more blue doodles- bluedles, if you will

(also drop the gangsey starbucks order headcanons)

📖👀

Ronan accidentally dreams up a child version of Declan. it's completely unintentional, maybe manifesting some subconscious thing as the two of them struggle to mend their fractured relationship and Ronan tries to reconcile the parts of their childhood that he thought were true but is not realizing were not, etc etc. however it happens, they've now got a 6yo Declan clone on their hands.

and the series made clear that dreaming is not like most fantasy series magic systems. they go out of their way to establish that dream people are real people. so there's no getting rid of this kid, he's not an illusion or a spell that can be broken, he's real and he's here and he's permanent.

Declan hates everything about this. he doesn't like kids very much in general, but this kid in particular is........him. and it's a version of him that is young and stressed and sad and closed off but who isn't good at hiding it yet. a child who reminds him of all those emotions he refuses to admit he still has. he doesn't have any patience for his own emotions as an adult, he would have even less patience for them in this context.

it's Matthew who asks him "why are you so mean to yourself?"

nobody's ever really noticed that he's mean to himself as an adult -- all the shaming and berating happens inside his own head behind the blandly pleasant businesslike face, and he'd never admit to it if asked. now he's being forced to externalize all the internalized bullshit that comes with his eldest daughter syndrome and parentification.

"i'm not being mean, i'm just…………he needs to learn. life isn't fair and it'll be better for him if he understands that now. he's acting like a baby. he needs to grow up."

Matthew is so protective of this kid, right off the bat. both because that is his BROTHER, thank you very much, and he loves all his brothers, even the new spontaneously generated doppelganger ones, and also empathetically as another dream. he flat out refuses to allow Declan and Ronan to lie to bb!Declan about the situation like they did to him his entire life, even if explaining it in full to a 6yo proves challenging.

the first thing bb!Declan says after grasping you're a dream thing is "am i a secret?"

he doesn't quiiiite understand dreaming conceptually, it's complicated, but he does understand that dreams are things that no one talks about. dreams are dangerous. dreams get swept under the rug or sucked into that big vacuum bag to disappear forever or buried in the fields where no one will find them.

that might be the first moment that Ronan truly understands why Declan hates their dad.

Ronan's feelings on this clone are mixed. on the one hand, it's Declan, ew. on the other hand, Ronan actually does like kids, he's a SUCKER for kids. bb!Declan is alternately quiet/serious/well-behaved and visibly, obviously anxious/edgy/clingy. he starts out avoiding Ronan (once he understands that this is Ronan) because at 6yo he's lived with his brother's dreaming long enough to have developed a healthy wariness of the dangers of it, but grown up Ronan doesn't bring back dangerous things like he did as a kid, and it's not long before bb!Declan is firmly attached. grown up Ronan is fun and funny and more patient than grown up Declan is, by far.

(like with Mór, bb!Declan can always tell when his older self is getting tired of dealing with him, even when he's not angry. dad used to tell him that mommy wasn't mad at him, she just needed space. bb!Declan says this to Ronan, Declan goes white in the face, and this is how the younger Lynch brothers find out about Mór in this 'verse, cuz Aurora was never angry a day in her life, nor did she ever need space from her boys.)

(which would be worse for Declan? becoming his father or turning into his mother? both existentially horrifying concepts for him.)

the question remains of what to DO with this child. Declan tries desperately to think of some way to get rid of him, with Matthew getting increasingly angry that he would even consider that, while the Gangsey take turns babysitting.

Blue charges for her services cuz she knows Declan's good for it, lol. Gansey has absolutely no idea what to do with a child and falls back on dramatic retellings of Glendower, which bb!Declan eats up cuz they remind him of his dad's bedtime stories. Adam is trying really hard not to get too attached but bb!Declan is so inquisitive and asks him so many questions and LOVES that Adam gives him full unabridged answers and doesn't talk down to him. Ronan has decided that bb!Declan is fun, "when did you stop being fun, Decklo??" (he looks up to find that Declan has already fled the room -- seeing Ronan so openly fond of his younger self when he's long since given up on connecting with the normal version hurts way more than Declan is willing to admit to out loud.)

Declan is at wit's end. it's already been weeks, probably, and there's no solution in sight, and he's had people in his space non-stop the entire time, and taking care of an actual child is way more labor-intensive than looking after Matthew had been, and all this goes double if we have autistic flavored Declans 😂 they're both chronically overstimulated, their routines have been thoroughly disrupted, and their preferences and comfort foods and whatnot have changed over the years and no longer align.

it's a goddamn mess and at some point, Declan just leaves. he gets in the car and disappears for like 3 days without warning. it's very uncharacteristic of him, Matthew is freaking out, Blue's threatening (concernedly) to charge him double for the last minute babysitting, even Ronan is texting him. but he comes back eventually, slightly more settled. he cuts all the tags out of bb!Declan's shirts. he buys the brand of crackers he remembers liking at that age even though he doesn't like them anymore. he makes a conscious deliberate effort (so, so difficult) to remember that this is an innocent child, he is not at fault for experiencing emotions, he deserves to be treated gently."

it's better, for a few days. but his -- their -- birthday is coming up, Declan turning 20 and bb!Declan turning 7, and it hits Declan all at once that this truly isn't going away. that there's no way out of this, there's no magic fix, there's no escape. that he's going to be responsible for this child for another 11 years.

that's when Ronan finds Declan on the floor in his own closet, head between his knees, struggling to breathe because he can't DO this. keeping track of Ronan and Matthew until they reached majority was one thing, and he's been white-knuckling his way through it as best he can, but he cannot be responsible for raising any child, much less him-fucking-SELF. he was supposed to be free in another year when Matthew turned 18, he was supposed to go to college, he was supposed to have a life, he was supposed to finally get the chance to exist as his own person, and what now? what now?

and Ronan, witnessing this, has his own (surprising to everyone except maybe Adam) revelation. that he's not planning on college. he's not career-oriented. he's independently wealthy, he's settled and (more or less) stable, and he likes kids way more than Declan ever has. hell, he's already got one, weird feral little creature that she is.

before he even realizes it, Ronan is making the offer. he'll take bb!Declan. as long as Declan promises to have some kind of relationship with the kid and not just fuck off forever, Ronan will raise him at the Barns, claim him as some illegitimate half-brother they just found out about, dream up a paper trail for him. it's not perfect, but no solution was ever going to be in this situation, and really it should be his responsibility, shouldn't it? since he was the one to dream the kid in the first place?

he sort of expects Adam to run for the hills upon announcing this, especially because he made the decision without consulting him first, but Adam is more resigned than surprised. he'd seen this coming from a mile away. he's not overly thrilled at the idea of being a co-parent of two by the age of 18, but this is what he gets for falling in love with such a big-hearted Lynch, so.

it works, honestly. it's weird and it's messy and there's plenty of bumps in the road, but bb!Declan thrives at the Barns when there are no secrets to keep. when his guardian is present and makes no demands of him except chores. he comes out of his shell bit by bit, and he's happy, enthusiastic and curious and effusively loving, and Ronan fucking adores that kid, even if it is Declan in miniature.

and Declan himself gets to go to school, he gets to disentangle himself from the responsibility of his family enough that he can fucking breathe for the first time in his life, and he comes to terms (painfully, but necessarily) with the fact that this new version of him is going to get the childhood that he didn't. he's going to be loved and safeguarded and allowed to be a fucking kid.

weird as it is, there's healing in that.

.

send me a book emoji for the plot of a fic that i haven't written but daydream about!!

14, 29 and 30 for the artist asks

14. any favorite motifs?

LOVE me a halo motif. also a dog motif like broadly i don't really think about ronan lynch as a character that much but i do think about "and what does my dog want" just so much

29. media you love that doesn't inspire you artistically

i LOVE chainsaw man's art, like i adore it, it feels like those edgy metal t shirts i would see at swapmeets when i was a little kid and was scared of but it doesn't make its way into my art often unfortunately

30. what piece of yours do you think is underrated?

mmm i also really liked my rielle design...i should draw him again lol

How does the internet not get these concepts yet....

Okay, let’s try again.

Freedom of Speech, also known as the First Amendment in the United States:

Short version: The government won’t throw you in jail for being an asshole.

Long version: The government can not throw you in jail for being a piece of shit and announcing you’re a peace of shit (Examples: being racist, homophobic, transphobic, a terf, white supremacist, etc.)

This does not protect you if you use your speech to knowingly make false statements (slander and libel) or making statements with the intent to incite violence or panic. 

You can not, for example, tell someone to kill themselves on line. (You’re pushing for violence.)

You can not yell “fire” in a theater. (You are inciting panic.)

You can ask people to kill a politician or civilian or encourage people to do them harm. (Inciting violence.)

It also means that while you are allowed to be an asshole, people are allowed to be such in return to you and can not be punished for it if they are not calling for violence, inciting a panic, or knowingly lying about your character with intent to defame. So, yes, they can absolutely tell you to STFU.

Censorship:

Short version: banning of materials that are bad or inconvenient

Long version: Suppression of speech, public communication, or other information on the grounds that material is harmful, objectionable, or “inconvenient”

Censorship may be preformed by governments, corporations, and private businesses, and censorship by the government and a private company can not be equated, because:

Government banning your works makes printing of your material on any platform illegal and prevents any and all distribution of said works.

A private company, such as Tumblr or a web hosting platform, or publishing company, means that they themselves refuse to publish it, but you can take your materials elsewhere. Their refusal to host your material is not the same as a social-wide ban.

Okay, have I lost anyone yet? Yes, these matters do get significantly more complicated when you touch on things like school boards, etc.

But for the moment, we’re just touching the primary things with online work and distribution.

Now, I am all for freedom of speech. And art, the media, etc.

But the next time I see someone suggest that a platform not wanting to host “gross” material is a violation of their first amendment right, I’m going to break something.

