#i think the doctor has some sort of commitment issues | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

crushedsweets · 9 months

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do you have any ej headcanons? his character tends to vary alot, sometimes he used to be human and other times hes just a monster in the woods

ive always liked the idea of him being like a big brother to some of the pastas mainly like sally, ben, and jeff

AAAAGREED . As per usual ramble under the cut about jacks relationship with everyone + I’ll post colored version of this in a sec

ok. ive already talked a good bit about jack being a normal med student before the sacrifice, spending a year in some rando possessed demon state, regaining clarity, finding refuge in slenders forest, etc etc. he sort of resembles like, a vampire mixed w ghoul from tokyo ghoul

and as per usual fandom antics, he's one of the typical medical resources for a lot of people in that circle . he absolutely was the eldest son of his family, maybe like 3 younger siblings, so going to university and getting away from a big family was really nice for him. until he lost everything and can never face them again</3

SOOOOO him being the resident 'doctor' and already having a brotherly instinct .. its real and true. especially with sally, but she doesn't come around much since sally stays w jane and jane doesnt need jack. sally def reminds him of one of his little sisters. its super super bittersweet for him. jane doesnt realize jeff gets help from jack so thats the only reason she even lets sally come around

in terms w his friendship w jeff and ben.. those two are close, and jeff def has to go to jack for medical attention. ben doesnt need it but he'll come w jeff just bc he can. for a while jack REFUSED to talk to jeff while treating his wounds bc he knows what jeff does. ((jeff isnt even protected under slenderman he just lies and jack has no idea LMFAO))BUT EVENTUALLY jeff starts bringing jack uhh. :| remains. as an extra thank you, which means jack doesnt have to do the killing. it felt like a huge burden lifted off his shoulders. so that kinda helped shift their friendship. ben also doesnt really kill he just haunts so jack didnt have severe issues w him anyway(plus ben actually IS protected under slender sooo)

ben and jeff are just kinda assholes but in the boyish brotherly way(for the most part). neither of them have past 8-9th grade education and will literally look at jack like hes stupid for making a catcher in the rye reference.

jacks just kind of a pathetic little asshat who misses being in school. sometimes he'll try to convince ben and jeff to actually pick up a book for once in their life, and they probably did it once. PROB WOULD ENJOY CATCHER IN THE RYE NOW THAT I THINK ABOUT IT. LMFAOO

he's not all too brotherly with like, masky and hoody since those two are older than him and are creeped out by him. but theyve gotten their fair share of medical attention from him, and he even taught hoody some more extensive first aid so now hoody kinda deals with the basic stuff toby totally still goes out of his way to see jack regardless of whether hoody could treat it or not. toby had nobody willing to talk to him growing up, so the fact that now he sort of has a circle of freaks thatll talk to him, laugh(marginally) at his jokes, and can take some crude remarks.... BROS TAKING ADVANTAGE.

clocky also isnt protected under slenderman, but if she comes to jack with a gash in her head or a stab wound in her leg, jacks gonna help regardless. clocky is also kind of a smartass so she'll actually read some of the books jack has and talk to him about it which is pleasant for them both, but they really have like... nothing else in common.

liu doesnt need 2 go to jack and wouldnt bc he has no reason to

im still lost on how i want ninas case to go, whether she actually kills or just committed an act of self mutilation that caught jane and lius attention, so idk if she would need jack . .

#ok yea the only ppl i focus on in my au are like #toby masky hoody ej sally ben jeff jane liu clockwork and nina..#basically the main 10 or so LOL #theres def others roaming around but i either dont know their story or dont have a 2015 nostalgic attachment to them #anyway thank u for this askkkkkk !!#ik i always kinda deviate from the ask as i ramble but i appreciate it LOL #hcs #eyeless jack #jack nyras #creeped

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aspookycrow · 3 months

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Why Hill Top Road is most certainly not the only portal:

A theory I didn’t type out because I had thought to eventually write a fanfic about it, but here you go because it’s the last possible day for me to post a called shot with my tma theory without tmp lore being involved.

Section 1 - The Tree

When we’re first introduced to Hill Top road in MAG 08, the statement giver provides us with his gut-check instinct about the tree on the premises, which cast odd shadows and “creeped him the hell out”, culminating with him feeling the need to destroy it.

This tree, as we all understand by the end of MAG 196 - This Old House, is a symptom of the crack in reality seeping out from underground, but let me draw your attention to MAG 127 - Remains to be Seen, where Jonah hires Doctor Jonathan Fanshawe to visit Albrecht von Closen in the Schwartzwald, otherwise known as the Black Forest in Germany. When his carriage arrives, what does he see but some absolutely heinous tree that absolutely must be killed:

and then, later on:

A single tree so inexplicably foul, it inspires the urge to kill it dead. Section 2 - Underground In MAG 59 - Recluse, the orphan Ronald Sinclair wanders into the basement of Hill Top Road, and recounts his observations of the room:

Compare this with Anya Villette’s description in 114 of the unlisted HTR basement, involving unfinished masonry and damp earth

As a curious parallel, in Albrecht Von Closen’s experience descending down the strange, isolated mausoleum in the Schwartzwald, the tree-punctured, decaying stone stairway yields to a room with books touching walls so weather exposed, the statement giver is unable to tell if the books are truly touching walls at all, or are in fact bordered in with bare soil.

And what item did Albrecht find conspicuously on the floor of Johann von Württemberg’s mausoleum, the subtler mystery detail hidden by the much thematically larger mystery of the books? Section 3 -The coin anomaly Inside this strangely placed, isolated mausoleum in the Scwartzwald, Albrecht von Closen found a coin, dated the year the count Ulrich II of Württemberg passed away.

Interestingly, in both our universe and the in-fiction one, Eberhard I succeeded Ulrich II, and not any bastard named Johann. Our dear Archivist comments on this in the same breath as dismissing it as coincidence, which historically means it definitely isn’t.

Preposterously familiar for anyone who’s spent any amount of time thinking about the obvious HTR-based disappearance/reappearance/time skipping of Anya Villette (MAG 114) and Anne Kasuma nee Willette (MAG 08). Kind of curious how this absolutely cursed book collection shows up in proximity of a cursed tree that people are urged to kill, in a weird mausoleum nobody has any record of, alongside a coin of a man who may not have existed and definitely wasn’t a lord or any sort of royalty and yet there’s currency commemorating him? This is not the end of the Scwartzwald anomalies, though. You see, this coin…went missing. Section 4 - Profound violence, and an eyeless man It’s unclear the circumstances of how Albrecht lost this coin, though given that he wrote his statement in 1816, I suspect it fell out from a pocket during Albrecht’s very next encounter which causes him to flee the Black Forest entirely. The encounter where the guy who keeps creeping around the outside of the mausoleum, issuing vaguely intimidating warnings, decides to accost Albrecht and reveals himself to have empty eye sockets, and the ability to “see” regardless.

The identity of the Eyeless man remains unknown definitively, as he runs off as if he was startled by some sort of predator, but in some Absolute Hunt Bullshit that seems to follow pretty much immediately, there was a murder that same year that investigators briefly thought was committed by Albrecht’s host and nephew, Wilhelm.

An eyeless man, a cursed tree, the profound violence of a hunt, the man who doesn’t belong with a history that couldn’t be true. And that’s not to mention the incredibly cursed vibes of both locations. To wit, in MAG 196 regarding the nature of these cracks in the universe:

Compare this to Albrecht’s description of the Schwartzwald:

AND ALL THIS IS TO SAY, in my heart I know it’s true that there are more portals, because as a patreon subscriber I got to submit a question for the Q&A And do you know what they did? Do you know what happened to my question? They reworded it beyond recognition, to a thing that was NOT what I was on about at all. I asked about the potential for other Cracks in reality to exist currently, like the hints for Schwartzwald or The Eschatology Door in Paris, and do you know what they rewrote the question to be about (but still put my name on so I KNOW it was supposed to be mine) (also please dont go find it, it’s embarrassing how they butchered my ask and also it has my human name on it and I don’t know yall like that tbh, so just take my word for it)? The question they answered was if different places and countries had their own regionally specific fear domains, like Paris for example. Which like, obviously?? I forget how exactly they rephrased it, I was on a walk listening and my ears went hot and my eyes went wide and I KNEW I HAD SOMETHING WITH A MELTY HOT CORE OF TRUTH TO IT. Pure adrenaline, sign me up for the Fucked Up Red String Tower where People Judge Marble Domain I guess, but I feel it in my GUTS now. And you know, maybe the question was rewritten by a staff member before they ever saw it, any number of things could have happened along the pipeline. It seems bizarre to me that they’d even leave it in after choosing to rework it that hard, though. But I’ll tell you what, the question posed was about cracks in reality, not fear domains. And I feel CLOSE to something. In Annabelle’s own words,

Indeed, few have ever thought much of it at all. Perhaps there are many such places across the Earth. Perhaps it is unique. Certainly, no-one has known either way.

(PS don’t get me started on MAG 134 - Time of Revelation, DON’T GET ME STARTED ON IT)

Transcripts lovingly taken from https://snarp.github.io/magnus_archives_transcripts/ All the screenshots have alt texts with the contents in plain text. Mainly, the goal I set here was to get it out there before TMP, so I can feel very very clever if they ever address it. Also, this is my first effortpost using this editor and BOY YA'LL WEREN'T KIDDING.

#tma theory #tma spoilers #the magnus archives #mag 114 #mag 127 #mag 23 #mag 08 #tma #mag 196

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princess-of-the-corner · 1 month

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Amnesia!Dabi: K, Mimi asked me to elaborate on 'Dabi joins the LoV cause he's out of options', & like. I'm not sure what else there is to elaborate on? Like, say we use his CC age. He dies at 19, wakes up 'early' (so, what, six months later? A year?) & spends the next few years tooling around trying to figure out who he is, but like. He's still covered in burn scars & staples. He has no documentation, no records. He doesn’t trust heroes or the government, even if he can’t explain why.

Honestly he might assume he was some sort of villain before.

Like he woke up in a sketchy as fuck clinic where the staff had immediately tried and failed to sedate him when he woke up, vs. what /should/ happen to a 'good person' of waking up in a decent hospital with staff that are immediately checking on him and only sedating him if he got violent and/or was in a lot of pain.

Then after he wanders off he'd look in the news and like. He doesn't show up on any kind of news story of 'coma burn victim wakes up and wanders off from clinic'. So clearly no one's missing him, whether it be family or the doctors.

