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popculturebuffet · 3 years

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Uncle Scrooge by Don Rosa: The Isle at the Edge of Time (Thank You Comission For Rosie Isla)

Hello all you happy people! Today’s review is a bit special as it’s the result of another review. See I had trouble finding a translation of the subject of last weeks’ mother’s day special, Family Ties.

No not that one. I have Paramount+. I can watch all the Family Ties I want and that’s a fact that i’m pleased as punch about.

No it was the story 80 is Prachtig, called Family Ties in the copy used, Della’s first major comics appearance and one that explains what happened to her in the classic continuity, one that clearly served as the foundation for her far more fleshed out 2017 versions personality and backstory. It also had Pinocchio in it for some reason, and spent most of it’s large run time on a meta comedy plot that had nothing to do with the reason anyone wanted to read this story in the first place.

But despite being a vitally important story, it never got an english translation, something that baffled me till I read the story and found cameos of the racist indigenous stereotypes from Peter Pan. In 2014. You may commence booing. Even with how weird the story was I simply couldn’t find the story googling it and the Della tag is too vast and deep to go spelunking in.

So what’s all this have to do? Simple I put out a post last month when neither I nor Kev, who wanted to comission it as part of Moons, Millionares and Mothers, my coverage of all three season 2 Ducktales story arcs, could find a copy and offered a review to whoever found it. Weeks passed I got nothing.. then in the 11th hour I got a break as the lovely @rosieisla found a translation that was on this very site, one she seemed to have helped with. As a result I could do the review and as a man of my word, offered it up despite her clearly having not seen that part of the post and simply having done this to be nice. Still she gladly took up the offer and offered me my pick of two stories: The Carl Barks Story Back to Long Ago or this one.

As for WHY I picked this one Back To Long Ago didn’t seem bad, i’m just not a fan of “The Cast is put in the past as their own ancestors” type deals. Or in some cases put the cast as people from that time period. It’s just not for me and is most often done in TV where it can get really goofy, Beverly Hills 90210 being a prime example of this, though Girl Meets World was no slouch in being embarassing... that being said I really need to finish that show and miss it.

So yeah when put up against a story with two intresting hooks and FLINTHEART GLOMGOLD, even if i’ts not the version that’s my boy, it was no contest. So what are these hooks you ask? Well join me under the cut and find out.

We open with a weird stylistic choice: This story has a narrator complete with caption boxes. Now for those of you familiar with comics or pastiches of comics in tv and film, this probably dosen’t seem like a big deal. It was a common thing in comics from their inception to 90′s to have caption boxes, big boxes of text narrating the action to help move things along faster. It did start to fade out by the 80′s and was gone by the end of the 90′s for the most part, replaced instead with first person narration. It’s the kind of thing you’d see most often in the Golden and Silver Ages, with stuff like tihs

It’s not a BAD device, it’s good old cheesy and bombastic fun and some writers did get clever with it.. like that time Chris Claremont used the narration to yell at a greiving cyclops after he lost a teammate early in his long and storied run on the uncanny x-men.

This is a objectively weird scene that’s still somehow effective by the by. On the one hand it does come off as Chris Claremont essentally bullying Cyclops who already feels guilty for a death that was not in fact his fault as Thunderbird was told the plane he was attacking with fleeing villian Count Nefaria was about to explode and refused to listen.. and that they needed to get rid of either him or Wolverine as both served the same purpose and chose the non-white guy.

On the other htough it comes off just as much as Scott beating himself up in his grief and anger over the event and his perceived failings as a leader. It’s good stuff and shows why this run caught on as this was only three issues in. Also the rest of the issue features the X-Men fighting a giant cyclopian demon that Cyclops accidently freed in his rage by destroying the stone thing keeping him imprisoned. No really here’s the cover

Huh so tha’ts what Nifty’s dad looks like. Neat. Also I REALLY hope we get the X-Men fighting aliens or demons in the MCU. Unlike the XCU the MCU isn’t alergic to getting batshit.. and for the record Deadpool and New Mutants are the exception, not the rule.

My point that I swear I do have is that this was common practice for most comics.. but never really for Disney Duck comics. It popped up ocasionally, like with Scrooge’s introduction, but Barks and those after him never really used them that much. Sure they’d have caption boxes for flasbacks and what not but Barks and Co geninely only used this sort of thing to set up a story. The most i’ve seen it in a duck comic is life and times and even then i’ts usually only used for gags or to set up the passage of time, as the story IS covering decades and thus often needed to have montages to show time passing, and in the case of chapter 11, had to cover decades in the span of a single chapter, so it’s not like they had many other options. So even Rosa as a personal quirk didn’t really use these often.

Rosa used this specifically because he felt the plot was complicated by the use of the international date line. As for what it is, it’s essentially a line marking calender dates from one side of the hemisphere to the others. To use the offical defentition from the National Ocean Service I found via a quick google:

“The International Date Line, established in 1884, passes through the mid-Pacific Ocean and roughly follows a 180 degrees longitude north-south line on the Earth. It is located halfway round the world from the prime meridian—the zero degrees longitude established in Greenwich, England, in 1852.

The International Date Line functions as a “line of demarcation” separating two consecutive calendar dates. When you cross the date line, you become a time traveler of sorts! Cross to the west and it’s one day later; cross back and you’ve “gone back in time."

Despite its name, the International Date Line has no legal international status and countries are free to choose the dates that they observe. While the date line generally runs north to south from pole to pole, it zigzags around political borders such as eastern Russia and Alaska’s Aleutian Islands.”

Rosa felt this made the story complicated.... and that... really isn’t remotely true. The narration is mostly used for gagas and really dosen’t clarify anything. it’s mostly used well in the opening.. but the actual explinations for the date line are clear enough in the story that even if I hadn’t looked the thing up, I still would’ve got it and i’m sure a kid would’ve too. It just feels like a weird thing to ruminate on, especially because he’s got actual things to make up for: while to his credit the native american characters he cribbed from carl barks are sympathetic, their culture respected and treated decently and used for a green aseop, their dialouge is stitled and sterotypical something he dosen’t even comment on (And these trades ewren’t THAT long ago)

And of course it dosen’t help that he dosen’t even comment on using a common device in american superhero boooks.. in the same volume where he ONCE again makes an unwanted and outdated diatribe about superhero comics. I’ll probably cover the Super Snooper Strikes again so I can throughly tear this apart but higlights include: Calling superhero comics “Unwanted” just because he dosen’t like them personally, when people like me would disagree and they’ve lasted through a LOT of highs and lows, outdately saying they took over the American market as the only suitable comics which while true for a TIME,but by 2015 when this book was printed is laughably out of date, as non superhero works like The Walking Dead, Saga, and Scott Pilgrim were massively popular, one of my faviorite comics that is entirely slice of life and would go on to bea huge hit, Giant Days, re-debuted that very year. He also has the fucking gal to insult The Uncanny X-Men by name and I swear to god I did not know this when I made those references earlier, but as you probably guessed REALLY god me livid.

And this is just on his COMMENTS on the story I can’t imagine just how bad the content itself is and having read the first few pages which come off as Rosa using Donald to essentially do an “old man yells at cloud rant” about superhero comics, I really don’t want to. Might make htis a patreon exclusive or again would do it on comissoin. You all make the call.... the point is I don’t likes his elitist bullshit about superhero comics, and this is clearly something that gets my hackles up as I just spent a good two paragraphs of an entirely unrealted review yelling at the guy for it. I don’t like when he does this and this authors notes entirley felt like an excuse. I GET the dark age of comics were bad, they REALLY were that bad, but I will NEVER accept painting an enitre genre as bad just because one work in it is bad. And I wont accept it from someone who himself writes about an often throughly unlikeable anti-hero for a living. Scrooge may not have a gun on his gun on his gun or get to stabbing or have pouches, but he DOES finacially abuse his nephew, scoff at people’s personal troubles, and often refuse to use his wealth to help others in general. So yeah in conclusion Rosa really needs to say less about this subject.

Okay so where were we.. right the story hadn’t even started yet. Jesus.

Okay so our story begins with the narrator. Whose going on about time and what not. The main point of this speech about time is that it’s night in Duckburg and Scrooge is going to bed as, even being the workhorse that he is, he can’t keep going 24 hours. While he’s snoozing though something major happens and it’s the hook that made me pick this story along with the international dateline one.. an island rises thanks to volcanic erruption.. and the lava is GOLD. That’s just pure unabashed classic Duck Stuff: a mysterious treasure or phenominon of gold bound to bring scrooge in.

But Scrooge isn’t stupid: the sun comes up and the world still spins while he sleeps, so he set up a satalite to monitor for this sort of thing. The thing naturally goes nuts.. and even more naturally breaks down becasue Scrooge bought cheap parts. A nice gag and a fully in character way to bring our antagonist into the picture, as the Satellite of Loaded falls in the middle of South Africa... right on the property of my boy Flintheart Glomgold.

This is something Rosa brought up in his commentary for the story i’d never thought about. It turns out Glomgold being a citzen of Duckburg WASN’T an invention of the original Ducktales but the comics: some overseas had understandably moved him from his home country of South Africa. Him bieing in the same town as Scrooge instead of half a world away allows for easier setups and more intresting ones.

Rosa however being obdient to Barks Version of things, ketp Glomgold in South Africa like barks did, which was an .. ifffy decision given Apartheid had JUST ended at the time of this story. Not so much in the reboot as not only had apartheid been long gone by the time of the reboot, but that’s more fair. Still we do get some gorgeous vistas as a result as Glomgold’s minon goes to look at it and finds it’s from McDuck Mining company... Glomgold’s reaction is obvious.

So on that note we cut to Scrooge rushing to Donalds house and forcing him awake and not telling him anything at first. Look his Ducktales Counterpart straight up kidnapped his donald in my last review, I’d call this a win. He also tries to dress Donald while explaning both his panic to find the crashed satlitle and what it found: the golden island. The end result of him dressing donald is worth a chuckle

So after Donald puts his shirt and little hat on our heroes get rollin rollin rollin what keep rollin rollin rollin who to Manilla. On the plane we get the scene I mentioned: The boys make a quip about Scrooge having lost a day and the group go over the international date line. It’s a fun little scene especially Donald trying to get paid early at the end. Classic scrooge and donald stuff without the abusive undertones some of their classic stuff has.

Meanwhile Glomgold works out the data and finds out about the gold island, and his excitement accidently wakes a giraffe outside.. welll it was nice knowing him, Giraffes are the deadliest species known to man.. here’s an educational video t back that up....

youtube

So at Manilla Airport, Scrooge finds out abotu the south african crash, figuring he’ll get a laugh out of glomgold being there ... only for Donald to spot the Jet. Scrooge figures this can’t be anything good... now come on man maybe he’s just promoting his energy drink.

As super sayin god super sayian as my witness, I will never get tired of Ultra Instinct Glomgold here.

Scrooge isn’t so nice about that though and figures he better find out if Glomgold knows about the island and bribes one of the fueling crew for his uniform. He sucesssfully eavesdrops on Glomgold talking to his pilot, finding out from him exactly WHERE the island is. He ends up hilariously botching the mission though: when getting ready to leave Glomgold complains abotu the price of gas and that naturally causes Scrooge, just as cheap, to join in... and Glomgold to find out it’s Scrooge. The two wrestle outside the plane but before this can progress to a game of Naked Robber an airport security guy comes up and Scrooge cleverly claims that Glomgold’s plane has an infestiation, requring it to be quanrantined and allowing Scrooge to jet on.. thoguh not with an actual jet. With Glomgold seemingly dispatched, he can afford to save some money and take his time with a seaplane and I know just the man for the job.

Oh nope looks like he’s busy. So one time related rambles later we meet Keoki, their asian pilot from the tiny island of Wookawooka.. and no that’s not a real place i checked... and no Fozzy dosen’t own it his check bounced. That being said it is a very well done represntation of someone from a smaller country: he’s doing this job to try and bring money back home, but being a seaplane captain just isn’t enough and his island is dying. Scrooge naturally is about as sympathetic as you’d expect, having apparently never even heard of the idea of a bonus when Huey, Dewey or Louie suggests it.

Even less suprising is that Glomgold streaks by in his Jet:turns out Manilla was already overun with the bugs Scrooge claimed and Donald rubs it in that had Scrooge got a JET this wouldn’t of been an issue.

So Glomgold easily beats them there, and to add insult and actualy injury to a cash based one, our heroes get blasted by golden lava on the way in and crash. Should’ve gotten launchpad... got the crashing professional. Keoki is dispondent as this means his people are doomed. He also dosen’t know waht staking a claim is when Scrooge mentions it and the boys bring him up to speed with the poor guy saying he wish he could for WookaWooka. Donald also makes a valid point about how greedy and heartlress scrooge can be.. and really billiionares in general.

No no YOUR the Grouch who refuses to have one drop of emapthy. Donald’s just pissed at your general selfish and terrible behavior.

Glomgold glomgloats and has seemingly won... but naturally that rant that seemed extranious at the time about the date line comes into play: turns out the Island is on it, and since glomgold put his marker int he west, Scrooge simply puts his in the east which is a whole day before. Now GRANTED there’s nor eal legal prescendice for the intetaoinal date line itself , as noted above... but there’s enough witnesses in Scrooge’s favor that it simply does not matter anyway. Scrooge SEEMINGLY wins.

But Huey, Dewey Or Louie instead backs another claim: Keoki’s from earlier. While it was made in gest, he and the others along with Donald back it as witnsses instad. WookaWooka is saved and SCrogoe ends the story yelling at the narrator.

Final Thoughts: Don Rosa.. did not like this story, feeling it wasn’t one of his best and apologizing for it. I however.. really loved it. It’s not PERFECT: the narration feels not entirely necessary and the gag isn’t as funny as he thinks, though the payoff of scrooge saying “it’s time for this story to end” is fucking hilarous. I also feel it’s a bit too compressed: the story is only 16 pages and was only THAT long because Rosa added a few for exposition, a worthy addition. This feels like one of his 30 page adventure stories but slightly crammed into half the length. I also feel the golden island bit was BADLY underused as it’s such a cool setting but barely shows up in the story.

But despite that.. it’s still a fun story: as is standard for Rosa the art is gorgeous and the humor is great. And unlike some stories where Rosa casually ignores how terrible scrooge is, here it’s his own greed and hubris that do him in: had he actually agreed to help Keoki, the boys likey would’ve let him keep the island but his own cold refusual to be a human being does him in, just as his cheapness nearly did. Flintheart is also decent here.. not the deepest foe but frankly most classical duck antagonists really aren’t all that fleshed out, and we still get some good bits with him. The dateline bit, while telegraphing that it will be important, as I said REALLY isn’t that hard to understand. All in all while i’ll agree with Rosa this isn’t his BEST, it’s still a really damn good story and one he shoudln’t be ashamed of.

Tommorow: Green Eggs and ham is back for some train shenanigans! Kay.

Saturday: The Tom Retrospective returns for it’s last detour! Eclipsa and Moon team up to stop meteora but grapple with diffrent wants: One to save her daughter.. the other to stop waht she clearly sees as an out of control monster. The result.. will only lead to tragedy and a hell of a two parter.

If you liked this review consider joining my patreon, patroen.com/popculturebuffet. At as low as 2 bucks a month you get accesss to my patreon discord, exclusive reviews, and to pick a short when I do one of my shortstragavanzas, a marthon of theatrical shorts honoring a characters birthday. And given Donald’s is next month, now’s the time to get on board.

But if you go up to 5 you get a guaranteed review of whatever you want every month, and will get me to my next milestone, which will give everyone including yourself a monthly public darkwing duck review, reviews of the two Ducktales minis’ I haven’t covered (Time is Money and SuperDuckTales) and a reivew of the Danny Phantom film the Ultimate Enemy. So please join today and if you cannot, like this review, subscribe and give me your opinions on it bellow. Or even if you can feedback is always appricated and I will see you at the next rainbow.

#donald duck #scrooge mcduck #don rosa #ducktales #huey duck #louie duck #dewey duck #flintheart glomgold #gold #island #volcaones

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crazyyfilmyfreak · 4 years

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The Devil All the Time ( 2020 )

OBVIOUSLY SPOILERS FREE REVIEW

"There's a lot of no-good sons of bitches out there"

Okay alright first of all

This is not your generic go-to netflix crime thriller if you are watching it with that intention everything is wrong with you

This Film is dark , not just dark but dark as hell which is filled with gore elements which also includes a multi layered story telling and the film is filled with a group of astonishing cast members and every one of them has a potential to carry the whole film on their shoulders with no hard work but just with grace and ease so these reasons altogether might have over hyped few people's expectations and i think that is the main reason why i am seeing some mixed reviews here and there online or maybe just because you started watching this film with a very wrong intent or wrong mind set like i said before and i am stressing this so much because of in my opinion this film is just perfect maybe there are flaws obviously every film will have flaws but i just couldn't see them ? Maybe because i am a big fan of tom holland i might be little biased but to me this film is top notch and this is a perfect film film

Now speaking about the cast & film overall

This is a very slow paced slow burning piece of art

It takes you to the places you can never think of mentally and it makes you feel completely lost in emotions by the end of the film making you numb

Antonio Campos is a fucking genius i love his way of story telling

He's honest , he knows what he is doing , he loves taking risks and he never fears when ever he goes out of the conventional film making style and i very much love how he connected every character in the film like i mean every character in the film is interconnected and if you remove any one character you will feel the void , disturbance and unbalance in the film.

Film lovers might argue with me or hate me for saying this but i feel this film is so much better than christine 👀🤝🏻 atleast to me ? And this is coming from a person who also loved it a lot

Now the cast

I cant speak about everyone in the film because this has such a long list of talented actors 😭 who rocked in the film i am only going to speak abt some of my favourite performances as of now i promise to speak about every other cast member and their performance in the later days coz i am very sure this is a film i am going to talk a lot from now and this is also a film that i am going to watch and enjoy in the future days

First TOM FUCKING HOLLAND

I have been seeing this dude's films even before the civil war where he played the spidey role and i always felt he was a very raw and potential actor since his childhood but after seeing him in civil war and spider man hoco its just impossible for me to not like him as an actor ? HE IS SO GOOD ON SCREEN and he makes you believe everything when ever he's on screen maybe its swinging from wall to wall or putting a donut or whatever into a guys mouth while kicking his ass and making it look bad ass af🔥 few might feel this are such a silly examples to say but to me this is about how tom brings a realistic approach to a scene and makes it good and i have always been a big fan of tom holland since spiderman hoco and this is nothing related to tdat but y'all might already know timothee was the second closest option of mcu to cast as spidey and tom grabbed that role ever since tom is just busy with mcu films and where as timothee had a incredible and unbelievable growth as an ACTOR for real to me that is stunning because he did it in such short of span and to me as fan of tom holland part of me was always loving him as spidey but a big heart of me felt a void and sad because tom is missing a lot of great opportunities which has a chance to showcase his real acting abilities which made me think what if timothee got the spidey role instead of tom? Maybe we would have seen a serious tom holland as an actor and this thought killed me everytime but everything happens for a reason and tom holland is undoubtedly the best spidey we have ever got and anyways when films like tdat happen many people realise and understand how great and how fucking incredible tom holland is as an actor and i love when everyone appreciate him for this !! It makes my heart very happy and this is the exact reason why this film is so personal and special to me

Sorry for completely deviating from the film but this is tumblr and i am not a serious film critic lol so forgive me.

And speaking about his performance in the film he is just surreal and outstanding . The character that he played is a very complicated one not many relate to that character but every one can understand his emotions, actions and intentions in the film and all the credit goes to tom for bringing a life to that character and playing it in such a beautiful way listen to me very carefully when i am saying this not many actors from this generation can bring bundle of emotions at the same time in a same scene but tom holland does that with such an ease and i stg i am not exaggerating if you watch the film you will know what i mean !! And i am very proud to say i am his big fan

Now Robbert pattinson

What the fuck should i talk about this asshole 😂🖕?

My dude's been killing it since remember me and as an actor like i said in the Tenet Review he has matured a lot as an actor since good time and he played a very powerful and sick role in the film i am not gonna spoil it for others just go and watch the fucking film atleast for him he did a great job and i dont understand how the women and gays are dealing with him? Seriously even as a straight guy its hard for me to concentrate on the film or scenes where ever he's present because this asshole is so fucking hot and sexy 👉👈 The directors should either deglamorise him by making him fat or bald or just hide his face with prosthetic make up or sth just like how directors hide tom hardy's face in every film he's in 🙄. Now coming back to his performance its really hard to dominate him when ever he's on screen dude just want all the attention towards him , such a selfish actor huh

Bill Skarsgard

He played a very important and crucial role in the film he maynot have big screen time but we can totally feel his presence through out the film i think this one sentence explains how important his character is to the film and how well he potrayed the role and he's the only guy in the film who got an incredible character growth throughout his journey in the film

Harry Melling

It would be very unfair if i dont speak about harry's performance in tdat

DUDE KILLED IT . HE SCARED ME WITH HIS EMOTIONS AND EXPRESSIONS . He didn't even a play a negative role but he just added a lot of depth not only to his character but also the film with his intimidating portrayal

Sebastian stan

This is the most honest and a very raw performance from Sebastian stan so far ( i am saying this based on the films that i have seen of his ) i just wish he had more screen time thats the only thing that i didnt like in the film also there are so many blanks that needs to be filled about his character

Eliza Scanlen

I dont remember her from any film or tv series that i have seen before but she's outstanding in the film , the character doesnt have much something new to offer so i can't speak a lot for her but as far as the character concerned she did her best and her performance is a impressive one and many people are gonna love her .

