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eff-plays · 8 months

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Ok so I watched the interview with Stephen Rooney, Astarion's writer, and here are some highlights. (I'm an aspiring writer and current game design student who wants to write for games so I'm sorry if some of these insights aren't as interesting to you as they are to me <3)

He calls Astarion his "horrible little vampire boy"

He loves seeing the fandom around Astarion<3

He did write other characters in the game, but mostly NPCs surrounding Astarion or his storyline, so it mostly revolved around Astarion

Astarion is not as connected to other companions/Origins as, for example, Lae'zel and Shadowheart, or Wyll and Karlach are to each other, but he is still reactive to their stories, even if it's just to stand off to the side and laugh when something terrible happens

He had a clear sense of where Astarion's story would start and end, but it got "muddy in the middle", but those are also moments where the best ideas come from

They write from the general idea that every character has one "good" and one "evil" ending, in order to give the player choice. RIP Ascendant apologists :(

According to Stephen, two of the most important aspects of Astarion's character (to keep consistent when bringing him to Idle Champions, at least) is that he enjoys violence, but is also fun about it

"He has a certain appreciation for violence, I guess? A bit of a murdery streak. [...] He's a vampire, he's all about blood, and he's all about, kind of, those darker sides of humanity. [..] But at the same time, he is ... He is really fun, he's really fun to write, he's really fun to have in your party, and it's very important for me that that is also represented."

"He's gonna stab you, but will have a smile on his face as he does it? I mean, I dunno. That's kind of him in a nutshell."

Larian would not have allowed for Astarion to be a typical brooding Dracula type, and there were scenes that were shot down for not being original enough

The main thing about Astarion was trying to get a "sense of fun." It would be easy to write a character that was very unlikable, and they absolutely did not want to do that

Rooney says Astarion is consistently terrible throughout the game and awful in a whole lot of ways, but he also needed to be charming enough that you could tolerate his presence and wanted him around

Rooney also had a lot of input on Astarion's stats (meaning the 10 Charisma is probalby 100% intentional)

He also had input on how certain lines should be delivered, even though the writers didn't directly work with voice actors

The way Astarion moves and poses is "all Neil"

Apparently, Neil Newbon worked on the character for years and Rooney did not speak to him once, though his voice work did influence how Astarion's lines were written and it became a "feedback loop" (Possible context for "ONLY SLIGHTLY, NEIL")

There were no points where a line delivery drastically changed Astarion's writing; rather it was a constant, slow evolution

However, there was one very spoilery moment where Neil gave such emotion to some "basic" lines that it fundamentally changed the scene (WHAT IS IT OMG)

It's difficult to balance approval, as you don't want to straight up write a monster. Every character needs to have some humanity in them. So if it comes to leaving the party, it needed to be the result of something central to said character. They wanted to be mindful of situations that would cause actual rifts between characters. (I assume this is why most generic disapprovals/approvals are +/- 1 or 2, while character-related ones give +/-5 or more)

However, as they don't write straight up horrible people/monsters, it doesn't come up as often as one might think.

The interviewer makes a point about how characters like Astarion and Lae'zel are good examples of how to play "evil" characters, as they are maybe not the best people but are still eager and willing to stick around the other party members

They worked to make sure the characters would work as a group, no matter the configuration of the group. The characters needed to be on the same path, even if they don't always agree or walk that path the same way.

Stephen Rooney is very proud of the "climactic" scene of Astarion's story. (AS HE SHOULD BE.) He even had to step away from the computer and have an emotional moment. Me too, man.

He's also "extremely pleased" that there's a point where you can punch Astarion in the face. "Actually, that one might be my favorite part" A MAN OF THE PEOPLE!!

Stephen Rooney's tip on what specific thing you should try out with Astarion: When he's trying to get a "sneaky nibble" at night, you should "probably" let him bite you. Way ahead of you there, sir.

No discussion about Astarion's romance unfortunately, but that's that!

#bg3 #baldur's gate 3 #astarion #anyway ... after dragon age it feels so mindblowing to have writers who aren't apologists for their characters

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criticallyacclaimedstranger · 1 year

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Fic: The Birds and the Bees

Read on Ao3

Fandom: The Last of Us (HBO)

Ship: Joel Miller x you (cishet f reader) / Ellie x Riley mention

Tags/warnings: underage child overhearing sex (but it's not weird I swear), queer thoughts, Joel is such a dad, Rough Sex, unprotected sex, piv sex, some mild dirty talk, trying to stay quiet during sex.

Summary: Ellie hears mommy (you) and daddy (Joel) have sex. I guess that's the plot.

Words: 2,257

A/N: WARNING can be a bit spoilery for episodes 6 and 7! Thanks to @rambling-in-purple for reading the Ellie part to make sure it wasn't weird <3

Ellie is almost asleep when something draws her back into the real world, and for a moment she has no idea where she is. Where did these clean sheets come from, this comfortable bed, this warmth? It takes her brain a few moments to realize that she is in Jackson, the safe haven reached yesterday. Today. What time is it?

A sound makes her sit up in bed, heartbeats quickening with growing fear. She had thought this place was safe, but that sound is definitely not reassuring. She reaches for her knife on the bedside table, just as she hears the sound again.

A creak. And it's growing rhythmical. And along with it, muffled moans.

Ellie's first instinct is that there is a fight going on in the next room. A life or death struggle between Joel, you, and a deceitful Jackson resident. Or maybe the infected finally got in? Is Jackson already overrun with infected, or did a roaming band of bandits get in?

Another creak, then a louder moan that gets cut off, and it dawns on Ellie.

Oh. Oh.

Being shown around Jackson, you seemed relaxed for the first time in, well, all the months Ellie had been with you and Joel. It was nice to see you like that, and Ellie wished that Joel could unwind a little as well, but Joel wasn't a person who did that. Maria had taken you and Ellie to the house, Joel had gone to see his brother, and returned in a huff. Ellie, in clean clothes washed hair, had gushed to him about the hot shower, but his demeanor had been so dark that she had fallen quiet. Just then, you had appeared out of the shower, wrapped in a towel, and Ellie had seen the looks you and Joel exchanged. You excused yourself to have an early night and took to your bedroom - the one you shared with Joel. Ellie didn't think twice about you two sharing: she had understood long ago what you were to each other, in addition to the protectors, family, you were to her.

But it's one thing to understand that two people love each other, and know what people in love with each other do, and actually hear it.

Conflicted, she lies back down, turns onto one side, wrapping the pillow around her head to muffle the sounds. It's too intimate, too private. It's wrong to listen to it.

Still, the reverberations travel through the wooden build of the house, and she feels them on her skin. Rolling onto her back again, she lets go of the pillow and stares up at the dark ceiling.

It's not the first time she's heard people having sex. She knows what's going on between the two of you and for what it's worth, she's happy for you. There is something so comforting about your obvious feelings for each other, and how they have spilled over onto her. Ellie knows that she was more or less forced upon you but since that night in the Boston QZ, a lot has happened. You're her family now, and she's happy that you and Joel can be safe and comfortable enough in your borrowed bedroom to have sex.