His reflexes would have some sort of combat skills in there, and he does seem to have some knowledge of how criminal things operate even if he doesn't remember why.

Combine that with a distrust of Heroes and all....

So he might assume he was a villain at some point and that going to the police would wind up with him in jail for crimes he can't even remember committing. So better to stick to not doing that.

And yeah he doesn't have any legal paperwork and he'd have to find some villains to get fake paperwork if he wanted to start over. So for now it's a game of unfortunately stealing to stay alive until he can figure out what to do.

Joining the LoV would be a combination of things. One would be the above paperwork issue as a 'hey I can find someone to make me a fake identity and then get the fuck out of dodge'.

Another would be the fact that joining the LoV would mean more solid access to food and shelter. He's been doing okay-ish living on the street, but it's a lot and he'd much rather have somewhere to go and eat.

Thirdly, and probably the biggest reason: he still wants to know who he is. He thinks he might have been a villain before. Doing this might trigger the memories of who he was before, might bring him back to himself. And while he may not currently /want/ to be a villain, he'd still rather know. And he'll decide again when his memory is back.

Ofc that doesn't happen but....

#amnesia!dabi

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celestial-depths · 2 years

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Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Mehness

(SPOILERS FOR DOCTOR STRANGE AND THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS) I was really expecting to love Doctor Strange And the Multiverse of Madness, but I didn’t. It did contain fun moments of splashy camp horror, but as a whole it sorely lacked soul and emotion, and the pacing was very much off.

Here’s a long-ass post detailing the problems I had with the movie:

1. Previously, in the MCU

Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness relied way too heavily on references to previous installments of the MCU in place of genuine plot and character development. Instead using the tools of filmmaking to set up the story and building emotional beats that lead to a pay-off, the movie just sort of vaguely waved its hand at its cinematic past and expected it to be enough.

The problem with this isn’t really even about some of the audience not being caught up (though that is not not a problem). I’ve seen all the previous movies and series, and I was nevertheless annoyed with the way the movie used references to other movies as a substitute for work it should have done for itself. Hence, the movie was missing many of its vital organs.

Example: Instead of taking the time to establish the concept of the multiverse and, most importantly, Stephen’s attitude towards it, the movie just skipped this whole part by quickly referring to the events of the recent Spider-Man movie. It’s perfectly fine for the movie not to pretend like the multiverse is a thing Stephen isn’t already very much aware of, but what the movie ended up throwing away with the bathwater was Stephen’s point of view.

How does he feel about messing with the multiverse with Spider-Man? Does he regret it? Has he learned something? Did this experience warn him against doing it again, or is he even more curious about exploring the possibilities multiverse?

We don’t know. The movie never allowed him to go there and show us what he thinks of his past actions.

2. According to the legends...

I bet that this movie went through many, MANY rewrites because it can’t seem to commit to a plot point long enough to turn it into something that matters. I felt like I was playing a game with way too many time-wasting side quests and a main object that never delivers.

The characters keep running from one mystical thing of utmost importance only to abandon it for the next mystical thing of utmost importance, and all that only ends up diluting the significance and muddying the meaning of these things in the process.

Meanwhile, the movie was sorely lacking in moments that do feel meaningful. Moments when character grow, when they bond with each other, when their conflicts clash, when they make crucial choices that tell us who they are deep down inside, when they just feel their feelings. There wasn’t any time for those, with the next big action sequence or the next magical ritual just around the corner from the previous one.

This is also a pacing issue. The movie had very few peaceful scenes, which also hurt the action and the excitement. It’s hard to remain invested in what’s essentially a two hour chase sequence when you’re allowed no moments to take a breath and reflect. Even Mad Max: Fury Road had pit stops.

3. Quo Vadis, Stephen Strange?

Marvel movies tend to work more often than not because the studio has had the good sense to focus on building strong characters who keep all the spectacle grounded.

Spider-Man: No Way Home, which premiered not long before this movie, is a very good example of this practice. That movie was full of hyped-up crossover appearances, mind-warping dips into the world of magic and multiverses, and maximalist action sequences, yet the movie worked because it was all anchored in Peter’s emotionally resonant character arc and the relationship he had with the people he loved.

Multiverse of Madness lacked that emotional anchor, and it showed. Stephen Strange didn’t have a well-defined character arc of his own in this movie, and his relationships with the other characters in the film were barely fleshed out. There was a hint of a theme in him being sort of unhappy about not ending up with his ex and a highlighted yet disconnected line about his obsession with being in control, but the movie didn’t spend enough time exploring those inner conflicts long enough for them to truly matter.

I do feel like there’s a story to be told about Stephen’s hubris going wild in the multiverse when things don’t go his way, and that story was already told in one of the better episodes of What If...? Somehow, the Multiverse of Madness ended up doing so much less with Stephen than a single episode of a mediocre AU animated series did, and that’s telling.

I’m honestly not sure if anyone in charge of this franchise knows what to do with Stephen. He seems kind of lost and unmotivated in the beginning of this movie and ended up pretty much the same way. What’s his story, where is he going? Why is he the main character of this movie? I know that seems like a superfluous question because the movie bears his name, but being the main character requires more than just standing in the spotlight. We need to know what drives Stephen into what direction and why we should care, and I feel like this movie just didn’t do the work on that front.

Doctor Strange shouldn’t be a stranger in his own movie.

4. Wanda Why?

Wanda’s motivations in this film were strongly established, yet simplified to a fault. She was the best character in the movie thanks to Elizabeth Olsen’s magnetic performance, and because she got to be the centerpiece of the most memorable scenes of the movie. Sadly, it all came at the expense of Wanda’s complexity.

Gone was the layered character Wanda became in the brilliant WandaVision, in which she gained power and learned a valuable lesson about dealing with grief and loss, and in her place was a flattened villain who has completely forgotten that lesson and incapable of thinking past her most primal instincts. This was explained in the movie by her having been corrupted by the Darkhold, but that felt like a lazy excuse to get out of coming up with more interesting a way of turning her into the relentless yet soulless monster the story needed her to be.

What a force of nature she would have made had she been allowed to be the villain of this movie while still retaining the depth, the heart, and the mind she had when we last saw her.

Now, this is also a problem I have with the way the character is sometimes written in the comics, but it just really annoys me that Scarlet Witch falls victim to the sexist tropes of a) the woman who goes crazy because she has too much power for her pesky female emotions to handle, and b) the woman who goes crazy when she loses her children because motherhood is apparently an all-consuming identity that leaves women no other reason to exist.

I was kinda hoping that the MCU version of Wanda would not go there this hard. Wanda could still struggle with her mental health, love her children fiercely, and do very questionable things without being this unhinged.

There’s also an ableist angle here: this whole concept of “going crazy” and what it entails. As a personal with a long history of mental health issues, I care a lot about how all sorts of mental health struggles are portrayed in popular media, and one of my biggest annoyances is the way they are often treated as something that inevitably turns people into unhinged murderers. Even if this movie is just a bit of light entertainment, it still shapes the attitudes towards mental health issues, and I would rather not see yet another piece of media that equates “going crazy” with becoming a violent killer.

5. And Why Are They Here?

The other characters of the movie felt also more or less empty.

America Chavez was allowed to be little else than a passive plot device who spend way too much time standing around and looking scared instead of making conscious choices or emotionally resonant contributions to the story. We barely got to know her personality and she never developed a meaningful bond with Doctor Strange, which hurt the climax of the movie. They ended up being just co-runners-away-from-scary-things with no personal relationship.

This was no fault of actor Xochitl Gomez, whose performance left me looking forward to seeing her character again. In fact, the cast was overall very good, and they all felt more or less wasted in thankless parts that either gave them nothing to do or too little depth.

Rachel McAdams is way too good an actress to be here just as Dr. Generic Love Interest. I am eternally confused about why the movie kept putting such an emphasis on the importance of her relationship with Stephen while also having zero interest in exploring it the slightest. Chiwetel Ejiofor returned as Baron Mordo and once again gave too much to a part that gave him nothing in return.

As for the parade of Marvel cameos, it was a mixed bag for me. Live action Captain Carter made me weak in the knees, and just a few minutes of Lashana Lynch as Captain Marvel convinced me that Maria Rambeau should have the title in the 616 universe as well (sorry, Carol). I don’t usually care about Black Bolt, but the two scenes that showed off his power were some of the highlights of the whole movie for me.

Meanwhile, I wish that Sir Patrick had not walked back his previous decision to let his appearance in the tremendous Logan be his last round as Xavier. As much as I love seeing him, I just feel like his presence here was unnecessary and not good enough a reason to bring back his beloved Xavier. I hesitate to use the phrase “this cheapens the legacy of the character” in a world where Wolverine: Origins exists, but yeah, that.

John Krasinski as Reed Richards was the biggest bummer for me because I was still hoping that Marvel was going to cast someone other than him. I am always happy to see Charlize Theron, but her mid-credit scene was probably the laziest and least exciting mid/post-credit scene to date. Seriously, guys, if you’re not even going to bother, just cut the scene and grant her the dignity of getting a proper introduction scene in another movie.

Even though I really enjoyed seeing some of these characters on screen, this aspect of the movie just seemed like the worst kind of audience pandering. Marvel cameos and crossovers are great when they lead to fun team-ups or emotional reunions. This didn’t work (beyond Captain Carter and Captain Marvel getting to kick some ass together; petition for a new Disney+ series plz) because Strange doesn’t have and didn’t end up developing a meaningful relationship with any of these characters. He didn’t care, so I couldn’t care either.

6. Some Credit to Sam Raimi

I’m not sure who to blame for the failings of this movie, but I have a feeling that it’s not director Sam Raimi. Whenever the movie did work, it worked because it felt like a good old Raimi movie.

Raimi is at his best when he gets to deliver dark humor, campy horror, and inventively gruesome imagery. He turned Scarlet Witch into a spectacular movie villain and made her seem truly terrifying whenever she got creative with her deadly powers. My favorite scene in the movie was Scarlet Witch’s first dreamwalking scene, which conjured up psychedelic images reminiscent of trashy horror movies from the 60′s and 70′s.

Raimi allowed Strange to have his moments, too. There was some real magic in the sight of him entering the haunted house version of his home inhabited by his darkest alternative version, and the image of Zombie-Strange wrapped up in the souls of the damned was nothing short iconic.

But all those cool images and atmospheric moments were not enough to save this movie from the weak story and undercooked characters. It’s just garnish on the top of a heap of hot air.

