#i always want to skip this episode in rewatches and never do
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aaron "if anything happens to her, i will destroy you, you can count on that" hotchner
#cm rewatch#cm 6x18#hotchniss#i always want to skip this episode in rewatches and never do#i love pain and suffering#and wanting to punch derek morgan in the weiner
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My 6 favourite Scorptra + some little scenes I love
1. "You do care, don't tou?"
The scene that made Catra fully realize that she's not alone and that there is still someone who love her more than anything. Catra was everything for Scorpia.
And the most important thing is that Catra does the most selfless thing she could done: she refuses of Scorpia's help and doesn't let Scorpia set her free, bc she knows it can cause Scorpia troubles and she doesn't want to put Scorpia in the same situation. She doesn't want to be Like Shadow Weaver and doesn't want Scorpia to suffer bc of her.
2. "We could, you know, be happy"
Catra was so stupid for not leaving with Scorpia and Ill stay by it. Also there is no "one-sided" explanation for this. Anyone who says Catra never loved Scorpia, litterally just skipped the entire episode. They were SO in love!
Especially considering the fact that they were suppose to kiss each other at that scene ans I will never forgive Nate for removimg it
3. "You saved me?"
The moment when Catra's feelings for Scorpia startes to grow up. It's when Catra realize that Scorpia saved her, no matter what. Even tho Catra ordered Scorpia not to break the technology, Scorpia did it, bc it would save Catra. She disobeyed the order to protect her and you can read in Catra's eyes that she was shocked that she was THAT dear for someone. It makes even more sence when you remember Catra's words about Adora "You never protected me. Not in any way that would put you on SW's bad side". (no blame for Adora, she's still the best girl ofc) but the thing is that Adora wouldn't disobey to protect Catra from SW, but Scorpia did it and not once. Scorpia truly loved Catra and she would always do everything to protect her.
4. "I will always be there for you"
Even tho Catra doesn't want to ask anyone for help and wants to do everything alone, Scorpia still makes her tell the situation to resolve it together. Bc that's what friends do, Catra doesn't have to deal with this alone.
5. "You're a princess??"
Whatever the cat is this?? They were so iconic in the prom episode!
At first Catra was sympathetic with someone for the first time in the show lol. She asked Scorpia (to ask actually) to go to the prom together! It's already pretty romantic, but have you seen the rest of the scenes?
Also the screenboard where Catra zips Scorpia up lol (they really didn't have to remove it)
6. "We're making a good team!"
Uhhh, just look at them here! They litterally THE girlfriends! Catra never was so flirty with anyone. She blushes as Amity lol. And just look at these EYES!!!
Now heart-breaking scenes, cuz Im evil. S4 was so sad and for what? Im crying...
But since Im not THAT bad, here are some sweet scenes again! Cuz they're still cuties (it was a crime not to give us them in s5 btw, Ill never forgive Nate for this) <3
Protective gfs ever!
I really love Scorptra even after so many years. I need someone to rewatch she-ra with!!!
#catra x scorpia#scorpia x catra#Scorpia#Catra#She-ra#shera#Spop#she ra and the princesses of power#she ra season 3#Scorptra#Anti catradora#anti shera#Anti spop#anti c//a#We NEEDED Scorptra to be endgame and Ill die on that hill!
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I was rewatching s2 last night, and ohhh man mk looks over mei so much it's not even funny. times mei has been ignored:
maybe you need to really listen! (during the blindfold ep)
mk just? grabs stuff she's using out of her hands all the time? (video game ep)
maybe you shouldn't skip the tutorials? (video game ep again)
the way he addresses her in dumpling destruction and then immediately pushes her aside for tang
i honestly remember it lowkey kinda bothering me on first watch but now it's REALLY egregious on rewatch. are you scared? I'm so scared. do you WANT to end up like shadowpeach MK
2x03 is so rude because the whole fucking episode they're like "MK you don't listen" and it's so true. He doesn't. Pigsy literally points it out again at the end of 4x14 with the whole sun screen bit:
Pigsy: "Tch, don't bother, I've been telling him that for years but he LITERALLY never listens."
Sun Wukong: "Yep! That's how we role."
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THEY'RE SO FUCKING RUDE. "That's how we role." We. We????? Wukong and MK???? Like WHATEVER. FINE. (("I told you going against the Jade Emperor was a bad idea, but no. Wukong doesn't listen to ANYONE! He just does whatever he wants" Like shut up. Shut up!))
MK gets so stuck in his own head ("You're all stuck up in your own head! None of this is your fault!" +1 to the MK ignoring Mei counter from 4x08) and I think that really contributes to his s2 scramble to get more powerful.
LIKE:
MK: "Stop? Now? Never! I just have to try harder. It's just like the Monkey King said! *laughs manically* I just need to get stronger!"
(2x06 Game On)
VS
MK: "Why didn't he just stop, right here? He was already so much stronger than anyone ever needed to be!"
Macaque: "Wukong didn't think so, he always felt he had to be stronger—more immortal."
(4x11 A Lifetime of Mistakes)
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(Bonus thing between eps 2x03 and 2x06, look at 0:42 in this video for MK hearing Mei but not listening to her. Because of course that's what he would do. *head in my hands .png*)
The terrible s2 choices both Wukong and MK make in relation to their friends is just absolutely delicious after 4x11. Like, OH. This has been a lifelong pattern of Wukong's—paranoia is one of his fatal flaws (paired with his terrible communication and self-sacrificial nature), and while he had the power to stop LBD before he still feel's the need to go after the Samadhi Fire to stop her now, and to protect MK.
Hold on look at this parallel that I don't know what to do with:
MK: "Ugh, I can't do it!"
Mei: "It's alright MK—you did it before, you'll do it again!"
Sandy: "Yeah! Maybe it's like Monkey King said: the power will come when you need it most!"
(3x04 The Winning Side)
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MK: "What! But you said the Samadhi fire was the only thing that could stop her!"
Sun Wukong: "I KNOW WHAT I SAID! But I've beaten her before I'll- I'll do it again! Mei was right—I need to stop dragging you into my fights, all of you."
(3x10 The Samadhi Fire)
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Wukong and MK's reach for power inspires a lot of fear in me! It does! Because, well, MK's current reach for power is going to lead him to his Monkey Form, and uh:
Like I'm scared. I'm scared!
"All doomed to play a role in tearing this world apart!" ; "This is Azure's utopia, and this barren wasteland is the price he paid to build it." ; "I'd do anything for my friends! But at the cost of the world?" "I'm sorry pal, ain't NOTHIN' worth that price!"
#I've said it once and I'll say it again: 2x06 is one of the MOST retroactively mean episodes#Game motif. The callback that 4x10 does. Whatever the fuck is going on with the MK and SWK parallels in that ep#I hate lmk's exchange theme I hate it. Like FUCK#Anyways#asks#wlw-wukong#lmk#lego monkie kid#lmk MK#lmk SWK#lmk Sun Wukong#lmk analysis#lmk theme: exchange#fuckasdfoqweg#Sandy saying ''Helping my friends is more important than anything in the world!'' in 2x08 vs#''I get it! I'd do anything to help my friends! But at the cost of the world?'' in 4x13 is SICK. SICK IT'S SICK#Sometimes it's like. Hmmm. ''If you aren't doing everything in your power to help your friends you are nothing!''#''I'd watch my sword shatter 1000 times so long as I used it to protect the ones I care about''#I'm telling you Mei would choose MK over the world. I'M TELLING YOU#MK'S ALREADY CHOSEN MEI OVER THE WORLD (thank you 3x10) AND PIGSY/TANG/SANDY OVER THE WORLD (4x02)#MK really went: ''Oh releasing this curse could end the world? Well I'll risk it for my friends!'' and I went ''ohhhh nooooooooo''#WE ARE IN SOME DEEP SHIT IN S5#And Wukong? Lol of course he's choosing the people he cares about over the world. No surprise there.#He's like ''yeah I'll go fight the jade emperor to finally be strong enough''. If eamk theory proves true he like#Chose MK over the world initially#And he was totalllyyy willing to sacrifice LBD's child host to protect his friends (MK)/the world#I'm. AUGHGHG.#''It's what he would do if he had to. That's the hard part of being a hero!'' OKAY BUT MEI WOULD YOU DO THAT SO EASILY IF IT WERE MK#ME THINKS NO#ME THINKS YOU WOULD NOT
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After finishing rewatching all of The Ghost and Molly Mcgee, these are my thoughts.
I think this is the one time in who knows how many years I’ve been invested in something that came from Disney. I haven’t seen this kind of passion project in a long time and sadly I don’t know if I’ll ever see that magic again for awhile, considering how Disney itself has suffered with many poor choices.
As for the show, a lot hits different when you know how it ends. Certain moments become a lot more meaningful with that knowledge.
I’d say first season was the better of the two. There was far more at stake and the story was building up to its climax in numerous ways compared to season two. The threat of The Chairman and the discovering of the duo’s friendship is very much felt in more episodes compared to Jinx.
Scratch’s character development is really noticeable in season 1, but in a way Molly’s is as well, given how one learns to open up and learn kindness and optimism while the other also needs to learn to open up in other ways, as well as grow into the wise, yet still optimistic teenager she becomes at the end of the show.
Season two… the stakes aren’t as great here. As stated by others, the Chens are overall not given much as a threat for season 2, and Jinx is used too sparingly so the penultimate season does feel a bit rushed. I honestly would have taken out some episodes from this season and replaced them with ones that could have addressed this, especially had the creators known they’d only get two seasons. Though of course they did not when starting out and it’s surreal to think that–had things gone right–we’d be waiting for season 3 right now.
However, I’m still sticking to my initial thoughts regarding ‘The End.’ I still don’t think it was necessary for Scratch to forget Molly.
The first problem is that this plot point is already one a lot of us are familiar with (I’ve seen it quite a lot in my case). Doctor Who used it (before it got changed), Spiderman No Way Home used it to a painful extreme, and Gravity Falls temporarily used it in its own finale. There’s a novel called ‘Just like Heaven’ that is a more romantic version of TGAMM, and it ended with memory loss as well (though the movie has a happier ending). I feel sad, but I also feel angry, which leads to my second problem.
Molly and Scratch’s friendship is the heart of this show. We were entertained and moved by it, as well as how far they would go for each other. So when Scratch forgets, we feel Molly’s pain as observers to her and Scratch’s story. We want Scratch to live his life as a human, and we wanted him to go out and see the world, but he should NOT have had to forget Molly in exchange. I know we always have to say goodbye and that there are some people who were special to us that we might/will never see again, but dear lord, being forgotten is a certain type of pain that hurts even worse.
Rewatching/remembering certain scenes is now more painful, knowing now that Scratch will forget them. Him saying that he’d hate to forget Molly was too cruel. When I was getting cloer to revisiting ‘The End’ I was feeling reluctance to continue on, and not just because I was almost done with the re-watching. When Scratch merged back with his body and the screen turned to white, I had to fight the urge to shut the episode down and pretend things went differently. That’s how much it hurts when it’s not just a casual viewing. I know these characters ultimately belong to someone else, but I wouldn’t want to put them through that kind of suffering.
Had I been in charge of the show, but kept the idea of ‘taking risks is what makes if worth living,’ I would have used one of two different endings. One where its the same, but Scratch remembers Molly. The other would have been a time skip, when Scratch returned to Brighton with Adia and he reunited with Molly who is a little older but is still the girl he knew.
But… I do appreciate the small ray of hope that was given. That Scratch’s behavior as a human and certain use of words–as well as calling Molly by name despite supposedly never hearing it before-fuels a lot of hope that one day Scratch will remember and he will reunite with Molly one day. That even a few writers proposed a reunion story where Molly hugging Scratch would trigger his memories to come back gives me hope that there's still a possibility in that story. (If anyone tells me I'm stupid to be thinking those things, please don't because I care about those characters THAT much.)
Until then, we have aus, what ifs, and fan fics to fix that.
So… I don’t know when I’ll rewatch the whole show again, given the emotional toll. I’ll still revisit some episodes and scenes. But I’m grateful that Disney allowed this show to exist–it deserved more love and attention. If this had to be the very last good thing to ever come out of Disney, I’ll take it.
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I WANT TO HEAR ABT THE LOST SISTER. smth is going on w it i can’t identify
the importance of the lost sister in the stranger things narrative
okay so i got one like on that post. this is happening now.
the lost sister has always had one of my favourite plot lines in the entire series, and i'm tired of people saying it was useless or that they skip it on rewatches. especially in the byler fandom, where everyone seems to be insanely gung-ho on the idea of el getting independence from a break up with mike.
el may have started out as someone with very little freedom, but she's still a very independent character in her own right. you could argue that her independence wasn't there during the entire series, however, a key moment in gaining that power over herself was in the lost sister.
so by skipping it, avoiding it or not posting about it in general, we miss out on one of the best parts of el's arc in stranger things.
the most obvious and easily analysable part of this episode is el's relationship with kali.
kali prasad is el's narrative foil. they come from similar circumstances but have contrasting personalities and values. kali's view on their childhood is simple. she wants revenge against those who wronged her family, and attempt to hurt her friends. el's motive is practically identical, but this is where the 'morals' and 'values' come into play.
kali is willing to kill without thought or remorse. el is not.
and before you say "but dia, el has killed people! she doesn't hate it!" i feel the need to point out that el has never felt like she's ever had a choice. she kills because she's in danger, she kills because she has never felt safe her entire life, she kills because it is what she was trained for. she kills, because it is all she knows how to do.
but with kali, el is offered that choice. kali gives her the gun, and tells her to kill a man. people say kali is manipulative, but i don't see this at all. she gives el every bit of information she has on this man, his views, his crimes. she never threatens to punish her whether el follows through with the deed, or not. she is the first person who says el is her family, and does not hurt her.
that's crazy. just saying.
so we see el, dressed in black and makeup a mess. she is playing pretend again, trying to fit in somewhere at last. she holds the gun, feels rage and anger and thoughts of 'he deserves it'. but, ever our heroine, el hesitates.
she grants him mercy. she lets him go.
regardless of how the rest of the mission went, this is a very important moment for el. she makes this decision, not influenced by anyone around her. she takes control of her fate, her destiny, and she didn't need to sacrifice anything to do that.
i could continue with points like the entire power training thing, the meaning of family, the advancement of the plot. but that's obvious stuff, it doesn't take much effort to figure that out.
there is so much good in the lost sister. all you have to do is dig a little deeper and take off your shipper goggles to see it.
#el hopper#el hopper analysis#kali prasad#the lost sister#icb my first attempt at an analysis was to defend my fav episode of st
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hello! I really like your meta about Zuko, and I'm so glad that I finally found a person who also thinks that Zuko in book 3 is a much worse person than he was in the book 1. I always thought that something was wrong with me, since literally no one sees this obvious fact for me! But I would like to ask you: What do you think about Katara in book 3? the fact is that she was my favorite character in books 1 and 2, and the way she was written in book 3 upset me a lot. it seems to me that they spoiled her character, but I can't explain why. Please share your thoughts!
Glad you've enjoyed my extensive meta on the fandom's fave, haha. I did write a lot about him, always nice to know my thoughts on the subject are still deemed relevant.
As for Katara... well, I have thoughts on her, too. My experience with her character is quite similar to yours, I'd say, because I too felt a lot better about her character in the first two seasons of the show compared with the third. I don't usually give this a ton of thought, but after your ask, I figured I'd try and figure out what exactly went down with her that made people like us feel so uncomfortable with Katara's portrayal at multiple points of Book 3...
For starters, I'll say I vibed with Katara a lot when I started the show for reasons beyond her being a great character or being written wonderfully: she could very well have been written mediocrely and I would have loved her anyway simply because I ran away from anime to ATLA in an era where anime kept shoehorning incest undertones into every sibling relationship, even in shows that didn't have that as a core subject. It happened at least twice that I can remember, I kept seeing people raving about shows where it WAS the core of it (I still do not understand the Oreimo deal, like, the minute I read that show's title I puked in my mouth and knew I'd never watch it), and I just needed... safety from that concept, I guess?
So when I went into ATLA, and the first sibling relationship you're exposed to is Sokka and Katara, two siblings who very much act like siblings? I was thriving. It was thrilling. I felt so refreshed that I think I didn't care much about the flaws of Book 1, despite my inability to sense direction for most of it, because thank the universe, it was a sibling relationship that made sense to me!
With that as an opening, I'd say that, initially, I thought Katara was fine for most of Book 1. In Book 2? She fell off the radar for me a bit simply because other characters are introduced that just appeal to me so much more than she does. I vibe better with characters like Azula, who tend to be the type of female character I just LOVE, and with characters like Toph, she's a tomboy, I was a tomboy (... was? x'D maybe I shouldn't use past tense...), so I gravitated much more towards those two by no real fault of Katara's core personality traits. Back in Book 1, there aren't as many main characters, so you don't have a lot of variety to choose faves from. It's not that strange, I think, that once the cast broadens, people's interest in certain characters can scatter too.
But then Book 3 happened, and I just couldn't enjoy Katara outside of episodes where she wasn't that important. The Katara-centric episode of Book 3 stand among my least favorite episodes of ATLA altogether, and among the least likely episodes I'd ever want to rewatch. I literally skipped over The Painted Lady in my first rewatches of the show, every bit as much as I skipped The Great Divide or Avatar Day, both of which annoy me a lot in the first two seasons. The Puppetmaster? Not even close to being an episode I could enjoy. Even the Runaway, that's supposed to be Toph-centric, ends up making me count down the minutes for it to end and I'm not even going to get started on The Southern Raiders and the absolute can of worms that episode is...
So, with all this being said, if we peel this particular cabbage open little by little...