And it is kind of exciting to hear it, even if it's private. Ellie may be a virgin but she's not frigid. The moans she can hear must be from you, and she wonders what it is Joel is doing that's making you sound like that. Not that she wants to think of Joel like that, God no, that's just gross. The whole idea of a man sticking his dick into her feels gross. But surely a woman must be able to make another woman sound like that? Maybe she could ask you. If she wants to talk to you about sex, and that's a big if.

It hits Ellie that if you're her family now, then it would be like asking her mom about sex. And whatever is going on right now is like hearing mom and dad have sex. And that image is just too much for her teenage brain. When the bedframe starts knocking on the wall between her bedroom and yours, she sits up again and bangs her fist at it.

"Keep it down, you two, some of us are trying to sleep here!"

The noise stops at once, and she grins to herself as she imagines your aghast faces - especially Joel must look absolutely shocked.

"Serves you right," she giggles to herself before scooting down and tucking herself in. Sleepy and amused, she wonders what sex feels like. If she will ever have it. If she even wants it. Is there ever going to be anyone that she'd care to do it with? Will anyone ever find her attractive? Her thoughts stray to Riley, and how sweet it would be to share this comfortable bed with her, whispering in the night, kissing, maybe more - but she quickly brushes those thoughts away. That wound is still too fresh.

A muffled thud is heard from the other bedroom, but she doesn't care anymore. Curling up on her side, she succumbs to exhaustion and the soft mattress.

"Shit!"

"Fuck!"

Your heart is pounding, your mouth is dry, your breathless profanity barely audible against Joel's cheek as he's buried to the hilt in you. He was in a mood when he came back from seeing his brother, and you knew there was no point in trying to make him talk about it. Even in a huff, however, the sight of you in a towel was rare enough for him to stop and stare.

"Take a shower," you told him, seeing that all he wanted to do was pull the towel off of you, "and come to bed."

Strangely enough, he did as he was told, but even hot water wasn't enough to keep him in the shower for more than a few minutes. When he came out, naked and dripping after barely having had time to dry himself off, he joined you between the threadbare but clean sheets.

"It's been too long," he told you, breath hot against your skin, hands already cupping and squeezing and claiming. You hummed your agreement as you let him cover your mouth with yours, sucking the breath out of you as he laid on top of you, his broad frame blocking out everything else. His weight on you, his clean, naked skin against yours... it had indeed been far too long for indulgences like these. You remember stolen fucks and sleepless nights in the QZ, clothed on cold hard floors during runs, but the last time you could take your time like this? And even with all the time in the world, both of you were in a desperate hurry. He sank his thick cock into you before too long and you welcomed him deeper by wrapping your arms and legs around him. When you moaned, he covered your mouth with his large hand and grunted in your ear:

"I know, pretty girl, I know, I feel it too, but you have to stay quiet for me."

You whined into his palm, and he replaced it with his mouth, swallowing your moans as he thrust into you with a renewed fury. The bed creaked but you were too far gone, too cock-hungry to care if Ellie heard you.

Which she did, of course.

Joel froze at the banging on the wall, and he inhaled sharply when Ellie yelled out her request for silence. Mirth replacing dismay as you recognize the teasing tone of Ellie's voice, you start to tremble with held-back giggles. With a grunt, Joel heaves himself up on his elbows.

"It's not funny," he lets you know in a morose voice. You raise your hands to his cheeks, feeling the heat in them. It's too dark to see, but your tough, no nonsense man is fucking blushing.

"It is a little funny," you whisper back and pull him in for a kiss. "She's fucking with us, you do know that, right?"

"We're gonna traumatize her - "

"This is gonna traumatize her, and not everything else she has lived through and seen?" you scoff. Your hand slides around to the back of his head and grab a fistful of hair. "Wise up, Miller, and fuck me."

"We can't - "

"I swear to God, Joel, if you don't get me off, I'm gonna go naked into the street and find someone who will!"

Your threat, unfounded though it is, gets him back on the right track.

"Yeah?" he breathes in a low growl, lowering his face over your chest, his tongue licking a wet trail around your knotted nipple. "You'd let just anyone touch you? Let anyone do this to you?" He licks your nipple into his mouth and sucks hard, making you arch your back as you clench your teeth against the moan threatening to spill out of you.

"Joel...!"

"Hush, my pretty," he hisses, sliding one hand to your breast and burying his fingers into the plump flesh as he lowers his mouth to your ear. "You have to stay quiet if you want me to fuck you till you cum. Can you do that?"

Your whimpered yes is followed by a choked cry when he slams into you anew, this time wrapping one arm around your thigh to get in deeper. You hold onto the bedding, the headboard, willing it to creak less as Joel picks up where he left off, doing his best to resume his devastating pace yet without causing any more noise. It's difficult, but when Joel puts his mind to something, he always follows through. He braces himself against the bed and you whine when he takes his weight off of you. You want to be deliciously crushed, taken, rendered breathless and immobile, but now you are free to rub your clit as he fucks you. Your slick walls clench around him at once.

"Fuck, that's tight," he groans above you, baring his teeth. "So fucking tight when you do that."

You stare up at him through the dusk, caress his flexed neck muscles with your half closed eyes as the pressure rises inside you. You whisper bitten off words, as if Joel needed your words to know that you are so close to exploding, imploding, the mesmerizing rise and fall that you so desperately need. He dips down to steal your breath away with a kiss and you suck eagerly on his tongue while simultaneously panting for air.

He almost slips out when you cum, your slickness and spasming muscles nearly pushing him out. You press your lips together, will yourself to swallow the sounds that threaten to come out when your body trembles under him. Your body, so sensitive all of a sudden, wants to push him away, but instead you pull him down over you and move with him, desperate and wanton.

"Cum," you beg of him in a whisper that might just as well be a scream, you have no idea as the blood roars in your ears, "cum, baby, cum in me, please cum."

Your overstimulated pussy feels the heat of his load spreading inside you when your words rush him to his climax. The strangled sound he emits is one that you've never heard from him before, and you wrap your arms around him, holding him tightly to you. His heart beats rapidly against your chest, where your own heart trying to match his rhythm, and when he tries to catch his breath there's only a stutter. He's sweaty but you can smell him and it's clean, fresh perspiration. His hair is still damp, and you run your fingers through it, smelling the shampoo which no doubt is handmade of herbs by someone in Jackson. He clearly took the time to wash his hair, which surprises you.

It feels nice. Normal.

"You smell nice," you murmur to him, sniffing his sideburn demonstratively.

"You do too." He brushes his lips across your face in a light peppering of kisses, each one a lingering declaration of love on your skin. "You felt so good, baby, this was good."

You hum softly as he slides out, slick and seed trailing in the wake of his softening cock.

"Might want to go again in a minute," you warn him with a happy smile that you hope he can hear, even if he can't see it. Joel groans as he rolls over onto his back next to you.

"Too old for twice in one night."

You chuckle, feeling the post-coital relaxation weighing you down in the most delicious way. Once was definitely enough. But you wish that every night could be like this.

"You think she's still awake?" Joel asks, and for a moment you have no idea who he's talking about. You had quite forgotten that the two of you were not alone in the house.

"I'll talk to her in the morning," you offer with a yawn. "Woman to woman."

