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jamiesfootball · 1 year

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Season two of the Ted Lasso rewatch and I am having some string feelings. Some strong feelers. Some shrimp about Ted and Jamie and how Ted really, really struggles between being Coach Shaped and being Dad Shaped when it comes to Jamie, and how Jamie is horrible at discerning either.

(Buckle up this is gonna be a long one)

Because what we start off with in season one is very much a man who is used to being Coach Shaped. He wants the boys to be inspired and to learn about life and to become the best versions of themselves that they can be. All of which could be very Dad Shaped, but in execution they’re not.

He steps back to let people grow, and sometimes that involves letting bullies be bullies so that the true leaders of the group can step up. Sometimes it’s letting Nate roast the other players- quite cuttingly at that - to get the team motivated. He’s directing the orchestra sure, but he’s not in the pit telling people how better to get along. He’s warm and welcoming, and he tries to foster good rapport and encourage people to talk to him and open up. He, dare I say it, actually has boundaries with people. He asked Rebecca in the first episode how she was holding up with the divorce, and when she seemed upset he noted it, offered a little commiseration, and moved right along without making a fuss.

And then he calls Jamie Tartt into his office to give him a compliment sandwich (“you’re a great athlete now pass the fucking ball and then you’ll be a super great athlete okay thanks”) and I think that’s where Ted’s boundary with Jamie first starts to erode. Because Jamie unintentionally ruins his whole fucking script. Jamie’s disaffected act crumbles at the first compliment. He’s sincerely taken aback by Ted’s praise, a little nervous and a little pleading. He breaks the rules of compliment sandwiching by demurring “well I work really hard”, which forces Ted to agree which is in a way TWO compliments, and when Ted tries to push through with his critique, Jamie ends up critiquing himself first about something completely different (“my left cross”), and then Ted has to wrestle them back to the actual critique, and the whole thing is just. Definitely not the ordeal Ted thought it would be.

So from early on we have these two working at cross purposes - because Ted thinks he’s being Coach Shaped, but the Shape he is doesn’t fit any Coach Jamie has ever had.

“what’s he like?”

“Great”

“…….”

“Well great at football”

“Yeah, I’ve know guys like that.”

And in return, Ted has known ‘guys like that’, competent athletes who are a necessary part of the game, but have such egos (“I’m not sure you realize how mentally healthy that is”) that Ted thinks he has to go to his players girlfriend for insight on how to motivate Jamie in the way that Ted needs for team cohesion.

So this is Ted trying to be Coach Shaped and give this kid a wake up call and this kid is so receptive that Ted barely had to lift a finger. But it doesn’t stick.

Ok. So next he attempts to give Jamie a book that he thinks will wake him up to the reality he’s living. He gave them to everyone. He’s still being Coach Shaped. He makes Roy and Jamie sit at the same table and tries to orchestrate a truce. He kinda gets there, but the next episode they’re still at each other’s throats. Jamie listened to Ted about the one in a million / one in eleven thing, but then Jamie ignored it. So he benched him. He’s Coach Shaped; it wasn’t personal.

Except Ted is not has not been anything Coach Shaped that Jamie could recognize, and football really is his life too. So it was very fucking personal. And here’s the first wrinkle in the narrative both of them have been telling themselves, because what does Jamie do? He fakes an injury and benches himself.

If Ted doesn’t think he should play, or doesn’t think that the way he’s playing is correct, then fine- he’ll make them both miserable. He just won’t fucking play. It’s kid logic at its finest. It’s cutting your nose to spite your face. ‘Well you said I wasn’t doing it right, so I won’t do it at all.’

It’s the same shit Jamie pulls on his dad when he leaves Man City to go be a reality tv star.

And it’s the first crack in the veneer between them, because the way Ted loses his shit at Jamie for it is not very Coach Shaped, but it is very very Dad Shaped. And unfortunately it was the sort of Dad Shaped that Jamie did recognize.

It’s the first loss of control Ted has in general, and it’s circling this player that Ted can’t seem to get a grip on.

And then there’s Jamie going to Keeley, and he’s got Manchester on his mind. It’s the first time we’ve heard him talk about the council estate he grew up in, and Keeley is telling him to stop battling people who want to help him. So he goes to the bonfire. And he talks about the fucking footprint his dad left in his wake. And he talks wistfully about his mom being proud. And this isn’t just about opening up to the team, it’s also about Jamie Tartt not battling Ted. Taking a risk that even if Ted isn’t very Coach Shaped, even if he appears closer to Dad Shaped than Jamie would like, whatever Ted is - Jamie is probably safe to be a little honest.

It’s not very Star Athlete With An Ego of him; but it’s very very Son Shaped.

“I was just starting to get through to him.”

Ted’s anger with Rebecca could be Coach Shaped. It could be. But it sure hurt him enough that it’s the first time he’s actually angry with Rebecca. Meanwhile Jamie was so hurt he had to tell everyone who would listen about it. Had to iterate that it was good riddance on being rid of Ted Lasso, because at least Pep was a proper Coach Shaped Coach. Someone who’d drill Jamie on the technicals. Someone who probably never once cared enough to pull him aside and tell him if he did a good job. Someone who probably assumed that’s what Jamie’s dad was for, showing up after matches.

“Good luck out there, Jamie!”

“Fucking mind games.”

Whatever Jamie already thought of Ted as a coach must’ve been rolling in the pit Jamie tried to bury it in, because Coach Shaped men don’t cheer you on when you’re playing for the other team. Pep wouldn’t do it if he still played for Richmond.

And maybe Coach Lasso does it for everyone he coaches. Probably. But it’s a very Dad Shaped thing. And fuck, Jamie’s actual fucking dad doesn’t cheer for him at all when Jamie isn’t playing for Manchester, so how’s Jamie supposed to know what it means?

Then there’s Ted, who just can’t help himself. Who can’t help but see potential in Jamie. And when he sees Jamie after the match, it’s a quick war on whether he should speak to him because in that instance Coach mode and Dad mode are in alignment.

Except reality hits as hard as a boot against the wall, because Jamie has a dad. And it’s not Ted. It’s not someone who’s come to tell him well done, or that he’s proud of the baby steps Jamie has taken, even though he’s been left to walk them alone. It is the opposite of what a father should be, but it’s taken up the mantle. Father Shaped. A thing of fury. A role fulfilled, not looking for new applicants.

Coach wins in that moment. Ted turns and walks away, and Jamie can finally see now in Ted Lasso the Coach Shape he’s familiar with.