Tumblr kicking you off of their platform for being a racist fuckwit or terf is not a violation of your first amendment right. Hell, it’s arguably not even censorship because a good deal of you make calls for violence in everything you post. 

And, yes, plenty of you will argue that’s not the case.

But. Knowingly referring to all trans people as violent or harmful and you know it’s not the case? Defamation, also known as slander and libel.

Saying that everyone of a certain group should die? Inciting violence. Making false statements with intent to mislead people and make them distrustful and hateful of another group? Indoctrination, most likely, but also inciting a panic.

Sympathetic speech or saying that “X had the right idea”? X being a known murderer/proponent of genocide or violence? Definitely call to violence.

Banning someone for that isn’t censorship. It’s kicking you off of a platform for something that’s actually not legal anyway in the United States, which is where Tumblr operates from.

It’s not censorship.

Censorship would be more like the recent debacle Steam found itself in when they refused to host a game recently, but even then, it’s a case of corporate censorship, because while they refused to host it, they can not punish the developer outside of refusing to host his works, and he’s welcome to sell it elsewhere, even though his material is..... I’ll be neutral for the purpose of this piece and say upsetting. (Ignore the tags if you don’t want to know more about this.)

This case is distinctly different from the examples I gave relating to tumblr, because this was a single piece, by an... artist, and in the context of it being an art piece, can not in itself be called a call to violence, is not participating in defamation, nor, intentionally, attempting to sway the public towards a panic.

While it is, as a result, an arguable case for censorship, as a private platform, Steam absolutely has the right to refuse to host them.  The key here being that because it was a private platform, while the artist in question may be disappointed, they can absolutely look to release their works somewhere else. Issues arise when there is no other option, as is the case with governmental censorship.

This isn’t to say that there isn’t a conversation to be had about censorship in general, but if you’re going to do so, don’t try and tell me that getting banned for being a jackass on a website is the cause of it.

the kinds of dates trc characters would take you on

warnings: spoilers for trc in noah’s part

pairings: the raven boys x reader

ronan:

takes you on rides and makes you listen to his music.

he lets you have music control every other song and finally decides to make a playlist with a mix of y’all’s music tastes. adds more of yours than his.

gas station runs during these rides. i’m talking slushees, candy, chips, monsters, etc.

sitting in his car, eating and talking for hours. he opens up a lot, but he doesn’t like talking about sad things for so long.

takes you places to explore like local haunted/abandoned buildings. he likes taking edgy pictures in them if we’re being honest. tells you scary stories while you explore and randomly yells to scare you.

he knows all the best little unknown places and takes you there.

just likes to be in your company even if it’s just the two of you being together and not talking.

he actually really likes that

takes you to a record store and then makes fun of your choices like he doesn’t just listen to techno.

a big date he takes you on would be a nice dinner somewhere quiet with reservations or an arcade date.

absolutely ass at dance dance revolution but he likes the way you almost fall over laughing. just likes seeing you smile

laser tag but on opposite teams.

does not care that you are his s/o like at all. will literally destroy you no mercy. brags about it until you ask for a rematch.

does it again

at home dates are usually just hang outs, but he loves them. he likes just being in each other’s arms after a long day but if you ever say anything about that he’s gonna deny it

he’s basically up for anything but he’s probably gonna grumble about it.

noah:

likes quiet places

will take you to a library, cafe, park, or a bookstore

he saw an idea online where a couple will buy each other a book the other one likes, read them, and then talk about them so he asks if y’all can do that

it’s very fun and he has a great taste in books. probably chooses a classic or something contemporary

he just loves being around you he feels clingy and you probably need to tell him you don’t care if he’s always around

takes you to a spot he liked to study or hang out when he used to be in school. makes you a little sad sitting there because it was a place he liked when he was alive, but he likes sharing personal things with you

listening to music with each other at places like that. you too also sit in your car and listen to music a lot.

takes you to museums

takes pictures of you instead of the displays

he brings you to a couples dance thing once because he wanted to do something romantic and you both were awful but it was fun

not really a date but he loves slow dancing with you it makes him happy. he likes at home dates as well

loves the movies!

takes you to see horror movies so he can wrap his arm around you in the scary parts to “protect you”

talks about comic related movies with you for hours after the movie ended

buys you enough snacks to last like three movies

sneaks into another showing and then can’t stop giggling because y’all broke a rule.

as long as you’re in his company he thinks it’s a perfect date <3

blue:

takes you thrifting and then brings you back to her house to do bleach or fabric paint art on some clothes

LOVES picking out outfits for you when y’all go shopping

tote bag painting date. makes you one with your zodiac constellation

takes you to a cafe to study with each other. makes you try pastries she thinks you’ll like. she says she wants to drink black coffee to look mysteriously but can’t help but get the sweetest drink on the menu

you ask her to teach you how to read tarot and she makes an afternoon out of it. does a romance reading for you and then says “damn the cards say we’re not a good match :/“

asks you to come eat with her family and then you end up eating dinner with them more often than not. maura loves you

baking dates! she takes you to the store to get ingredients and then watches videos on how to ice baked good nicely. baking competitions with each other are not out of the question

brings you to her favorite shops in town and buys you things she thinks you like and you always do

going to bookstores and being a little too loud

making terrariums!!

she likes collecting pretty rocks to put in them when you two get to hang out

takes you go karting and gets really into it

races children and will hit them

she likes arcades and laser tag and all but go karting is her favorite amusement place thing to do with you

laser tag on the same team. against those kids from go kart. again gets a little too into it.

she likes surprising you

dates with her always involve some sort of creativity

adam:

another guy who loves taking you to the movies

takes pictures with the posters and he gets so excited it’s really cute

you two sneak in candy from the dollar store but still end up getting slushees at the theater bc you can’t resist

yawns and puts his arm around your shoulder in the theater because he likes seeing your face when he does

when he takes you to dinner he makes you get dessert even if you’re full

he takes you to niche shops he finds or antique stores and loves to paddle around for hours

tried to guess what items are haunted and makes you take pictures with creepy dolls

his dates are always so creative and so fun

stay at home movie/cooking/hang out dates

puts on a movie and cuddles up with you. makes popcorn and other movie snacks and you take turns picking movies

he likes disney movies even if he says they’re cheesy

feels bad he can’t take you on the kind of date ronan or gansey could but you tell him to shut up because if you wanted to date them you would

one of his absolute favorite things to do is put on a youtube cooking video and try to cook with you

he thinks it’s so funny and he loves recording y’all’s reactions to the food. is actually pretty good most of the time

ROLLERSKATING!!!

holds your hand around the rink and requests your favorite songs to the dj

stay in dates are never at his place because of his dad, but if you got some reason are at his house you usually just lay in his room and talk

he takes you on a study date but y’all just talk the whole time

takes you on the most heartfelt dates tbh

gansey:

loves taking you shopping

not even to buy specific things he just enjoys walking around and window shopping with you, but if you say you like something it’s yours

that being said he’s always worried you think he’s snobby you don’t you think he’s very generous

he likes to stay in a bit as well. you tell him you want to have a movie date and he ends up really liking it

brings you to dinner with his family every once in a while

research datesssss

his obsession with a certain dead welsh king very quickly grows to become an obsession of yours as well

pouring over books and showing each other stuff the other has already seen

takes you ice skating and is actually so good at it

he holds your hand the whole time and when you fall he laughs for a little too long before helping you up. it’s so funny

takes videos of you skating and posts them all

wherever you go his social media is going to be just you basically

takes you art galleries, aquariums, and museums and since you both enjoy that you take your time walking around

takes you as his date to formal events he has to go to and needs you by his side almost the whole time

his composure never changed but sometimes you feel his grip on your hand tighten.

introduces you to all the people there as his lovely s/o and then proceeds to gush over you and your accomplishments

takes you dress shopping for an event and turns into a full day date of shopping and then dinner

if you like a certain kind of food he researches all the best places in the area for that and then takes you there

he just likes seeing you happy because you make him so happy

henry:

takes you on really fun dates. like so fun and so spontaneous you can’t believe it. but in reality he’s been carefully planning it for a week.

if you are going out with him expect to be posted a LOT.

everyone on his snap and insta is going to know y’all are on a date and how lovely he thinks you are.

“on a date with this hottie” “on a date kinda nervous”

has a lot of spots he likes to go to alone or with friends that he takes you to.

you are the guest of honor at any party he throws or attends.

he takes you to hills or parks with good views and then says something really cheesy about how the view is nice but you’re prettier and is being dead serious

takes you to a horror movie and then spends the rest of the night trying to scare you

believes you are like the greatest ever and if he notices that you don’t also believe that, he will do everything in his power to make you. he gets very quiet and very serious and tells you how beautiful and important you are to him.

outbursts of affection in public and in private.

will talk about whatever media you both like for hours and hours with you.

really caring and thoughtful with dates yet tries to play it cool, but if you gush about him and the date he will blush

he finds a food, drink, item, etc he wants to try online and will make a day out of getting it and trying it with you

honestly the best bf ever

Ronan Lynch and Joey K for the character asks

RONAN:

First impression: mmm i see you edgy punk bad boy. sirius-black-renegade-rich-boy motherfucker. i see you.

Impression now:  talented, brilliant, incredible, amazing, show stopping, spectacular, never the same, totally unique, completely not ever been done before. seriously, though, he’s one of my favorite characters in any fiction i’ve consumed.

Favorite moment: oh lord. there are a million and one moments, so i’ll choose something that lights a fire in me every time. 

“It's only you," whispered Orphan Girl. She was holding his hand crouched down next to him. "Why do you hate you?" Ronan thought about it. The albino night horror swept in, talons opening. Ronan stood up, stretching out his arm like he would to Chainsaw. "I don't," he said. And he woke up.