After mulling it over, I've grown to suspect that Katara has major inconsistency issues since day one that most people don't particularly like to acknowledge, and that flew over most of our heads from the beginning of the show. She's pretty much portrayed to us as an empath, someone who has so much heart that she can't help but feel everyone's pain and suffer with them all the time. The fandom 100% acts like that's who she is (while also obsessively adultifying her unnecessarily, and forcing her into the mom!friend role, which... we'll talk about that later)
But this is also the same character who, when her brother banished Aang from the Southern Water Tribe as early as in episode 2, protested in a very particular way once Aang was gone. Which one of these statements sound more accurate to Katara's character, and a suitable protest for her to proclaim upon witnessing this injustice against Aang?
"Aang is alone! How could you send him away on his own? He could be in danger, Sokka! He's just a kid!"
"The Air Nomads are gone, Sokka! Where do you think he'll go? He doesn't have a home to go back to and you just sent him away!"
"You happy now? There goes my one chance at becoming a waterbender!"
If you ask the fandom? They'll most likely think that her reaction was either #1 or #2.
Surprise surprise: it was actually #3
I'm not saying she didn't show empathy towards Aang while Sokka was ranting at him, because she did. I'm not saying she wasn't willing to be banished along with Aang until Sokka asks if she'd choose pretty much a total stranger over their family and tribe, because she was. She absolutely did all those things.
... So why would she focus only on how he represented her one chance at becoming a waterbender once Aang is gone?
This feels off to me. I've never particularly liked that line. And you could absolutely say that Katara has every right to be mad at losing her chance to reclaim an aspect of her culture that she cannot connect to, but the way it was framed here? It absolutely makes Katara look more selfish than she actually was. The wording is not good. The show doesn't emphasize, at this point, that bending is such a core and crucial part of their culture and that Katara feels a major responsibility in being the ONLY person in the South Pole that can keep it alive. So it just comes off as a child's tantrum. Sokka's concerns were 100% valid too, even if he went about them while being a jerk (he is, indeed, an older brother...). He wasn't even wrong in the end about how dangerous Aang was to their tribe, since Aang's mishap with Katara on the ship gives away his position to Zuko, and it results in Zuko ramming a huge ship into their home and nearly killing people in the process. But you DON'T see the show fully framing it as though Katara and Aang did something wrong -- it was an honest mistake. We know it was. Sokka is framed as unreasonable for being so paranoid even though later events in the very episode prove he wasn't.
And that's... the crux of the issue with Katara's writing. If you ask me.
There are far too many instances where Katara makes mistakes that she's not held accountable for, that she doesn't apologize for, that run against the core logic and principles of her character and they either get shrugged off or overlooked. There are far too many situations where she acts out, and is a jerk at her jerk of a brother, even unprompted on occasion, and it's supposed to just be funny. One particularly stood out to me when I revisited it a few years ago, I can't really remember what for (maybe when I was writing Jeong Jeong's arc in Gladiator and I had a look at the fishing village...?), but it's the famous flashback episode in Book 1: The Storm.
The scene in question is... humorous. Supposedly. Katara is trying to buy fruit in the market but then realizes they have no money to pay for it. Not only does Katara piss off the vendor, but the vendor actually takes her rage out on Sokka once she realizes these kids won't give her any business: he gets kicked in the rear, as the transcript's description says. No one protests the woman's violent reaction, not even Sokka. Katara most certainly doesn't do it. But that's not all there is to it: Sokka doesn't hold what happened with the fruit vendor against Katara, they have a conversation on how they have no money and no food... and Katara offers him the golden ticket solution to their problems:
"You could get a job, smart guy."
Am I too feminist for thinking it's insane that Katara expects her brother alone to get the job? That she's not saying the THREE of them should get jobs? She and Aang are BENDERS! That's an asset most people aren't likely to find in any would-be employees in the central Earth Kingdom! So... wouldn't it be logical for all of them to do it? But no, instead, Sokka alone has to get the job?
And yes, I know, Sokka is the provider, Sokka is the protector, Sokka would do ANYTHING for his sister and the people he loves: you ask the fandom, though, and that's Katara instead of him. Moments like these simply do not exist in the fandom's eyes and, if they do, they're just excusable because Sokka is boring/weird/annoying/insert-demeaning-nonsense-here and Katara is a queen who can do whatever she wants.
Then, the consequences arrive once Sokka gets a dangerous job on a fishing boat and nearly gets killed in a storm. Aang is the one who shows concern about the potential storm when the fisherman's wife brings it up: from all I can see in the transcript, there's nothing from Katara. Sokka says they told him to get a job, so that's what he's doing, and there's no manifestation of concern from either of them about maybe joining him on this fishing trip to ensure he's safe. Instead, Aang is haunted by his past and Katara goes with him when he leaves, which, yes, is very important for context on the Air Nomads and Aang's life... and yet we don't really NEED for this scene to be Katara and Aang only. It could've included Sokka too. The plot of the second half of the episode would change? Likely. They could've come up with another idea, and not shown us a Katara who doesn't show concern for her brother's safety or any remorse when her unfair demands or expectations from him could result in catastrophic outcomes :') yes, she worries about Sokka's safety once the storm hits, but there's no sign of her feeling responsible for Sokka being out in the storm at all. No apology. Which is ironic, because Zuko apologizes to Iroh in that very same episode, hence, an apology from Katara to her brother could have mirrored that side of the story well, and they REALLY loved doing Zuko-Gaang parallel scenes like that, so it would have fit perfectly! Didn't happen, though.
Point being... Katara's compassion and empathy are not absolute. It's important to keep in mind is that they don't need to be! But precisely because she falters with them in moments where she REALLY shouldn't, with people as important to her as her own brother? It becomes very difficult to believe that she's the empath the fandom is convinced she is, and that the show's narrative tries to push her as.
The real reason why her failure to show compassion to Sokka in "humorous" situations feels so unnerving isn't because she's a typical little sister who takes her brother for granted (which is a perfectly logical/believable behavior!): it's because there are no consequences for it. Maybe at some point or another there were? But I for one can't remember many instances where Katara failed Sokka and it was framed as her fault and her responsibility. Let's look at other Book 1 instances that exemplify what I mean:
She freezes him to the deck of Zuko's ship, which puts Sokka in MAJOR danger, and she just tells him to hurry up as if it weren't her fault that he's frozen in the first place. We don't even see her making efforts to thaw him out of there when she IS the waterbender so it seems logical that she should be able to help with that (and if she's too inexperienced to do it? The least she can do to help her brother out of a dangerous situation is to TRY???). But apparently it's funny that she doesn't help him when it's her fault! So this is fine!
She endangers the entire group over the waterbending scroll, which, of course, the pirates had no right to have anyway and it's reasonable that she'd want it for herself... but she antagonized a group of fully adult, dangerous, potential murderous pirates, against Sokka's constant warnings that they shouldn't pick that particular fight. As far as I can remember? Her apologies on that episode are exclusively about how she hurt Aang's feelings by being jealous over his greater talents as a bender. Basically, nothing for Sokka, no apology for not listening to him about danger, making it worse when the very final moment features Katara proudly telling her brother that she won't steal things... unless it's from pirates. So lesson not learned because it's funny, again, to never acknowledge that Sokka has a point.
She actually cares about Sokka's fate in Jet! But the thing is... the narrative doesn't frame that as Katara's fault. Because it's not. Jet made his choices and he did awful things and he captured Sokka, lied and gaslit everyone, because he had a goal to fulfill and he used Katara to make that happen. As angry and upset as Katara is, it's not exactly shown that Katara is sorry for having trusted Jet when Sokka could have ended up paying a deadly price for it. She's angry at the betrayal, even in Book 2 it's constantly framed as though Katara is upset at him as an ex-girlfriend would be upset at her ex-boyfriend for lying to her rather than, you know, being pissed at him for nearly killing her brother + an entire village. My point is, the narrative framing never holds her responsible for Jet's choices. Which, again, she's not. But she IS responsible for her own choices... and one of those choices was disregarding Sokka's warnings about Jet. THAT was her fault, and her responsibility. She jumped to conclusions and assumed that Sokka was bitter and jealous that Jet was the charming cool leader Sokka could never be. There were no apologies to Sokka over that, either.
I could go on, and on, and on. The truth is, I bring all this up to show with solid evidence that Katara's writing was always a little... unstable. Weird. Disconnected from logic in many regards, I'd say. It's not logical/compatible to tell us that this character has the BIGGEST heart of the entire cast when she fails to show that heart to none other than her own brother, who is inarguably the person who she knows best and with whom she should share the closest relationship, even as her friendship with Aang grows and thrives. That makes no sense, thematically speaking.
Is it meant to be comedic? Yes, every bit as much as Iroh sexually harassing June was done for comedy's sake. That's not an excuse for characters behaving in ways that are thematically contrary to what they're supposed to be portraying... and along with that? No excuse for them facing zero consequences for that behavior. Which is, in fact, my main issue with these flaws from Katara: I have no issue with the writing choices in the scenes I listed just now! I take issue, however, with the lack of follow-up and consequences that you can BET, 100%, would have befallen Sokka if it had been him instead of Katara acting that way. He faced consequences even for things he didn't do, for comedy's sake: he wouldn't have gotten away with disregarding Katara's safety as often as Katara did with him, no chance at all.
Ultimately, these scenes in Book 1 are kind of ignorable in the larger scheme of things (or at least, that's how the fandom has always acted). Not a lot of people take any of this as major proof of characterization for Katara. You won't see a lot of fic writers showing her acting like this. Canon, though, often would go down this route for funsies, and the comics certainly did it plenty too, that I can remember. Part of the issue here is that, as funny as it is, it also makes Katara feel stale as a character, as does the Sokka-Katara dynamic, at large, because there's no progression for it. That's probably my greatest gripe with the Great Divide, believe it or not: it fakes being an episode where Sokka and Katara are going to be confronted over their conflictive tendencies, and the ONLY potential development in that basically-filler episode SHOULD HAVE BEEN Sokka and Katara learning to be a bit more harmonious and respectful of each other? ... And that's just not what happened at all. The status quo remains exactly the same after that episode, and it continues to be like that until the end of the show.
The real reason why Sokka and Katara are deemed the healthy siblings is because, of course, compared with the other main set of siblings in the show, these two appear to get along wonderfully. But the truth is, their relationship is not as dynamic as it deserved to be. And that's part of why Book 3 ends up failing in ways Book 1 might not have, while having similar flaws: Book 1 is when you're still getting to know these kids, and that's why I find its flaws far more forgivable than anything that comes later. When there's basically no development for that connection at all, Book 3 winds up falling flat with characters like Sokka and Katara and the bond between them.
All this being said... I'm not saying that Katara is terrible in Book 1. I still stand by the fact that I really enjoyed her character in many instances of this season, there absolutely are situations where she sasses Sokka that still make me crack a smile, and genuinely humorous situations that don't paint her in a questionable light over her lack of concern for her brother's safety. Her fight to earn the right to be trained as a waterbender is deeeeeply flawed but it's not her fault, it's more the misogyny of the writers/creators that decided that a betrothal necklace from his past would make Pakku unlearn all his sexism and get over his bullshit right after beating up a girl who was fighting tooth and nail to make him acknowledge her. That he only acknowledges her because he wanted to marry her grandmother is... uh... fuckboi behavior even when he's well over 70 years of age? XD
So, yeah, Book 1 still has my favorite Katara of the entire show even though I REALLY wish she wouldn't get away with things that other characters wouldn't get a pass for (... well... other than Zuko...). I can't enjoy her as much as I enjoy other characters because I really don't like it when characters aren't held accountable for serious mistakes they made.
Moving on to Book 2, though, and leaving behind my greatest gripe with Katara's Book 1 writing (lack of direct consequences/self-reflection on her part), Book 2's biggest sin when it comes to Katara is the beginning of the "mothering" trope. I honestly did not feel motherly vibes from Katara towards anyone in Book 1. Sokka is very often the one playing the responsible role, while Aang and Katara are seeing the world, practicing their bending, doing reckless and fun things. The entire thing about Katara being the mom friend started in Book 2 when she suddenly becomes the epitome of responsibility (well... kinda) when Toph joins the group. She still does sketchy stuff with zero consequences (I'll forever complain about how ice is not cold in this show, the kids she froze to the wall may have been dicks, but freezing someone alive that way should have resulted in serious health repercussions, just as ANY case of freezing someone alive should have, ffs, be it Zuko in Book 1's finale or Azula + Katara in Book 3's...), but once Toph is part of the group, she becomes the cool girl who's "one of the boys", and now Katara is "the mom". This dynamic gets forced into the story pretty much right after Toph joins the group. And after that? It doesn't really change for the better often. There are only a handful of instances where Katara wasn't acting wholesome and comforting and kind and compassionate in Book 2 (... particularly with Sokka, ofc), but the point where her dynamics, even with Aang, start to feel motherly is definitely Book 2.
And this adds to the issue, in the end: Katara's appeal as the main girl in the show is suddenly gone because Toph is here, and she's a way more unique character that the writers definitely were having fun working with, probably more fun than they had with Katara. So they had to find a new niche for her, I'd dare guess. Thus, instead of actually building up an awesome and solid friendship between Katara and Toph, they mostly just clash and collide. Toph is basically the ONLY character who gives Katara grief and isn't framed as in the wrong for it, which is its own set of issues (namely, Toph not being challenged enough by the narrative, which stunts her character growth), but among many things, we suddenly get shown that Katara is a girly girl who likes makeup and she ropes Toph into this when nothing we've seen so far suggests that Toph would be comfortable with that. Katara pushes her into doing things because they're the "girls of the group"... and it doesn't often look like Toph's feelings on anything are important when Katara is pushing her around for whatever purpose. I'm not saying Toph hated the spa day, she certainly had fun eventually, but even when the comics made a "Katara and Toph's day out" story, where Toph got to choose what to do for once, the story devolved into Katara's show anyway, and things concluded with Toph deciding they're better off doing girly things together when they want to hang out because Katara is just too intense for the things Toph would like to do.
This isn't even in the show, but it's basically a response to Tales of Ba Sing Se to try and even out Katara and Toph's one-sided dynamic, where Katara calls the shots of their entertainment... and even then, Toph doesn't really get what she's looking for. But Katara does get that out of Toph because all she wants is a girl to do girly things with and Toph provides that in the end, no matter how much of a tomboy she may be. Toph might just want a friend who loves the things she loves, and who knows, Katara could be that person! But the story never leads her in that direction so we never see that happen. And that's why that particular friendship never really... clicked for me. Their dynamics don't really feel enjoyable to me as they were written in the show, even though they very much could have been.
That's one thing I'll always give ATLA: the character potential and synergy they captured with that cast could be absolutely incredible. Team Avatar is so iconic because they really could work well off each other. A lot of teams in other media just aren't this good (... one of my main reasons to not enjoy Voltron and drop it in season 1 was my absolute failure to find any synergy between those characters, it felt like they all hated each other and I honestly did not enjoy their dynamics in the least), but Aang, Katara and Sokka have great synergy due to their different personalities in Book 1. Same when Toph joins them in Book 2. Zuko ABSOLUTELY could have been better in the group than he was if Book 3 hadn't devolved into the Zuko Woobifying Show by the second half, where the only writing priority was making him friends with everyone, and making them all feel sorry for him and have compassion towards him. But, broken down to his core traits, Zuko's personality would have resulted in solid chemistry with everyone else's if they'd gotten off that agenda anyway! So ultimately, ATLA has a big win in this respect that a lot of TV shows would LOVE to recreate but they simply haven't struck the right kind of balance in character traits.
Hence why the way they wrote Toph and Katara's dynamics kind of feels like a betrayal to me. Those two could have been a lot of fun, they have EVERYTHING it takes to be entertaining characters with not a ton of things in common and yet building a solid friendship that hinges on their differences. I've seen a fair few examples of that kind of dynamic in other media, and it absolutely would be possible with Toph and Katara. It's really unfair that they couldn't capture their dynamics in such a way that both characters would SHINE, rather than constantly resorting to conflicts between them that never seemed to truly be resolved.
So: Toph should not be a problem for Katara. She should enhance her character and doesn't because of writing failures. One of the core failures is "mom friend Katara", of course: there's nothing inherently wrong with Katara stepping up and taking care of people she loves, but there's something very wrong with it when she's suddenly portrayed as this motherly figure when she's doing things that Sokka had been doing just fine in Book 1. Main reason why this is the case? Sokka got dumbed down to full-time class clown for whatever reason in Book 2. While he has good moments, a lot of times they went WAY overboard with making him a source of comedy this season and that, too, contributes to mom friend Katara. Since Sokka is being so meh? We even feel relieved that Katara is there to keep things together because nobody can expect the other three to do it, right? But... Sokka was doing it in Book 1. And there's no real development to explain him NOT doing it anymore once Toph joins in besides "Katara is now the mom friend and Sokka is just here to be funny". It's not organic development: it's forcing tropes that just don't fit. And while Katara's mothering doesn't feel as unpleasant as it could here, it ultimately forces a new interpretation and portrayal of her character that honestly isn't all that interesting, most of all when the other characters are constantly portrayed as "more fun" while she's just here to keep them in line.
It just isn't the same Katara we met in Book 1, and it shows in spades. Book 1 Katara would have been hyped to join Aang and Toph in chaos while Sokka screams at them to behave themselves. Book 2 Katara is the one trying to keep the other three in line, and there's genuinely zero development that led things to that stage. It's not organic storytelling. There's no growth that leads to that, and so, it feels off.
But the core problem of all these flaws in Book 1 and Book 2 is that they roll together and snowball into something far greater that then proceeds to just... disrupt everything we thought we knew or understood about Katara. We've been told she's a kind person above all else, someone who cares about people close to her, someone who embodies hope and strength and love...!
... And then Book 3 starts, and we're actually facing a Katara who shifts into a wholly different person with the speed of a whiplash that we're left not knowing who tf this is anymore.
"Mom friend Katara" absolutely comes back in Book 3, why lie? She takes care of people, she tries to provide, she tries to be nice and sweet and then also enforces discipline on Toph (particularly) when she's being irresponsible!