"And tell her what?" Joel sounds both cynical and troubled, which amuses you greatly.

"About the birds and the bees," you giggle, shoving him playfully. "And what happens when two adults like each other very much."

He scoffs but takes your hand and brings it to his lips for a kiss before placing it over his heart. The conversation is over for his part, so you lay your head on his shoulder and close your eyes.

#the last of us fanfic #joel miller x you #joel miller x reader #joel miller #ellie williams #my fic

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phenikas · 4 months

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Spoilers for Deep Connections under cut!!!

"Rhys..." Jack stared into his eyes, afraid, still holding back. Because why shouldn't he? He has caused enough chaos in the younger man's life. He no longer felt deserving of being a part of it. "I'm-"

"Stop."

Jack silently watched as Rhys inched closer, slowly and carefully guiding his hand. God, how he wanted to wrap himself around Rhys, and yet even the slightest touch threatened his system to shut down. And when Rhys placed Jack's hand on his thigh, the fear of holding back a thousand moans and curses resurfaced.

He sucked in his breath, as if that would stop him from thinking about every possible way he wanted to touch Rhys. His other hand gripped the armrest, keeping it far enough with intention. Any and all contact was risky, especially when he did not know what was running through Rhys' head.

But then he felt it, at the back of his head. A ping.

He ignored it, still overwhelmed by Rhys' cybernetic hand laying on top of his.

Another ping. A request for... a wireless connection?

"I- Rhys, I can't let you do that," he tried, but Rhys ignored his fears, visibly moving even closer.

"I meant what I said that night," Rhys spoke in a hushed voice, his words meant for Jack and Jack only, "You thought I was out of it, and I guess it was kind of true. I was... angry. At you. At myself. And I know I should've handled that anger like an adult, but dammit, even I need to let loose sometimes. And I guess by getting shit faced, it did kind of open up a door of opportunity in my head. But what I'm trying to say is, I'm really tired of denying our feelings."

Jack gripped Rhys' thigh involuntarily, the man's words affecting him in ways he could not explain. He leaned back further into the chair, trying to gain control of the situation. He did not want to hurt Rhys more than he already has, "Don't say that. You can't say that! Didn't you see what I did?"

"Yeah. I saw everything," Rhys admitted, eyes locked with Jack's, "And it only confirmed what I was afraid of."

"That I shouldn't even be here in the first place?"

"That I keep bringing you back because I need you in my life. This was never a matter of you being useful for me or the company. I just... I hated how everything ended. Deep down, I kind of knew that there could've been something more between us, but I guess it was just a matter of-"

"Wrong place, wrong time."

"Yeah. Like it always seems to be."

"Is..." Jack began, still absolutely terrified that this could all go wrong any second now, "Is this the right time?"

"And the right place, if you let me in." Rhys leaned closer, his left hand gripping Jack's shoulder for support. "I want to feel what you feel, if that makes sense. I just... I want you, Jack."

Some out of context Deep Connections as I try to slowly get back into the groove of making renders. (I tried to be non-spoilery, even though this... might actually be a spoiler of its own? I mean, the real thing is gonna be in Rhys' POV so not really. There's like 2 chapters left between this and where the story currently is on ao3 - link here.)

#listen december was absolute hell for me thats why I was barely active anywhere #I'm kind of having a block when it comes to doing stuff in ue lately idk why #I will go back to finishing the requests I prommy #SPrenders #DeepConnectionsAU #rhack #handsome jack #rhys strongfork #borderlands #tftbl #tales from the borderlands

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midnightsun-if · 7 months

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How does one go about forming a mate bond? is it like an oath or something else?

Also! if this isn't too spoilery, how long would it take the ROs to ask MC to form the mate bond (like fastest to slowest I guess)? And would any of them wait for MC to ask them?

It depends on which supernatural species in question! For vampires it’s fairly straight forward— though there usually are parties for the more affluent members of the vampiric race to celebrate the new bond— as it’s a bite on the neck (usually around where the neck meets the shoulder). It’s something that has to be mutual— you can’t force a mating bite, and you have to have the intent of forming a mating bond for it to stick. So, you wouldn’t have to worry about bonding prematurely with Scarlett if she were to bite you or vice versa. For shifters it’s a bit more drawn out due to the fact that both the human and animal side has to agree that the potential mate is a good fit; if you’re rejected by one, then it’s something that’ll never be broached again. For mermaids there’s usually a lot of festivities and different ceremonies that the prospected couple goes through. Dragon shifters, unlike other shifters, usually have various trials that will show that they’re the perfect protector for their potential mate.

It truly just depends on the species! It’ll all end with a mark, somewhere, that showcases the both of you are taken and the intermingling of scents that will ward off other supernaturals from even trying to approach.

Koda: I think it’s something that Koda would just bring up casually. Something that he wouldn’t use to pressure the MC, but simply showcase how he hopes the relationship is heading towards. I think, after a period of time, he’d be the one to bring it up first, but he wouldn’t mind if the MC also did so.

Scarlett: The moment you enter a deep relationship with her she already sees you as her mate (just without the actual mark to showcase it). However, she wouldn’t bring it up until you did because she’s been burned once before when she thought what she felt had been reciprocated… She paid for that mistake and will never make it again. (Even though she knows the MC would never be the same.)

Cyrus/Cyra: They’d be the fastest mainly due to the fact that if you wish to be truly accepted into House Aurelia, you need to be their mate. Or else you wouldn’t be trusted enough to be brought to their most sacred areas. You’d be welcomed to a degree, but it wouldn’t be anything like it could be. So, they’d bring it up rather quickly to tell you that’s expected of you both.

Quinn: They’d wait to see how the wind blows. They know that they feel a connection with you, know that it’s something so much deeper than simple infatuation, but they don’t want you to feel like they’re forcing you into anything just because both they and their wolf have come to an agreement. They’d entirely let you bring it up, but they’d be giving subtle hints along the way.

Caden: Absolutely would not bring it up. They’d never presume to make such an assumption about you both. Do they wish to form said bond? Absolutely, but they’re fine with waiting until you bring it up.

Sloane: They’d be having an internal battle with their wolf about it— not because they didn’t agree, quite the contrary— but they wouldn’t be able to imagine anyone else matching up in the same manner. Could never imagine their human side agreeing with their wolf in such a way again. They’d probably be sullen about it, in their head more, before they’d finally just bring it up completely out of nowhere.

Blake: They’d completely avoid the topic. It brings up bad memories for them, but if it’s something the MC wanted to broach then they’d be 100% in the conversation, but you’d have to be the one to bring it up. They want nothing more than to be mated with you, but it’s hard for them to actually start said conversation to make it happen.

Reginald/Regina: They’d bring it up mainly to ask you questions, but the more they learn about the more they’d want to become a reality. They couldn’t imagine a better scenario then spending the rest of their life with you in such a way. It’s something they’d tell you, rather bluntly, but they’d let you take the lead in the grand scheme of things.