There are directors who are all style and no substance, but Raimi isn’t one of them. His Spider-Man movies are great examples of superhero movies that manage to find a balance between character development and action (yes, even the third one; it’s not good, but at least an attempt was made).

That’s why I am wondering whether this movie is yet another victim of studio interference instead of a failure on Raimi’s part. Disney tends to hire visionary directors with bold visions and then tying their hands because they’re too afraid of taking creative risks, so I wouldn’t be surprised if that explains what went wrong here.

7. Summa Summarum

Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness is far from the worst MCU movie to date, but for me it’s probably the biggest letdown so far. I feel like it failed to live up to the promise it had, and it fell victim to the worst patterns this franchise has.

#marvel #doctor strange #multiverse of madness #mcu #marvel mcu #sam raimi #scarlet witch #wanda maximoff #doctor strange and the multiverse of madness

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signanothername · 7 months

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Headcanon of how the Burn’s family are as patients:

Heatwave: -10/10 horrible patient, almost the reason Blades quit. Doesn’t let you treat him, doesn’t want to go through any recovery procedures. Boulder needs to be in the room to handle him (bonus if this is part of the reason why Blades probably thought him some first aid)

Chase: 3/10 fine at first, but refuses recovery procedures too. Needs someone to keep an eye on him or he’ll be back on the field.

Boulder: 10/10 Very calm patient. Has hobbies to keep him occupied. Will go along with doctors orders

Blades: 5/10 He’ll have you believe that “doctors are horrible patients” isn’t true for the first few days. Would probably go behind whoever checked him to check himself, can be a little paranoid. He’ll enjoy time off but get restless fast.

Charlie: 9/10 He’s a good patient, but he’s a dad and has the only braincell GR had to offer so he might have to get out there even if he doesn’t want to.

Kade: 3/10 Better than Heatwave, that’s not saying much. Would be a model patient in front of doctors, would still be on the field behind them, but not do anything in the firehouse as his recovery

Dani: -5/10 Blades would probably have to lock her in his cockpit to keep her still, and let’s face it, she would find a way to escape.

Graham: 8/10 would say he’s fine, but he’s an engineer, the moment he touches a bed he’ll KO until he’s healed. Doctors find this a little concerning

Cody: 7/10 He’s a kid, a very good kid, but his a kid. Honestly tho, with his luck, high chance Murphy’s law is the real issue and not him. All the bots would 100% be fussing over him.

Bonus:

Blur: Blades called him his 13th reason. He didn’t get the reference

HT: -11/10 he’s a proud veteran and primus help Blades because not even Boulder could make him sit down for an examination.

Quickshadow: 4/10 Only a little better than Chase, she’ll wait until she has her doctors trust to make a run for it.

Salvage: 3/10 Would probably try to treat himself for curiosity only to end up needing a doctor even more than when he started

Anon I love this so much omg

Ok thoughts time >:)

———

Heatwave: YAAASSSS!!! Heatwave is way to stubborn and hotheaded to let Blades treat him, he’d probably say shit like “it’s just a scratch” meanwhile he’s bleeding dhhdhd

Also omg needing Boulder in the room is so true, I feel like Boulder is definitely the only one that can actually handle Heatwave, a hothead like him needs a really calm individual to cool him down

———

Chase: FUCKING CANON

That one episode when he hurts his leg and is insistent on the fact he’s ok, then later refuses stasis entirely

This entire scene man

And it’s kinda interesting to see how he finds Boulder’s help “humiliating” as if tho getting help wounds his pride, not to mention, how his refusal is related to his self worth and his fear of being “useless”, he later on tells Charlie “i feel as if I have let you down” like awww nooooo you haven’t!!! Why would he even think that is beyond me

That’s where my workaholic Chase headcanon originated from tho

working seems to keep his mind at ease

———

Boulder: hell yaaaa! Boulder is honestly the kindst soul you could meet, he tries his best to make everything easier for everyone, and that makes me believe that even if he were to need some sort of treatment he doesn’t like, or is uncomfortable with? You wouldn’t even know he’s uncomfortable with it from how committed he is and how he never causes any trouble

I think Blades would definitely catch wind of Boulder not speaking up when he uncomfortable and would definitely talk to him about it, assure him it’s ok to speak up and that they can find middle ground, a compromise of sorts if you will

Blades and Boulder would definitely have an amazing doctor and patient rapport :D

———

Blades: YOU GOT IT SO RIGHT!! Blades understands the need to be a good patient and I’d imagine he tries his best to be one, but then anxiety kicks in full force and abandonment issues make themselves known

Blades always seems paranoid over the idea of being replaced, and becoming outta commission would get him to think he’s replaceable, and he definitely doesn’t want any backlash so he’d absolutely go behind the team’s back and try to make it seem like he’s ok when he isn’t

I feel like his family would absolutely notice and realize it eventually tho, and man he’d be hearing a full lecture, especially from Heatwave (ironically) and Dani

———

Charlie: wheeze no fr tho

Charlie needs to be there or things would go downhill real fast, Heatwave and Chase can be good stand ins when needed, but depending on when it’s happening, they either can’t actually lead cause they have to act like lifeless machines or even after revealing their truth, Heatwave’s braincell goes bye bye cause of his anger and Chase takes things way too literally and it could end in disaster

Kade is good to an extent but I really don’t think he can keep things running smoothly for long

We literally get an episode in which Charlie gets sick and basically stays in bed and the next thing you know is Evan and Miles mischief, Cody ages up and Kade age regresses, chaos at its finest

So god forbid Charlie actually retires one day hchvvhhv

I feel like Charlie understands actually resting would be better than pretending everything is fine, cause the sooner he rests the sooner he recovers

So yeah Charlie is definitely the type of patient to actually rest but would definitely get back on the field before he recovered completely, he at least has an actual good reason hcvhvhvj

———

Kade: oh my god yesssss

Kade is only slightly better cause he generally doesn’t resist treatment, recovery wise tho? Yeah this man isn’t resting at all

And he would absolutely take advantage of his recovery to escape chores or something like that, probably give Charlie the damsel in distress act

Charlie is wise to his lil acts tho

———

Dani: no literally THIS

You’d think as an EMT she’d actually understand the importance of taking care of herself but nah she’s a lost cause

Dani is a bit hyperactive and she’s pretty productive, sitting down doing nothing is not on her schedule and there’s no room for it, so i feel like the family dreads when she’s sick or injured cause now they have to look out for her

And she always manages to slip away

———

Graham: he definitely is like Boulder in hiw calm and cooperative he is, so I can absolutely see he’s no concern when it comes to recovery

And omg the idea of him KO’ed is so in character it’s so funny, this absolutely happens

I can imagine Charlie feeling a bit of fear of if tho cause dad instincts kick in whenever his kids are sick/hurt

———

Cody: no like this is spot on cucuchch

Especially the Murphy’s law part, poor Cody can’t catch a break, and I honestly find it hilarious how Blades specifically notices and points it out, only for Chase to say he fucking cataloged it

The poor kid is jinxed

Cody does try his best to be a good patient, but as you said, he’s just a kid in the end, meaning he’s hyperactive and can get bored easily, would definitely eventually try to do something for fun

———

Blurr: wheeze

Ok but fr, i’d even say he’s as bad, if not worse than Heatwave, he’d probably be like “relaaax doc” as Blades is literally begging him to sit still at this point

Blurr is very impatient, and Blades himself isn’t the most patient bot, so combining both their impatience just ends in disaster

I feel like Blades ends up asking Heatwave to be with him to get Blurr in order, which works most of the time actually, other times it just ends in Heatwave breaking something hcchch

Heatwave needs Boulder to keep him still, Blurr needs Heatwave to keep him still chchchhc

———

Hightide: literallyyyyyyyy

Hightide is a very old bot who’s seen worse so he’d always downplay his need for medical assistance, “it’s just a scratch” as he bleeds 2.0

I feel like the only way to get Hightide to sit still is either to get OP or to have Servo sit on his lap, he maybe a restless veteran, but he’s also a proud dad to Servo and he’d never dare shoo Servo away to simply stand

It probably took forever for Blades to discover that solution tho chvjvj

———

Quickshadow: too sassy, thinks she’s too good for a rest yet really fucking smart

She absolutely would be strategic in her quest to not have to rest, and she always manges to outsmart everybody, Blades fears her and her big brain

———

Salvage: YAAASSS! Salvage is too curious for his own good at times, and getting hurt? Yeah he’d go for treating himself not only outta curiosity, but he probably also thinks it’s not that much of a big deal

Tho i’d say the positive thing about Salvage is the fact he actually learns from any mistakes he makes, so he’d definitely go for Blades the next time he’s hurt, doesn’t mean his curiosity doesn’t win him over sometimes

———

Ok that was pretty fun, love these asks man keep them coming >:D❤️❤️❤️🌷✨

#anothers ask #ano saves asks

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linkysmommy · 8 months

Text

lost in the open heart sauce and had some brain worms while chatting with my sweet friend @immemorialmarketeer so now you guys get to hear them.

imagine if a) the writers had given more equal screen time to the other LIs and found ways to make them integral to actual central plot themes so they weren't just peripheral to the Ethan Show, but also, b) the writers had invested in an actual platonic relationship arc with Ethan if you don't pursue him romantically.

Then Open Heart story sort of depends upon Ethan and MC having some kind of emotional connection/relationship for it to make sense. Ethan has a particular interest in MC and their development as a doctor, whether you romance him or not, but the thing is that the writers really only thought of it in terms of romantic. So if you're not romancing him, it comes across as him being an inappropriate boss who makes advances on his mentee, when in reality, if you actually do the Ethan romance, he's not the one advancing the relationship. MC always makes a move and he's unable to resist; however, if you're not romancing him, Ethan seems to have this weird Thing for MC, regardless of if you've flirted with him or not.

