed up at my window unannounced and woke me up.”
“They sound annoying.”
He barked out a laughter and you felt the weight on the bed shift. The compressed springs near your feet where Iwaizumi sat released its tension before you felt a dip beside you. You held your breath, the warmth from Iwaizumi’s body radiating onto yours.
While sleeping in the same bed together wasn’t as common as just cuddling, it wasn’t something that was exactly rare. There were times when you came over to watch movies or a television series with him until you both passed out on his bed. And other times when he was feeling stressed or you were feeling sad and neither of you wanted to sleep alone. You knew if you called, he would invite you in. And it was the same if he came to you.
But that didn’t make your heart beat any less rapidly as you waited in anticipation for Iwaizumi to get under the sheets with you. No matter how many times you fell asleep together, that didn’t stop the rush of nerves and tense air of awkwardness from flooding the room. However, it took just one touch to break the ice and before you knew it, you were snuggling up next to him in complete contentment.
“They’re not annoying,” he said firmly, large hand resting on the curve of your hip. “Actually, I’m glad they showed up even though it was three in the morning and I was running on two hours of sleep from the previous day.” You winced at his words, the alcohol gone from your system by now and you realized the insensitivity of your actions. Still, your stomach fluttered when he said he was glad to see you. “Because I missed them too.”
You blinked slowly. “You’re talking about me right?”
Through the moonlight from the window, you saw him roll his eyes with a grin. “Is there anyone else you think I’d let into my bed at this hour?”
“Oikawa.”
He considered it. “Well, maybe. But it wouldn’t so much be me letting him than him weaseling his way in.”
You nodded solemnly, as if it made perfect sense. Because it did. “Fair enough. He’s the only other person I’d let into my bed like this too,” you admitted, earning a laugh out of the both of you. “Well, besides Oikawa then, there’s no one else you’d sleep with like this?”
“There hasn’t been since we started college. I doubt there would be anyone to change that. Nor would I want anyone to.”
For the second time tonight, you felt heat rise to your cheeks and had the sudden urge to turn the other way and stare at the wall instead of Iwaizumi. But he held you tight by the waist so you couldn’t wiggle your way out of his grasp— Which did not, at all, help with the flaming face situation.
He only wanted you? There was a euphoric feeling in your chest when you realized he felt that way, and you felt the same.
“Someone’s bold tonight,” you managed to choke out, softly pressing your shaky fingers to the center of Iwaizumi’s chest. You felt the outlines of his toned pectorals beneath your palm and you had to remind yourself to keep on breathing.
“It’s from the lack of sleep. Sorry.” He didn’t sound apologetic. In fact, he seemed the opposite of apologetic when he brought you almost imperceptibly closer to him. If you weren’t so aware of the spatial distance (or lack thereof) between the two of you, there was no way you would have noticed. But you did. And you didn’t mind it. “I don’t have my usual filter.”
“Maybe I like you like this,” you said without missing a beat. Your initial reaction was to be embarrassed about the words that just left your mouth, but when you saw his growing smile, you felt a rush of assurance coursing through you. “I always like you, I suppose.”
“Like me?” he prompted, almost teasingly. “In what way?”
You gulped. Was this Iwaizumi being flirty?
Sure, it wasn’t uncommon for him to compliment you and occasionally play around— But if you thought your heart would ever be ready for him to actually flirt, you certainly thought wrong. You weren’t ready at all.
“L-Lots of ways,” you stammered out. “But in particular, the ‘I think you’re cute and I maybe want to date you’ way.”
“Funny.” His voice was a low whisper that rasped in your ear. “I think I like you in that way too.”
“You think?”
“I know.”
“Huh. Well, if we both like each other in that way…maybe we should…” you trailed off, feelings of timidness suddenly overcoming you. “You know…”
“Date?” he supplied with a knowing grin. You nodded bashfully. “Tomorrow.” There was an air of promise and sincerity in his tone. “Let’s get some sleep and then when we wake up we can go on our first date.”
Tranquility spread through your veins as you let out a happy sigh, your muscles growing lax at your calmed state. Although your heart was beating out of your chest at the prospect of actually dating Iwaizumi, his comforting embrace was enough to lull you into sleep. Your senses were flooded with him—his touch, his smell, the quiet sound of his steady breathing—and you realized there was no other place you’d rather be.
“Are you sure you won’t be too tired from exams?” you said before sleep overtook the both of you. “And from me waking you up in the middle of the night? Which…sorry for that again, by the way.”
“Don’t apologize. It was worth it,” he mumbled, lips brushing against your forehead as your eyelids fluttered shut. “I’ll always be here when you need me. Even if it’s at three in the morning.”
#hqBNHASanctuary#iwaizumi x reader#iwaizumi hajime#hajime iwaizumi#iwaizumi hajime x reader#haikyuu!!#haikyuu#haikyu#haikyu!!#hq x reader#haikyuu x reader#haikyu x reader#haikyuu!! x reader#haikyu!! x reader#haikyuu fanfiction#haikyuu imagines#haikyuu scenarios#haikyuu oneshot#hajime x reader#hajime iwaizumi x reader#haikyuu fluff#iwaizumi fluff#college au#haikyuu x you#haikyuu x y/n
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this is a very cynical bomb that i’m about to drop with absolutely no context but they really did just fetishize rio to gain viewership without actually ever giving a shit about his value as a character, and i’ve gotten myself into a bit of a spiral stewing about it.
tw: my opinions again
like i didn’t want to think about my favorite show so negatively before it ended so i tried to steer clear of any posts that discussed it for the sake of my own enjoyment but after how short the finale season fell from my expectations, it’s hard not to be pissed off. because ever since they had beth shoot rio in season two i’ve been waiting for them to reconcile such a gruesome choice by developing the characters further, their relationships, their knowledge of themselves, but it just didn’t happen. beth never took accountability for the shooting, rio never took accountability for kidnapping and pressuring her, and dean never took accountability for his infidelity or faking cancer, which were the three main points of conflict that the writers should’ve focused on resolving before ever even thinking of introducing new conflicts.