#midnight sun #asks #ro: blake herrera #ro: koda kingston #ro: caden randall #ro: r presley #ro: quinn grant #ro: sloane addams #ro: c aurelia #ro: scarlett voltaire #scenario asks #mating bond

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wulvert · 4 months

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What kind of powers do vampires have in Paperteath? Or is that too spoilery? Also I just discovered Paperteath and I'm absolutly loving it. It's quickly become one of my favorite webtoons (up there with The Last Dimension and Nevermore). I've reread it at least 3 times so far.

hii!! thank you so much omg im rly glad you like paperteeth- ive been feeling a little insecure abt it lately ahah.

ive made a few posts about this but i cant find them without scrollimg back like 50 pages on my blog & i dont wanna do that 🤧 so ill make a new one and actually tag it this time

so for default powers they dont have that many other than regenerating, nothing can kill them aside from beheading, fire & a wooden stake to the heart, so everything else just heals, like if you chop their arm off or shoot them in the head itll be fine again fairly quickly. as long as its none of those three things (the sun sets them on fire so im counting it as fire but i guess also the sun) (but if u dunk them in water fast enough theyll be okay) theyll recover.

but the way these vampires work is that they kinda evolve/adapt over time to their surroundings! if a vampire is starving consistently over a long period of time theyll get features that make catching and eating people easier like claws more teeth etc- & these traits can be passed down to vampires turned by those vampires so some vampires are a little different than others. some of these things are now present in the majority of vampires like hibernating in winter. when ye olden vampires got too cold (they have no body heat they can only get warmth from other warm stuff. like. human blood. idk.) and froze over in winter one too many times theyll have just started hibernating- (but vampires in places with no cold season rnt affected by that ofc & now that a lot of vampires have heating the sleepiness in winter is just inconvenient. u try take a 10 min nap and wake up months later)

so cool stuff like turning into a bat is usually exclusive to really really old vampires . like. draculas. plural.

so yeah they mostly just have weaknesses which makes up for the very hard to kill thing. theyre scared of garlic. crucifixes & silver burns & they get stuck in a coffin if a rose is on their door. (vampires who were buried in the week between dying and coming back often want to sleep in a coffin but if they werent it doesnt apply)

I could go on for 50 years abt how they work so i will stop!!!

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corviids · 6 months

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Hi! I was hoping you could answer a few questions because I’m a bit confused on Otto using Aemond and Luke’s children to threaten them. Does Otto actually see Aenys as a valid potential future king or is his goal is still Aegon? Rhaenyra, Jace, Laena would all have to die in order for Aenys just to become heir, so then would Otto dispose of Luke as well? I guess I’m just not really make the connection between “Otto reminding Aemond how close Aenys is to the throne” and “Aemond falling back into line.” Could you clarify? Is it that Otto would murder Rhaenyra, Jace, Laena, and Luke if it meant seeing Hightower blood on the throne so “stay loyal to Aegon because that is what I would do”? Could you also clarify what is more important in Otto’s mind at this point: Seeing a male heir or seeing Hightower blood on the throne? Because he could make it so that any of Aemond’s children marries Laena or if Jace does have a male heir see that a daughter marries him.

Otto is an old man at this point and I feel like he’s getting closer to the point where he won’t be able to puppet whatever heir makes itself known to the route he will take. Using Aenys implies that he would go through Rhaenyra’s line which would legitimize her rule, but if he’s only using the idea of the Summerhall children then doesn’t that still imply they are just tools and he still wants Aegon? Because I doubt he will live long enough to control either. Sorry if this is rambling. I’m trying to phrase my questions in ways that you could answer them without giving away spoilers to Otto’s endgame.

okay i’ll try to answer this in the least spoilery way possible cuz tbh i’m happy it’s caused confusion cuz it’s kinda the point that otto is playing a mind game lol

basically, otto’s threat to aemond is a reminder that otto has been playing this game since before aemond was even born and he has the full capability to do whatever he wants with aemond and his family without them even realizing. otto realizes that aemond’s loyalty is to luke + their kids and he’s like “i can use that, aemond, but how is up to you.”

you aren’t wrong: otto is old but getting his blood on the throne is his life’s work and he now has two avenues of doing so: aegon’s line or aemond’s. his “fall in line” comment is him telling aemond that if aemond doesnt do what he wants when the time comes, he can always use his [aemond’s] kids. otto is still a very powerful man and there’s always the chance that he, as hand and aemond’s grandfather, is conspiring while using his great-grand kids as bargaining chips (also consider that most of lucemond’s kids are dragonriders/dragon blood is very valuable to houses)

otto’s end goal isn’t aenys on the throne specifically. he wants his blood on it. not as a consort but as king. his warning is more of a how will he do it.

#sorry if this doesn’t clarify much i don’t wanna spoil things lol #asks

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phantomoftheorpheum · 7 months

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my favorite book to show changes in Shelter

*obviously spoilers for the first season of Shelter, as well as the trilogy, though I will be putting anything that relates to plots they may do in later possible seasons below a cut.

The Friendship Group - I really, really like the way they updated the friendship dynamics for the show. This is probably my absolute favorite change. In the books, Ema & Mickey are very much besties and the center of the story, while Spoon often feels like an addition, and Rachel doesn't have much content. While they do technically end up as a group by the end, there are very few scenes with the 4 of them and the main dynamic focused on is Mickey & Ema's.

Shira Bolitar - in the books, Mickey goes to live with his uncle Myron, and Shira doesn't exist. Myron is fine in the books (and he clearly exists in the show, even though we don't meet him), but I like the added focus on Shira (and Hannah, who also isn't a character in the books). They do give Shira some of Myron's material from the books, but she also has a lot of new stuff for the show. I guess some audiences might not think her added material is necessary, but I liked her being a more fleshed out character (I mean, Myron has his own books, which I haven't read, so he's probably very fleshed out in those, but he doesn't have much going on in these books).

Spoon - I think they nailed Spoons characterization, like he feels very much like his book counterpart (aside from a couple of repeated jokes/comments in the books that I didn't love and I'm glad that they didn't use in the show), but there's so much more of him in the show. He honestly does not have enough scenes in the books. I'm glad they recognized his potential in the show.

Dylan Shakes (spelled Shaykes in the books) - This one isn't that big of a deal, but I like that they threaded that mystery into the main plot of the show. This character has a (less fleshed out) very similar plot in the books, but it's very background and his disappearance doesn't feel that important to the town.

Ema's Romantic Arc - Whitney doesn't exist in the books. Ema has other stuff going on romantically in the books, I'll go a little more into this in the more spoilery section of the post.

One thing I think the books did better than the show is that Ashley and Mickey know each other for several weeks before she goes missing, as opposed to literally one day. While I understand that the show addresses that there's some transference going on with Mickey and his desire to save Ashley when he couldn't save his father, his fixation feels weirder in the show than in the books, where he'd gotten to know her a little bit better and they were tentatively dating.

*****spoilers for some book plots that could come into play in additional seasons of the show below!!*****

Ema & Mickey - Okay, honestly, this is a big one for me. It could be because I watched the show first and had that dynamic in my head going into the books, but I was very much not a fan of Ema & Mickey's feelings for each other in the books. While they never actually get together (unless he's going to write more?), we get confirmation that they both have feelings for each other and both know it. I don't know. This just didn't work for me. Maybe, partially, because Mickey spends a lot of the books being jealous whenever Troy & Rachel are brought up, but then will flip into being jealous about Ema liking someone else and back and forth so much. It might be realistic (since Mickey is mainly just like distracted by how hot he thinks Rachel is a lot), but it kind of taints the vibe of "Ema & Mickey are so emotionally connected and their bond is so deep" that it feels like we're supposed to believe at times. IDK. I very much prefer their friendship in the show.

