#and tonally fit together better
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what if...i put rescue bots and earthspark in the same continuity instead of prime...? aha ha, just kidding...
unless...?
#both have a very: what do you do after the war sort of vibe#we're stuck on earth and gotta make the best of it feels#and tonally fit together better#and because i said so
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Kp is so good when they take themselves seriously i wish they did that more often
#torture scenes are a prime example#this show does visceral and cruel so well but only when it wants to!! i hate that theres so much comedy and slapstick in there#if they dialed down on the comedy for like 80% i knowwww they could achieve so much more in terms of plot and interaction with it#the occasional cinematic genius undermined by all the comedy makes me sew mad you do Not need that many tonal shifts😭😭#porsches bathroom breakdown. when kinn let him go in the woods. the torture scenes. bathroom hj. ep 1 bar talk. most of ep 7#tankhuns comedy i enjoy and think is a great breather bc it fits his scenes!! i dont think they should get rid of all comedy but like#keep it where it fits only otherwise it just upsets the mood flow#gdjdgdjd ok im okay again whatever. i refuse to call this a bad show bc theres so much good stuff in there it just needs more balance#and it needs more correction on certain narratives like please acknowledge big and ken hello?? why are u not doing a check of all staff#when you KNOW theres been a mole this should affect your security measures#i think if they really committed to the 'gritty mafia show' it wouldve worked out a lot better! obviously still keep in tankhuns wit#and the breathers of the honeymoon phase and porsche and chay together and such#but swap the slapstick for more insight into how each character feels about everything thats happened or more reflection yknow#anyway this is not necessarily in regards to ep 10 its just a general observation because sometimes this show goes !!!!#and other times its like. well. that was a choice#do i want to tag this......i dont think so
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final leg of a journey to love thoughts!! (eps 35-40). this got so gd long so under a cut it goes. spoilers, of course:
PLOT STUFF/PACING
pacing for the plot definitely got shredded in the last chunk, which is a damn shame because otherwise i've been finding the pacing pretty much perfect. eps 35-37 in particular felt like they could have been like a 10 episode arc. ep 38, which mostly dealt with wu palace politics, should have been cut or streamlined imo and more time given to the characters we've actually been riding along with the whole story. by the time we get back to the pregnant empress, prince danyang, the first prince whose name i dont even remember, and the prime minister, i do not care about any of them and i think this subplot was simply just trying to fit too much shit into one bag
that said, this show still let the emotional moments hit and breathe and linger. i love the grief for the fallen liudao comrades as we go, as well as the less heavy but still emotionally important moments like yang ying and tongguan bonding over their upbringing. and we got a wedding /;3;/!!! for this show, the relationships and characters matter more than the storyline so im not mad about anything at all
side note: it's so gd millennial to have a story about a bunch of 30 something year olds who want to fake their deaths and retire into obscurity but instead they go and die for a boss they hate
CHARACTER STUFF
this show consistently brought a lot of depth to its side characters (and side side characters!!). i said it in an earlier post, but it bears repeating that even someone like deng hui i didnt expect anything from, but he got such good development and writing that he became a stealth fave. his dying words essentially being "dude, quit fucking around" ? iconic.
i didnt like tongguan as much as everyone else, so im pretty meh about everything regarding him. the attempt to force-wed ruyi was tonally really weird and didnt make sense (i assume there was some cuts made surrounding it). but LOL at him reusing all the outfits and decor immediately for his wedding to yang ying. baby duke, you tacky motherfucker. i ultimately think yang ying deserves better than him, but the good thing is that she knows this, so she'll be able to hold her own and then some entering into this partnership
shisan really was the heart in a lot of ways--the mom to yuanzhou's dad for the liudao. i was not expecting him to break my heart the way he did, but the fact that he held both qian zhao and sun lang as they died and then tried his best to remove yuan lu from harm and saved chu yue and was just very much a nurturer all the way through got me. his character couldve been cheap comic relief but the writing + performance really elevated him into one of the (imo) most memorable wuxia characters. his line wondering who would get to behead his beautiful skull!!! and how his mantra was always that he was going to drink the best wine, see the most beautiful women, and make the best of friends and he dies having lost the ability to see and having just had wine in memory of qian zhao, yuan lu, and sun lang. like. shut up!!
ruyi and yuanzhou were both so great and they're gonna be the drama OTP to beat forever. i loved the gender reversals, that they both were so respectful of each other, and that they also felt very mature in how they handled things and communicated. they were really interesting characters both together and apart and that's always a win-win. they had a schroedinger's ending where it's not super clear if they're alive or dead (i interpreted it as the latter), but what's kind of beautiful is that either option is satisfying to me. if they both died, they're reunited and with their comrades and the story is truly about the journey and the meaningful short connections we have. if they both survived, it's a bookend with the beginning where they each faked their deaths to escape. A+
COSTUMING
i gotta just separately mention the costuming for this show because it was 15/10. the textures, shisan's accessories, the way red became integrated with yuanzhou's wardrobe and blue with ruyi's. the details on the liudao name amulets!! SO GOOD. i love when characters' clothes tell a story on their own
overall i just really loved this drama it is probably my favorite wuxia ive seen so far! it's gonna be in my brain for awhile lol feel free to send fic prompts if you've made it this far :'D
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Uh Oh I Thought About The Music In The Finale Too Hard And It Started Bothering Me Again
ok so aside from one of my favorite scenes in the entirety of mob psycho getting cut from the last episode, a decision which will haunt and torment me until my dying days, my biggest issue with the last episode was always the music and i think ive been able to finally pin down a coherent explanation as to why
disclaimer: i am not a music expert. i was in choir in middle school and i like listening to people who actually know about music talk about music, but this is not a professional opinion so take it with a grain of salt
so first, 99 playing during reigen running towards mob. my problem with this is less the song choice and more that the anime decided to completely change the tone of the entire scene. like, 99 works perfectly for the hype exciting scene they were trying to create! i just dont think this scene should have been hype and exciting. this isn’t a “music is tonally inconsistent” problem so much as a “tone is inconsistent with events unfolding” problem so im not going to put much focus on it.
what IS tonally inconsistent though is the next track that plays after it (timestamped)
this scene is supposed to be not just the reveal that reigen is okay but the reveal that dimple, a character who we’ve spent the last six episode thinking was dead, is alive! and the music they chose is so... sinister??? wouldn’t something more triumphant or energetic fit here??? i get that it has to segway into a really emotional song next so it can’t be too upbeat but wouldnt something like this maybe fit better??? it’s another song associated with dimple possessing someone who isn’t especially powerful to let them achieve something they normally wouldn’t, it’s pretty dramatic, it’s exciting, it has kind of an emotional through line in the back of it with the violins???
the next song is perfect. no notes. the second i heard it in the mob character trailer before season 3 dropped i was like “oh theyre going to use that for reigen’s confession” and i was 100% right. in fact, this song being so perfect for this scene is what makes the next song choice so confusing.
huh? what? why???? on the elementary school level of “well this is labelled mob’s theme and this is mob’s moment of self acceptance so it has to go here” i can maybe understand but it is the most jarring tonal whiplash i have ever felt watching a television show. this is music that we normally here when mob is fighting an enemy, this is supposed to gear us up for conflict. it does not fit the bittersweet catharsis of mob accepting his whole self at all.