Except even that can’t stick around and be familiar can it? Because while no one was looking, the Dad Shape in Ted scribbled him a little message. Left a note in his absence to let him know he was proud. Sent Beard with an army man, someone to lookout for Jamie and keep him safe. I’d say at this point a Ted Lasso couldn’t’ve drawn a line between Coach Shaped and Dad Shaped - this was a matter of pure human empathy, and decency, and an apology in its own way. I’m sorry for the roles we’ve been given. I’m sorry, but please know I care.

He walked away from Jamie and his dad. He didn’t have any obligation to Jamie. There was no more match to be won. Any involvement of Jamie Tartt in Ted’s life coulda woulda should’ve ended there.

“There’s something out there worse than being sad, and that’s being sad and alone. And ain’t nobody in this room alone.”

The look on Jamie’s face in that scene says it all. Because he is alone, but Ted clearly (desperately) doesn’t want him to be.

But being alone is better than being stuck in a room with James Tartt Sr.

Jamie doesn’t go to Ted first after Lust Conquers All. Why would he (think he had the right to)?

The first thing Jamie does do (after Keeley tells him it’s ok to go to Ted) when he meets Ted again is show him the Ted (Danson) Soldier. Ted may have made the gesture, and Jamie may have understood the meaning of it, but he does Not understand Ted. Not this Coach-but-Not-a-Coach. Still Jamie thinks he has the distinction down - what soft underbelly he thinks he needs to bare for this type of Coach to believe him when asks for a chance to come home.

“You were getting good minutes up at City.”

Ted redirects Jamie here in a very Coach Shaped way. He guides Jamie into admitting the real reason why he quit. He hears Jamie out, makes observations about how Jamie coming back would work from a team perspective, and makes only occasional eye contact. This is Ted clinging to a role that he’s used to, the one that comforts him in its ability to help other people.

(If there is something Dad Shaped in that scene, it’s an awful, haunting one. Not the one that Jamie grew up with, but the one that Ted grew up with. The one who took his son to play darts every Sunday for six years, who probably sat next to him and drank beer the way Ted does)

But Ted never set out to be anyone’s dad. He’s their Coach, and he has a responsibility to everyone on his team. It’s nothing personal; he’s just being a Coach.

They clink glasses. Cheers, and best of luck to your future endeavors.

There is something very tired about the way Jamie puts down his beer without taking a sip. He looks lost. He does not look surprised. (How could you have expectations for something you’ve never known? And how come that doesn’t make him feel any better about it?)

We don’t see Jamie after that.

We see Ted at training, worrying about Dr Sharon watching the team he’s made. He worries that she’s getting closer (metaphor). When Sam storms off the field, Ted is startled but relieved to follow. He doesn’t want self examination. He wants to be Coach. He wants to embrace the parts of coaching he’s always loved- helping other people improve and be better.

Sam tells him that he doesn’t want Jamie back on the team, and there’s a split second of relief from Ted because he made the right call.

Then Sam talks about his father, and how his father is grateful for Ted because with Ted around, he knows his son is safe. Because this has nothing to do with being Coach Shaped. Coach Shaped he may be in Sam’s life, but here’s Sam, who is very Son Shaped himself, and his father agreeing that Coach Lasso serves a greater purpose in Sam’s life than just being a supportive motivator. In their mind, in the absence of a father, Ted Lasso will do just fine. He will keep Sam safer than any little green army man.

That’s the final inexorable blurring of the lines for Ted, where the coach finally drops the ball to pay attention to the scraped knees that have been left behind.

Ted calls the Diamond Dogs meeting. Coach Beard and Coach Nate are very Coach Shaped indeed. What about the teamwork, Ted? “He’s the poop in the punch bowl.” Leslie is for bringing him back, but it’s for football reasons. It makes managerial sense.

But none of it means anything to Ted because at that moment he can not find it in himself to be Coach Shaped.

“I thought it was settled, but Sam went and unsettled it.”

“He reminded me that not everyone is lucky enough to have a good dad.”

“In sports aren’t we always on about second chances? Shouldn’t that apply to people too?”

This is not Coach Shaped. In some ways it’s not even Dad Shaped. But it is caring, and empathy, and wanting an excuse, any excuse, to try again. It is Love Shaped.

Ted Lasso is a coach to his team and a dad to a great little boy down in Kansas, and for Jamie Tartt he can try to fit on a third extra thing. Whatever that thing is called. Neither of them know what that thing is called. They’re too familiar with Coaches and too unfamiliar with Dads to know the difference.

#ted lasso #jamie tartt #good grief this is long #ted lasso rewatch

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ye-olde-sodor · 11 months

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Dream Canon Seasons and Episodes Pt 1 (Very long post)

So remember how I said the Dream Canon au was meant to be my take on a Thomas series? Well, here are the episodes! Seasons 1-5, with 50 episodes! I didn't expect this to be this long so I'm going to have to split this into two parts lol. This au is a mix of the RWS canon and the TV series canon, so keep that in mind. I'm also not too familiar with RWs canon, so if I get something wrong please let me know!

Season 1, 1981 (TL;DR Thomas goes to a Railway show)

Museum Piece: Thomas is invited to represent the NWR at York for the National Railway Muesum's Railway show. Seeing as how the railway is in a financial bind thanks to the long-delayed Beeching acts and other issues, He is sent there right away. In his rush to get there, he crashes into a crossing gate and has to get to the show another way.

Not the Ticket: A lorry is sent to take Thomas to York. While Thomas tries to tell him where to go, the arrogant Lorry insists that he knows the way. After hours of traveling, they stop at the wrong station and the driver runs of to call for directions, completely ignoring Thomas and his crew. After receiving a parking ticket, the driver finally gets Thomas to York.

Country Folk: Thomas's crew, Keith and Charlie, stay at a nearby hotel for the event. While there, they run into the crews of other famous engines, and they all become quick friends. They chat about the Flying Scotsman's tour to America, and how they're worried that he may never return. Keith recalls that Gordon is worried sick, and fears for his brother's safety. Mallard's crew, however, are confident in Scotsman's return.

Trouble on the Line: As Thomas is being repaired, he meets Green Arrow. The two become friends, and when the repairs are finished, they set out to start their first day together. All is well until a bag is thrown onto the tracks. Thomas breaks rapidly, and the sudden steam frightens a child. His furious mother complains to the manager, but Thomas is even more upset when his breaks are damaged. He is sent back for a quick repair.