Rachel - Show Rachel is so superior to the book version of Rachel. And it's not that book!Rachel is bad, it's just that she really doesn't get much time on the page, despite being central to the second book mystery, which basically revolves around her family dynamics. While her season 1 plot is pretty similar to her book 1 plot, that's about all the action we really see out of her in the books, and I think that the show did a great job increasing her presence and agency.

#harlan coben's shelter #shelter spoilers #mickey bolitar #spoon spindell #ema winslow #rachel caldwell #no seriously spoilers #shelter #shelter prime #shelter season 1 spoilers #shelter books spoilers #personal #mine #td

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le-trash-prince · 3 months

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Okay since it’s been a couple episodes since the last time I took a look at Jeff’s visions, I figured I’d break down the few missing pieces we have left, based on what onscreen info we already have.

Cut for speculation, not-technically spoilers but possibly spoilery

Okay first off... it's Tony stabbing/shooting time hell yeah. (I never really doubted that this was Tony but I do like to be certain)

The plaid patterning and buttons on this suit from Jeff's vision match what he wears at the end of ep 12/beginning of ep 13. With the wound hidden, we can't tell what weapon was used (forensic scientists chime in), but with all of the shooting going on in the preview, it's most likely a bullet wound. Even though in my heart I wish it were Kenta's knife, but I will bow to reason this time.

HOWEVER.

He's wearing a different suit in this part of the vision. I can't get a clear view of the fabric, but the buttons are clearly plain buttons that match the color of his vest.

So I do think that whatever wound he receives in the first part of ep 13 won't be anywhere near-fatal, since he's apparently going to recover enough to swing a fucking sword. BOO.

Possible scenarios:

he gets hit in a non-fatal area on purpose in order to frame X-Hunter in front of the media (I'm not leaning towards this one)

he's a powered Alpha/Enigma with a self-healing ability

If he's using the sword on Kenta I'm flying through my screen to end him.

Those are all my thoughts on that part.

Next up we have the mysterious cameraman, who is revealed to be one of the press at the auction. (So, not a surprise extra cast member acting as Jeff's spy, which is a possibility I threw out in my earlier post. And by Jeff's spy I mean the one he said coordinated Kim's release. WHICH REALLY ONLY LEAVES KENTA AT THIS POINT. I'm going to keep saying this until they give us that fucking flashback.)

If we're taking the onscreen visions to be literal representations of what Jeff sees, then Jeff either would not have known what this was, or done some major conjecturing. But if the visions are more a symbolic representation, then we can assume that Jeff knew he was going to have a chance to reveal Tony in front of the media, especially since he saw himself at the auction, and he's apparently got a speech prepared for this moment.

Next up is Winner... Winner stans look away it's not pretty...

This one probably needs no explanation. We all know it's Kim rescuing his babies, right? Maybe he survives this.... but it looks pretty bad to me. I’m not ready for it tbh :(

The only other thing we haven’t seen yet is this microscopey looking shot. My best guess is we may get some explanation from Babe’s dad on the special powers, but I really have no idea what I’m looking at here lol.

That's all from me from this week. There's a shot of Babe and Charlie in Tony's office, but it doesn't tell us anything we don't know from the preview.

I would like to go back at some point and do comparison shots of everything Jeff saw in his visions with what actually happened.

Thoughts? Anything I missed?

#em post #pit babe #pit babe the series #blood cw

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essenceofsunflower · 17 days

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⋆.˚ ᡣ𐭩 .𖥔˚ RETH x READER

wc: 2983 tags: fem!reader, she/her reader pronouns, reth from palia, canon events (i guess could be spoilery?), finding your shepp, self indulgent writing, not proofread or beta read :D

masterlist

“Find a shepp,” you muttered to yourself with a sigh. It was hard enough trying to navigate this newfound world, let alone trying to find a shepp per Eshe’s request. Since spawning into this place they called Kilima Village, you had been thrown into task after task. How would you ever find the time to build relationships with the villagers if you were always busy? You decided that today you would take a break from being the errand girl for everyone and instead would meet everyone you could find in hopes that you would find someone who would be willing to be your shepp. Up until now, you had only briefly spoken to most of the town, but no one knew you well enough to be your shepp just yet.

As you came into town, you assumed that Ashura would probably have wise words of advice on the fact of the matter. Hurrying along, you walked into the inn to find Ashura at his desk.

“Hey, Ashura!” you said cheerily as you approached him. The large, gentle giant softly smiled. “Welcome in, y/n! Good to see you today. How are things going for ya?” he asked.

“Honestly? Well, I need some advice. You know this place, and the people, better than anyone, so I was going to see if you have any tips for me on picking a shepp?”

“A shepp? So that’s what Eshe has you doing, I see. Well, many of the townsfolk would be more than happy to be a shepp- but,” he gave you a look, “asking them to be your own comes with a lot of responsibility on their part. You don’t want just anyone to be your shepp, and it should be someone you feel close to or have a connection with.”

“Responsibility? Eshe didn’t really explain much of all this to me. I thought they just told Eshe ‘Yep, she’s one of us!’ and that was it.”

Ashura chuckled. “In a way, yes, that is what they do. But their job as your shepp doesn’t stop there. They’re responsible for you, so anything you do- whether that’s good or bad- reflects upon them, too. Likewise, anything they do can also affect your own standing in Eshe’s eyes, if you get what I mean.”

“Oh… so we are kinda tied to each other’s social standing?” The wheels in your head began to turn. Who would you choose as your shepp then? It seemed the task wasn’t going to be as easy as you once thought it’d be.

“Yes, at least in the beginning it will be. But once you’re on your feet, most of us will forget who you picked as your shepp and there won’t be a little red string tying you guys together anymore. But don’t just rush into it, you’ve got all the time you need to pick someone who best fits you and your lifestyle. I know you aren’t Majiri like us, but maybe figuring out what path you like can help you narrow down your candidates.”

“Path. That’s right! A lot of you guys have your own path, so maybe I should find one I could call my own as well. Thanks, Ashura! I knew you’d be a big help for sure.”

“Oh, it’s nothing. It’s what I’m here for, of course. Kilima Village has a pretty good variety of those in different paths, there is a path for everyone- from farming, furniture making, to cooking- you’ll figure it out.” Ashura placed a hand on your shoulder and gave a soft smile before walking past you to go about his day.

There is a path for everyone. Surely someone in this town had a path you could find yourself in, you just had to figure out who it was. As you stood there, racking your brain through the makeshift list of names in your head, you heard the rumbling coming from your stomach. You had been so immersed in your search for finding a shepp today that you forgot to make yourself something to eat. You looked around the inn, seeing the bar open for business.

“What’cha got on the menu today, Reth?” you asked as you put your hands on the counter. The elf playfully contemplated his response, acting as if he was thinking long and hard about it. “Well, I would say my famous lettuce soup, but I’d be willing to whip up something different if you wanted,” he said with a smirk.