But the reason why The Runaway is such an unpleasant episode is because Katara's behavior is dialed up to a thousand, and the conflict between her and Toph feels WAY too similar to what it was when they were barely getting to know each other in The Chase. Why are they STILL clashing over such things? There are occasional glimpses of friendliness there in The Runaway, sure! But they're not so strong that you actually feel like that friendship supersedes their conflicts and their propensity to bicker and argue and hurt each other. Toph blatantly calls her out on her mothering and fully canonically confirms that Katara is The Mom Friend™. Where Toph is annoyed but eventually complies with doing what Katara wants to do in Tales of Ba Sing Se, this time Katara makes a huuuuuge fuss over Toph's misbehavior and her scamming Fire Nation people. And you could argue that Toph has every right to do it, or that Katara is right to be worried, just like Sokka used to worry about such things in Book 1...
But what we get is a stale dynamic that repeats the same problems we saw in Book 2, as well as Katara coming off as rather hypocritical because she, too, did dangerous shit and picked dangerous fights where she shouldn't have, and ignored everyone who told her not to do it: she gave Toph that kind of grief over things Katara was willing to do back when Toph wasn't in the group (see the pirates thing), and she will try to stop Toph from having fun on her own terms when nobody has ever tried to stop Katara from doing that in hers. Of course, any Katara advocate would read this and go "you're missing the point: Katara was sad and upset that she was being LEFT OUT! That's why she was so mad about this!" Then the irony of the matter is that this argument STILL reflects poorly on Katara. She gave her friend a tough time, called her a wild child and a crazy person, went through her personal belongings because "she could tell Toph was hiding something from her", so she fully disregarded Toph's privacy... all because she couldn't say "Wait, you guys went scamming Fire Nation people? Damn, why didn't you wait for me! I would've gone too!", and there you go, problem solved! Katara's not left out anymore!
Yes, of course, that's not how it WORKS, people can struggle to identify what they feel...!
... And now it's my turn to say that that's not the point.
The point is that Katara said and did hurtful things to her friend. Things she eventually regrets, yes, but that she didn't have to do at all. This is the same person who fed Appa a bunch of food that made it look like he was sick, all be it to keep the group from leaving the Jang Hui river village so she could go out of her way to heal the injured and sick without telling anyone what she was doing. That, too, was a choice she made with no concern regarding how the rest of her team might feel about it: was she doing something nice? Sure! But it's not fundamentally different from Toph doing whatever she wants with zero regard as to Katara's feelings on the matter. Katara KNEW she was stalling their journey and that Sokka wanted them to move on: she didn't care about his feelings or priorities, and the story eventually frames Katara as being in the right for feeling that way. Here, she's in the inverse scenario, only it's with Toph rather than Sokka, and instead of realizing that she, too, has made choices that were irresponsible/dangerous/risky and STILL went all out with them, down to fighting whoever opposed her choices? Katara just doubles down until she, again, breaches boundaries and overhears Toph and Sokka's conversation, WHICH IS ANOTHER CAN OF WORMS DUE TO THE SOUTHERN RAIDERS FOLLOW-UP...
The thing is, Katara as a mom friend is not even a good thing. It's not conducive to fun or interesting storytelling, not in Book 2, not now. It doesn't make Katara a more interesting and dynamic character. The way she's portrayed isn't so she looks tragic for taking this role, it's all about forcing these kids into tropes that don't necessarily add up to who they have been so far. Katara's mom friend status is NOT treated with any compassion. It's not handled as a sore, difficult subject outside of the ONE conversation Sokka has with Toph that Katara overhears. And it's not centered on Katara's tragedy, on how she overcompensates for her mother's absence, it's centered on Sokka accepting her as a motherly person and encouraging Toph to do the same thing. The people who saw further depth in it probably haven't looked at the script itself in a long time: you CAN see more to it, but that's not the point of the scene. That's not where it's going. And the fact that such a tragic situation is what conduces Katara to take up the mom friend role actively makes it look like... she shouldn't have it. Why would she be the mom friend if she's just overcompensating for Kya's death? If she's taking up responsibility by thinking that no one else will (a blatant lie because, again, in Book 1 there's NO SIGN of this behavior and it's Sokka who's in a role of responsibility compared to her), it suggests that EVERYONE ELSE ought to step up and stop "relying" (and Sokka very much uses that word) on Katara being the mom friend. It's not a healthy thing. It's a coping mechanism that seems to be actively damaging Katara: and the story doesn't acknowledge it that way.
So... "mom friend Katara", dialed up to a thousand in Book 3, absolutely has a connection with why her character loses its sheen by this point in the story. There's no attempt to deconstruct this coping mechanism by Katara. No indication from the rest of the team that maybe Katara should get to be a kid just like them and stop being so uptight (even though VERY often she's not that uptight but the show very much tries to pretend she is). It's Katara's initiative to do a scam, it's not Toph or Sokka or Aang who think she needs to join in on the fun, she basically inserts herself in it. So basically, those three take the route of saying "that's what she's like, we just gotta bear with it", instead of actually helping her. If we'd seen that? Mom friend Katara would actually be a fun element to witness deconstructed by the story. And I'm not blaming either Katara or the other three for this:
This is EMINENTLY a writing problem.
Mom friend Katara is not a good trope. It could be if the point was to help her break free from it. It's not. It's simply weak writing that can't handle two girls with proactive, aggressive personalities and a ton of agency, a lack of creativity in realizing how much potential there could be in making Toph and Katara the absolute best of friends. It's seriously a disservice to the two of them that this trope literally blooms over Toph joining the show and then NEVER gets resolved or chased away. And when you have characters like Sokka or Aang kind of joining the bandwagon of "yeah, Katara's a mom!" when the two of them traveled with her in Book 1 and she WASN'T that at all? It makes matters infinitely worse.
So, if you ask me? This is the first thing that makes Katara feel more unpleasant than ever before in Book 3.
The second thing is even worse.
We return to accountability, as well as to illogical flow of thought when it comes to the writing of Katara: in Book 1, we see a hopeful girl who never speaks ill of her father or betrays any manner of displeasure or distrust towards him. No sign of her being conflicted by what Hakoda is doing: the focus is entirely on Sokka's feelings on the matter once it finally comes up in Bato of the Water Tribe, and Katara is a secondary matter, if even that.
This would be fine if Hakoda hadn't come up at all as a subject throughout Books 1 and 2. If Katara had never had the potential opportunity to see her father in any of these instances and had backed out from them for bigger reasons than... plot reasons.
For reference: she's excited, just as Sokka is, when Bato says he can bring the kids to meet their dad again. They're HYPED. We see no sign of Katara being upset at Hakoda for leaving at this point. The only portrayed reason why she and Sokka decide not to go see Hakoda is because they think Aang needs them more and they decide to forgive him for hiding the map. Katara, from the get-go, is not as angry at Aang for hiding the map as Sokka is. Clearly, Sokka wants to see Hakoda far more intensely than Katara does: even so, there's no sign anywhere here that implies that Katara harbors resentment or dissatisfaction towards Hakoda.
Book 2 gives us a similar situation: Katara declines going to see Hakoda and offers to be the one who stays in Ba Sing Se so Sokka can go see Hakoda himself. Sokka is soooo thrilled and thanks her and calls her the best sister ever and Katara very much says she is, indeed, the best. Which she's allowed to, worth noting, I'm not saying her reaction to Sokka's praises was bad, it's actually funny: but what I AM saying is that she knows how much this matters to Sokka and that's why she makes the offer she does. It's also VERY convenient! Because logic dictates that, if Sokka stays behind, he realizes the Kyoshi Warriors aren't themselves far faster than Katara does (even though, to be fair, Katara didn't really have much time to realize it at all), and we wouldn't have Aang suffering over Katara's imprisonment because the one in chains would be Sokka and then Aang might just go "oh okay it's just Sokka, I can go cosmic if it's not Katara"
... yeah I'm being sarcastic I actually don't think Aang wouldn't have saved Sokka, but they very clearly had Katara stay behind first and foremost for this specific purpose...
But Katara's acknowledgement that this is a good thing for her brother makes you REALLY wonder how much of a secret grudge she was supposed to feel towards her father at this stage of the story. The truth, in my opinion? She wasn't actually supposed to resent Hakoda as she did, let alone quite so harshly.
My sister personally told me that she thought Katara's anger at Hakoda was a fine storytelling choice when I told her I didn't like it. She told me Katara herself most likely didn't realize how hurt she had been by her father's leaving, that it wasn't until she was around Hakoda again that she understood she resented him at all, and that she had a lot more pent-up rage and frustrations than she had EVER acknowledged, and they burst out frequently in Book 3. Which, you know, is one possible explanation that tries to make this whole thing more palatable. From a human standpoint? This is valid.
... From a writing point? Not so much.
A Katara who struggles to understand her heart (which... is odd, tbh. As far as they portray her, Katara tends to know exactly what she's feeling, why she's feeling it, and she acts on her emotions rather than brains more often than not) would be portrayed as confused over her own rage at Hakoda. She would not have been written as a snappy teenager who hates her dad. She would have snapped at him and then apologized by reflex, unsure of what's come over her. We would see Sokka trying to mediate between them too, probably asking Katara what's her deal, and she would have no idea how to explain it. Katara would be avoiding Hakoda, knowing she loves him, not knowing why she seems to hate him now, afraid of saying things she shouldn't. Every time she snaps at him, she should worry about what she did, she should fear for Hakoda's feelings, she should reflect on what's going on inside her heart...!
... But that doesn't happen. And that knocks SO HARD on the concept of empath/compassionate Katara that it basically turns her into a whole different person.
As I've said countless times so far: it's not about Katara being perfect. I don't WANT her to be perfect. But I DO want the show to acknowledge that she's not. I want the flaws to REALLY read as flaws. I want other characters to react to those mishaps on Katara's part, and I want HER to reflect on what she's doing and realize she's messing up, just as she does when she hurts Aang's feelings in the Waterbending Scroll, which is most likely the best situation where Katara actually owns up to the exact mistake she made and feels genuine, palpable, obvious remorse for it. But when you feature Katara lashing out at Hakoda, and everyone just staying quiet because "uuuuh, awkwaaaard...", it feels off. Aang asks Katara, outright, what's her problem with her dad! And Katara goes "What? What problem?" She's acting like she's not even aware of the fact that her behavior is out of place, basically gaslighting Aang into pretending that she didn't do anything rude or mean to Hakoda. Aang literally saw it with his own eyes and is the ONLY person to bring it up.
To make matters worse? Katara has been with Hakoda for WEEKS. It's not like they just crossed paths two seconds before Aang opened his eyes. The implication is that she's been behaving like this, or her behavior has been deteriorating towards Hakoda with no one worrying about it or trying to make her reason with it. for that long. Sokka didn't do anything. Hakoda just took the teenage rants and left her alone because that's what she wants. And when the one person brings up that she's not acting like herself? Katara pretends nothing's wrong and acts like everything's fine and she's not acting any differently from herself. Whether she actually is just lying to Aang or ALSO lying to herself is a matter of debate... but what it suggests is she's unwilling to confront the gravity of her choices and how she can be hurting her father with them.
This is NOT to say that Katara has no right to be angry about Hakoda abandoning her in the Tribe. She has every right to be upset and feel forsaken. Their mother died, and Hakoda left with all the men of the tribe, and Sokka was left behind, tasked to protect everyone, and Katara apparently felt responsible for the whole village too: as valid as Hakoda's quest to fight in the war might be, it's not out of this world for Katara to harbor frustrations and resentment over what happened.
What IS out of this world, and particularly, not appropriate to her character, is that her way to convey those feelings was something she gave herself to, completely, only to reason with it once Aang was missing so that the episode would conflagrate her problems with Aang and Hakoda into the same thing.
This is basically a dark expansion of what we've seen in Katara's treatment of Sokka since Book 1: where it was typically "humorous" when she was a jerk to him and paid no price for it, this time it's not humorous. This time, you're supposed to see her being a jerk and then go "aaaaw, poor dear," even if you're not supposed to get mad at Hakoda because he is very much a decent dad. The show was trying to have its cake and eat it too with this situation, because Katara DOESN'T apologize to Hakoda for being unfair to him: HAKODA APOLOGIZES TO HER. Hakoda acknowledges the pain he caused Katara and the damage his leaving has wrought upon his children by apologizing and explaining how much he missed them... but Katara does not acknowledge the pain she inflicted on her father by acting out when he wasn't doing anything wrong. Is this teenager behavior? You could chalk it down to that, but that's precisely why teenagers can be a pain in the ass! And that's very much how Katara is being portrayed if she's unwilling to acknowledge she acted out and hurt someone she loves!
Her problems and resentment towards Hakoda magically go away after that single conversation. After this? She loves him. No hard feelings left. If her problems with Hakoda were this deep and difficult to navigate and work through, either she bottled them up in the rest of the show and stopped them from affecting her father... or she just got over it that quickly. Which would be very unrealistic because Hakoda apologizing for leaving doesn't change the damage Katara suffered through because he was gone. A single apology doesn't fix everything that people read into Katara's deep anguish in this scene and episode. And yet that's very much how the show portrays it: Katara is 100% fine in every single other interaction with Hakoda she gets past the first episode of Book 3. Does that make sense? Is that good writing? No, actually: it's literally digging up a problem, making it up last minute with zero lead-up to it, where the ONLY way to read "lead-up" is to pretend that Katara always had ulterior motives to avoid going to see Hakoda, even though we NEVER were shown that she was hiding anything, something that could be VERY easily shown in the story if they'd always had this in mind. The truth is that they didn't. They made it up for this episode, forced it in there, didn't even write it right because nobody reacts to Katara's behavior reasonably except Aang, and she gets away with it without even having to apologize. That's... not good form for any character, let alone Miss Responsibility and Empathy, is it?
This is why it's such a problem that Katara acted as she did towards her father. It's not because this is an unthinkable flaw: it's because there's very much no lead-up to it, kind of like there's none with Korrasami's big reveal in LOK's finale. It's because there's no follow-up to it either. It's because we don't see Katara living up to her supposed core character traits, where she should have a realization that her choices and actions and behavior have hurt someone else, someone she cares about. None of that happens.
And I will say: it's different when it comes to her clashes with Zuko and her reactions to him in the second half of Book 3. This is basically the MAIN thing the fandom gives her grief for and I hate them for it: she has every right and reason and justification to show no empathy or compassion towards a person who, as far as she could tell, took advantage of her compassion in Ba Sing Se, of Aang's compassion frequently across Book 1, and paid them back for all of it by joining forces with Azula and showing no concern to help Aang when Azula almost killed him. I am no fan of Iroh's... but Iroh jumped in to help Katara and Aang escape, at risk of being captured. Zuko stood beside Azula and did NOTHING to help those two leave. He showed zero concern for Aang's survival. He saw his sister potentially murder someone and had ZERO REACTION. So, no offense but full offense: Katara's unwillingness to trust Zuko is JUSTIFIED. Not only is it justified? It's CORRECT. It's the only writing choice that makes sense. Sokka getting over it relatively quickly feels off to me, no matter if the Boiling Rock adventure isn't as bad as others might be. Aang not holding a grudge for too long kind of fits because it is Aang... but Katara being that mad at Zuko? That's 100% fine. It fits. It works. And anyone pretending that what I said about Hakoda applies to how she treated Zuko is just completely biased in Zuko's favor.
Katara and Zuko do not have a secret magical powerful soulmates bond in canon. Their one instance of bonding comes after multiple instances of the exact opposite thing. Katara and Sokka were 100% down for leaving Zuko to freeze to death in the North Pole, and the ONLY reason why Zuko survives is because Aang can't let that happen to him. It's AANG'S compassion that saved Zuko. Katara felt none, AND SHE DIDN'T HAVE TO FEEL ANY. Let's not forget that!
Moving on to Book 2, Katara actually makes her first offer of kindness to Zuko and Iroh in the Chase when she offers to heal Iroh after Azula's attack. Zuko's reaction is to lash out violently and yell at her to leave: who, exactly, would feel inclined to think this poor beautiful sad boy just needs love when you OFFER HIM kindness and his reaction is, in a manner of speaking "go fuck yourself I'll handle this on my own"? And it's worth bringing it up because it feels like the fandom is hilariously misled into thinking the Gaang magically knows what Zuko is up to and how he's growing and evolving, as if they were part of the audience: they're not. The last time Katara saw Zuko before Ba Sing Se is literally when Zuko refuses her help. We're also talking about Fire Nation people: Katara has every right and every reason to believe that Zuko is refusing her help, not out of personal, internal strife he's dealing with and has no idea how to handle... she very much can read this as "inferior Water Tribe peasant, you will not heal my uncle with your wretched waterbending!" Because... let's be real, that's what Zuko looked like to Katara across Book 1. She has no real reason to think he's any better or different from that until their catacombs scene...
... And he stabs her in the back and joins Azula there. Right after "bonding" with her.
So let's be VERY clear on that respect: Katara has no real reason to forgive Zuko. She has no real reason to feel empathy outside of the show constantly trying to push that she's kind and compassionate with no boundaries, even if she forsakes that kindness and compassion at random whenever the plot requires it. But her death threats to Zuko? They're completely fine by me. I'd be pissed if she had acted any differently, and if anything I hate how easy Zuko had it to befriend everyone but Katara.
... Not to say I'm happy with how he befriended Katara either, but anyway...
As this isn't Zuko meta, we're not going to get into the true core glaring issues in The Southern Raiders, because ultimately, that episode paints Zuko in a disgusting light that his fans are constantly gaslighting themselves about. He was not beinga heroic good dude helping someone he connected profoundly with. His behavior leaves so much to be desired and proves he hasn't unlearned a lot of toxic things he had internalized. He didn't unlearn them in this episode, either. But the GREATEST sin Zuko commits in this episode, without a doubt, is bringing Katara on a journey that ultimately did NOTHING for her. The only person benefitting from it was Zuko himself. I've seen people pretend that Katara finally found closure: she did not do such thing. She learned what kind of scum killed her mother, but she did not forgive him nor did she kill him. Closure would mean peace. Katara did not find peace with the situation. She's shown troubled, sitting at that pier, miserable, when Aang talks with her, she's STILL angry. That's not closure. It never was.