i’m not saying i wanted rio to forgive beth, or that i wanted beth to forgive dean, or that i wanted any of these resolutions to happen immediately after their conflicts took place. and sure, you could say that beth’s character compartmentalizes and that beth and rio aren’t good communicators and didn’t have a strong bond of trust to begin with so it wouldn’t be in character for them to discuss what happened, but that’s where character growth is supposed to come in! you’re supposed to write characters with these flaws so that they have a better version of themselves to work towards that is slowly developed as they encounter each conflict. they’re not meant to make them into worse people until the show is entirely unbearable to watch because all of that old resentment and tension is just rotting away beneath the rug it’s been swept under.
it’s not a creative choice to have characters directly create conflict and then never address it again while they move onto the next big thing -- it’s lazy writing, and it makes it crystal clear that they were written in solely to shock the viewers and create tension between the characters, not to cultivate growth, and that is very frustrating when you have a group of characters whose inherent morality is constantly insisted upon.
what’s especially frustrating about this is that it not only means there is a lack of depth to all the characters, but there’s a lack of value to the ones that the writers did not favor. based on the season one storyline that culminated in rio shooting dean and letting beth live -- essentially getting even with her in a way that didn’t involve killing off the protagonist, even though that would’ve been the most likely course of action based on the consequences that other disposable characters suffered (i.e. eddie) -- it’s my belief that the writers didn’t expect to keep rio on the show past season one (honestly, it kind of feels like they didn’t even expect to get another season, based on how messy the storyline felt as the seasons progressed), and therefore didn’t value rio’s character the way the audience came to by season two.
when i say the writers didn’t (and honestly, i still think they don’t -- not in the same way they value the girls, dean, stan, or even fucking boomer) value him, i mean they didn’t see him as being worth the effort of giving a character arc, a background story, personal relationships, etc. they threw in marcus at the start of season two to be like “he’s a dad! that means he has depth!” and then never really touched on it again. there was like, one other scene with marcus that i can remember, and then he, too, was sidelined until they needed to humanize rio again after he got shot. all of the other kids -- the bolands, sarah, harry, and ben -- are regularly featured because they are a driving component of the women’s motivation to survive and succeed. with rio, his kid is only used to relate him back to the women, to make him seem human for a moment, but marcus’s real value as a character lies in how he makes beth feel as she grieves rio, not how he contributes to rio’s behavior, motivation, and overall character.
and yes, i know that rio is technically a side character, that the children of the protagonists are going to have more development, but if they actually wanted to add depth to rio’s character through the facet of parenthood, they would’ve shown more than one interaction with him after he spent supposed months away from him without a word. that kid would’ve been traumatized by that, and seeing rio’s reaction to his kid mourning his disappearance would’ve provided a much more real and interesting angle than them all smiling and happy, like we’ve seen in every other scene with him and marcus. it would’ve showed that the writers care about rio’s pain, about how his absence affected those he loves, but to be blunt, they don’t. they showed beth grieving him when she shot him, but we didn’t see him recovering from that traumatic event. they didn’t even care enough about him to give him fake scars, for christ’s sake.
everything that happened to rio throughout the show was either done to further the other women’s development or appease the viewers, and they made zero effort to hide that. they walked his characterization backwards so many times (him threatening beth’s family when it had been insinuated thus far that that was the only line he wouldn’t cross; him touching her and making suggestive advances on her in exchange for bail money when she was clearly uncomfortable; him returning all of her stuff and happily accepting her as his superior when there was no development in their relationship to suggest he’d forgiven her or would be receptive to her having power over him) and almost every single instance of them using him to promote the show exploited his outward appearance and the fact that so many viewers have fetishized him as this “exotic” bad boy without any regard for how minimizing and insulting that marketing tactic is.
looking through their instagram, i saw no other instance of an actor’s picture being posted next to a bunch of thirsty tweets or captioned as being “another reason to watch good girls.” it’s fetishization disguised as playful, well-intentioned endorsement, but if they were really referring to rio’s character rather than his appearance as a reason to watch the show, we wouldn’t be seeing his face on nearly every episode promo and highlight with him only occupying about five minutes of screen time every 50-minute episode.
there’s not really a neat bow-tie conclusion to this, but what i’m getting at is that the writers wanted it both ways. they wanted the viewership and fan engagement that manny’s character garnered, but they didn’t value him enough to give him the screen time and characterization that he deserved. this resulted in all of the revelations that were made about his character -- his son, rhea, his dynamic with turner, his backstory, his hobby, his grandma, nick -- feeling pretty underwhelming because they were never touched on again. they were there because they had to give us something, but they weren’t important enough to the writers to be expanded upon, to be used for personal growth or connecting with the other characters. i think that’s why it felt like such a hollow victory -- we got exactly what we wanted in theory, but there the foundation of it all was too weak for it to feel truly meaningful.
we wanted rio to be acknowledged and written as a permanent fixture on the show, but instead the rest of the characters were hell-bent on getting rid of him and his primary aspect of redemption was what he meant to beth, not what he meant to the show. even in the finale when she finally came to the realization that she won’t ever be able to give up crime, rio’s role in contributing to her self-actualization was passed over by a character who has been in seven episodes, and i think that really spoke for itself the loudest in terms of how much the writers truly valued him.
#dropping this here and promptly turning my phone off#good girls discussion#good girls speculation#good girls cancellation#good girls finale#good girls spoilers#good girls season 4#good girls season 3#good girls season 2#good girls season 1#good girls brio#brio good girls#good girls nbc#nbc good girls#good girls rio#rio good girls#beth x rio#rio x beth#beth and rio#rio and beth#gg brio#brio gg#good girls analysis#gg analysis#gg season 3#gg season 4#gg season 1#gg season 2#gg fandom#good girls fandom
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Was Hotch Abused?
I offer you my 2,300+ worded thoughts on the matter with episodes included. There's going to be lots and lots of talk about abuse so you're going to want to steer clear of that if that's something you're not cool with but for those of you interested... I give you all the proof I could think of:
Natural Born Killer.
In the eighth episode of the first season, “Natural Born Killer”, we meet Vincent Perrotta. His father was abusive but from the outside looking in, no one knew a thing. Perrotta started drinking at fourteen and committed petty crimes, as well as assault, for pleasure. Going as far as to kill his own father not too long after. But Perrotta is a monster and a psychopath so it’s clear we’re not supposed to sympathize which makes his interaction with Hotch so peculiar.