Idea for a story: I think once I have more free time I’m going to write some stuff with Ronan in the midst of the dream pack, and that whole side of him. because surprisingly, we don’t really see that much of his criminal history. but it’s there.

Unpopular opinion: i don’t hate niall as much as other people do. i think entering the story through ronan’s pain made it so that i will always sympathize with him in that respect. and i dont want him to grow to hate his father as much as declan does.

Favorite relationship: RONSEY. But also, I love the Ronan+Declan relationship if we’re talking non-romantic.

Favorite headcanon: gansey was the one to shave his head, ronan crying in the dark, hair spilling onto monmouth’s floor 😔 also they’ve kissed

KAVINSKY

First impression: typical meathead jock (seriously, the way i pictured him was SO different than the way the fandom draws him). also, until i later thought about it more, i was CONVINCED. from like the VERY first line that he and ronan had been secretly hooking up. like i read the whole book with that in mind 😂

Impression now: complex, tragic character who was intrinsic to the plot of the subsequent 2+3 books happening, i want to analyze him under a microscope

Favorite moment: on a meta-level, i love that one-sentence chapter that’s just: something about the car and ronan blowing dick iii. I also love all his names for gansey. I think that final conversation they have (is it the final one?) is beautiful and desperate, with kavinsky kind of being like “well maybe you just dont like me because you dont like boys?” and then realizing no. ronan actually just doesnt like him. it’s one of his more humane moments.

Idea for a story: i’ve been reading so much dream pack fic and i just. there’s SO much potential with his dreaming and all the fun sexy shenanigans that can happen. i would love to explore kavinsky’s dreams.

Unpopular opinion: i mean the unpopular opinion is that i like him, right? 😂 also, though, as much as i love him and want more of him, i think it narratively felt justified that he died in the way he did.

Favorite relationship: i actually like the (completely fucked-up) relationship between him and proko more than his with ronan. oooh now i also want to explore his dynamic with declan.

Favorite headcanon: his pack of dogs are all in a big gay polycule

oh also!i saw this blog do a "which western artists/celebrities i would ship bts with" and i just thought about that for a good hour so thoughts?

yoo i'm actually surprised that this came through 🤡 umm i actually don't like that many western artists,,soo yeah i didnt really have that many ideas soo here we go

kim seokjin + sarah close

is she western if she's british ?? idk. but hope that counts lmao. sarah is one of my most favorite artists i listen to besides kpop and there ain't that many trust me, she is so underrated 🥺 i would ship them bc she is the perfect balance between girly and cool and i think that fits jin's aesthetic ?? also she is really funny and would definetly laugh at 100% of his jokes. she just gives off a really nice vibe and she is a total sweetheart. also her fashion compliments jin's i think and both of their lips are goals so yeah✨ stan sarah close

min yoongi + halsey

ummm okay a little mainstream but i actually stan halsey as well so 🥺 sorry. ashley just does. not. give. a. single. fuck. and so does yoongi. a perfect match. they are both really really artistic and they compliment each other in songs really well ((yoongi's interlude has a special place in my heart forever)). also she is literally tiny so he could be taller !! ummm also she gives off edgy vibes. and yoongi is kind of edgy. lol. if you get me. she is so supportive !! would definetly have a lot of fun together,, she could get him to get out of his shell a little, soo yeah. would definetly simp over his rapping. they could dye their hair together lmao (but i love black haired yoongi too much🥺) ((but also mint yoongi...)) okay yes. stan ashley nicolette frangipane.

jung hoseok + zendaya

okay. both good dancers (if you've watched shake it up before you know that lmao) and both really really passionate and artsy i feel like. her fashion is one of the best and so is hobi's, fashion king and queen. also, she is really sweet and caring, but also SO cool ?? like she is not as bright as hobi, but she is really mature like hobi is as well. both leader energy, could definetly run some sort of a movement together. she would absolutely love his energy. and he would love her acting and also voice and the way she is just so cool lmao. the coolest couple out there. stan zendaya and watch euphoria bitches.

kim namjoon + saoirse ronan

a feminist queen and a feminist king, we stan. she just gives off leader vibes and i think they would take over the world together, which they definetly both could do alone, but you know, a power couple. i think joon would adore her accent lmao. also she is just such an intelligent and well spoken person i feel like and that would compliment joon well lol. would definetly read books together. umm also saoirse looks like she likes hiking and we always see joon hiking on weverse so !! cute dates !! also stan saoirse ronan and watch little women if you haven't already

park jimin + florence pugh

okay so umm they are both extremely funny omg, would definetly laugh at each others jokes the whole day lmao. also florence cooks really well and for some reason i think that attracks jimin a little ?? umm she honestly just looks so pretty and cute and that matches jimin well lmao. she talks a lot and always haves something to say and jimin loves to talk to people,, soo yeah. they would look so so so pretty together. also i know she has a boyfriend so what this is all hypothetical lmao

kim taehyung + ashley (bestdressed)

okay. hear me out. i know she is not a celebrity,, she is an influencer/youtuber. i know. but we stan ashley and these two together...omg. they have a similiar style in fashion,,so they would be the best dressed couple ever. she is super super funny and so is tae. would definetly love his maturity. she is not afraid of talking about anything and is so relatable so i feel like they would understand each other pretty well. umm yeah also a LOT of sexual innuendos coming. their personalities just kind of... match ?? for some reason ?? so. yeah. stan ashley she literelly taught me how to dress and how to thrift lmao

jeon jungkook + sabrina carpenter

ugh i love this girl to death. literally. umm she is such a good singer and actor, and i think kook would really adore that. she is really funny and so is kook,,and i feel like their humor matches lmao so yeah a lot of fun in a relationship !! she is also really pretty🥺but like thats not a reason i'm just pointing it out lmao. their fashion contrasts a lot but in a good way i just think they would look so cute together. also she is such a good dancer, would propably adore kook's dancing and dance with him often. also singing duets 24/7. both gen z lol. she is really tiny so kook wouldnt be insecure about his height around her altough i dont really get that bc he is really tall like where is that "i wish i was taller" thing coming from ?? also both really romantic adventureous dorky beans 🥰🥰

The Raven Boys thoughts

ch 1: boi I thought gansey was the bald one 😔 anyway the bald bitch and the nerd who looks like a twink in every fanart are gay

ch 15: wow guys nothing has happened so far... nothing..... we're almost 200 pages in and nothing that interesting has happened, I know the plot is setting in and the pace is starting to speed up a little but wow so far this already isnt my fav book of the series I think

ch 24: ok the pace is starting to pick up and I'm really enjoying it rn, I still see gansey as this polo wearing and golf player fucker but he's getting better I guess, Ronan can fuck off sometimes he's so edgy it irks me a little

on this and on the previous chapter they saw/hallucinated some stuff at that hollow tree and then at the end gansey was like "ohh blue was the missing person/thing I feel so connected to her something something" and tbh I did not enjoy that very much it was a bit 😬😐 for me bc I just dont like when this type of connection between characters bc it feels like the author is trying to force/speed up a relationship they just dont have yet?? and we the readers must accept they feel the connection in their souls and it just feels so right for them to be around each other when in reality it feels a bit lazy to me..... I'm still halfway through the book so it's not like I can complain for real but still ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

ch 42 maybe?? : okay just something's I wanna tall about: can we pay respect to Maggie stiefvater and how organic she made Adam deciding to wake the ley line?? bc it was GREAT and I deeply loved it, i know i said that the book felt boring and very slow and how it needed to pick up the pace but i think this trilogy falls into the lotr/hobbit category where it's one big movie (in the specific case, book) divided into 3 so it would be easier to digest and I think this makes total sense, everything I've read so far (from chap 33 to here) feels so perfectly paced and planed but still it feels natural, when Adam was coming back home and he had a confrontation (well, not really) with his dad it just felt like was supposed to happen at that time with those exact words describing everything and mwah I'm loving it so much

also!! boi do Adam and blue sound so cute together, when he said he wanted to kiss her I was like

bc holy shit do they make a cute couple EVEN THOUGH I do know she ends up with gansey and their energy is also really good but goddamn do they look cute together and to think he would have been her first kiss too I'm going insane rn brub oh my god

also maybe it's the 21 year old in me talking but god did I wish they were one or two years older, it just kinda makes me a bit :// reading to 16 year olds being this traumatized about life in general and I feel like it honestly would change much if all this happened in the meantime they're about to turn 18 bc it would still be a ya book but it would be just?? more comprehensive I guess, adam dialogue about making up enough money to leave his house and getting into a good college so he can live a good life and have a home finally baby that's a 17 year old talking and feeling the pressure of the so called adulthood and being so close to being independent but also still being so young and !!!! I just feel like it would make more sense to me personally

re: about gansey's glasses: did I miss something or have the part where he gets glasses already went by?? bc he shower up at blue's home wearing white ones and there was no tall about it?? nothing else and it makes me feel like I missed something and I'm not sure yet

ch 48 and ending thoughts: ok. I'm not really sure what to feel about it bc even I had a rocky beginning with it I did end up really liking the ending but it left such a big taste of wanting more than I got that it just kinda makes me feel like it was, in a way, a prologue for the second book, where I imagine things will be more intense and already be in motion plot-wise. I have many question but my biggest one is that wow apparently that was the big explanation for gansey wearing glasses?? bc it honestly looks like I missed something or a chapter where something happens and he got glasses, his fight with whelck did break his thumb but it somehow got him glasses too?? or what the hospital like "yeah you're blind so fuck here's some glasses bitch"?? and Adam mentioned something on his face from their fight and??? was the discussion their fight and how did it hurt gansey's face?????? HOW???

not only that but also Adam sacrificed himself and how exactly does that affects him?? or was the whole "oh I've sacrificed myself my whole life" dialogue supposed to explain something?? bc yeah it kinda did but I was left with the thought that he would be kinda like a puppet I guess? bc he said he would sacrifice himself so in a way he wouldnt be himself anymore and there would be something else controlling him and maybe that was just my imagination wanting to guess what was going to happen now