Mallard and Thomas: While chatting with the Duchess of Hamilton before his Railtour with Green Arrow, Mallard arrives and gets into an argument with the two of them. Thomas disagrees with the engine hierarchy, while Mallard has a reverence for it. See "Know your Place" post here.

Thomas and the Railtour: A heavy rainstorm delays the Railtour. Once it clears, Thomas and Green Arrow double head the train. On the return run, Thomas warns Green Arrow of a section of corroded line up ahead, preventing a serious accident. Buses arrive to take the passengers home, and the two friends return to the sheds. Later, Thomas receives a special plaque from the National Railway Museum, making him an honorary member for his quick thinking.

Things that go Bump: Thomas meets two diesels named Paxton and Sidney, two older brothers to Diesel. Being big fans of the Railway Series, they ask him if he can show them some tips on shunting. He happily agrees, but while doing so accidently shoves the trucks too hard. They derail, and crash into Mallard, damaging his front. Thinking quickly, Paxton and Sidney make up a story about the trucks being from a runaway train. It works, and Thomas makes two more friends.

Ghost Stories: When a power outage takes out the shed lights, Thomas, Paton, Sidney, and Green Arrow all share their favorite ghost stories. Thomas told a tale of an engine who blew himself up in a failed attempt at revenge. Paxton told a tale about a haunted storage shed that housed horrors beyond comprehension. Sidney told a tale of a half steam, half diesel engine that went mad from its sheer power. The winner was obviously Green Arrow, who recalled a story of an old steelworks that traps engines to keep it running forever.

Rocky Rails: Green Arrow is called to help Thomas after an accident. Thomas only has minor damages, but only because he was a quick thinker. If he wasn't, he and his crew would've likely had much more severe, possibly lethal injuries. An officer states that the trucks are to blame for pushing Thomas, but they're not sentient. This raises suspicions for both engines, but they can't prove anything strange. They do, however, share the same feelings with Paxton and Sidney, who also suspect that something is wrong.

The Road Home: Thomas gets ready to leave back to Sodor. He says goodbye to all of his new friends, and heads for Tidmouth. Before he does though, he runs into Mallard again. He informs Thomas that he's been thinking of acquiring the island from Sir Topham Hatt and wants to save it from its financial burden…and from itself. Mallard explains again that Sodor is a lawless land, and that only he can save it from ruin. Thomas gets offended by this, and rushes back home to get away from him. After days of traveling, he finally arrives home, and is greeted by a massive "Welcome Home" party.

Season 2, 1982 (TL;DR Mallard launches his Master Plan)

Shake that Feeling: While Thomas' attendance at the show did help with publicity, the railway still suffers from the Beeching acts. Sir Stephen Topham Hatt the Third begins to question if he's a failure to his ancestors. Edward insists that he isn't and sets off to prove it with a survey. This backfires however, as many of the island's residents are displeased with how Stephen runs the railway and how the buses are much better. Edward decides not to show him this.

Family Ties: Gordon finally gets word about Scott...but is horrified to discover that the Americans sent one of Scott's trailing wheels to Doncaster. He screams in rage and agony over the loss of his last living brother, and the nation mourns the loss with him. All of Britain holds a memorial service and a National Day of Mourning. Mallard, after attending the funeral, leaves to get Scott's will in order. This angers Gordon beyond comprehension, and storms off back to the island.

The Good Old Days: A flashback episode that highlights Gordon's best moments with Scott. From when they were first built to the Great Railway Show of 1970, where Gordon beat Scott and reached 102 MPH. In 1979, Scott announced his tour to America, and set sail that same year. We cut back to Scott's funeral, and the outraged Gordon thundering down the line. As he goes into his shed, he looks around at the memorabilia scattered around it, and his eyes land on a family photo of him, Scott, and two of his older siblings. He breaks down even more as a storm surges on.

Gordon's Goods: Gordon refuses to pull the express and will only pull goods trains and shunting jobs. He can't go near the Mainland, not after the disrespect from Mallard. That, and because it reminds him so much of Scott. Reluctantly, Topham agrees to it, and has Diesel 10 pull the express in the meantime. He takes his first goods train without any major incidents but makes many mistakes. Sir Topham Hatt orders Edward to help refresh his memory.

Confusion and Delay: Word of Gordon's replacement spread rapidly through the island. Edward does his best to console his friend and helps him refresh himself with shunting and pulling goods. He helps Gordon through his loss by relating it to the loss of Boco, who disappeared and was presumed dead. Meanwhile, Mallard meets with Diesel 10 on the Mainland. While Mallard didn't plan for Gordon to be replaced, he uses this to his advantage. He tells 10 that he is responsible for him getting the express. This is just the beginning for him, a mere taste of what he has planned. He can give 10 whatever he wants so long as he goes along with his plans. 10 agrees to this despite his better judgement, and so Mallard takes 10 to his private shed to fill him in.

Confidence and Departures: That night, D/10 and two of Mallard's henchmen, Baz and Bernie Swindel, work to look for incriminating documents from Hatt's office. He was told by Mallard that there were rumors that most of the Sodor engines were illegally obtained and wants to see if it's true. When the men can't find the documents, they fear that they're at the Hatt's house. Just when they're about to leave, one of them catches glimpse of a hidden compartment under Hatt's desk. Opening it reveals multiple hidden documents, proving the myth. They leave the papers and quickly flee and head back to Mallard.

Ring around the Rosie: Rosie is working at Vickerstown to cover Diesel, who's engine recently failed. As she's working, she overhears D/10 talking to Mallard. The two are discussing what they found, and Mallard is ecstatic. Now, when Mallard gets the police to search the office, they can find that evidence and can use it against Hatt. Rosie doesn't understand what they're talking about, but she knows that Topham is in trouble, so she tries to flee to warn him. She's spotted by Mallard, and he yells at the other diesels in the yard to stop her. They do so and trap her in a shed. Mallard orders them to not let her go and continues with his plan.

Pockets full of Posies: The Police receive word from an anonymous tip that Topham Hatt has been handing out forged documents and committing tax fraud, so they get a warrant to investigate the claim. While they don't find the tax fraud, they do find the hidden compartment with the secret documents. They arrest him and bring him before a court. The court finds him and the Hatt Administration guilty of their business practices and the theft of several engines. As part of a plea deal, Hatt escapes jail time, but he's given a large fine and is ordered to either return the stolen engines or pay for compensation.