What it was, however, was the journey where Katara thanked Zuko and forgave him because..! Uh... because...
... Why, exactly, did Katara forgive Zuko here?
He brought her to her mother's killer: she found no closure from it. In fact, she learned the VERY disturbing truth that she hadn't realized so far: HER MOTHER DIED SPECIFICALLY TO SAVE HER. Her mother sacrificed herself for Katara's sake. She CANNOT find peace with this reality in a single afternoon because holy shit, who would? Katara KNEW her mother had died. It's not until Yon Rha tells her what happened that she understands what happened in the igloo. Katara herself, her waterbending skills, and the target she painted on her own back because of something 100% out of her control, something that is NOT evil and that the Fire Nation was hellbent on destroying, are the reasons why Kya was murdered. This is DISTURBING SHIT to deal with. And the show completely sidelines this revelation and the dark impact it could have on Katara, which, seriously, is HUGE, way worse than what happened with Hakoda, because it very much could have triggered a profound self-hatred by Katara towards her own skills because how tf could her bending cause her mother's death?! Not to mention the obvious: who was that source? Who told the Southern Raiders that there was a waterbender? Who the hell is responsible, beyond the Fire Nation, for her mother's death?
There's A LOT to unpack here.
And none of it matters because Katara is just supposed to forgive Zuko for exacerbating and worsening her trauma regarding her mother's death :') funny how that works.
This IS the point where Katara should make a display of darker sides of herself that she didn't know or understand. THIS is where Katara turning dark like Aang did after Appa vanished would make PERFECT sense. With this revelation about Kya that's beyond disturbing: not with Hakoda... and certainly not with Sokka.
The cusp of Katara's worst is, by far, her behavior with her brother in the Southern Raiders. I know a million excuses have been made for this moment: my problem is NOT the fact that she lashed out at him as she did and said something DEEPLY hurtful. It's the fact that KNOWING, SEEING HE'S IN PAIN...
... does not matter to her one bit.
Instead of a trite scene with Zuko spouting shit he does NOT mean (aka "violence wasn't the answer... but lol go kill my father okay??"), we deserved a scene with Katara and Sokka talking this out. People pretend it's fine as it is: it's not. Katara has spent the ENTIRE show disregarding her brother's feelings in a myriad of ways: this time, it was way more painful and way more hurtful and SHE KNOWS IT. It's not funny. She's not amused. She's not being a shithead little sister. She's ANGRY. She's UPSET. She has every right to be! What she DOESN'T have a right to do is hurt her brother DELIBERATELY and then escape every consequence from doing that.
There's very much no way to spin that moment into making Katara a decent sister. There's no way she remains true to her core values of being empathetic, kind and wholesome when she will insidiously, vindictively hurt her brother this way. And what I said earlier about her overhearing Toph and Sokka in the Runaway? It actually gets a follow-up in this scene: Katara telling Sokka that he didn't love Kya as she did is basically her WEAPONIZING the information that was NOT meant for her as her alleged evidence that Sokka didn't care about Kya as much as she did. As if his inability to retrieve Kya's memory was NOT a manifestation of trauma, as if it were something he's FINE with! He's not! How guilty must he feel for that? Does that matter to Katara at all? Why... nope. Because all that matters at that point is her own rage, her own feelings, her own fury. Which is, then, entirely against the character we've been told she is.
The lack of apology or follow-up to this horrible moment will never stop being one of the absolute biggest misfires in one of the WORST written episodes of this show. Yes, I said it. The more I ponder The Southern Raiders, the more I realize it's an immensely flawed speedrun to establish a friendship that simply doesn't add up. Katara and Zuko becoming friends after this journey requires some wild, absurd leaps of imagination that, boiled down to basics, don't make any sense. There's no reason for Katara to decide she'll forgive Zuko after she regains enough clarity. Why does she forgive him? Because he proved he'd rather make her happy than defend his nation anymore? Ironically, at no point does Katara show any appreciation of the fact that Zuko is setting aside his firebending supremacist attitude completely for her sake. So maybe that's not it.
Ah... is it because of how he, and he alone, was ready to help her go on this journey of revenge...?! Why, ironically, the only reason why ONLY Zuko goes on this journey is incredibly artificial and fake: this IS intended as Katara's "field trip" with Zuko. None of the field trips make sense, from a logical standpoint, as duo journeys. I've mentioned it to a few people: Sokka and Zuko could have brought Toph with them to the Boiling Rock, a metal location where her abilities would be VERY useful, used her as a false prisoner and turned her in as a captured ally of the Avatar's, who 100% will bait him into coming here to rescue her so that the Fire Nation can get him next! A cover as strong as that one might actually get them further along on that rescue attempt than what they did in canon. But this CANNOT BE... because it was Sokka's field trip with Zuko so nobody else is invited, even if they're very much not doing anything else (as is the case with Toph). Aang? Why didn't everyone join the firebending discovery with Zuko and Aang? They weren't doing ANYTHING in the Western Air Temple at the time. They very much could have gone with them too. But they don't. And that's exactly why Katara's trip works exactly as it does: it's the solo journey with Katara and Zuko, and the ONLY way to make it work is to show Sokka and Aang completely opposed to the concept of finding Yon Rha. I'm not saying I think Sokka and Aang would have been on board if they're allowed to remain IC... but they could have wanted to go on this trip with Katara regardless of not agreeing with what she wanted to do. Hell, as is OBVIOUS: Kya is Sokka's mom too. His opinions, his feelings on this subject, should matter just as much as Katara's do, and fuck anyone who pretends otherwise. These two are NOT supposed to be the well-known unhealthy siblings Zuko and Azula, who each got one parent in their corner and therefore the other parent treated them like they were worthless or a monster. Hakoda and Kya were parents to BOTH their children, and any narrative or interpretation that attempts to say that ONLY Katara's opinion on Kya matters is immediately ruled out, for me, as absolute bullshit spouted by someone not worth listening to. Point blank.
Also, the fact that Zuko USES Sokka to gain this information about the southern raiders, and then doesn't even extend the chance to Sokka to join them? When Sokka is basically his new best buddy? That... does not make sense. It basically portrays Zuko as a disloyal asshole who takes advantage of his friends for his purposes and tosses them aside, disregarding their feelings whenever it suits him.
So Sokka's treatment at the hands of this episode is just deplorable. Both Zuko and Katara are HORRIBLE to him... but Katara is our focus here, she's actively hurts Sokka and then proceeds to not care. Because that's how she has operated so far, and that's how she always will.
Hence: we have a long, long tradition of Katara not treating Sokka fairly all across the show. The reasons why it's not a fair or balanced relationship at all is because Sokka typically pays the price for being a dick to Katara: either she inflicts the punishment herself, such as when he's disrespectful in the Drill and she smacks him with the slurry, or the narrative inflicts some magical punishment instead that CONSTANTLY proves that Sokka is not allowed to be a dick without facing consequences for it. Does he ALWAYS learn the lesson? Sure he doesn't! But the consequences for it NEVER stop. He doesn't get away with being a jerk to his sister. That's forbidden. But Katara? She's allowed to get away with it every single time! And the reason why it gets worse and worse is because we went from relatively silly/comedic things, in which Katara did not apologize because "it's funny that she didn't apologize", to NOT funny things at all, such as this scene in Southern Raiders. Even just a troubled glance at Sokka, or a slight hesitation after seeing how hurt he is, would be enough for me: there's NOTHING. She doubles down and keeps charging ahead. Zero thoughts or concerns given to her brother.
If this isn't why you have issues with Katara, well, I don't know why it might be the case in your case x'D But I absolutely attest that the combination of "mom friend", "selective compassion particularly when it comes to her brother" and "absolute imperviousness to consequences for her mistakes" are the things that fully caused my initial appreciation of her character to shift into ambivalence and then into full blown dislike once I reached Book 3.
Worth noting: THIS IS A COMPLAINT ABOUT THE SHOW'S WRITING. Boiled down to basics, written by any more competent hands, I don't think Katara would have acted the way she did often, ESPECIALLY in episodes like The Awakening or The Southern Raiders. I categorically refuse to write Katara in my stories as someone who gets free passes for EVERYTHING she does. I also refuse to portray her as the mom friend, particularly in Gladiator. There's a lot of depth you can give this character! So much you can do, so much worth exploring... and canon just settled for stunting her and then only bringing her out to play in ways that make her unpleasant, not particularly bright and extremely resistant to character development even after allegedly learning lessons (see how her initial behavior around Hama, who shows red flags often, isn't all that different from how it was with Jet? There's only a handful of moments where it looks like Katara MIGHT be wary, and yet they're quickly overcome by her excitement, which Hama manipulates in her favor until she does the bloodbending reveal). So I'm NOT saying Katara had no potential... but I am saying the show itself failed her, big time, because of how she was written. A quick glance through the transcript of the Puppetmaster to confirm my memories that Katara shows no sign of concern over Hama when Sokka finds her suspicious reveals that, after Hama shows them her comb and that she's from the Southern Water Tribe, Sokka, and Sokka alone, apologizes for suspecting her of being sketchy. Nothing from Aang, even though he was part of it too. Nothing from Toph, either. And certainly nothing from Katara. Only Sokka apologizes. As usual.
So... what does this tell you? What does this tell any of us? That Katara's development is... erratic, at best. That it's not linear isn't a bad thing, but that it contradicts itself non-stop, that her core traits come and go willy-nilly as the plot demands it, that her motivations to do things (like forgiving Zuko) don't add up to her experiences or to any lead-up we've witnessed, is most certainly not good.
If I were to rewrite ATLA, the main characters I'd want to rewrite into making a lot more sense than they do, and making their arcs actually logical, are Zuko and Katara. I'd definitely add a few rewrites for Iroh, particularly to make him WAY more accountable for shit than he ever was, and to show he's not universally loved and shouldn't be, since people would have very reasonable grievances with him. I'd also rewrite a handful of things with Aang, too. Toph, full-stop, deserves a growth arc of her own beyond getting stronger and getting used to having friends. Girl has the range. They just never let her explore it. And of course, I'd change a fair few elements of Azula's writing as well. But I feel like no characters would warrant a deeper intervention than Zuko and Katara, precisely because they constantly fail to live up to all the stuff people keep pretending they're flawless exhibits of.
And this is one more issue we've got going on with Katara:
The fandom ABSOLUTELY has been unfair to Katara. A lot of people hate her for no reason. A lot of people who potentially have unexamined racism making their hearts' choices for them and they despise her just because she dared not have fully-white skin. A lot of people pick completely ridiculous things to get angry at her, such as people who HATE HER because she's "rude to Zuko". Just, fuck off. That's about the stupidest reason to hate this character and stupid reasons for that have been heard plenty.
But Katara's fans have become... reactionary. They appear think that any criticism to her character NEEDS to be fought off with "she was right tho" or "she has every reason to act this way" or "she's HUMAN she's allowed to make mistakes you heathen!! That's what a flawed character is like!"
Here's the kicker, though: if you have justifications and excuses for every little unpleasant thing Katara EVER does? You're basically taking a dump on her character yourself and saying she IS flawless.
Flaws in characters are bad things that cannot be justified. They can be funny! They can be annoying. They can be infuriating. But they're things that inconvenience other characters, that hurt them, that show they're not above or beyond doing harmful things! All of what I listed in this crazy long post are Katara's flaws. The reason why I don't like the way these flaws were handled are all the things I already have talked about: no accountability for flaws is basically saying that these flaws don't matter. No follow-up, no lead-up, means Katara is allowed to be as much of an ass as she wants to be and nobody cares: THIS IS NOT FAIR. This is not how ANY character should be written. This is the core reason why I've spent years feuding with Zuko and Iroh: they get away with shit they should NOT get away with, EVER. They're not held accountable for so much they should be. This happens to Katara too. particularly in her dynamcis with her brother. And when people see those flaws and just start listing reasons why it's actually okay? All you're doing is dehumanizing these characters to pretend everything they EVER do is fine.
Also worth noting... character flaws are the way characters grow. If a character is DEEPLY flawed, you know what kind of work you have cut out for you as a writer. If you're writing a story heavily steeped on character development? Then those flaws are VITAL to the work you have to do in order to develop these characters!
But when Zuko is unnecessarily violent and you're told "it's because his culture and family are!", you rightfully assume that as he drifts away from Fire Nation ideology, Zuko WILL grow less violent. Then, you watch how he picks an unnecessary fight with Aang in the finale because everyone's being lazy, an EXTREMELY violent fight at that, and you contrast his earlier behavior with it and... where's the difference, exactly? How did he grow or learn better if violence is STILL his immediate reaction to anything he doesn't like?
Thus, when Katara's flaws get overlooked, ignored, disregarded? What kind of development does Katara get, if none of her flaws are addressed in a way that makes it look like she's genuinely learned any lessons? At least, none of the worst, biggest, glaring flaws were addressed. None of the things that she SHOULD be troubled by and that she shouldn't be happy with herself over, especially after seeing how she hurts people with her actions. This isn't cool. This isn't a fun way to write a character. And it's so glaringly unpleasant when you can so very easily contrast this with the well-known terrible flaw Sokka displays early on: sexism! And then he gets his ass kicked by Suki and he learns to respect the Kyoshi Warriors... and we never see him displaying that particular flaw again. THAT is what growth looks like! What can we point to with Katara that remotely compares to this? That she accepted Zuko? Yeah, no, that sincerely could not count any less. Her personal arc CANNOT be about Zuko. That she got over her mom's death? She didn't. So that's not it either. That she helped Aang save the world? So her personal arc was about Aang and not herself? Was her whole role in the story to play Aang's cheerleader, then? Because if that's it... she was doing that just fine at it since day one. She's the only person who faithfully believed the Avatar would return well before Aang turned up in her life, if the first episode's introduction is to be believed.
So... what, exactly, was Katara's arc? If it's just her waterbending skills, then she's as stunted as Toph, unexplored and underdeveloped and left to just strengthen her fighting skills while Aang and Zuko and Sokka are getting full character arcs, even if very lowkey but very much effective in Sokka's case, where they develop and grow (or they should) into the men they're supposed to be to end the war! Why don't Katara and Toph get similar arcs? Why aren't they challenged on a level that actually provides them with lasting, solid, provable growth, where you can look at them where they started out and see how they ended up and conclude their journey was beautiful?
I insist... writing. Weak writing. Failures to understand/develop characters properly. And of course, lack of accountability in storytelling. I wrote that one focusing mostly on Zuko... but it's very much applicable to every character who fails to own up to the things they should and deserve to face consequences for.
Anyway... this is what I'd say about Katara atm. I'm not 100% sure this is everything because I might have overlooked some stuff that also made Katara's character kind of backfire (while I'm no Kataang hater, I 100% agree that the ship should have been written better too, and after writing them whenever I have, it's honestly kind of ridiculous how such an easy ship could get fucked over so badly by weird writing choices...). Whether you agree with these assessments or not, ultimately, there are valid reasons to feel offput by Katara and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Most of all when you DID appreciate and cherish the character once before, but her fans just jump to the conclusion that you must be a mindless hater to think she's anything but flawless (this, while claiming they love that she's flawed, then they proceed to reveal they have no idea what a flaw is...).
(final note: SORRY IT TOOK ME FOREVER TO ANSWER! Super lengthy answer to make up for it, I hope :((( sorry)
#anon#I am not tagging the character directly but I bet this is gonna show up in her tag anyway because Tumblr gonna Tumbl#look#if you're the kind of katara fan who cannot stand a single word against her#just don't read this for your sanity of mind#... but if you go ahead and do it anyway?#don't come back at me with a million arguments to prove your fave is indeed flawless#because you're basically just spitting upwards at that point#and further proving that you do not understand character growth or development in the least#she's not a goddamn religious figure she's a fictional character#every fictional character that's worth something is flawed#and flaws are not always going to be cutesy pretty things#such is the case with Katara#the writing of this show is a mess in many regards#but they fucked up in particular with some characters the fandom adores#and I hate how the fandom acts like that's not the case at all#just to take trips into delululand and absolve them of every single thing they did wrong#and all the very deserved consequences for their worst actions#because the show itself dropped the ball hard enough in that respect for the fandom to do the same#you do you#but no argument will change my mind#and if none will change yours?#... skip past this post :')#it's a free world
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Ships: every SCOY pair
I see you, villain, I see what you are doing and it is not going to work. I will not rewatch SCOY.
I love this show for what it says, I love getting a chance to see all the “undesirables” getting romance, and not just getting romance, but being actively pursued in those relationships. Never know what you’re gonna get out of Cheewin, but I am forever grateful to him for this show.
So, without further ado, here is what I think about every SCOY pair.
Toh and Nuea
[by the way, I wrote this and then saw @ginnymoonbeams response, so please note I did not copy her, that just how Toh and Nuea are, and I thought the similarities in our responses were too funny to change how I wrote about them]
You’ve heard of bi4bi, you’ve heard of t4t, but you know what I don’t think we ever get enough of? Freak4freak.
Part of the reason I do desperately owe this show a rewatch is because I fully skipped through a lot of the first couple episodes because I was extremely uncomfortable with Toh’s obsession with Nuea and how he was collecting things from him. But, now I love my little fucking freak, and love Toh and Nuea even more knowing that Neua a) knew that Toh was stalking him from the jump and b) was Here For It!
So I want to go back and watch it from the beginning, without skipping through those parts this time. Billy and Seng have great chemistry, once we actually get to them in a relationship I feel like Toh and Neua make sense together, and I believe their attraction to each other 100%. I love how horny they both are for each other all the time, and how much they want to just be making out in the car instead of actually participating in necessary life tasks, like going to school. I swear to God I have never seen a character with such visceral stars in his eyes as Toh has when he looks at Nuea. Nuea and Toh are so obsessively in love it makes me homophobic, and I wish them many more happy years of collecting Nuea’s straw wrappers and recycled soda cans.
Also, I love that they are verse.