I did think there would be the classic sacrifice scene and that whelck would try to shot gansey and that Adam would step in front of him or idk bc the scenario wasn't really solid in my mind and I did have trouble trying to figure out who was in what place but it was fine I guess

how on earth did Noah pull out chainsaw from his dreams?? man what the heck I need to read the second book

how i live now is so fucked up in many ways seeing as the synopsis of the movie is “edgy teen saorise ronan falls in love and then has sex with her cousin and then world war three breaks out” but please stop lusting after tom holland in this movie. tom holland stans are like “he be looking like a snack 😍😝💦” and he literally looks like this for 30 minutes and then dies tragically at the age of 14

A POLITE BUT FRANK NOTE ON RAVEN CYCLE INSTAGRAMS POSTS

listen guys i appreciate the patience and aesthetic intellectualism it must take to create those “the raven cycle characters instagrams” ( i mean this genuinely, you guys have beautiful taste), but i need to tell you that not ONE of those characters in actuality would have a filtered, coordinated, cute, aesthetically pleasing account and i think about it every time i see one of those posts. allow me to offer my humble take on the matter: 

FIRST of all, the idea of ronan even having an account????? an INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT??? inconceivable. unreal. more likely the gang would make a fan account for him called like r0nandick where they post closeup pictures of ronans face along with captions that sound like his voice and mimic his Edginess. it would primarily be run by blue but it would be a team effort. ronan would sometimes go check on it but only to be mad at them.

GANSEY would have an account, but it would NOT be filled by pictures of the forest and people piggybacking other people like this is the opening to goddamn Twilight (2008). rather, allow me to suggest that it would merely be an abundance dad selfies of him wearing sunglasses, pictures of the places he travels, screenshots of tweets on history/glendower stuff that he captions with “just something to think about....”, probably pictures of the gang (but not GOOD pictures mind you- group pictures of blue smiling, adam holding his hand up to block the camera, and ro giving him the middle finger), and finally, really annoying, facebook-esq inspiration quotes such as the following: 

(i know you don’t like it but you need to accept that its true )

adam would have an account only after gansey and blue nagged him to make one. his icon would be the default little anonymous person for months and maybe a year before someone forces him to change it. he would be painfully inactive. would have like three pictures. one in black and white of the gang like camping or something. one spam of a close up of ronan making an ugly face that ronan posted without him knowing and has some incoherent caption. and then one of just pure black. idk why. niether does adam. he doesn’t know how to delete it tho so it remains. this is simply Him.

blue, for her part, is probably the one most likely to have one of those “aesthetic accounts” but like. she still doesn't. hers is probably some  film pictures of the gang, pictures of places she travels, selfies with gansey, occasionally just like a close-up detail pic of a leaf or a tree with little to no caption. also selfies of her in mirrors with the clothes she makes. arguably the coolest and the best at social media out of all of them. thee one to post cute stories of all the stupid shit they do. 

NOAH likes the idea of instagram and one time took ganseys phone to try it but noah never appeared really well in the selfies he took and that made him upset and he ended up deleting the app and now is a little bitter about the whole thing (still likes to take selfies with blue tho)

again, mad respect for u guys. these are just my thoughts. feel free to agree or disagree, but pls, at least consider. thank u i’ll be here all week.

What are the #thots on CDTH?

This is begging for one of those “edgy/depressed/dumbass bitch/thot/bastard” memes, but sadly you sent it to someone with no patience for slapping together graphics, so you get a lot of words instead. Behind a cut, for length and SPOILERS.

I really enjoyed this book, my reactions to most of the additions to canon were positive, it felt a wide range of emotions while reading it and upon finishing I found that it had knocked me sort of off center in that way where I don’t want to write anything ever again, or read anything, or really do much but stare out of windows. I know that feeling will pass, but I’m soaking in it for now. I haven’t yet discerned if there are going to be any substantial changes to the ways that I write these characters, when I write these characters again.

I loved Ronan in this book, which was a relief. I had been a bit worried that Maggie intended for him to end up as Lonely God Ronan, isolated and just too damn special for the rest of humanity, but it now appears that is very much not the plan. It hurt watching him be trapped at the Barns, wanting something different from life and not knowing how to get it, and it was amazing to watch him forge a connection with someone new and find the capability that he has to help other people, instead of just kind of thinking of himself as the fuck-up.

Holy Shit I felt emotions about Matthew, that was unexpected and unprecedented. Fuck did that boy make me sad. I am greatly looking forward to seeing where his story goes, now that he actually has one. I want some quality Matthew & Jordan dream duo bonding time.

I want, just, quality Jordan content in general, I love Jordan, I need more of her, she was wonderful.

Hennessy leaves me cold, but I had a very similar reaction to Ronan until most of the way through The Dream Thieves, so I am giving her the benefit of the doubt and waiting to see what happens in the future.

HOLY SHIT I LOVED EVERYTHING ABOUT DECLAN.

It did crack me up that it literally took one page for the book to start talking shit about him, but I also found the whole “Declan is deliberately, crushingly boring” idea interesting. It surprised me but still makes sense in retrospect, which is the best kind of surprise. I hadn’t pictured him as the kind of guy who would go to work and let people snap at him and call him by the wrong name, but I think my understanding might have been a little closer to the version of Declan that still thought he could have Senator or Congressman in front of his name. I think Declan might be the character I most have to reconsider, but I’m happy with how he was portrayed here and I’m looking forward to doing that reconsideration, and to seeing what happens to him next in canon.

God but he just continues to be the hardest working brother, and he still fucks it up, but he doesn’t want to fuck up, but he just shouldn’t have to deal with all of this shit, and ow, ow, my heart.

I adored Declan/Jordan and every moment where she delights in surprising an honest reaction out of him. “I see the real you when no one else does” is EXACTLY my kind of ship.

I had really wanted this trilogy to force Ronan to reexamine his understanding of his father, but getting to see Declan do some actual work on processing his pain is fantastic too. I love all of the moments where he admits that he hates Niall. It fucked me up so bad, because it’s like he doesn’t want to be thinking or saying it but he just cannot keep it in. It’s like his emotional nightwash, but he doesn’t get to dream it away.

@comicsohwhyohwhy​ and I once discussed the problem of Ashley, and we JOKINGLY suggested that maybe the Ashley from TRB and the Ashley mentioned in TRK are two different Ashleys, that maybe Declan has just dated a string of women named Ashley, and then we had a good laugh about how absurd that would be, and I cannot fucking believe that that has turned out to be canon. I am oddly delighted with this development.

I am happy with the Adam content that we got and with the size of his role. I felt like the book did a good job of honoring his importance in Ronan’s life, letting him be present and matter and affect Ronan (and disagree with him in productive ways where they didn’t just argue and where he wasn’t just Declan 2.0), while still keeping him in a support role, since that was apparently the goal. I’m unclear on what kind of role he’s going to have going forward, but it looks like he’s being set up to have some kind of character arc, with the “Adam is lying to everyone who knows him” situation, so I really do want that to pay out and go somewhere, even if he does continue to be a supporting rather than featured character.

That whole Harvard situation breaks my heart: Adam’s friends think that his family is wonderful and that his boyfriend is a violent drunk. I can’t imagine any interactions around that that aren’t fucked up. Adam having to defend Ronan to his friends any time he comes up, but not being able to tell the truth, so he just sounds like he’s making empty excuses for someone that’s bad for him…which is something that he has in fact had to do, but not about Ronan, about the parents that all of his friends are “jealous” of him for having. Fuck. FUCK.

I loved every mention of Gansey and Blue. I can understand why Maggie doesn’t want to include them as characters, but that could have easily ended in a situation where they’re just…noticeably absent, and instead we got this, confirmation that they still talk to their friends and love them and are involved in their lives, plus we got A+ Gansey-texts-like-an-old-man content.

I enjoyed Farooq-Lane a lot just from a standpoint of being an ordinary normal person who gets put into a weird as shit situation and then…continues to be an ordinary normal person who has ordinary normal reactions to things. I find that kind of shit fascinating – it’s the kind of thing that makes for great comedy and improv, but it can also be very effective in drama, and we really got to see a wide range here.

What. the actual. fuck. is up with the New Fenian and Mor O Corra. Like I mean okay the Lynches have to live through all their parent trauma again, yeah I get that, okay Niall apparently made a dream double of an actual woman he’d slept with which like, wow I didn’t think Aurora could be retroactively creepier but damn if Niall didn’t find a way, blah blah I get all that. But like. What is – what is that relationship, exactly? Between them? Niall’s ex made a dream copy of him, too, but like…as a kid? Or one that doesn’t age? Has Mor O Corra out-creepered Niall Lynch? What the actual fuck is up with those two. I almost don’t want to know. I kind of love being this weirded out.

Bryde is really goddamn tiresome. I am expecting he’s going to turn out to be a villain and honestly that can’t happen fast enough for me. Although I  anticipate that we’ll see Ronan buying into his crap more before that happens, so, it looks like we get to look forward to a lot more overblown insufferable monologues about how “special” we are and how we’re better than those gross boring mundane people. Blah.

I’m kind of disappointed that this is apparently a series where the stakes are THE END OF THE WORLD and where the protagonists have to fight a SHADOWY INTERNATIONAL GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION that can send ARMIES of WELL-ARMED HIGHLY TRAINED OPERATIVES to HUNT DOWN THE PEOPLE WITH SUPERPOWERS – this is 90% of all fantasy stories, and it’s boring, and I’m tired of it. I like that the stakes in The Raven Cycle are small but still immensely meaningful. What happens in The Raven Cycle if the characters don’t succeed? Gansey dies. Ronan dies and Matthew falls asleep. Adam doesn’t go to college. Blue doesn’t get to travel the world. The world doesn’t explode, but we still care so so much about seeing them succeed, because we care so much about those characters living and getting to build the future they want. That’s a thousand times more interesting to me than “we have to…[dramatic music, put on sunglasses] SAVE THE WORLD.” Spare me.