Ashes, Ashes: Topham is oust as controller due to the controversy, and has to pay the fine on his own, placing him on the verge of bankruptcy. He refuses to let the engines he saved be scrap, so he pays the compensations he owns. The island is enraged by this, the engines moreso then the humans. Before BR can pick their own controller, Mallard arrives to make a suggestion. He wishes to purchase the island and wants to modernize it in accordance with BR's standards. BR allows the purchase, as they wish to see Sodor modernized as well. After this, he orders for Rosie to be released, and cruelly tells her that he's already won.

We all Fall Down: The news of Mallard's purchase immediately horrifies the engines, especially Thomas. Arguments over the issue start, but Thomas remains silent. Before anyone can do anything else, Mallard arrives with the Vickarstown Diesels. He announces the new controller and the "Renovation" project that will see many improvements to the island. The malicious diesels smirk and smile at this while the more friendly ones look nervous, causing the steam engines to feel uneasy. Gordon, even more enraged, demands to know what Mallard is planning. He responds by saying he's going to help the island and wants to fix it and leaves it at that. He tells everyone to get some rest for tomorrow, as it will be a very busy few years.

Season 3 1983 (TL;DR Mallard the Master Manipulator)

First Impressions: The new controller, a man named John Skiff, arrives to give the engines their jobs. James is given a passenger job, while Henry is to pull goods trains as usual. Thomas is to go to Tidmouth to serve as a Pilot engine. He argues about his branch line jobs, to which John states that it is now Diesel's branch line. The sheds are stunned at this, and Thomas tries to argue further, but John shuts him up and threatens to take him to Mallard if he continues to argue. When the sheds fall quiet again, he lists off the rest of the jobs. Percy is to go to Diesel's branch line, Edward is to remain in the sheds for "reasons", James is to go to Tidmouth to test run a passenger train, and Gordon is to be taken to the works to be cleaned and repainted. The engines go to do their jobs, with all of them having mixed feelings about it all.

Percy and Diesel: When Percy gets to Farquar, he sees Diesel and Toby discussing the sudden changes. Percy joins in and tells them that Thomas is equally upset about it as they are, and Diesel agrees with him. He never wanted Thomas' line or his jobs; he was happy with what he had. Now he's worried Thomas would hate him for this. Percy and Toby don't want to admit it, but he's right. Thomas has been known for being possessive of his jobs due to the competition he faced on his past railway. His jealousy and need for job stability was practically built into him! They comfort Diesel as best as they can, and the three friends head out to do their jobs.

The Red Rocket: While James is happy to be back on passenger lines, he hates that it came to the expense of everyone else. After his run, he runs into Mallard, and decides to talk to him. He states that he's honored that such a glorious engine like him is in charge, but he feels as though his friends are being overlooked. Mallard responds by saying that their time will come, but for now, James is the star of the show. He's the most important right now, as he is the brand-new tourist attraction, The Red Rocket. By playing into James' low self-esteem, Mallard gets him to go along with his plans and to "enjoy himself" with the special. Even when James agrees to it, he can't help but feel dirty about it.

Henry and the Bear: Henry is struggling to keep up with all of his extra jobs, so Bear offers to help him. Mallard sees this and decides to let Bear help Henry. The two work in near perfect sync and are able to get the trains on time and were ahead of Mallard's schedule. Henry is grateful for the help, and the two form a partnership. Mallard takes Henry aside and tells him that he can't rely on others for his jobs forever. He can accept help for now, but he expects him to improve and to get better at his job. After all, Henry is the strongest here, isn't he? Or is he still that weak and sickly engine? Maybe Bear should take his place instead. Henry, not wanting to be compared to his old self, strives to do better, to be better, then any diesel on this island!

Edward's Dog Days: Edward is nervous that he's finally being scrapped, replaced, or worse...placed in a static display at a museum. He nearly jumps off the tracks at the thought of it. John finds Edward literally shaking in place when he's arrived to tell him that he's getting overhauled. Once he explains this to Edward, he finally settles down and starts to think reasonably. He has been overdue for an overhaul for some time now. Little does he know that Mallard is planning to sell Edward to a museum owner on the Mainland. After all, Edward is over 100 years old, and has no place on this new modern railway unless he's in a display case! (Disclaimer, Mallard is completely unaware that Percy is older than Edward lmao. He lets the others stay since he needs steam engines for his heritage lines and tourist trains later on). Edward is sent away to Crewe to get his overhaul the next day.

Toby's Troubles: Toby is worried about what might happen to Henrietta and the other coaches. Diesel senses that something is off with Toby, so he asks him what's bothering him. When he does, him and Diesel devise a plan to save them. In the event that Mallard does plan to replace them, Toby and Diesel will bring the coaches to Toby's old line to keep them safe. If that place fails, then they'll take them to a hidden shed on the Mainland. While this helps calms Toby, he still fears for his safety and the safety of his friends. He decides to spend as much time as he can with Henrietta and his friends as much as he can, nearly forfeiting his work. Mallard takes notice of this and plans to have Toby and his coach scrapped in secret.

Percy's New Friends: Percy finds himself working with inexperienced Mainland diesels as more and more stem engines are being displaced from their normal jobs. He gets nervous about this and demands to know what exactly Mallard is planning. Mallard states that he wants to protect the older steam engines from harm by placing them on new Heritage lines. Percy asks if he means new Heritage lines on the island, or on a different railway. Mallard states that it all depends on how well they perform. But this shouldn't be a problem for the Percy. The one-of-a-kind Percy. The splendid little Percy who can take charge when called to action. Surely he can prove himself, can't he? Percy, now terrified for his safety, strives to prove himself to Mallard, and starts to help the Mainland diesels and befriend as many as he can.

Gordon's Day Off: Gordon is at the works getting a visual overhaul. He's showered in water, covered in facial lotions and makeup, had his paint completely redone. He hates every minute of it. Just then, Mallard arrives to see Gordon. He's ecstatic to see Gordon in his new "Shooting Star" Livery and can't wait for the smoke deflectors to arrive. Gordon is confused by what he means, and Mallard explains that he ordered Gordon some custom smoke deflectors for him to match his livery, and they should be here soon. Before Gordon can object to it, he's cut off by Mallard, who states that he's going to have Gordon take a new excusive, very expensive, VIP tourist train that has state of the art luxuries and newly renovated coaches. The train will be fit for the queen herself! Surely Gordon wouldn't want to upset her royal highness? Or even Scott's legacy? Again, before Gordon can call out his hypocrisy, he bids Gordon farewell as he has other matters to attend to. Gordon fumes as he leaves, before he is pampered by the workers again.