Hotch is our “Captain America”. A true neutral with an infinity for doing what’s right so it’s inconceivable to compare him to Perrotta and yet Hotch gives us some rather conflicting lines to dissect.
Before Gideon hands the interview over to Hotch, he spends a moment talking with the others out in the bullpen. The whole time he’s leaned back and he’s watching Morgan and Hotch. Now, at this point, we don’t know about the sexual abuse Derek Morgan faced at the hands of Carl Buford but there’s something about the way that Gideon spends the entirety of the conversation only looking at the two of them. Waiting for them to put together what he clearly already has and when Hotch does…
Hotch jumps straight into Perrotta’s profile, asking: “You grew up in a house that looked normal and happy, didn’t you Vincent?”, “But your father beat you every chance he got”
Perrotta excuses it with a shrug, “he smacked me around some, didn’t everybody’s old man?”
Abuse is a complicated thing and, often, abused children just don’t know what their parents are doing to them is abuse. It can be a subtle and outright thing but there’s an element of normalcy to it. The parent’s abuse is as habitual, as minimal as biting your nails to the child. Adults often can’t identify their parent’s past abuse.
With Hotch you learn that his lack of expression is often as telling as his expressions and as Hotch looks back at Perrotta, there’s something so sad about his eyes. His voice goes from loud, assertive to his whispered answer to Perrotta’s question. “No.” As if, well, maybe that’s a question he’d raised once too.
Perrotta doesn’t care about that though and he taunts “well, maybe if yours had you would have learned to fight”. But is it not more telling that Hotch didn’t make a sound? Perrotta got in several hits and the only sound Hotch made was when the wind was literally punched out of him. Not even when Gideon called to him and at that point, Perrotta did not the garrote around Hotch’s throat. That’s another thing mentioned before in the profile and something Hotch mentions to Perrotta directly. You learn to take the beatings, smile even. So, it’s just a little odd how little Hotch responded…
But that’s all nothing, you can take that how you want
Which leads us to the fateful, not everyone comment.
"You were just responding to what you learned, Vincent. When you grow up in an environment like that, an extremely abusive and violent household... it's not surprising that some people grow up to become killers"
That can’t mean NOTHING, there’s so much there but there’s something about Hotch’s subtle wording. The way he’s unconsciously slipped himself in there (a very real thing that people do) and he hasn’t even realized it. Doesn’t even know he’s done it until Perrotta pushes and he pauses, asks what Perrotta means. And the subtly of it, the way he doesn’t even mean to that says more than anything else.
“And some people grow up to catch them.”
It’s a super-specific comment to make. He can’t possibly be talking about Derek because he doesn’t even know about Carl Buford yet not to mention saying that about him would be incredibly rude if he were talking about Reid (and again, he doesn’t know about Reid’s childhood yet). So… that really only leaves him because JJ, Garcia, and Elle were not abused.
“P911”
In season two, episode two “P911” the team is hunting down a man trying to sell a young boy, Peter, on the black market. Kevin Rose is an underage boy “selling” himself on the internet while his abusive father has been in prison. I’ll let you just guess who it is that leads the team on finding out more about Kevin.
Your guess is more than likely right-- Morgan and Hotch. Now, we know about Morgan but come on. Nothing to say about it being Hotch who makes the emotional appeal?
The camera even follows his gaze, he’s crouched down (to appear non-threatening because he’s so close) and we watch his eyes take in the scars on Kevin’s chest. You can also note that while Gideon remarks that Kevin’s father was “always drunk, you never knew why he was hurting you, why he was so angry” both Kevin and Hotch look away from him.
AND FUCKING TRY AND TELL ME THE “some grow up to catch them” LINE WAS NOTHING TRY BECAUSE GUESS WHAT GIDEON SAYS? NO, NO GUESS--
Gideon: “At night you’d cry yourself to sleep hoping someone would come and save you”
And it’s HOTCH, HOTCH IS THE ONE TO SAY: “You have the chance to be the one who saves someone, Kevin. You can be the one who answers him, the one who stops his pain.”
PARALLELS PEOPLE THE PARALLELS
“Profiler, Profiled”
I bet you weren’t expecting this one, huh? But there’s something about people who faced trauma that makes it so perceptible to other traumatized people-- they sniff it out like coke to a drug hound. And, just guess, who it is that spends the majority of his time fighting with Morgan? Who knows (like I said about the bloodhound) immediately there is something Morgan’s hiding.
Hotch is angry, he’s upset that Morgan would hide anything. Mumbling about there being “larger implications” and how the team can’t have secrets. With the knowledge of exactly what that secret is it makes Gideon’s eye roll a little telling. Because it’s like they both know but neither will say. Driven home by Gideon turning the attention to Hotch, asking “would you want us profiling you?”
And again Hotch is the one to leap onto the abuse. The one to put the pieces together. Hotch’s anger makes no sense. He says he’s angry that Derek’s keeping a secret but the team has many, way too many. Over the years the team unwraps all kinds of secrets, he’s never angry then. So, it’s not about the implication of a secret at all. It’s what the secret is, like misplaced anger. Anger with himself may be leftover from his own abuse. But still…
Hotch lets Morgan escape. Knows exactly who and what Carl Buford is but all he tells the team is that “he won’t even speak about him”. He always knows how to find the abuse… like I said, a bloodhound.
George Foyet
I know you’re going to find this so fucking surprising but guess who also was abused? George Foyet was beaten by his biological father and his mother didn’t save him so he hates women (bleh, men are disgusting what’s knew).
Now, blah, blah, blah Hannah, I know you’re not about to say Foyet and Hotch are a lot alike-- no of course not. Don’t be silly. What I’m going to say is that they’re foil characters? They accent one another in an opposites sort of way. Foyet is a manipulative narcissist who doesn’t work well with others. Hotch is a guilt-ridden team leader who can’t let The Reaper’s case go. There are meant to be comparisons drawn between them. A good villain does that. George Foyet shows us that Hotch is not at all this removed, cool guy that we’ve previously assumed him to be. He cries in an alley because he blames himself when The Reaper kills a busload of people.