I’m still going to read the other two, obviously, and I’m not even really mad about this, mostly just rolling my eyes. But I expect that Maggie is going to use this plot device I don’t care about to do things emotionally and character-wise that I do care about, and that’s the important part.

There is one actual thing that pisses me off with this book, that I actively hate and wish was not a part of canon, that I will probably just ignore and pretend isn’t canon, at least once I have wrapped my head around the fact that it even happened in the first place: why the fuck does Ronan go to confession.

I was willing to accept in The Raven Cycle that Maggie had no interest in doing anything with the fact that she had made the Catholic character and the gay character the same character, because Ronan is actively figuring himself out in the course of that series, because there’s so much else going on in his head and his life that I can buy that religion isn’t his top priority, because hey, I kind of liked that the series wasn’t one more Sad Story About A Sad Gay Who Is Sad Because Homophobia. I can accept a Ronan who goes to mass every week because that’s family time, because that’s tradition, because that’s what Lynches do.

But going to confession – with some degree of regularity! – is not going through the motions. When I was a Catholic school girl and an ALTAR SERVER who went to mass twice a week, confession was still a “maybe once during Lent, if we get around to it” kind of deal. What the hell does Ronan say in confession, exactly? He’s not confessing to the shit that he actually feels guilty about, playing god and creating life, because that’s a secret. He’s not confessing to the thing that he’s getting told every week is going to send him to hell. So what is he doing there?

This ceases to be “skipping past homophobia so we can just have a nice happy gay story for once (or at least a story that’s unhappy for other reasons)”. This is firmly into “deliberately and cruelly ignoring the real pain and suffering that the Catholic Church inflicts on oppressed people every single day” and I think it was a grave, grave misstep.

So my super general #thots: loved it, largely positive, some things I’m iffy on but excited to see where they go, a couple of plot elements/characters I don’t care for but can put up with for the sake of all of the good, one big negative that will probably feature only very very sparingly in canon.

Little Women, big statement

Title: “Little Women”

Release date: Dec. 25, 2019

Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Eliza Scanlen, Laura Dern, Timothee Chalamet, Meryl Streep, Chris Cooper, Tracy Letts, Bob Odenkirk, James Norton, Louis Garrel, Jane Houdyshell

Directed by: Greta Gerwig

Run time: 2 hours, 15 minutes

Rated: PG

What it’s about: Based on the classic novel by Louisa May Alcott and the author’s personal writings, “Little Women” is the story of the March sisters – Jo, Amy, Meg and Beth – as they come of age in a lower middle-class home in Massachusetts during the Civil War era.

How I saw it: Making a movie version of the classic novel “Little Women” fresh and contemporary would seem a formidable task. Louisa May Alcott’s timeless story of the March sisters has been made into seven full-length feature films (dating back to 1917!) and countless TV adaptations (including a Japanese animated version), musicals and stage shows, and its Civil War era setting and way of life would seem to have little in common with today’s technology-saturated world. Alcott’s book is beloved, popular upon its publication in two volumes in 1868 and 1869 (and then combined) and still read, revered, dissected and discussed 150 years later. Any moviemaker wanting to rework it had better tread lightly.

But writer/director Greta Gerwig, not surprisingly (and thankfully), did not tread lightly. Nor did she stomp all over Alcott’s work. Her version of “Little Women” gives the story’s feminism 21st century bite while also paying respect to the source material. It’s still a period piece, still a captivating story of four sisters’ bond, still a warm family drama, still about romantic love, still about practical love, still about unrequited love, still about restraints society places on women, still about women’s struggle for identity. But Gerwig’s version feels like it is of the here and now. And it’s an outstanding film.

Alcott based her book loosely on her own life, and the main character (representing the author) is Jo, a determined, hot-tempered, tomboyish writer played in the film by Saoirse Ronan. She is the March sister who most questions what is expected of women in the mid-1800s. At times she is the family’s breadwinner. She is the one who puts her life in New York on hold when her sister Beth (Eliza Scanlen) falls ill. She has a rivalry with her mischievous, boy-crazy youngest sister Amy (Florence Pugh). She does not understand the choices made by her oldest sister Meg (Emma Watson), who is content with getting married (and marrying for love, not money) instead of pursuing a career in acting. Jo also is loved by a neighbor, Laurie (Timothee Chalamet), who is loved by Amy, though she plans to marry for money. Jo has decided to go it alone, to be her own woman, to be more than someone’s wife. “Women, they have minds, and that have souls, as well as just hearts,” Jo says in one of several bits of empowerment dialogue in Gerwig’s film. “And they’ve got ambition, and they’ve got talent, as well as just beauty. I’m so sick of people saying that love is just all a woman is fit for. I’m so sick of it!”

Jo, as in the book, eventually does marry (though Alcott did not), though the middle-aged Friedrich Bhaer of the book has been reimagined as a hunky young man (played by Louis Garrel) who shares a kiss with Jo under an umbrella at a train station. In this movie version, Jo is told that women in books either must get married or die (and, according to her publisher, it does not matter which). Gerwig’s version shows Jo driving a hard bargain with the publisher (Tracy Letts), and her insistence on doing her own thing and being heard as a woman in a man’s world seems as if Gerwig, who has been outspoken about a male-centric Hollywood, has interjected herself into the story. Gerwig has said that Jo March was her hero growing up but that she now most admires Alcott, so Jo becomes a natural extension of Alcott and the filmmaker simultaneously in Gerwig’s screen version.

Ronan is, as usual, outstanding, her Jo full of spunk and heart. Pugh’s Amy gets her own epic speech about love, marriage and what is expected of her; Pugh is strong as the young adult Amy but is too much an adult to pull off 12-year-old Amy. Laura Dern brings a touch (but not too much) of her edginess to the role of Marmee, the girls’ mother. Chris Cooper stands out as Mr. Laurence, the March’s wealthy neighbor who befriends Beth. Chalamet is perfect as the young Laurie, especially in the scene in which Jo breaks his heart by being honest with him.

Any criticism of Gerwig’s film (and there isn’t much criticism) has centered on her choice to make this version a non-linear story. This “Little Women” jumps around in time, and it can be hard to follow until you get used to it (hint: look for the change in color palettes during different periods of time). But the non-linear format works in the film’s favor. For one, we meet Jo when she already is a young adult, which helps reinforce the film’s emphasis on strong women over the younger March girls. It also allows Gerwig to juxtapose scenes for effect, like when the girls are shown having fun at the ocean and then the story shifts to Jo reading to a weakened Beth on the beach. The format also seems to keep the pace lively and perhaps adds spark to a story already familiar to much of the audience.

No matter how “Little Women” is sliced, though, it is a powerfully emotional story, one that is engrossing and certain to bring more than one tear (and cheer). Gerwig, by making a few key changes along with some minor tweaks, by coaxing strong performances out of her cast, and by offering a lovingly made film that is beautiful to look at (and hear), has made “Little Women” seem like her own, a time period movie fully in touch with the world in which Gerwig resides. It is clear much work and thought went into its making, and the results are wonderful.

My score: 93 out of 100

Should you see it? Yes. As with the book, it will have more appeal for women, but it is a film of importance that just so happens to be immensely entertaining and should be seen by all.

Annual List of Favorite Film Experiences of 2019

Happy New Year! All the best to you for a fabulous 2020 and new decade! 

2019 was a busy year of traveling. Work took me back to China (three times), Japan, Korea, and first time visits to the Czech Republic and Australia. 

I had the opportunity of a lifetime when I helped lead a group of Harvard-Westlake faculty members on a culture and food themed trip to China with James Beard Award-winning food writer/chef Fuchsia Dunlop. As a big fan of hers, I invited her to join us as our culinary tour guide and she accepted, leading us through three regions of China with distinct cuisines (Chengdu, Hangzhou, and Shanghai). Over ten days, she curated 19 meals with over 300 different courses! For more, go to my first annual food post: https://ewh111.tumblr.com/post/189972112494/2019-food-lists

And now, here are my favorite film experiences of the past year. 

Cheers, Ed

The Best and The Favorite of the Year

Parasite

The less you know before viewing this metaphorical, fiercely dark, genre-bending comedy/horror/social satire of haves and have nots where everyone is arguably a parasite, the better. Korean filmmaker Boon Joon-ho creates a memorable, twisty, thought-provoking film experience with exquisite storytelling, stunning visuals, sudden tonal shifts, unexpected turns, and a terrific cast. Just take the journey and enjoy this masterful work that may be the best film of the year. Trailer: https://youtu.be/isOGD_7hNIY

Jojo Rabbit

Appealing to my affinity for the quirky, this one is my favorite film of 2019. Who knew that a story during the waning days of WWII about a 10 year old Hitler Youth, his imaginary friend Adolph Hitler, and his single mom who is hiding a Jewish girl in their attic would be so sweet and funny. While an absurdist witty satire on the surface, it’s really an anti-hate, coming-of-age story as we experience the world through the eyes of 10 year old Jojo as he confronts and reconciles “the other” he’s been taught to hate in the world around him. Delicately balancing whimsy and seriousness, Jojo Rabbit is a beautiful and soulful film thanks to a great cast, including a terrifically endearing Scarlett Johansson (while likely to garner more attention for Marriage Story, this is the more memorable character to me), the audacious Jewish-Polynesian director Taika Waititi as the sophomoric Hitler bestie, Sam Rockwell as an SS officer with a heart, and a wonderful Roman Griffin Davis in the title role. Trailer: https://youtu.be/tL4McUzXfFI