Now consider, what if the writers had actually considered an alternate route that keeps the emotional connection with Ethan that's required for the story to make sense, but makes it completely platonic? If Ethan saw MC's talent as a doctor, and instead of being attracted to them, he instead began to feel a sort of older brother affection for them? He became invested in their growth in their career, because he saw something special in them that none of the other doctors had, and he wanted to help them blossom into the doctor he knew they could be. He felt protective of them, not because he thinks they're attractive and he has feelings for them, but because he sees them as a younger sibling, someone who has raw talent but hasn't had the chance to apply their skills in the real world? It's sort of this way in the game if you don't romance him, but not enough. If they had fully committed to a route like this, and had dialogue specifically referencing their friendship and platonic bond, that would've just been so adorable and maybe I would even be tempted to try out a platonic brotherly besties route with him 🥺

The thing with Ethan is that almost all the complaints about him if you don't romance him are due to laziness on PB's part, not because the character is actually Like That. They knew he would be the most popular LI, so they ignored the other LI routes AND they didn't take time to think about how his relationship with MC comes across if you're not romancing him, so they didn't write a platonic variant for it. But if they had addressed these two things... idk I think that most people would no longer have issues with him. Anyway, I can't get big brother platonic Ethan out of my head so I'm throwing it into the voiddd, hope you all enjoy sdlfkj

#open heart #playchoices #ethan ramsey #ethan x mc

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heretherebedork · 3 months

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Every time the stalking trope comes out, I am always once again baffled (well not really) why we don't just have more "dark" BL's. We've really seen an advancement the last few years on BL consent issues, etc, but it does seem like they continue to pop up when we least expect them. I've been thinking about this topic somewhat because of the Fire-Dynamite dynamic in Cooking Crush.

And at some point, I just want to reach into the writers room and just be like "Okay fine, you want to make a stalker storyline that ends up being romantic. Just commit to the bit. Just go full dark romance and let an actor be a creepy little stalker." I still have issues with History 4's choice to include SA, but like they just fully went there. YongJie was an unhinged little sociopath who broke literally all the boundaries, and you know what? He still ended up with the guy he wanted. (And also, while maybe a controversial statement, XingSi sort of liked YongJie's obsessive nature)

But then they try to conform these darker tropes to somehow fit inside a lighthearted GMMTV BL, and I'm just like "please stop with the quasi-dark tropes masquerading as PG tv series." Among what I am sure are other writing issues (this is not like the only reason issues appear), I feel like they think darker tropes don't have mass market appeal (and also are not in line with GMMTV's image), yet they know that audiences do like them deep down.

I feel like Mame has continually proven that there is a market for unhealthy dynamics. These tropes didn't develop out of thin air - even though many early Yaoi tropes are no longer in favor, they cemented themselves as tropes for a reason. So writers try to sanitize them for the general population, and then we end up with situations where the character's behavior feels wildly inappropriate for the show they're in.

Sometimes I want my sweet romance about a chef and a doctor falling in love. And sometimes I want my stalking step-brothers romance. What I do not want is my stalking step-brothers being watered down and put into GMMTV.

Yeah, I think you're right. The biggest problem with a lot of these tropes is how they're played rather than the trope itself.

Because Fire and Dynamite, next to Ten and Prem, are just totally out of place and press what is, frankly, creepy and dark into a very soft and sweet place that makes it feel... icky. Very icky, to put it maturely.

I admit that I would hesitate to watch most Thai darker BLs because, well, MAME always proves to me that not only do I not enjoy how they interpret these tropes but also that the fandom's way of romanticizing their actions makes my skin itch.

I definitely enjoy some aspects of creepier and darker BLs but this might be a Thai thing for me. Japan tends to make it work but Thailand just leaves me feeling worse about it by the end.

But that's about the styles. Japan embraces what they do and they let the creepier bits breath and exist and simply be while Thailand's goal is always to make the darker bits feel soft and romantic by the end.

Taiwan kinda balances the two and Korean tilts on way or the other but also just doesn't tend to go dark.

I mean, HIStory 4 was clear that, yes, by the end of it that was exactly what XingSi wanted. I do wish they'd just stayed out of the SA waters, yes, but the rest of the stalking and obsessing worked for the show and the characters 100% for me. No denials. It took a bit to get there but they absolutely made it work because they embraced it.

Embrace the darkness, Thailand, and let your characters embrace it! If Dynamite's stalking had been faced head on and not just handwaved away with a yas queen and the idea that Fire needed to be 'pushed'... it wouldn't make me hate them as much as I do.

#asked and answered #good points all around!

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dr-spencer-reids-queen · 1 year

Text

The Crossing: Final Part

Pairing: Spencer Reid x Female!Reader

Word Count: ~2.3k

Warnings: canon violence, canon language, canon talk of death, methods of kill

Author’s Note: I do not own anything from Criminal Minds. All credit goes to their respective owners. If there is any warnings that exceed the normal death/kills from the show, I will list them. If you’ve seen the show, then it’s the same level of angst unless otherwise stated

With what you know about the unsub, the man is an incompetent suitor seeking intimacy with a woman unavailable to him. He thinks he's courting his soulmate who in reality is a total stranger to him. He's making some physical improvements to his body to match Ryan's, but even if he's able to get enough confidence together to speak to Keri, she'd find it more like talking to a twelve-year-old boy.

A very dangerous twelve-year-old boy.

His obsession has heightened, as indicated by him following her to Maryland and the amount of detail in those letters. He writes instead of calls, which could mean that he's afraid of how he'll sound. He might be less educated or have some sort of physical issue, like a speech impediment.

Their paths crossed somewhere in Atlanta, so he followed her. He's watching her, so you need to focus on what exactly she's doing here. His move here means that he's committed, and unless he's caught, he'll never break that commitment.

"What do you need?" Penelope asks when you call her.

"I need you to dig through Keri's life ever since she got the first letter two years ago. Something happened to make him notice her, and I need to know what."

Penelope types, but even through the phone, you can tell she is hesitant.

"Y/N, I'm used to doing this to America's most creepy, but digging through Keri's life like this makes me feel all gross and ugh."

"We have to do this in order to help."

"I know, but it's her business why she takes a large cash withdrawal out in Vegas. Answer: a bachelorette party. Who does she send flowers to every month in Wisconsin? Answer: her grandmother. Wow, she has awesome health insurance."

"Can we stay focused, please?" you ask.

"No, I'm saying it's amazing. Her private doctor was voted Atlanta's best. If that's the case, then why did she go to the Atlanta Women's Health Clinic not once, not twice, but three times?"

A lightbulb goes off in your head, and you turn to face Keri and JJ. Ryan is nowhere to be seen, but you're not worried about him. Your eyes go to JJ's stomach where the yellow glow is more present than ever.

"Thanks, Pen." You hang up on her and head back to the living room. "Why'd you go to the clinic three times last year?" Keri looks away in shame, but this is no time to be shy about things. "Keri, we need full disclosure here."

"Ryan doesn't know," she sighs, and you sit next to JJ. "Back when we were figuring out what this relationship was, I was pregnant. I just couldn't have a baby... not then."

"That was your decision. You don't have to explain that to anyone," JJ says seriously.

JJ's mood suddenly changes, and you know that she knows. She knows she's pregnant, but you don't know if she is considering getting an abortion or not. Whether she is or not, you'll be on her side through it all. She's your best friend, and you need to be there for her through everything.

"I know. Ryan's career was taking off, and I didn't want to trap him. I didn't want us to have any regrets."

"Keri," JJ whispers.

Ryan appears behind her with a pained look on his face. He heard everything. Keri jumps up at the sound of her husband's voice.

"Were you ever going to tell me? I thought you wanted to have kids."

"I do."

"Did you think I wouldn't drop everything to raise a baby?"

"I knew that's exactly what you'd do."

"I gotta go."

Ryan grabs his jacket and his keys before leaving the house altogether.

"Ryan. Wait! I'm sorry!" she says, but he's already gone.

However, he comes back in with grave news. The unsub smashed his windshield because he was jealous of Ryan for having Keri. This is the first act of violence the unsub has shown, and you don't like where this is going.

It's already late as it is, and you're going to get enough sleep in hopes the unsub stays away long enough for you to catch him. By the morning, JJ isn't any better than she was when Keri talked about the women's clinic. She seems more distressed, but you can't talk to her about it with everyone else in the room.

"Detective Berry just took Ryan's police report. He's got about $500 worth of damage to his car," Emily informs everyone.

JJ scoffs and shakes her head, and you sit next to her.

"Hey, why are you taking this so hard?" you ask knowing the answer.

"Keri's life has been turned upside down for the past two years, and then we just come on in and tear it up some more," she says truthfully.

Well, it's mostly the truth. She's upset about the abortion Keri had only because she might be considering it herself.

"JJ, in order to catch her stalker, we need to ask those questions. She knew it would be uncomfortable."

"That's an understatement," she scoffs.

"JJ, you fought for this case," Spencer says quietly.

"You wanted to help Keri. That's what we're here trying to do," Derek adds.

"Then why do I feel like we violated her, too?" JJ says a bit angrily.

JJ gets up and leaves to take a breather, and you debate going after her. You could tell her you know, but that might make her more upset. Instead, you turn to your teammates and continue working on the case.

Twenty minutes later, Keri calls about her stalker and how she saw him. Not up close, but she did see him on the opposite side of the sidewalk from where she was, across the street. She came down to the police station immediately while you get a sketch artist to draw what he might have looked like.

"I knew I'd seen him before. At my dry cleaners, at a restaurant, etc.. I didn't know where else to go," she sighs.

The sketch artist finishes up and hands the pad to JJ.

"Alright, I'm going to get this picture out."

"You did the right thing coming here. You're going to get through this, Keri. You're strong and confident. I have faith in you," you speak the truth.

"You've been smart. You're taking every necessary precaution. You're not helpless, Keri. You're prepared and you're protected," Derek adds.

She takes a deep breath and tries not to let her years fall.

"I needed to hear that."

"Sounds like he's gonna try to talk to her," Detective Berry says.

"It could be risky for him. He's setting himself up for rejection, and if he feels anger or shame, there's a possibility he could turn violent."

Keri's phone rings, so she steps off to the side to take it.

"Is JJ okay?" Derek asks you.

You could tell him your theory, but that's not your secret to tell. JJ doesn't want people to know, she's made that clear.

"She will be once we get a lead," you lie easily.

"That was Ryan," Keri says once she is off the phone. "He's taking off for a couple of days to clear his head. He wants to talk first. I'm going to meet him at the house."

Keri leaves, and you hope they can work something out. You're rooting for Keri and Ryan. Derek and Spencer get back to work, then JJ comes back with somber news.

Brodie is back, Ryan got into a fight with a stranger, and Keri is gone. You and JJ can handle this, and Derek stays behind with the rest of the team to figure out where the unsub might have taken her.

"What the hell happened?" you ask Detective Berry when you get to her house.

There are three officers talking to the stranger that Ryan punched.

"He says some guy in an old brown van paid him fifty bucks to walk the dog up and down the street. He told him to be careful because someone in the neighborhood was kidnapping people's pets."

"The back door is off the hinges," Ryan says, meeting you outside. "Her cell's still in the house with her wallet. Her purse is on the bed. He just took her. I was right here."