ive seen two different edits with different soundtracks i prefer, one with “Passing my heart, I'm getting bigger” (at least im pretty sure thats what its called? すれ違う心・大きくなったなぁ?) and one with “Mob’s Kindness”. personally, i feel like mob’s kindness would be the best option. for one, one of them already played at an emotionally climactic moment during the final episode last season so it might be a bit weird to do it a second time. second, for when we last heard “mob’s kindness” it actually fits really well with this scene on a couple different levels.
just the title of the song on its own fits with the scene. it’s the first time mob really extends kindness towards himself rather than trying to repress it or smother it in guilt and self loathing. we also have to consider the last place it was used and how that echos this scene. the first time we hear mob’s kindness is in season 2 episode 1, following the line “i made the decision to consider my feelings more”, a line which fits really well with what the “100% shigeo kageyama” moment is trying to get across. “shigeo kageyama” is mob’s repressed power and, more relevantly, his repressed emotions that he’s been bottling up for years now. “mob” flaking apart and forming “shigeo” also kind of visually echos emi’s novel getting ripped apart and brought together again by mob’s power, so that’s another little mirror between these two scenes. mob putting emi’s novel back together is the first time we see him using his powers for another person, not to save them from any sort of threat, but just as an act of simple kindness. it’s the beginning of a realization he has during the mogami arc, these powers arent just a burden, he can use them to help people. and he doesn’t even need to limit it to that, he can just use them to express himself and have fun because they aren’t just tools that can be used, they’re a part of him.
#i feel like i lost the plot a bit writing the last paragraph but whateverrrrr#mp100#mob psycho 100#shigeo kageyama
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Femme Fatale Guide: How To Be More Graceful, Elegant, & Command Presence
Moving through the world with grace, elegance, and commanding presence boils down to maintaining the highest levels of self-respect and good manners, mastering the art of cultivating engaging conversation, and paying attention to all of the little details – in your self-presentation, communication, professional endeavors, or small gestures. Here’s a guide on the ways to embody a more graceful and elegant aura to command presence and become magnetic.
Personalize Your Interactions & Learn Proper Etiquette: Address people by name, and offer a firm handshake. Maintain eye contact. Say "please" and "thank you." RSVP promptly. Communicate clearly and compassionately. Make the person feel special and like the only individual in the room while introducing yourself. It’s the secret to leaving a lasting impression,
Master The Art of Engaging Conversation: Prioritizing self-presentation, learning how to listen, holding your own, and encouraging others to feel relaxed are the secrets to becoming magnetic in any social situation. Be mindful of how much you listen (more) and speak (less). Carefully consider your tonality and word choice. Remember and recounter the small details of another person’s anecdote that felt important to them. Acknowledge their emotions and validate them. Read more of my tips HERE.
Maintain A Confident and Collected Demeanor: Shoulders back and relaxed. Open your chest. Keep your back straight and your head held high. Smile when saying “hello” or “goodbye.” Take up space. Command presence.
Stay Unbothered: Believe in yourself. Invest in your well-being. Prioritize your goals and block out the noise from anyone trying to tear you down or criticize you for your ambition, goals, or desires. Stay in your own lane. Allow others to do the same. This is how you level up to elevate into your queen energy to create a rich life and design your dream reality.
Prioritize Proper Grooming: Always looking clean and put-together is the ultimate sign of an elegant presence. Shower daily. Brush, and take care of your teeth. Wash your hair on a regular schedule. Never allow your hair to look greasy – brush and blow dry it regularly. Cleanse, exfoliate, and moisturize every inch of your face and body. Perform your skincare routine religiously. Apply sunscreen daily.
Tailor & Steam Your Clothes: Freshly-pressed and well-fitting clothes always make you appear infinitely more refined and put-together – no matter their price point. Maintaining an elegant presence is upholding a high standard of how you show up for yourself and to the world. Paying attention to the little details. Ensure your garments look crisp and clean – no wrinkles, pet hairs, loose threads, lint pieces, or fabric bulges highlighting an improper fit.
Put Thought Into Every Outfit: Consider the varying proportion, colors, textiles, and weights of each garment or accessory. Make sure that every item pairs well together. Half of dressing elegantly is ensuring the pieces are styled together in a thoughtful manner.
Streamline The Details: Grace and elegance is about refining every aspect of your life, so you and your environment appear clean and put together at all times. Always have a set of matching pens with coordinating notepads on your desk, a uniform set of coffee mugs on the counter, coasters, glassware, sheets, pillowcases, cold-weather accessories, etc. This attention to detail instant makes your environment look more expensive.
Invest Your Time & Energy Into Small Gestures: Bring a thoughtful gift to every dinner party (anything from a favorite bottle of wine, candy, soap, olive oil, candle, etc.) or a friend during a difficult time (a breakup, stressful work week, etc.). Write handwritten Thank You, congratulatory, and birthday cards, or a note to add alongside a client/holiday gift. Use another person’s lingo in conversation to better connect with them and make them feel heard. Remember your friend or coworker’s go-to coffee order. Have a list of birthdays on hand at all times for everyone in your inner circle. Know your friends', family members', and significant others’ favorite meals, restaurants, shows, music, etc. to plan more personal excursions. Attention to detail embodies a more gracious and elegant presence. This level of thoughtfulness makes you magnetic.
#femme fatale#dark feminine energy#dark femininity#it girl#the feminine urge#hypergamy#hypergamous#high value woman#high value mindset#divine feminine#elegance#etiquette#life advice#social skills#relationship advice#girl advice#classy life#glow up#level up#queen energy#higher self#self respect#self growth#personal branding#cult of personality#female excellence#female power#gaslight gatekeep girlboss#femmefatalevibe
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Narrative Framing and Setting; Ray's Psyche (Ep 4)
I've seen a lot of discussion over this already, but the metaphor of the record store scene fits so well symbolically alongside the scene of Ray in the bath immediately before. It got me thinking about both the use of setting to portray Ray's loneliness and how it pairs with the subtle dialogue pulling him towards Sand.
Setting
To start with setting, there's a very notable contrast between the gloomy, cold hues of Ray's bathroom and the comparatively bright, welcoming atmosphere of the record store. I don't think it's any coincidence that the episode starts with Ray in the bathroom and ends with him there, indicating how--while he's clearly in a better mental headspace than he was two years ago--his pain is ceaseless.
Interesting that out of every character we've seen so far, Ray has been solo in the ending credits twice. He also takes center stage with his narration this episode.
Bathtub
I don't think it's any coincidence that Ray is in a bathtub. It's confining, for one, a match for the plain hues of the bathroom and the absence of natural light. Despite the limiting aspect, there's also something to be said about the sense of security and comfort Ray could find in this kind of space. Someone like Ray who dreads loneliness might feel less lonely in a smaller area because he isn't forced to consider all of the unfilled space. Ray lives in a huge, luxurious house, but I think that's a curse as much as a blessing, because it reminds him of all the unoccupied space in his life.
In terms of bathing itself, the act is typically viewed symbolically as a way of "cleansing one's sins"; this could be Ray's subconscious effort to wipe his guilt away.
Another point of note--we see Mew and Sand both assume a place in the bathtub as well at various points. It's almost as if Mew and Sand's presence there directly thwarts all of that pain Ray has welling up inside. If the bathtub represents confinement and loneliness, then the addition of Mew and Sand threatens to change that.