We see he has a rather compulsive nature. He never let The Reaper case go and has very personal ties in this case. Not even after Foyet attacks him, if anything it’s worse. He brings the case file home.
But it’s certainly interesting to see yet another “villain” with that same tragic abusive father and submissive mother come into play with Hotch. We’re nearing a point where it’s getting hard to call it coincidence (and according to David Rossi, there simply is not such thing).
Haunted.
In the second episode of the fifth season, “Haunted”, Hotch voice’s over a Dickinson quote: “One need not be a chamber to be haunted, One need not be a house; The brain has corridors surpassing. Material place.” These quotes are often cheesy, if not a little cliché, but given the premise of this episode is in exploring the ways in which a man’s traumatic childhood has left him now grappling for a truth he can not define… well, maybe we can say the writers were onto something here.
Darrin Call, debatably the Unsub of “Haunted”, was abused by an alcoholic father. We see several signs of it throughout the episode-- Darrin’s delayed speech & severe neglect that leaves Darrin in dirty, hole-riddled clothing. If what we see is not enough, the reports that the team is given on Darrin explicitly state that he was extremely physically abused. It is this abuse that leads to the PTSD that he’s diagnosed with.
As sad and disheartening as Darrin Call’s life is, overall it’s the sort of episode that is forgotten over time. When it’s placed right after the episode that viewers have to watch Hotch say goodbye to Haley and Jack then, who is Darrin Call when compared to the agony of watching Hotch show genuine weakness? After watching Hotch lay in a hospital bed, tears in his eyes wondering if his son will remember him? His fears become our own and after watching George Foyet disarm and mutilate the one guy we’ve been led to believe for five seasons is infallibly, unflinchingly never going to break… well, Darrin Call has it bad but our focus is elsewhere.
It’s on Hotch, right?
The guy who is coming back to the job after only a month (and a day) off to recover. Who Morgan worries might have PTSD but he knows they can’t easily measure because Hotch wrote the questionnaire, he knows all the right answers. Who we see has had new locks installed since the attack and has Foyet’s file sitting open on a table for easy access. Who hears Darrin Call’s life (worked the same job without promotion for years before getting fired, no wife, no kids, a hermit) and bluntly asks why Darrin hasn’t just killed himself.
And let’s just take a moment to break down that comment. Hotch, who in the episode previously lost his wife and child, wants to know why a man who is steadily starting to sound a lot like him hasn’t just killed himself.
And I don’t say “sounds a lot like him” lightly.
Darrin Call has PTSD. Hotch, more than likely, has PTSD
Here are some signs just from that episode: hostility (he yelled at Garcia over something very small), self-destructive behavior (he ran into Darrin Call’s father’s house without a vest, back-up, or telling the other’s what he was doing), and guilt (blamed himself for missing the eye twitching Darrin exhibited because of his years of antipsychotic use)
Darrin Call was abused… this marks the second HEAVILY implied time that Hotch has been compared to another man abused by his father
Vincent Perrotta was the first with that hard to forget the exchange
George Foyet and his notably exactly the same past as Perrotta
“Haunted” feels like it’s supposed to prove to the audience that Hotch is losing it. He distances himself from Morgan, leaving every room that Morgan is in. He doesn’t pick up Garcia’s calls after Darrin Call attacks his therapist. The only glimpse we see of the old Hotch is with Emily, pulled to the side, but his guilt burns and he even brushes her off. Shaking his head and turning his back to her because somehow he should have seen something no one else did.
Throw in Reid’s comment about Call “victims are often drawn to the scene of their first trauma” and we’re painfully reminded of Hotch’s apartment. A place you’d think he’d want to escape but didn’t. The man was stabbed nine times in his own apartment and stayed in that same place. Almost sounds like that statement could be applied to Hotch too.
A dash of Hotch’s own comment about where Call would go to in his confusion and he says “to what he knows”, even the importance of how that orphanage is “where he became Darrin Call”. Where does Hotch go? What does Hotch know? The job.
So… we tally now three total Unsubs that Hotch has this direct relationship with. Three Unsubs with abusive fathers and mothers who couldn’t protect them. Hmm… coincidence?
Brothers Hotchner
Supervisor Special Agent Hotchner is a master of hiding, that is undeniable. It’s hard to see anything behind those furrowed brows and impersonal suits and that’s likely for a reason. However, anyone with a little sibling can tell you that no one on this Earth can and will annoy the ever-loving shit out of you like a sibling.
But that’s not really important. Sean and Hotch don’t talk about their parents. At all. Ever.
Hotch says that when Sean was in the first grade he got sent off to boarding school. “I was the screw-up making bad choices”. Interesting enough of a statement to make but you throw in the rough ages of Sean and Hotch at that time and it’s a little more than just “interesting”. You have Hotch at roughly 14-15 getting into trouble just like Morgan did at that same age (coincidence???).
(now you can certainly look at Hotch’s parentification vs. Sean’s immaturity doubled with substance abuse problems but we’d be stretching. “The Tribe” touches on the parentification but Sean just calls it “the big brother” thing and tells Hotch that he’s not Sean’s father and it’s fine it’s whatever. Hotch is a bit pushy. That’s not new. Substance abuse can just be a problem, it doesn’t have to be bc they were abused but again… a little coincidental)
So... was Aaron Hotchner abused as a child? I certainly think so
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Isabella - 73584
I had a serious debate with myself over whether or not I wanted to sit down and spend my weekend writing another one of these praise posts. I was content with just doing one for each of the Fullscore Trio kids and ending it there.. but apparently I love this woman too much to just ignore her on her birthday. So here were are on September 9th with a list of all her best and my personal favorite moments as to why I believe she’s such a great character, antagonist and mother (yeah you heard me right). Considering she only shows up in the beginning and very end of the story, this post ended up longer than I originally anticipated, which just goes to show how many thoughts I really have about this woman. (for real, this rivals Ray’s post in terms of points but there’s far more words)
Since she also has some backstory and certain events differ between manga and anime (thanks to the second season), I’ll try to go in chronological order between both timelines instead of chapter by chapter, which might be a bit confusing as we’ll jump around the story a lot but just to bear with me as I try to makes sense of it all.