Also also, and I am so sorry but I do just have to say that the first thing that always pops in to my head when I think about Toh and Nuea is how fucking sweaty Toh is all the time. Billy and Seng worked well together, they are phenomenal actors, but dear lord did it pull me out of a scene sometimes seeing Toh just absolutely drenched.
Sky and Khaojao
This is how you do blushing maiden. I have never been in a romantic or sexual relationship with anyone before, and I will attribute some part of that to uncertainty and anxiety. There is some part of me that really believes that I too would struggle with initial physical advances, and so I love every single character that both reacts to their own anxieties around intimacy while at the same time being brave enough to push past it. I love the scene where Jao pulls away like he’s timid and shy about making out or having sex with Sky, and Sky puts a stop to the action, only for Jao to be like “you don’t have to stop”. Incredible. Phenomenal. Show stopping.
I love watching Jao’s self confidence and security blossom throughout the show as he started letting himself believe Sky wanted him and loved him. They are so great together, I love how much of a unrepentant fool Sky is for his boyfriend. I want Sky and Jao to be fucking all the time so I can systematically steal all of Sky’s shirts while he is otherwise occupied.
And I seriously don’t know what they are putting in the water at Idol Factory but again, Heng and Surprise had incredible chemistry. Such good chemistry in fact that I despite knowing they wouldn’t actually do it, I would Not Be Mad if Dr. Chalothorn met a certain handsome technical specialist while working with the detective force…all I’m saying is another show with a HengSurprise match up? I would like to see it.
That said, I think my biggest difficulty with their plotline is that Secret Crush on You is about how all the people that are normally sides in these shows, the neurodivergent freaks, the trans kids, the fat kids, etc. are also attractive, worthy, and deserving of love but Jao isn’t fat. And it’s a hard thing for me because I love Surprise, I loved Surprise in that role, I don’t think I would have wanted another actor in there, or that the chemistry would have been the same. But I wish Jao had been fatter.
Intouch and Daisy
Shan, I am being so incredibly serious when I say Intouch and Daisy mean everything to me.
I will never ever be over these two. I wish, I wish with my whole entire being that we had had a bit more time with them. I don’t need a whole show. But Daisy is such a beloved character, she is oh so very dear to me, and with the emotional rollercoaster Daisy went on over the course of this show, she really deserves some dedicated time to be loved. I’ve said before one of the things I love about Thai BL is how frequently you have non-cis people just living life, vibing, existing etc and how that feels revolutionary. But despite how frequently I see non-cis people in Thai BL, I feel like we are still severely lacking in ~Gender~ romance. We have Yok in Only Friends, we have Mae in 3 Will Be Free, Molly in The Warp Effect, Ah Jain in About Youth and that’s pretty much it.
Every moment Daisy and Intouch were on screen together, there was instant joy, and to this day, almost a year after I watched that show for the first time, I still get fleeting thoughts about the translator’s note that said (paraphrasing here) “wish there was a way to explain how Touch’s way of speaking is so respectful to Daisy’s identity”. Like?????? That’s poetry to me.
They are a gorgeous little couple and I love them dearly.
Kongkwan and Fon
Becky and Freen have incredibly tangible chemistry that makes it so easy to read these two as girlfriends immediately. We got like thirty seconds of them but within that time frame we did at least get sexually suggestive jokes, and an obvious and confirmed relationship between them. To that I say let’s go lesbians!
Send Me a Ship and I’ll Share My Thoughts
#ask game#what i think of ships#secret crush on you#scoy#toh x nuea#nuea x toh#billyseng#sky x khaojao#sky x jao#hengsurprise#intouch x daisy#kongkwan x fon#freenbecky
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tenrose u will always be famous
rewatching rtd-dw now after pushing it away for so long is so nice because i am seeing it with new eyes in a way. i see so many things now that i didn’t as a teenager. i think i understood the basics of why ten and rose’s arc worked so well, but not the deeper narrative technicalites of it.
what i loved about ten is that his era really is about the beauty of what it is to be human, to be ordinary. i think davies’ choosing to destroy gallifrey was an incredible choice, it gave the show a new start in every way and it was a restart for the doctor - within and without the show. under the cut bc this got long.
first of, it’s absolutely PIVOTAL to meet him to understand the tenth doctor, if you skip nine you will never understand ten. ten is who he is directly because of who he was as nine.
nine had lost everything, he was alone, he was angry and in pain. he had a warmth to him, always, but he was closed off. he meets rose and she becomes the first person he has. he has no one til then, he was alone.
and rose is so fucking ORDINARY. and it’s beautiful. she’s funny, she loves life, she has a big smile. she has a family she loves and is devoted to. she’s so, so, so beautifully human. she’s selfish, she’s emotional and unfair. and it’s beautiful because she’s imperfect.
nine doesn’t do families, he doesn’t do humanity. but as the first season go on we slowly see him letting that stuff in bit by bit until we get to “street corner. two in the morning. i’ve never had a life like that.” we see him start to open up to hope and love, in it’s many forms. when rose is dying he kisses her to save her. he literally does this knowing it will kill him. he dies to save her, because he loves her. because he has grown to love and forgive HIMSELF. “you were fantastic, absolutely fantastic. and you know what? so was i.” his last words as nine are him professing his love to rose and to himself.
when he’s born again as ten, he is born out of these two things. loving rose, loving humanity. you can immediately see the shift in him when he regenerates. he has a big smile, he’s HAPPY, he has hope. he willingly spends christmas at the dinner table with rose and her family.
this is the catch: to understand the tenth doctor’s ending and to understand tentoo, you have to understand that ten was born actively wanting to be human. and you have to understand that what makes rose who she is is that she is human.
first episode that really got me on this rewatch was school reunion. when rose asks if he’s gonna leave her behind. the CONVICTION that he says, “no, not to you.” is so jarring. the way dt and billie played this scene is phenomenal. rose can’t fully grasp how he’s going to have to watch her die someday and the doctor can’t deny that living on alone is a curse.
when you move farther into the season and as their relationship become more intense you see that as loyal as the doctor is to rose, she is just as loyal to him. but there is an inherent issue with this. he is not human. she CANNOT be as loyal to him as he is to her. she cannot stay with him forever. she will die. sure, they could’ve made her immortal or whatever - but that would defeat the beauty of who and what she is, and what the doctor loves about her.
and i think rose loves being human. i actually worried i had read their relationship wrong, maybe she SHOULD have gotten to be immortal and travel forever but i still think that she doesn’t need that. she doesn’t even want that. it’s the moment in the impossible planet for me, how much the idea of being stranded on a planet with the doctor EXCITES HER. how she lights up thinking about having to get jobs and a mortgage and house with him. you can literally feel her heart racing watching it. and you can feel in that moment, he wants it too. he doesn’t think he can ever have it, but you see he wants it.
i audibly gasped when jackie asked rose if she would ever settle down and rose says “the doctor never will so i can’t. i’ll just keep traveling.” because it’s so obvious that while she loves to travel it’s not even about that anymore. it’s about him. about loving him, wanting to be there for him. and while this is so beautiful: it’s unhealthy and unfair. to her AND the doctor. deep down, they are hurting each other because of the impossibility of their relationship.
now, we all know what happens here. they get torn apart. almost as if the universe didn’t want them to be together. as if... it were almost a kindness. but even then he says, “here you are. living a life day after day. the one adventure i can never have.” with the most longing i could ever fathom.
but even in their long separation, they are always so deeply tied. you almost feel rose’s presence the MOST during her absence. he miss her so much, and you can see him hanging onto the hope and humanity she gave to him because they are so deeply entwined together. but he does it. and while i have issues with the episode, seeing ten become john smith in human nature is so.. there is just so much to unpack about it.
first of all the way he chooses to do this in the first place. second off, the way he cannot stop dreaming of rose despite essentially becoming a different man. the way him being human and rose are tied, once again. ok literally who CARES about joan. joan is a stand in for rose.
“that's all i want to be. john smith, with his life... and his job... and his love.”
DEEP DOWN, THIS IS HOW THE TENTH DOCTOR FEELS. HE FEELS IT SO DEEPLY THAT HE CANNOT LOCK IT AWAY. AND IT DIDN’T OCCUR TO HIM TO FALL IN LOVE BECAUSE HE LOVES ROSE SO MUCH.
this all culminates to the fact that they would both bend reality to be together. she would cross dimensions and he would stop himself from regenerating for her. and in doing so, during this act of love, he accidentally creates another version of himself. he literally SPLITS IN TWO FOR HER. this is what i think i was always trying to articulate but couldn’t when i was ohtentoo.
tentoo isn’t a clone, because implying so negates the impact of what the doctor did. he did not clone himself in a lab. it was not synthetic. he poured his own energy into his own body (part) and split into two people so one of them could be with her but who are both GENUINELY him.
and this is bittersweet. because on one hand: what we all celebrate! the tenth doctor gets to be human like he always wanted to be. the tenth doctor gets to be with the woman he loves. the tenth doctor will never regenerate. he is like he said in his first episode: a LUCKY man.
yet... ten is also the doctor. they’re both him, so ten is essentially living in two timelines after rose and tentoo kiss. there is one branched off and closed ending where they kiss and live happily ever after. and this is REAL and true to their relationship AND IT MAKES COMPLETE SENSE. he loves rose so much that he found a way to be with her forever. instead of changing her into something that would destroy what he loves about her, he becomes like her because he always WAS like her.
rose asking them to say “i love you.” is such a moment of... it’s powerful because it’s her finally understanding that as true as it may be that he loves her, the doctor would never be with her like she needs in real time because he wouldn’t be able to bear watching her die if he gave himself to her fully.
she knows what he was going to say, but she needs to hear it. they could travel forever but they’d never be TOGETHER. tentoo is a doctor who is free of that burden so of course he says it and of course she kisses him. her choosing a part-human doctor is her choosing the truest and freest version of ten that there is. her choosing tentoo is her choosing herself too. that’s why it’s important to respect that decision.
but there is this other timeline where the universe remains cruel, where he loses her again and loses her knowing that somewhere else he does have her. and i think that as much pain as he is in, knowing that he and rose are happy somewhere does keep him going in a way- but it also drives him to madness. he NEEDS her, more than ever after losing martha and donna too. he is the loneliest he has ever been, the most broken he has ever been, but he still doesn’t want to change. he wants to hold on because changing means losing his last ties to rose.
in the end, ten was so human that he saw regenerating as dying. that’s why the ending to his arc and the way eleven feels like a different show manages to work. the way that i have always seen it is when ten regenerates that version of him genuinely does die in a sense. when he becomes eleven, he’s so detached of all the loses he has just experienced because ten is dead. sure, he remembers! but does he FEEL it as much? no, i truly do not think so. i think that ten continues to live on as tentoo, so ten literally is actively now a separate doctor who got to have a separate life.
he got to spend his life with rose. he got to have a life day to day. he got to have that adventure. he got to be human. and rose didn’t have to change or become anything else than the beautiful and messy human that he fell in love with for that to happen. she did stay with him forever, he just changed his forever for her.
#dw#doctor x rose#ten x rose#tentoo x rose#this got long my bad....#and ignore any typos i'm high on a jalapeno edible (bad)#**
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finally, after so long, here is my review of the conjuring series/hell week.
this is EXTREMELY LONG so strap in, grab a drink, and a snack. or, feel free to skip to the end to read my overall thoughts lol
like previous hell weeks, i'm gonna rate each episode and then answer whether or not i would rewatch the episode.
lmk what you guys thought !
episode one:
the obvious meat and potatoes of this whole video was satori and cody's method, which i'm just gonna refer to as The Method just bc it's easier to say then writing out their names over and over again lol
i'll be honest with you, i'm super glad that snc did their best to debunk the tapping and whatnot. i honestly think that if they hadn't tried, a lot of ppl wouldn't believe them at all or would think that either they're lying, or satori and cody are.
as for the answers that satori and cody gave… it's hard. bc on one hand i truly do believe in psychics and mediums. i myself have experienced readings or things i have done on my own. i have had a lot of things happen to me that just logically don't make sense. i do believe there are ppl that have the ability to talk to the dead. but part of me is weary of satori and cody. idk know them from a hole in the wall. they could have easily researched snc, and their past relatives, and just bullshitted the rest. same thing with their producer. it's not hard to look up someone's ancestry. i would like to believe that isn't the case, but you can't be too sure.
the debunking that snc tried did make a strong case for The Method, especially doing it in random locations that they didn't know about. but again… idk. part of me just felt like i was side-eying the whole time. and look, i want to believe that they have good intentions and they are genuinely contacting something. but again, ppl lie for far less.
but no matter if they were lying or not, i 100% believe snc's reaction to it. it was real for them, and that's all that really matters to me tbh.
i felt really bad for sam, or i guess happy for him but sad that he was crying so much. my theory with him has always been that even tho he has experienced attachments and heard things, seen things, all that jazz - i truly think for the longest time he never fully believed. i think he would rather chalk up a paranormal experience as a group psychosis before saying a place was haunted. but since that probably wouldn't bode well for either of them, he just agreed that what they experienced was "crazy" and moved on like nothing happened. also, i have this general feeling that he doesn't believe his own experiences, which is why he questions ppl like colby when he goes thru something, but i haven't really fleshed out why that could be the case. but i think this was his "come to jesus" moment, so to speak. i mean, he explained it himself that he honestly didn't think there was anything after this life. that once you died, you're gone. so this was both great and terrifying news to hear. not to mention, to hear it from your dead grandmother was definitely surprising for sure. i honestly hope this brought him some closure or comfort. bc i know i always felt really sad growing up that my grandparents, literally all of them, never got to see me graduate high school or college or perform on stage. but i always had a feeling that they watched me do all of that so it's nice to hear that for someone else, that was the case.
granted, The Method could just be bullshit to conjure up an emotional response for views and notoriety… but for now, i'm gonna just take it at face value. sure, it's real. i think what also makes me lean towards that is that cody and satori don't charge ppl for this. it only happens at the conjuring for the most part, so…. unless they start becoming a side-show circus act with a big ticket price, i'm just gonna take them at their word. plus, the random locations snc took them to, unless the boys are in on it (which opens up too many cans of worms), The Method wouldn't have been able to work in these spots or actually have satori and cody come up with real ppl that died there.
i will say tho, it was kinda funny that sam's having this emotional breakdown over hearing his grandmom telling him she's watching over him and his siblings, and then colby's getting his great grandfather coming thru to tell him to tell his parents that he's there lol like…. thanks dude i never met. appreciate the love and support.
overall this episode was fine. it wasn't my favorite of the series, but it wasn't a bad way to start the series. this episode did draw me in enough to want to see the rest, but i was also a little weary of what was to come.
(oh yeah i forgot to add that the new owner… something feels deeply off about her. like i can't put my finger on it, but if it comes out years down the line that she was bringing demons into the house or something, i will not be surprised lol)
rating: 3/5
would i rewatch: yeah i guess, but not fully
~~~~~~~~
episode two:
so going into this episode, i was a bit… not excited, since i knew amanda was going to be in the video. i've always had my reservations with her. mostly, i think she has abilities, i just think she talks them up to be something that they aren't. plus she has made some comments in past videos that just make me look at her sideways bc they don't make a lick of fucking sense (ie queen mary, she talked to a ghost that said he had lived other lives before this one, he was just stuck in this one for some reason, and she literally told snc she didn't believe that bc "reincarnation isn't in the bible" …..BRO, you talk to the dead. maybe not everything in a 2000+ year old book that's been translated 150+ times is gonna be accurate. also again, need i remind you, YOU TALK TO DEAD PPL). as for how i felt about her during this episode, she was fine, i guess. the only time she annoyed me was during the estes method where her and sam were just bouncing off one another in the worse way lol but i'll get more into that later.
i think it was really interesting that they interviewed andrea perron. they need to do that more often: find ppl that used to live in these places that they visit and get their story, instead of just listening to tour guides who amp up the scares just bc they need to. i thought her interview was really intriguing and i can only imagine how horrible it must have been to live in that house all the way back then. and to see your mother get thrown across the room?? idk what i would even do as a kid in that moment.
so the first part of the investigation was with amanda, snc, and cody and satori. (side note, i love that the touch toy for the ghost kids is a basset hound). i think this whole first part was kinda funny only bc in my most cynical mind, it's three fake mediums trying to one up each other the whole time lol
i don't fully believe that, but that's what my mind kept going back to.
i do find it odd that amanda couldn't see her past relatives but The Method was able to allow them to talk. idk, if i could see dead ppl, i think i would be a bit pissed if my loved ones were like "nah, i know you got the vision but i ain't showing myself in front of you". it also doesn't really help her case of what her abilities are or how strong they are if she can't even see ppl she actually once knew.
i also find it odd that all loved ones are apparently able to get across is "watching over __" bc both snc and now amanda got that message. again, to me, this just reads as like someone in this scenario is faking something. idk what, but i just remember laughing at this whole part bc it just felt funny to watch each one try to one up the other and then snc are just like :O the whole time.
and what made this top tier comedy to me was sam asking who wrote amanda's name, and them saying it was a spirit. i'm so sorry…. but you gotta be on fucking CRACK to think that happened. i believe in ghost, the paranormal, the whole enchilada………. but a ghost soldier wrote amanda's name in the sand???? no. sorry. that didn't happened. and you cannot tell me it did lmao
honestly in situations like this, i'm more incline to believe equipment than these, respectfully, quack jobs.
i thought it was sweet that colby kept being really nice to abigail and calling her the matriarch of the house. isn't he just a sweet boy lol
the second half of the day 2 was where i got more interested and into the video. the rempod going off constantly, the camera immediately dying, that little cabinet door opening, all of that in like five minutes is crazy. and then the estes method, while interesting, was also deeply annoying since sam and amanda decided to tag team and do the one thing i hate that they try to do during the estes method - connect everything while the words are still coming out. like CALM DOWN. connect later. it was freaky to see the rempod going off in time with their estes method tho.