At the end of Ep4, we see Ray with a drink in one hand and Mew's gift in the other. The gift itself is a reminder of what Ray doesn't have (Mew), but it's also ironic because of its own symbolism--sun rays. This is, of course, a callback to Ray's name, but it also contrasts with the setting once again and the grimness Ray exudes. Also interesting: we see a brief flashback to Mew giving Ray this gift, and it notably occurs outdoors in another bright space. Also, I don't think it's any coincidence that Top and Mew's shower scene occurs right before this, highlighting how they are together and Ray is alone.
Record Store
As viewers, the sight of the record store is even more bright and jarring coming right out of the oppressive, comparatively cramped space that is Ray's bathroom. It's open, but it's filled with warmth and light. And, importantly, Ray and Sand are never far apart from each other. They might be the only ones visible in the store, but the entire room feels occupied and livable. Compared to the single shot of Ray in the bathtub, this final scene sees them both standing side by side the entire time.
The dialogue compliments this atmosphere as well, with Sand inviting Ray to try out new music, almost as if he is inviting Ray to give him a try (*cue Let's Try*). We know from the previous scene that Ray is at least beginning to see Sand as someone who could occupy Mew's role. But this setting with its inviting tone and promise of companionship is where that truth becomes even more prominent. It's especially important because we can infer that Ray is reflecting on this scene while contemplating his loneliness, making it all the more alluring to him.
The lyrics of the song are effective. There are nature references with the stars, moon, and sea. Tonally, the song is warm, yet another distinct contrast to the cold silence of Ray's empty house.
This line in particular--
There is only us and the cold wind
--strikes me, as it calls upon the existence of space--space that has been filled because the speaker and their lover are together.
~ X ~
I'd be super curious to know anyone else's thoughts on this--I was rewatching those last two scenes and couldn't help thinking about all the contrasts between them. There’s so many cool things going on in terms of setting, chronology, and colorization. I’m anxious to see how these elements could coincide with Ray’s developments in the future.
#only friends#only friends the series#only friends meta#only friends episode 4#only friends ep4#ofts#firstkhaotung#firstkhao#sandray#raysand#sanray#raysan#sand x ray#ray x sand#first kanaphan#khaotung thanawat#only friends ray#ray pakorn
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when i first watched season 4, i didn't love it because it felt so all over the place, both tonally and storywise. i mean, season 4 felt like it was meant to be very lore-heavy, but the only episodes that actually felt important to the story of that season were "prankklok," "writersklok," "dethcamp," "going downklok," "dethdinner," "breakupklok," and "the church of the black klok." that's 7 story-based episodes in a 12-episode season, but they're placed so sporadically, it's very jarring.
all that being said, with the hindsight of both the doomstar requiem and army of the doomstar, i understand better how the five "filler episodes" of season 4 fit within everyone's character arcs.
"fanklok" - nathan is still so disconnected from the reality of how dating works and what romantic relationships shouldn't look like that he dates a fan (and he's not even initially concerned when he finds out she's allegedly killed a bunch of people, he's more concerned that she's cheating on him). and because this relationship ends so terribly, he doesn't have the opportunity to process it or take away any meaningful lessons on how to have an adult relationship.
"diversityklok" - despite being with dethklok for years now, toki is still isolated from them. even his best attempts to grow close with them fall short. also, dethklok is powerful enough to survive bad faith racism allegations, i guess.
"motherklok" - pickles realizes that his bio family are all garbage people and it doesn't matter that they're his family—they're not good for him, and he has every right to cut them out of his life and instead focus on the family that actually cares about and appreciates him.
"bookklok" - toki stands up to skwisgaar for once in his life, and skwisgaar finally has a reckoning with the fact that his methods of...i think he was trying to encourage toki to improve...weren't helping and he has to change his approach if he still wants to have toki in his life. and he does (we never see skwisgaar aggrandize toki's playing again, though he still does have a teeny bit of that tough love stuff going on).
"dethvanity" - william feels insecure with his place in the band, driving him to extreme measures in an attempt to prove that he's not ugly—which, in this episode, is presented as him trying to prove that he's not a monster.
and then looking at the character arcs of the doomstar requiem and army of the doomstar in tandem, what do we have?
nathan learning that he doesn't have to force relationships to go a certain way and he doesn't have to shut down when they don't go the way he wants; adult relationships are about mutual respect, not obsession.
toki being recognized as a brother in the band, arguably the glue that holds them all together; he is the sunshine rainbows marshmallow man, and the band all need a force like that in their lives to keep them from going off the deep end.
pickles helping to be the maternal figure in the band, the one to be there for everyone; having a family means supporting them when you can and helping them to be the best parts of themselves, and a true family will work past the rocky parts instead of turning cold.
skwisgaar...is also there. i'm kidding, his is just more subtle; learning to admit when he's wrong or when to drop the whole guitar god diva thing, even just briefly, to let others in and recognize their importance.
william learning that his place in the band is more valuable than he could ever recognize; any ugliness or dissent isn't a reflection of who he truly is, it doesn't make him a monster, because he's more than just what the surface shows.
i'm sorry, but it's actually crazy how well this worked out with season 4 having one episode dedicated to subtle character development or character arc progression for each of the dethklok members. i still think the overall pacing of the season is wack, but looking at it like this does help.
but seriously though, how the hell did dethklok manage to not get canceled after "diversityklok" charles what kind of NDAs did you force everyone at that event to sign
#dichromaticdyke.exe#Metalocalypse#Nathan Explosion#Toki Wartooth#Pickles the Drummer#Skwisgaar Skwigelf#William Murderface#written in a fit of divine madness#Army of the Doomstar
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I'm rereading Emily's Quest and Ilse/Perry's romantic resolution is hands down one of my favorite parts of the whole entire series, what are your thoughts on them together and the complicated love square between Emily, Teddy, Ilse and Perry?
you can't see it, but I'm throwing back my head and laughing maniacally, for o poor innocent anon - I do not know if you are aware and you might be, but this discussion happened several months ago and I learned (while having the time of my life) that people have strong and conflicting opinions on Emily of New Moon. Never have my lm montgomery posts gotten so much traction. I'm more than happy to talk about my thoughts here, but if you're looking for more, I suggest searching the emily of new moon tag on tumblr or on my blog. (Poor Teddy did not fare well, let's just say that).
Ilse and Perry's relationship is a really sharp contrast to Emily's and Teddy's to me tonally. Although this isn't necessarily reflected on the individual level, I feel like Ilse and Perry's is defined by this activeness/aggression, and Emily's and Teddy's is defined by this passiveness. Ilse and Perry get into fights; Teddy and Emily ignore each other for years. Ilse verbally attacks Perry to his face because she's too proud to admit she loves him; Emily ignores Teddy's whistle and ices him out. This doesn't necessarily trickle down to the character level (I would not describe Emily Byrd Starr as a passive and quiet person lol), but squinting at the relationships, these are overall impressions.
In this neapolitan ice cream mix of personalities, you get so many different combos. (Ilse/Perry, Ilse/Teddy, Emily/Perry (he wishes)..the list goes on). I love how you describe it as a love square, because it really only stops short of Ilse and Emily dating each other, and even then, their friendship plays just as a significant a role as the actual romantic relationships. It would be as if in Anne, Phil did decide to go for Gilbert because well, Anne has repeatedly said she's not interested. That would layer their relationship in an entirely different way, and that's what happens with Emily and Ilse. It would also give us a different impression of Gilbert, choosing to date one of Anne's best friend after expressing romantic interest in Anne repeatedly.