(spoilers for the entirety of The Promised Neverland & ch181.7, so if you haven’t read/completed the manga yet, consider this your first warning, because I’m literally going from start to finish with this one last time. I promise.)
- I’m not sure how well she compares to Emma when it comes to athleticism, but Isabella seemed to have no trouble climbing up and down trees when she was younger.
- Not only that, but she managed to scale the wall by herself using a method that requires a fairly impressive jump. It’s also implied that this is how she climbs the wall again so many years later when chasing the soon-to-be escapees, which helps prove that even at an older age, she hasn’t lost her touch.
- Was chosen to undergo training to become a Mom, which required high test scores and the current mother’s recommendation. She accepted the offer in order to keep living and survive as human the demons couldn’t eat.
- Based on Sienna’s comment, is it fair to say Isabella is on par with the full score trio? I mean, the woman is basically flawless.
- She was practically untouchable during her time at headquarters while training too apparently. Mom positions are scarce so the environment where these ladies fight (physically/mentally/emotionally) to even snag that job is highly competitive, and yet Isabella never let anyone deter her from her goal of becoming a Mom, which probably led to the “Iron Lady” nickname she received now that I think about it.
- She was the youngest ever to be granted the Mom position at..what, 19? 20? Somewhere around there, but impressive nonetheless considering they’re forced to have a child, build up a strong, emotionless exterior and endure so much fear. (but my goodness, the woman doesn’t age at all. she looks just as good when the story actually starts as she did her when she was a bit younger)
- It became common knowledge among the Sisters that she was also very successful in the way she raised her children.
- Her success greatly benefited the farm, as she offered up countless high quality goods, which sounds terrible, I know, but believe me when I say she gave her best effort for her children. Even though she held the Mom position, the amount of power she actually had in this system was pretty minimal, especially with how much she valued her own life. She couldn’t afford to make any mistakes or risky changes, so she settled with doing the most with what she was capable of. She provided her children with a normal lifestyle, not only to keep up the orphanage facade, but knowing that their lives would all be cut shorter than they anticipate. She gave them love in hopes that no one would ever have to feel the dread she felt after Leslie’s death and/or finding out the truth. She tried to delay that horrific fate by encouraging them to learn all they can (like teaching the trio about strategy and chess) so they could achieve higher tests scores and (unknowingly to them) add a couple more months or years onto their lives. Yes it was her job to raise these children to such high standards but she excelled at it for their sake too.
- And I know y’all will just throw Ray in my face like, “oh but he was her actual child and she treated him horribly/different.” Okay but deep down I don’t think she actually wanted to? When they both realized they were truly mother and son, Isabella couldn’t just dote on him and start treating him as such. I’m sure Ray wasn’t too fond of Isabella at this point in his life either, knowing that she sent several of his siblings away to get killed. They probably would’ve gotten along just fine in a perfect world, but since they were both aware of the hell they’re trapped living in, they emotionally distanced themselves and formed a business-like relationship as a result of Ray’s deal, which benefited them both in different ways. For Ray, it was more practical, with the obvious notion of living as long as possible along with obtaining various rewards and knowledge of the outside world. For Isabella, it helped emotionally by simply just ignoring their true relation. I believe if she clung to that realization, it would break the orphanage illusion and eventually wear down her “Iron Lady” exterior that she relies so heavily on.
- Like can you imagine how much you would have to harden your heart in order to quite literally walk children to their death every couple months for years on end and just move on like it’s completely normal? Now imagine how earth shattering it must be to think about doing the same to your actual child. All those years spent perfecting a fake smile and emotionless exterior like she was trained to have and her son shatters it in an instant. She becomes completely terrified about how he’s actually alive and in front of her right now and there’s nothing she can do to truly save him.. and yet she still recovers so damn quickly I can’t even comprehend it! But there’s still some sadness in those eyes. You can’t tell me otherwise. That one moment of weakness speaks volumes to me.
- So now with her general backstory FINALLY out of the way, we can finally start with ch01/ep01 and how her laugh is sweet and innocent. I say that because (all hidden emotions and motives aside) that’s exactly how she’s supposed to sound in this moment, not only to us but to the children as well.
- She of course checks Emma’s tracker a moment later but other than that I still think it’s a pretty genuine moment between the two.
- As previously stated, her ability to raise high quality children is unmatched, which is clear as day thanks to the fullscore trio.
- Despite their crazy level of intelligence, the trio has yet to win a simple game of chess against Isabella, even when teamed up.
- She treasures everything about the kids.
- She really cares about them, even when it’s time to send them off with a smile, which we know is thanks to her strong facade.
- But mother dearest isn’t really fine. She doesn’t like walking kids to their death, especially so young. But she can’t let them (or even herself) know that. She can’t show weakness, so she hums Leslie’s song, which is a tool she’s used for years in order to give herself strength.
- Don’t worry, I disliked her this moment happened too, just as the story intended. And here’s where her fantastic antagonist role begins for all the world to see.
- A true champ at jump scares.
- Acts completely calm the night after a couple of kids found out the secret of the farm.
- She uses the tracker in plain sight, sending whomever went to the gate last night a threatening but silent message.
- Correct Norman, that’s the “Iron Lady” for ya. Also the name of ch03 for us. Well, “The Iron Woman” but same difference.
- She switches from calculating and manipulative breeder to sweet and pleasant mother so quickly and effortlessly it’s incredible. Isabella even checked Emma’s pulse in this scene to see if she was acting normal.
- At this point she still had no idea who went to the gate (Ray didn’t tip her off yet, at least I don’t think so) but her guess couldn’t have been more precise. The level of fear she drives into both Emma and Norman was great too, but then again her presence is enough in any scene to give us chills.
- Notices her watchdog isn’t at his usual post and starts to get suspicious.
- Not only of him, Emma and Norman, but Don and Gilda as well, thus giving the five extra chores to finish in an attempt to slow down any escape planning, such as cleaning vacant rooms, organizing the pantry and inspecting spare linen.
- While the trio believes Isabella was being too soft and patient in finding her targets, she effectively catches them off guard by bringing in Krone for assistance. The trio soon realize they were actually preparing the sister’s new room and those mundane chores were just an excuse to buy time.