the woods session was kinda cool. idk how i feel about the alice box yet. why does it only say some words but the others are just on the little text box? whatever i guess. gonna be honest, woods don't really scare me for paranormal reasons. i'm more inclined to believe i'm gonna get my ass eaten by a bear or stabbed by a human so it wasn't really all that creepy, but it was cool to see this half. and then to have snc sleep in the woods… props. but to be in the woods in august in hoodies was a choice i wouldn't make, personally.
day three josh and seth came and thank GOD there were ppl in this series/episode i actually liked that joined them. their half made the video a lot better. so they start off by doing the ritual, which honestly just felt more like (literally) dancing on someone's grave so…. idk about that one. a bit disrespectful if you ask me. colby literally did the ice spice on her grave… boy i would haunt your ass for eternity for that one lmao
hearing andrea perron speak of that fateful night of her mother being possessed, again, my heart breaks for her. whether you believe in the paranormal or not, something traumatic happened to her and her family. and i just feel for her.
so when they moved on into the investigation, i just gotta say, if they plan to use the spirit box, they NEED to invest in a microphone or a better speaker for that thing bc good god i couldn't hear a single thing that was coming thru. but moving past the spirit box, the door to the library just opening on it's own?? and the camera moving slightly?? that's nuts. bc it's one thing for a draft to open a door. you're talking about the middle of august tho. there's not gonna be strong winds (for the most part) during that time of the year unless it's storming. so if a draft blew the door open, it had to have been a HUGE one to literally push a rock out of the way. and it can't be ac bc then that door would be constantly opening.
when they separated, i get why they did, but like… why do you have to do it in the dark? i would be turning on flashlights or some form of light immediately. you're not about to catching me busting my ass on the stairs of a 300+ year old house lol
josh's sleeve moving was actually kinda freaky, ngl. i know it was very subtle, and technically could have just him moving his arm and then feeling the sleeve pull or relax or whatever, but to me… it looked like something pulled it.
then when snc went in alone, i find it funny to think of a spirit just running up and down the stairs, fucking with the rempod or the motion sensor, just to see them freak out. when sam invited whatever it was up to them, and then it got near the motion thing, and colby noped out of there and literally yelled at sam like "why did you invite it up here with us?!" ngl - favorite part of the whole video. also it was kinda cute that snc tried to do The Method on their own. kinda wish it would have worked for them.
colby doing the whole "imagine being andrea perron" speech he gave…. colby, can you not? also, are you good? lol
okay, so my overall thoughts on this episode - dragged in the beginning, but got good half way thru. they also got some really good evidence outside of The Method, which i would rather they not use every episode (but end up doing regardless).
rating: 3.5/5
would i rewatch: sure, but only the second half
~~~~~~~~
episode three
so the previous episode left off with sam going into the basement late at night, almost looking possessed or something. and while i obviously didn't think that, i did want to know why he would go down there alone for some reason.
but that's for a later point in this review. let's get to the collab they did.
larray and bella…….. omg, i'll just be completely honest: i hated this collab. like genuinely, it takes a lot for me to find ppl insufferable, but larray took the cake this time. bella was fine, she seemed nice and did her best. and i love that me and @xplrvibes literally said "oh i bet they're gonna try to say bella is an empath bc she's a girl bc they do that all the time" and WOULDN'T YOU BELIEVE IT 11 minutes in they asked if she was one. i'm just glad she said no lol but back to larray……. first off, that shirt was a choice. and i'll leave it at that. but secondly, i'm okay with ppl joking is scary situations. i'm okay with them having guests that hear them say something insane and then immediately go "yeah fuck no to that, i'm leaving" or some iteration of that joke. but, larray took it too far. i don't think he said anything else other than "i don't want to be here" ect. and i get he was scared, but GOD, SHUT UP. like i got it the first five times you said it, i don't need to hear it the next 24. it literally took for him to get a message from the beyond to get him to be quiet.
i'll be honest, i don't even want to review this half of the video bc it was SUCH a drag. i remember i wasn't even half way thru and i was like… oh you're joking, we're not done yet? bc that's how annoying that whole section was. it wasn't solely larray, but he definitely exacerbated the problem.
the ring of lights that ppl can cross over, idk about that. it feels like it's fake but whatever. bella having a separate phone just for content… i love that for her lol them going into the basement is cut short only for the fact that we KNOW sam went down there first and colby was none the wiser until like two days later. The Method being done for bella and larray was cool i guess. but then sam getting an extremely private message that he couldn't share, i get that. and i hope that whatever message he got was something he needed to hear (but the way he mouthed "oh no" makes me think otherwise). my only issue is why even use any of the footage from that then? i know it's a bit nitpicky, so i'm not gonna press on it too much.
to the fans on tiktok that were saying "omg what if the message was from corey la barrie"….. please seek professional help. this isn't a fanfic. stop thinking like it is. bc i saw MULTIPLE tiktoks saying that.
but continuing on with The Method, i'll be honest with you: i'm not sure what the afterlife is like or what it entails. but it is hard for me to just blindly accept that it's all good and light and love and whatever random other words satori and cody wanted to throw in there that abigail said. i know it's my cynical mind, but hearing shit like that just makes me roll my eyes. like i know that sounds dark and sad, but that whole thing just made me go like "okay… sure."
maybe it's bc it's too generic. like that's what every form of media has said about the other side for forever. if i was able to get my point across and reach a ton of ppl, i would be sending messages like "god is woman and she sucks at beer pong" or "ice cream is free up here but only on tuesdays" or "guess what? i'm hanging out with EVERYONE'S dogs" not just love and light. boooorrrrriiiinnngggg lol
but i will note something that i thought was interesting only bc i've always had a similar thought process: cody says he doesn't know why they're able to do what they do. he believes it might have had something to do with his cancer complications and dying once. and the reason why i can believe that is i've always had this belief - so, as someone who has attempted to end my own life twice, i've come very close to death. and i think ppl that knock on death's door, you can't just unknock. you can't ding dong ditch death. so i kinda feel like those that get very close to the other side cross a line that can't be uncrossed, so to speak. which i think is also why i had the most paranormal experiences when i was going through some dark times (or had just gone thru them).
what i find peculiar is how the narrative of the basement has changed. before it was dark and demented, something evil lurking around each corner, colby having a full blown panic attack down there. all that, right? but now it's "oh it's just a trickster spirit that likes to cause havoc and is for the most part harmless. and also really would rather you be in the woods." and yet even with that knowledge in mind, everyone was still too freaked out. like if they kept getting cryptic and weird messages i would just be like "find a different trick. you don't scare me" or eventually just leave the basement altogether if nothing was going to be happening besides "come to the woods" over and over again.
but bc snc never listen, they went to woods. and again… woods to me aren't scary for paranormal reasons. more so for bears or humans. but they did get some cool evidence at the graveyard.
i'm just gonna skip that whole thing and get to the part that i want, no - NEED, to talk about which is…. colby standing up for himself when sam told him about the basement.
i was genuinely confused as to why snc weren't mentioning sam going into the basement. like i figured, sam went down there, something happened, and then he told colby. or something to that effect. but to find out that a) he had no real plans of posting this into the vid and b) he waited like two days to finally tell colby it happened…. that's really fucked, ngl. the absolute hurt that was on colby's face is so evident, no wonder sam started backpedaling (but just made it all the more worse). like colby has made it abundantly clear time and time again that he doesn't like being left in the dark about where someone is going/doesn't like being left behind and sam did exactly that. not only that, but he then did something that both him and colby swore they would do together - go to the basement. everyone was waiting to see them go together and experience whatever's down there, but sam took that for himself - like colby said. and then sam tried to justify it with "oh nothing really happened, plus we don't have to show fans, plus i really needed to do it bc everything has been so crazy" and it's like………. WHO DO YOU THINK HAS BEEN ON THIS JOURNEY WITH YOU???? it's colby. while colby might have had some form of belief system before all of this, this whole situation has been insane to him as well. so you don't get to use that as an excuse. and then to say that fans don't need to see this footage, that just feels wrong. bc at the end of the day, the person sam hurt was colby. and regardless of whether or not we would have known about it, colby still would have known. and that's the part that sucks. sam was extremely self-centered for making this decision and then thinking colby would just let it slide.
and i know some of you are gonna probably be up my ass about this opinion since god forbid i give criticism towards sam. but i would have done the same thing if the roles were reversed, especially if sam was upset about it. and god knows there wouldn't have been an argument about including those clips in a video, but i digress. i just think it was messed up of sam to do to that to colby. and i hope bts he apologized profusely.
but to be a bit more light hearted about it… colby looks really hot when he's angry or annoyed. so that's nice, i guess lol it's the clenched jaw and the narrowed eyes, in case you didn't know why you found it hot either. also, he was too calm, and that's hot AND scary lol
i think it's funny to think that if they didn't include sam going there by himself and then this confrontation, we would never know why in the next part colby seemed annoyed/angry and ppl probably would have just blamed the spirits or some shit.
which also did happen…
but to bring it back for a second, you know what the scariest part of this video was for me? the tick on colby's leg. GROSS. disgusting. i would have screamed so loud i'd wake the dead lmao
but anyway the estes methods they did in the basement were very revealing and honestly the best part of the episode imo. them realizing, or believing, that dave is actually the trickster spirit and not some soldier following them around was actually really cool to see unravel. and surprisingly this time around sam jumping to conclusion over and over again paid off well. and then when colby was asking the questions, it was interesting to see his reaction to what was being said. him being annoyed at sam before hand really elevated the estes method, funny enough.
maybe it's bc i don't know about trickster spirits and what they are meant to do or whatever, but if i know the spirit i'm talking to is fucking with me, i'm just not gonna talk to it anymore. i'm not gonna give it what it wants, which is to see me scared. and i think snc, without knowing it, were feeding into what dave wanted.
their equipment malfunctioning over and over again was crazy, ngl. but the actual scariest part of the whole vid was who the FUCK was that behind them in the basement coming up the steps??? fuck The Method, now THAT is proof of the other side existing, especially if snc were alone in that house at that point (which assumingly they were).
so this episode was a bit of rollercoaster for me. some parts were just plan bad to me. like i wouldn't even consider rewatching the first half again tbh. it was tedious to do it just to make this review, so that alone deducts this episode a bunch. but the second half, basically everything after The Method where larray and bella's loved ones talked to them, was pretty decent/better. and of course, once snc were alone, the video was at its best. i truly wish snc would just realize that they do so much better and get such better results without other ppl. just the two of them is enough. i truly wanted to like this episode, and i did to some extent, but no offense to larray, his over reactions just soured most of the video for me. he seems like a nice guy, and i didn't mind him the first time around when snc collabed with him, but god… just shut up next time lol
rating: 2.9/5
would i rewatch: only the tail end, tbh…. so no i guess lol
~~~~~~~~
episode four
i'll be honest with yall, i was mixed about how this final episode was gonna play out. part of me was excited to see it, another part of me was like… eh, don't care. but i will say, i was pleasantly surprised with this one. i guess in a weird way it was my favorite of all the episodes, but that's not saying much since none were really my favorite anyway.
niki and george were fantastic. honestly no notes. they didn't talk the entire fucking time, they weren't overly negative, they kept in line with snc's humor and or seriousness. i loved it truly. 10/10.
i completely forgot that kris called them to tell them about a dream she had. her and niki, and celina too… all having dreams about snc. what are they, fans??
i'm joking btw.
i think the dream element can be a bit questionable, but i do also think it's kinda creepy too. even if for argument's sake it's not real and/or is propped up to be something more serious than it is.
the foil house/tent thing they built was…. confusing. but i'm down for them to start using different methods, especially if they end up working or are interesting. they split up and neither really got anything that compelling, but when they played the picture game it was creepy that only colby's pics got fucked with a bit. it's always colby lol
but i gotta ask, didn't they break the first rule of the game which is nothing is supposed to cross over the circle in the middle? bc sam did that by putting the water cup down in it. also, i highly doubt that snc trashed that camera. highkey it's probably in their office rn.
the duel estes method, in theory, is a cool idea. but the execution wasn't really good enough. like sure, they got some answers, i guess. but half of the words were just random. and tying niki and colby together was kinda pointless. snc just love exploring their kinks on camera huh skskks jk
so, i think what was a bit confusing about sam freaking out (before) going into the basement is that did you really think colby wasn't gonna send you down there at some point? he has made a big stink about it since it happened to him. of course sam had to have known this was gonna happen. not to mention, sam's fucking challenge for colby would have literally caused him to get lost in the woods…. so i would say sam got the nicer of the two options.
as for what transpired in the basement, clearly sam was absolutely losing it. whether it was paranormal or not, he was scared out of his fucking mind. and i get it must have been creepy as hell down there. and god knows he lasted longer than i would have. but there is no reason he has to push himself that far to believe there is something more. like is it really worth being permanently scarred just to know if something is down there? not to mention, but whatever is down there, feeds off of havoc and scared energy. and you basically fell into its trap. like, i'm not blaming sam for freaking out. god knows i would be way worse in that situation. but i also wouldn't have been the dumbass who leaves my phone upstairs and has no extra back up light.
also colby is too forgiving bc i would been like "since you love the basement so much, here you go :)" lmaooo
(sidenote, why is colby walking around in only his socks???? ewwwww. do that in your own home, not the conjuring my guy. and another sidenote, does sam's face look swollen in the basement, or is that just the camera being hella zoomed in? idk why he just looks different)
colby giving a whole disclaimer or explanation about why he could leave sam in the basement…. i blame the fandom bc there is no reason for him to being doing all that. sam was literally gonna have him walk alone to the fucking graveyard. sam is fine in the basement. he can leave whenever he wants to. colby ain't a bad guy for giving him a challenge like that.
the walkie dying is so eerily spooky to the og alone conjuring video it's kinda crazy. but, maybe there is just bad reception lol
moving onto the final stretch of the video, the tarot reading. i know snc kinda showed more of the original reading on xplrclub, but if they truly think her first reading was super accurate, i really hope this reading is also just as accurate. snc deserve a lot more positive than negative these next couple months. so i hope that happens for them.
(might have to do a tarot reading on them myself just for funsies)
The Method's last messages… again, idk. imma just say this, to quote beetlejuice the musical "positivity is luxury that few can afford" and i'll just leave me beliefs at that.
i'll be completely honest with yall, idk what the priestess did with snc. the whole thing, the ouija board and exorcism/cleansing was intriguing, don't get me wrong, but idk what the fuck was happening. i kinda just watched it and accepted it at face value bc again, idk anything. it probably would have been for the best if snc explained it a bit better or did something to let us know what was up. i don't really believe everything that the priestess believes, but i do find her interesting enough that i hope she comes back eventually. god knows snc are gonna need another cleansing at some point.
colby going into the woods blindfolded…. is he trying to literally fall off of a bridge? what is with yall using blindfolds and ties? enough of the kinky shit, already.
but as for what happened out there, i think it was an interesting end to the final investigation. i could sort of hear something running up on colby, and i can only imagine how that would have felt in the moment. and who knows what it could have been? my bet is it was an animal, but i also feel like if it was one, it would have kept chasing him. but who knows. i'm just glad he didn't get hurt.
overall, i would say this was my favorite episode. i think it had a lot more high moments than lows, and that alone makes it the best. the collabs were good in this one, they got really cool evidence, and it was just a great way to wrap up this series.
rating: 4/5
would i rewatch: yeah :)
~~~~~~~~
now, onto my thoughts on this whole thing:
so going into this series, i wasn't too excited, as i had mentioned before. i felt as if snc should have taken this year off and came back during hell week if that was something they direly wanted to do. bc a lot of the content that came out this year was just… not good. it wasn't on par with what their calibar is. but i think this series was probably the best thing that came out this year by them. a lot of cool and interesting things happened in this series, and clearly snc's hearts were fully invested in this. there was passion in this series, and that's what a lot of their other videos this year have lacked, imo.
as for The Method and it changing the world….. i love snc, clearly. i deeply care for them. but they truly need to have someone in their camp that's gonna tell them reality. i mean, just as i'm writing this, there are tons of ppl on tiktok and youtube trying to disprove and nitpick apart the series and in particular The Method. but here's how i feel about that: satori and cody could be lying, that's true. they could be faking it somehow. but i don't think that's the takeaway from this series. i've seen how many ppl this brought closure to, how many ppl feel better now knowing there is something else after this life. and that in itself is worth it, even if it's not real. this series wasn't gonna change my mind bc i myself already believed in the paranormal and already believed that there is something more out there. i don't need two random ppl to prove to me i'm right. i already believe that on my own. and in that regard, i know that this series isn't for me. it's for those that needed to hear those words, that needed the confirmation. and for those ppl, i'm happy this gave you that. honest to god. just bc i didn't get that out of this doesn't mean i look down on those that did. if this helped you in any way, that's fantastic and i'm glad. i'm not here to argue whether or not The Method is a lie. idc tbh. snc believe it, and i believe them.
and if it comes out that satori and cody lied, fuck them. but until otherwise proven, i'll believe what they're selling. i'm just… not gonna buy any myself.
but even taking them out of the conjuring equation, snc caught some crazy shit there. of course, a lot of it was amplified by The Method, but i think what they did outside of that was more interesting and compelling than The Method. what i think will be more important is what they now do with the information they know. how are they gonna move forward now knowing what they know? what are they gonna impliment now that they didn't think to use before the conjuring? that's what matters to me.
idk if i got an ask that said this or not (i would have to double check but if i did - hi anon, here's your answer), but i know ppl are asking how snc are gonna top themselves this next year for hell week. personally, i don't think they have to. i think they should go back to what hell week looks like usually: a bunch of different places with different guests, but now more amplified. maybe, crazy concept, do more solo investigations. how about during next year's hell week you just… go alone to all seven places? maybe stop by the conjuring another time? you already proved (for the most part) that there is an afterlife and more beyond this life, why not go back thru your greatest hits with fresh eyes? that's what will make a difference in the content and take it to the next level without you literally contacting a demon or something.
i was pleasantly surprised by this series, and i'm more excited now to see what they do next than i was before, so… mission accomplish lol
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My Top 10 BL's of 2023
I am back with my personal top 10 of 2023. I know I've been super quiet these days but making a top 10 is always fun to do. The #1 has been decided early this past year but for the rest... It was a crazy year for BL but only a few were really top tier...🔥🔥
10. My Personal Weatherman (Taikan Yoho)
One of the Japanese BL's I really enjoyed watching. It was more grown up then the ones I've seen and that was very welcome. I love the dynamics between the main characters a lot. It was a bit of a slow one, with the lack in communication between the two but I forgive that because the chemistry was really good.