I think the love square kind of fits Emily's tone as a whole - Emily's books don't have the innocence - or perhaps a better word is earnestness - that Anne's do. That friend group is messy. Ilse knows Emily likes Teddy but goes around with Teddy, Emily knows Ilse likes Perry but Perry is in love with her, Teddy is in love with Emily but still choose to date Ilse...it's less a square and more a three dimensional rhombus that's caving in on itself. (floating somewhere in this stew of hormones is dean too, to make matters all the more complicated)
As for each individual couple - your ask didn't ask this, and it's already been discussed at length (see first paragraph) so I'll limit my thoughts on Teddy and Emily as It Would Have Been Nice if Teddy Talked, At Least Sometimes. We barely see them interact, and it weakens the pairing in my eyes considerably.
All the more because we have this passive conflict right next to Ilse's and Perry's very active one, although that's usually seen at a narrative distance (ie through Emily referencing it in her diary). I think Ilse's and Perry's romantic resolution suits them very well - Ilse is someone who has had free reign to do what she wants her entire life, who was neglected then spoiled rotten, and who is temperamental to say the least. Her leaving Teddy at the altar to flee to Perry's bedside is completely in character for her, along with her needing a wake-up call on the level of death haha. It's suitably dramatic and over the top for someone who is very dramatic. It also neatly embarrasses Teddy, who, if my memory serves, needed some emotional walloping at that point as well.
The thing about Ilse and Perry though, is that almost all of their interactions happen offscreen. Their fights, reunion, and married life all happen off screen. In fact, both the 'endgame' couples are marked by this. You get more interaction between Perry and Emily than Perry and Emily, and really, it almost feels like you get more interaction between Teddy and Ilse than Emily and Teddy. I love the Emily books, but they do leaving me wanting more in that respect, especially because these characters are so compelling. I want to read the scene where Perry who is half conked out in bed sees Ilse in all her bridal glory crash through his hospital room door! I want to read more than the 1-2 conversations we get between Emily and Teddy! It's interesting, though, because a lot of what we do see is narrated by Emily in her diary; in a way, Emily is telling her own story to us as she sees fit.
#the fact that dean's last name is priest fascinates me#not on topic for this post but a thought i had#emily of new moon
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i saw the reply you left on that httyd 3 post i reblogged--and i don't know if you saw the post i made earlier today about how much i love the first two movies, or the post i made afterward mentioning how i don't like the third one. but yeah LMAO i have never liked it, both because of how mean everyone is to hiccup and because the ending is just taken from the books (one of the only things these movies ever took from the books) except in the books it actually made sense. along with a few other reasons. you are definitely better off pretending that dreamworks only made 2 movies.
I didn't see the earlier post, I'll go look for it in a minute.
I have never seen it because I got spoiled for the end and I didn't think it fit tonally with the other 2 movies/I hate the majority of these types of endings. They often feel tacked on for a canned message about growing up and letting go, even if that doesn't fit with the rest of the movie/show. The first 2 httyd movies are all about coexistence and building something better together, and provide a very positive view of a future where very different creatures can live together in a symbiotic relationship and move past old hurts. The ideas of the 3rd movie seem to be much more 'x group belongs here, y group here and it's better for them to never interact' which is imo a very dated idea.
It worked in the books because the books are tonally so much bleaker. There isn't the same community building between the dragons and vikings that you see in the movies. The ending there makes sense! As you pointed out, it fits. It is utterly bizarre that they ended the movie series this way that ended up destroying all the messages they had been building from the first movie.
I'm just going to pretend the 3 movie never got made. I'm worried it would colour my enjoyment of the first 2, which are very dear to me. Especially with how mean everyone is to hiccup, I think that would bother me so much, especially since some of it seems to be ableism played for laughs, which is 😬
Sorry for rambling
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Forgive me for like yapping at you for a while this is gonna be a long one, and I totally get if you don't respond to this at all and just delete it from your inbox it's just something that has been bothering me sooo much
And before I start I want to clarify this is not hate! I'm just intending to like. Discuss yk?
So in your video analysis of female characters in ninjago I was quite excited to get to the bit about Harumi because she's a really interesting character and absolutely one of my favorites. But when I did it was like you missed every major aspect of her character and motivations and it was especially disappointing because like. The video was worded to accomodate new/non-fans who don't know about these characters! And it's disheartening when a character is completely misunderstood especially in a video where the point is to explain these characters and how they are often misunderstood or poorly represented by the writers
I think you were really hung up on the idea that Harumi had any good motivations for what she was doing which is just. Not true. Harumi never wanted to help people who had similar situations to her. The whole point of her character is that she's held onto her anger and hatred to the point it's all that drives her, which is what makes her death so impactful- It's the moment she sees the error of her ways and the fact that she's only perpetrated the same cycle that hurt her.
You brought up the fact that it didn't make sense for her feeding the poor to be an act. But it does if you think about the rest of the context of the scene. I know it's easy to miss things when you're trying to get all the information together for a video like that so I totally don't blame you for this one, but Lloyd brings up the fact that her room seemed ransacked and her window was blown open. The intent there on Harumi's part was to get him to follow her so he'd see her doing something "good" that'd throw him off her trail. This is something she does OFTEN. Like when the ninja are discussing who the quiet one could be or when Lloyd is shocked by her ability to throw the machete.
Harumi, in the oni trilogy at least is consistent with her motives. They screwed her up real bad in crystalized, but in the Oni trilogy the point of her character was that her worldview was fucked up and she didn't care who she hurt until she realized that she was being no better than the people who hurt her.
I think since there is such a drastic tonal shift when we get to the Oni trilogy, you were probably unintentionally looking at it through the same lense as the rest of the series where the themes and such are very surface-level and spelled out easily so again I don't like hate you for not understanding her motives or hell even falling for the manipulation tactics she employed that the viewer was supposed to look a little more into but I needed to like ramble about it SORRY this ended up much longer than I intended ^^; don't feel pressured to respond or anything
OoOOOooo! I usually answer my asks in order, but this one is real tempting right now, so I absolutely will respond. And before we get into everything, I want to extend you the same exact courtesy you did me. I'm just here to discuss. Absolutely zero hard feelings or hate.
First off, I think that is a great, and perfectly valid interpretation. Have fun with it. It's certainly a little more cohesive than what I got out of the season. I do, however, think you underestimate how much thought went into my video. As a bit of behind the scenes, Harumi was absolutely the piece of the script I was most paranoid about missing something for, because I don't have the same love for the character as most of the fandom, so I was thinking about her characterization a lot. Unfortunately, I have in fact considered all the pieces you have presented here. I just don't think those pieces actually fit together so neatly as presented in the show.
Specifically, I think it's very clear that we are supposed to have some amount of agreement with/sympathy for Harumi. Her backstory in flashback is supposed to be very heart wrenching. We see her child self go numb at the end, not angry, it's not trying to show us the start to a hardening progression, it's showing us harumi, currently angry at what happened to the little girl she used to be. If she were supposed to be a pure evil villain like Aspheera who's just evil because she is, whose justifications don't really line up, they would not have tried so hard to make us cry about her past. The backstory is structured so that it seems to give her a proper motive. She outright states her motive in her villain reveal monologue. If the point was to highlight how far from those original motivations she has strayed, it should have, I don't know, been highlighted in narrative? Have people bring it up? Have people try and appeal to her supposed motivation, have it not work, and then realize how far she's gone?