- Look at her, all smug. Checkmate indeed. (and totally not important, but her eyes are such pretty shades of purple)
- The sass and her no nonsense attitude.
- Immediately puts Krone in her place the moment she even thinks about shipping out the targets. Of course holding off on shipping the targets would benefit the farm, as it would produce higher quality merchandise as time passes, but plant 3 is run by Isabella and she’ll be damned if an assistant thinks they could waltz right in and decide her children’s fate.
- She check’s Emma tracker again despite her claim of knowing exactly who the targets might be. You can never be too careful.
- Her precious children managed to win a game of tag against Krone, which is still impressive considering the kind of training the sister has gone through, so kudos to her teachings.
- Knows right away that Krone was trying to take advantage, which allows Krone to realize that the opening she had to learn more about the children was all planned by Isabella herself. Her intimidating nature is enough to scare adults too.
- Reveals that Krone was mostly summoned in order to keep Ray in check after his failure.
- Despite the trust issue, Isabella still keeps up her end of the deal by requesting the items Ray asked for, thanks to the odd perks she had under Grandma Sarah which allowed her to order goods that weren’t on the supply list.
- This hug between her and Phil is just too cute not to mention.
- I imagine she makes this comment because she knows exactly how long a rope must be based off her own almost-escape.
- It’s just something about how this scene is framed alongside this dialogue that makes me think “oh, like mother, like son.”
- I blame her very thoughtful planning for my first big freak out when I watched season 1 blind, like ma’am that’s my favorite boy, please don’t.
- She conspires with Grandma Sarah in order to get rid of Krone for good, which renders the evidence sister just found out about the children’s escape completely useless. Sarah believes there might be some truth to it, but ultimately ignores it and puts her faith in Isabella’s ability of controlling the children & the situation.
- She then cuts Ray off and ends their six-year long deal, opting to control the situation herself from now on. Also, how she wanted to keep him around until the very end is kinda bittersweet. Does she mean as merchandise? Or because she wanted him to live as long as possible? Ah such a tricky little comment.
- She also tosses him across the room like a rag doll.
- Thank god for this panel existing and actually being adapted into the anime so I could hear it because I had absolutely no memory of her laughing in this moment.
- “She says it so nonchalantly,” Norman said once upon a time, and it’s still so frightening.
- As insane as her ideals seem given the circumstances, nothing she says here is really a lie.
- She has the strength to quite literally break a leg and that cracking noise still haunts me to this day.
- It wasn’t even a spur of the moment thing either. Isabella came fully prepared with bandages to fix up any injury she was willing to inflict and that thought alone is terrifying.
- Not only that, but she broke it so cleanly that Emma’s leg does indeed heal perfectly in the exact time frame she estimates. This entire moment is so unfairly impressive, like ma’am how dare you do this to Emma of all people.. like why couldn’t you at least use that kind of force to snap Peter’s neck instead or something?
- To make matters worse, she then reveals Norman’s shipment date. And it’s the following day, which sends the kids into a very understandable panic.
- Needless to say, November 2nd, 2045 was a very successful day in the life of Isabella. Woman was putting everyone in checkmate in ep08 and my anger on full blast.
- This sly smile she sends Ray’s way after announcing Norman’s shipment to the younger kids is so cruel.. it’s perfect.
- I can only imagine she asked about Ray’s whereabouts because she knew the boys were close friends and she hoped they would at least say goodbye to one another, but that’s just me.
- Puts an end to Norman’s parting words in such a simple and chilling matter.
- The way she just openly threatens Emma with others just out of earshot.
- Norman out here asking the real questions. If anything, I say she’s more “content” rather than happy. I don’t think she’s ever really thought about her own happiness, at least not often enough, hence the slight pause. This entire time she’s been focusing on how to make her children’s lives perfect, but for herself she just wants to survive in this hellish world they’re all living in.
- I’m honestly still not sure who’s final decision it is to send people to Lambda, either Isabella, Peter or someone else (honestly never bothered to check), but whether or not Isabella had any say in the matter, I’m sure she’s at least a little glad that Norman gets to live a bit longer? Perhaps that’s a stretch, but I’m putting the idea here anyway.
- I say this because I believe that’s part of the reason why she offered Emma a Mom recommendation, not only because our girl’s high test scores, but in hopes that she could live a longer life.
- Although she really stresses in an intimidation fashion how pointless Emma’s efforts are now that Norman’s “dead,” the cliff remains a major hazard and her leg is still bandaged up, Isabella still tries so hard to convince her to give up, like Ray has, in order for Emma to end her own suffering. It was the first instance during my blind watch-through were I started to get the hint that Isabella might actually care about her kids, and of course I know now it’s because she didn’t want Emma to experience the same pain she did after Leslie’s death.
- With Emma and Ray both broken, things went by rather smoothly for Isabella those last two months, though she continued to keep a close eye on them.
- Her humming is so soothing. And why it took me this long to bring up “Isabella’s Lullaby” is beyond me, but oh my god, that song and any other soundtrack that uses its melody is absolute perfection.
- Had enough sense to not let her guard down the final night, even though her efforts were ultimately unsuccessful, but the idea counts.
- Though her caretaker side is focused on more during the fire, some motherly instincts do kick in as she instructs Gilda to get the babies from her room and lead everyone outside to safety. She was also concerned for Emma’s well being, hoping all the smoke didn’t get to her when the girl vanished. (i know you can argue “she’s only worried because they’re merchandise” which is fair but c’mon, i swear she’s not completely heartless)
- Took a hot minute (ahha) but Isabella eventually realized that the kids were actually escaping solely based on what they were wearing on their feet. I’m sure Emma’s discarded left ear was a big tip off too but to come to that conclusion by noticing the shoes they had on during all that chaos is surprising.
- She looks completely insane here but I always thought this shot of her was nicely animated with all the fire (or embers? sparks? whatever they are) flying around. The laugh she does before this is also a nice bonus. Oh, and she somehow managed to secure a radio from the room Don had locked.
- Figured the fifteen kids would head towards the bridge and called in headquarters to block it off.