Thomas and Duck: Thomas is furious at the whole situation. He's also mad at the diesels for taking the majority of the jobs. He sulks about it as he sees Duck in the station. He's here to teach Thomas how to be a "proper" Station Pilot, as it's been years since he was one. Mallard is standing by and is watching the two of them closely. As Duck is teaching Thomas, he explains that he should be honored to be working for an engine like Mallard, as it's the right thing for an engine to do. Enraged that Duck would just blindly follow Mallard causes him to lose his temper with both Duck and Mallard. He berates the two engines, Mallard more so than Duck, and while doing so derails and causes a fire. Duck and his crew quickly take control of the situation and puts out the fire using the water from Thomas's boiler. Mallard is impressed with Duck's quick thinking, and reassigns Duck to be the station Pilot, and orders Thomas to be taken to the sheds. He'll have a word with him later.

Thomas and Mallard: Mallard arrives at Tidmoth sheds, where he finds a beaten up Thomas all alone. He explains that Thomas' protests and attitude have gone on for long enough. Not only has he disrespected his authority, but now he's caused a fire at Tidmouth by throwing a temper tantrum! Thomas stands his ground, saying that Mallard is nothing but a tyrant, but Mallard is unimpressed. He tells him that he will be sent to Mallard's Camp on the Mainland until he decides to be useful again. Thomas, seeing that he's already in trouble, throws caution to the wind and calls Mallard out on everything. The argument with Duchess, the purchase of the island, the modernization plans (that were weakly disguised as a restoration project), and for completely uprooting their lives and what the island stood for. He even lands a few hits on Mallard's buffers! Even more enraged, the two fight until Henry returns to the sheds. Mallard orders Henry to take Thomas to Crewe and to keep him there.

Season 4 1984 ( TL;DR oh no it's the Orwell year. You know what that means-)

Reunion: Thomas and Henry arrive at Crewe, where they bump into a wheelless Edward. The three of them catch up and explain what has happened and what Mallard has been doing. Edward tells Henry that he has to pass the word onto the others about what happened to Thomas. Henry agrees but says that he'll have to play it smart as Mallard will try to stop him. He leaves for Sodor, but not before he says goodbye to the father and son duo. Thomas promises that he'll be back when he can, and Edward assures him that he'll be back as soon as his wheels are reattached.

Tying Up Loose Ends: When Henry returns, he isn't performing as well as he should, mainly due to everything that has happened. Mallard sees this and he uses this as an excuse to get rid of him as he sees him as a threat to his plans. He knows that by sending Henry and Thomas to Crewe, they would've swapped information with Edward. Henry has become a liability to his plans. He orders for Henry to be sent away to "That" Steelworks on the Mainland on the grounds that he needs to hone his skills more. Henry tries to protest, but he's quickly towed away by a loyal Spamcan.

Home Away from Home: As Henry is being towed to The Steelworks, he passes by Mallard's camp and decides to check in on Thomas. Spamcan has to take a break anyways, so they make a stop there. When the two meet, Thomas is ecstatic to see him again, but gets worried when Henry says where he's going. He tells Henry that no one escapes from there. Henry promises to get out of there and to come back for him and Edward. After staying overnight, Spamcan and Herny set out, but not before Henry tells Thomas to stay strong. Thomas affirms this, saying that Mallard can't scare him into listening, and he tells Henry the same.

The Hottest Place in Town: Henry arrives at the Steelworks, and Spamcan drops him off. He welcomes Henry to "his new home" and speeds off. As Henry enters, he sees hundreds of engines, old and new, working in the yard and in the building. He meets the owners, Frankie and Hurricane, and they explain that they save and preserve engines and put them to work. They become part of the family, so to speak. They like to challenge the engines to better themselves (something that Henry loves to do) while keeping them safe. Henry is excited by this, but remembers Thomas' warning, so he stays cautious. They show him around the place and introduce him to some of his new coworkers, such as Lexi, Theo, Merlin, and Beresford the onsite crane. They show him to his shed and say that he'll start work in the morning.

Old Ties: As Henry begins working at the Steelworks, he can't help but feel unnerved by how overly happy and friendly everyone is. So far he likes the challenge but feels that they're a bit harsh with the limited breaks. He quickly runs into even more friendly faces…and some familiar ones. 87546, or Vic as he's now called, has completely changed from when he was last seen. Henry also runs into 98462, a rude engine who was sold years ago. Both engines had become overly friendly, optimistic, and passive in a creepy turn of events. Henry finds the transformations in the engines odd and disturbing and begins to wonder if the same could happing to him.

Familiar Faces: Henry's fears of the Steelworks become valid when he re-discovers Boco, an engine who was presumed dead after a long absence. He too is overly optimistic like the others, and can't imagine leaving the Steelworks despite his worn out condition. Henry confronts Frankie about this, and she conforms that this tends to happen with engines that stay here for so long. Henry informs her that Boco was stolen from the NWR, and that they must return him. She says that they knew that, as they were the ones that stole him. They lock Henry into the Steelworks and announce to everyone that they have a new "Steel Brother" in the family, and everyone cheers. Henry realizes that he needs to form a plan to get him and Boco out of here.

Worn Out Places: Henry tries to convince Boco that they need to escape to Sodor, but he hasn't had much luck. Boco is treated as an equal here. Unlike on Sodor, all of the steam engines here treat him well, not just a handful of them. Henry argues that he has friends over on Sodor that miss him, especially Edward and the Bee twins. It's the mention of Edward that gets Boco to help Henry. They plan to use a flatbed as a battering ram to open the gates and to run to Sodor. When night falls, they see that the gates have more security than usual, and so they have to plan their escape another night.

Runaways: After weeks of being trapped, Henry finally sees his chance at getting out. He grabs a flatbed, has Boco coupled up behind him, and they prepare for the escape. They ram the gates and quickly head off as an alarm goes off. Boco spies three of the Steelworkers tailing them, so Henry takes a risk and turns sharply. The plan works, and one of the diesels derails and traps the other two. Henry and Boco hide out in a siding until morning, and they head to Sodor. Boco insists that they tell someone about the Steelworks, and while Henry agrees, he explains that they have to help the island before they can help anyone else. The episode ends with Frankie and Hurricane contacting UK authorities to report two dangerous engines on the run, and that they must be returned to their steelworks for "everyone's safety". They offer a cash prize to anyone who can catch them and return them.