Harumi going to feed the poor was a move to throw Lloyd off the scent? What kind of 4d chess is she playing? She's got to assume lloyd will come look for her after happening to see a trashed room in a very narrow timeframe, follow her, and then talk with her while feeding children, all so that he... trusts her? After he already very clearly trusts her? All the other examples you bring up are harumi misdirecting attention after they start to catch on to her with minimal logistical effort. This is not that. Feeding the poor would be an insane preventative measure to take with a ton of extra complicated steps, that ultimately doesn't even gain her any new advantages. At that point, it's just bad writing. And if this was supposed to be an example of how she's betraying the motives she claims to be fighting for, again, it should have been highlighted in the narrative. As we have it, it's only brought up as an example of how manipulable the ninja are, not how far she's strayed from her purpose.
Now, is what your trying to say here what they intended to portray? Very likely. That's what the best written version of this character looks like. It's the only way her arc in the oni trilogy makes sense. Which, I do praise once I get to my season 9 bit. I talk about the cycle of hurt, and how good her death is, on multiple levels, and I end with an overall positive outlook on the character as flawed but ultimately impactful until we get to crystalized. But again, that is not what actually got portrayed to us in season 8. Do not give the writers credit for dots that you were able to shuffle around into making sense. I think I make it pretty clear that I understand Harumi isn't supposed to have a reasonable motive in the review. My confusion is at the narrative dissonance this reveal has when we get to it, because of the hints that tell the audience to relate to Harumi as a villain. The backstory, the attempt at a logical motive, and the girl boss feminism twist all point us in the direction of there being something she's actually fighting for. I think they did a bad job at portraying the ideas they wanted to get across, and my goal in the review is to highlight where those dissonances are, because the writing on her character to portray these ideas wasn't done correctly.
That, on top of the basic factual timeline errors in her backstory and logistics around her plan just push my perspective over the edge for me. I wasn't blind to the points your making here, I was intentionally de-emphasizing them to bring attention to the poor writing that tried to show us those elements. My thesis is that harumi was underthought, and I stand by that thesis. I have yet to come across an argument that has convinced me otherwise, though I don't discount that there may yet be one out there.
But even if you do read my analysis as a shallow first time viewer's perspective on things(which again, I assure you it isn't), if the point the writers were trying to get across doesn't translate to a first time viewer, isn't that a problem?
If it makes you feel any better though, one of the top comments under the video is a thread of people trying to explain their interpretations of how harumi's character makes sense, so there is discussion being had about this stuff.
#long post#holy cow#we both be yappin#it's great#asks#thanks anon!#harumi#harumi critical#parachuterants#ns8#sons of garmadon#ninjago
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parts of the npmd soundtrack that scratch my brain perfectly (act 2)
again its all under the cut. i hope this is comprehensible its longer than the last one. idk what else to say
HATCHET TOWN
dan's whole bit at the start. just the way he says everything. so good
the ahh ahh ahhs
the electric guitar <3
curt's voice for bailey esp the growl
A LOSIN STREAKS COMIN!
the smoooothness of corey's voice and the way he sings things auuauauuau
IF HE GETS ME NEXT I COULD BE THREE!
the harmonies on man down down down down
the little plinky organ melody in the backround that comes in halfway through the chorus UAUUAUAUA
the way jon says donna
donna's "DAN!!!"
i certainly dont LOVE killing!
the harmonies on "bailey's/barry's on the loose and he's got a gun" (im talking mainly abt the soundtrack and not the proshot so bailey is more applicable here but both r so good)
I'M A COP!
fits the bill! it fits the bill!
THE HARMONIES ON THE SECOND MAN DOWN DOWN DOWN DOWN UAUUAUAUAU
the who's swingin the hatchet now harmonies
HATCHET TOOOOOWN
I AM THE MAYOR!!!!
HOW DARE YOU!!!
bryce's solo <3 all of it is so good
BOY JERRY <3 and gerald monroe ig but i love jerry
LET'S KILL 'IM!
CAN I SHIT OR WILL I DROWN
kim's little opera bit
the final in hatchet town harmony <3
JUST FOR ONCE
this whole song in general btw. i love ruth fleming so so so so so so so so so much this song was such a silly contemperary theatre tribute
NO, i haven't seen your grill brush, MAURY. huh YEAH! i used it to BRUSH MY HAIR this morning CANT YOU TELL. ugh
DONT LEAVE ME OUT HERE WITH THE MEAT, MAURY! medium WHA? how can something be medium AND WELL, MAURY?
ugh. maury.
*sigh* i turned 40 today.
the piano coming in
the synthy strum
the way lauren sings the word saturday. her voice throughout this whole song just scratches the brain itch so well
the way she says window, right, dream, and had
they never win
and LIIIIIFE is FULLL of all of the Trappings of The Well to Dew
god i love ruth. i love this song i love this song.
the slight tonal shift (thats not the right word ugh) for the choruses.
39 I LOSE MY HAIR UNDER CAREFUL CHEMO TREATMENT
the way lauren says ensnared
JUDGE ME.
IT FUCKING WORKED I'M FUCKING HERE HE'S FUCKING HER IM DISAPPOINTED
and of the two who's the worse for wear (ME.)
the tambourine
idk what that instrument is in the bg of second chorus it sounds like a saxaphone but also synthy???? idk but i love it
SHOULD I FLIP THE BURGERS NOWWW!
the clarity of lauren's first oh UAUAUA
SHOULD I LET THE YEARS COOOK MY BODY DOWN IN FRONT OF HIM
all 3 just for onces esp the last one with the riff
THE WAY THAT BEHIND THE JUST FOR ONCES YOU CAN HEAR THE "if i can finally be cool i will know that i'm not a loser" MOTIF AUUAUAISUAUUAISIAU
the way the tone calms back down but its still like so vulnerable... uuuuuauu
the way she says every word in this last verse
i used to dance :(
IF I LOVED YOU
THE SYNTH
I NEVER WANTED YEW ANYWAY!
joey's general tone in this UAUAU so good
mariah's deeper voice HEART EYES AUUUU
i just love lautski this song is so good i can barely pick things out bc this whole song scratches my brain
joey's lil growl on "oh babe i'd let u know"
OOOO! i guess we'd better save the date!
need a lover MAYUN
i love when jeff blim crams a lot of syllables into an amount of time like that its so fun
the harmonies <3
wake me up when u turn 18!!!
if i IF I!!!!!
the repeating round style of singing in order to come together eventually I lov them
dissonance <3
THE SUMMONING
the way the lords names are sung i love it sm
the lords names being whispered in the background
tNOY karaxis
WIGGOG WIGGOG Y'WRATH
the woah ohs and the drums kicking in
the music cutting out
HELLO FWENDY WENDS
the we will build a portal motif
the laughter
just the whole little lord verses its so discordant and fun and i love it so much i love the voices they put on i love the lyrics
LA LA LA LA LA ALALALALALA
the book has all but closed on ur life!