Riley Keough

Unlike the previous films & tv series she's been in

This film gave her a very challenging role and she's the only women in the film who's been through ups and downs and has a very complicated but a impressive character growth with minimal limitations and dimensions

She was fabulous and incredible . It just stuns me how the character has begin and how it ended at the end

And special mention to jason clarke and the old couple who played grandparents ( kind of ) to Arvin Russel and lenora . Not all heroes wear the cape.

Finally despite the mention of god several times in the film this is not really about god at all its about the DEVIL , The DEMON that carries and plays a very pivotal role in the film you cannot see it but you can sense it and feel it

Its about the blind faith, its about the irreversible & inescapable fate . I really love how Antonio Campos has connected all the dots by the end of the film with a very impressive film making and with a steady gothic theme running till the end internally and i haven't completely finished the book ( The devil all the time ) but if anyone really wants to completely bring the book life they cannot do it in a single film it will take you atleast 4 or 5 tv series to do so but Antonio Campos did it with a single film and added a very deep meaning to the core of the film w/o deviating from the roots of the book & even touched the aspects like duality of a man and some of you grateful fucks are complaining about him

OBVIOUSLY films ard subjective but you all need to be more open about this film

In simple words please fucking watch this film guys 🤗❤

This one is not for everyone but everyone will have atleast a small aspect in the film that y'all are going to like / love / hate / discuss about.

The devil all the time is violent , brutal , honest and perfect in every possible way atleast to me and i really want you all to watch it if you're into such type of stuff

Remember No country for old men ? Now make it 10 times more violent but add some meaning to it with a realistic approach but more slow burning drama and a little bit of darkness ... now that is what The Devil all the time is .

Gif credits : Milesgmorales

#tom holland #films #film #cinema #movies #movie #moviegifs #the devil all the time #robbert pattinson #bill skarsgård #sebastian stan #Riley Keough #harry melling #Mia Wasikowska #jake gyllenhaal #Eliza Scanlen #Antonio Campos

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natsubeatsrock · 4 years

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“Does Fairy Tail respect women?”

Oh, you celebrated Intermational Men’s Day last year on November 19th, but not International Women’s Day on March 8th? Chauvanist pig!

I remember it like it was a few years ago. I was catching up with the Tartarus arc and Erza was fighting Minerva in her "Nakama hakama". Someone walked in on me watching this part and made a passing remark on how the series doesn’t seem to be respecting to women.

I didn't know how to respond..

And that's weird. Like, given my track record with the series, you'd think I'd able to agree with this sentiment. But I can't fully agree with it, even as I don't fully disagree with it.

If you don't know, I did "reviews" (they were more like reactions) of the chapters in the Alvarez arc when they came out. At first, a rally big complaint I would regularly have with chapters is how female characters are framed in panels. At times, it's obvious that he wants his readers to be aroused by his female characters, rather than try to empathize with them. It got to a point where I got frustrated with it and had to stop making the joke as it was becoming stale to make.

Of course, that's only in how characters are framed. When it comes to the outfits, this becomes a worse issue. It's one thing when the Star dress for the water-themed spirit is a bikini and the maid-themed spirit's dress is a maid outfit. (Someone did a redesign of both and I think that's a bit too much.) But did so many outfits really need boob windows? (Also something, something bikini armor battle damage.)

And don't get me started on certain events. Consider that they didn't walk in on Erza's torture scenes only episodes before. There's plenty of other examples of this kind of thing involving several characters. Especially involving the main female lead of the series to a disturbingly high amount. It's stuff like this that makes it hard for me not to empathize with this sentiment.

Here’s another fun story. I was on my college campus reading one of the newer chapters of Fairy Tail. When I told my friends that, one of them noted that it sounds like a title for porn. I dismissed the comment, but was kind of embarrased by my inability to defend the series on that aspect. Especially considering I had just finished reading the Christmas special.

At the same time, I feel as though some of the complaints come from the wrong outlook on things. Like, some people will say it's wrong for Lucy and Natsu to not have the same kind of fight results. While I think Lucy could have had better ends to her fights, I don't think it's good to compare the two as they have different functions and character arcs within Fairy Tail. As I often say, Lucy is to Natsu what Dr. Watson is to Sherlock Holmes (or what Robin is to Chrom for the gamers among you).

And to be blunt, some of this has to deal with Hiro Mashima being a writer for a magazine aimed at young boys. Are they interested in female characters with depth and intrigue? I'd like to hope so. But it's not like they wouldn't be turned off by sexy girls, even if they don't have much else to them. (I say that as if I don't know women with similar feelings towards female characters.)

But, that feels wrong to say about the women in Fairy Tail. I mean, Mashima's not the best writer of either male of female characters in shonen, even and almost especially in his chosen niche of battle action shonen series (an aspect of this discussion that I don't think gets enough consideration). But for as many complaints as can be levied against him, I think there is good to be said of how handles his women.

Team Natsu has a male to female ratio that puts its contemporaries to shame. By the fourth arc of the series, the team of two girls, two guys, and Happy is established as the "main group" And once Wendy and Carla join the team, the team balance is more towards female members than male.

And they're by no means just pieces or meat or pretty faces. Wendy is argued to be one of the best-written characters in the series and has one of the most dynamic growths of any member of the main cast. Comparing her during her introduction in Nirvana arc to her during one of her fights in the latter half of the series is near jarring to see. And considering we're on this side of Hero's, the idea that Lucy is weaker than Wendy has been obvious since Tartarus.

But for her part, Lucy's exploits have been criminally underrated by fans and critics alike. Some of my favorites include singlehandedly defeating Love and Lucky, figuring out the second half of the S-Class Exam and coming up with the plans at least partially responsible for defeating Zeref and Acnologia. If we're a bit looser with what counts as a "Lucy accomplishment", she shuts the Eclipse Gate with Yukino, her future self figures out how to defeat the dragons and is responsible for rallying members of Fairy Tail in the anime. Just because she isn't taking out the big bads directly doesn't mean her actions don't move the plot of arcs of effect the main story.

And, then there's that woman, Erza. When the topic of "strong female characters" in anime comes up, I can imagine Erza as the type of character one would think of. They think of the type of female character that has no flaws. She beats all the enemies that she faces without breaking a sweat. The only people that don't like her are bad guys. Many people have rightly brought attention to how, to varying degrees, these are true of Erza.

But, it would be wrong to put Erza in the same league as [insert example here]. The whole point of her arc in the Tower of Heaven, the arc that gives the greatest focus on Erza, is all about how Erza isn't as strong as people think she is. She has a personality with more settings than "stoic heroine". She's shown to soften up and even be incompetent several times.

While it's easy to look at her fake wins, they aren't always as easy as one may argue. Yes, she's able to beat Kyouka without using her senses. However, she doesn't stop her from activating Face. Yes, she punches Deus Sema with almost all of her bones broken. However, she needs help to hurt Irene after and isn't directly responsible for her death. She's not sweeping all her enemies easily and without trying. [Use your imagination at who I'm attacking with this.]

And that's just regarding the members of the Strongest Team. This doesn't go into Mirajane, a fellow S-Class mage with her own set of complex feelings. This doesn't go into Juvia who, despite all that could be said regarding Gray, is a strong mage in her own right and whose arc is also underrated. I could talk about them and how Mavis is the first master of the guild or Irene is the mother of dragon slayers or Anna is the architect of the Eclipse Project, and so on.

I could even go into some of the stuff that's happened in other Mashima works. I could go into stuff like having all four of Eden’s Shining Stars become female in his current running work. I could also just start gushing about why I like Elie from Rave Master so much and how anyone who says she’s just like Lucy or Rebecca is objectively wrong. Heck, Mashima made Starbiter Satsuki, a one-shot with a female lead, and it may be one of his best works.

Again, this isn't to say Mashima is somehow a feminist champion among writers of shonen manga. Remember that I started this post off by admitting many of the issues with his portrayal of women. It's near undeniable that Mashima treats women differently than his male characters and many of those ways are negative. I'm not here to deny any of that.

At the same time, I feel like the ways that Mashima has elevated women in his work have been severely underrated and ignored. It doesn't undo the bad he's done on that, as some would argue. But it's not absent from his work. I believe your view on this is a matter of what you want to emphasize more about this aspect.

And, thus, we return to the scene that inspired all of this. If Erza fighting in what many would consider an impractical outfit is what matters most to you, I get that you'd think Mashima doesn't respect women. If seeing arguably the strongest woman in the series fight to save a fellow victim of abuse from demonic influence, you'd probably say otherwise. Even as I see merit in both views, I lean more towards the latter.

#fairy tail #hiro mashima #well i missed international women's day #oops #the whole thing feels weird juxtaposed to imd #basic message of 3/8 #women are awesome and can do anything they set their minds to.#basic message of 11/19 #maybe don't kill yourself #and yes #intermational men's day is november 19th #this is late because...#i have no handle on life #but all things considered #can you blame me?

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touchingoldmagic · 4 years

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Comic Review

Ghostbusters: Year One Issue One

So Year One Issue One came out today! I wanted to do a little comic review about my thoughts. In short: I really liked it and if you collect Ghostbusters comics, you should pick it up! (IDW is really good about putting their GB stories out in trade, so if you wanted to wait for the four issues to be published together, there’s always that option too.) There's going to be spoilers further down, so here's your warning.

Comparing this mini-series to the previous GB storylines, it's obviously a lot smaller in scale, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. The previous IDW comics saw the gang going across the USA and to international locations, pulling in GB charas from alternate dimensions, and fighting god-scale threats. I really like the idea of a shorter comic series that focuses on some character development instead, which is what this seems to be.

Each of the four issues in this mini-series is going to focus on one of the four GB's, and I like that Winston got the first issue. The IDW comics have always done a good job of giving him equal "screentime” to the other three GB's, which is nice.

The set-up for the storyline is that a writer, Rebecca Morales, is interviewing the four GB’s for a book she's writing, shortly after the Gozer incident. (Hence the title being Year One.)

We open with brief snippets of Rebecca interviewing Louis, Dana, the manager of the Sedgewick, the archbishop, etc. I liked this as an opening, it was fun seeing the artist's renditions of some of the movie's minor characters. Then we cut to Rebecca and Winston and get the real interview started.

Winston is surprised at how thorough Rebecca is being for the book, and she points out that Peter finagled the publisher to pay the GB's for exclusive rights to their story, so they're taking the extra steps. That made me laugh; I always appreciate how the writer Erik Burnham throws in these little moments that are really in-character in his GB comics.

We get a brief overview of how Winston left the marines, moved to New York, and worked at a construction company until he left and spotted the GB's ad in the newspaper. (This is a bit different from Real Ghostbusters, where Winston's dad owns a construction company, but it is definitely a homage to that backstory from the cartoon.)

Great lines: Janine (greeting Winston at the start of his interview): You find the place okay? Winston: Yeah, I saw the sign. Janine: Oh good. They're always so worried people won't notice.

Here they do the scene of Winston's interview from the movie, with Janine and Winston' classic banter, and this is the only part of the comic I felt was unnecessary. I don't really feel like they needed to spend a whole page of a short, 20-page comic re-treading a scene we all know by heart. But thankfully this page and the opening two pages are really the only ones that recap the movie.

We move on to a scene of Ray and Winston on the roof of GB HQ (always one of the settings I like in the comics). Ray is directing Winston through target practice, using a thrower to take out pumpkins. Ray says Winston is ready to go out in the field. Winston is flabbergasted by the idea, since he's been practicing for like 15 minutes. Ray says this is fine.

I love this because it just shows why Winston is needed in this company. Ray, Egon and Peter are honest people (mostly) but they just aren't practical. Really common sense things often don't occur to them. You know, like maybe someone should train with a dangerous tool more than 15 minutes before going out on a job. Winston doesn't really put up more than a token resistance to things like this, but at least he voices what we readers are also thinking. (I mean, to be fair, it would take a stronger being than Winston Zeddemore--possibly some sort of god--to convince those three to use common sense.)

We jump to Winston's first bust, which is when the guys get called to Excelsior University, Thurman Hall, said to be haunted by the ghost of Edgar Allen Poe. (In real life as well as in this comic universe!) I have to admit I did a happy dance at the idea of seeing the ghost of Edgar Allen Poe, one of my favorite writers.

The guys splint up to cover more ground (of course) and Winston runs into the ghost of Poe, who turns into a flock of ravens and flees the school. The guys give chase, corning the spirit in Washington Square Park as a giant demon black cat is summoned.

More great lines: Peter: Well it looks like they're tap-tap-tapping. At least it's not a chamber door. Egon: But why? Peter: This I sat engaged and guessing. (Peter reads classic literature! But if you ask, he'll deny it.)

Ray: Poe's taking off! Peter: Isn't that just like him? What, am I the only one who read the biography? Egon: You read the notes I gave you.

Peter: Looked into the trap, huh? Egon did that too. Egon: He doesn't need to hear about that, Venkman.

The comic is wrapped up quickly after that. They catch the ghost cat, we see the spirit of Poe got away in the commotion, and we have a brief conclusion to Winston's interview with Rebecca.

Like I said, it's a much smaller contained story than all the inter-dimensional chaos of GB comics in the past, and it does feel a little slower as consequence. This is the problem you’ll have with any series or sequel, isn't it? If you keep escalating each time, eventually you can't go any bigger and you have to step back. But it was a lot of fun to see these characters interacting at the start of their friendships.

I hope the future three issues have some conflict between the guys, specifically, because all four of them have such different ways of looking at the world and different goals and priorities. I don't mean the cliche "giant argument where everyone splits up right before the climax and then they come back together to defeat the Big Thing together." But doing this Year One storyline would be a great opportunity to show some rocky relationships developing between the guys, before they form their tight-knit group of later years.

I also have to say, as fun as it was to have Edgar Allen Poe in the comic and see the little references to his works like the ravens, cat, and heart, I always feel a little weird when the GB comics make references to famous real life things. (Which they do a lot.) Because then usually these things tend to get ruined, which makes me sad. Like when they went to the Louvre in GB International and destroyed famous pieces of art? (Okay in a later issue there was a passing reference that "most of those were recreations." So.. only SOME famous pieces of art were permanently destroyed by our heroes..?) And once Ray quipped that they busted the ghost of Gandhi. o.o Unlike those examples, though, we have a direct reference here to Edgar Allen Poe's spirit escaping, so I don't feel quite as bad. We'll have to wait and see if he returns in the next three issues or not.

So that's it! Next month we have Ray's issue, and I'm definitely looking forward to it. Now that they spent the first issue setting up the story, I’m hoping we’ll get into the action faster with the next issue. I'll do another review when it comes out and let you know!

#ghostbusters #ghostbusters comics #comic review #ghostbusters idw #idw comics #ghostbusters year one #winston zeddemore #dan schoening #dan schoening art #erik burnham #luis antonio delgado #edgar allen poe

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voicedaily · 5 years

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Hey, thanks for this blog! I see you post about the japan remake recently. I don't watch it yet, is it worth watching? How about Mo Tae Gu? Kim Jae Wook set a high bar so I don't want to disappointed with his japan counterpart if I watched it..

Yo! Thanks for stopping by. Of course, I have to keep making this blog active with content [laughs]. And right after season 03 is over, we’re lucky that Japan airs the remake of season 01 just in two weeks. As for your question, I plan to write a review after the series is over. The last episode will be aired on Sep 21.

But for short, I can say it’s worth watching. Well, the remake version of Kang Kwonjoo isn’t satisfying but It has much better, better storytelling than the original has. Jdrama always has the strength of story-wise better while K-drama tends to focus on conflict and sometimes makes the story draggy, and it happened too with Voice. I still remember I did grumble of some aspects in the original haha. But before you decide to watch it, I hope you don’t have the same standard because both Jdrama and Kdrama is naturally different in values. J-drama values more in a down-to-earth/realistic approach to visualize while K-drama tends to make beautiful cinematography with a higher budget. For example, the death of Hwang Kyungil and Nam Sangtae in the remake is more realistic for forensic points to camouflage it as suicide (so I don’t feel the cops are very stupid), the murder of Madam Jang (replaced with Inspector Okihara, equivalent with Inspector Jang character) also more make sense there that you can’t imagine how the culprit in the original did it all in short time and even carried the body outside from 2nd floor to his car on park area without being noticed by anyone; but you feel more chill and horror in the original when you saw a body is burned down, a room full of blood with eyeball taken out, and a body hanging on the tree right when you open the curtain. Same with the villain’s basement; the remake makes it dark, dull and dusty as what basement is used to be while the original made it bright so we could see the red blood stained clearly everywhere.

This “realistic” vs “beautiful” also applies to their drama characters. I can say Korean people shown on TV dramas are better-looking than Japanese ones. I believe it’s a major influence on how Mo Taegu becomes the most stunning villain in Kdrama history. The beauty shots accommodate the perfect combination of the villain’s elegance character and the actor’s handsomeness despite the brutal murders and the amazing acting ability to be a psychopath. Probably those are the 15-30 extra minutes of visualization that the remake does not have (despite the fact of J-drama always having shorter episodes). But it doesn’t mean the remake version of Mo Taegu, Hongo Shizuku, is more lacking in his character. They rewrite their own version while still keep some aspects from the original as follows:

Mo Family runs a public transport company, Hongo Family runs a construction/civil engineering holdings.

While an image of Taegu having the ability to play grand piano as he loves classical music is only mentioned in Kim Jae Wook’s interview, the remake realizes it.

Shizuku is more independent than Taegu when playing a “game”, there’s no his dad’s secretary helping him to flee after he killed Hikari’s (Kwonjoo) dad and to abduct Toru (Daeshik), it hints he takes or abducted them all by himself before killing them in his basement. He also ordered Toru, all by himself and save his contact.

Taegu collects a suitcase of the victim’s hairs still on the bloody scalp (but then, I imagine his random victims on street are women because the hairs he collects are long), Shizuku collects a glass shelf of blood-stained kettlebells. In both of their collection, the name of our hero and heroine are written as he plans to murder them later.

The remake doesn’t include the demon aesthetic that Taegu sometimes underlined his murder as the words of God by citing a bible chapter written on the victim’s blood. Taegu also used other weapons to kill Sangtae (rope and knife). And there’s also a narration that he loves mutilating a body, too (implicit said by Sangtae that Taegu killed his dad that way, explicit when it was shown Taegu keeps the old lady‘s tongue and when Kwonjoo found Madam Jang’s crime scene). However, Shizuku is more consistent in his actions, he left the body in one piece and only collects the kettlebells he just used, whoever his victim is.

Point 4 and 5 make me conclude that the original built Taegu like the star in a slasher/cult horror movie, it was so random (I’m sure even the genius Spencer Reid from FBI Behavourial Analysis Unit in CBS Criminal Minds series would hardly find the connection LOL) while the remake designs Shizuku more like a common serial killer with specific behavior as a crime/procedural series always use to be.

Now, as Kim Jaewook set a high bar, there’s no other counterpart to play the same character who represents the coexist of beauty and madness better than Iseya Yusuke. Both of them starts their career as a fashion model in catwalk and magazine when they were studying. Their physical appearance, their lean body structure and height, and their sexiness/attractiveness are very alike. You even almost can’t differentiate Hongo Shizuku with Mo Taegu when you see them in suit from their back. Well, Iseya Yusuke is as old as Jang Hyuk (born in 1976), so he might be not as handsome as Kim Jaewook in fangirls’ taste. But for acting ability, he’s still the perfect cast balancing Kim Jaewook for these reasons:

Both of them are graduated from the University of Arts. Kim Jaewook is from Seoul Institute of Arts, major in music. Iseya Yusuke is from Tokyo Institute of Arts, major in design. Tho’, Iseya Yusuke achieves his Master’s Degree and exchange program at New York University (major in film).

With that background, both of them aren’t just an actor, but more an artist. Kim Jaewook has a rock band and also plays in theatre as a foreign musician biopic, Iseya Yusuke directed a few movies that were invited to the international film festivals.

Both of them are hardly known popular as TV drama star despite their talents. Kim Jaewook loves indie projects and took supporting role/second lead role in some TV dramas, it took 17 years after his debut that he finally pick a lead male role in popular TV drama genre, rom-com (Her Private Life, 2019). Iseya Yusuke is known better as a movie star, he also took various roles in historical dramas in public channel, it took 19 years after his debut that he finally plays for a commercial broadcast in a TV drama (Prison Princesses, 2017) more in comedic role.

Both ever performed in Korea-Japan collaboration movie. Kim Jaewook in Butterfly Sleep (2017) with Miho Nakayama, directed by Jeong Jaeun. Iseya Yusuke in The Tenor Lirico Spinto (2012) with Yoo Jitae, directed by Kim Sangman.

Both of them ever acted to make a passionate gay kiss scene in the movie. Kim Jaewook in Antique (2008) with Andy Gillet. Iseya Yusuke in Tonde Saitama (2019) with Gackt.