- But when the children didn’t appear at the bridge, she just happened to know exactly where else they might try to cross the cliff.
- In the anime’s case, Isabella climbed the wall and ran there quick enough to engage in a stare down with Emma before she finally slid down.
- The moment I knew I was doomed.
- After the 15 kids successfully escaped, Isabella admits defeat, for she couldn’t really see how much her children have grown to outsmart her.
- This iconic quote, which conveys so much truth and sincerity. There were multiple occasions where she had to distance and restrain herself due to the system that controlled her, but the love she was able to show the children was genuine. If she wasn’t held back by the strict rules enforced by Mom position, I don’t doubt she would’ve treated Ray better or became far more emotional whenever a child had to leave for good or seriously injured, instead of donning a fake smile and being closed off.
- She realizes with this unspeakable loss in merchandise, the reputation she worked so hard to build up is meaningless now and that the farm no longer has any use for such an incompetent caretaker. She figures she’s as good as dead anyway now, so she wastes no time in actually helping the escapees by reclaiming the ropes to hide their exact method and route of escape, if only to grant the kids some extra time before the pursuers really locate them.
- She doesn’t act bitter as a result of her loss, instead choosing to wish the escapees luck with the future they grasped for themselves and care for the children that were left behind.
- She’s just so pretty y’all. Thank you anime.
- She was named “Best Antagonist” (and rightfully so!) back during the 2020 Crunchyroll Anime Awards, winning over Askeladd (Vinland Saga), Overhaul, (My Hero Academia), Garoua (One Punch Man,) & others.
(Post-season 1 spoilers ahead, even though the anime is completely finished at this point, but will be touching upon her special chapter more as well.)
- Completely owns up to her mistakes that caused the farm a massive loss in profitable goods and is ready to received whatever punishment necessary, which she expects to be death.
- Only.. she’s not being killed, she’s actually being promoted to Grandma. Though Isabella was directly responsible for the children’s escape, the blame ultimately falls on Sarah who couldn’t correctly control Isabella, thus leading the old lady to be shipped out in place of the goods Isabella lost.
- Peter also notes that the farm found more worth in Isabella than Sarah, so her past merits also played a part in sparing her life, as having a woman like Isabella in charge would surely produce the level of quality the farm needs.
- Isabella eventually accepts the promotion, though she can’t help but feel hesitant and shocked about the whole deal. This woman was ready to embrace death and finally be free from this cruel world, but now she has to witness not only more kids being shipped off, but moms and sisters in training as well (yay old chapter reviews coming in clutch).
- She could have very well just refused Peter’s offer, but we all know how much Isabella originally wanted to survive, so she doesn’t just accept because this man dangled a sense of freedom in her face, she also agreed so she could have the opportunity to help her children in any way her newfound power would allow her.
- Of course, her transition to Grandma happens a bit differently in the second season, but I will give some bittersweet thanks to the anime once more for the obvious but curse them for also having this entire scene dark as hell. Let me see her beauty darn it! I can only fix the lighting so much until it looks overexposed and bad again.
Anyways, Sarah is still alive at this point and taunts Isabella with the escapee’s lives just to see how she would react, which gave her a small sense of hope. Then some demons pay a visit later on and also ask if she would want to see the children one last time, but Isabella tells them that not only would she be too ashamed to face them but that they would manage to survive Grandma’s capture plan, which involved several men blowing up their shelter. It’s now clear to the demons that these children are special, and while Isabella agrees, it’s not for the same reason the demons think so. The demons believe the kids are special because of how they were raised to such a high quality. Isabella calls them special simply because they’re her children, just as any mother would.
- In the anime, it’s the demons who offer Isabella the Grandma deal if Sarah’s current plan were to fail (which it does) and she takes it and the freedom from Grace Field House without question. Do I still believe she had similar intentions to help out the children like she did in manga at this point? Of course.
- Not even a full month into her new job did she start preparing to help Emma & the others by considering who from the current Sisters she wanted to recruit to personally assist her destroy the farm entirely.
- A month later and Isabella had already decreased the number of shipments that took place at Grace Field, which obviously helps raise the quality of the children by default, but it also means less death and gives those kids a chance to live longer.
- She completely anticipated that Matilda, Jessica, Sienna & Scarlet were conspiring against her and caught them quite easily, as they were among the top scorers.
- Each had a fair chance at becoming Moms but with those positions limited, it was obvious to figure out they were trying to force Isabella’s seat open by creating some suspicious activity to place on her almost perfect record. Unfortunately for the girls, our new Grandma is too smart for her own good and I love it.
- The four women are apprehensive to join her insane plan to go against the farm, but Isabella assures them there’s no freedom if they follow the system’s rules and betray her. The harsh reality they’re all living in will continue unless they stop competing with one another and combine forces to defeat the true enemy.
- To persuade them further, Isabella mentions the children they all gave birth to are still alive, bringing out an array of emotions from the women that they each thought they had buried deep down.
- THIS! Just all of this is wonderful and shows just how much Isabella learned from her children who once defeated her.
- To fully gain the women’s trust, she gives them Ray’s farewell note that he originally left in order to bait Krone, as proof she won’t double-cross them at any point.
- I love the fact that she kept the note close to her because it acts just like all the other various toys and items she saved in her secret room back at plant 3. The original owners were all precious to her so she kept a piece of them behind to remember them in a place only she knew about. As I said before when mentioning her “I wish I could have just loved them normally” quote, all the love she had for her children had to be suppressed when she was under the system’s control, but that doesn’t mean she never cared. Because she did, and if I haven’t made at least that clear by now then I’m failing.
- Can her intentions and love for her children be any more clear? (possibly, i’m not done with this darn post yet. how you guys holding up? i’m going a little insane at this point.)
- Anyways! Second season didn’t make the rest of the story easy so apologies for any timeline mishaps as I switch between both anime and manga events from here on out.. like how in manga Isabella is informed of the escapee’s return to Grace Field via Peter, while the in the anime it’s her who helps lures them back with a fake transmission via the radio they stole.