Racing Against Time

1917

Wow. Daring and bold filmmaking in one of the most realistic and visceral war film experiences since the opening scene of Saving Private Ryan. In a role that may be overlooked during awards season, George MacKay is a standout as one of the two soldiers sent on an impossible mission through No Man’s Land to deliver a message to prevent British forces from entering a massive German ambush. Oh, and via pure movie magic, director Sam Mendes and master cinematographer Roger Deakins tell this story in what seems like one continuous shot. I was totally drawn in by the Gallipoli-esque race against time, the real-time pacing of 24, and the immersive POV of a video game. The result is breath-taking as the camera dances around the soldiers, trenches, bunkers, and towns in a beautifully choreographed dance without distracting from the gripping storytelling. Trailer: https://youtu.be/gZjQROMAh_s

Ford v Ferrari 

An exhilarating, high octane, crackling thrill ride. The story of two obsessively passionate crazies, ex-racer and car designer Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon) and British race car driver Ken Miles (Christian Bale), who join forces with American corporate titan Ford to defeat Ferrari at the 24 hours of Le Mans in 1966. It’s pure adrenaline that non-racing enthusiasts can enjoy because of the well-crafted story and performances. Trailer: https://youtu.be/I3h9Z89U9ZA

Unforgettably Creepy and Disturbing

Joker

Joaquin Phoenix disturbingly and completely transforms himself into the pathologically deranged, downtrodden, and delusional part-time clown/aspiring comic Arthur Fleck in this origin story of Batman’s arch nemesis. Joker is a deeply disturbing character study of how an emotionally fragile individual on the fringes of society gets pushed deeper and deeper into the downward spiral of insanity to the breaking point.  Dark, edgy, and unsettling, Joker is not for everyone. But there’s no denying Phoenix’s brilliant, tour de force performance. (Unfortunately, my edginess was heightened in my screening by an audience member who was similarly laughing inappropriately like Phoenix’s character, which had me looking for the closest exit in the event of a disturbance). Trailer: https://youtu.be/zAGVQLHvwOY

Us

In his sophomore directorial effort, Jordan Peele has gone beyond the horror and social commentary of Get Out, and into even deeper, more chilling existential territory. In Us, Peele has created an All-American family terrorized by a creepy scissor-wielding doppelgänger family and spirals into more terrifying and mysterious terrain with a fabulous dual performance by Lupita Nyong'o. Who is Us? Is Us them? I’ll leave the metaphorical debate for later. Trailer: https://youtu.be/hNCmb-4oXJA

**Midsommar deserves notable mention in the creepy category–a slow-burn, dark tale of a young American couple’s vacation in the remote Swedish hinterland at a once-in-lifetime summer festival that goes creepily and morbidly wrong. Trailer: https://youtu.be/1Vnghdsjmd0

Masterworks by Tarantino and Scorsese

Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood

Perhaps Quentin Tarantino’s most mature film, Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood beautifully captures in painstaking detail a specific moment in time: Hollywood, 1969. A passionate homage and love letter to Los Angeles and the Hollywood scene, Tarantino blends a concoction of history and fantasy (a la Inglourious Basterds) in a buddy movie with Leonardo DiCaprio as declining TV hero/star and an endearing scene-stealing Brad Pitt as his stalwart stunt double/best friend whose lives fatefully intersect with Sharon Tate and the Manson family. While at times meandering (it’s less plot and more a series of vignettes), it is also at times spellbinding (an on set encounter between DiCaprio’s character and a fellow 8 year old child actor; Margot Robbie’s Sharon Tate watching herself on screen inside Westwood’s Bruin Theater). As the title implies, this is a quintessential Tarantino fairy tale: funny, yet warm, and, of course, violent. Trailer: https://youtu.be/ELeMaP8EPAA

The Irishman

An epic, career-capping entry into Martin Scorsese’s mob-themed oeuve, The Irishman appropriately brings De Niro, Pacino and Pesci together in this elegaic saga, complete with de-aging technology to tell the story of mob hitman Frank Sheeran (De Niro) through multiple flashbacks. And for those of us old enough to remember, the story helps to answer the unsolved question, what happened to Teamster head Jimmy Hoffa. Trailer: https://youtu.be/RS3aHkkfuEI

Family Dramas

Marriage Story

Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver are top-notch in this raw, yet poignant, and ultimately life-affirming journey through the disintegration of a marriage and the logistical mechanics of the divorce process and custody fight seen from both sides as each struggles to reestablish priorities in their lives and redefine family. Trailer: https://youtu.be/BHi-a1n8t7M

The Farewell

We are told the film is “based on an actual lie” in the film’s opening titles; director Lulu Wang’s heartfelt, deeply personal, and charming film stars Awkwafina as a young woman whose grandmother (in China) has been diagnosed with terminal cancer but the entire family has decided to keep it a secret. Under the guise of a hastily planned family wedding, the family gathers to say goodbye to grandma. Capturing the uneasy tension between Chinese and American culture, questioning where one belongs and the role of family in our lives, Awkwafina shines in her first dramatic role, as does the rest of the supporting cast.  Trailer: https://youtu.be/RofpAjqwMa8

Little Women

Director Greta Gerwig follows up Lady Bird with another achievement, giving the classic 19th century Louisa May Alcott period piece a thoroughly modern feel with an effervescent cast and 21st century non-chronological storytelling. Saoirse Ronan leads a fantastic cast. Trailer: https://youtu.be/AST2-4db4ic

Two Funny Smart Girls, Two Religious Guys, and Only One Baby Per Family, Please

Booksmart

More than just a female version of Superbad, Booksmart is an impressive directorial debut for Olivia Wilde with the fantastic duo of Kaitlyn Dever and Beanie Feldstein (HW ‘11) as the “study hard” academic besties on a mission to “play hard” on the last night before graduation. Also memorable is the scene-stealing Billie Lourd (HW ‘10). This very funny and delightful coming-of-age pic stands out in the pantheon of teenage comedies not only for its quirky and smart tone, but for its inclusive and diverse three-dimensional characters, including LGBTQ+ and gender non-conforming teens whose sexuality don’t define who they are. Trailer: https://youtu.be/Uhd3lo_IWJc

The Two Popes

I didn’t expect a film that is essentially an extended conversation between two people would be so intriguing and gripping. The imagined conversation in 2012 involves two very different men, one the sitting pope who finds himself standing increasingly in the way of progress, and the other, his eventual successor looking to retire from an institution he is increasingly frustrated with. But with spot-on casting and terrific performances from Jonathan Pryce as the ABBA-humming future Pope Francis and Anthony Hopkins as the stoic, humorless intellect Pope Benedict XVI, The Two Popes is a joy to watch. Trailer: https://youtu.be/T5OhkFY1PQE

One Child Nation

This one’s a doc. From 1979 to 2015, China instituted the “One Child Policy” as a means of population control to stave off mass starvation. Documentarian Nanfu Wang, herself an exception to the policy and now a first-time mother, explores the enduring ripple effects of the policy that included forced abortions, sterilizations, abandonment of baby girls, and child trafficking. This powerful and devastating documentary looks at the multi-layered trauma–how it was carried out and the heartbreaking human and societal toll it has taken. Trailer: https://youtu.be/gMcJVoLwyD0

**Other documentaries to check out: Cold Case Hammarskjold, Where’s My Roy Cohn, The Biggest Little Farm, Leaving Neverland.

All Out Pure Fun Movie Experiences

Knives Out

An enthusiastic bundle of joy, Knives Out is Rian Johnson’s stellar, intricately crafted, Agatha Christie-like whodunit with a stellar cast who seem to be having as much fun as the audience. Trailer: https://youtu.be/qOg3AoRc4nI

Rocketman

Can’t help but compare this to Bohemian Rhapsody, but Rocketman is the superior and more entertaining musical biopic (using the term loosely). It’s bold, magical, and fantastical, as befits Elton John. Trailer: https://youtu.be/S3vO8E2e6G0

Other notables: The King, Avengers: Endgame, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, Honey Boy, Yesterday, Velvet Buzzsaw.

In the queue: Pain & Glory; Uncut Gems; Bombshell; Richard Jewell, The Last Black Man In San Francisco.

Favorite Binge-worthy TV Shows

Dark, Succession, When They See Us, Chernobyl, Mindhunter, Barry, Veep, Sex Education, Silicon Valley, Stranger Things 3, Don’t F**k with Cats

Special Shout Out to Dark

With elements of the mysterious strangeness of Twin Peaks and Stranger Things (minus the humor and camp) and the intricate intertwined storytelling and compelling characters of The Wire, Dark is the story of four families who live in a tiny German town situated next to a nuclear power plant (add a little of Chernobyl) who are inextricably connected through some strange cosmic phenomenon. Oh, and throw in a big dose of time travel. Dark is incredibly compelling and addictive. It is hands down the most complex and thoughtful (i.e., sophisticated and makes sense) time travel-themed story I’ve seen. Do yourself a favor and resist Googling anything about the show to avoid spoiling the experience. Just watch. There are two seasons worth at Netflix. And one more on the way. Trailer: https://youtu.be/S3vO8E2e6G0