“As much as I love your lettuce soup, I don’t think I can have that for breakfast. How about some bacon-stuffed mushrooms? What do I have to do to get some of those on your menu?” you laughed. Reth was someone who was fun to talk to, in your opinion. You knew that the rest of the town had their own opinions about him, but none of it mattered to you. You enjoyed how go with the flow he was and how he always seemed to take each day one at a time.

“You know what, for you, I can make those. Just don’t tell people I make stuff off the menu.” He winked and turned around to start prepping the food. As you watched him chop the ingredients and assemble your meal, you wondered what his thoughts were on paths and choosing a shepp. “Reth, what do you think I should do about finding a shepp? Ashura said I should find someone who’s on a path that I can find myself in, but I don’t even know where to start.”

Reth scoffed to himself. “You sure you want to ask me about paths and shepps? I don’t think I’m really the best one to give you any advice on that, y/n. But if you wanna know how I feel, I think that these paths people take just because their parents do is a little outdated of an idea. I think what Ashura means is finding a path that you like, that you enjoy doing. You lucked out being human, even if you changed your mind, no one is really gon’ say much about it.” His tone changed towards the end of his sentence.

“Yeah, so I’ve heard. The Majiri don’t seem too understanding if you change paths… but I’m sure you know it all too well, but I’m glad you’re doing something you like.”

“Me too, this stuff is way more fun than getting splinters all day and hammering away on furniture,” he said as he put the plate of bacon-stuffed mushrooms in front of you. The food looked immaculate, you could tell it was made by someone who truly loved what they were doing.

Hey, Reth,” you said quietly as you started to cut the food into pieces. Reth turned around and wiped his hands on his apron. “Yeah? What’s up? It’s not good? Don’t tell me that, just lie to me,” he snickered.

“No, no. It’s not the food, this is good, great even,” you said as you finished a bite. “Do you think, maybe, you would be my shepp?”

Reth looked astounded by the question. “What?! ME ?! Y/N, I wouldn’t even know what to do with myself as a shepp. Maybe if I knew you better, but even then, you sure you want me to be that person? I don’t really have the best reputation in the village.”

You pushed the food around on the plate, almost feeling stupid for even thinking he’d agree to something so serious. It wasn’t like Reth to be tied to anything, let alone a new person in the village who was asking a lot of him. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked. You’re probably right,” you said quietly.

Reth leaned on the counter and met your eye level. “Look, if it comes down to it and you still don’t have someone, then I’ll do it. But there’s gotta be someone way better out there for your decision than this guy. But I will do it if no one else will-”

“Really?!” you exclaimed, cutting him off. Reth put up his index finger. “Yeah, but on one condition,” he chuckled. “You just have to promise to keep coming into the inn and having breakfast, lunch, and dinner here for a while before I really agree to it. I gotta know the person I’m shepping for before saying yes for real, don’t I?”

You rolled your eyes playfully. “You know what, Reth. I think I can do that, but only if you promise me you won’t make me lettuce soup every time I come in.” Reth laughed heartily at your response and nodded his head in approval. “Fine, you got a deal.” He made his way to the other side of the counter to take someone else’s order and began prepping their food for them.

It was hard not to watch in awe as he prepared the orders he had coming in. He was meticulous with his cuts and attentive to all timers in the kitchen, basically ready to take stuff out before the timers could even go off. It was like watching an artist paint a masterpiece as he plated the food and garnished it before passing it across the counter. As you continued to watch, you admired how much fun it looked like he had cooking. Finally, you finished your food.

“Reth,” you called to him as you placed your coins on the counter. “For the food.” You got off the seat and waved goodbye. “See ya later, Y/N! I’ll be here all day,” he laughed as he waved back. You left the inn in a better state than you came in, at least you knew that if all else failed with the rest of the town, Reth had promised to be your shepp.

ɞ────⋆˚₊⋆ ๑

The coming weeks didn’t bring any result in picking a shepp. Everyone was either too busy to commit to it or didn’t feel right with your relationship being so new with them. You walked into the inn and sat at the bar, laying your head in your arms and letting out a long sigh.

“Hey, hey, hey. This is a ‘no-sad-human-zone’, you can’t do that here,” Reth said as he leaned on the counter in front of you, resting his head in his palm. “Ughhh,” you groaned dramatically. “Wow, that bad, huh? I bet I know what will fix it.” He snapped his finger and walked into the back of the bar where the pantry and other cooking supplies were at. A few moments later, you could feel him put down a plate of food on the counter beside you. “This one’s on the house,” he said as you raised your head up to look at what he brought out. It was a fresh bowl of ramen, complete with boiled eggs and green onions on top. Reth leaned over and whispered to you. “Just don’t tell anyone I let you have it for free, okay?” He winked and grabbed a cleaning rag to start wiping off the counter.

You appreciated the sentiment, especially coming from Reth since you two were starting to grow a little closer after all the visits you had promised to make to the inn. “Reth, what do you do outside of this place?” Reth paused for a moment, a little confused by the question. “You mean like once I leave work? Uh… I do…. stuff, I guess.” His tone implied he wasn’t really trying to answer the question, but you couldn’t pinpoint why.

“Well, are you going somewhere when you’re done today?” you asked, not really sure where you were going with the series of questions.

“I have a few things I have to do later tonight, but nothing right after we close up here. Why? You tryin' to ask me to hangout?” He chuckled and kept wiping the counter.

“Actually, yeah. Do you want to?” You were still unsure yourself what was even going on, but the conversation just seemed to flow naturally. You did want to know more about Reth after all this time, and he did say he needed to know you more before officially agreeing to be your shepp. Short conversations over a meal while he worked weren’t really the best way for you two to get to know each other.

“Oh, uh,” Reth said, scratching the back of his head and smiling. “I didn’t expect you to actually say that was the plan. But ya know what, I think we can do that. Why don’t you come back later at say, 6pm? I’ll be finishing up here and we can go somewhere then. How’s that sound?”

“Sure, that sounds good. Thanks, Reth.” You started to eat your food as you noticed Reth checking the clock on the wall. “I’ll be right back, I have to.. Get a few things from the storeroom.” Reth scurried off out of the bar and rushed down the stairs to the basement area. After a few minutes, you felt a large hand on your shoulder. You turned to see Ashura standing beside you, he looked like he needed something.

“Have you seen Reth? I got a few things I need to talk to that boy about, but he’s always in and out doing things,” he said.

“He just had to go to the storeroom for something, but when he gets back I can let him know that you need him?” You gave a shrug as you suggested.

“Yeah, that’ll work. Thanks, Y/N. I have to head out to the garden, but he should know where to find me.” He gave a sincere smile and left the inn. You looked up at the clock. Reth had been gone for at least 10 minutes. What on earth does he have to even get down there? And what about his job? Luckily, the bar wasn’t full of people waiting on him, but what if it was? He would be in high water with Ashura come the end of the day, and you definitely didn’t want to see if that sweet man was capable of bringing down the hammer.