You're not seeing anything that would be helpful, but you do feel the unsub's energy in this place. He took her, and Keri is terrified.

"Let's go inside," you say and escort Ryan back inside. You take out your phone and call Penelope who will, hopefully, have some answers. "I'm sure you've already heard the news. Please tell me you have something for me."

"There aren't any vans in Georgia that have been transferred to Maryland, so I am sending you registrations and IDs for both states. Pictures coming at you."

"Have Derek or Spencer ID'd any suspects, yet?"

"Three of them. I'm looking them up now. Jeffrey Cramer works at a grocery store, Chris Geezy is a heating and air technician, and Michael Hicks is unemployed. However, Mike was an IT guy last employed at Legal Grind, a tech support business for legal firms."

"Keri is a lawyer. He could have worked on her computer."

"Okay, Mike has no criminal record, and his social is listed at a bank there. The account lists Michael Hiks at 404 Lark Lane in Silver Springs."

"Thank you, Pen." You hang up on her and address the room. "We got a name and address. His name is Mike Hicks, though I don't think he'd take her to his house. I saw Keri's photos on a wall inside of a van. He's working from there so that van could be anywhere."

"Every second we're here, she's alone with him," Ryan sighs.

"His obsession with Keri defines him. He wants to make her happy. He wouldn't take her where he wants to go, he'd take her where she wants to go."

"Maybe someplace that means something to the both of you?" JJ asks.

"I proposed to her in Chesapeake Beach."

"He'd know that, and that's where he has her."

Everyone, including Ryan, heads over to the Beach. You know he's here because you can feel his passion and her fear. Ryan has to stay behind because you're afraid that if Mike sees Ryan, he will hurt Keri for picking someone other than Mike.

You lead the team on the pier where Mike is with Keri. She is terrified, and when your team surrounds them, he places a gun to her head as leverage. Thinking you can get him from behind, you stay behind and find a different way to Keri and Mike. He doesn't see you, and you'll make it your mission to stay hidden until you can gett he drop on him.

"Okay, okay. Let's put these away. I just want to talk to you," Emily says.

"Don't make me hurt her," Mike panics.

"You don't have to do that. Michael, we don't want to take her away from you. Keri told me she wants to be with you."

"It's true. I'm so happy now," Keri plays along just like you said. "They think you're gonna hurt me. Put it down so we can be together. Where do you want to go first? We could go back to Atlanta. We could find a little house."

Imaging this puts Mike at a disadvantage. You climb over the railing and sneak up behind him, taking this as your opportunity. You place your gun on the back of his head, and he becomes rigid once more.

"Do not move. Put the gun down. Now!" you order.

Michael has no choice but to do as you say, and when Keri is no longer in danger, she runs away from him and into the arms of Ryan who shows up just in the nick of time. Derek and Emily march over to you to take care of Michael, and when he's in handcuffs, you put your gun back in its holster.

"How could you do this? After everything I've done for us? They can't keep us apart!" Michael yells as they take him away.

"You did good, Keri," you praise. "It's over now. You're safe and will be safe from him."

Even though Mike is caught and taken away, JJ doesn't feel any better about this. You need to talk to her about her pregnancy, and when you finally get back to Quantico, you get that opportunity.

She is alone in her office, so you barge in without knocking. She looks like she is about to call someone, but she freezes when you walk in.

"I am so sorry to just barge in, but I really need to talk to you." You close the door so no one can hear, and you take a seat at her desk. "I really don't mean to pry, and I know that it's your business alone. I'm going to ask you one question, and if you answer it, which you don't have to, I'll drop it and never speak of it again until you're ready."

JJ stares at you without a word because she knows what's coming.

"Are you pregnant?"

"How did you know?" she finally asks.

"Your stomach has a yellow glow to it. Yellow energies mean children. I saw it before this case even started, but I didn't want to tell you because this is a clear violation of your privacy. I am so sorry, but I promise I won't tell anyone until you're ready to announce it."

"I should have known you'd be the first person to know," she chuckles. "Even before Will."

"Will doesn't know?"

"I was just about to call him, actually."

"I know it's hard to hide things from me, so I am sorry I found out this way."

"Can't really help it, can you? If I'm being honest, I'm glad that someone knows."

"Good. Okay, I will leave you to it." You get up to leave, but instead, you rush to JJ and bring her in a hug. "You're having a baby!! I'm so happy for you!"

"Thank you," she smiles brightly.

"Okay, I'm going now. Give Will my love."

You giggle as you leave the room, excited that you will get to meet that little one someday.

"A woman must not depend upon the protection of man, but must be taught to protect herself. " - Susan B. Anthony

Follow my library blog @aqueenslibrary where I reblog all my stories, so you can put notifications on there without the extra stuff :)

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james-vi-stan-blog · 4 months

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wow. that’s so much information I’m definitely going to have to research on:) so what would be your hope on how the show portrays King James (and I guess George Villiers and their ‘relationship’) that doesn’t make him out to look entirely like a bad person? Including his disability too (I believe he had some sort of paranoia and a speech impediment/stutter?)

-✨

Keeping in mind that I truly lick the bottom of the barrel for ANY James content. I watched freakin' Anonymous for James.

I would like to see James as a human being. Yes, he has become this ridiculous being, and there are so many weird things about him, some seriously off-putting, but perhaps we can acknowledge that a human being born and raised into the extreme circumstances of his life would inevitably turn out like that.

Show him as a NERD, the greatest scholar to ever sit on the English throne. (And also show that his intellectual ego is overinflated, have him call himself "a Second Solomon" and everyone side-eyes him, show him as an overgrown gifted kid who only know how to talk at people, not to people.) Give him great witty quips. Show his friendliness and informality, a down-to-earth side that he unfortunately expresses in the worst way possible. Explore how his casualness, which we would probably receive positively in royals today, was seen as a failure after the era of tightly controlled artifice and ritual of Elizabeth. Show him as a man truly committed to peace and tolerance in a time period when those were dirty words.

And please, PLEASE show him as driven by love, not sex, not just because that would be more accurate but because that would make the story so much more interesting!!! It doesn't have to depicted sympathetically, or imply that love is a higher or more virtuous desire or something. I do not care about sorting characters into "good" and "bad" when we're talking real history and the horror of the Jacobean period.

I don't have high expectations or demands (as I said, I lick the bottom of the barrel and go "yum, James content") but even just a bit of some of these things would delight me.

As for disability... well... ableism tw?

James's purported disabilities all suffer from the problem of diagnosing people in the past. Different historians and doctors read history books or the notes of the court physician and go, "aha, see, he definitely had [insert my pet favorite condition here]!"

For example, there is all kinds of debate about James's supposed speech/swallowing issue. He was said to have a tongue too big for his mouth, to drop food/drink out of the sides of his mouth (uhh i do that irl), etc. But when you read reports that James's speech was incomprehensible... who's writing this report? Was it an English courtier angry that James arrived in England surrounded by his most trusted Scottish courtiers? What if James just... had a Scottish accent??? Can't you very easily picture an Englishman calling a Scottish accent a tongue deformation? I mean, I am inclined to think James did have actual tongue issues because he complained about it to his physician, but every single comment that was written by James's contemporaries about his body came from some perspective, some agenda.

Probably, James did have some physically embodied difference that the people around him sensed. (And this physical difference came together with his sexual difference, personality difference, etc., to create someone who stood out as "queer" to those around him.) But, specifically naming that difference, pinning it to some diagnosis, is a political act now as it was then. Every depiction must do it (Gunpowder, Treason, & Plot (2004), a super weird homophobic and ableist depiction, gave him partial paralysis; Gunpowder (2017) gave him a peculiar walk, etc.) but the way they choose to depict it and why will have implications.

Here's what I fear.

We're already seeing people lining up to defend poor widdle George Villiers (GEORGE VILLIERS! George Villiers) because an "ugly" (???) old man is creeping on him. We see this really rigid, puritanical* sorting of characters into "good guys" and "bad guys" which for some reason lines up with beauty and how much the audience wants to see the actor naked. There's evidence that the show is going to lean into the depiction of James as slovenly and gross (banquet chaos, weird licking, his pants falling off). A depiction that, like I mentioned before, was solidified by centuries of historians who found James off-putting for a variety of reasons... among them, homosexuality and disability.

I would, in fact, love to see James depicted as disabled. (If it were me, I would show him with ataxia and probably ADHD.) And further, you know what I would love? For a character who is gross, physically different, weird, not to be depicted as evil because of those things.

It is, in fact, not evil to be merely weird and gross. And gross people are still capable of giving and receiving love.

But... how is it gonna be received by this audience if James is physically different? Slurring, falling over, wracked by digestive problems? In a visual medium, in a show that looks to be marketing itself on sex appeal and spectacle... In TV/film, where the siren call of "beauty equals goodness" is probably the strongest of any medium... when you mark a character as different, when you highlight and display that difference... how will that function in the story, what are you saying with it, and how is the audience going to receive it?

That doesn't mean I don't think they should do it, I'm just... bracing myself.

*inside joke lol because James fuckin hated Puritans

#james vi and i #mary & george #disability in media #james's weird stan rambles again #tw ableism #content note

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thessalian · 7 months

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Thess vs The Co-Workers

So there's some good news - I don't have to work overtime today and I might not have to work overtime anymore. That is ... basically it for good news in the work sphere.

The bad news? Oooooh let me count the ways.

First off, it's entirely possible that I might have to work Saturday. See, Goblin's away again tomorrow. I mean, not that she does all that much anyway, but given how things are going at the moment, it'll be enough.

The reason I say this is because "how things are going at the moment" have devolved into every other person who even touches the typing throwing all the hard shit at me while meandering through the short easy stuff. See, we have some new junior doctors (YES, AGAIN; we have so many more junior doctors than our current typing pool can handle even if we weren't inundated with unexpected absences), and they are both very, very bad at dictating. Guess who gets stuck with them? Not to mention the ones with the difficult accents, the ones who handle complicated cases, and the ones who dictate unnecessary bullshit and make the dictations longer than they need to be? That would be me; everybody's punching bag.

The end of the day today was particularly cheeky, as I'd ploughed through several longer bits of typing already and happened to notice that someone else had taken the other two, which was great, I thought! ...At least until those two ended up back in the queue at 5pm. So someone took them out of the queue, ignored them for a good chunk of the afternoon in favour of short snappy reports, and then went, "Oh, I guess I don't have time to do these ones; back into the queue they go! [Thess] can handle them!"