Nah, Idk whether this is the script one that wrote Hongo Shizuku like this below or that’s Iseya Yusuke himself who interprets his character differently from Kim Jaewook:

Remember the scene in the basement that Taegu could hear the sound of the people he murdered? Taegu felt haunted while Shizuku enjoyed it that he even made a gesture of an orchestra conductor conducting their haunting voice. And when his mother’s voice is echoing, yelling at him to not witness that his dad killed someone in the basement; Taegu felt like the trauma strikes him while Shizuku is bothered at first, but then he smiles and waves at her.

So… I think the original shows that Taegu still has a human side and weak point (although his murder methods are the most brutal among three VOICE’s villains) while the remake is like telling us that Shizuku’s madness level is at Kaneki’s level.

#ocn voice #voice: 110 emergency control room #kim jae wook #yusuke iseya #ask

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go-diane-winchester · 5 years

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Jensen's newest and possibly biggest headache just got launched. If only he could sue...

Honeybunch found this for me, and I am just groaning. Apparently someone wrote a book on shipping from a fangirl's perspective. Read this Amazon review on it and you will notice that the character Forest seems very familiar.

From Riverdale screenwriter Britta Lundin, Ship It is a funny, tender, and honest look at all the feels that come with being a fan. CLAIRE is a sixteen-year-old fangirl obsessed with the show Demon Heart. FOREST is an actor on Demon Heart who dreams of bigger roles. When the two meet at a local Comic-Con panel, it's a dream come true for Claire. Until the Q&A, that is, when Forest laughs off Claire's assertion that his character is gay. Claire is devastated. After all, every last word of her super-popular fanfic revolves around the romance between Forest's character and his male frenemy. She can't believe her hero turned out to be a closed-minded jerk. Forest is mostly confused that anyone would think his character is gay. Because he's not. Definitely not.

Unfortunately for Demon Heart, when the video of the disastrous Q&A goes viral, the producers have a PR nightmare on their hands. In order to help bolster their image within the LGBTQ+ community-as well as with their fans-they hire Claire to join the cast for the rest of their publicity tour. What ensues is a series of colorful Comic-Con clashes between the fans and the show that lead Forest to question his assumptions about sexuality and help Claire come out of her shell. But how far will Claire go to make her ship canon? To what lengths will Forest go to stop her and protect his career? And will Claire ever get the guts to make a move on Tess, the very cute, extremely cool fanartist she keeps running into?

Amongst the adoring reviews, there were a few that were sensible, like this honest one.

''Claire is a terrible person. She's internally homophobic, but on the other hand she pushes a sexuality on another person in a way that made me very uncomfortable. She does terrible terrible things in the name of the fandom, without seeming to care that she could ruin Forest's career forever. She goes on to share some of Forest's private information in a fanfic, and continually harass him. And I'm not even started on the abusive relationship she has with the girl she likes. I hated Claire with a passion. The story itself also had issues. I didn't like the message it was pushing about fandoms and writers. Fans don't get to dictate what writers write. They can comment and critique the show or story, in fact they are supposed to do those things! But they shouldn't force a writer to change something, because in the end it's not their story. And the fact that we're supposed to be sympathizing with Claire as she tries to push everyone to do what she wants, seemed wrong to me.''

Now if you feel that Claire [familiar name] sounds a lot like a stubborn heller and Forrest sounds a lot like the heller's version of Jensen, then you are right. Britta Lundin, the pathetic waste of space that wrote this book, and who somehow got a job as Riverdale writer, is actually a heller. See?

She has basically written a Mary-Sue insert in a destiel story, but she changed the names of the main characters, because Jensen will sue her for including him in her filth. She wrote herself into this story, and how she fantasizes dealing with Jensen. So what is wrong with the book? Well, honeybunch is calling it the heller handbook. That should give you an idea of how horrible this book is, not only for this fandom but for any fandom that has heller-like entities amongst them. People's moral compasses are completely broken if they cant see how bad an influence this book is and how bad a person Claire is. And what are hellers going to do when they read this book. They are going to get mobilized into action to harass and stalk and abuse Jensen, amongst other things, until he gives him and makes their canon. Look at what the protagonist Claire does in this story.

She tries to literally and explicitly BLACKMAIL the executive producer to make her ship canon.

She SABOTAGES the panel at the convention.

She releases private information about one of the actors (which was given in confidence).

She even gets that actor eventually fired.

She harasses Forest [our Jensen insert] in order to make her ship canon.

''She faces no consequences about these actions and even gets treated like a hero. This book is disgusting. She is that toxic part of tumblr that everyone hates.'', writes another reviewer. Yep, she sounds terribly hellish.

What is Britta trying to teach young girls? Your ship is so important that ruining lives over it is acceptable?

Either Jensen will give in to the harassment, or he will shuts down the show completely. Good bye, Supernatural. Good bye SPN family. Good bye Sam and Dean Winchester. And most importantly good riddance, Misha Collins and his hellers. Hah! I have an inkling Misha is going to get hold of this book and tweet about it or talk about it. It seems like a Misha-type of thing to do. If he does do that, I am going to laugh. The attention monger is predictable.

According to one reviewer, Rico [read Misha], Forest's co-star was just an all-around fabulous guy. See how the leech wrote the guys. Jensen is a homophobe as always and Misha is just so likeable. SMH!

Amazon link:

https://www.amazon.com/Ship-Britta-Lundin/dp/1368003133/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1546899202&sr=8-1

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adamwatchesmovies · 5 years

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The Worst of 2019 (So Far)

And now we get to the opposite of yesterday’s post: the worst of what we’ve seen so far. Time to give them a proper thrashing before they (hopefully) fade into obscurity. Disappointingly, there's a general lack of films that were bad but in an interesting way. Mostly, it’s either been the same sorta dreck we usually get with a couple of unusually offensive stories and a couple of soul-crushingly bad superhero flicks. Curious? Read on.

10. Serenity

I like to save my #10 spot on the “Worst of” list for a movie that has a chance of becoming a favorite among those who love bad movies. Serenity is competently enough made that it does not belong in the same category as The Identical or Runaway. It’s another kind of bad movie, the kind that baffles anyone who sees it and who will have film historians scratching their heads in the future. It’s not quite on the same level as 2017’s “The Book of Henry” but close. Top-notch actors at the top of their career in a story so poorly conceived it would’ve been brilliant if it weren’t awful and utterly absurd.

The revelation that everything we've been seeing is actually part of a video game programmed by an angry teen who hates his abusive father, and that his actions are tied to those of Matthew McConaughey's character is the kind of nutty decision someone at some point should've questioned. My advice? Surprise some unsuspecting friends with it. Periodically pause the movie so they can write down how they think it'll all fit together and then watch their faces as they're proved wrong.

9. After

I’m not going to remember After down the line so this is my opportunity to give it another flogging. I can’t believe fan-fictions of real people is a real thing and that one of them was deemed legitimate and popular enough to be turned into a movie. It plays out like the clone of a clone of a clone of Twilight. At least that movie had danger in the form of vampires and werewolves. This has nothing to offer except embarrassing drama and a prepubescent’s idea of what romance and love look like. I saw it in the theater with a friend and thank goodness she was there; it made what would've been a chore... slightly more bearable.

8. Dumbo

I’ve already gone on about how I feel about Disney’s string of live-action remakes. For the most part, they fail to validate their own existences; they’re just copies of the original but with “real” actors dancing around animated backgrounds, objects and locations instead of everything being traditionally animated. Dumbo isn’t like Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast. It does try new things. It diverges from the source material significantly in the worst way. The titular character winds up playing second banana to a bunch of circus performers no one cares about and in the end didn’t contain an inkling of the emotion the 1941 version did.

7. Dark Phoenix

This one’s a triple-whammy. Not only was it a deeply disappointing way for Fox’s X-Men series to end, it retreaded old material in a way that was worse than X-Men 3: The Last Stand AND it was a box office bomb. By the time the story finally comes alive… it’s just about over. The whole thing feels like a mistake, bringing in aliens and asking us to invest in characters we just haven’t had enough time to fall in love with. Makes me wonder what the future of the characters is going to be like. Yes there are a number of heroes and heroines we haven’t yet seen, but are people going to care, even when the brand gets a new coat of paint from Marvel Studios?

6. Men in Black: International

Was anyone asking for the Men in Black series to return? Maybe if they'd had a dynamite story this could’ve overcome the public’s general disinterest, but this was an extremely generic plot you could figure out easily minutes in and lost touch with what endeared us to the first. Even with the combined forces of Tessa Thompson and Chris Hemsworth failed, it to generate many laughs. Worse, to make sure I got any references or Easter egg it might drop, I re-watched all of the previous Men in Black movies, including the horrific Men in Black 2.

5. Replicas

This movie goes about itself in such a convoluted way. First, Keanu Reeves plays a scientist working for a company that wants to transplant the mind of dead soldiers into androids. Then, his family is killed in a car crash, prompting him to use the mind transfer tech to put their memories into new clone bodies of themselves. Problem is, he only has the means to clone three out of four family members. This means he has to erase all memories of his youngest daughter from the others’ brains. Following me so far? Good because it keeps going from there. Actually, that’s just the start of it. It’s a classic case of TMSGO - too much sh*t goin’ on. Even with all that, it STILLL managed to have gaping plot holes. No surprise it came and went as quietly as possible.

4. Hellboy

This one hurt. I wanted to see a superhero horror film badly. The early interviews I read about them wanting to adapt Mike Mignola’s books more closely than the Del Toro films got me excited. I was a little apprehensive when the trailers showed some goofy stuff but I figured these were included to draw people in. I should've listened to that sinking feeling. The actual film is awful, one giant mistake after another. Without a doubt, this featured the year’s worst special effects and even this I could've forgiven but the would-be humorous tone was badly misjudged and the story bloated with way too many elements that might've worked... if we weren't also trying to tell the character's origin at the same time. Hellboy ends with a teaser promising more and there’s no way we would’ve seen a sequel even if this had made money at the box office. Cool demons though, for what it’s worth.

3. Shaft

Looking back, I’m struggling to think of anything worth seeing in Shaft. I hated the film’s approach at comedy, particularly when it reverted Samuel L. Jackson’s John Shaft into the kind of man who proudly doesn’t understand modern sensibilities and spews out one homophobic joke after another. The plot was uninspired and uninteresting - not to mention generic - and none of it felt like it belonged on the big screen. On the upside, it prompted me to view the original trilogy with Richard Roundtree and those were enjoyable.

2. Simmba

Simmba is unlikely to be on the “Worst of 2019” list next January. It probably won’t be at the #2 spot. The film mixes two wildly different tones but not well. It begins as a romantic crime comedy, a dated one, sure. Simmba staging a phoney crime in order for the woman he’s attracted to to call him for help and then use the call as an excuse to stay with her through the night is creepy but I guess it might’ve passed like 20 years ago in North America. What makes this a bad film is the way it then introduces a character’s gang rape and murder as a way to prompt the anti-hero onto a righteous path. From there, it turns into this vigilante revenge film that has disturbing implications. You probably haven’t heard of it before now, much less seen it. I don’t recommend you check it out.

Runner Ups:

Aladdin

A controversial choice, as many casual filmgoers seem to have fallen madly in love with it (similar to the way they ate up 2017’s Beauty and the Beast) but honestly, what does this film do better than 1992’s Aladdin? Add an unmemorable song for Princess Jasmine to sing? Reduce the number of talking animals in order to give us more… nothing? Pile on the CGI to the point you wonder why it was made with live-actors in the first place? Like the innumerable direct-to-video sequels of classic films who've been all but forgotten, I tell you this Arabbian adventure won't endure.

Tolkien

So much potential squandered on a boring story. It didn’t take an astute viewer to recognize the film was crippled by the studio failing to obtain the rights to Tolkien’s actual work. I get the feeling we'll see another shot at a biography of J.R.R. Tolkien in a couple of years and this will be the Christopher Robin to the much superior Goodbye Christopher Robin.

The Hustle

It’s an unfunny comedy, what more is there to say? Rebel Wilson makes yet another bad career choice playing the same character she always plays. I only realized it was a remake of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels while writing my review, which is unfortunate. Hopefully I can expunge this film from my memory soon enough and forget anything it might’ve spoiled about the original Bedtime Story or the 1988 remake.

1. Unplanned

The numerous instances of technical incompetence - mostly coming from the performers who are given lackluster material - would be enough to condemn Unplanned to this list. What made me hate the film is the way it blatantly lies and attempts to manipulate the audience into further entrenching themselves in a certain point of view through cheap, manipulative means. I can respect that genuine passion was poured into the project but the way it goes about it is shameful. Do not go see it, even if you're curious.

Yuck. That last one really left a bad taste in my mouth so I'm going to talk about a movie I did enjoy and am enthusiastic to direct you towards Alita: Battle Angel. Rosa Salazar as the titular Alita impressed me and I really dug the action scenes. I'll also right a wrong from last year by reminding you to find and watch Paddington and Paddington 2, both movies I should've put on my "Best of" lists the years they came out. I don't know what I was thinking but I keep coming back to these in my head. They're excellent for kids and adults.

And with that said, the list is over. Back to our regularly-scheduled film reviews until something big comes up. Thoughts or comments on the list are welcome and I hope you enjoyed reading.

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truthbeetoldmedia · 5 years

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The 100 6x01 “Sanctum” Review

Last week, ahead of the 100’s Season 6 premiere, executive producer Jason Rothenberg announced that the show has been picked up for a seventh season. This is incredible, especially since at Conageddon back in March, some of the cast teased that if the upcoming season were the show’s last, not much would feel resolved.

So, we go into the season knowing that this won’t be the end for our heroes. However, their trouble may just be starting.

Season 5 ended with the show’s biggest time jump yet — 125 years, to be exact. Monty and Harper decided to live out their lives on the Eligius ship instead of joining their friends in cryo sleep, and to spend that time finding a safe place for the ship’s inhabitants to live. And oh, one more thing — they have an adult son named Jordan (Shannon Kook) who they put in cryo.

In many ways, 6x01 feels like a parallel to the series pilot. A group led by Bellamy land on the new planet (or moon, as Jordan reveals), unsure of what they may find. There’s even a callback to Octavia’s “We’re back bitches!” that really brings that nostalgia to surface.

However, not everything is the same as it once was. In the six years plus cryosleep since the gang first landed on Earth, relationships have been forged and broken, and those cracks haven’t been smoothed over by the long nap. Much of Spacekru, notably Raven and Murphy, still resent Clarke for her actions in Eden. And though Madi seemed to have fixed Clarke and Bellamy’s relationship by telling him about the radio calls, she can’t play peacemaker for everyone.

It’s frustrating to watch Clarke dodge insult after insult, especially when we remember that Clarke missed her friends immensely for those six years she spent on earth with just Madi. However, their anger is unfortunately understandable, and as they are a family, Clarke is still an outsider.

It’s not all bad though, because Bellamy has Clarke’s back from the moment they both awaken from cryo. They seem to have a mutual understanding of that forgiveness Echo talks about as they all sit by the fire. Though it’s a nice sentiment, it seems out of character for Echo to be so forgiving, especially towards Clarke. She doesn’t have the same insight Bellamy does regarding the radio calls, after all. Perhaps she’s the only one who felt refreshed after her nap?

Regardless, there isn’t much time to dwell on feelings because nearly as soon as the explorers land on Planet Alpha, they’re faced with some bizarre new challenges. Rather than people throwing spears at them, it’s bugs angrily swarming around them, chasing them toward a radioactive tower. Unfortunately, Shaw runs into its invisible forcefield and is subsequently killed.

Though it’s heartbreaking to see Shaw go, Jason Rothenberg has revealed that he was killed off due to scheduling conflicts for his portrayer, Jordan Bolger. Bolger has been cast in an upcoming series on Oprah Winfrey’s OWN network called David Makes Man.

Kane is put on ice back on the ship for the same reason, as he recently appeared in the first season of Fox series The Passage. Though Kane is technically still alive in cryo sleep, it’s uncertain what his fate will be as the season plays out.

But just before Kane is sent back to sleep, Octavia is awoken. It’s apparent that the long nap didn’t help soothe her anger either, as she angrily reminds Kane and Abby she is a monster — but they are monsters too.

Seeing Octavia awake in the first episode of the season is a necessary reminder that though Wonkru has been virtually disbanded, these characters cannot erase what they’ve done. It seems like Octavia is going to go on a long and tumultuous journey of self-discovery and perhaps self-forgiveness this season. After all, who is she now that she is no longer the Red Queen?

The highlight of this episode is definitely Murphy’s sarcastic and lighthearted commentary. It manages to cut the suspense in many places as our heroes are expecting to find death around every corner (or behind every door).

It’s nice to see a less angsty, but still equally cynical Murphy (Richard Harmon) in this new world. Jason Rothenberg recently said via his Instagram that season six is Harmon’s best season yet, and if this episode is anything to go by, I certainly believe him. A musical number was certainly a new endeavor for the actor, and he killed it (no pun intended).

And then there’s Jordan back in space with Raven, a refreshingly innocent and hopeful other side of the coin. Clarke and Bellamy have essentially been tasked with acting as his parents, and though he is very much not a child, he has a childlike innocence and naivety that none of our heroes can relate to. After all, he’s been sheltered in the safety of the Eligius ship for his entire life.

His overly hopeful demeanor begs the question: What did Monty and Harper tell him about their time on Earth? We can definitely assume they left out the most gruesome and gory parts. However, in his first moments awake since being put in cryo, he’s already being thrust into drama between Raven and Abby surrounding Abby’s pain pill addiction. So, will Jordan be able to maintain his sunny composure for long?

Regardless, his pure curiosity in this episode feels like a reflection of that of the audience, making his character immediately relatable. Shannon Kook has already proven himself a standout and out of everything to come this season, I’m perhaps most looking forward to seeing how Jordan changes like some of our favorites were forced to do when faced with the unpredictability of earth and, more importantly, its inhabitants.

Speaking of standouts though, we can’t not talk about Bob Morley and Eliza Taylor’s impeccable performances in that scene. Yes, the radio call scene.

Up until now, Clarke has been unsure of why exactly Bellamy has forgiven her for leaving him to die. But now, in a moment that really tugs at the heartstrings, Bellamy tells her that he knows about the calls she made to him every day for six years. He apologizes for not being able to answer, and jokingly calls her pathetic, earning a laugh from Clarke that brings us right back to that playfulness of season one and scenes like the Unity Day celebration — just before things went south.

Unsurprisingly, Morley and Taylor are incredible in this scene, emoting a mixture of sadness for time lost and dynamics changing, and hopefulness for a future as friends again (and maybe something more, eventually?).

Despite the chaos that ensues soon after, this moment serves as a reminder that Clarke and Bellamy are and always will be the head and the heart, connected by their mutual understanding of the struggles that come along with leadership (especially on a dying and wartorn planet). It’s so refreshing to see them side by side once again. One can only hope this means that they’ll act as the power duo we’ve come to love so much as they face whatever’s to come on Planet Alpha. Presently, this is figuring out how to deal with the effects of the red sun.

This episode thrusted us into the new world, dangerous unknowns abound. The quick pace seemed to have set us up for the turbulent season to come as our heroes face entirely new challenges including each other. The tagline of this season is “Face your demons”, and in the final moments of 6x01, we can certainly see that the demons are not anything like the ones they’ve dealt with before. Clarke and friends have constantly been troubled with the internal struggle of being the good guy, and with Monty’s reminder to do so ringing in their ears, they definitely weren’t expecting to lose control of that so quickly.

It will be interesting to see how this mantra carries our beloved character through this season, and if it will be able to hold up in this new world. So far, it seems like the answer is a resounding no — not that they have much control over the matter.

The 100 airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on the CW.

#The 100 #Sanctum #Season Premiere

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jbuffyangel · 6 years

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Truth and Lies: Arrow 6x18 Review (Fundamentals)

I love Vertigo. We get the best Olicity episodes out of this drug and "Fundamentals" did NOT disappoint. Angsty Arrow driven mad by his own internal demons and the love of his life fighting through the darkness to reach the light within him?

If you are wondering why this review is delayed it's because I've been watching "Fundamentals” on a loop. And binging Westworld, but that's not my fault. @callistawolf told me to watch it. But really also watching "Fundamentals" on a loop. There’s so much to unpack that this took me three days to write and another full day to gif.

I am prepared to say 6x18 might be my favorite episode of the season. I think I liked it better than the wedding AND the wedding RECEPTION. I know I know. That's crazy talk, but that's what Vertigo does man. EMBRACE THE INSANITY BECAUSE IT IS AWESOME.

Let's dig in...

Olicity

I'm not really sure how to divide this review into sections primarily because it's just a mass of Oliver losing his shiznit, punctuated with extremely excellent scenes with Felicity. So we're rolling fast and loose on the headings. Cool? Cool.

I like angst. No, that's not right. I LOVE ANGST. You really can't survive seven years of watching Buffy The Vampire Slayer live, in your formative teenage years, and not come out with the ability to embrace the pain. But I don't enjoy angst that's just angst for angst's sake. (Yeah that's a sentence. I think.) I want angst with purpose. I want it to move the characters somewhere or at the very least reveal truths. Maybe they are truths we already know and simply need confirmed once and awhile. Maybe they are truths we didn't even know existed. Regardless, if angst has a point then I'm in.