Home Stretch: When Henry and Boco near Sodor, the police recognize them as the criminals that Frankie and Hurricane described and go to arrest them. Boco tries to explain the situation, but Henry gets the two of them away from the station. As he's running away, two mainland diesels try to trap them, but they fail spectacularly. The pair go back to the station at night, and quickly rush over the bridge to Sodor. Instead of going to the sheds, they hide in Henry's forest until things can calm down.

A Mile in my Shoes: Word of Henry and Boco being wanted engines spreads through the Uk and Sodor. Gordon is completely flabbergasted that Boco is still alive, as well as everyone else. He's also more concerned with Henry and what they could have possibly done to gain a warrant. Gordon, being the smart engine he is, figures out that they must've gone against Mallard and BR somehow. He goes to Henry's forest to be alone with his thoughts, only to bump into Henry and Boco. They explain what happened and Gordon is outraged by what Mallard and the Steelworks had done. He vows to keep them a secret, and vows to get the Island back from Mallard. Before they can object to the plan, Gordon runs off, leaving them behind. Without much choice, they stay in place.

Season 5 1985 (TL;DR Gordon starts a riot)

The Friend of My Enemy: Gordon sets out to get as much info on how Mallard is running the island as possible. He asks the workmen, who refer to the diesels who work for him. He confronts them about Mallard and, to his dismay, finds Diesel 10 defending him. Topham's bias towards the diesels was obvious, so when Mallard promised them proper care and respect, they supported him. He's kept his promise, and so they'll keep their end of the deal. Gordon, feeling betrayed by his friend, asks if he can at least tell him how Mallard runs the island. 10 refuses to do so, in fear of Gordon sabotaging Mallard's plans. Feeling even more betrayed, Gordon argues that Mallard's methods are causing harm to his friends. 10 takes this the wrong way and gets aggressive with him, damaging his buffers. Gordon storms off, leaving both former friends hurt in more ways than one.

James and Gordon: After Gordon's buffers are repaired, he runs into James in his new "Red Rocket" livery similar to the Duchess of Hamilton's. Gordon argues that they shouldn't be bullied by Mallard and should be helping Topham get his railway back. James argues that they've been doing great since Mallard took charge, and even if they could, they don't know how to help Hatt. Stumpt, Gordon and James decide that the only way to beat Mallard is to play his game and learn as much as they can about his plans. Then, when the home is right, form a team that's willing to stand up against him...and Gordon knows exactly who to recruit.

The Enemy of my Friend: In secret, Gordon recruits Bear and Diesel into his plan, While James recruits Toby and Emily. When James tries to recruit Percy, he refuses, saying that going against Mallard is ridiculous, and that they should absolutely not, under any circumstances, sneak around John Skiff's office at 3 am next to the abandoned shed at Tidmouth. James thanks Percy for the info and passes it to Gordon. While he's shocked that he would know such a thing, the team takes the info and plans to use it in the future.

Edward the Museum Piece Pt 1: Edward is finally finished and is told that he'll be sent to Darlington Railway Centre and Museum. Edward panics and insists that there's been a mistake, but two diesels come to take him away. For the entire trip, Edward sobs and is heartbroken that he'll never see his family again. His crying finally causes one of the drivers to snap, and as they stop at a station, he wraps a large cloth over his face for the rest of the journey. They arrive to the museum in the morning, and they remove the cloth. As Edward is shunted into the museum, he looks at the various exhibits that house old parts of engines, a model railway of what he could only assume was Stockton & Darlington Railway, and a fake station. Soon he's rolled onto a large shed in the middle of the room with 5 other engines.

Edward the Museum Piece Pt2: The engines welcome Edward to their fleet and introduce themselves. There's Derwent the clever 0-6-0, Dean the impressionable 2-4-0, Bolt the bold 0-8-0, Gasglow the timid BR class 37, and Finally, there's No. 1, who is a replica that convinced everyone (and himself) that he's the original. They welcome Edward to their Fleet and encourage him to "relax and get rid of all his sorrows". Afterall, he doesn't have to do anything here! Just smile and answer questions from the tourists! It's the perfect Paradice! No work, no workplace drama, and they're properly maintained and cleaned! Sure, they've been out of service for so long that they've forgotten their pasts, but they like it here more than their old place anyways! Edward screams internally.

Percy and The Diesels: Percy is quickly rising the ranks in the Diesel hierarchy, mainly due to his kind nature towards them. This catches D/10's interest, and he challenges Percy for leadership of the Vickarstown Fleet. Percy won the Popular vote and the shunting contest, but 10 won the strength and speed contests. In order to break the tie, a fight is to be held. Diesel tries to get Percy to forfeit, but he insists that he's got this. True to his word, Percy uses his size and clever thinking to his advantage and wins by tricking 10 into derailing, ending the fight. 10 declares him the winner and congratulates him, much to everyone's surprise. Later, Percy takes his place as the new leader, and starts his own master plan and agenda.

The Indignity: Gordon and D/10 run into each other again. With the two of them more levelheaded this time, Gordon again tries to convince him that Mallard is only doing more harm then good. Mallard is only using the Diesels as a tool, and once he has what he wants, he'll abandon them. He also tells 10 that he's regressing back into his past self. 10 ignores this and explains that, while he does agree with him to some degree, Mallard treats the diesels with respect and helps them right away. Gordon agrees that Hatt was biased, but he would've fixed it had he been told about it. The two fail to rekindle the friendship, and Gordon sets off to gather his team to start his strike. 10, meanwhile, gathers supplies for Percy's plan.

Viva La Retaliation Pt 1: Gordon confronts Mallard about his actions by beginning a strike. Himself, James, Toby, Bear, Diesel, and Emily declare a strike at Tidmouth, and demand an audience with Mallard. He arrives, and each of the engines list their demands. Mallard promptly ignores this and orders for everyone to return to their work or they'll be sent away. The engines stand their ground, but after John calls in for D/10 and others to send them to the scrap yard, the strike falls apart. Gordon tells his friends to stand down for their own sake.

Viva La Retaliation Pt 2: After the failure of Gordon's strike, Mallard determines that his judgement is too clouded by grief to make the best decisions for himself and others. He orders for the others to return to their work and to wait for their punishments. He then orders for 10 to deliver Gordon to his camp on the Mainland immediately. Gordon tries to resist being taken away, but this only proves Mallard's point to the public. 10 eventually couples up to him and drags him to the Mainland.