(Side note: I only had the time to handle one of them because the guy who did the dictation for the twelve-minute nightmare made such a mess of the block key that I spent fifteen minutes trying to figure out what the fuck he was doing before I gave up, bolded the problem areas, saved it to PDF, and emailed it to him - copied to our quality control department as per protocol - with the professional version of "THIS IS A MESS; SORT IT OUT".)

It's only now that Scruffman bothered to tell me that he was having issues with putting in my overtime hours; that apparently I had to if he was signing off on them. Of course, no one has ever actually demonstrated how to do that on our system, but I think I figured it out. I say "I think" because I don't see any evidence that the applications are pending and Scruffman apparently didn't have time to get back to me about whether or not there were any issues. That's a significant chunk of overtime pay, and if I don't get it in this month's paycheque, I'm going to be pissed. Though I guess if push comes to shove, it's extra Christmas present money instead of extra MCM Comic Con money.

So at this point, odds are pretty good that while I may not have to work today or tomorrow, I'll end up putting in a few hours on Saturday. Just because my colleagues (including the new temp, who I shall simply call Newbie; I have seen that this individual exists, though they're taking lessons from Temp insofar as leaving me with the long bullshit goes) are lazy fuckers.

Anyway, point is that I'm not committing to doing anything on Saturday because even if I don't have to work, I am a fucking wreck right now. I hurt very badly, I haven't been sleeping properly, I have a stress headache and sinus pressure that's probably going to turn migrainous fairly soon, and overall it's just not good. Like, at all.

Don't even get me started about what's going on in the UK at the moment. I cannot even think about the shit being spewed at the Tory Party Conference. I'm miserable enough without the reminder about how much this country hates me. I would love to say it's not specifically me they hate, but they do hate almost everything I am - or rather, everything I'm not - read, a British-born able-bodied wealthy cishet white male, since I only have one of those going for me. I don't really want to talk about it but it's there. Lurking. It adds to the stress, y'know? And I need way, way less of that.

But my Placid Plastic Duck Simulator has more ducks thanks to a certain bestie. So that's something.

#Thess has a day job #Thess vs the Tories

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crushedsweets · 8 months

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Can you talk more about Eyeless Jack? I really love him😔❤️

holds him in my hands... yes i can.. yes. i . can..

ive already gone on about his sacrifice and whatnot.. ok . ok. what to talk about. im gonna repeat hella stuff prob.

jack nyras .. mid-late 20s... human sacrificed to a demonic deity. . cute guy overall.

as i mentioned, similar to the proxies, he has a rando cabin in the woods. slenderman actually sees him as a good utility, so while he's not a proxy, he's kept around and allowed freely in the forest without any uhh... chaperone, i guess.

his cabin is even smaller, 1 bedroom 1 bathroom, small kitchenette, small living room, etc. there's a bit of an underground bunker, sort of like a tornado bunker. he keeps 2 freezers down there. u can imagine whats in them.

the main sort of ummm... like, driving issue and character 'arc' for jack is his guilt and battles w his own humanity. he was technically possessed by a demon/deity for a year straight, and while the demon is now 'resting', he still committed the atrocities he did, and he still relies on humans. for a while after he regains consciousness, he's really skinny bc its really hard on him emotionally to eat. eventually he just gets sort of numb to it (with the help of the other creeps.. not intentional help moreso 'dont be a pussy do what u gotta do man') . jeff is especially the one telling him to 'man up and do it' so he lives. toby and ben are more understanding of why its so hard for jack.

again jacks the eldest of many siblings. i'm thinking perhaps it goes.. jack>daughter>daughter>son>son>daughter. 3 sisters, 2 brothers. he was driving and working by time he was 16, his parents had too much pride to let him help with bills but he was getting groceries and cooking a lot of food for the house.

family meals were kind of a thing in the nyras household. jack was a good cook, lots of traditional meals, etc. he's been cooking dinner for his siblings since he was like 11. his dad always thought it was odd that jack took that on, esp since he had a sister a few years younger than him, but he legit just liked it.

there was a good bit of parental pressure to be a doctor, but if that weren't the case, he'd love to go into culinary. you know. before he had to cook human meat.

he can digest raw meat, and he has a theory that he goes longer between meals if he eats raw meat, BUT he often still cooks it and tries to make it just. more normal for him.

also he can and does still eat normal food, but it lost a ton of its taste for him. he relies still on human meat, but he can go like a 1-2 weeks between meals before he starts getting violent and dealing with severe pain. sort of like tokyo ghoul style ?

mmm.. he still has a missing persons case file open. his mother still tries to get the police to keep looking, and his brothers have even tried doing crazy shit like going into creepy parts of the city alone to figure shit out, but his sisters and dad eventually gave up and assumed he was dead. his mom still believes he's alive fully. none of them know what really happened to him

he works as human remains disposal for some rando guys that ben helped him find off the dark web. thats how he pays for the cabin, but the cabin is under brian's name since...... well. um. lol. jacks missing and presumed dead and he sure as hell isnt human enough to have a house.

cute guy !!!

#hcs #creeped #asks

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sickjournalblog · 1 year

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5 Things My 3 Year Manic Bipolar Disorder Episode Has Taught Me…

long time no see folks! kinda decided I hated having my face and voice in my videos and decided to reformat a bit!

today I wanted to discuss "5 Things My 3 Year Manic Bipolar Disorder Episode Has Taught Me..."

1) Bipolar Medication Does Not Work For Everyone

When I first accepted my bipolar disorder diagnosis I began bipolar medication once again, as I continued to use the medications, they continued to cause worsening symptoms, extreme weight gain, almost made me lose my business, among other things. I was deemed treatment resistant and informed that typical medications do not always work depending upon the cause of the symptoms. Which leads me to point number 2.

2) Autoimmune Disorders Can Cause Mania, Psychosis & Other Bipolar Symptoms

Last year my blood thinners (Xarelto) failed once again and I ended up back in the hospital with new blood clot formation in my leg. This led to some new testing, some looking at old records, meeting with Mayo Clinic and ultimately a diagnosis of antiphospholipid syndrome and lupus among some other things. I learned that lupus and antiphospholipid syndrome can actually attack the brain causing a range of symptoms, including mood disorders, mania, psychosis, etc.

When something like this is the cause of the bipolar disorder symptoms, treatment that works often involves getting the immune system to stop attacking the body, not by masking the symptoms by dumbing down the patient with heavy psych medications. So basically, due to doctors not listening to me for 17+ years and being fucking morons I have new health issues, permanent side effects, etc.

3) You Don’t Have To Act On Impulses

I used to make really bad impulsive choices. I’ve upped and moved across the state, slept with strangers, gone on drug binges, disappeared, gotten in fights, been involuntarily committed and all sorts of other things. I used to think I just couldn’t control myself and to some extent I think that can still remain true during psychotic breaks, but for the most part I’ve learned I don’t have to do what my brain wants, even if it feels terrible. This past 3 years I have wanted nothing more than to chain smoke cigarettes (I quit like 6 years ago), go on a drug bender (quit 7 years ago), get back into porn or fuck everyone in town (I am in a monogamous relationship - that is a no go). Sometimes it makes me enraged that I cannot do whatever I want. Sometimes it makes me heartbroken. While this is not fun, it is a lot better than ruining my life repeatedly because I just do what I want because I want to. I’ve learned to try and distract myself, talk to my partner more about my needs and use DBT/mindfulness techniques to even my mood state.

4) Just Because I Feel It Does Not Make It Real

This one seems to be controversial (even with my therapist) but I stand by what I mean. With bipolar disorder (and apparently autism) I tend to have a lot of feelings that are triggered by a vast range of things (facial expressions, tone of voice, paranoia, etc.) and while it feels very real, it does not mean that it is reality. An example would be my husband’s facial expressions, I get very used to the way people act, look, sound, etc. and changes make me extremely nervous and confused. When he is depressed he may not use his facial expressions much, leading me to ��feel” like he is irritated or feeling some sort of negative way, this however, is not true at all. My husband has bipolar disorder too, he has feelings, he is not required to look how I want. I’ve learned to try to talk to myself or even verify with him what is going on. I find asking about reality instead of assuming is extremely helpful.

5) People Can’t Help You Easily If You Don’t Know What You Need

for sure still trying to master this one… I’ve found a lot throughout the last 3 years that I really really really want and need help but more often than not, I have absolutely no idea how someone can even help me. This has resulted in a lot of arguments, resentment, and animosity with relationships in my life. I’m trying to learn to notice when I need help and am feeling frustrated about it. I then try to think of what I may need help with and how to ask for it. I’m certainly not perfect yet but it does seem to be helping with my husband taking care of me part of the time when I am unwell.

hopefully, this was somewhat helpful..?

my content got a bit unhelpful in my opinion for a bit, I haven’t quite been sure how to work on myself and it feels a bit strange creating stuff when I’m feeling completely lost. I hope this was more productive and helpful than some other recent content.

Have bipolar disorder? Experience manic episodes? What have they taught you? Would love to hear from you in the comments.

youtube

#bipolar #bipolar disorder #mental health #mania #bipolar mania #manic #manic bipolar #depression #manic depression #bipolar depression #dysphoric mania #chronic illness #mental heath support #Youtube

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drcornwater · 1 year

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Health Update

For the last year or so, I've been experiencing seizure like symptoms that's altered my life more than I ever could have thought.

It started in April 2022. I got up from my computer chair to grab some coffee while at work (I work from home) and suddenly my eyes went blurry and my knees were weak. I made it to the kitchen counter but knew something was going on so I put my cup down and tried to get back to my chair only a few feet away from me.

I didn't make it and fell to the floor. My head had what felt like pressure in it and it had just exploded out of me. I woke up to carpet burn on my forehead and with my head about 3 inches from my computer chair wheels. I always think about how close I was to whacking my head on those sharp ass wheel covers whenever I think about it.

After that first time, I started having what seemed to be seizures regularly. I would be kind of aware of what was going on, but I was locked out of my body as it seized. I'd slur and get really drooly after one and sometimes I'd just be bedridden for a whole day. I had experienced something similar when I was a teen and in my early 20s, but it was sort of brushed off by my doctor at the time. It went away as I grew older so I never thought about it afterwards.

So after months of waiting and anxiety, I finally got tested in an inpatient epilepsy monitoring unit. Basically that means I was strapped to an EEG for 24 hours to monitor my brain activity and catch an episode as it happened to see if it was epilepsy or something else. After a day, the doc came in and said I had Psychogenic Nonepileptic Seizures.