THE LORDS IN BLACK ARE THE LORDS IN BLACK ARE
blinky's we've been watching u gracie
the way curt says spankoffski and toy box
GOOOO NIGHTHAWKS!
tinky's laugh
jon's wiggly voice
WHY HELP U WITH THE JAGERMAN WHEN WE CAN HELP THE WORLD
the drums
swallow his soul i wanna lick it!
i wanna see thaaaat
WHATEVER WE WANT WE WANT WE WANT WHATEVER WE WANT WE GET
AAAAUHGUGH there IS something!
something FUN!!!
the lords in black the lords in black call us...
what do u want steph...
do it... or DIE
WE DONT GIVE A SHIT ABT UR PHONE!
AHHHHHHUHGHHH THERE HE IS
what's in your pocket STEPH-A-KNEE
STEPHANIE HAS GOT A GUN TRALALALA HOW FUN! STEPHANIE HAS GOT A GUN SHE KNOWS WHAT MUST BE DONE
i love this whole song its so silly and crazy
YUM YUM!
or FUCK OFF
that last "the lords in black the lords in black call us"
COOL AS I THINK I AM REPRISE
this one makes me really sad :( still so good
one of us is in love :(((((((((
it doesnt TAKE a detective
the violins coming in again
is it really a crime if you get to live your life to the fullest :((((
YOU GET TO LIVE ON :(((((
the i love u i know :(((((((
ur not as cool as u think u are! :(
THE HARMONIES :(
IF I CAN FINALLY BE COOL :((((
i will know that you have to do it :(((
joey's lower register for this last little if i loved u chorus :(((
loved u more than the stars above :(((((( (how many sad faces can i use)
the pause before could've :((((
i cant even say anything more abt this one it makes me too sad
ok yes i can the i never wanted you anyway breaks my heart
BEST OF YOU
the guitar
the needy beast esque pronounciation of words idk how else to say it i just love it
LIKE EYE DEW
we hurted!
the harmonies on town and down
IM THE BEST OF YEW!
this song is just so fun
it's like you knew me b4 u knew me! that whole bit! i love it!
THE AHS IN THE BACK OF THE SECOND BIT OF THE SECOND VERSE
ABSCONDED BELOVED
FOREVER!
WE'RE GONNA RUN AROUND 2NITE!
I BELIEVE IN YEWWWW
never gonna fall!
the echoey verse in the back at the end Auuu so good
the ending note harmony
DIRTY DUDES MUST DIE
the souls of the pervs make me strong
her laugh
I LOVE ANGELA'S VOICE
everything she sings here sounds so incredible
ARE U HARD BC UR STRESSED
what????
i just love this reprise its so so good
i cant point out specific parts bc its just all incredible
OF THE NERDS U MINIMIIIIIIIZED!!!! her RIFF!
THE LAUGH
when the ensemble comes in heart eyes
WHO WILL PRAY 4 U WHEN UR BODY'S GONE THIS IS THE CONSEQUENCE FOR WHAT YOUVE DOOOOONE
DARKNESS WILL SPARE MY SOUL
run pervs RUN
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NATLA - Episode 4: Into the Dark (3/3)
[Masterlist of my NATLA thoughts]
An explanation of what I'm doing here and my history with ATLA.
Of course, full spoilers ahead.
<previous/next>
Sokka's instincts make an appearance in this episode too as they're navigating the cave - love that Sokka is smart and figures out the stones light up in the dark - and even though his plan goes awry, just like in the animated show, sometimes his instincts are right, sometimes they're wrong - he's delving more into using his brains to help the group rather than just his battle prowess. Here is where the character beats between him and Katara in animated episodes like 'Jet' come to fruition alongside their interactions last episode.
In the animated version, they have a lot of time (ie beginning of every episode, so 20 times) to have the characters poking fun and mocking each other, but in only 8 episodes, that can feel like tonal whiplash if the characters swing from mocking to learning the lesson then back to mocking then learning the lesson then back to mocking then learning the lesson all in one episode - structurally, it just wouldn't work. Merging Katara's frustrations with Sokka always needing to be in charge and 'he knows best' into these two episodes really let that dynamic breathe, deepen, and be resolved in a satisfying way. They have a really sweet sibling moment reminiscing about home, and Sokka urges them to continue on, doing his best to be a good leader.
They both get to explain why they fell in with the people they did, how Sai helped Sokka and Jet helped Katara. The idea that we don't get through life alone, we need friends and mentors to help us along the way, is a huge part of 1) this episode with Aang and Bumi and 2) the entire series. I like how Katara reminded Sokka that when he was thrust into a leadership position, he didn't have anyone to help him through it - he was just given command and left to his own devices. It's a concept that comes up in the animated show too and I'm glad they're giving it time to breathe this season. Again, we're setting the foundation for character's core traits through the series, Sokka's being: a leader, strategist, inventor, and warrior.
I like that it's sibling love that saves the day in the caverns - I mean, first off, the power of MUSIC is what somehow got the badgermoles to guide them through the tunnels the first time, it makes sense that they'd be a bit more intellectually advanced and be able to sense emotions and follow verbal commands. And second, love the switcharoo with it not being the crystals but rather an emotional through-line. The OG was a bit eehhh for me because honestly, teasing that a KISS would light the way out (and some in the fandom STILL believing that's what got them to safety) is just….eewww to me. Very unnecessary especially since Katara and Aang are literal children. I'm more for them developing a strong platonic bond while they're this age because it really didn't feel organic to me for Aang and Katara to get together after Aang's whole crush that started from the first moment he saw her. It was a little too 'ok, you saved the world, now here's your reward: a woman' in the og for me. Not to say they can't fix that ship, but cutting it for now I think is a good move.
I do think this episode had some of the best moments and some of the most 'eh' storylines for me, so a mixed bag. I loved everything except the Bumi storyline, but again, I get what they were going for with it, I just think the execution could have been better - and by that I mean fully nix the 'crazy king' aspect of Bumi (which would have made the internet even madder than it already is) and just fully reshape his character to fit the tone of the live-action. Characters like Bumi are just SO over-the-top it's really hard to get that balance right in live-action.
But as far as criticisms go, it's pretty mild compared to a lot of plotlines I forgive in other favorite shows, so - eh *shrug* I'll live.
These past two episodes were quite annoying to analyze beside the OG because I'm rewatching the animated version to make sure I get specifics right and these episodes covered are all so late in the season! Omashu happens, then I had to go through storylines that show up later in the live-action but happen earlier in the animated. But, rewatching the OG is always good for me and I stand by the assessment that nothing got messed up plot-wise moving those later storylines up to here, rather I think it built an even stronger foundation for the heavier stuff to come like the Spirit World and the Blue Spirit storylines.
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An unofficial, very personal to my tastes, and unnecessary ranking of all of the songs in Nerdy Prudes Must Die
(typed on my laptop so you know shit's real)
I think it goes without saying this is all my opinion. All of the songs are genuinely good, even the ones I don’t love/like! That being said, here’s my ranking just because I’ve been thinking about this a little bit and I want to put it outside my brain.
15: Dirty Dudes Must Die
Look, I get it. It’s a twist, it’s a time for Angela to slay. That’s all good and fine. I just don’t love the placement and it didn’t feel like an ending to me. That being said, “darkness will save my soul” goes HARD.
14: The Best of You
People keep putting this high up, which I respect, but I can’t resonate with. Someone said it felt very DCOM to them, and I think that might be why I don’t love it; it just feels really tonally different, and not in the way that Just for Once is that’s a clear differentiation for a whole slew of reasons. It’s a totally fine song, I just don’t love it as a fake-out closer. It just doesn’t work for my brain.