Below-freezing temperatures and bulky outerwear can make winter a challenging time, sartorially speaking, but come January, the gloves are off—both literally and figuratively—when Hollywood’s jet-set touches down in sunny Los Angeles for award season. Thanks to a blockbuster year in film, music, and television, the 2019 red carpets are an opportunity to make a major statement. Here, we’ve shown an early spotlight on 23 actors and musicians guaranteed to land spots on the 2019 awards season’s best-dressed lists. Let’s start with a red carpet renaissance woman: Lady Gaga is going to have an epic award season. We can’t wait to see what she wears to the Golden Globes, the Oscars, and the Grammys when she wins big for basically everything A Star Is Born is nominated for; her style evolution has been a true Hollywood glow-up! A close second and perennial team Who What Wear fave, Emma Stone is bound to inspire your next black-tie event look when she hits the red carpets in 2019. Think she’ll take any notes from her character, Abigail Masham, in The Favorite and go full baroque, or keep it completely contemporary with the latest from Louis Vuitton? Speaking of The Favourite ,  Joe Alwyn , aka Baron Masham, aka the first earl of Leicester in Mary Queen of Scots , is guaranteed to have a memorable awards season (especially if Taylor Swift is on his arm). The 27-year-old British actor had a banner year with four movies premiering in 2018, and undoubtedly cribbed a few style notes from several of Hollywood’s leading ladies—we have a feeling his star status is about to skyrocket. Of course, award season wouldn’t be a must-watch moment if not for a little healthy competition. Saoirse Ronan and Margot Robbie , two of 2018’s best dressed and co-stars/rivals in Mary Queen of Scots , are absolutely going to slay—sartorially speaking. Spoiler alert: There’s a clear winner in the film (and, um, history), but we’d be absolutely thrilled if the top red carpet ranking featured a tie between these two sensational style stars. While we’re revisiting history, let us remember the ground-breaking, earth-shaking, and red carpet–rousing movie of the year, Black Panther . Boasting an all-star lineup and memorable world premiere in which the cast paid homage to African royalty, we hope this stylish crew—especially Chadwick Boseman, Lupita Nyong’o, Michael B. Jordan, Leticia Wright, Danai Gurira, Daniel Kaluuya, and Angela Bassett —continues its winning streak throughout award season. Wakanda forever! Crazy Rich Asians , one of the most over-the-top and enjoyable fashion films of the year, was a feast for the eyes both on screen and at the red carpet premiere. Constance Wu , the movie’s leading lady, worked with celeb stylist and Who What Wear contributor  Micaela Erlanger  for the press tour last summer, creating gorgeous looks for a range of appearances. We love how they play with fashion together and can’t wait to see which designer is selected for the Globes in January. Fashion’s latest It boy, Timothée Chalamet , had an incredible 2017 with Oscar-nominated films Lady Bird and Call Me by Your Name , and this year, he added Golden Globe nominee to his list of accolades. Not only does the Beautiful Boy star embrace bold colors and prints, but he’s also reportedly self-styled. We’re impressed! If you haven’t already heard of Kiki Layne , don’t worry—you will soon. Her breakout film, If Beale Street Could Talk , an adaptation of James Baldwin’s 1974 novel by Oscar-winning director Barry Jenkins, has already been nominated for several Golden Globes ahead of its premiere. Kiki has a major year ahead of her with at least two other projects in the can, and we’re excited for her red carpet debut with Regina King, her fellow Beale Street star and Golden Globe nominee. Rounding out our list of film favorites is a newcomer, Elsie Fisher . At just 15, she has captured hearts as the cringe-worthy (in the best way!) ingenue of Bo Burnham’s directorial debut, Eighth Grade , which premiered over the summer. Elsie has already made an impression at smaller red carpet events, and she recently spoke to Vanity Fair about her affinity for suits, remarking, “I feel like suits are very me… I look poppin’ in ’em!” We couldn’t agree more. As far as red carpet style goes, we find musicians tend to be a bit more daring than actors, which is why we’re especially excited for the 2019 Grammys. One woman who never ceases to surprise us with her style chops is Cardi B, who is up for album of the year for Invasion of Privacy . Whether Cardi goes full-on glam, breaks a piece out of Versace’s archives, or debuts her upcoming collab with Fashion Nova, we know she’ll dress to impress—red bottoms, guaranteed. It’s no surprise that with the rise of the rosé wave in pop music came the return of cowboy boots . At the center of this ethereal yet empowering moment is singer Kacey Musgraves . The “Velvet Elvis” singer has already racked up several Country Music Awards but was recently nominated for album of the year for Golden Hour , transcending the confines of her genre, and presenting an opportunity to show off her unique mix of vintage-meets–high-fashion style at next year’s Grammys. We’ve had our eyes on Dua Lipa ever since she explained “New Rules” to us in 2017, and we were thrilled by her two Grammy nominations this year. Up for best new artist and best dance recording, this edgy British singer and street style star will undoubtedly make a major red carpet splash throughout 2019. Is there anything Tessa Thompson can’t do? In addition to her appearance in Janelle Monae’s much-buzzed-about “Pynk” music video, the Creed and Westworld star is a style chameleon who’s bound to thrive during award season—even if she’s just there to support her friends and castmates, the similarly suave Michael B. Jordan and Thandie Newton. Let’s talk about Lili Reinhart for a minute: Not only has she captured hearts as Betty (and Dark Betty!) on Riverdale for the past three seasons, but she’s also become a media darling, sharing insights into acting , acne , and of course, all things Archie. Notably, we love her brand-new campaign photos for the Mighty Company x Ilaria Urbanati celestial-inspired charity collection—hey, if anyone can pull of stars and stripes on a red carpet, it’s Lili. See you at the Emmys? If you haven’t already caught up on Atlanta , consider this an official mandate. You’ll probably recognize Zazie Beetz as Vanessa Keefer, Donald Glover’s character’s ex-girlfriend. Or maybe you remember her from Deadpool 2 as Domino, a mutant whose superpower is luck. Either way, Zazzie is definitely one to watch this red carpet season, especially since she’s being styled by Jason Bolden, whose other clients include Yara Shahidi and Sasha Lane. Be sure to look for her at this year’s Golden Globes supporting Donald, and hopefully again on the Emmys red carpet next fall. Finally, we’ve got the one and only  Busy Philipps. Unless you’ve completely opted out of pop culture and social media this year, Philipps has been on your mind—or more accurately, on your phone! A forever fave from early aughts teen dramas Dawson’s Creek and Freaks and Geeks , Philipps has BLOWN UP in 2018 thanks to her hilarious commentary, candor, and colorful style which is broadcast via her Instagram, recently released memoir, This Will Only Hurt a Little , and new E! show, Busy Tonight . Working with stylist Karla Welch (who also counts Tracee Ellis Ross and Sarah Paulson as clients), you know Busy’s bound to bust a move, whether on the red carpet, in her nightgown, or at a tiny trampoline class. Think I missed any potential red carpet style stars of 2019? Hit me up on Twitter or Instagram at @Drewblahblah and we’ll put them on Who What Wear’s radar before the New Year. Up Next:  From the Oscars to the Golden Globes, Cannes to the British Fashion Awards here’s where you’ll find the most glorious red carpet looks .

Elsword Job Paths, but the storyline gets rewritten by me because I’m bored Pt 1/2

Hi this is me I’m doing this because why not

Also first disclaimer I’ve only played so much Elsword which in general involves me only playing up to 3rd job, non transcendent, so anything from transcendence onwards is just baseless assumption from me

Also I’m picking out all job titles that are really similar because this game tries to be original but we all know that’s false because Add is basically Geas The Character and Elesis is A FakeTM

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Elsword, the Knight who really likes smacking things in the head with a flat sword, really, who does that

After a long training session, he goes back to his home and what he picks up next will determine his fate:

Sword Knight > Lord Knight > Knight Emperor*

*:Not to be confused with Knight or Emperor, which is Elsword’s first job and Jin’s fourth job respectively

He picks up a picture of his sister, whom had magically disappeared an hour prior. Developing a hard onee-chan complex because he really aspires to grow and become just like her (minus the hair), he vigorously trains in the sword, and also starts using swords with sharper ends, good on you Elsword.

Magic Knight* > Rune Slayer > Rune Master^

*: Not to be confused with Spell Knight, which is Ronan’s first job

^: Not to be confused with Rune Caster, which is Mari’s first job

He picks up Aisha’s bag of supplies while she isn’t around and takes out the first thing, which was a pair of runed gloves. With the power of robbery gone unnoticed he develops the ability to use! Runes! Wow! Who could have guessed from that job title!

Sheath Knight (really?) > Infinity Blade* > Immortal (god why)

*:Not to be confused with the hot selling mobile app game Infinity Blade

He picks up Aisha’s bag of supplies while she isn’t around and takes out the first thing, which is apparently an entire box set of anime discs and manga which were completely misarranged. Elsword decided to do her a favor by rearranging everything, after he went through her entire Shoujou series. Now with the power of god and anime on his side, he decides to smack people with sword sheaths instead. Wonderful. I don’t know where to begin.

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Aisha, the Magician whom is clearly in any form not completely identical to a specific girl named Arme Glenstid, as she has the ability to cast multiple fireballs instead of just one at a time (plowed fire doesn’t count).

After going out to shop for supplies and magical items and trinkets she realize her bag wasn’t with her. What she does next will forever change her path:

High Magician > Elemental Master > Aether Sage

She decides that everything in her hackysack wasn’t important anyway, her magic power was lost! She couldn’t be sitting around watching anime. She gets a little antsy and fidgety and starts taking it out by trying to have fun smacking enemies but eventually becomes a full fledged Sage by her own capabilities, twice. A wonderful girl.

Dark Magician* > Void Princess > Oz Soceress

*:Not to be confused with Dark Magician, the monster card that Atem summons in almost every duel episode ever

She decided that she really needs to get her stuff back. After discovering Elsword rummaging through it, she starts being absolutely pouty and learns how to channel her angsty emotion into destructive power. Eventually she learns how to channel any emotion into destructive power and now she’s literally rewritten the story of Oz into a manual of her road to (re)power.

Battle Magician* > Dimension Witch > Metamorphy

*:Not to be confused with Battle Mage, which is Arme’s fourth job, but it’s pretty friggin’ close to it anyway so really what’s the difference

She decided that she really needs to get her stuff back. After discovering Elsword rummaging through it and looking through her Shoujou anime and manga, she decides to join him. Nothing like anime to de stress, right? Eventually like Elsword, she becomes suffused with the power of god and anime and is now literally a Madoka Shoujou, and also as overpowered.