Some may disagree with me regarding the angst in "Fundamentals." It may feel like ground we've already covered, and I can certainly understand why some may have that opinion. I have a differing one, however. I feel 6x18 unearthed some new truths regarding Oliver Queen and his journey this season that I have not previously considered.

Source: @olivergifs

The opening is familiar, but new. The Arrow is back! It's been so long since we've seen Oliver as the Arrow that the action felt fresh. Immediately there was a different vibe compared to all the other action scenes we've seen over the past three years. It is dark, brutally violent and fast. And extremely hot.

The Arrow moves like a shadow and creates a visceral reaction of fear. That piece is familiar. The skill set of the Arrow and the Green Arrow remain the same, but their tactics are not. The Green Arrow works within a team. He is quick, but deliberate. Strategic, but adaptable. He is threatening, but instills a sense of calm. The Green Arrow doesn't shy from the light the same way the Arrow does. Both masks serve justice, but one instills hope while the other instills fear. We are supposed to notice a difference between these two personas, which is why "Fundamentals" opens fast and hard with the violence of the Arrow. It's to remind us of Oliver Queen's evolution and how far he's come. What drives and fuels the Arrow is something the Green Arrow does not have:

Rage.

Oliver has opened up his heart over the last six years. He rediscovered brotherhood and friendship. Oliver fell in love and became a father. The anger created by the injustice all around him and his five years of trauma is no longer burning him up inside. Oliver faced the worst parts of himself, and by doing so, the anger gave way to something else. Something more hopeful. The Green Arrow fights injustice just like the Arrow, but the tactic is not merely to beat it down. The Green Arrow wants to build upon the ashes of injustice. Oliver also recognizes the mask is not the only avenue in which he can be of service to Star City. He finally realized the man behind the mask can also have an impact.

Or at least... that's what Oliver tried to do. As usual our hero fails as much as he succeeds, but real change does not come without failure. The problem is Oliver does not understand where he went wrong. Team Arrow has fallen apart. Rene and Dinah betrayed him. Curtis turned his back on Oliver. And John Diggle, his brother, left him.

"You've become a better man, but a worse leader."

John's words are haunting Oliver because he doesn't understand them. How can he be a better man, the man John always asked him to be, and a worse leader?

Listen, I am 100% on Team Oliver with this one. That's straight up bonkers and Diggle doesn't have Vertigo as an excuse. We're also supposed to wonder what in the blazing hell happened to Oliver that he's wearing the Arrow suit, going full rage-a-thon, and walking into what is obviously a suicide mission (even for him).

*Drugs, drugs, druggidy, drugs* Oh sorry. We're supposed to be pretending we don't know why Oliver is cuckoo for cocoa puffs right now. My bad.

Source: felicityssoliver

So, we're flashing back to ten hours earlier. Now it's really important to remember we are supposed to be confused with the timeline. Both the police captain and the DA have accused Oliver of firing them to impede the Green Arrow investigation . Unfortunately, Oliver just fired them because they admitted to being Diaz's lackeys and not because he has actual proof. I think. Last week's episode was so many levels of screwy I kind of stopped paying attention to some of the details. Anywho, Oliver begs his genius wife to get some rock solid evidence against them so he can hold onto his day job. Also, avoiding prison would be neat.

The SCPD security monitors go white noise at exactly 10:13 every night, so Felicity rapidly deduces Diaz is monitoring his lackeys at that time. Oliver agrees and wouldn't you know that's prime Green Arrow time! Felicity immediately tells Oliver he can't go in there alone because suicide, but he's too jazzed about ending all his Diaz problems to listen.

Source: felicitysmoakgifs

Felicity, bless her heart, decides to play marriage counselor one more time and parent traps Oliver and Diggle into meeting into the bunker. Yes, she actually uses the words "parent trap" and it's awesome. I love one cupcake. Also, the original Parent Trap with Hayley Mills will always be the superior version. Come fight me.

It's a disaster. Both Oliver and Diggle are still extremely pissed off at each other, which is fair. This was one horrid fight. Diggle informs Oliver he's considering taking a job at A.R.G.U.S. and Oliver offers a solid burn in return:

“Last time you needed something from A.R.G.U.S., you had to steal it.”

I, once again, am on Team Oliver on this one. I don't mind the snippiness and think it's fairly warranted. If John is looking to find a purpose beyond Oliver Queen and live outside his shadow (and he is - even if he can't admit it yet), then I fail to see how A.R.G.U.S. is any different. Diggle needs a purpose of his own. As much as I will love seeing a Dyla team up, I don't think it really solves John's problem all that much. A.R.G.U.S. is Lyla's purpose. It always has been. I'm not saying John can't find purpose with his wife and her employer. He certainly can, but a lot of John's argument against Oliver was about striking out on his OWN. This isn't exactly an independent venture. So, I understand why Oliver may see some hypocrisy on the wall.

Diggle: Oliver, you keep up that attitude man you are gonna end up all alone.

Oliver: I've listened to your advice for the last six years. I think I've earned a reprieve.

Oliver has taken, what I feel, is a lot of unnecessary shit from everyone and quite frankly it's way more entertaining to see him swinging back than simply taking it. Felicity is disappointed her little make up session didn't end with bromance hugs and kisses, but Diggle is not surprised. He essentially tells Felicity Oliver is stubborn, alienates people with his attitude, and likes to be alone - and nobody knows that better than her.

It's an irritating comment and not a fair one. If that was all true than Oliver would have never married Felicity in the first place. Diggle keeps throwing ALL of Oliver's past mistakes in his face (and now Felicity's) to continue making his argument as to why Oliver is a crappy leader. Again, Diggle's beef and his snarky comments would have made so much more sense in SEASON THREE.

The real goal of the comment is to make Felicity worry Oliver will ice her out next, which is as about as mean as John Diggle gets. However, it's primarily intended to make us worry about the status of their marriage. I RAISED YOU BETTER THOUGH.

Oliver has a meeting with Councilmen Kullens who tells him he can't fire the very people who are investigating him. That looks really bad. Oliver insists the two are working for Diaz.

Kullens: From what I understand, Ricardo Diaz is a second rate drug dealer who was released from prison on a technicality.

He got the second rate part right. Kullens cannot fathom how a two bit hood like Diaz could possibly coerce city officials like the DA and police captain and oh my god it's even more stupid when I type it. Can we put an arrow in this guy? He bugs me. Kullens informs Oliver impeachment proceedings begin that afternoon and he'll have a chance to please his case then, which means Oliver is on the clock and needs to get some evidence FAST.

Oliver races home to check in with Felicity and take William to his science fair. The kid cloned cabbage. Yes, CLONED.

This is one character we never want to have a dark spiral on Arrow. Use your powers for good William. That's all I'm saying son.

On top of being a child genius, William is also extremely OCD about time. So, when Oliver comes in late his son is extra anxious to get going. This is my child in TV form. She puts her winter coat and snow pants on 20 minutes before she leaves for the bus, stands in the kitchen watching TV, so she's in direct eye line to clock because GOD FORBID she's a micro second late.

Unfortunately, the evidence Felicity compiles against Diaz is only something a police department to get their hands on or... the Green Arrow.

Oliver drops to that lower octave which increases the hot by several levels.

Felicity tries to joke her way out of it by telling Oliver to inform the council he's married to a super hacker and HUBBY IS NOT AMUSED. It's one thing for him to get imprisoned, but he cannot joke about it happening to Felicity. Ugh. I love him.

Unfortunately, Oliver's adorableness is short lived. He rapidly spirals into an asshole. Felicity tries to explain that she tried to set up a believable trail for the evidence but that she ran out of time.

Oliver: You ran out of time because you're focusing on making John and I reconcile instead of doing your job!

HIT THE DECKS. HUBBY IS ABOUT TO BLOW! I think my husband values his life to much to ever say something like to me, but he's been at this a little bit longer than Oliver. Give him a decade. He'll learn.

Felicity is WTF and rightfully so. They segue into arguing about whether or not Felicity is on Oliver's side.

(She is you big, angry tree trunk).

William chooses this exact moment to interrupt their argument by reminding his father that they are running late. When my parent's fought I found the nearest exit. Read the room kid.

Oliver blows. Big time. He yells at William while simultaneously destroying the science fair project. Ah man, that was cloned cabbage dude. That would have made an interesting salad.

Cue awkward silence and horrified looks from Felicity and William. I am so uncomfortable. This feels voyeuristic. *She says while having zero issues watching Olicity sex scenes on a loop.*

Source: @olivergifs

Oliver tries to apologize to William, who storms out, and explain to Felicity it was an accident but she tells him to get the fuck out. I added the fuck because that was the tone and if we were on cable it would have absolutely been there.

Source: oliverfelicitygifs

MAMA BEAR MODE ACTIVATED.

Nobody messes with the cub. Not even Dad. Honestly, the addition of William was one of my big worries for Season 6 because I questioned how Arrow would integrate the child into the story lines. But William has become one of my favorite parts of the season, particularly when it comes to his relationship with Felicity. Felicity becoming the world's best step mother is not remotely surprising, but it doesn't lessen the joy watching it develop on screen. William has come to depend on her just as much as Oliver. Maybe even more because they bond frequently over their genius level IQs.

Sometimes you need to tell your child "Not right now" in a stern voice. Sometimes raising your voice is required. Sometimes you blow a fuse as a parent. We are, after all, only human and humans are imperfect. Parents make mistakes. Oliver raising his voice to William didn't bother me too much. Although, I think he could have directed a little more tough love when his son wandered off from the bunker into the field and almost got himself blown up. Screaming over being late to the science fair was a gross overreaction. A stern "take a number buddy" would have sufficed just fine. And yeah, sometimes you have to tell a kid twice because he’s a kid.

What bothered me was the violence of Oliver's reaction. The way he whirled around at William, breaking the science fair project as he did, wasn't simply frustration. It was rage. We haven't seen this level of rage from Oliver in an extremely long time. Even in his fight with Diggle, he tempered his anger and fought defensively during the brawl.

Oliver has a temper. It's a fact of his personality. Nearly every person in Oliver's life has been on the receiving end of it at one point or another - including Felicity. However, Oliver has directed a violent reaction to those who can physically take him on - Diggle, Roy, Rene and Dinah.

Oliver has always been calculated, even to a certain extent controlled, as to who he responds physically to in anger. He has NEVER reacted violently against those he views as physically defenseless against him.

His physical altercation with Thea was defensive even though Thea can kick his ass. He never took Laurel on even after she became BC and I know there were times he just wanted to lay her flat on her ass. The only real exception was when he confronted Moira as the Green Arrow, but she shot him so we see how that went.

There is only one time I can recall Oliver using his body in a physically threatening way against Felicity. Although, there was so much sexual tension I often wonder if he just used the moment to get up in her bubble and enjoy a little physical proximity. Regardless, there's a reason the first time Oliver Queen got in Felicity's Smoak's face was the last time. SHE was the one who put HIM down hard. Strength doesn't have to equate to the physical kind. Felicity Smoak is Oliver's match in every way. She puts his alpha male ass in its place every time he's ever tried to pull this nonsense with her, which is why it only happened once. Any time after was often in defense of others. Felicity always makes Oliver back down.

But this moment is different. The hair trigger rage we often saw in the early seasons of Arrow has returned and Oliver directed it at his son, a defenseless child. There's no excuse for it. Yet, Felicity's reaction is no different than the one we saw in 1x15.

She steps from behind the counter and defensively approaches Oliver with so much speed and protectiveness over William he is the one who immediately backs away.

Source: mingrose

The movement immediately forces Oliver to turn his attention away from William and direct it to Felicity. It's essentially Felicity putting her body between William and Oliver. That said, she always uses her anger and strength to deescalate the situation. Felicity essentially puts Oliver in a time out by kicking him out of the apartment and rightfully so.

So, obviously we are supposed to be asking what the hell is wrong with Oliver? Diggle's words are supposed to haunt us. Perhaps Oliver hasn't changed after all.

Oliver descends to his bunker of solitude. He's obsessively watching the video feed of white noise on a loop, so he's in a super healthy space.

The scrambling of the video and the white noise in between is symbolic for what's happening in Oliver's mind. He's on a loop of white noise that he can't figure his way out of.

There's a knock at the bunker door and this should have immediately tipped everyone off to something being amiss. Why would Felicity knock? When Oliver turns around she just appears. Out of nowhere she's standing behind him. He's startled and Felicity wonders why. Oliver tries to explain what he heard, but can't. The knock had a pounding, distant, echoing sound to it. Like someone trying to open a tightly shut door closed long ago. It's the sound of Oliver's past beating it's way open. He just doesn't know it yet.

Felicity has her arms tightly crossed and keeps her distance from Oliver. He immediately tries to explain what happened, but again he can't because Oliver doesn't understand it himself. He doesn't know why he lost it on William other than things are beginning to pile up.

That's as far as he gets. Felicity coldly and resolutely tells Oliver they should take some space. Oliver is heartbreakingly confused until he looks down at Felicity's crossed arms and realizes she took her ring off.

Source: oliverfelicitygifs

The devastation rapidly begins to overtake his confusion, but even then this has to be a joke right?

Oliver almost laughs until he realizes it’s not. Then he becomes helpless as his world begins to crumble.

Source: @olivergifs

Felicity tells Oliver he crossed a line with William. A line he should never cross.

Felicity asking Oliver for a separation sounds like a protective measure for William, but it still doesn't make sense. It's a 180 degree turn. It's too fast. Too abrupt. If you are still harboring PTSD from the Olicity break up in Season 4, and particularly if you read cast interviews previewing the episode, it's understandable why this scene would be extremely alarming. For some, I am sure it was confirmation of a deeply rooted fear Arrow is going to divorce Olicity soon after they married them. This is just another stop in the never ending "will they/won't they" ride.

But there is something in Felicity's speech to Oliver that should have tipped you off something else was going on.

No matter how disappointed or angry Felicity is with Oliver this is simply not something she would ever say under any circumstance. Felicity never believed, not even for a second, that Oliver was the violent, rage filled, monster he tried to portray himself as and believed himself to be. And that's the key right there. This is something OLIVER would say.

William discovering the monster within is a deep rooted fear of Oliver's - not Felicity’s. She never believed the monster existed.

When Felicity looks at Oliver all she has ever seen is a man with a deeply good heart. Felicity always saw the light within Oliver, even when he could not see it himself. Especially when Oliver couldn't see it.

Felicity has admitted she fell in love with Oliver the first moment she met him because of what she saw. Her love is rooted in that belief.

That's not to say Felicity's belief in Oliver's goodness has not been challenged over the years. Particularly when Oliver was doing everything he could to make Felicity believe the monster was real and he was beyond change. Yet, time and again she saw through the facade of darkness to the truth - the light within.

Oliver has "killed" Felicity via LOA gas and shattered their life together with a lie that seemed almost impossible to forgive. I'm not saying yelling at William and shattering cloned cabbage wasn't bad, but I wouldn't rank it in the top ten worst things Oliver Queen has ever done. Let's remember she fell in love with him when he had a penchant for breaking necks. All I'm saying is, Felicity has a high threshold for Oliver Queen darkness.

Source: oliverfelicitygifs

So, surgically cutting the cord on their marriage like this feels offs. Extremely off. It is Oliver who fears William will learn of his father's darker side. Not Felicity. Felicity confirming Oliver's worst fear, that he is truly a monster, doesn't sound like her voice. It sounds like Oliver's voice.

Now would be a real good time to remember Diaz and BS maniacally laughing over their last vile of Vertigo at the end of last week's episode. Although, I will give Arrow kudos. They did their level best to fool everyone with the way they cut this episode together.

Source: @olivergifs

The knocking returns after a heart to heart with Lance. This time it is louder and more insistent. Oliver cannot ignore it. Instinctively he picks up a gun, walks to the elevator doors as they open

Source: leraswift13

and there stands Adrian Chase.

Prommy is back to play mind games! TIME FOR SOME CRAZY!!!!

Oliver doesn't understand how Adrian can still be alive because, ya know, bullet to the brain. Adrian's response is basically, "It's Arrow man.. Didn't you fall off a mountain once? Nobody ever really dies."

Now, I know Oliver is trippin on the light fantastic, but that's some solid logic under Vertigo. I give him credit. Prometheus still scares the ever loving crap out of me and the ensuing battle with Oliver is more exciting than all the villains combined this season. I miss you Josh Seggara. Please come back.

Oliver holds Adrian in the same neck hold in 5x23. He dares Oliver to do it and once again we see the moral struggle tearing Oliver apart. He fights the urge once more, but then Adrian reminds him that his mercy cost the mother of his child her life. Oliver snaps when Adrian threatens William and Felicity once again. He snaps his neck.

Source: @olivergifs

Sparing Adrian's life was a moment of triumph for Oliver in Season 5. It was proof to Oliver that he was not the man Adrian Chase accused him of being. He knew the threat Adrian posed, but taking his life would simply be confirmation Oliver was a monster. Killing Adrian Chase would be proving him right.

If Oliver killed Adrian the island would have exploded and everyone, including Oliver, would have died. His mercy didn't stop Adrian from killing himself and ultimately killing Samantha, but that choice was Adrian's. Not Oliver's. There was no avenue Oliver could choose that would not result in the spilling of innocent blood. It is why Adrian Chase is so diabolically evil. Yet, Oliver still harbors guilt over Samantha. Particularly since Diggle used her death as a knife to twist in his back. He still believes there's a way he could have saved everyone, which is the curse of being a hero. The God Complex is often more crippling than any villain.

If you didn't figure out Oliver is hallucinating by the time Adrian pops up alive again, then I can't help you my friend. But if it helps Oliver figures it out and tells everybody what's going on.

Source: @olivergifs

Hallucinating Adrian Chase is the pitch perfect choice to show the manifestation of Oliver's fears. Refresher course - this is what Vertigo does. It really makes you wonder why anyone willing takes this drug if all you get from the high is seeing your deepest fears become real. Can't say that's a party favor I'd be interested in partaking in.

Oliver Queen essentially created Prometheus, so therefore Adrian Chase represented Oliver's darker half. Prometheus is what Oliver could have become if he never met John Diggle and Felicity Smoak. He was Arrow's most effective villain because he was a living confirmation of everything Oliver feared he was.

I give you The Adrian Chase As Oliver Queen's Inner Voice highlights:

Adrian: I always was the one person who saw you for the murderer you are. What are you doing? Oh you are running a blood test. you think you've been dosed with something. You know there is another explanation. A more likely one in my considered opinion. You're finally going crazy. It's completely understandable, Ollie. You've lost everything, even the people I couldn't manage to take from you. I really like this Ricardo Diaz. If he didn't exist I'd have to think of him myself. He's going about this exactly right. Don't hurt the people that you love. Just get them all to abandon you. It's actually the easiest thing in the world. I told you this Ollie. I told you this man! Everything you touch dies. What you're going through right now, losing your team, your wife, the impeachment, all of it is happening just like I told you it would. And nothing in that blood test is gonna change that.

Adrian: It's tough to say you're in a good place when your oldest friend leaves you high and dry.

Oliver: John made his choice.

Adrian: And deep down you know he's right. You've changed Oliver. Sure, maybe you are a better Oliver Queen. A happier Oliver Queen. But it has sure made you a worse hero. You have a wife, son, you're the mayor - all of which yes may be going away, but still it's a fair assumption. You are stretched too thin buddy. Maybe you've gotten so good at being Oliver Queen that the Green Arrow's mission is suffering. You may be happier, but the people that you love - they're not.

Yes, I typed that all out because every line is gold.

Source: dctvgifs

It's very difficult to watch Oliver's brain beat the shit out of him so effectively. Stay strong my son!

In a nice reverse from 3x01, Oliver and the Arrow come face to face once again. Only it's not Oliver Queen who is the villain. It's the Arrow.

For those wondering haven't we déjà'd this vu already, the answer is yes. But the point is to show the flip. Oliver isn't afraid of being Oliver Queen anymore. His fear has shifted into something else entirely. Oliver is afraid being Oliver Queen isn't enough.

He's become everything John and Felicity believed he could be. Oliver has embraced his humanity and in doing so has become a better friend, lover and father. He is actively trying to save the city during the day and in the night. Oliver is trying to be everything to everyone all the time. And yet everything is falling apart. Oliver is still losing everyone he loves. He is still all alone.

It's one thing to be afraid of embracing his humanity. It's another for Oliver to realize even when he does he still falls short. The city is still in shambles, people he loves still die, his team betrayed him, his best friend, wife and son left him and Star City is intent on taking not only his job, but his freedom. And it all happened when Oliver was being the very best version of himself.

Oliver compartmentalized himself because he feared if he merged the two personas then all that would remain is a monster.

It took a very long time,

and facing the absolute worst in himself, to realize there is a good man

under the mask.

However, now Oliver has combined those two personas and yet nothing is getting better. Trying to be everything to everyone and yet still not feeling like enough is crushing.

It's almost more comforting to believe he hasn't changed at all - that Oliver can understand. If Oliver Queen "the hero" is simply a facade, and the monster who fails and alienates everyone while leaving a trail of bodies in his wake still remains, then this all makes sense. As much as it terrifies Oliver, he can understand why everyone has finally left him.

Oliver chose to stop hiding from love.

It is the bond that tethers him to his humanity and what allows the light to break through all the pain, loss and trauma. He has chosen to love with everything he has, and to his horror, it's not enough. His love for his city is not enough.

Source: @olivergifs

His love for his team is not enough.