You glanced around the bar; it didn’t look like anyone was coming to get food anytime soon so you decided to go downstairs to see if Reth needed help with whatever it was he was getting. You got up from the bar and made your way down the steps of the inn. It was your first time down there, but the store room was just across the room past the little boat docks under the inn. As you grabbed the door handle, you felt it turn and pull open as Reth left the storeroom. “Oh! Uh.. Y/N, what are you doing down here?” he asked nervously.

“Well, you were gone for so long, I thought maybe you needed some help or something. And plus, Ashura said he was looking for you.” Reth let out a groan. “Yeah, I forgot I have some errands I have to run tonight for him. He’s probably just reminding me.” He let out a soft sigh under his breath. “We may have to reschedule our little hangout tonight, if that’s alright.”

“Yeah, that’s fine…,” you said. The two of you sat awkwardly in silence for a moment before you broke it. “Maybe I can help you with some of the errands so you get done early?” Reth’s face lit up at the offer. “Hey! That just might work.” He snapped his fingers. “How about you do a few of the deliveries and pick up some things, and I’ll take care of the rest? I promise the deliveries aren’t that bad, just a handful of things to take and pick up.”

His bright smile made you smile as well. “Sure, you just tell me where to go.” Reth pulled out his order pad and wrote down the people to deliver to and who to pick up ingredients from. “There, that should be it. Eshe’s stuff’s all done, just upstairs in the back fridge. You’d be a real lifesaver doing this for me.”

You took the list and walked back upstairs with Reth. He led you into the back kitchen area and got the delivery package out of the fridge and handed it to you. “Careful with it, it’s a luxury to deliver this special dinner of mine to Eshe. Gotta deliver it safely or it’s both our hides that’ll be skinned,” he chuckled. “And just let the others know you’re picking up for me, they should have the stuff ready for you. Thanks again.” He bashfully smiled, something you hadn’t really seen before, but it was endearing. “No problem, I’ll be back before long,” you said before you left the inn.

Eshe’s delivery was your first priority, so you made your way across the bridge down from the stables and found her waiting, impatiently to no surprise. “Hey, Eshe! Have something for you,” you said as you pulled the package out and offered it to her. You watched Eshe look at the package and then back up at you before taking it. “So Reth has you doing his job for him? Hmph, seems fitting. This better be what I’ve been waiting for, not like that awful lettuce soup he pushes every time you order at the inn.”

“He doesn’t have me doing them, I offered to just help him out. I’m sure the food he made is well up to par; he really puts in a lot of work into his food, ya know,” you said assuredly. Eshe scoffed at your reply and tucked the package under her arm. “For his sake, I hope it is. If not, he will surely hear about it.” She walked off towards her house and left you standing there alone.

“These people really feel some type of way about him, don’t they?” you mumbled to yourself.

#.sunnywrites #palia mmo reth #palia fanfic #palia x reader #palia fluff #reth fluff #reth fanfic #reth x reader #reth imagines #don't tell me if you hate this cause i might cry

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mrprettywhenhecries · 3 months

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just finished Marmalade and lemme say, i am SHOOK.

spoilery rambling under the cut

I'd guessed the first major twist and I half guessed the second. Gunna sound a little boastful, but I rather pride myself on my observational and speculative prowess. My mum always gets mad when I guess the murderer before her in any mystery.

The storytelling in this movie was sooooo good. Love me an unreliable narrator.

Baron is SO precious. I wanted to give him the world. And his accent? So adorable. But also meticulously planned to add to Baron's character, to make him seem lovable and simple.

And oh lord, Joe Keery made that wig look good, but when he cut his hair at the end. Hoo boy, sex on legs. I need some gifs. May have to make them myself.

Cannot stand Marmalade (the character). So glad she wasn't actually real. LOL

Though every time she was writhing around on top of him, I wanted that to be me.

Loved how all the details of his story ended up coming into play, just not how you expected.

EDA LAMRAM ⟶ MARMAL ADE. So clever.

Otis made me laugh out loud so many times.

Before the second twist was revealed, I wanted so badly for the FBI to catch Marmalade and for Baron to realize what a scheming bitch she was and drop her ass. Like seriously, the whole time I was like, babe! she's using you!

The ending was SO fucking perfect. I'm glad Baron got away with it all, got the medicine for his mum, his foster dad and the pharmaceutical company got fucked over, and the TICKET HE LEFT FOR HUXLEY AAAAAA MY HEART!!

Now I just need to know what Baron's real name is. Gunna make writing any fic hard... unless I just make up a name for him? hmmm, I'll have to think on it.

All in all, I cannot recommend this film enough. Gunna rewatch it again tomorrow to search for more easter eggs and foreshadowing.

#joz.txt #marmalade #marmalade spoilers

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rainbowsky · 1 year

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Review: Born to Fly

I saw DD's new film, so here are my thoughts on it. I'm going to have a spoiler-free section and then a more spoilery section. Please pay attention to that if you haven't seen it yet!

Spoiler Free Section

I have to be honest: I had pretty low expectations going into this film. These kind of militaristic, nationalistic, 'heroes and glory' films aren't really my thing. I like the action and excitement, but that tends to get eclipsed by cliches, macho posturing and manipulative melodrama.

These kinds of films tend to take themselves too seriously, and the audience is supposed to go along with that and take it all equally seriously. A lot of the promo for the film showed officials and military figures crying in the audience, which could have gone a few different ways depending on what was happening onscreen.

Given the political situation in that region right now, with China escalating their military aggression against Taiwan, I was also worried this film might push a narrative that I'd find offensive.

Thankfully this film wasn't quite what I feared it might be. Yeah, it had some eye-roll worthy cliche moments and some unintentional humor, but for the most part it was just an engaging, suspenseful and surprisingly funny film. The political angle wasn't great but it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.

For the most part the special effects were pretty good. Definitely strong enough to give a sense of immersion, and all the actors gave good performances.

Of course DD was the star of the show, and he really stepped up to the task. His performance was convincing, his character was sympathetic, and of course he looked amazing in every frame. I was so proud of him.

Overall I think it's a film most fans will enjoy immensely, and any family or friends who get dragged along for the ride will not have much to complain about.

If you haven't seen it yet, I recommend you stop reading now and maybe come back once you have.

Spoilery Section

I'm not going to go into too much depth, here, because if I get too ambitious this post will run the risk of languishing in my drafts folder, never to see the light of day.

What I Liked

I loved Lei Yu. DD was well cast - he had a lot of DD-ish traits. I enjoyed his plucky, often conflicted personality. He was smart, talented and very human.

While we didn't get much depth from him or the other characters (typical of the genre), the relationships he had with his crew mates were at least convincing enough to drive the story forward and make me feel invested in what was happening to them all.

I loved the action. The aerial scenes were so exciting, and mostly well produced. I had been a bit worried that we'd spend most of the film watching the guys work out and do all these endurance tests (which might make good eye candy but isn't a story), so when those things just ended up being quick montages I was relieved.

I mean, that's what's most exciting about a film like this, right? The planes, the action, the suspense, the crashes.

I also really loved the humor in this film. There were some genuinely funny moments, and it helped relax me into the story more and become more invested in the characters. We all know a film like this is going to play with our emotions a bit, but too many writers forget that just like pain, laughter can be a gateway into people's hearts.