13: Cool as I Think I Am (Reprise)
I love a sad reprise as much as anyone else; for some reason, this one just really doesn’t vibe with me. No thoughts about why, I just always skip the last three songs on the soundtrack because I don’t love them.
12: Go Go Nighthawks
Okay, so we’ve finally gotten past the songs that I just don’t like lol. I actually really like this song! I think it’s cute tonally and it gets off the really artificial and saccharine world that’s about to come crumbling down. Also, the “squawk squawk” always gets stuck in my head for some reason. It’s only this low because it’s not one that I’d put on repeat.
11: The Summoning
Someone’s going to dox me for this, but I really don’t love The Summoning as a whole number. It goes hard, don’t get me wrong; I actually ADORE everything before the Lords of Black come in. Mariah, Angela, and Joey’s vocals blend SO beautifully, and the ensemble whispers are HAUNTING. I love, love, love it. The rest of the song is still awesome and I get why people like it, but I don’t love it until the ensemble comes back in towards the end. I also don’t love the start-and-stop of it; if they were going to do that, I feel like keeping everything singing would’ve worked better? I just feel a bit like the energy falters a little. That being said, I still really really like this song.
10: Just for Once
I’m a sucker for this genre of musical; my favorite musicals are almost all from this era, and I really like this song on the soundtrack. I don’t actually love it in the show, but I really appreciate it as a number on the soundtrack. It made me understand Ruth a lot more (I liked her before, but I really GOT her after), but I didn’t love how it fit into the show at first, I think because Lauren’s vocals are a little different on the soundtrack compared to the proshot. A banger!
9: Cool as I Think I Am
It’s a solid act one number! I’m actually fairly neutral about it, but I still love the way it sounds so it’s higher just because I’m more likely to put it on repeat. I also just love this occurrence of “I’m not a loser” and its later recurrence.
8: Bury the Bully
Everyone seems to not like this and bully the bully??? I really like these songs; I think they’re super catchy and they’re a great comedic song for Angela to really get Grace into our hearts (more than she already was). This one’s only lower because I prefer the way the lyrics flow in bully the bully.
7: Bully the Bully
I could listen to this song for literal years. I love it so much. Justice for bully the bully lol.
6: If I Loved You
I’ve listened to this song SO MUCH. Firstly, Joey and Mariah’s voices go together SO FUCKING WELL. Secondly, “sure, I’m a sapiosexual, you’re intellectual, but I cut my lover losses when I can” is not only one of my favorite lines in the show but it also SO BEAUTIFUL. I think this song is just a great addition to the second act, and I really love it.
5: Dirty Girl
Okay, so I will admit: when I first watched the show, I skipped this song. And then, after I finished the show, I went back and listened. I was so wrong, y’all. This is not only a god tier song, it’s also a great way to establish Grace’s absolute fucking insanity alongside Max’s (also) fucking insanity. Grace’s “I’m a good girl”s are such a good addition to the song and her character. I really, really love this song, and I think it’s a great place to start for my top five lol.
4: Hatchet Town
SOMEONE’S GOT THEIR HAND ON THE HATCHET HANDLE SWINGING ON THE YOUTH IT’S A HATCHET SCANDAL CAREFUL OR YOUR FOLKS WILL END UP A CANNIBAL’S PLATE IT AIN’T GREAT YOU’RE BETTER ON THE RUN THAN YOU ARE HIDING SUDDENLY THIS QUIET TOWN’S EXCITING
God tier lyricism genuinely and it sounds sO GOOD. I love a “and here’s what the town thinks” song, and this is a great one that goes SO HARD. The chorus sets the tone so well. As I told my friend, it’s like if the Riverdale adults got a musical number, and I LOVE that.
3: High School is Killing Me
This, to me, is an example of a genuinely perfect modern musical opening number. It sets the mood of the show so well, and it comes back to haunt you as the show slowly kills off its characters in a way that’s so satisfying. Of course, Mariah and Joey are hitting it out of the park; for me, though, the real star of this song is the ensemble. In any show, my favorite character is the ensemble, and this song is a great example of why. Lauren and Jon do a great job introducing us to the world (and their voices together are beautiful, GOD), and the ensemble makes it feel lived in and sets you up for the whirlwind you’re about to go on. Also, the harmonies. MWAH. (Also, “a cesspool faux democracy, it’s one hell of a normal abnormality” has been stuck in my head since I heard it; one of my favorite lyrics in the show).
2: Nerdy Prudes Must Die
Love when the bully comes to kill you but it’s camp! Firstly, Will’s voice is GORGEOUS. Genuinely, I want him to play every single high school bad guy in a musical; he does such a good job. I just adore this song’s placement, tone, lyrics, sound, everything. I really love the way that “I could give two shits that you buried and left me, defiled my body, you pushed me off the edge” sounds, plus obviously the entire will you pray for me bit, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE ENSEMBLE COMES IN. Also, Jon’s absolutely fucking stuNNING “I’M NOT A LOSER.” God, it’s just so good. 100000/10.
1: Literal Monster
I feel like this might be unpopular? But, I LOVE this song. It’s another one of those “and here’s what the town thinks” songs (in a way), the harmonies are beautiful, the GUITAR RIFFS, Will’s voice, the way it sets up Max’s entire being and everyone’s relationship to him. I already liked the song before Will comes in, but his voice adds such a wonderful tonal shift to the song with the HUH HUHs and then he just really goes for it, and I love him for it. His “a predator of my size, cross your heart hope to die, you can watch as I rise, I will claim what is mine” is genuinely one of my favorite sounds of the year. MWAH, chefs kiss.
#nerdy prudes must die#npmd#this isn't even a tag i've used before#i don't think#i just literally haven't been able to do work to anything besides this soundtrack or the alice is missing playlist lmao#i wrote an entire ethics paper to if i loved you and high school is killing me#now i'm writing a paper for my performance theory class to literal monster and dirty dirty girl#my academics are just indebted to this musical now ig
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Hi! California Show Your Teeth absolutely blew my mind, it’s awesome! Like every character and the world itself is just so layered and captivating and feels so alive! It’s such a cool AU, thank you for writing and posting something so amazing. Not to mention all your other stories! You’re seriously one of my favorite authors in this fandom.