His love for his brother is not enough.

His love for his son is not enough.

His love for his wife is not enough.

Source: feilcityqueen

This is a different ballgame. It's not a repeat of Season 4. Oliver tried being his best self and FAILED.

Season 6 he succeeded, but it did not create any different result.

It's a confirmation of his worst fear. Any version of Oliver Queen is alienating. Any version of Oliver Queen is a failure.

Oliver always had the mask to blame. He always had the monster to hide behind as the reason why everything he touches he destroys.

But that's gone now.

He conquered his demons.

So, all he's left with is Oliver Queen, but he is incapable of building anything.

He will never be the man he wants to be, the man Oliver promised his father he would be, because that man still falls spectacularly short. That's almost a fate worse than death for Oliver. We've asked Oliver to try for six years. He did. He failed. So now what?

Source: @olivergifs

The only conclusion Oliver can come to is... he was right all along. The monster and the man are one in the same. Oliver will never escape the darkness because he is darkness. Whatever light he has is ultimately powerless to overshadow it.

So, suffice it to say Oliver is spiraling down the insanity hole. The drug is taking a stronger hold on him. He can no longer distinguish the lies from the truth. If he was right all along then the only option is to shut Oliver Queen down again. He lost sight of the mission and losing everything even as Oliver Queen proves to him that the mission is all that matters. He has become the mask and only the mask. The only way he can truly serve it is the way he originally intended. Alone and as the Arrow - the conduit for the darkness within.

If you think Oliver is off his rocker then you'd be right. HE'S ON VERTIGO. He's supposed to be off his rocker. None of this is right. Our boy is so many levels of wrong it'd take me another six years to explain all of them.

Oliver decides this is still a really excellent time to make decisions that will absolutely impact his ability to live as a free man.

Oliver hands over the evidence because it's the only card he has to play to stop the impeachment.

AND QUENTIN LET’S HIM! For the love of God man don't hand Oliver the bullet and help him load the gun! Tackle him. HE IS HIGH AS A KITE. This is not the time we allow Oliver to make decisions. This is the time we tie him to a chair!

Then, Adrian/Oliver convinces himself to go after Diaz.

Adrian: The only way to prove you are the hero you say that you are and keep being mayor is to take down Diaz tonight.

The way Chase uses his finger as a gun to Oliver's head when he says, "I'm in here" sends chills down my spine. It's a striking parallel to the last image we saw of Prometheus.

Adrian always believed Oliver would be the hand causing his own destruction and we are alarmingly close to him being right. Even closer than we were in Season 5.

Source: oliverxfelicity

Felicity and William return from the science fair and her purse starts beeping. Felicity has a GPS on Oliver's bow because that's the smart thing to do when he's fighting crime every night. So the newbies can pass me with their royal indignation. Don't want to get dead? Then get okay with trackers dipshits!

Enough of this hallucination bullshit. Let's get down to what is REAL and TRUE.

Felicity calls Quentin after Oliver doesn't pick up his cell and he fills her in on what's really going on.

Quentin: He said you kicked him out.

Felicity: No, I didn't. I would never!

For all those worried Arrow will eventually take another Season 4 route with Olicity, it’s time to let it go.

Arrow is not interested in will they/won't they with Olicity anymore. Admittedly, they drove that arc into the ground, but THIS episode is about the shift not only in Oliver and Felicity's relationship, but in the way Arrow views it.

Yes, they are going to have angst. Yes, they are going to face problems. Yes, they are going to fight. But none of this will break them apart. Their love is Arrow's anchor. It is what holds this show steady.

The pattern is the same Every. Single. Year. We get snip its of Olicity scenes punctuated by big episodes. 6x18 is a big episode with a big purpose. Arrow played on the audience's fears and insecurities with the promo and cast interviews, because they are Oliver's fears and insecurities too. The show is giving Oliver and the audience one last scare (because it's a television show and that's what television shows do), but now it's time to get down to business. Now it's time to deal in truth.

Oliver and Felicity are married. There are no more break ups. This is forever. PERIOD. Oliver will never leave Felicity and Felicity will never leave Oliver.

FUNDAMENTAL DEFINITION:

adjective

1. serving as, or being an essential part of, a foundation or basis; basic; underlying: fundamental principles; the fundamental structure.

2. of, relating to, or affecting the foundation or basis: a fundamental revision.

3. being an original or primary source: a fundamental idea.

noun

5. a basic principle, rule, law, or the like, that serves as the ground work of a system; essential part: to master the fundamentals of a trade.

There is a double meaning to the episode title. Yes, Oliver is returning to what he believes were the core “fundamentals” of the mission. However, Arrow is outright stating that the solidity of Olicity’s relationship is also a fundamental of the show.

Still don't believe it? Well, then buckle up because Arrow is going to show you how true it is with what can only be called FANFICTION COME TO LIFE.

William, bless his pure soul, eavesdrops on Felicity's call and is all in on mission "Save Dad."

Source: dctvgifs

He hands Felicity a pair of running shoes and holy mother of freaking crap I've never seen the show make this much sense! Felicity is wearing practical shoes in the field y'all!!!!!!!!!

Quentin does his best to stop the beast, but he's no match for Oliver on a regular day. Oliver high on Vertigo and reverting back to the Arrow? Umm... no chance Quentin. Oliver knocks him out cold. A for effort though bud.

Source: oliverfelicitygifs

Felicity channeling her inner B*rry All*n to save her batcrap crazy husband is a big mood.

Source: oliverfelicitygifs

Felicity saying she's going to save her husband is an even bigger mood. And Felicity saying the word husband is hotter than Oliver saying wife. I don't know why.

This is not the first time Arrow has used Felicity to break through Oliver's delusion,

but is the first time they've used such a direct approach. What follows is probably one of my all time favorite Olicity scenes - and that's saying something after being on the air for six years.

Source: feilcityqueen

Everything swimming in Oliver's mind is lies, so Felicity has to use the truth to break through. At first she tries using William because he used to be a hindrance to Oliver's willingness to sacrifice himself. However, even in the haze of crazy Oliver knows if he dies then William still has Felicity. He will never be alone. Typically, this should be a comforting line, and while it remains a beautiful commentary on the bond Felicity and William have formed, it is utterly terrifying to hear Oliver so willfully discard his own necessity in his son's life. And that's because of the lies in his mind. His love for his son is not enough. He is a monster. He is a failure. William will be better off.

So, Felicity uses another truth. It's the one she finally confessed to Oliver the day she asked him to marry her. The day all Oliver's dreams came true. Losing Oliver is Felicity's worst fear realized. Would he willingly do that to her? Will Oliver abandon her again?

Oliver believes he can't abandon what he doesn't have. Felicity left him first. Another hallucination Felicity can only combat with what is real.

Felicity calls Oliver baby. It's canon.

I really wish I could sew worth a damn because I'd embroider "I'm glue, baby" on a pillow. Also, be prepared for me to abuse that gif in asks. Fair warning.

Source: oliverfelicitygifs

Oliver hears her voice and the truth in her words. He desperately wants to believe she is real, but he is so terribly lost. Oliver cannot see what is real with his mind. So, Felicity tells him to feel with his heart instead.

From the moment Felicity Smoak entered Oliver's life she found a way to not only touch his heart,

but to break it wide open.

Felicity has found Oliver every moment he's been lost.

Vertigo is not a challenge for Felicity Smoak.

She found her way through Oliver's darkness and showed him the light within.

He hears her words, feels the certainty of her love against his chest,

and Oliver knows who he is again.

Felicity's truth is the very beat of Oliver's heart.

Oliver reaches for Felicity's hand, holds her close, and lets the light guide him through the dark. Just like they've done before.

Just like they will always do.

Light can travel without end. It is infinite and so are Oliver and Felicity.

The relief Oliver feels is overwhelming and he smiles. Just like that the Arrow fades and Oliver Queen returns.

Diaz gets impatient and decides to attack,

Source: oliverfelicitygifs

which means we get an old school Olicity stunt.

I am super chill about it.

Felicity offers Oliver a Vertigo cure all based off of her hard core partying days of the past.

My kingdom to see Goth Felicity Smoak at a rave... high.

Quentin commends the bad assness that is Felicity Smoak while he recovers from his absolute trouncing.

All it takes is Felicity calling Oliver her man and he becomes a friggin rainbow. He is putty in her hands.

Source: @oliverfelicitygifs

I cannot even believe we are getting these lines.

There is so much eye sex in their trip down memory lane that I am convinced they took the Arrow suit home for their own special kind of spin.

Source: @oliverfelicitygifs

You know Felicity has fantasized, so I think it's high time they make it a reality.

Oliver's high on crazy has given way to clarity.

This is worrying given everything we've heard his brain say over the last hour. He's not completely throwing the baby out with the bath water. He remains committed to being a husband and father. He’d like to remain mayor, but finds out he's going to be impeached. Still, Oliver believes in the good he can do as the Green Arrow. However, he is reverting back to doing things alone.

Source: dctvgifs

Felicity stresses what a colossally bad idea this is back at the apartment, but Oliver is determined to separate his worlds again.

Source: oliverfelicitygifs

Lord, boy. It took us five bloody years to get you to this spot, one fight with Diggle and some bad crack, and we're right back to Compartmentalization Oliver.

Oliver regresses in some way every single season. It's always a mistake and it always reveals some greater lesson Oliver has to learn. Comparatively speaking, this is fairly late in the season for Oliver to be regressing which in and of itself shows some character growth. It probably means we'll be dealing with the consequences of this choice into the beginning of Season 7.

So, where do I think this road leading? The fundamental and inescapable truth is compartmentalization does not work. Oliver was on the right track merging his two selves. Quentin is right. Oliver is a better man, but everyone's reaction to it (fueled by their own issues) is throwing him off. He will fail even as Oliver Queen and the Green Arrow, but that doesn't mean the path is wrong.

This road Oliver is about to travel alone is only going to lead to more problems. The season trajectory is pretty clearly moving from Oliver united with those he loves to Oliver separated from those he loves. My guess is prison. But I don't believe Oliver is the character who needs to change the most. My hope is watching Oliver travel this road alone, and still fighting to be the hero he is, will trigger change in the supporting characters. A fallen hero could stop all their childish nonsense and make everyone realize they have to stop blaming Oliver for everything and take responsibility for their own lives. I include Oliver in this as well. For better or worse, Oliver holds himself responsible for EVERYONE. And that's what he has to learn. Oliver is enough, but he cannot be everything.

Source: olivergifs

Quentin and Oliver

Quentin Lance is firmly wearing his Team Oliver hat this episode and it's a welcomed reprieve from his usual crazy pants talk. I guess since Oliver is going insane Quentin had to sober up - mentally speaking.

The scenes between Oliver and Lance are some of their best all year if not the duration of the show.

Source: @olivergifs

Oliver is still a young man trying to make his way through the world. The fact that he's also an orphan seems magnified now that Thea and Diggle have left him. Captain Lance, bless his soul, steps up into the father figure role Oliver desperately needs right now.

Oliver tells Lance Diggle quit the team and blames Oliver for its disintegration. Lance is quick to defend Oliver, who to his credit, does remind Quentin he's not there to witness Oliver's leadership style.

Source: @olivergifs

STANDING. FUCKING. OVATION.

A supporting character is talking sense y'all!

And it's LANCE. Did not see that coming given his trajectory this season. He's spot on. What Oliver has wanted more than anything from Quentin Lance is his respect and he has it. Oliver earned it with six years of hard work and NOBODY gets to take that away from him. Not even John Diggle.

Oliver calls Lance to give him the evidence that clears him of impeachment but incriminates him as the Green Arrow. Quentin asks what Oliver is going to do and he answers helplessly, "I don't know." He tearfully tells Lance that Felicity wants a separation and that he lost his temper with William. Oliver is as lost, alone and heartbroken as we've ever seen him. Quentin accurately points out that losing his shiznit on William is more of a night on the couch punishment and a separation is extreme. Ummm.... YEAH.

But Oliver simply believes Felicity has left him like everyone else. UGH.

Source: @olivergifs

This might be one of the most heartbreaking lines Oliver Queen has ever spoken

and again shows how much he's grown. The old Oliver would simply shut down and solider on. The fact that he's allowing himself to feel this pain and question where everything went wrong shows Oliver embracing his humanity rather than hide from it.

Quentin has probably the best answer and gives the most insight into what is going on with all the people in Oliver's life - particularly John Diggle.

Source: clevercloudpoetry

Can I get an amen?

This is as close as Arrow has come to confirming my suspicions about John Diggle. Oliver becoming a better man means he doesn't need John in the same way. That's incredibly painful for Diggle and would certainly cause him to question his life and purpose.

I am the youngest of three girls. My parents sold my childhood home when I graduated from high school and moved away to college. My father was anxious to move out of our increasingly violent area, but my mother had other motivations. She told me the house made her sad. Every where she looked was another memory of raising her babies and now we were all moved out. We didn't need her in the same way anymore and it hurt. My mother needed a fresh start - a new purpose. The new house was really good for her and allowed her to shift into the new phase of life with my father more easily.

Oliver has grown up and moved away to college for lack of a better word. Everywhere John Diggle looks on Team Arrow is another memory and a stark reminder that he's no longer needed in the same way he once was. He's looking for a fresh start and a new purpose. John needs something beyond raising Oliver Queen the same way my mother needed something beyond raising her children. Unfortunately, Diggle hasn't dug deep into any of this yet. Instead of some self reflection, John has relied on an old standby to explain his rudderless direction - it is all Oliver Queen's fault. John believes this is a stagnancy in Oliver's growth, and not his own, when in fact the direct opposite is true.

What has not changed is the power of Diggle's words and the impact they have on Oliver. He acknowledges what Quentin says might be true, but also fears Diggle may be right - that he hasn't changed at all. Quentin delivers another humdinger of a line:

"Come on. I don't buy that. From what you've told me about John and Curtis and all those guys - they've got their own issues alright? They're just putting them on you."

Hello Quentin Lance. I have missed you.

Source: @oliverfelicitygifs

Oliver's voice breaks when he asks Quentin about Felicity, but Lance is unwavering. He adamantly reassures Oliver that Felicity loves him and this will all blow over eventually. He just needs to stay the course and Quentin will be by his side. Robert and Moira Queen could not have done any better and I have never loved Quentin Lance more than in this moment.

While this speech gives me all the feels it also fills me with dreaded certainty. Lance is reminiscing about the past. He's admiring how far Oliver has come and is basically the perfect father figure. These signs tend to point to full character evolution. We are on episode 18. This means one thing:

Quentin Lance is going to die.

Just mentally prepare okay? His character arc has circled the drain all season with this "BS is my daughter" crazy. Now he's done a 180 by embracing sanity and offering wise and sage advice for Oliver. You know who else offered sage advice to Oliver just before their deaths?

Sara.

L*urel.

Sageyness is one of the seven signs of impending death on Arrow. Particularly when it comes to Lances. Prepare your souls.

Oliver and L*urel

Speaking of L*urel, we are paid a visit from Oliver's departed ex when he hallucinates his way back into the Queen Mansion (I miss the mansion y'all). There is L*urel,

Source: supercanaries

wearing her Red Coat of Pain.

Since Oliver's deepest fears often equate to his deepest guilt then seeing L*urel at her most innocent, before she knew about Oliver's cheating and the consequences for all parties involved that it unleashed, is not surprising.

Source: katie-mcgraths

In some ways, Oliver kept L*urel frozen in this time even when she was alive. The image of who Oliver saw L*urel as, eternally innocent and broken by his deceit, never quite matched up to the woman we saw on screen. Particularly when Arrow went above and beyond to show L*urel was anything but innocent.

Sara: Do you remember when you spilled that beer on me at Tommy’s party? Well, I wasn’t even supposed to go. But I snuck out out of the house because I knew you were gonna be there. And I had this embarassing crush on you. And, Laurel she knew it. And that’s why the party got broken up by the cops. She tipped off our dad. Then I was grounded for a month and the next thing I knew... you and Laurel were together.

Oliver: You think she did all of that on purpose?

Sara: Not everybody is what they seem.

L*urel was not broken by Oliver's deceit, but by her own anger.

What's important to remember is this isn't Adrian's voice we're hearing. This is Oliver. So everything Adrian is saying is what OLIVER believes.

How he really feels about L*urel becoming the BC is not a pretty picture.

Adrian: My question is why did you let her become the Bl*ck C*n*ry in the first place? She's a lawyer. What, after a couple self defense classes and a few sparring sessions you think she's ready to go handle thugs and killers?

I mean... he's not wrong.

It's refreshing to actually HEAR Arrow admit to the unbelievability of L*urel's training. Yeah yeah, I know she trained with a boxer/vigilante for a couple episodes. Somehow that's supposed to equate to the years Oliver spent training with martial arts experts, an ASIS agent, a highly skilled and lethal Russian mob organization, and an elite member of the League of Assassins. Or the years Sara trained with the League of Assassins. At least they gave Thea six months of intensive training with Malcolm Merlyn, who was also trained by the LOA.

Oh that's right. She trained with Nyssa too. For three episodes (that we saw). L*urel was barely able to stop a knife attack in 3x21 (after supposedly training with Nyssa for several weeks) and then suddenly she's taking several armed LOA members down in 3x22. But you bet, totally believable arc. Made total sense.

Oliver harbors serious guilt over L*urel's death and this hallucination is simply a manifestation of that. There are truths, but also a hefty dose of lies.

Source: supercanaries

The primarily lie being Oliver believing he could have stopped L*urel from becoming BC, or is responsible for the life she chose, or her death in any way. The truth is Oliver wasn't supportive of LL becoming BC and he did everything he could to stop her.

In fact he told L*urel, to her face, he thought she was a liability, a loose cannon in the field, and was going to get herself killed one day.

And he was fucking right.

Oliver begrudgingly accepted her decision, but that was primarily because Diggle and Felicity illogically had L*urel’s back.

JOHN DIGGLE IS A SPECIAL FORCES SOLIDER AND HE SIGNED OFF ON LL IN THE FIELD WITH NO TRAINING AT ALL. AGAIN, MAKES TOTAL SENSE SHOW.

Quite frankly, Oliver had bigger fish to fry in Season 3 and he had to move on.

After L*urel resurrected Sara in Season 4, who then tried to kill Thea and put her in the hospital, she threw another "it's all about me" bitch fit

and Oliver folded.

He helped get Sara's soul back and all of their issues were swept under the rug.

Then Arrow killed L*urel.

So, listen buddy. Sure, L*urel eventually worked her way to capable, but to be frank you had very little to do with it and THAT'S where the guilt comes from. The sparring sessions you speak of only took place a few episodes before she died. This is Oliver's God Complex rearing his ugly head again. Maybe if he trained L*urel more (or at all), maybe if he protected her better in the field, maybe if he found a way to keep her out of the field entirely - then she would be still be alive.

Nope. Sorry fella. None of that would have worked, because L*urel was L*urel and she was gonna do what she damn well pleased. Never mind the fact that Damien Darhk magically froze the team and they were all essentially defenseless when he killed her, but that's just details. Oliver thinking he is somehow responsible for her death in any way takes away from the legitimate heroism L*urel earned.

He understood that in Season 4, but he's pretty high right now. So, I'll give him a pass this time.

Legit question though. If you are a LL fan - why are you still watching Arrow?

I am curious, because I have never seen a show so willingly shade their own creation at every turn like Arrow does with LL. They flat out called her BC arc a bunch of illogical nonsense.

I appreciate the brutal honesty from the show, but it's a zing that packs some punch. After six years of this aren't y'all tired? A few interspersed scenes of Bl*ck S*ren should as hell wouldn't keep me around.

Straight Thoughts

I've never felt so spiritually connected to Felicity Smoak in all my life. Source: felicitysmoakgifs

I appreciated that Arrow used a flashback during Oliver's hallucination with Rene to show his injury was not remotely Oliver's fault. I like when my show talks sense.

Oliver's hallucination of the newbies was the most accurate. They are petty babies in real life too.

Adrian's scar on his temple from the bullet wound is unnerving.

Don't ever kill Raisa again, show. My heart can't take it. Not even when it's fake.

"I always wondered why nobody just does that. Kill you straight." Diaz needs to watch Season 3. See how that option goes. Source: dctvgifs

"Not a great track record when it comes to hiring DA's though." Of all of Adrian Chases' lines are fab, but this is my fave.

This evil cupcake. Source: olivergifs

"He's buying us expensive gifts if he knows what's good for him." Felicity wifes like I wife.

I love this kid. Source: olivergifs

Arrow wisely previewed an Olicity kiss for the all villain ep this week.

Disclaimer: Any gifs on the blog are not mine. If you would like a gif removed from my reviews, please message me. 6x18 gifs credited.

#arrow #olicity #arrow 6x18 #oliver queen #felicity smoak #arrow reviews #quentin lance #arrow spoilers #anti laurel lance #anti black canary #anti lauriver #arrow season 6 #season 6 episode review #season 6 episode reviews

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aion-rsa · 3 years

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My Hero Academia Season 5 Episode 18 Review: The Unforgiven

https://ift.tt/2V0GVEF

This My Hero Academia review contains spoilers.

My Hero Academia Season 5 Episode 18

“The sole thing a person gets to choose impartially is how his life ends.”