The story was pretty good. I wasn't expecting much, but I think they did a good job of making the mission seem important, of making the struggles seem real, and taking the viewer on a journey.

The film was over 2 hours long, but never at any point did I look at my phone or wonder how much time was left. I was engaged and excited throughout the story. That alone is a pretty big accomplishment. My attention span isn't stellar.

I was grateful that there wasn't much of a romantic storyline. I guess we can thank the censors for that, because they recently put stronger limitations on romantic storylines in nationalistic media. 😐

It was fine for there to be a spark of interest between characters - it makes the stakes higher when things get tense - but I showed up for an action flick, not a romance.

I can't really comment on the technology or anything to do with the planes, training, etc. I have no clue about any of that. It all seemed plausible enough to me that I wasn't being pulled out of the story every time that stuff was being discussed.

I especially enjoyed the parachute packing scene. I had never before put much thought into how parachutes are put together, but the way the guy was talking about it lent gravity to the story while also just being really interesting both topically and visually.

While I felt that the 'background-building' scene with his parents was a bit too rushed to give us a strong sense of their relationship, I wasn't too upset about it because I was more interested in the action.

The relationship between Lei Yu and Zhang Ting (his commander) was very satisfying, and I loved the chief engineer guy who he packed parachutes with. What a great character. Both Hu Jun and Tian Zhuang Zhuang gave strong performances.

I loved that Lei Yu was something of an engineer himself. I don't know much about military aviation, but I know astronauts are serious engineers and scientists, so why can't top tier pilots be too?

This whole aspect of participating in the design of the aircraft was so interesting, and gave us another angle on Lei Yu. Brains, beauty and brawn rather than just a hot macho soldier.

The commander's child was also a smart choice for the story. He was cute and relatable, and gave us another angle through which to view all of this. The enthusiasm for planes. The connection with his dad. It added some fun and human interest to the story (and some pathos).

Little Bai Ze Ze was so cute and he gave a good performance!

I like that I can look back on a movie that was over two hours long and feel that some things were rushed. They packed a lot into those two hours, and the pacing was such that I never got bored or lost interest, and always felt like something interesting was happening.

That might sound like a small thing, but to me it's huge. It's so rare for me to watch a film where I feel engaged all the way through. Especially not a movie in this genre. They did a good job with the story and pacing.

There were some good emotional moments. Going to the tomb to pay respects to the fallen comrades, of course was so emotional, and it helped give a sense of the stakes of what they were doing and the magnitude of the mission.

The death of the commander was also so powerful and heartbreaking. I liked that they weren't afraid to show all these guys bawling their eyes out. It made it all more believable.

Like the success of the mission, the redemption of the relationship between Lei Yu and his rival Deng Fang was totally predictable. The salute at the end "I owe you" could have come off as cheesy but was played well and felt sincere and meaningful. Overall I liked Yu Shi in this film, he did well.

What I Didn't Like

There were some things that I found weak, cringey or even offensive.

The number one thing that bothered me was the glorification of tragedy, and the characterization of terrible accidents as a noble and heroic self-sacrifice, as though it was a price worth paying for the competitive mission of building a frickin' plane to outdo the other guys' technology.

There is never a time when that kind of thing is not offensive to me. The 'noble, self-sacrificing heroism' of soldiers is not an accidental sociocultural perception. It's something people are taught to believe so that the state has enough people who are willing to come forward as cannon fodder, and so the loved ones left behind don't mutiny against those who put them in harm's way.

Yes, there are some dangerous jobs out there and people put themselves on the line to do some important things, but the way this film framed loss of life as an acceptable - even valiant - price for getting a jet built (that is itself just a killing machine)... ugh.

If the value of their lives was put above the value of the technology being built - and above the value of the mission - their goals would still be achievable, but with less loss of life. This isn't about getting the planes built, it's about expediency.

As I was watching a lot of the action scenes I couldn't help but think of DD and everything he went through to make it all happen. I don't like how much danger and injury he ended up with during this film shoot. Seeing the car crash where I knew it was REALLY HIM in the driver's seat was stressful.

And that goes alongside the overall message of 'necessary, noble sacrifice'. The film promo glorified DD's accident and the danger he was put in, his willingness to keep filming even when he was injured or in pain (such as the way the shoulder straps tore up his shoulders when he was in the spinning machine), as heroic and noble rather than irresponsible and unnecessary. It's just so offensive to me. Actors shouldn't be expected to risk life and limb for the sake of creating entertainment. Such things shouldn't be glorified.

So there's that whole tone to the film of people's lives and welfare being an accepted - even natural - price of doing business, which really bothered me.

Another thing I didn't like - and which I knew going into the film would be a problem for me - was the way the whole thing was framed politically. The whole "East vs West" thing was cringey and at times unintentionally hilarious. The American pilots were totally slapstick funny in their characterization, to a degree that came across as childish and embarrassingly propagandistic.

"We can come and go whenever we want and you can't stop us! Hahaha!"

Said the evil stick men with curly moustaches.

This is where nationalistic films often cross the line into creepy or ultra cringey. I think the goal of creating a powerful stealth fighter jet is exciting enough on its own. The audience would have been there for it without the villainizing and the 'us vs them' narrative.

Painting China as an underdog was also so laughable and totally offensive. They are one of the top military powers on the planet. They are leading in technology on many fronts. This had no believability whatsoever, and came across as blatant propagandizing. Which of course I knew to expect, but that didn't make it any more palatable.

And of course, the scenes where they were patrolling the seas were exciting, but when you think about what's actually happening in the region right now it all takes on a totally different tone.

So while the propagandizing wasn't as overbearing as I thought it would be, it still had a pretty strong presence in the film, and that detracted from my enjoyment. I knew that going in, though. It's inevitable with a film like this.

There were a few other moments in the film where I rolled my eyes at the heavy-handed melodrama - the totally predictable and cheesy tombstone fly-by after the big save toward the end of the film, for example - but none of it was unexpected. It's all par for the course with these kinds of films.

Some of the crisis points in the film were a bit much, too. Like that bird strike, which felt sudden and unintentionally comical. The people sobbing in the control room when you know damn well the pilots are fine. That kind of thing. But again - typical fare for this type of film.

Final Thoughts

This film is admittedly a bit shallow, but that's something one can expect from this genre. Films like this tend to put a few hooks into viewers - pull a few emotional strings - and then deliver a bunch of high impact moments to give a sense of payoff. It's all very predictable and formulaic, but that can be part of the appeal. Sometimes I just want to see a cheesy action film.

As far as these types of films go, Born to Fly really wasn't too bad. It was watchable and enjoyable, and the things that bothered me didn't bother me enough to pull me out of the story. My fear was that DD would be associated with a really trashy, awful film and I am hugely relieved to say that didn't end up happening.

This film was a totally respectable effort for what it was, and I enjoyed it, although it doesn't hold up as well internationally as it probably would in China.

That might sound like a tepid summation, but all things considered it's practically a glowing review. 😅

Most importantly, DD gave a really solid performance, and I think that's going to bode well for his career moving forward. There really wasn't a moment in the entire film where I felt he fell short. I am so proud of him. He's doing so well!

#wang yibo #born to fly #reviews #brotherhood and stuff #your political disengagement is a weapon against you

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