I also wanted to ask, if you want to answer, what’s your process for writing these super detailed and amazing stories?
oh :')))) thank you so much! that really means a lot <3
i.....love outlining. love love to outline. and usually, for larger works like this, i keep running lists of plot related to character growth (ex: will struggles his sexuality/powers), plot outside the pov characters' control (agents kidnapping will's friends), and plot within the pov characters' control that *ideally* links to their growth (will successfully teleports and helps his friends) - combining these helps form the basic structure of the plot! then you multiply that by the 12 pov characters dhfjzhdgfvjz
i also spend a lot of time, especially with so many characters in this one, figuring out who is with who, what they're doing, and which dynamics i want to focus on. that usually sparks more threads to pull at. also, their cars! i had a whole list of where everyone's cars were, who was driving which car, who was watching baby nick (sorry holly), why certain parents weren't looking for their kids, etc. i think that def helps add to the realism and layers
and (probably most importantly), i fully complete my fics before publishing. it's tough, because you don't get any feedback, but it lets me keep everything very tonally consistent, allows better foreshadowing i think , and even though I write chronologically, the first chapter probably changed the most from beginning to end, just because i figured out where i wanted to go!
anyway, that was a very long answer, but plot/outlines/fitting the puzzle pieces together is usually my favorite part, and i'm in the thick of it for the sequel right now -thank you again!! <3 <3
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@occasionalmaven replied to your post “the dresden files tv show will have you tearing...”:
As someone who’s never read the books or seen the show… do you recommend waiting to watch the show until I’ve read some of the books?
hi! as someone who was in the same boat at the start of the year, and has since watched the entire show and read two of the books: not at all, you can jump into the show straight away if you want to! Dresden took the basic premise of the books and directly adapted a couple of them into episodes, but it mostly does its own thing with the characters and world.
personally I read Storm Front, the first book in the series, in parallel with the show. imo it was valuable in terms of adding depth to the worldbuilding (especially the magic system and its limitations) that the show couldn't fully explore within its 45 minute time slot. the tv version of Storm Front is a bit weird anyway, as it was cobbled together from the pilot episode and isn't representative of the show's final direction at all. I was actually advised to skip it entirely on my first run-through of the show - it doesn't fit tonally and interferes with the flow of the overall narrative. so I was able to safely take in both the book and show in parallel as I knew that the show wouldn't spoil the book's ending for me! it was a convoluted but cool way to enter the Dresdenverse 😭👍
but it's absolutely not necessary to read the books, especially as the show alters most things and introduces new overarching plots that are really unexpectedly good. it also expands upon certain book characters so drastically and so well that it's hard to believe that the version in the show is basically a tv original. Bob the Skull is kind of Dresden tv's version of the Cleonic Dynasty haha, a lot of people who don't like the show still think tv!Bob was a great idea. honestly the whole adaptation style is similar to Foundation - it's cool to have the extra context of the book, but it veers so far from the original stories so often that it's not as much of a help as you'd expect.
but yes please give this show a try! I compare it a lot to mid-2000s Doctor Who for a reason - it can be kinda goofy in tone and the CGI was made on a budget of approximately $3, but it's got so much heart and goes from "wacky supernatural romp" to "unexpectedly emotional character study" when you least expect. it's also very pretty to look at - it's shot and lit shockingly well for the budget, and everyone involved including the set dressers and cinematographers are clearly giving it everything. it's 12 episodes in a monster-of-the-week format so it's very zippy, and the acting is also fantastic across the board. obviously I'm biased as hell and think the Paul Blackthorne - Terrence Mann shared braincell double act is the best thing ever and only gets better as the series progresses. but even the actors who show up for a single episode are excellent! the one-off characters in episodes 3, 9 and 10 are among my favourites :3
#'bee the foundation tv fan to dresden tv fan pipeline isn't going to happen stop trying to make it happen' no! I won't!#dresdenblogging#txt
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for the ask game, number 8: unpopular fandom opinion(s) regarding gravity falls. also, love your work. ^_^
Thank you! ^^
Of course these are based on my assumptions about what's popular and these are takes I haven't seen around in the wild.
This kinda just devolves into a headcanon list towards the end. haha ^^'
OK so hmmmm oh boy there's a lot:
Gravity Falls is NOT the best thing ever it just had a bunch of really talented people working on it who made it super fun. But it's far from a golden standard and I don't think it should be held up as a standard, that idea is reductive and creatively stifling.
I don't like comparing Amphibia, Owl House, Duck Tales (2017), Inside Job and many others to Gravity Falls. The similarities are superficial and those shows shouldn't be living in Gravity Fall's shadow. They deserve to stand tall and cast their own.
On that note Alex Hirsch is just some guy and I don't like his stuff on its own that much. He's not that funny or interesting to me, but he is just some guy. Hope he doesn't turn out to be a shitty dude. *shrug*
Stanley is overrated (I love him but jeez guys. He's not that endearing.)
Rick and Morty x Gravity Falls is a terrible crossover, tonally, technically and thematically. (I also am just very unimpressed by rick and morty in general)
Stanchez is bad. Rick can eat my shorts. Stan "deserves better". Obviously the fan creations are good. But they don't change my mind about the base idea.
The stans both did nothing wrong ever and I love them deeply without comparing them. (joke I know they fuck up, but they fuck up together.)
Fiddauthor is mid and boring. It comes off as amatonormative and people overall are very exclusionary over it wich is just being a dick and using a ship preference to justify it. (I dont mean to be mean but yeah, you guys are doing fine you can take some salt.)
Ford and Fidd are more like siblings than a couple.
Ford and Fidd both dismissed eachother and the miscommunication was on both of them. (Similair to stan and ford it's no one character's fault)
Ford and Fidd's relationship has more emotional weight viewed through the platonic lense of fidds being older than ford by two or three years and "adopting" him as a "little brother" in college, and how that followed them into their 30s even when the age gap had long become irrelevant. Rather than just "gay sad nerds have marital issues" as fun as that sounds.
Fiddleford is a crazy, scary, adorable, kind, stupid, genuis. This man contains multitudes, I try my best not to flanderize him into one over the other. He can be all those fun things.
Fiddlestan is inherently more funny and compelling than fiddauthor. (To me, to me.)
Fillbrick wasn't the devil incarnate he was just a shit dad, wich fair enough is very bad. Haha (idk there isn't enough of him for me to truly hate and I'd rather not assume the worst, I deal with abusive parents enough in my day to day I don't need to add one to my fav silly show haha)
Billford isn't "toxic" it's too bizarre for that, and much is left to be inferred about both characters and their dynamic. (Again, assuming the worst instead of something more fitting and fun) It's obviously bad for ford but I thought everyone hated him when he isn't nice to stan or being shipped with fidds so it should be cool. (Sarcasm)
Dipper and mabel fuck up equally and mabel is generally more empathetic and aware of the world around her than dipper who hyperfocuses. (Been there pal.)
Mabel is more similar to Ford and Dipper is more similar to Stan
Dipper is a good boy but a bit on the boring side for me. He's fine. I like him well enough.
Mabel is more relatable to me, but I relate to dip's anxiety disorder so bad.
Dipper would NOT grow up to look like Ford. He'd look like shermy or stan.
Mabel would grow up to be bigger and broader than dipper. She'd also be the one to get glasses and look more like ford. She's already halfway there with the hair and jumpers (sweaters)
Jokes about ford failing to impress girls are cringe, heteronormative and bad. And ford doesn't like anyone. (Bill is his own can of eldritch worms)
Dipper doesn't like girls in the way he thought he should and that's why his crush on wendy played out the way it did, it was never really about her, it was about his relationship to her. How she helped him find someone to admire, and was kinda his first real friend who he felt was cool and understood him, heteronormativity made him think he liked her romantically. He so obviously didn't that it hurts my soul.
Mabcifica is underrated as hell and more interesting than dipcifica. That being said.
I do ship dipcifica but in a queer way. You guys don't get it. They're queer.
The cis/heteronormative takes where pacifica and dipper have children together and dipper looks older but Pacifica is just her kid face on a sexy lady bod make me uncomfortable.
And that's why Dipper, Mabel and Pacifica could grow up into a polyamorous "Vee" relationship. [When one person is dating two people who aren't dating eachother, in this case obviously cause they're twins. It forms a "V" from Pacifica to the Pines twins ^^]
What was this ask originally about?
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