Double Stab: While on their way to Mallard's camp, 10 finally realizes that Gordon was right. Not just about Mallard but about himself. He tells Gordon everything he knows about Mallard's plan (Henry's journey, Edward's placement in the museum, and Thomas in Mallard's camp), and explains that Percy is planning a full-scale revolution with the help of the diesels. He explains that Percy promised to give the diesels the same benefits from Mallard but better, and that he'll keep Hatt in line if they help him get back in office. Gordon has a hard time believing it, but he'll take what he can get. They arrive at the camp at midnight and (awkwardly) wish each other good luck.

#ttte dc au #ttte #ttte au #good grief this is long #ttte thomas #ttte edward #ttte henry #ttte gordon #ttte james #ttte percy #ttte toby #ttte duck #ttte diesel #ttte diesel 10 #ttte bear #ttte mallard #ttte emily #John skiff is sailor John btw #idk if Baz and Bernie have last names so I just came up with my own lol

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petricorah · 1 month

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scenes i loved from Real Enough to Get Me Through by @marriedzukka <333 [ids in alt]

#zukka #zukka fanart #sokka #sokka fanart #zuko #zuko fanart #atla #atla fanart #avatar the last airbender #zukka fic rec #myart #yall. yall. dani. this FIC #first off it made me cry twice. not like 'oh im crying' internet speak no. like. eyes are too blurry to read let me stop this for a sec #it is SO GOOD #your prose? amazing #your insights on grief? life changing #THEM??? THEM their relationship and trust #'zuko looked at him and his world shifted on its axis'#ive been thinking about that line for WEEKS STRAIGHT #i can't tell you how many passages i screenshot just because of how beautiful or cute they were #the moment of seeing the painting of sokka's mom? how did you manage to make it so telling character wise--so sweet so PAINful AND so #cute with their relationship?!!?!#'oh so you think i'm beautiful too'#GOD #i had so many scenes i wanted to draw it was crazy #also #'Our loved ones leave impressions on us that can still impact our decisions and feelings even after they're gone'#fuck. had me crying AGAIN #seriously this fic is so wonderful and not just through a zukka lens. truly life changing you're an AMAZING writer #the fandom is so lucky to have you and i can't Believe it took me so long to get around to reading this masterpiece

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ruporas · 6 months

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feast (ID in alt)

#vashwood #vash the stampede #nicholas d wolfwood #trigun #trigun maximum #tw blood #im posting this so late because october escaped me Suddenly.. hello....#i wanted to make it a photoset with this other vampire vw wip but i don't think i'm finishing it any time soon and the mood of it is #completely different anyway. also i don't think i ever shared anything about my vampire au on here !!! it's all old art by now so im shy lo #but maybe i'll do a photodump of it. long story short vash is a vampire since birth and ww is a human vampire hunter that turns during thei #travels together due to EoM experiments + getting vash to drink from him at some point.#humans turn once they get bitten but bc ww has been experimented on #& got bitten by a bunch of human turned vampires thruout his hunts he thought it wouldn't be a problem for vash to drink from him but alas.#theyre both ok though theyre traveling together definitely not hating themselves for what theyve become and feeling guilty for what theyve #done to each other. theyre completely normal about it. the biting part is really appealing to me in vampire aus so i draw it a lot but #in reality vash only drank from ww once and ww mightve done it twice under the realization he might actually die otherwise #since he wont drink from humans after being turned.... he's combatting the 5 stages of grief at all times #if this is all nonsense im sorry DMGKSDF I'M NOT good at explaining and this au came from nowhere in the depths of my mind its a mess #ruporas art

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obsob · 8 months

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beloved!!!

#neither of these characters r women >:3 #mine #fan art #rote #fitz and the fool #fitzloved #realm of the elderlings #i was screaming reading golden fool let me tell you that. 'you thought i was bringing you flowers?' fitz what if i bit you #i am on . fools fate now. oh dear #after this im gonna. wait a long time before reading fitz and fool trilogy...good lord #also. u would not believe the amount of GRIEF. this drawing gave me. ive been staring at colour variations for like an hour #th pose is based off an Artus Scheiner drawing i saw n was like. thats fitzloved #i hvent read liveship traders i know i know. smite me down. listen. i dont care for boats i really dont.#i started reading it n was like i dont respect any of these people and then. stopped skdfbsdk #anyway. why is it 30 degrees. relax. its cooler next week thank god. this better b th last of th heat or im gna start biting

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starry-bi-sky · 1 month

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i need to get this out of my head before i continue clone^2 but danny being the first batkid. Like, standard procedure stuff: his parents and sister die, danny ends up with Vlad Masters. He drags him along to stereotypical galas and stuff; Danny is not having a good time.

He ends up going to one of the Wayne Galas being hosted ever since elusive Bruce Wayne has returned to Gotham. Vlad is crowing about having this opportunity as he's been wanting to sink his claws into the company for a long while now. Danny is too busy grieving to care what he wants.

And like most Galas, once Vlad is done showing him off to the other socialites and the like, he disappears. Off to a dark corner, or to one of the many balconies; doesn't matter. There he runs into said star of the show, Bruce who is still young, has been Batman for at least a year at this point, but still getting used to all these damn people and socializing. He's stepped off to hide for a few minutes before stepping back into the shark tank.

And he runs into a kid with circles under his eyes and a dull gleam in them. Familiar, like looking into a mirror.

Danny tries to excuse himself, he hasn't stopped crying since his parents died and it's been months. He rubs his eyes and stands up, and stumbles over a half-hearted apology to Mister Wayne. Some of Vlad's etiquette lessons kicking in.

Bruce is awkward, but he softens. "That's alright, lad," he says, pulling up some of that Brucie Wayne confidence, "I was just coming out here to get some fresh air."

There's a little pressing; Bruce asks who he's here with, Danny says, voice quiet and grief-stricken, that he's with his godfather Vlad Masters. Bruce asks him if he knows where he is, and Danny tells him he does. Bruce offers to leave, Danny tells him to do whatever he wants.

It ends with Bruce staying, standing off to the side with Danny in silence. Neither of them say a word, and Danny eventually leaves first in that same silence.

Bruce looks into Vlad Masters after everything is over, his interest piqued. He finds news about him taking in Danny Fenton: he looks into Danny Fenton. He finds news articles about his parents' deaths, their occupations, everything he can get his hands on.

At the next gala, he sees Danny again. And he looks the same as ever: quiet like a ghost, just as pale, and full of grief. Bruce sits in silence with him again for nearly ten minutes before he strikes a conversation.