To quote the above link:

Psychogenic nonepileptic seizure (PNES) involves attacks that resemble epilepsy-related seizures in symptoms and signs, but abnormal electrical activity in your brain doesn’t cause them. Instead, the seizures are a physical reaction to underlying psychological distress.

It's a conversion disorder, meaning my brain has a hard time dealing with extreme stress or anxiety and manifests it physically. It's linked to trauma, personality disorders, and other types of mental issues. I def fall under Trauma and Mental Illness so I wasn't super shocked I was diagnosed with this lmao.

I'm deeply committed to treatment for this. I want to get better. I need to get better. I have a future waiting for me and I want to get there.

This has obviously all been stressful on its own so it feels like it's an ouroboros eating itself. I've missed so much work and the travel to appointments is brutal at times. My partner is so stressed all the time and I feel like a burden with how much she has to dedicate her time to me. I was supposed to get my driver's license when we moved up here, but I can't drive for a year after having a seizure so I'm not doing that anytime soon. We had to move bc I can't make enough money working due to being part time and missing days of work consistently. It just feels like there's more being added onto the plate every month.

And then today

I um. I...

fuck man

I just got out of a meeting with my HR person at work. We talked about how much work I'm missing and how my metrics aren't great and I'm not meeting expectations. There's a lot more going on than just my health at work, but they only see my health issues and want to stick with that. It doesn't matter that everything outside of my health is affecting work.

So my HR person put two options on the table:

I go through the process of filing ADA accommodations. It's a long process where my doctor has to sign off on my ability to work and there's a bunch of paperwork involved and a lot of effort on both sides (me and my work). They made it very obvious they do not want to go down this route.

2. I quit and they can just dust off their hands and move on.

It doesn't really feel like I have a choice at this point. They put a lot of emphasis on how much effort the ADA process is and made quitting more appealing. I know they want to get rid of me and this is them saying "we can get rid of you the easy way or the hard way" since they can't fire me due to health issues legally.

I mean, and they're right. What options do I have? I can't work and it's been proven. I can't. I just can't meet those expectations and I'm taking up a spot for someone who can. I've proved to myself and everyone around me that I literally cannot work in my condition. I've tried and it's just not possible.

The thing that really rubs me is that they have no idea what losing this job means for me. They think I can just leave this job and I'll be able to focus on my health and make the right choices for myself. But really, it completely fucks the plans we made moving up here. I will have to wait for months or even years for disability to kick in, I can't get unemployment after the pandemic bc of complicated reasons, and there's no way I can get another job like this with the flexibility it provided. They see this as the best option when really, it totally destabilizes any security I have in my personal life. I don't have any other options but to keep trying to work.

So much has been taken from me by this fucking medical condition. It's so hard to not be bitter or angry. I had to move in with my in-laws, become financially desperate, and now I've lost my job. I feel like I have nothing of my own left to give at this point. What more could it possibly take? The only thing it hasn't stolen is my relationship and that's the thing I worry most about.

I feel destitute and scared. My entire life has been taken from me in the span of less than a year. It's difficult to describe how hopeless this has left me at times.

So here I am, 10 years later after first experiencing these and I'm in a shockingly similar situation: No job, living with parents, and relying on others for everything. I feel like a fucking loser. I did then, and I feel it now.

But I'm keeping my head up. I have a lot of support and I want to get better. Sarah has been my rock and is the one thing propelling me forward. I can't give up on her. She's put so much effort and love into helping me out on this journey and that just makes me want to push farther every day.

Just send some love my way. I really need it right now. I'm not sure where to go from here but it looks like I'll have to contact Daddy Government again to get on disability. I don't want to have to go through that process, but I feel like it'll be a slam dunk. Hopefully the process isn't dragged on like it is known to.

I can do this.

#personal

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pjthewitch · 1 year

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some updates to be made

- i’m in a committed longterm relationship with a cool sexy and cannot stress this enough REAL thembo yay

- moved out of my abusive home summer 2021, moved apartments twice since bc bad luck with roommates, but roommate number 3 is cool, plus me and my thembo are gonna start saving to move in together yay

- my first spirit companion (A) turned out to be a scam (figured that out when after 2 years and 4 other companions i still could not feel or interact with that one, and i check up on the blog and discover some red flags that i wasn’t experienced enough to recognize before) oh well, growing pains and all that

- i am not too disabled and chronically ill to work. no idea what’s going on because there are no doctors taking patients in my city. guess i just have to hope i’m not dying. good news is, i’m only a part time crutch user now! probably going to need a wheelchair eventually because my whole body is weak and in pain now, but until i can get my health sorted out, crutches are doable.

- my partner taught me that there’s actually a term for my belief system (i forget what the term is, but if anyone curious, my stance is that all deities are real as long as there are people who believe in them. i would like to also clarify though, that i don’t support the appropriation of closed practices and cultures. just because they’re all real, does not mean they are all for you *cough*white people and wiccans*cough*)

- i’ve been learning about the bible on my own a deconstructing a lot of my religious trauma (still think priests are violently sexy though rip, i guess you could say i have father issues ;) )

- my apartment is super fucking cursed bc of my roommates ex girlfriend. like stubbornly cursed. i’ve been here 6 months trying to get the beings out and the spells broken and they just won’t fucking go.

- still do occasional work with Hades and Loki, but i haven’t felt as much of a pull towards them lately, though they are still very important to me and i don’t plan on ending our working relationships any time soon. Loki has been a wonderful sibling and friend, and Hades will always be the father that accepted me.

- feeling a pull towards luciferianism again, but gonna actually do proper research this time so we don’t have a repeat of last time (breaking news, 14 year old “satanist” tries to summon demons and ends up with a black figure in the corner of his room watching him sleep every night bc he’s an idiot, also leaves the religion upon realizing that the group he was apart of was wildly antisemitic (funfact that experience is why i no longer work in groups, no antisemites for me thanks!!!))

- don’t do reality shifting nymore bc that shit is a cult and also doesn’t work, and also in hindsight was actually dangerously bad for my mental health (constantly dissociating, delusional, + family history of schizophrenia)

- mainly focusing on spirit work now bc why are all my spells so chaotic help

- i don’t to pop-culture spirit work/paganism anymore bc i had a not great experience, but y’all are still valid bc i can’t really have the belief system i have and then pick and choose what counts as a deity, not rly how that works imo

- gotta update my blogs bc i’m no longer a tahno simp (rip in peace, still simpin in my heart)

- also not an update but this has been bothering me. hey non indigenous practitioners, PLEASE STOP RECOMMENDING AND SELLING W*NDIGO SPIRIT COMPANIONS YOU IDIOTIC FUCKS, i don’t care how strong you think your bindings are, your inflated ego and ignorance is putting others in actual danger (love, an actual ojicree person who has experienced the all consuming hunger and destruction those spirits bring and had family driven off the reserve by it)

#witch #witchblr #witchcraft #spiritwork #spirit keeping #hades #loki

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the-shared-brain-in-retrograde · 2 years

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WandaVision

A joint review...

We’ve got a confession - we have thought long and hard and discussed our options, and we still have no idea how best to tackle our tv show reviews. So come with us now on a magical journey of chaos as we do our best and try not to become overwhelmed by content.

It’s safe to say that we like this show very much. Becks has just said ‘It was a good start to the Marvel tv shows, because it was so different but it wasn’t shit.’ Which sort of sounds like she’s throwing shade at the other ones (Cass side-eyed her phone hard at this point) but I’m sure that’s not what she meant. It is different though, and it’s just well thought out and excellently put together, and we love it.

The show asks that you take a leap of faith and just go with the flow bro, because it starts with a strong commitment to the vintage aesthetic. For much of the first episode, you do feel like you could just be watching a 50s sitcom ala Bedazzled. (We fucking love the Bedazzled vibes by the way, we’d happily do a stint as suburban witches). It is confusing, as you know that there must be something else to it, but in the first episodes you only get a hint of things being wrong so you’re not at all sure how it’s going to unfold. But it’s confusing in a fun way - and it’s nice to have a little light hearted fun from time to time. Before we get smashed in the feels again by all that lovely trauma.

What we can agree on is that we wouldn’t want our boss to come round for dinner. When we say our boss, we mean Cass’ boss (well her bosses boss, sort of an awful man really). At this stage, there is only one person that Becks would like to have round to dinner, and that is dear Jimmy Woo. She’s gone a bit feral in her notes and repeatedly got ahead of herself with demands as to when Jimmy will appear. It would be nice to have him to dinner as well, because he seems a lovely man and could entertain us with some close up magic.

We also agree that breakfast for dinner is good. So there.

Cass: Which decade is your favourite of all them?

Becks: Well I really like the modern one where she talks to the camera, because I relate to that. (Presumably, Becks has a camera-crew following her at all times). But I also like the 60s one, where the magic act goes wrong and it’s a bit slapstick. And I like the 50s one.

Cass: I think there is something quite comforting about the older eps. I do love the 60s one. I love the humour and the men's gossip group posing as the neighbourhood watch. And just everything that comes out of Agnes’ mouth. Definitely not the 70s one though, because the accelerated pregnancy weirds me out.

For pure enjoyment purposes, the second episode is our joint favourite. We love the talent show magic act, we like Vision going a bit funny, and Becks lost her mind and screeched IS THAT JIMMY?! when his voice came through the radio, and it was, so that is also nice. What we don’t like though is that bee-keeper emerging from the sewers. It’s just all very nightmarish, and if we were Wanda we would absolutely rewind that part too. It’s also a very nice touch when she finds the helicopter in her bushes and it’s in full colour against the black and white. The whole way they keep adding little unsettling elements is just really nice.

Onto the 70s, and isn’t Monica’s blue eyeshadow magnificent? Well done to the make up department, 10/10. Cass doesn’t like this episode on account of the pregnancy bit making her think of aliens or parasites growing uncontrollably inside you (which is probably a personal issue that she will have to work through at some point, or maybe not, who knows), so we will refer to Becks’ notes. We do agree that we hate the patronising doctor. Stupid man. We’re glad his holiday was ruined. Becks also thinks it’s really good how they start to show Wanda’s perception of this weird reality is crumbling, and how you start to realise she is the one in charge. Poor Monica is blasted out of town, but at least now we know someone will get to the bottom of what’s going on. Becks also had a third false alarm over potential Jimmy, but never fear, he is coming!