The concepts of fate, justice, and agency are always crucial tenets in My Hero Academia, yet these principles are placed under intense scrutiny in “The Unforgiven” when a face from Endeavor’s past returns and threatens to destroy his heroic advancements. Whenever it seems like Endeavor’s redemption arc reaches a satisfying and cathartic conclusion there are suddenly more skeletons from his closet that tumble out that he needs to manage. This is worthwhile development for the tortured character and it’s enough to finally turn those that are ambivalent towards Endeavor into fans. This has been the subtext to the entire season, but it’s the driving force behind the events in “The Unforgiven,” which is of course a title that refers to Endeavor and his cavalier past.

“The Unforgiven” jumps between the past and the present, but in a way that naturally introduces the fresh conflict at hand. A Cape Fear-esque villain named Ending emerges and he doesn’t just recent Endeavor’s success, but for years he’s obsessed over him and how to best systematically ruin his life. This development becomes considerably more tense because Endeavor barely remembers this lunatic, whereas Ending can’t do anything but focus on his revenge plan against Endeavor. This makes Ending’s goal oddly tragic to some degree. The way in which he expresses his rage and frustration is obviously unacceptable, but the lack of impact he’s had on Endeavor’s life does reinforce the villain’s twisted ideologies to some extent.

Endeavor’s redemption is still a work in progress and it initially seemed as if the reemergence of Toya Todoroki would be how Endeavor must face his past sins and truly move on. However, the addition of this extra rogue individual who directly relates to Endeavor’s less polished past and has zero interest in any of the hero’s recent rehabilitation turns him into an even more exciting obstacle. My Hero Academia really wants Endeavor to fight for his redemption and it’s given him more to overcome than anyone else.

It’s true that the role of Number One Pro Hero isn’t anything to take lightly, but at this point Endeavor has had to overcome more than All Might and many other Pro Heroes. This season has largely been about characters coming out of their comfort zones and learning to open up and trust new people. Endeavor isn’t always the focus, but these lessons are more applicable to him than any other character. “The Unforgiven” begins to examine what happens when Endeavor overextends himself and doesn’t follow his own advice that he preaches to his Hero Agency.

The flashbacks in “The Unforgiven” strengthen Ending’s motives, but they also provide greater context on Toya Todoroki and how the rest of Shoto’s family still carries internalized pain from Endeavor and the lasting damage it’s left on Rei, Shoto’s mother. Natsuo, Shoto’s older sibling, basically considers Toya dead to the family and that Endeavor is directly responsible for his absence. It’s Natsuo’s harsh words to his father that inevitably trip up Endeavor in the height of battle and leave him vulnerable.

Endeavor is the Number One Pro Hero who has been able to withstand incredibly dangerous Quirks, but nothing is more debilitating than the harsh words of his own children. Endeavor freezing on the battlefield is a powerful moment that’s only topped by his loving hug to Natsuo once everything is over. Endeavor seems genuinely scared and grateful. He knows that his family is important to him, yet in this instant Endeavor finally understands just how much power they hold over him.

My Hero Academia Season 5 Episode 17 Review: The Hellish Todoroki Family

By Daniel Kurland

My Hero Academia Season 5 Episode 16 Review: Long Time No See, Selkie

By Daniel Kurland

Everything about Ending works really well, even if he’s more of a catalyst for change than anything else. His animosity could have been seeded in the background of previous seasons, but My Hero Academia continues to juggle so much at once that it’s an acceptable omission. This new villain comes out of nowhere, but “The Unforgiven” does its due diligence to provide the proper context and backstory for this fresh threat. Ending’s manipulation of lane markings on the street is also such a simple, yet arresting Quirk.

“The Unforgiven” crams a lot of Ending into just one episode, yet he operates in such an atypical manner that none of it feels forced. It’s an excellent change of pace that he targets Endeavor’s family–as a way to better dismantle Endeavor’s public image–rather than directly attack the hero. Ending’s ambush also hits harder because the villain used to truly admire Endeavor until he began to resent him and his privileged life. He’s essentially My Hero Academia’s equivalent to Frank Grimes from The Simpsons. Ending cannot understand why his life is an embarrassing mess in contrast to Endeavor’s and so he’s determined to re-balance the scales and leave Endeavor with nothing.

The climax of Ending’s plan is more twisted than most villainous plots that My Hero Academia explores. Ending is so broken that he wants to push Endeavor to the point of killing him, which will not only bring him a strange sense of peace and control over his wasted life, but it will more importantly demolish Endeavor’s ideals as the Number One Pro Hero. He forces him into an impossible ultimatum where the safety of his family is leveraged against his reputation as a hero. It’s obvious that Ending is going to be eliminated either way, but he still accomplishes his goal with whatever decision Endeavor makes. It’s the plan of a truly desperate individual with nothing to lose, but that’s exactly why it makes such an impact here.

Endeavor is often able to put on a brave face, but when he’s presented with Ending’s scheme he looks absolutely terrified for the first time in the series. All of Endeavor’s growth and progress is irrelevant in this moment where Ending forces him to become a puppet that’s no different than the role that this villain has fulfilled in society. Ending goes from idolizing to demonizing Endeavor, but in this tense moment the two individuals are the same.

Endeavor has a lot to worry about at this moment, but naturally Midoriya, Bakugo, and Shoto all lend a hand against Ending. Their plan is to alleviate some of the pressure off of Endeavor, only for them to completely take over the operation. It’s fantastic to see how well these three work as a team and the shorthand that they’ve all established during their brief time together at Endeavor’s Hero Agency. The slow motion segments where these heroes jump into action while Endeavor’s heroic advice echoes in their heads is so powerful and visually gorgeous. It’s also kind of hilarious that through this battle Ending continually chastises these “work study kids” for “ruining his death.” It’s not that this character wants to die, but that he specifically needs Endeavor to snuff out his flame.

All of the heroes excel during this peril. They not only save Natuso, but they completely minimize the rest of the casualties in the area. Midoriya is even able to make effective use of his volatile Blackwhip Quirk while in the heat of the moment. It’s such a touching and inspirational sequence that makes up for Endeavor’s panic. If anything, the altercation is even more effective because it proves that Endeavor has done great work with his students and that they’re fully capable of picking up his slack. Society still needs a Number One Pro Hero, but it’s reassuring that in a pinch his protégés can still get the job done. It’s maybe time for U.A. High to appoint a new Big Three after the work that Izuku, Shoto, and Katsuki do during the Ending incident.

Once the action begins in “The Unforgiven” it doesn’t stop, but the first half of the episode is able to probe these characters in a more subtle manner. Bakugo barking a request for some of the Todoroki family’s recipes is just excellent and it’s another reminder that these characters can sometimes work best when they’re not involved in high stakes battles, but rather just in normal situations. In many ways, these characters now feel more like heroes than they do teenagers, so it’s always appreciated when their more juvenile instincts get to rise to the surface instead of battle strategies.

That’s not to say that My Hero Academia should indulge in a bunch of relaxing filler episodes, but it’s helpful how this season effectively explores the duality of these heroes and doesn’t forget that they’re still human. Bakugo also needs to immediately spend more time with Endeavor’s chauffeur. These two explosive personalities are required to be locked in a room together and be given a whole bottle episode where their tempers can flare.

“The Unforgiven” is one of the strongest episodes of this season of My Hero Academia and it’s the crowning achievement in the anime’s repeated efforts to redeem Endeavor. “The Unforgiven” continues the ideas and themes that are addressed in the previous episode, but there’s enough of an unique story here that justifies why this material isn’t just combined together with last week’s conflict. The development of Midoriya, Bakugo, and Shoto as heroes continues to delight, but it’s Endeavor’s simultaneous vulnerability and strength that makes this installment such a success. It’s the perfect mix of action and emotion, which authentically triggers change that’s difficult, but necessary.

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Darkness may never go away in My Hero Academia, but at least the heroes are more prepared than ever to keep the lights shining bright.

The post My Hero Academia Season 5 Episode 18 Review: The Unforgiven appeared first on Den of Geek.

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christinaengela · 4 years

Text

Criticism. As writers, sooner or later we’re likely to encounter it. How we deal with it – either internally or externally – depends greatly on our personality, and also I suppose, on what sort of place we’re in at any particular moment.

Here are some of my thoughts on the subject.

So someone posted a nasty remark on one of your social media book shares, or left a shitty 1 star review and a harshly-worded comment for you on Amazon. You stare at it, re-read it a second time just to try and absorb any sense or usefulness in the words as you fight a rising tide of red anger surging up from your chest area.

Why did they do that? Was the book really all that bad? Was there really something wrong with your writing? How could they be so mean – don’t they realize I pored my heart and soul into this? Is what they said in any way helpful or – no matter how remote – possibly true?

There is a huge difference between someone being helpful (or trying to be) to a writer. “Perhaps you should’ve made the story longer? It was great – just too short!” or “You misspelled ‘bureaucracy’ on page 11!” are examples of positive criticism. My mom always used to praise my writing talent, but frequently criticized my choice in genre – she didn’t enjoy sci-fi – she suggested I write in more contemporary, mundane settings… in genres like suspense, drama, action and adventure! I used to counter with “but I can do that in sci-fi too!”

That sort of criticism is helpful, positive and constructive in nature – and they can be discerned on the basis of their intentions to help the writer to grow or improve their writing, not to break them down for it, or even to cause them to stop writing altogether.

There are numerous and even perhaps unfathomable reasons for people to criticize a writer or their writing in writing – by leaving nasty remarks, bad reviews and even by sending them hate-mail – and on the unhelpful side, they include everything from simple jealousy to disagreement with the writer or their statements, and even disapproval of their subject and the way they address or present it often form part of the motivation for it.

In the following example, a reader downloaded a FREE eBook of mine – a short story called “Death By Vampire”. They left a poor review and a rant on Barnes & Noble.

“This book was only 19 pgs. Had potential. ***spoiler seemed to have a lot of unnecessary information. Also the description of the blood diamonds didn’t make any sense, they are named for their color but the color is green? Needs some editing.” 2 stars – Anonymous

I know this person didn’t actually READ the story, because inside it there was a whole paragraph that EXPLAINED how the aliens called the green stones ‘blood diamonds’ because they had GREEN blood – but it “needs some editing” because he didn’t understand it? All this guy did was expose his illiteracy!

As to length, it was a free short story, but he obviously missed that part too. Yet that story now has a 2-star review and a snotty comment from someone who obviously has problems with comprehension – and a narcissistic mean streak.

What can I take home from this? Not much – just that some people are basically mean-spirited and will make me the scapegoat for their own failures… but then, being part of an oft-persecuted social grouping blamed for everything from stock-market crashes to natural disasters, that’s nothing new to me. Should I take it personally? I’d like to think not – after all, what real value does unfair criticism really have?

In a technical sense, is there anything I can change or improve on the item involved? Were the words or sentences not clear enough? Were they confusing? Was a thorough spelling and grammar check done during the editing process? I honestly can’t see how I can make the story – or the facts of the story – any clearer without resorting to formatting the eBook using neon lettering, or replacing them with pictures to cater for the illiterate ‘reader’.

Moving on, negative reviews left at book sellers can and do damage a writer’s reputation – and in the long-run, their income. Reviews and ratings affect sales and distribution after all, mainly because readers will be more inclined to look at a book that has a bunch of 4 and 5 star ratings rather than a book that has one or many 1 or 2 stars. Let’s look at an example:

A few years ago I witnessed a writer falling under attack from his former small press, their writers – and everyone else they could rally to their cause. Lies and slander were spread broadly, and I personally witnessed calls being made for their cohort of cronies to ostracize him from the writing community and to even leave negative 1-star reviews on all his books! Other tactics and dirty tricks were employed against this poor undeserving writer, but this one is pertinent to my example. Suffice to say, that writer suffered a breakdown, has disappeared from social media – and hasn’t publishing anything since 2016. In that case it’s safe to say the bullies and haters won.

Any hostile criticism of our work as writers tends to have the potential to cause a writer to doubt themselves. Often that can also be one of the reasons why people leave nasty remarks – the writer or their work has (for whatever reason) offended them – and their intention might be to hurt them out of some feeling of vengeance or satisfaction. Some people, like the unfortunate author in my example are less resilient in the face of such attacks – while others, like me – well, I just don’t care for what the nasties say – anyway, I have more than enough fan-mail and great reviews to compensate. As far as I’m concerned, it’s water off a ducks back – and I’m a very oily duck.

Naturally, there are some things that spring to mind for every writer when faced with stinging and even personal criticism: are they right about me? Are they right about my work? After all, your writing might be utter crap laced with spelling and grammatical errors – and the story might make no sense, have plot holes big enough to drive a bus through, and your characterizations might be almost non-existent – right?

Are these critics giving you advice on how to improve your work? Is there anything of value in their ‘feedback’ you can learn from and use to produce a better story?

If the answer is no, and you’ve reason to believe they’re just being vindictive – such as making personal attacks and indulging in name-calling without giving any serious or pertinent pointers on how to improve your work, then their criticism is actually weaponized hatred intended to break you down! Let’s be honest – when someone criticizes your hard work, your ‘baby’, your pride and joy – it hurts a bit! Part of the answer – not the sum total of it – is of course to grow a thick skin.

In my particular case, I write in the science fiction and horror genres – as well as in non-fiction from time to time. While a lot of my fiction writing contains the usual sci-fi or horror elements, some of it also focuses on LGBT issues and presents these in a sympathetic and favorable light – which naturally draws ire and derogatory remarks from the prejudiced and bigoted who seemingly can’t resist leaving snotty comments on social media ads or shares of my work.

It’s not that my work is badly written or poorly presented – it’s that they despise the people I use as heroes and heroines in my stories and dare to explain and promote them in the face of their ignorance and hatred. I defy the established anti-LGBT stereotypes – and I flaunt it. It’s also that, once they do a little background check, they realize that I’m also part of that same group they’ve been programmed to despise! Add to that, once they confront me and I not only stand up to them, but also trounce them in a debate, that really makes them foam at the mouth!

How dare I? How dare I stand in the open, unashamedly writing about people they hate in a good positive way? How dare I not feel any guilt? How dare I even exist?

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In the below example, I held a free e-book giveaway contest in my Facebook author group in August 2016. I gave away a few books to contest winners. Soon after, the South African right wing ‘Christian’ (aka Levitican) community on Facebook went nuts about me promoting ‘demonic writings’, ‘homosexuality, sodomy and demon worship’! It was truly surreal!

The vast majority of the hate-mail I’ve gathered over the years – and remember the ones I’m showing you in this article are just since the advent of Facebook, from about 2016 or so – have been directed at me for sharing my books or writing or website!

Many of these people express negative ideas and emotions towards me because I’m transgender, a lesbian, an atheist – and because I’ve steadfastly refused to remain silent in the face of the overwhelming wave of hatred looming for numerous diverse minority groups in the world today. This provides one reason – albeit a big one – why most of my hostile critics and haters are what they are, or at least explains why they’re hostile toward me and to my writing.

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My advice when receiving this sort of hate-mail or harsh personal criticism is “take it from whom it comes” – which means, consider who the person is that’s criticizing you or your work, and what their real reasons are for doing so – and give it a value or rating. Is their opinion worth your time? Are they trying to be helpful – or are they simply being hurtful? Should you even take what they say seriously? Should you care? Most of the time I laugh at the voluntary idiocy, poor grammar and spelling in the hate-mail sent my way, and casually toss it in the pile.

I have a use for haters and hate-mail you see, and they’re too obtuse to even realize it.

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By far most of my critics and haters are religious extremist fanatics who engage in lunatic fringe politics and vent homophobic, transphobic and often racist language because they see me as more than just an enemy of their personal beliefs – but the personification thereof.

99% of the time, the people sending me hate-mail or criticizing me as a writer are attacking ME directly as an individual, not the worth or quality of my writing. I’ve also had the occasional odd-ball attack me using the fact that I’m self-published as though it means I’m somehow ‘illegitimate’ and not a ‘real author’, when all this does is reveal their ignorance about the publishing industry.

Here’s a clue, peeps – if self-publishing was in any way dishonest or dishonorable, I would have nothing to do with it. If was in any way, shape or form embarrassed or ashamed of self-publishing my work – or under the impression that it was in any way inferior to books by the big dogs, I wouldn’t be openly marketing myself or my writing as self-published!

It’s worth mentioning that within that same group of people who’ve sent me outright hate-mail, I’ve yet to encounter a single one who’s actually READ any of my books – they’re people who simply seized an opportunity to vent their hatred for me as a person because at that moment I represented the thing they hate.

In that light, this means that while my writing is good, even excellent, it is in their view ‘rubbish’ because what I write (or what I write about) contradicts their indoctrinated belief structure. To the folks who almost invariably misapply basic English words like “they’re/their/there” and “your/you’re”, I’m a ‘libral dirtbag’, a ‘libtard’, a ‘Christophobe’, a ‘commie queer’ and an ‘atheist fascist’ – and somehow inferior to them, not just because I’m part of the LGBT social group – but because I’m not afraid, acquiescent, silent or invisible.

I remind myself that these same characters tend to treat anyone more intelligent or in any way qualified, capable or talented than themselves – like scientists, doctors, artists – writers – and a variety of qualified professionals the exact same dismissive way – and I see them for what they are.

Over the last few decades of internet use, I’ve accumulated an archive of hateful remarks of all kinds, from people determined to convince me of the validity and value of their ignorance, to those who resort to childish mockery and blatant name-calling. (You can view it here if you like.)

I’ve always lived by the motto “if you piss off the right people, you’re doing something right”!

One fella wearing the crazy-pants ranted about how my children’s book on bullying, “Other Kids Are Kids Almost Just Like You” – aimed to teach children compassion for others – would ‘turn kids gay’ and that it was child abuse and I ought to be arrested!

So how do I handle hate-mail? Easy. I shrug it off, have a few good laughs – then save it, take screenshots of it – and use it as promotional material! In fact, I actually look forward to getting hate-mail these days!

After all, so many haters can’t be wrong, can they? 😉

I hope you’ve found this useful!

Take care and have a lovely day!

If you would like to know more about Christina Engela and her writing, please feel free to browse her website.

If you’d like to send Christina Engela a question about her life as a writer or transactivist, please send an email to [email protected] or use the Contact form.

Show your appreciation for Christina’s work!

How I Handle Hate-mail & Criticism As A Writer Criticism. As writers, sooner or later we're likely to encounter it. How we deal with it - either internally or externally - depends greatly on our personality, and also I suppose, on what sort of place we're in at any particular moment.

#advice #authors #criticism #hate mail #writers #writing

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goodbadanduglybooks · 6 years

Text

Review: Perihelid

Book Review: Perihelid by S. Alex Martin

Overall Rating: 8/10 (4/5 stars) Plot: 8/10 Characters: 8.5/10 Writing: 8.5/10 Originality: 7/10

Genre: Science Fiction Published: 2017 Number of Pages: 330 | Paperback Edition

Summary: The Fleet is in Ruins.The Drake vanished in the chaos, and thousands are dead. A rescue crew could be weeks, even months away, and Arman Lance and the Ember’s other survivors must find a way to survive until it does – if help is coming at all.As efforts are made to determine the cause of the crash, Arman struggles against the relapse of thoughts weighing heavily on his mind, threatening to unravel the purpose he has tried to create for himself since joining the Embassy Program.In the aftermath, the survivors discover what could be the most important revelation in centuries: the crisis on Belvun may mark the beginning of an even more desperate disaster. It will force Arman to make a choice, one that will determine the course of humanity's future......at the cost of sacrificing his own.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

**Possible spoilers for anyone who has not read the first two books in the series, but no spoilers for those who have not read Perihelid.**

Review: I’m just going to start off by saying that for some reason this year has been filled with books about people trapped or in quarantine for me! And I’m not complaining. Anyway, for those not familiar with S. Alex Martin’s first two books in his Recovery series, Embassy and Resonance, I believe that this is definitely the best book in the series thus far. It is still introspective and still includes some moments of slow pace, but I feel there is a really good balance of suspense, action for those who not only enjoy but expect it in science fiction, and emotional moments. Where I thought the last book was a little long, here my main complaint is how much more I wanted to see. However, Perihelid is certainly an engrossing read and is easy to move through. The stunning ending (I’m still not 100% sure what happened to be quite honest) will certainly leave readers wanting more.

I feel like each plot in the Recovery series has been incredibly different. The first book, Embassy, is a classic opener where there is a decent amount of action and description, because there is so much to show and tell. Resonance goes in a different direction that I didn’t really understand when I read it at the time. It includes a lot of description and very little action. I feel like Perihelid finally ties everything together. There has been so much foreshadowing about the environment, politics, and Arman’s psychological state and character. Readers finally get to see how it all interacts in this final book in the Arman Lance-focused part of the story. Don’t be fooled--even though this book has the best pacing of any in this series so far, it is still not a classic action-filled science fiction novel. But it would feel ingenuous if it were. The introspective aspect of this series is what makes it so unique. Often science fiction novels focus too much on plot and leave characters behind; there is no danger of that in Martin’s work.