"Do you like to do anything?"

Nothing. Just silence.

Bruce isn't quite sure what to do: comfort is not his forte, and Danny doesn't know him. He's smart enough to know that. So he starts talking about other things; anything he can think of that Brucie Wayne might say, that also wasn't inappropriate for a kid to hear.

Danny says nothing the entire time, and is again the first to leave.

Bruce watches from a distance as he intercts with Vlad Masters; how Vlad Masters interacts with him. He doesn't like what he sees: Vlad Masters keeps a hand on Danny's shoulder like one would hold onto the collar of a dog. He parades him around like a trophy he won.

And there are moments, when someone gets too close or when someone tries to shake Danny's hand, of deep possessiveness that flints over Vlad Masters' eyes. Like a dragon guarding a horde.

He plays the act of doting godfather well: but Bruce knows a liar when he sees one. Like recognizes like.

Danny is dull-eyed and blank faced the entire time; he looks miserable.

So Bruce tries to host more parties; if only so that he can talk to Danny alone. Vlad seems all too happy to attend, toting Danny along like a ribbon, and on the dot every hour, Danny slips away to somewhere to hide. Bruce appears twenty minutes later.

"I was looking into your godfather's company," he says one night, trying to think of more things to say. Some nights all they do is sit in silence. "Some of my shareholders were thinking of partnering up--"

"Don't."

He stops. Danny hardly says a word to him, he doesn't even look at him -- he's sitting on the ground, his head in his knees. Like he's trying to hide from the world. But he's looking, blue eyes piercing up at Bruce.

Bruce tilts his head, practiced puppy-like. "Pardon?"

"Don't." Danny says, strongly. "Don't make any deals with Vlad."

It's the most words Danny's spoken to him, and there's a look in his eyes like a candle finding its spark. Something hard. Bruce presses further, "And why is that?"

The spark flutters, and flushes out. Danny blinks like he's coming out of a trance, and slumps back into himself. "Just don't."

Bruce stares at him, thoughtful, before looking away. "Alright. I won't."

And they fall back into silence.

Danny, when he leaves, turns to look at Bruce, "I mean it." He says; soft like he's telling a secret, "Don't make any deals with him. Don't be alone with him. Don't work with him."

He's scampered away before Bruce can question him further.

(He never planned on working with Vlad Masters and his company; he's done his research. He's seen the misfortune. But nothing ever leads back to him. There's no evidence of anything. But Danny knows something.)

At their next meeting, Danny starts the conversation. It's new, and it's welcomed. He says, cutting through their five minute quiet, that he likes stars. And he doesn't like that he can't see them in Gotham.

Bruce hums in interest, and Danny continues talking. It's as if floodgates had been opened, and as Bruce takes a sip of his wine, it tastes like victory.

("Tucker told me once--") ("Tucker?") ("Oh-- uh, one of my best friends. He's a tech geek. We haven't talked in a while.")

(Danny shut down in his grief -- his friends are worried, but can't reach him. When he goes back to the manor with Vlad, he fishes out his phone and sends them a message.)

(They are ecstatic to hear from him.)

It all culminates until one day, when Danny is leaving to go back inside, that Bruce speaks up. "You know," He says, leaning against the railing. "The manor has many rooms; plenty of space for a guest."

The implication there, hidden between the lines. And Danny is smart, he looks at Bruce with a sharp glean in his eyes, and he nods. "Good to know."

The next time they see each other, Danny has something in his hands. "Can you hold onto something for me?" He asks.

When Bruce agrees, Danny places a pearl into his palm. or, at least, it's something that looks like a pearl. Because it's cold to the touch; sinking into Bruce's white silk gloves with ease and shimmering like an opal. It moves a little as it settles into his hand, and the moves like its full of liquid.

Bruce has never seen anything like it before, but he does know this; it's not human. "What is it?" He asks, and Danny looks uncomfortable.

"I can't tell you that." He says, shifting on his foot like he's scared of someone seeing it. "But please be careful with it. Treat it like it's extremely fragile."

When Bruce gets home, he puts it in an empty ring box and hides the box in the cave. He tries researching into what it is. he can't find anything concrete.

Everything comes to a head one day when Danny appears at the manor's doorstep one evening, soaking wet in the rain, and bleeding from the side.

#dpxdc #dp x dc #danny fenton is not the ghost king #dpxdc crossover #dpdc #dp x dc crossover #dpxdc prompt #man i just really need more dpdc stuff where danny and bruce have a good relationship. like man i NEED it. like i need to see these two #bonding together. and not in a cracky 'oh danny is a distant friend/cousin/etc' stuff but like. active participants in each other's lives #or as active as can be in this case. i neeeeed these two getting along and caring about one another #this idea came to me like last night and hasn't left since nd it was driving me up the wall to think about both positively and negatively b #i neeeded someone to hear about this or i was gonna implode #danny is the first son #tried to just get the general gist of the idea down but i definitely thought of the idea that bruce lowkey suspects vlad for having a hand #Vlad allows Danny to sneak off because he thinks Danny is alone. if he knew Bruce was there he'd be piiisssed and would put a stop to it #Sam and Tucker are alive they just got ghosted for a bit by danny bc he was in Major Grief and didn't wanna socialize. He couldn't go to #them because he didn't wanna put them in danger via Vlad.#oh that thing he handed Bruce? Yeah that's his ghost core. I have a headcanon (that isnt always applied) that ghosts can take their cores #out of their bodies at will and painlessly and without issue. and its common practice actually to do so bc they can be a not insignificant #distance away from said core before problems start to act up. and its common for ghosts to leave their physical cores at their lairs for #safekeeping because as long as the physical core is fine: so is the ghost. they can reform if their body gets destroyed. it also acts as a #fast travel sometimes. where they can reform at their core in an instant. its not inspired in the slightest by SU but i do see the overlap #most cores are pretty small for safety sake: its harder to hit if its small. and they're pr resilient too but its better to be safe than #sorry. so yeah. danny essentially gave bruce the physical embodiment of his soul and indirectly said #'if anything happens to me at least i'll be safe with you'#danny doesn't know he's batman btw #starry rambles.#was gonna go into danny becoming a vigilante beside bruce but im sleeeepy so i'll do that in a reblog. he's gonna go by nightingale if #anyone is interested. stereotypical but to be frank it is a *good* name imo. has a good amount of syllables and consonants to it #and the bird theme. and since its part of an ancestral name it has even more backing for it being bird-y without being meta

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