- Just before Emma & the others do return to Grace Field on November 13, Isabella finally reaches out to the farm’s many other Sisters to recruit them. She waited until the right moment to inform them of her crazy takeover plan so Peter wouldn’t become suspicious from all of headquarters acting/thinking differently (you know, like how Emma kept the jailbreak plan under wraps until the night of). These ladies also feel a bit wary and even think of Isabella’s offer as a joke, but with some real, heartfelt encouragement, she manages to win over every single woman to her side.
- The moment when it was first revealed to us that she was not only still alive but was also promoted to Grandma is still so powerful.
- She snaps Nat’s finger back into place after Peter broke it. (and considering emma’s group infiltrates the farm right after this, i’m pretty sure that ch170 with rallying the sisters took place before this..i think?)
- Gave me a minor heart attack.
- *CLAPS FRANTICALLY!!!* The moment she truly won me over.
- While her betrayal against Peter in the manga is fantastic and quite possibly one of my favorite moments, the anime did give us a little something too. It shows Peter spewing utter nonsense to Emma about how she’s destined to fail, only for best girl to bite back with such a fantastic quote, and then Isabella drops the act and switches sides. While I agree Emma’s comeback is “wonderful,” it’s the English dub that completely wins me over in this scene by having Isabella comment “Now that’s my girl” instead, like bro.. hearing that makes me so happy.
- For real dude, you have several highly skilled women pointing guns at you, I think her betrayal is crystal clear.
- This is like the perfect example of how she had to conceal her feelings while bound by the system. She just misses these kids so much y’all but she can’t let her true emotions show yet.
- Having her call Peter a boy is beyond hilarious to me. Also, how she disagrees with him on so many levels is excellent, like how he believes in experimenting on kids and having the right to call yourself their parent just because you created them, while Isabella believes in raising and loving children normally and that you earn that parent title by actually being part of their lives. To be fair they both inflicted pain on kids (Nat’s finger/Emma’s leg) but Peter’s action was a mistake in itself. Isabella got frustrated back when Krone even threatened to ship out the kids who discovered the secret, so you can bet she’s probably pissed off at this boy for harming one of her kids on purpose.
- The best mother-daughter moment ever! It’s such a shame it never got truly animated since the second season decided not to give the children guns, but we get to see a small smile from Isabella after Emma decided to still call her “mom.”
- The anime never gave Peter the chance to run away, like he (somehow) managed to do in manga, so we had the chance to see someone actually shoot at him. Well, in his general direction at least. Isabella lands a perfect shot not even a full second after he pulls out that disc. Accuracy on point.
- Said this once or twice in the past in manga so I’m glad the anime brought it back.
- Remains cautious and keeps her gun raised at Peter when Emma approaches him and rightfully so considering he still had his knife hidden at this point.
- Refuses Emma’s offer to join the kids in the human world at first because she knows that her (& the sister’s) actions shouldn’t be forgiven so easily, but with some rather blunt sympathy from Ray and encouragement from her other children, she finally gives in.
- This entire post summed up in one image.
- She apologizes even though distancing herself from her kids and preparing them for death were just required of her role as a caretaker. She wouldn’t have done any of that in a normal world. (do i sound like a broken record yet? probably)
- The emotion you hear in her voice during this entire dub scene hits my heart in all the right places.
- She still thinks of Leslie after all this time and I think that’s real cute.
- Her protective nature is on full display when she protects Emma from this bastard of a demon. A truly surprising and heartbreaking moment, considering this is the woman who’s survival used to be her top and only priority in the past, but now doesn’t hesitate to give her life in order to save her kid (and by extension that small girl emma saved. also, major heart attack for me).
- Despite being critically injured, this woman still possess enough strength to hold back a demon twice her size. She doesn’t even pay any mind to its nonsense. Like the demon, people often think this is when redemption arc starts but I believe it started way back in ch37 when Isabella retrieved and hid the ropes the kids used to escape. Ever since she admitted defeat on the wall that night, she threw caution to the wind and began cheating the system in hopes to one day assist the kids achieve a brighter future. Despite all the work she’s done behind the scenes, Isabella believes there’s still so much more she can do to atone, so even though she’s already received the children’s forgiveness, she continues to assist them by jumping in and saving them directly from demons for once in her life.
- Ma’am it’s sweet you’re so concerned with their safety, but we should be asking you that question ya know? (but then again emma was the same way after she woke up from her coma).
- Knows that just apologizing and saving Emma isn’t enough to suddenly forgive all her actions and wants to do so much more for the children as a result. Even though I already acknowledged all her subtle and hidden moments, I wish we got to see her care for them more openly.
- I simply can not read through ch177 and not get emotional. No matter how hard I try, I always feel tears start to form in my eyes. Oh my god, how cruel that death can be this beautiful. It’s so unfair.
- *uses old chapter review because I’m too upset right now* “She apologizes for everything. For not treating him right and loving him as a mother normally would her own son. For making him despise his life so much and enduring so much pain that he thought the only escape was suicide.”
- “She leaves him with one last wish to protect everyone, and that completely breaks me because you know exactly how much they both care for their family. Not only would they literally die for their family, but they would live for them too if someone asked. Truly like mother, like son.” (aaaaaahhhhh)
- Her, umm.. ghost (along with Conny’s & Yuugo’s) help Ray reunite with Emma in 2049.
- All my tears aside, the anime did something right by actually keeping her ALIVE!
- Have you ever seen something so GODDAMN BEAUTIFUL in all your life?? This image is so powerful it literally tossed aside any salty feelings I had that night with how the second season ended. Seeing her like this grants me so much happiness y’all, it’s truly unbelievable. I still can’t get over it and hopefully I never will.
Okay, now I’m done, thank god. Sorry this is like ridiculously long, especially since she’s absent for sooo many chapters. Also find it so hilarious how drastic my opinion of her changed from the beginning to now, from “bitch” to “oh my god I love her so much.” I know people will always have opposing opinions whether she’s actually a good mother or not and that’s totally fine. Wasn’t trying to convince y’all of that either because yes, some of her actions are real unforgivable, but she was suffering under the farm system too and just followed through with what she was trained to do in order to survive, but while other Sisters fought to climb ranks and help themselves survive, Isabella ultimately wanted the best for her children. The more power she gained, the more risks she took and once the system crashed so did her facade.
An absolute queen.
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