That being said, I loved the smaller plot twists--and the big one--of Perihelid. As I previously stated, my main complaint is that I wanted more. Starting from the beginning, I truly feel at this point in the series there needed to be a better recap of what happened in the previous books or some kind of a glossary in the back. Martin has created a world which I very much appreciate, but of which I don’t remember every detail having read Resonance quite some time ago (additionally I was at college and did not have the book with me with which to refer back). I wanted more about how regular people on the ship were handling being stuck into space. I think particularly when the big plot twist occurs some flashbacks could have been really interesting. But overall, I love what Martin does here with the plot. Arman Lance has not been the hero at the forefront of all this--he was an archivist. So readers get the best of both worlds: the view of the world from someone who has some information about political happenings, but from someone who is also a regular person affected by decisions of higher-ups. This definitely contributes to the effectiveness of the plot, and if I’m interpreting the ending correctly, gives a whole new meaning to the word “sacrifice” for each of the characters. The pacing of this novel is much better than previous works, and the conclusion is absolutely stunning in the best possible way.

Now as for the characters--once again, I wanted more! I really like the side characters in Perihelid. It was fun watching them enjoy life exploring in Resonance, but I feel like serious situations are perfect for authors to truly showcase character development. Martin definitely takes advantage of this. What I think Perihelid does best is illustrating the flaws of each character, which makes them more complex and interesting to read about. And though the reader in me really wanted more interaction with the side characters and to learn more about their inner thoughts, the reviewer in me also understands that shutting other people out is a flaw of Arman’s; it’s a classic first-person narrative problem. It is addressed later in the book, which I definitely appreciated. The situation in which the characters find themselves truly lead to raw emotions that I think Martin is very effective in exploring.

Regarding Arman--Perihelid is the only book in the series where I think I as a reader have been able to connect with Arman. I know that’s kind of a back-handed compliment, but all it shows is growth on the part of the series and Arman. I feel like because in previous books Arman isn’t really connected with his feelings himself, many of his internal demons and crises are simply implied, which can definitely be lost on the reader, especially with having to learn the dynamics of a created world. In Perihelid, readers get to know nearly every one of Arman’s thoughts, through both personal reflections and dialogue with other characters. The only complaint I have here is the handling of Glacia’s assumed death. I feel like Arman didn’t explore those feelings as much as I would have liked, especially given that it appears future books will not be from his point of view. Here is an example of where flashbacks would have been extremely emotional in the best possible way. I also appreciate how Arman grows throughout this novel but not in a completely linear way. The characterization here is very well-done and realistic.

Martin’s writing has certainly improved with each book. His descriptive abilities are fantastic--I personally have a very hard time understanding science fiction novels, especially those in space, and I was able to picture everything very clearly in my head. There are still some problems with awkward dialogue, and emotional moments are not always as impactful as they could be, but the interactions in Perihelid feel the most realistic of his first three novels.

Regarding originality, there definitely is a sort of stuck-in-space trope in science fiction YA and new adult literature (however I have to add as a personal note here that it is my absolute favorite trope. Give me a trapped or quarantined group of characters in shopping malls, department stores, space--it matters not to me, I love them all). However the previously discussed introspective nature of Martin’s novels makes it an interesting twist on this common narrative. Also the plot twist near the climax of the story raises the stakes for all the characters and makes Perihelid more unique.

Overall: Perihelid by S. Alex Martin is by far the best of the first three books in his Recovery series. With a well-paced plot, introspective and three-dimensional characters, and a classic narrative being the driving force behind a unique addition to the science fiction drama, readers’ main complaint about this novel will be wanting more of everything.

Purchase here!

#books #book blogs #reading #perihelid #recovery series #s. alex martin #book reviews #embassy #resonance

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ruffoverthinksthings · 7 years

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I ask this since I know you love Elsa, what is her life and role like post G.U.

BOYHOWDY, LET ME TELL YOU ALL ABOUT ELSA IN AURADON

Elsais particularly interesting in all of Auradon as she’s one of thefew “True” Princesses that buck the Disney Stereotype, and thustheir entire society’s tradition:

Sheis unmarried, has absolute power over her dominion, and none of herpeople look any less of her because of that

She’sone of three who rules over a traditional kingdom without a husband,the other two being Queen Elena of Avalor, and Queen Merida ofDunBroch

Shebucks the trend of princesses needing to be demure and traditionallylady-like, waiting to be saved by a brave hero, and the medievalstandard that women should only stand to the side and cheer on themen as they go off to do work, and be there to welcome them back withdinner and a company in bed when they return

Thisis particularly impressive in that alongside Agrabah and China,Arendelle is one of the major economic centers of Auradon, one of thebiggest centers and facilitators of international trade, aninvaluable link in the global supply chain of the country, and havinga LOT of influence and sway because of all the taxes and tariffs theyproduce for the country, and goods that are endemic to her country,the most famous being their chocolate.

(Youmay think I’m joking, but royals of Auradon take their sweet treatsVERY seriously.)

Herlocal reputation is that she is the “Brains” of the monarchy,being the one to study, craft, and refine all the numerous laws,trade agreements, and government projects and infrastructure that arenecessary to keep Arendelle running at top efficiency and itsresidents, permanent and temporary, happy and healthy.

Ifyou thought that the giant number of ships and diplomats coming inand out of the port trying to make good with the gatekeeper forinternational trade in their continent was complicated, imagineadding the internet, international trade with dozens of othercountries from all over the realm, with all the numerous individualorders they now have to deal with, alongside the much easier bulktrade with countries and corporations.

Acargo-liner missing its delivery of produce to Agrabah can bedevastating to the both their economies and disruptive to the livesof the citizenship, as is an influential duke from Corona notreceiving the special chocolates he needs to placate his wife.

PrincessAnna is the “Heart” of the monarchy, being the one who handlesmost personal interactions with diplomats, fellow royals, orinfluential leaders and individuals, the sole exceptions beingbusinesspersons and lawyers; sitting in for or sitting with Elsaduring meetings and conferences; and always being by her majesty’sside when it comes to public appearances, international events, andespecially whenever Elsa has to do anything with Beast.

Withthe third, Elsa may be free to go around and interact with the worldat large, but she still prefers to stay indoors and work or enjoy hermore private hobbies, the latter of which has expanded to involve theinternet and modern media; and Anna is the only one who canconsistently emotionally (and physically) restrain her when Beastinevitably does something to offend her or otherwise earn herire.

(Moreon the strained relationships between her and Beast later.)

Internationally,she is known as one of the most unabashedly progressive leaders ofAuradon, one of the fiercest proponents for universal education andstricter standards; the advancement of science and technology,especially in the telecommunications sector, and the propagation ofit among the masses; and obviously, women’s rights.

Shehas received both praise and flak because of her beliefs, heractions, and government projects:

WithEducation, majority of the states dislike her stance of completelyremoving religion and the numerous customs associated with it, alongwith her push for serious and possibly criminal disincentive andpunishments if a legal guardian/parent/state fails to comply with her“education for everyone” philosophy.

Majorityof the negative press comes from the already financially troubledmiddle and working class complaining about the extra costs of sendingchildren to school such as lunch money, transportation, and ofcourse, the lackluster and highly variable states of public schoolsand governtment-sponsored institutions that gave states like Londonan unfair advantage, and the inherently different competency levelsof teachers, or the unique geographical and cultural challenges ofthe many remote villages and places without concrete roads, much lessreliable mass public transportation.

Thecost issues is not helped by majority of the disincentive beingmonetary fines, as “jail time” is equivalent to a trip to theIsle of the Lost, and Elsa was never a fan of that, to say the least.(Again, more on that later.)

WithIndustrialization and the Information Revolution, she’s seen as ascapegoat or a heavily demonized figure by the working classes andthe industries that have been rendered obsolete, or were vastlyshrunk or forced to adapt in a hurry in the wake of the increasinglyautomated and globalized nature of production and commerce inAuradon.

Itdoesn’t help that there are still media figures who are willing toslander her, making fun of and controversies out of Elsa’s knownhabit to stay inside her quarters and surf the internet and watchanime for majority of her free time.

Oneof the most common sound-bytes is, “This ‘Queen’ just wants tostay at home all day, dealing with fiction than reality!”

WithWomen’s Rights, the only thing I’ll say is that sexism andmisogyny is well and alive in Auradon, no matter how manycelebrations they are about how equal and progressive every state hasbecome.

Elsasums up the irony of her plight like this:

“Iam constantly receiving insults and threats from women who wouldn’thave been able to publicly express their opinion without Feminism,oftentimes sent from phones they’ve bought from the verycorporations they demonize, using technology and infrastructure thatwouldn’t have even existed or been at the level it is now if wedidn’t support education and science so much.

“’LivingLike Royalty’ indeed.”

Itdoesn’t help that Beast has at many points publicly and vehementlyopposed policies and causes she was supporting, only to laterbacktrack and get much if not all of the praise when he and thepeople finally realized how beneficial it was to their lives.

Mostpeople only remember the biggest three disagreements she’s ever hadwith Beast, however: the enactment of the Magic Ban, the creation ofthe Isle of the Lost, and his changing Auradon’s originalgovernment structure from an international union of all the manystates while retaining their individual powers, to the FederalGovernment it is now with Auradon City and Beast at the top.

Allthree happened amid a very bad time for all the royals and Auradon ingeneral, the first two years After Great Uniting when the “Honeymoon”period was over and so many cultural, economic, and political clasheswere happening all over the place.

Asthe one who had initiated the Great Uniting in the first place, alongwith being the first contact of many of the states for inhabitantsacross realms, Beast, Belle, and his court had handled majority ofthe international problems, even if they weren’t formally grantedthe absolute authority they have today.

Elsawas busy with keeping the peace and sanity in Arendelle as it was amajor international hub of political and economic activity A.G.U. asit was B.G.U., but all those policies prompted her to put her regentand Anna on the throne as she took an emergency trip to Auradon City.

Thescene is oftentimes heavily dramatized in historical documentaries,though the “ugly truth of the matter” is oftentimes made muchmore pleasant for a variety of reasons, much to Elsa’s dismay. Theactual event was as follows:

Beastsitting in his office, drowning in paperwork that is being siftedthrough by Cogsworth and a small army of secretaries, lawyers, andadvisers. Belle wasn’t with him at the time, as he had encouragedher to take a vacation from all the work she was taking on herself intrying to bring peace and sanity to Auradon.

Thegrand double doors are locked, and have been for hours, Beast havingstrictly ordered that only a handful of incredibly urgent andvery specific business and emergencies be allowed to add onto theliteral mountains of paperwork he’s already dealing with.

Suddenly,it’s unlocked from the outside, the sound of the key turning thegear mechanisms like a massive explosion to the inhabitants, asthey’d had nothing but the sound of furiously scribbling pens andhushed discussion for so long.

Lumierecarefully peeked his head in. “Your Majesty, you have a veryurgent visitor–”

“Tellthem to go away, I’m busy!” Beast says.

Lumierefrowns. “Your majesty, I’m afraid she–”

Bang!

Theother door opens with a blast of frost and hail, slamming into thewall, the crystal doorknob shattering from having been frozen. TheRoyal Guards that had been chasing yelp and jump back as a giant wallof icicles erupt in the doorway, barring them and Lumiere fromentering.

Elsadoes not notice the cries and complaints of Beast’s aides or thefear in their eyes as she storms up to Beast’s desk, ice spreadingfrom her feet, seeping into the carpets, and crawling up the walls.In her hands, she carries two thick sheaves of paper, the physicalcopies of the first drafts of the Isle, and the Ban.

Beastgroans and rubs his temples, his reading glasses dipping lower downhis nose. “Elsa, now is not a good time…” he starts.

Slam!

Elsathrows her papers down onto Beast’s desk, scattering the documentshe’s already reviewing, skewering the signature he was trying tomake on one. “What are you thinking with these?!” she demanded.

Beastscowled, and shoves them to the side. “Elsa, I had someone send youan e-mail with everything you wanted to know, just like you asked–”

“Iread the damned e-mail, that’s why I’mhere!” Elsa cried. “Have you gone mad, Beast?”

Beastgroaned. “Is this about the Magic Ban? Because I think your kingdomwill do just fine making your ice palaces and skating rinks theold-fashioned way.”

“Thisisn’t just about what I do for my people for the sake ofrecreation, Beast!”Elsa cried. “Haven’t you seen what it’s like for the otherrealms? You’ve met Flora, Fauna, Merryweather, Genie, the FairyGodmother, the Blue Fairy, Yen Sid, Merlin—magic isn’t aplaything for them and thousands of other mages, it’s theirlives and how they make a living!

“Andanother note, what in the hell is this about a ‘RemoteIsland Prison’ for all criminals?!”

“Yourmajesty Elsa…” one of Beast’s aides said as they stepped in, ahand held out.

Beasthis hand on their chest, and gently pushed them back. They loweredtheir arms to their sides as they quickly stepped back; the otheraides follow suit, many of them holding the documents, tablets, andpens in their hands like they were shields or weapons.

“It’sall business, Elsa,” Beast said. “All those people are going tohave how to get by without magic like the rest of us, becauseotherwise they’ll have an unfair competitive advantage overmundanes and that’s going to kill so many markets.

“Andfor another thing, if we get rid of all the villains and theirlackeys, we won’t have to spend so much on the Royal Guard to stoptheir mischief, AND we don’t need to strain our agricultural sectoranymore than it already is.

“Icall that a win-win!”

Elsastared at him. The room literally and figuratively dropped severaldegrees as the aides began to shake, both from the cold and fear.Many of them start to slowly inch towards the nearest windows.

“Youcall this a ‘win-win?’” Elsa asked, her voice devoid ofemotion. “Is that what these people are to you, Beast?Figures on a sheet, something that affects your bottom line,dead-weight you can just throw overboard?”

Beastslammed his hands on the table and shot up. He has great deal overElsa physically in height and weight, but even that and the blazingfire in his eyes doesn’t intimidate her, the Queen of Arendellestanding as tall and cool as before.

“Elsa,I am the King of this Castle you’re in, and you will show merespect, as a guest should,” Beast said, seething.

“A‘guest’ who also sits on your advisory board, whom youformally and publicly invited and made a big show of telling thewhole world just how glad you are to have my expertise,” Elsareplied calmly. “These new orders of yours are disastrous, Beast,however you paint it:

“Socially,you’re going to be sentencing for life a good third of our totalpopulation, ripping families apart without hope of ever seeing eachother again, many of them victims of circumstance and forces beyondtheir control as the studies from London will tell you.”

Shenarrowed her eyes. “I’m assuming you read them, right?”

“Ihad someone sum it up for me,” Beast replied.

Elsaresists the sudden, magnetic attraction between her forehead and herhand. “Economically, you’re devastating a giant portion ofour working class, ripping out a majority of the people who do allthe dirty, inglorious work that keeps kingdoms like ours running, andyou free to sit around all day dealing with paperwork whileyour servants clean, cook and bring you food, and read the damnedpaperwork you were supposed to.”

Beastgrowled and bared his teeth. “Leavemy staff out of this.”

“I’mmerely stating a fact, Beast, I can’t apologize becauseit’s true,” Elsa snapped back. “This isn’t even just thepeople who scrub your floors, clean your dishes, and keep your castlefrom crumbling apart—these could be the same people helping youdraft laws, communicate with ambassadors, and keep you from drowningin paperwork in ten years, after we put them through a propereducation!”

“Wedon’t know how effective your fancy ‘universal education plan’is going to be, all we know is that it’s going to be as expensiveas shit and hard to implement!” Beast roared.

“Anddoes that mean we shouldn’t TRY?!” Elsa cried. “This isn’t aquestion of cost and figures, Beast, this is a question of morality,the ‘Good’ thing to do. Is this how you want to treat all theproblems in our new world, Beast?

“Lockthem up or put them in chains, hide them away from the rest of theworld where they can’t see them so everyone can go about theirlives pretending is sunny and shining while they suffer cold andalone, do the same thing that happened to me?

“Thesame thing that happened to you?”

Beast’shands clenched into fists, his jaw clenched so tightly the veinsunder his skin looked like they might pop at any moment.

“Thisisn’t how a monarch should rule, Beast! This isn’t how this ournew world is supposed to work! You can’t just demonize people,shove them in a drawer where they can’t bother you, make them outto be monsters like you were!

“Youdon’t get a second chance at life and freedom so you can take awayeveryone else’s!”

“Shut.Up.”

“No,I won’t shut up!” Elsa cried, frost pouring from herfingers, her magic seeping into the desk and all the paperwork atopit, turning paper soggy then into ice, ink freezing inside pens andbottles. “I am exercising my first amendment of our Constitutionthat you signed, that you agreed to follow, that allowsand protects my right to tell you that you are making a hugemistake all of us are going to regret!”

Crack!

Beastslammed his palms onto the desk, the ancient, sturdy wood shatteringinto pieces from all the ice that had seeped into the grain.Paperwork, pens, and ink jars fly off as he roars and sends themflying off every which way and out of his face.

“THENGET OUT! OUT! NOW!

“THISIS MY CASTLE, MY RULES, AND AS THE KING, I FORMALLY DECLARE THAT YOUARE FOREVER BANNED FROM EVER SHOWING YOUR FACE IN MY KINGDOMEVER AGAIN!”

Elsanarrowed her eyes at him. “We will speak again, Beast,”she said quietly, before she turned around and left.

Thebarrier of icicles fell as Elsa crossed through them. The RoyalGuards standing outside with their swords drawn were prepared tofight her and forcefully take her out of the castle and to a privatejet headed straight back to Arendelle, but the constant, violent,freezing winds and hail pouring out from her make them think twice.

Lumierepeers in, and quickly beckons the terrified aides out. He closes thedoors after the last one, leaving Beast the only one in the room. Thestaff, aides or Royal Guard, all bow their heads and ignore thesounds of roaring, rage, and destruction that echo from Beast’soffice.

TheMagic Ban and the Isle of the Lost are soon passed, with the blessingand the enthusiastic support of majority of Auradon’s residents.

Elsais one of the figureheads of the movement that tries to prevent theirpassing, but unfortunately, neither she nor her allies could inspireloyalty in the masses like Beast does; Belle was on his side,believing that she could eventually steer him towards rescinding thedecisions and supporting what Elsa and the other, more controversialroyals wanted; and the union of the Fae and the soon-to-becomeIslanders quickly dissolved after massive in-fighting, factionalism,and the increasingly evident fact that technology would soon outpacemagic and leave half of them behind.

UnlikeDunBroch, which seceded from the Union during the chaos, Elsa firmlyexpressed her decision for Arendelle to stay. “Leaders don’tleave the table, they stay, even if the head of it is prone toflipping it over,” in her words.

Shedoesn’t have as much power as she would like, as Auradon quicklyturned into the Federal Government it is when the individual statessaw the need to unify under one banner with actual executive power,but she is a part of the unofficial, but no less powerful andinfluential Trade Triumvirate of Auradon, the other members beingAgrabah and China.

Alot of Beast’s dumber or less popular decisions among herprogressive allies were kiboshed when she and the others casuallythreatened to secede and stop remitting their billions in taxes andtariffs to Auradon City.

Allof the above events have obviously made their mark on Elsa, her hairthese days looking more gray than white, having gained weight andmore than a few wrinkles from stress eating and the stress thatprompted it, and lost much of her faith in humanity and the“Goodness” of people after seeing Auradon time and againsupporting Beast to their detriment, and praising him when it wasmostly the individual states’ actions that actually brought aboutthe change.

Therewas a push to put an end to the monarchies that govern Auradon nowthat the world is changing, but she is wary after seeing the kind ofpopulation that would constitute a democracy, and the leaders theywould likely elect.

She’salso gained something of a snarky streak to her, frequently seenwhenever she uses social media: “If I seem angry and pissed off allthe time, it’s because I am,” is one of her favourite lines.

Still,it’s not all that bad.

Feminismhas made life infinitely more pleasant for her and all of herkingdom, and she’s good friends with the other princesses/queens,especially Merida, Jasmine, Mulan, and Belle. (Her stance is that sheplatonically loves the woman, viciously hates the man sheloves.)

Inspite of the lack of credit and flak she gets for being one of thekey proponents of advancing Auradon’s more helpful policies likeinternet access for everyone, better standards for education, and theglobalization and industrialization of trade and production, it makesher happy whenever a little child tells her that she wants to be aruler just like her when they grow up:

Someonewho doesn’t back down from her beliefs, even when the entire worldis against her.

Andof course, the Great Uniting brought her Anime, video games, and theInternet. “Oh, how I wish I had these when I was trapped in my roomfor over a decade…” in her words.

#disney #descendants #headcanon #Ice Queens and Kings of Beasts

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toastling · 7 years

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A Brief History of Modern Superheroism

While the concept of vigilante heroism is nothing new, the current trend of vigilante superheroism and its formalization and transition into the mainstream can be traced back to the mid-to-late 1980′s, during and immediately following the most intense portions of the great war.

Once forced to hide among us under threat of government reprisal or mass hysteria in both literal and metaphorical witch hunting, when it became clear that man alone could not tackle the threat that D’aagor posed, powered individuals took it upon themselves to come out of hiding and fight the battles that the military couldn’t, protecting their friends, families, homes, and cities from the rogue dragon’s armies.

It was from this initial surge of local heroism and the stories that spread thereof, along with the success of the UN’s superhuman strike team in defeating D’aagor, that the modern age of vigilante justice and superheroism began, ushering in a new era which we continue to find ourselves in today.

While some scholars are content with considering this initial surge of wartime heroism from powered civilians the “First Wave” of modern superheroes, many of what we now consider to be the defining characteristics of superheroes were not yet present because of the chaos that prompted their heroic actions in the first place.