09. Wedding Plan
Oh how i looked forward to this one, the second I saw the trailer. I loved the storyline but I thought it was very short, which made them rush through it at times, which was a shame because it was actually really good and I just wanted to see more. I loved the chemistry between Sailom and Namnuea, So I really enjoyed watching them. They are very new if I'm correct but I didn't notice it at all, so hopefully they will get another BL together but a longer one. Also I love the GL in this BL, it was very natural and I in the end hoped they would be the ones that got to marry. Not to forget about the cameo;s of my babies Payu and Rain and of course Prapai and Sky.
08. Moonlight Chicken
This one I've waited for so so long and it was kind of a surprise because I love EarthMix, Like Mix is my man but my attention got taken away from them and got attached to GemFourth who played Li Ming and Heart. I just loved everything about them! I loved how they incorporated Sign language because Heart was deaf and just the overall chemistry between them, was everything. They made me smile so much. Jim and Wen, you know were amazing as well but I sometimes felt frustrated by their interaction. The close moments they had were amazing of course but it was not what I expected from EarthMix but overall this drama was definitely worth the wait!
07. Kiseki: Dear to Me
I absolutely loved this one. I couldn't get enough of it. I am a sucker for the Hate to Love trope and this had exactly that and in a gangster way. Like I loved it. ZeRui and Bangyi were made for each other and you can't tell me otherwise how he went to prison for ZeRui and even got hurt but he still decided to dedicate his bakery to him with his Strawberry cakes, ugh too cute. The second couple made me want even more. The sassiness of Ai Di and the coldness of Chen Yi, they were really something. The way Chen Yi didn't realize that Ai Di loved him until he went to prison or that one hot night made me slap my forehead because nothing was more obvious, so I can not explain how happy I was they finally got together in the end!!
06. My School President
This really was a GemFourth year because this was their first leading BL and boy how they won us over with their cuteness. The OST was also seriously top tier. I think I loved all the songs. This entire Cast was amazing! To think I almost skipped this one...That would've been a mistake for sure, so I'm happy that I decided to give it another try because I fell in love with them and bingewatched it in one go. I can't wait to see the next project from them.!
5. Our Dating Sim
this Korean BL was a welcome one. I loved the office setting of this BL and the fact that the episodes were short as usual, didn't disturb me that much. Their chemistry made up for that! I will never forget how my heart sank when Ki Tae thought Wan had disappeared again, this poor man but I loved how Wan immediately comforted him the second he saw him. I should really rewatch this again.
4. Last Twilight
I know it's still running but I can not leave it out of my top10 for 2023. I am impressed with Jimmy and Sea. These two are everything to me at this moment. Their chemistry is crazy and I am happy they have this BL to show their talents again. I am impatiently waiting every week for the next episode and so far no episode has disappointed me, which is rare tbh.
3. Sing my Crush
Sing my crush was not even on my radar but the second I came across it, I bingewatched it. I am a sucker for music BL's, where the actors can ACTUALLY sing and play instruments.. I loved it so much. from start to finish. I really think this BL was very underrated. I did not hear a lot of people about it but it definitely deserves more!
2. I feel you linger in the Air
Ever since I saw the trailer, I wanted to see this one badly and boy did it not disappoint! I was in awe every episode. I don't think I've ever seen a Thai Bl that was staged in the past. Also this way of time traveling is one I actually like. As long as no bodies get switched I am loving it. Their chemistry was top notch and those intimate scenes. That kiss in the rain, Art I am telling you and that massage scene, HELLO!! I literally forgot to breathe at that point and my face was almost stuck to the screen, crazy!! So yeah this was a true masterpiece!
01. The Eighth Sense
Let's all act surprised by this one...... what can I say? This one touched my intire being. It touched my soul, My heart everything. I cried, laughed and even cursed at 2 people in particular.. This is the biggest masterpiece of 2023 and nothing can change my mind about this. The way I anticipated every week and felt sad when it ended, ugh!! I just want to praise Oh Jun Taek for the way he acted, because if I'm correct this was his first acting job or at least he is very new but he pulled it of perfectly and Ji sub, I am applauding him for the way he portrayed Jae Won. All I need now is a season 2 or an special episode where we see them do the things Jihyun wanted... like just please!! In al seriousness everything was amazing about this one and that's why it's my number 1
I really do think that the Korean BL's won this round. I feel like they are finally stepping up their game. It's still not as Explicit as Thai or Taiwanese but that's not what I am expecting. I don't always have to have NC scenes because without a story, it's not worth a lot. Overal the Bl's were powerful this year and Top tier. Hopefully next year will bring us even better ones!! <3
#my top 10 BL#the eighth sense#i feel you linger in the air#our dating sim#last twilight#sing my crush#my school president#moonlight chicken#my weatherman#kiseki: dear to me#wedding plan#wedding plan the series#jisub x juntaek#jimmysea#gemfourth#earthmix
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I’ll Eat My Hat
This was supposed to be cute. And it is, once you get past the topic of death.
So warning about topic of death.
Ukyo Saionji x reader
I actually hate this, but take that with a grain of salt bc I always hate what I write. If I didn’t hate it, I’ve been replaced with a ghost writer and call for help.
I promise I can write better than this. I just haven’t written anything in a while.
“And if I died?” The question was a lot darker than the previous questions and conversation. To you, the question rolled off the tongue with a giggle, looking up at him. Though to you, he was upside down, but that’s because you were laying down, head resting on his thigh, looking back and up at him. You sat up when you noticed his face fall a little bit.
“I’d hope that wouldn’t happen.” He almost whispers, a smile cracking across his face. He looks about to cry, and you realize, he’s probably thought out that scenario. And you realize you should probably just move on and drop the conversation.
“S—” You start but he cuts you off.
“But even if it did, I’d always love you.” He looks like he’s fighting hiding his face in his hands. And he is, because shouldn’t he be stronger than this? He doesn’t though, he just look at you for a moment before he speaks again. “And maybe, I’d go too. Soon enough.”
“No, I’d want you to live.” Your eyes, previously fixed on something just past him, now snap over to meet his. “Don’t give up like that.”
“Well, I’d eat my hat if that day ever came so… I don’t think we have anything to worry about.” Ukyo snickers.
“Because you don’t worry about it?” You catch him off guard.
“No. I mean, well, yes. I do, but it’s just paranoia.” He says, chuckling as he looks down at the ground.
…
That conversation feels more like a distant memory now. As you slip on and fasten up some wooden shoes to do some scavenging around the forest with Kohaku, you think back to it though. This isn’t death, so why does that conversation come to mind?
You’ve been awake for less than a week, and you’re going to war soon. And maybe you will die, then your beloved boyfriend will have to eat his hat. Of course, that’s not what he’s worried about, though.
You two weren’t together when the petrification happened, so you don’t have much of a clue where to find him. What if his statue was broken? Then what?
Questions like that float through your head for days and weeks until you’re told stories by Gen and Magma about a man who had terrifying archery skills. And it feels silly, because archery is a well respected sport in Japan, which cultural roots too, so that could have been anybody, but your mind went straight to the idea that it’s him.
They say he aimed at them, and that you find harder to believe. Your boyfriend always was intimidating, when he needed to be, but he was a pacifist. If their blood was on his hands, you know he’d never sleep well again.
Yet you find yourself asking for any sort of detail that confirms your hopes it is him, because maybe there is a good explanation for his hostility. And for why he’s working for your enemy.
(I literally do not remember the episode very well at all so I’m adding my own twist bc I’m not rewatching it rn)
Gen says they couldn’t really see him, but they know he’s got excellent hearing.
“It’s like he could hear a feather drop.” He says.
And your heart skips a beat because that’s got to be your boyfriend. Yet, time passes and nothing. You can’t just walk onto enemy lines to find your boyfriend. And on top of that, you’ve began to delude yourself that there is some other man in the area with excellent, inhuman hearing and impeccable archery skills.
You brush all that off, ignoring it for now. Even if it’s clawing at you, there is work to be done. So here you are, sitting on the cold, wooden floor of the hut. Gen and Senku were on the phone with a woman named Nikki. A self proclaimed super fan of Lillian Weinberg, as you’ve come to understand. You, being from the United States, had helped him just a little bit with his facts regarding the famous singer. He knew a lot, so did Senku, but you had input too.
When you all played the recording, she believed it, but a faint, yet stern voice cut through the air from the behind the phone. Then the phone is taken, and a familiar voice speaks. Your heart stops for a moment as you realize, the archer was your boyfriend. After barely hearing the next words he, Gen, or Senku spoke, you finally snap back to reality when you hear “we have somebody who is better at English than the both of us.”
And the microphone of the giant phone is suddenly being shoved into your hand.
“So what exactly do you want?” The line is whispered to you to say. You repeat it, trying not to stutter over your words. The line goes silent on the other end for a moment, before he speaks.
Gen and Senku exchange glances because you, as stone faced and cold as you are, have never seemed nervous before. You don’t fail to notice, but you don’t say anything.
“I don’t want blood.” He says, sounding a bit more emotional now.
“I know you don’t.” You say softly back, and confusion settles into the room.
“So I’m not crazy. It’s you?” You nod, before remembering he can’t see you to know you did.
“No, you’ve lost your mind. Now you have to eat a hat.” You chuckle.
“I just got this one.” He says.
“Alright, I don’t know how you two know each other,” Senku bluntly cuts you off. “But wrap it up, we have a negotiation to discuss? Let’s be 100% to the point here. We can do this with no blood.”
You sit back, smiling, knowing you’ll see him once this is over.
#Ukyo saionji x reader#Ukyo saionji#ukyo x reader#dr. stone x reader#dr stone#dr stone x reader#Dr stone x you
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hi there!! sorry if this is weird but wanted to get your opinion on something!! believe it or not I've never watched the final season of castle and I know a lot of people say it's a bad season but I finished my season 7 rewatch and I'm wondering whether or not to give s8 a chance lol like is it so annoyingly bad I should just skip it forever or are there still moments that make it worthy of my time? thank you ☺️
hi!! not weird at all, I love that you asked me haha 😊 I also hope you don't mind me publishing this in case anyone has anything they want to add!
the short version of my answer is that yes, I personally think it's worth watching at least once! That said, I am well aware that there are things I might have forgotten about it since I've only seen it once. I'll put my reasoning/other considerations below the cut. Hope this helps!
————————————————————— 💭
Yes is my short answer, but I wanted to say why because there's a lot that goes into it for me (I take this way too seriously 😂)
First, I very generally believe that everything is worth watching at least once. That's just how I usually consume media. I also do my best to always watch things before I give any sort of opinion—for example, there are some things I have an idea about (including Castle season 8), but I felt it was important I personally watch it if I wanted to meaningfully converse about it.
Second, I think there are some moments I do love in season 8! I also know there was at least one episode that I did want to rewatch once seeing it. I'd say if you go into it open-minded (but with reasonable expectations, since it does have its issues), then you might be pleasantly surprised by parts of it 😊
That said, I'd ask what your reasons were for not watching it to begin with (as well as how you feel about season 7, because I feel like that can also be helpful for deciding if you want to watch 8). Because I will say that for me, season 8 was a hard watch since I have an idea of what was going on during that time w/ the cast (and I wasn't even watching the show live!). I also had some major problems with the storyline. Now, I kind of view season 8 as a bonus (meaning I only really acknowledge the parts I like as canon and ignore the existence of the rest 😂) because I think there are some moments I love but also have what I feel are fairly valid issues with other parts (valid meaning I can imagine other ways for the characters to behave that I think are just as plausible).
Anyway, hope that made sense. Feel free to ask/DM/reply if you have any questions/need clarification on any of this!
#isakvaltzrsen#answered#castle#i love talking about this kind of thing hehe thanks for asking me ^-^
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𝄞 ESCAPES | LEE HEESEUNG
[scan creds to ado2re]
the fourth instalment from the “Narratives from the Walkman: a 90’s love collective” series
genres: bff au; fluff; f2l (?); angst | wc: 2.1k | tagging: @yenqa @yjjungwon @sophialosthercardigan @saucyjaeyun
[ 👤 ] SIDE A ; BOY 4 ㅡ LEE HEESEUNG
° ❝ i'll be yours if you'll be mine
'cause i'm lonely, i'm so lonely
if you hold me, i'll be your only
so if you're lonely, no need to show me
if you're lonely, come be lonely with me. ❞ °
[ 🎧 ] SIDE B ; TRACK 4 ㅡ this side of paradise by coyote theory
Skipping one of the most awaited events in high school has always been something you never regretted. When your first best friend left you before even taking you on the dance floor as he promised, you completely shrugged away all thoughts of a happy, magical life in school.
Things seemed easier that way instead of hoping for sparkling lights and glittering dresses, swooshing to and from without anybody to lock your fingers with to grace the night away.
That was until your college decided to throw a graduation ball months before leaving the university behind. You finally felt the hidden regret creeping under your skin.
Still, you stood by your word and chose not to go. Mainly because you didn’t want to awkwardly stand there in a room full of people, hopelessly wishing that Ni-ki will at least surprise you on that night. You wrapped yourself under the comforts of your thick blanket and activated the only source of light in your room, the television.
A few episodes into The Umbrella Academy, you heard your stomach grumble. You had decided to rewatch the show for old-time’s sake, minus Ni-ki’s presence and the galaxy stickers that once sparkled in your bedroom because someone wanted it to be dreamy.
Moping around and doing the things you used to do with him was something you thought would suffice the loneliness you felt since you couldn’t attend tonight’s ball… until you heard your phone ding. Shuffling from your bed, you immediately sat up, unconsciously wishing it was from Ni-ki.
To receive a text saying, “I have too much wine and nobody to drink with,” was all it took for you to know that Heeseung needed your presence as soon as possible. You and Heeseung had been best friends since junior year in college and saying that your relationship with each other was entirely platonic was the biggest understatement of the century.
A few wardrobe changes and confusions later, you finally arrived in front of his apartment; dressed in ‘fancy clothing’, as per his request. It was only when he opened the door, wearing a silky blue button-up and semi-fitted jeans that you realized why he wanted you to fix up as well.
He stood in front of you– dashing, drop-dead gorgeous. Your breath hitched in your throat, and the pounding of your heart made your chest vibrate as you watched him slay in all his simple glory.
A little while ago you thought that it’d be another torturing night of trying to hide your stupid feelings for your best friend, and you weren’t wrong.
Not with him making you go crazy like this.
“Welcome to my humble home, M'lady.” He joked, pretending to bow while he made space for you to pass through the doorway.
“You weirdo.” You replied, poking his forehead, to which he responded with a whine though it was accompanied by laughter. He closed the door behind you, and you gawked at the transformation of his living room; the vintage throws tucked in a corner, replaced with silk sheets and blue led stars hanging from the ceiling, in the center of the room is a table for two with a candlelit dinner set-up.
“You were supposed to respond with something similar like thank you, my good sir, or something.” He snorted, pausing behind you after he noticed your awestruck pause. “You like it?”
Turning around to face him, you cock your head to the side with a faint smile. “I’m going to have to commend you on this one, Sir.”
Immediately, his lips tug upward into a cute smile, and he wasted no time in getting you both to start digging in and drinking by pulling you along with him to the balcony.
Maybe he was right, he had too much wine with too much alcohol, but even if he did invite a couple more yous over, his stock wouldn’t ever run out. But maybe it was also a good thing that he had you over, with another good thing being… he only asked you and nobody else.
The sound of your glasses clinking seemed to reverberate even in the crowd of things around you, but it seemed to linger a little longer in the air than it originally should’ve. You refused to think deeper, that it’s just because there’s something else with the way you spent time together today compared to before.
“So why the extra stuff?” You chimed up, taking a sip from your drink. Heeseung stared at you from the brim of his own glass.
“Does it matter?” He asked, downing the bitter liquid as he leaned back onto his chair, one arm outstretched as he set his glass on top of the dressed table. “I just want to treat you to something nice once in a while. Also because you haven’t experienced prom so here’s me giving you an exclusive version.”
You cocked a brow. “Is that so?”
“Why do you doubt me so much?”
“No idea,” You chuckled, pursing your lips before downing the liquid with a smile, shaking your head. Heeseung’s eyes flickered up to lock with yours, beady and shiny under the glimmering blue lights.
“You enjoyed it, though?” He asked, gaze lidded and hazy before he gulped, throwing his head back when he felt the alcohol take over his body, prodding his vision into a blur.
“Of course.” You replied, blinking as you felt equally intoxicated, your vision starting to disrupt as well.
“I’m glad,” Heeseung said, running his palms over his face and then through his hair, making him look like a hot mess as he smiled back up at you. “That’s all that matters.”
You nodded, unable to say anything, but you felt your heart swell at his words. How cutely sexy he looked at that moment— it definitely didn’t help.
“You ever think…” He gulped, licking his lips. “You ever think about what life would be if you didn’t run over me with your pile of books that one autumn day in the library?”
Instantly, you released an amused snort, bursting into a fit of staggered chuckles after hearing the familiar incident. “Way to ruin the mood, Hee.”
“But really,” He laughed, shaking his head.“Who would’ve thought we’d be the best of friends?”
“True. Nobody really saw that coming.”
“It’s safe to say that you could…” He trailed off, squinting his eyes at you from across the table. “Bump me, step on me, grind on me, ma’am.”
You snorted. “Oh. You mean it?”
You both laughed, finding his choice of words hilarious, though it was enough to bring a tinge of crimson onto both of your cheeks. You both refused to point it out.