We follow Monica out of Westview and into a flashback that starts to give us some missing pieces of the puzzle. We haven’t seen this side of the blip before really, with people coming back on-mass and the confusion of it all, none of them knowing where they are or what is going on. The chaos comes through here in a way that it didn’t in Endgame, which Becks has just wisely announced makes sense as it’s a whole programme about chaos. It also maybe explains why so many of our avenger friends are having to work through grief in Phase 4. So we can’t really blame Wanda, even as the events of this episode start to unfold.

We suspect Hayward is a wrong ‘un from the off. Unfortunately we can’t prove anything at this stage, and apparently proof is quite important when you’re throwing accusations around, so we’ll just have to remain vigilant and gather evidence to be able to say ‘told you so’ at a later stage. However, for now let us say he gives off Big Dick Energy, and not in the way he might wish. He is the reason that Monica is sent to Westview in the first place though, and therefore the reason her path crosses with the fabled Jimmy Woo. We can all rest easy now that we see his sleight of hand magic practice has paid off, and the episode all feels a bit like Supernatural or the X Files as they try to work out what’s going on at Westview, so that’s nice. (We’re basing this on vibes alone, neither of us have ever watched an episode of the X Files. Please don’t yell at us in the comments. One of us was too busy with 15 seasons of Supernatural and the other only watches the first three Captain America films on repeat. We’re learning every day and will try to do better in future.)

As if to balance out the joy of Jimmy Woo (Becks just wailed WOOOOOO, totally overcome, and sounding like a ghost on a gentle fairground ride) we have to put up with another character whom we intensely dislike in this episode, Darcy Lewis. Cass was so bitterly disappointed the first time she watched this programme and Darcy showed up. She’s just the worst, and we can’t adequately explain why, it’s just vibes. Very negative vibes. Also, we don’t buy that she just walked in there and figured it all out in seconds. She’s annoying and boring and thinks she’s funny when she isn’t, and we hate her.

We’re getting out of the light-hearted fun and more involved in the trauma now as we enter the 80s. Cracks are starting to show in Wanda’s illusion, the fact that ‘in a real magic trick everything is fake’ is starting to shine through, and Vision is beginning to question what is going on around him as he realises that all is not what it seems.

Vision as a character is a strange one. We’re fond of Paul Bettany, but we do find Vision to be quite a bland character. Also, in Infinity War his relationship with Wanda seemed to materialise out of the blue, and Wanda aged up dramatically compared to to Civil War, so it all felt a bit confusing and we weren’t quite sure what she saw in him. It is nice to be able to spend a bit more time with him in this series, and actually get to find out some more about him for a change, but he doesn’t ever really seem as well developed or interesting a character as Wanda herself.

We both got furious when Hayward refers to Wanda as the victimiser, because it’s clearly just not true and she’s been through so much that it seems a horrible thing to accuse her of when she’s repeatedly been victimised herself. It’s also at this stage that Hayward outs himself as a baddie (TOLD YOU SO) by gathering up all the guns in the vicinity like baddies are wont to do. And then Wanda comes out and tells them all to clear off, and looks amazing in her coat and beautiful hair, and turns the guns on him which we agree is very cool, and we love Wanda.

We also love Agnes on babysitting duty. Should she be left in charge of children? No. Do we love to see it? Yes. Becks was once again moved by the Victorian attitude to child rearing displayed when she suggested dosing them with hard liquor for a bit of peace and quiet. Cass is getting concerned by how often Becks refers to the Victorians as pinnacles of child rearing and labour, but neither of us have children so we don’t need to get too worried about it just yet.

Pietro turns up and everything goes a little bit meta. He seems to know what’s up, and they have a little knowing aside about the drastic change to his appearance that feels a bit like breaking the fourth wall. It’s very much a sign of poor Wanda losing her grip on things, especially alongside the little snippets of him and Vision dead which keep bleeding through. All perfect themes for a Halloween episode.

We love the Halloween episode, because we love to see American Halloween. It has long been a dream of ours to visit America over Halloween (perhaps New England) and experience it first hand. It does raise questions though, mainly what with everyone always so involved in Halloween who is giving out the sweets? From what we’ve seen, everyone is at parties but someone must have stayed home otherwise it would just be lots of kids fruitlessly ringing the doorbells of empty houses. Could it have been exaggerated for cinema? Surely not! Answers on a postcard please.

Incidentally, should anyone wish to invite us to experience an American Halloween, then we will gladly accept. We have no sense of self preservation or concerns about visiting strangers houses when offered sweets, and despite it’s recent efforts Fresh has done nothing to change that. Possibly the opposite, but again that’s a personal issue. Also, Becks says we’re very good at parties. Although Cass isn’t sure who she’s comparing us to. So anyway. Call us!

Becks: sings* You can always find me in the kitchen at parties...

Cass: *also sings* Eating all your little sweets and dressed up as a witch!

Vision goes on a spooky little fact finder to the outskirts of town, and everything just goes all wrong. Although disturbing, we did enjoy Agnes’ outburst where she just screams ‘DEAD’ repeatedly, made even better when we find out she’s been faking it the whole time and made a conscious decision to be unhinged. Top marks Agnes. Then Vision tries to leave and starts disintegrating, and it’s awful, feels like the snap all over again, but Wanda saves the day and even dresses everyone up as the circus so that they can join in the party. Thoughtful Wanda. And sassy.

By Episode 7 everything is coming apart at the seems. Wanda’s ‘I’m fine’ monologue is brilliant - even though she clearly is fine it does lift the episode somewhat. Agnes reveals that she ‘did actually bite a kid once’ and we can believe it. Vision also shines in the interview sections and his bits as he tries to get across town and is continually thwarted by his magical wife are a delight. Cass wouldn’t mind watching all of the other shows do special episodes filmed in this format. She imagines Loki would be particularly entertaining.

The Monica and Jimmy team up is a duo that we wouldn’t mind seeing again. They are a delight. Becks is making noises that suggests she’s gone on a pleasant mind trip down fantasy lane to a branch of the multiverse where this is a thing. So that’s something to occupy ourselves with in future.

Monica is a bit foolhardy rushing through the barrier for the millionth time, but it does give her some badass super powers of her own, and after all the shit with Hayward we think she deserves them. We also really like how she sees Wanda for who she is and keeps trying to reach her, because she recognises her own grief in her and genuinely wants to help.

But the truth of the matter is we love a villain, and so there is no-one in his whole show that we enjoy as much as Agnes, aka Agatha Harkness. We. Fucking. Love. Her. Her villain reveal is absolutely brilliant. The first time Cass watched that episode she instantly wound it back to re-watch Agatha All Along, because we can all agree that it’s perfection. Even the dog death didn’t put Becks off her, and that’s saying something.

Becks: I had that song stuck in my head at work the other day.

Cass: For some reason, I had My Old Man’s A Dustman stuck in mine.

Becks: *wheezes* Where did that come from?!

Cass: No idea. I only know one verse. It was awful.

Anyway. We know all the words to Agatha All Along, and if called upon could probably perform it at a neighbourhood talent show.

Becks: Are you saying my potato act is not good enough?

Cass: I wold never trash talk your potatoes.

Agatha also has a brilliant witchy basement and a brilliant witchy backstory. Becks has just said ‘all she’s really wanting to do is help Wanda’ which seems a suspect statement but Cass can’t really argue because we have so many reasonable excuses for villain behaviour stored up between us that we could probably set up shop and sell them at this stage. Anyway, as part of her ‘helping’, Agatha forces Wanda to confront her past traumas, the better to move on and also conveniently remember how she managed to create this Stepford Wife-esque world in the first place. We appreciate the back story because it does fill in some gaps and also make a lot of things make sense. She’s then planning to steal all of her power for her own, but only because she has proper training and knows how to use it responsibly, we’re sure. No ulterior motives, what on earth is Wanda making all this fuss about.

We love Wanda though, so we don’t want to see her sucked dry of power. We also think it’s really horrible that she had to see Vision’s body all chopped up and being used for parts. We couldn’t help imagining ourselves in that situation, and want to make it clear (Steve Kemp, if you’re listening) that we have a pact to avenge each other should we ever end up in this situation. Which given our previous statement about not minding whose house we go into is potentially more likely than we anticipated at the start of this review. This whole thing has been as much a learning lesson for us as it has for Wanda. The flashback to Vision and Wanda hanging out at the Avengers Compound is quite sweet, and Vision’s bit about ‘what is grief if not love preserving’ does make Cass go a bit misty-eyed if it gets her in the right mood.

In true Marvel style, everything then escalates and ends with a big fight. Regrettably, Cass has written ‘nothing like a bit of girl on girl’ for the second review in a row. We love Wanda’s quick thinking with the runes, she’s such a smarty and on balance we’re glad she wins. But we’re also glad that Agatha isn’t destroyed, and we’re going to get to see more of her in future. We just love witches okay? Also it’s nice to have it confirmed that Wanda is more powerful than Doctor Strange, because we reckon he would hate that and as he causes nothing but bother we would like to give him some bother back.

We should really mention the creepy white Vision that Hayward Frankenstein’d together here. We don’t like him at all, his eyes especially give Becks the heebie-jeebies. The two Vision’s fighting all feels very multi-versy as well, but it is definitely the politest fight that we have ever witnessed in the MCU so that’s something.

Wanda’s storyline is horribly sad, and we both really hope that this starts to improve for her. She’s left very alone at the end of this show, carrying even more loss than before because her children are now gone too. In a way, it is cathartic that she is able to say a goodbye to Vision, but it doesn’t lessen the grief of the fact that he is gone. We do really care about Wanda, and would love to see her rejoin the rest of the scattered avengers and build a bit of a family there again for herself. There’s so much grief in Phase 4 and it would be nice for her to be able to find a bit of happiness.

It was really nice to revisit this show, especially because knowing what happens means that you watch the whole thing with a different perspective and enjoy it in a different way. It’s a lot of fun, we love the commitment that went into the style of the different eras as much as the commitment that went into Wanda’s character development. As much as there is such sadness in the show there is also a lot of fun and inventiveness, and it did feel quite different for the MCU at times, which was nice. As May approaches, Cass is really looking forward to seeing Wanda again in Multiverse of Madness. This is a sentiment that Becks can’t quite get behind, her rage over Doctor Strange and his fuck up ways sadly outweighs her love for Wanda, and frankly I imagine she will watch the whole thing with a face like thunder and a lot of tutting. Still who knows, maybe it will change her mind about him entirely. But Becks can really hold a grudge, so we doubt it.

We’re reviewing Shang Chi next, a film we both agree is excellent and not just because there are dragons! Don’t touch that dial!

love Becks and Cass

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