While many modern superheroes maintain a hero identity along with a secret identity, this was not the case during the war. As every battle then was a battle of desperation, most people fought simply to survive. Because of this, the fears or conventions of modern heroes - adapted from earlier comic books - were not nearly as present as they are today.

On top of this, those heroes ended up largely working alone and coming and going in a flash - there to save the day and then disappearing back into obscurity, never to be seen again and with no real sense of community or power structure behind them to support them. They were heroes in perhaps the truest sense, but also the most fleeting, as aside from the government sanctioned strike team that took out D’aagor, they maintained no real presence in the public eye.

Therefore, most would consider the true “First Wave” of modern superheroes to be the era immediately following the war, after the success of the team of 10 that came to be known as “The First Heroes”. These 10 incredible individuals had shone an international light on people with powers for the first time, instant celebrities who helped put to bed any fears that powered folk might be just as monstrous or inhuman as D’aagor.

While only five of the “First Heroes” ever really remained in the public eye, and only two of those became actual superheroes as we would understand them today, they nevertheless set the standard for what it was to be a hero and what it was our world was to be headed for. While it was done in perhaps the worst possible way, the revelation of the drakan race - of dragons - could not be undone, and neither could the revelations of people with extraordinary powers, or of magic.

So, no such attempts were made by the governments of the world. Rather, they moved to legitimize such individuals. They proposed to create a system that would protect the rights of powered people and allow them to do as they’d done during the war, which was to fight those who would exploit the chaos of the situation to commit crimes.

This movement was spearheaded by one man in particular, that being ‘First Hero’ Dr. Stan Lewis, the man responsible for pulling together the team of 10 that put an end to D’aagor’s genocidal ambitions.

He was one of the first to understand, as a person with powers himself, that now that the genie was out of the bottle, there was no stopping the change that was coming. So rather than fight it, he was the one who proposed that they get out in front of it, setting the stage for the Superhuman Civil Rights Movement of the mid-to-late 1980′s. He also played a large part in the Drakan Civil Rights Movement of the early 90′s, which he carried out in conjunction with fellow ‘First Hero’ and King of the Dragons, Sirus Albion.

It was his and King Albion’s actions that ensured not only the rights and privacy of dragons and otherwise powered individuals, but which set the stage for the first real vigilante hero organizations to start popping up. Organizations such as “Street Justice”, “Olympiad”, “Hope St.”, and “The Hero Association of America”, colloquially known as “H2A”. While some organizations were more successful than others, these four set the stage for the community and climate surrounding modern superheroes that exists today.

Before their founding, most heroes acted alone. Sometimes they would ally with one another locally if they happened to know each other, but otherwise, being a superhero following the great war was a lonely and disheartening experience where people were just as afraid or unsure of you as they were thankful, if not more. These original heroes, with possible exception to the widely exalted ‘First Heroes’, faced endless scrutiny from citizens and law enforcement alike, and were not seen as being very legitimate.

The First Wave, then, was something of an era of lawlessness and isolation, and it was only after the drafting of the formal rules and regulations pioneered by the likes of Street Justice and H2A that this new trend of powered heroes was fully legitimized.

With help from big names such as ‘First Heroes’ Takuma Miyamoto (billed by some as the “Astral Samurai”) and Damien White (who operated under the name “Demon Stone”), and final review and support from Dr. Stan, a plan was drawn up, and Street Justice, H2A, and other such organizations were officially recognized by the United States Government on both a federal and law enforcement level, and talks and hearings were held which hashed out the details of the regulations that all modern heroes are now beholden to.

Therefore, with the legitimization of H2A and Street Justice in 1992, the Second Wave of modern superheroes officially began, and with it, the great hero boom of the 1990′s. More modern myths and legends were born in this decade than any before or since, and hero agencies large and small came and went like the seasons year after year.

While they were allowed to retain some degree of their independence and freedom in what they chose to involve themselves with, heroes were no longer true vigilantes. Their agencies provided them with legal representation, a salary, and acted as go-betweens for them and local law enforcement and various government agencies. In exchange, heroes would be turned into celebrities not unlike sports stars, and they would sell products for various brands and companies sponsoring or otherwise affiliated with the agency they represented.

For a fledgling hero community that needed some good PR, it was the opportunity of a lifetime. Becoming celebrities and public figures like this helped warm people up to the idea of having superheroes around, and while not every hero liked the idea or subscribed to this model, those who did had no need for a day job - they could make a living simply by being a hero. One hero who was particularly opposed to this new model was Damien White, who ‘hung up the cape’ shortly after Street Justice went legitimate and tried to turn him into an even bigger celebrity.

But while Damien left the spotlight to pursue more personal goals, Takuma Miyamoto carried on, seeing the value of such a system and taking it upon himself to set an example for what a hero could - and should - be. He was a particularly exceptional hero under the employ of H2A who took on foe after foe and challenge after challenge with such ease and grace that he earned the title of “The most powerful man on Earth”. To this day, it remains unchallenged.

But Takuma was by no means the only big-name hero of the time, as the likes of legends such as The Crimson Comet, Future Knight, Dragon Man, Blue Behemoth, Eighth Wonder, and “The Incredible” Ion would go to show. This so-called “Golden Age” of heroes would last from the beginning of the Second Wave in 1992 to the beginning of the Third (and current) Wave of 2006.

With the disappearance of Future Knight sometime in the late 1990′s, the preoccupation of Takuma with his pupil, the retiring of icons such as Blue Behemoth and Eighth Wonder, and the death of “The Incredible” Ion in a battle with a rogue dragon in 2005, the climate had changed.

While the number of hero organizations had begun to level out, and the love of and trust in heroes was at an all-time high among the public, there were problems bubbling up beneath the surface which were beginning to change the tone of powered communities and call into question the degree of support vs. fear they were actually getting from the government and certain sections of the general population.

With the death of Ion blamed on a refusal of law enforcement to intervene or lend a hand, tensions mounting between human and drakan communities all across the country, an uptick in crime since the legitimization of hero agencies in 1992, and a new push from politicians to begin imposing stricter sanctions and limitations on not only heroes, but dragons and powered folk in general, the ‘Golden Age’ had come to an end, and a new era had begun, bringing new struggles along with it.

In this new, Third Wave of modern superheroes, the theatricality of heroes began to gradually become stripped away. The comic book origins of superhero mainstays were beginning to lose their luster, and as heroes became bigger and bigger public stars, maintaining a secret identity became more tiresome and unnecessary, as they were now essentially celebrities. So, many made their true identities public, and though many maintain ‘hero names’ and personas as a nod to the old days, it’s rare to find one who takes it very seriously anymore.

What’s more, the world was becoming tenser and more political with every passing year. While the general public loved heroes, many superhumans and dragons were becoming critical of the hero industry as a whole. Citing issues with government and law enforcement discrimination in cases involving powered individuals - especially dragons - and an increasing inability for heroes or their organizations to independently probe and investigate corruption, heroes were beginning to lose their luster for the very communities they were supposed to represent.

Feeling as though their needs were no longer being met by the heroes, their communities began taking matters into their own hands. Activists such as Rick Flowers, Eddie King, Artemis Abbasi, Marianne Dubois, and Keisha Jefferson became almost as famous and well known as the heroes themselves. They believed heroes were being neutered and in some ways becoming part of the system, and the problem. Because of this, they have pushed and continue to push for new legislation expanding the abilities of officially sanctioned heroes and ensuring the freedoms and protections of powered and drakan individuals across the country.

For a long while, these grassroots activists and organizations were largely ignored. Then, in early 2015, The Circus was formed, and everything changed. Many famous activists became a part of this new group which claimed to represent the dragons and the supers in a way the heroes never could. They began offering a variety of services, including their own truly vigilante heroes, and were quickly branded criminals for the actions they took, particularly against the rich and powerful. But this didn’t stop them from becoming a pillar of their communities.

Add onto this the emergence of Providence and its radical, violent call for change, staging public executions of those they deem ‘dangerous’ toward dragons and the powered or ‘unfit’ for the world they wish to create, and suddenly, heroes had competition. New organizations were popping up to represent their communities in ways the heroes could not or would not, and people were becoming increasingly polarized as a result.

Nowadays, heroes are gradually becoming political animals, whether they want to be or not. The old way of doing things is no longer working, and mounting civil unrest threatens to tip the balance that’s been enjoyed since the 90′s. Heroes can’t just be celebrities and corporate spokesmen anymore, they have to stand for something, they have to push for change. Otherwise, they may be rejected by their own communities.

As we enter into the 2020 election, the hero industry is on the verge of its ‘Fourth Wave’, and the very definition of what it means to be a hero may be about to change. With Providence becoming bigger and bolder and presidential candidate and ‘First Hero’ Peter Marx proposing stricter regulations of powered individuals, many fear we may be entering into a new era of fear and paranoia.

Only time will tell what form this ‘Fourth Wave’ will ultimately end up taking and whether or not the hero profession will survive what’s set to come.

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lodelss · 5 years

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Soraya Roberts | Longreads | January 2019 | 9 minutes (2,514 words)

In his satirical 1827 essay, “On Murder Considered as One of the Fine Arts,” Thomas de Quincey called himself a connoisseur of murder before ensuring us he hadn’t actually committed one himself. In her new book I’ll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman’s Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer, late author Michelle McNamara also reassures us that her interest is personal, not prurient (it originated with an unsolved crime in her childhood neighborhood). Most of us have excuses for our interest in true crime, as though enjoying it offered real insight into our own predilections. The quasi-religious impulse to consider this a perversion of society’s innate morality has led to a flurry of theories about the source of our fascination, with four main hypotheses recurring: true crime can be a cathartic conduit for our primal urges, a source of schadenfreude, a controlled environment to experience the thrill of fear, and way to arm us (women particularly) with the knowledge to keep ourselves safe. A psychologist, speaking to NPR in 2009, provided the perfect précis: “our fascination with crime is equaled by our fear of crime. It’s two sides of the same story.”

True crime is less embarrassing, like so many things, when it’s scrubbed clean. On my shelf, Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood, Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s News of a Kidnapping and Dave Cullen’s Columbine stick out for how unobtrusive they are amidst the loudly stylized spines of Ann Rule’s The Stranger Beside Me and Vincent Bugliosi’s Helter Skelter, among others. With their unadorned print (no drips) and minimalist art (no claret), these tasteful soft covers pass for literature. They are comparable to “prestige” podcasts like Serial and S-Town and series like Making a Murderer and The Keepers, Netflix shows in which the classic hallmarks of true crime programs — overly explicit, overly emotive — are massaged into character-driven narratives for the graduate set. In the midst of this influx of classy crime content, watching throwbacks like Lifetime’s Surviving R. Kelly, in which survivors are tasked with reliving their abuse and tear-stained grief is the closeup du jour, starts to feel like an ignominious act.

In 2016, at the beginning of the true crime renaissance, The New Yorker asked Popular Crime author Bill James whether, regardless of the highbrow livery, it was fundamentally “distasteful” (New Yorker for “trashy”) to transform tragedy into entertainment. “Well, certainly there is something distasteful about it,” James said, but, “When there is a car wreck, we ask what happened to cause the car wreck.” That is to say: The crime itself is distasteful (or trashy), therefore it’s necessarily distasteful (or trashy) when we address it. So, either we can refuse to interrogate crime, full stop, or we can ensure that the grief we cause is for a greater good. It is a sort of trash balance — less exploitation, more justice — with only one bad ending instead of two.

* * *

True crime was lurid straight out of the birth canal. Born in the mid-sixteenth century, it was the offspring of two relatively new developments: criminal justice and the printing press. Historic crime reports’ graphic nature is typically associated with a depravity believed to appeal to the unrefined, uneducated, and unmoneyed, but that was not the case with these early publications. Though they were often branded with explicit woodcuts that would have been understandable to even the illiterate, they also boasted rhyming text and only went to those who could afford them, predominantly the upper echelons. In “True Crime: The Origins of Modern Sensationalism,” published in The American Historical Review, Joy Wiltenburg writes that “emotive language, direct dialogue, building of suspense through circumstantial detail, and graphic description of bloody violence were common in the genre.”

Favored cases were in-family and usually involved multiple deaths. The focus was on the victims, while the moral of the story was that sin begat punishment. “The combination of truth with appeals to the heart underlined the religious focus of these works,” writes Wiltenburg. “Virtually all crime accounts published during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries connected their stories with an edifying Christian message.” This message associated brutality with the devil and positioned public order as the path to virtue. “[Sensationalism] has had religious, political, and cultural impact,” Wilternburg sums up, “promoting the ready acceptance of punitive government actions, the advancement of religious agendas, the internalization of mainstream emotional expectations, the habit of vicarious emotional experience, and the focus on distinctive individual identity.”

With a reputation for being insensitive to and financially exploiting both criminals and their victims, true crime is often accused of sensationalism, but that term wasn’t coined until the 19th century, a time that favored rational thought over the emotive prose of journalists. “While sexual scandals and other shocking events have become staples of modern sensationalism,” writes Wiltenburg, “its chief focus has always been crime, especially the most bloody and horrifying of murders.” The 1800s also gave us our first detectives, who inspired Edgar Allan Poe’s C. Auguste Dupin stories and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes series, the latter not only centering crime fiction as a genre, but granting it a modicum of respectability. The gutter was still within spitting distance, though. Penny dreadfuls arrived — demon barber Sweeney Todd in tow — as early versions of popular culture in the form cheap mass-produced serials for young, increasingly literate working-class men, featuring salacious gore; like the true crime paperbacks of today, they supplied affordable, digestible scandal to entertain tired people with no time. The last gasp of the penny dreadful coincided with the precursor to O.J. Simpson’s so-called trial of the century: The Lizzie Borden case. The 32-year-old Massachusetts woman’s trial for the axe murder of her parents spawned a media phenomenon and firmly established the mass appeal of true crime. The next century saw the trash-fired genre shooting off in various directions, from tabloids like The National Enquirer to paperbacks like Lacey Fosburgh’s Closing Time to shows like America’s Most Wanted.

Then there was In Cold Blood.

“Until one morning in mid-November 1959, few Americans — in fact, few Kansans — had ever heard of Holcomb. Like the waters of the river, like the motorists on the highway, and like the yellow trains streaking down the Santa Fe tracks, drama in the shape of exceptional happenings, had never stopped there.” Before In Cold Blood, this is not how real crime stories read. What Arthur Conan Doyle did for crime fiction, Truman Capote did for true crime. His 1965 experiment was released as a four-part serial in The New Yorker and became the reference point for every other high-brow true crime work in every other medium. “The motivating factor in my choice of material — that is, choosing to write a true account of an actual murder case — was altogether literary,” Capote told The New York Times. “It seemed to me that journalism, reportage, could be forced to yield a serious new art form: the ‘nonfiction novel,’ as I thought of it.” He believed only those with the “fictional technical equipment” — novelists, not journalists — like him could do it. The factual inaccuracies that have since emerged suggest that Capote’s belief in his own skills — he neither taped nor took notes during interviews — were as sensational as the genre he was hoping to reinvent. His book is still, however, considered the pinnacle of crime lit.

It was Capote’s book that the Times referred to when designating Errol Morris’s The Thin Blue Line a “nonfiction feature film,” per its distributors, in 1988. This exercise in lyrical fact was groundbreaking in its own right: an elegant piece of true crime as an advocacy tool. The subject of a false conviction, Randall Dale Adams had his case thrown out with the help of evidence Morris uncovered. It’s a straight shot from The Thin Blue Line to Serial, which blew up true crime podcasting in 2014. But while an appeal followed this program’s highly subjective long-form reexamination of Adnan Syed’s conviction for killing Baltimore teen Hae Min Lee in 1999, it was Capote — “a leap in narrative innovation on the scale of In Cold Blood” — who was once again cited, this time in The New Yorker. Serial’s executive producer has said they were trying to avoid an exploitative “Nancy Grace type of a titillating thing,” but the program was serialized with its own version of a cliffhanger each week, and provided its own hero, the avatar in our ears, reporter Sarah Koenig. Yet Koenig bristled at the suggestion by the Times’ Magazine that this was entertainment. “I don’t think that’s fair,” she said. “I’m still reporting.”

As though the two were mutually exclusive. As though true crime could only be trash if it were entertainment, and could only be entertainment if it weren’t journalism. Of course, this negates the nature of media. To entertain — to entertain a thought, for instance — is merely to take it into consideration, to allow it to hold one’s attention. Journalism is made to entertain; if it weren’t, reports would not be called “stories” and there would be no need for inverted triangles or kickers or pull quotes or anything else to catch our attention, to hold it. Because to deliver the news there has to be someone to deliver it to, and that necessitates their entertainment. Otherwise the news is nothing but fact; there is no story.

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“Many of the differences between trash culture and high culture show only that storytelling adapts to changing economic, social and political conditions,” Richard Keller Simon writes in Trash Culture: Popular Culture and the Great Tradition. It’s something to consider when watching Lifetime’s Surviving R. Kelly. The series was produced by a network for women branded by its schlocky aesthetic and penchant for frothy romance. An exec at Lifetime has admitted it has “erred on the tabloid side” and Surviving R. Kelly, which has a number of black women recounting the decades of abuse they say the singer has inflicted on them, exhibits the familiar tropes: the inflated score, the voyeuristic set pieces, the abused women on display. In an interview with Complex earlier this month, showrunner dream hampton revealed that she received a number of notes from Lifetime and that she was pushed to find more victims. “I didn’t like the salaciousness of stacking up all of these people who survived him,” she said, “but I got the corroboration part.” The result is a series that orchestrates rescue attempts and highlights the explicitness of Kelly’s brutality, while only gesturing vaguely at the cottage industry he has fostered over the past three decades in order to victimize black women and at our collective failure to see these women as victims at all.

When I watched it, I couldn’t shake a feeling of ickiness, particularly when one of the victims was asked to describe her abuse and dissolved into tears. We didn’t need to see that scene from the pee tape so many times, we didn’t need a tour by one victim of the room where she was allegedly tortured, we didn’t need to watch as one mother reunited with her daughter. (I’m not even including the questionable stylistic choices). The whole endeavor read trashy, old-school Lifetime. “I saw someone kind of try to drag me about why isn’t this on something more premium like Netflix. But this to me is the perfect place for it,” hampton told Complex. “I know that women watch Lifetime, and that black women make up the majority of those viewers.” Reading this made me doubly uncomfortable. It suggested that to get black women’s attention you had to feed them trash. And, okay, maybe black women weren’t trying to mute R. Kelly over The Chicago Sun-Times’ original reporting, but none of us were! The world has changed since 2002, and all of us — including black women — have become more sophisticated about predation.

“The average American today has greater familiarity with the legal process, thanks in part to procedural dramas and the round-the-clock media coverage of splashy crimes that began with the O.J. Simpson trial in the 1990s,” writes Lenika Cruz in The Atlantic. “And people are more aware than ever of flaws in the criminal-justice system, including police brutality and wrongful convictions.” This means that true crime has had to hustle to keep up with its audience, reframing from the crime itself to seeking its closure. NPR noticed the new true crime formula in 2015, with programs like Serial and HBO’s The Jinx (and later Netflix’s Making a Murderer and APM’s In the Dark) concentrating on ongoing cases that could be affected by new reporting. Andrew Jarecki, director of The Jinx, called this subject matter “live ball,” and so here we are in the live-ball era of true crime in which Robert Durst literally burps up a confession on camera before he is charged with murder. “Can the genre sustain this? Can they really sustain true crime as an advocacy medium?” Michael Arntfield, founder of the Cold Case Society, asked The Pacific Standard. “The success and the legitimacy of the medium hinges on being able to stay within this framework of advocacy ahead of strictly sensationalism or profitability.”

But even advocacy has its limits. Netflix’s runaway success Making a Murder eschewed Serial-like narration and Jinx-like reenactments, but contorted almost 700 hours of footage into supporting a theory that the filmmakers had already formulated, that convicted murderer Steven Avery was innocent despite everything pointing to the contrary. Laura Ricciardi and Moira Demos told the Times they secured interviews where others didn’t because of their “tempered approach.” Like those books on my shelf, this refined series passed for high culture.

The most balanced true crime isn’t actually true crime. Last year, American Public Media launched the second season of their hit podcast In the Dark, hosted by Madeleine Baran. Over 11 episodes, it examined the six trials of Curtis Flowers for the same murders. Even though the precipitating incident was the crime, the attention was on everything else; the reporting team embedded itself in Flowers’ Mississippi hometown for a year, ultimately producing not only a strong — dare I say entertaining? — sense of place, but a rigorous analysis of the systemic failures of the investigation. “For us as reporters, we’re here to look at the people in power and look at the systems in place that raise questions about whether or not the criminal justice system is fair, whether it is just using facts,” Baran told NPR. “So what that results in is not our place to say. But certainly, in this case, what we’ve shown is that the evidence against Curtis Flowers is weak. So this becomes a question now for the courts.” While other podcasts rely on their relatability, this one doesn’t have to — the story is enough. In the aftermath of Baran’s team’s exhaustive reporting, the Supreme Court has agreed to reconsider Flowers’ conviction. It is a rare case in which the balance seems to be moot. It’s all justice.

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Soraya Roberts is a culture columnist at Longreads.

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