Then the candlelit dinner was long forgotten, leftover bites and half-empty wine glasses staying static on top of the dressed table in the center of the room as you and Heeseung decided to slump against one another on his sofa tucked on a corner, a little too tipsy to move.
“Y/n?” He chimed up, your heads were thrown back against the backrest of the sofa. Beside him, you hummed, turning your head lazily. “Can I lay my head on your shoulder?”
“Sure.”
Instantly, he scooted closer towards you, nuzzling his face in the crook of your neck and humming onto your skin.
“I really wish…” He nuzzled closer. “I really wish I could hold you like this whenever I want to.”
“I’m one call away, Hee. You know that.” You said, leaning your cheek against the top of his head.
“I do.” He whined, his tone almost babyish as you could feel the pout of his lips. “But I want it to be more than just this.”
He paused, lifting his head up slightly, resting his chin against the blade of your shoulder as he looked at you with hazy eyes.
“I want to be with you wherever you go. I want to hug you, hold you, and kiss you whenever I want to, rain or shine. I want to hold your hand and take you on cute dates, I want to raise dogs and cats and fish and even elephants with you, I want to be the best boyfriend you’ve ever had, better than those jerks you used to cry over—”
“Heeseung,” You tried to cut him off, a smile starting to creep onto your face, but he didn’t seem to be listening.
“—give you everything that I’ve got because I’m in love with you, I wish I realized it sooner, but I’m such an idiot that I didn’t. And I hate myself because I couldn’t bring myself to tell you if I’m sober and I-”
Promptly, you grabbed his chin and placed a quick kiss on his lips, pulling away and staring at him in the eye just to wait for his reaction.
“How long have you been keeping all this from me, you blithering idiot?” You asked, though he only raised a hand up, using his pointer finger to shakily poke your cheek with a drunken gaze.
“Am I really, really drunk, or did you just kiss me?”
“Both, idiot.” You laughed, shaking your head. You continued to wait for what he had to say, though his finger only traveled down to the plump of your lips from your cheek. He pouted slightly, gaze flickering up from his finger as he blinked at you.
“Can I?” He asked, and even though he was a little drunk and absurd, you felt he was still self-aware. Just a little cuter and bolder than usual.
“You can.” You said, running one hand through his soft hair as you look at him lovingly. “I’m all yours.”
“All mine, huh? What does that make me then? Yours too?” He asked, eyes widening slightly for a moment before he grinned, taking you by surprise when he took you by the chin, muttering against your lips before kissing you deeply.
“Yes. All of you. You and your whiny and clingy ass, your almost triumphant mullet, your ever-changing moods, and the things I have yet to explore about you.” You pulled away, giving your face a small distance as you rested your forehead against his. He smiled as he bit his lower lip, trying to stop himself from smiling too much.
And what you both thought was platonic, wasn’t really that at all. In fact, it never was.
But just like any other memory of yours, it vanished; too quickly even for you to notice. Heeseung hated to admit it, but with both of your feelings in the way, he thought it was best to tell you now than under any other circumstances.
He was bound to leave town in the next few days after graduation. Of course, it was already expected given the fact that you’re both about to leave college and venture out and seek jobs on your own. But to leave so soon left you baffled.
Apparently, one of the companies he applied to a week prior called him back and they wanted your best friend in the heart of a place much far for you to even follow. The last time this happened, he left you for another state with an unkept promise. It was wise to assume that Heeseung would do the same thing, considering his applications were successful.
A 12-hour driving distance from him was the end of something that hadn’t even started. But there was no other way, with him being a favored student from a university, higher demands must be met with a career that’s been chasing him since day one in college.
“You know you can still call me if you need a random getaway.” He whispered. “I may be far but that doesn’t mean I’ll forget about us.”
“You’ll meet new folks there that would potentially replace me.”
“That’s silly and you know that. You’re still my best friend. And you actually might be the one to replace me. I heard Jay’s been trying to steal your attention a lot more than usual lately.” You only glared at him with a lingering fear at the back of your mind that maybe, he was right. Replacements might just be your new norm now.
That was the hardest part of moving forward when you both left yourselves hanging in between random escapades and fleeting memories. You were each other’s best getaway. You both just discovered it. Anywhere with each other always felt like home and an adventure all at once.
But you both have to do away with what’s needed to be done. And with that, Heeseung called it day— a final kiss on your forehead…
a touch of farewell and a see-you-whenever. —
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© EN-WHIMS, 2023. all rights reserved.
#enhypen fluff#enhypen heeseung#enhypen angst#lee heeseung#enhypen imagines#enhypen drabbles#enhypen scenarios#enhypen blurbs#enhypen timestamps#heeseung imagines#heeseung scenarios#heeseung fluff#enhypen heeseung fluff#heeseung angst#heeseung drabbles#heeseung smut
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Yes we all know that Dennis is a terrible, terrible monster of a man, but I think his softness with Charlie is something we (re: I) NEED to talk about. I mean it’s obvious that Dennis genuinely cares about him, as much as his emotional immaturity allows him. It’s probably why charden will always be the most realistic ship in that show— in my mind, at least.
First thing that comes to mind is in The Gang Gets Extreme Home Makeover or whatever it’s called. When Charlie starts freaking out and gets all heated about Sears, it’s Dennis know calms him down immediately, and seems to know exactly how to do it. And Charlie caves so easily. And the little hug— it wasn’t just a quick thing. I mean, Dennis was holding on tight AND and Charlie immediately got all comfortable. The man licherally nuzzled up against his arm what more do I gotta say?? And again when they’re shopping for supplies it’s just *finger snap here* like clockwork. Charlie gets upset and Dennis cools him off like it’s nothing.
In The Gang Hits The Road when they’re both chilling in the back of that camper van/trailer/uhaul bullshit. I mean, Charlie’s never left Philadelphia and the one person he voices his concerns about it to in Dennis. And sure, he was a bit freaked out about it around every one else and he mentioned being uncomfortable with the whole idea, but it was Dennis that he actually opened up to. And Dennis didn’t make fun of him, or say any snide comments, he sat and heard Charlie out and genuinely offered advice and reassurance. And I feel like I need to reiterate: it was not mocking at all!! Dennis was genuinely ready to back Charlie up and he was confident with what he was saying.
And this one can swing either way with manipulation or actual bonding (leaning more toward manipulation but shhhh) but in Waiting For Big Mo. That entire section of their little chat about bouncy balls. Dennis was nice. And he didn’t really argue, when he did it wasn’t with anger or annoyance, it was calm and his voice was soft and I have a lot of feeling about them in this episode. He knows how Charlie likes to play with his little army action figures which means he’s probably watched him do it many times. And sure in this episode Dennis is a dick to him, but it’s later seasons Dennis and I….. well I have thoughts about the later seasons.
And then you have him jumping to reassure Charlie that he is in fact fun to drink with in The Gang Gives Frank an Intervention. I’ll be brief with this one since it was so short but Dennis didn’t waste a second. Immediately let’s Charlie know he likes hanging out with him and he is fun, and sure it’s not that good of a situation and sure, he probably likes it mostly because Charlie probably gets himself hurt a lot and it’s funny to him, BUT it doesn’t matter because he JUMPS. And it’s not about that in the moment, it’s not about Charlie being stupid and reckless it’s just about Dennis needing Charlie to know he enjoys his company.
And again I’ll be brief because I don’t like this episode as a whole— Sweet Dee’s Dating an R- Person (😐) it’s Dennis who goes to check on Charlie. And when he finds him sitting alone in the dark he opens the blinds and tries to cheer himself up. And he sits and writes a song with Charlie— though we’ve seen Dennis (and the rest of the gang) continually be annoyed/disinterested/straight up hating Charlie and his singing/song writing. Dennis still sat and helped. And maybe that was because he wanted the credit, but whatever. He sings with him and wrote music and did that ridiculous little dance and it was a sweet scene. And like I said I really do not like this episode all that much besides the Charlie and Dennis scenes but this little snippet alone is enough to change how I view it. It’s still a shitty episode with a shitty premise but this little scene was so sweet I eat it up every single time. Id probably skip this one all together when I rewatch the show if it wasn’t for this scene and this scene alone.
And these are just what I can think of off the top of my head. Yeah. I have a lot of thoughts about charden. And I KNOW it will never ever be canon but I actually can’t lose because I’ll never let reality destroy me.
#cain’s rambles#don’t even care if anyone reads this I just need it out in the open DAMMIT#I could go on about Macs Bangin the Waitress as well but that would warrant its own post itself#I have so many thoughts about any ship w/ Charlie#honestly every relationship can get so soft with him in it.#that’s why I love charmacden so much#because macden is toxic and they’re terrible for each other but the second you throw Charlie into the mix you can really see how soft they#all can be#charden in particular though because Dennis is such a cold person usually I love to see him change with Charlie#it’s always sunny in philadelphia#it’s always sunny in philly#it’s always sunny#iasip#always Sunny#charlie kelly#dennis reynolds#charden
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The extraordinary importance of Donna Noble
Time for me to post the backlog of Doctor Who thoughts I've been having before the 60th comes out
So in my rewatch of season 4 that I did because 10 and Donna are returning I found myself thinking a LOT about an episode I never really cared for in the past, "Turn Left".
There's not anything wrong with this episode, but I've always thought it was kind of a downer since most of it is depressing and basically post-apocalyptic in nature. But I think what happened this time is that since we watched "The Runaway Bride" and then skipped straight to season 4 I was thinking more about how Donna really did change things just by existing. And I don't mean just the state of the world and all the disasters she inadvertently prevented by traveling with the Doctor, I mean the change she made in the Doctor himself.
Because in the Runaway Bride Ten's just said goodbye to Rose. Like, he literally JUST said goodbye to her MOMENTS before Donna appears in the TARDIS. And good golly that man is depressed. I don't think you realize just HOW MUCH Ten NEEDED someone to live for in that moment- and I don't mean that in a romantic way, I mean he was SUICIDAL- until you watch Turn Left. Because in Turn Left Ten lets himself get swept away when he drains the Thames onto the Racnoss and he dies. Because he has nothing and no one else and after all he's done what's the point in living if he's all alone?
But when Donna's there she tells him "You can stop now" and she is standing there, very much alive, and loud, and she's just lost the person she loved too but she doesn't want to die and she is what literally stops the Doctor from committing suicide right then and there because after all he's done and lost (you think all that was just from Rose? nah, he's lost companions he cared deeply for before. But Rose represented a fresh start for him, she "made him better", made him realize he could be more than what he'd lost, especially after the Time War. And then Donna comes along and tells him that even after he's lost Rose he's still allowed to keep living and trying) there are still people who need him.
Donna Noble was extraordinarily important not just to the universe, but to the Doctor and how he develops as Ten. Because not only did she save his life the first time they met, he doesn't want to die after that, even after losing everything all over again. He says goodbye to all his friends in Journey's End and goes off alone but he doesn't have any of those worrying moments where he almost lets himself die like he did in Runaway Bride.
And then. when he's dying, regenerating, with no way to stop it, after all his wounds from the Time War have been reopened by the Timelord's brief return, after he's said goodbye to all his companions- after all that pain what does he still say?
"I don't wanna go."
Donna reminded the Doctor of his reason for living. She literally gave him back his will to live. And in doing so she inadvertently saved Earth and the universe half a dozen times.
#doctor who#tenth doctor#donna noble#she's brilliant#the doctor's best friend <3#I love donna so much I am SO EXCITED to get her back#even if it's only for a few episodes#I have been having more doctor who thoughts than I've had in YEARS these past couple months
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LITA Ep 2 rewatch thoughts
This is such a long post bc I included screenshots oops
I forgot to mention it last time but the opening is so catchy!! I also didn't know BossNoeul sang it until I'd already seen the whole show but that knowledge makes it even better :)
Since we're at the second episode, ofc they start us off with a lil recap. I'm happy to see P'Aon again, yay! Also I like the fun background music. Rain is giving inquisitive puppy vibes in this scene and I'm here for it <3 And then P'Aon mentions Phayu and he instantly turns into disgruntled kitten AHHH what a cutie
VERSUS
Also "how do I know your boss didn't do anything weird to my car" oh sweetheart, he already DID something weird to your car, it's all good now
Once again we get puppy!Rain vs. meow!Rain in the next scene (I'm serious, how tf does Noeul fit all this cuteness inside?)
VERSUS
P'Aon looking at Rain's number like it's the Holy Grail PLSSSS
Yassss Rain call your man out!! What have we got so far? Asshole, bastard, unprofessional, pervert - our boy sure has a range of vocab
Loving that weatherperson foreshadowing that Rain's future is about to have some storm-wrought turbulence - I think it's so funny when a character is like "I never wanna hear/see/think/experience X person again" and then one narrative later they take back those words real quick
I'm also a huge fan of the brothers' dynamic! P'Saifah is always down to call his brother a massive simp to his face, but can you blame him when Phayu literally has this besotted look on?
Ok but what happens next is really short but I think quite interesting. Saifah asks Phayu how long he's been single, and there's a long pause where the camera cuts to this look (see below) on Phayu's face. It kind of looks like he's been single for a while, and not exactly by choice - I get the impression he's been hurt in the past or he hasn't found what he's looking for. BUT then it's immediately followed up with Saifah checking in and Phayu saying "I'll tell you when something happens" with a rather gleeful look. He's already expecting Rain to meet his standards and not run away from him!!! I love how happy Saifah looks for his bro too
And then we get Rain channeling some meerkat energy (I know I've said this a thousand times but URGH WHAT A CUTIE). Also Sky's BS-meter firing so high and Rain's voice jumping like 5 octaves has me cackling every time
Actually, this whole section is quite funny - Rain skipping into the middle of the crowd and then immediately getting ready to run when he sees Phayu, and also there's something yellow+blue color-related going on here but idk what it is (it's cool tho!)
Here are the live reactions to Rain grabbing Phayu's arm to drag him away:
Phayu: mission accomplished 😎
Sky: prayin for ya bff 😇
Ple: I want that to be me 😒
Me + the rest of the students: hmmmm 🌈???????
Ok Rain really has a colorful vocabulary and Phayu is apparently is NOT here for it. Also are Phayu's lips magnets to you Rain? You did not have to stick your lips out like that when you're just tryna have a conversation about manners
I also find it very interesting that Rain is the one to pull Phayu along, first into the bathroom and then into the actual stall. On one hand I know he just doesn't want to be found out by other people but I do think it's rather telling that Phayu who is clearly much larger than Rain allows himself to be manhandled so easily.
First lip touch alert!!!
I'm talking about things I only know marginally about here but idk what else to call it so... I've never heard of a person dropping into subspace so friggin fast I mean all Phayu did was breathe on his neck for 0.2 seconds and Rain's goneeee. I was absolutely unprepared the first time I watched this, and even now on my nth rewatch I'm still feeling some type of way
I didn't notice this until someone pointed it out but Phayu does take a second to pull back and check in (peep the surprised eyebrow raise - clearly he didn't expect Rain to be so into it after like 2 seconds, but he's certainly not complaining)
I also didn't notice this before but Rain actually moans here. Very understandable. Also Phayu telling Rain he did a good job? Praise kink activated (Phayu really just awakened things in Rain one after another lmao)
Another entry into the Rain death-grips Phayu library
I'm actually a bit surprised Rain got yanked out of his headspace so fast - no wonder he collapses by the sink. It's good that Phayu verbally communicates with him right after instead of just leaving. Also interesting choice of words here... there def is something hard involved
I am a SUCKER for headpats. Give them all to meeeee
I can't tell if it's just a translation thing, but when Rain curses Phayu when Phayu is leaving, he doesn't immediately use any cuss words. Look at Rain being a good boy even when he's angry <3 Phayu looks SO satisfied lmao
WAIT SOMEHOW THIS FLEW RIGHT BY MY RADAR UNTIL NOW
Fruity siblings alert! Also Sky coming in clutch here. I don't really get why Ple is so insulted tho, she met Phayu for all of one min (tbf I'd probs react that way if I got to experience Phayu's presence irl though)
Cut to Red Blue boys racing heck yeahhhhhh let's go!!!
It's criminal we didn't get to see Rain fawn over Phayu in this racing outfit. He'd come undone like the rest of us
Also Prapai has a really nice smile! another cutie!!
Ok who is doing perimeter security for these races? Two boys with two shared braincells practically wandered right into the crowd with no trouble - I think if Rain hadn't looked so clueless he could've blended right in
I think the camerawork in these street racing scenes is interesting - I can't quite put my finger on it but it feels like there's something different about the technique or lens bc it looks different than other scenes
I feel like this is a good time to tell y'all I love the Fast and the Furious franchise so I'm right at home here
How strong is Phayu? Rain was actually going pretty fast but Phayu didn't even flinch when he barreled into Phayu's chest. Brick wall I tell you
They did the yellow blue thing again!
This must have been HILARIOUS to film like imagine going into work one day and your boss is like ok now spank your coworker and we're gonna record you
So the first couple of times I watched this I thought that Phayu was being unnecessarily harsh to Rain, but I think now I understand that it was to impart the gravity of the situation. Phayu really just wanted Rain to be safe and also his "grow up" comment comes into play later during the convo after Rain misses a deadline
Rain's death-grip on Phayu Counter: 3
I cannot believe this boy just BIT him so hard Phayu's lips bled. Phayu was so into it though lmao - did y'all hear his voice become so soft after the third kiss?
The line above is so funny to me like sir, the only kind of man you are is a capital F Fool-In-Love
Some more yellow-blue for us
Also he calls him P'Phayu here... what a good boy!
We love chef!Phayu in this house!
I love that Phayu has such confidence in Rain's abilities right from the start - this kind of encouragement is so healthy (in the screenshot below, Rain has just said that he wants to create designs like Phayu)
ALL MEN DO IS LIE (exhibit A see below)
PLSSS HE WAS ALMOST SELF-AWARE my dumb lil son
YASSSS YOU GOT YOUR PRIORITIES IN ORDER PHAYU
And that brings us to the end of episode 2! I'm having so much fun with this <3 Hope anyone reading this has a lovely day or night!!
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