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Rena, the Ranger whom really likes her shape and really likes flaunting it. Even if she has a very close resemblance to a certain Eryuelian archer, the inhumanly oversized chest of abundance really points out a difference. And also her spine is really goddamn flexible like yeesh. (Also whoever shittalks me about Rena for describing her like this really needs to play her because unless you’re going Sniping path, you are getting a lot of skimpy wear)

She embarks on her journey to Elrios (Gee where had I heard of this before) and decides that if she were going to have to fight through demons, that she’d have to pick a specific school of combat to major in:

Combat Ranger > Wind Sneaker > Anemos

Rena decides that her diet will now be calcium and protein based, and her bones grow strong and her muscles bulge from the daily workout of a commando. Her kicks prove to be insanely painful and she performs backflips and soumersalts, and occasionally performs for the poor. She also communes with the wind elemental to give her feet their blessings, so she basically becomes someone that is definitely not from a certain anime named DGrayman.

Sniping Ranger > Grand Archer > Daybreak

Rena decides that her arrows were too blunt and she spends almost all of her free time fletching new, super sharp ones. Also she gets the wind elementals to bless them too. Coupled with her flexible spine, she is able to haul a rain of arrows to end people before they could even look up after being downed by her. It’s useful when you can turn things to your advantage.

Trapping Ranger > Night Watcher > Twilight

Rena decides it’s time she used that stolen blade she snuck out of the shrine because she’s secretly a kleptomaniac. The blade Eldrassil is also super magical and gives her the power of nature while simultaneously sap her positive, then negative emotions. Eventually she becomes Not Batman, wearing a hoodie and for some reason deciding only covering majority of her upper parts alone was good enough to carry on her edgy aura. She also comes with a free bowl of sass and a ton of cuts.

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Raven, the Taker whom is apparently a man with a robot arm and what the hell does a Taker even mean anyway. Why are you an antagonist that dies super easily to an infinite stretch of combos that I juggle you with because you’re just that easy to lift. Obviously he’s edgy, and generally upset with himself, and constantly seeks redemption for deeds he could not control doing. Also the Nasods used him as a base to replicate more robots like him and honestly Rena, yeah I’m disturbed too.

He doesn’t do much, he just says he wants to atone and that he’s good with a sword and also his robot arm has some weird ways to turn energy into weird looking fire. When he is finally free from the mind control of capitalism, he decides that:

Sword Taker > Blade Master > Furious Blade*

*:Not to be confused with Unlimited Blade, which is apparently everyone’s 3MP attack

He hates being a robot and he hates his robotic arm with a passion. But not like, in the way where he’d rip his own Nasod arm off. Are you kidding? That thing has nerves in it. Now that he’s dedicated to destroying Nasod he starts wearing long sleeves and returning to his old self, which is apparently an emo man by first dyeing his hair fully black, and then keeping it down so that it almost always seems to obscure one eye. Yeah, very easy to kill things when you can’t see them too well, right? Also he gets a guy to rebuild his arm to look like his other one.

Over Taker (really?) > Reckless Fist > Rage Hearts* (?????)

*:Not to be confused with Burning Heart, which is one of Fake!Elesis’ 3rd job

He loves being a robot and he loves his robotic arm with a passion. But not like, in the way where he’d make love to his own Nasod arm anyway. Instead he focuses more on his burst potential. With his newfound fascination for pyrotechnics and white hair, he starts streaking his hair with white and also keeping it from his face for a grand total of one job before he feels the comforting embrace of his fringe between his eyes. 

Weapon Taker (yeah, what else are you going to take next) > Veteran Commander > Nova Imperator*

*:I swear they’re just making things up by this point

He doesn’t really care honestly. But not like, in the way where he’d use both of them together in a combination way. He just uses other weapons now. He also has so much gratitude for Elsword and his team for saving him that he streaks his hair red now, instead of his white, and attaining maximum edge hairstyle. Also he likes looking very judgmental and upset about things.

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Eve, the Another Code, whose introduction does not match the general sentence and has thusforth failed itself, is a Nasod. Elsword, you’re travelling with a Nasod, wake up your eyes. You’d think her slap would be good enough. But noooo, you had to give her feelings. YOU GAVE A ROBOT FEELINGS. THIS IS WHY SHE ENDS UP HAVING THESE THREE JOB PATHS:

Code: Exotic > Code: Nemesis > Code: Ultimate

Absolutely deciding that feelings is a very not okay thing in computation and artificial intelligence, she resolves to create the ability to wipe out all that stands in her way of her making her empire of Nasods. As such, she slaps that emotional circuitry out of her and starts developing the ability to make some additional machines to murderize both enemy robots and humans. And elves. But mostly robots apparently.

Code: Architect > Code: Empress > Code: Esencia

Absolutely deciding that feelings is a very okay and even important thing in computation and artificial intelligence, she decides to keep the emotional circuitry in herself. And because Elsword gave her feelings and then decide to watch anime instead of talking to her, she gets lonely. So she makes robots, and eventually after mingling with everyone she thinks that, well, maybe Nasods and humans can live together. And elves. But mostly humans apparently.

Code: Electra > Code: Battle Seraph > Code: Sariel

Absolutely unable to decide, her own emotional circuits start short circuiting and now she’s unable to control what she’s feeling, so she goes with the general method of ‘I’m a robot I can’t feel, hoooh’. Also the overloaded circuits start giving her power and pain, until it also short circuited her own pain circuits. In fact basically everything in her short circuits and she becomes a weapon herself to destroy both enemy robots and humans. And elves. But mostly elves apparently.

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(Disclaimer: I played Chung for a grand total of 30 minutes)

Chung, the Guardian who apparently failed to guard his own city from demons. You had one job*. Also his surname is Seeker, and I’m almost sure that’s actually his job name in KR. You had one job. He has long hair, and in fact looks super androgynous, you could mistake him for a girl fairly easily. He’s also the heir of the throne. Like Ara. Like Lu. Like Eve. Boy, you are just one cog in a series of clockwork.

*:He actually has 3 job paths and 3 jobs in each so that’s actually 9 jobs, but details, details.

Eventually he runs into the El Search Party, whom apparently named themselves that because they’re the only goddamn people in the entire world of Elrios trying to save the entire world. Wow. Infatuated by a noble cause and in dire need for one himself because otherwise he’ll break down (and trust me you don’t want him to, his /cry is 13 seconds long), he joins in and decides to hone on his talent with a cannon on his back, or something else:

Fury Guardian > Iron Paladin > Comet Crusader

He loves his hair, he grows it longer like his cannon as he starts to make it stronger with little tinkering. He also loves shooting cannon balls and blowing things up. He ties it up in the end because the hair was getting so long it was starting to block his eyes (which miraculously affects his field of vision unlike every one else in this world). With the martial artist of Rena to help him, he swings that cannon round and round baby, round and round.

Shooting Guardian* > Deadly Chaser > Fatal Phantom

*:GEE WHAT ELSE IS NEW

He doesn’t like his hair, it reminds him of home, and probably the blood of several thousand citizens that he failed to save. So he cuts it, Mulan style, with his new weapon Go Go Geagles. Armed with two more pistols aside from his huge ass cannon he puts on his back, now he starts running around and yelling ‘FIRE’* so much you could swear he’s an audible fire alarm. In fact I’m almost pretty sure he hates fire and his cannon now too.

*: Actually I meant to put this link there but you get two links for the price of one!

Shelling Guardian > Tactical Trooper > Centurion

He likes his hair, but it could probably use a new addition. Flipping through some of Elsword’s (and Aisha’s as well, presumably) manga collection, he decided what he needs was some fox ears. So he asked Ara to see if Eun could bless him with some of her kitsune powers. So she did. Now he has fox ears. He also learns alchemy and ends up making his cannon less reliable, for more destructive purposes. Literally now his shots go everywhere. It’s almost like you don’t care to aim away from your new friends, Chung. Do you really want all of this to happen just because you want your fox ears?

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Ara-Ain will all be on a later post because holy crap this is long

🥂 @zukunftsvision​.

     ❛ i just... i don't know why my life has to be so hard all the time. ❜ 

sienna fans her eyes, trying not to cry. not to be dramatic or anything, but this is the second-worst day of her life ( the first, of course, being christmas eve ). it's just not fair that everyone's gonna get a new year's kiss and sienna's just gonna be there, all 🧍‍♀️, because adam decided to help her date flee the country. she can't even drink a celebratory champagne! mom and dad are gonna be disgusting and in love, adam and ronan are gonna be all edgy but in love, julie and bruce are still gonna be basking in their newlywed glow, kay and delphi are gonna be... well, also basking in their newlywed glow, and kolya and joey are going to be in shrimp central. sienna's happy for them and everything, but why does everyone get a happy ending except for her? 😔

she drinks water from her wine glass and sighs deeply.

     ❛ haven't got bertrand, haven't got el—well, i didn't want him anyway! adam chose a terrible one. ❜ she'll tell herself that until it becomes true. ❛ it's just misery for me, year after year. can't even get back with nora anymore, because she's still sixteen, and i'm old. ❜ 

she sighs again, but with more ✨feeling✨. 

     ❛ glad you're doing well. ❜ she tries to sound like whatever the opposite of bitter is. sweet, probably, or something. not that sienna can eat sweets either. fuck everything. 😔 ❛ i knew he'd be perfect for you, kolya, i just knew it. from the moment i met him, i knew! such a gentleman, helping me with my... flat tire. ❜ she takes another swig from her pretend-alcohol. ❛ they just don't make men like him anymore. that's the problem with today's society. they don't make men like that. they make men who get on private jets and fly across an ocean just to get away from you, or men who try to give—i mean, men who ghost you when they find out you're pregnant. the world would be a better place if all men were like joey. ❜