Idol Human Theater: VIXX edition

“Talk about what?”

Hey pooks, let’s play a game called: How many euphoria references can you find in the fic?

“Ow, it’s in my eye!” Hiro’s eye began watering at the foreign feeling of the thin eye makeup brush.

You kissed your teeth and rolled your eyes playfully, “It’s not in your eye, you’re just not used to it. Calm down you big baby, your tears are making all my hard work run down your face.” You gently tapped a piece of tissue under his eye.

Lately, you’d breally been into gem eye makeup and sharpe eye wings. And for the sake of you being friends Hiro decided to let you practice a look you’d been wanting to do. You would’ve done it on your own face but you’d been doing your makeup all week and your skin needed a break.

Based on his face, you chose to give him black racoon eyes along with the eyelinder wing. Then adding tiny eye gems along the bottom of his eyes. An amazing look, but the process was being delayed way more than it should have been because somebody couldn’t get it together.

You put down the brush and picked up your black liquid liner in it’s place to make the inner eye triangles. “Okay, do not move whatsoever.”

“I’ll try.” Hiro responded quietly, while looking up at the ceiling.

The beginning sound of Gone Girl harmonizing melody played alongside the buzzing of the bathroom fan was the only noise being made between the two of you. You could tell Hiro was struggling to not let the smooth bristles of the eyeliner bother him.

During this whole process, he was having a really difficult time not looking at you. You’d met Hiro when he was in high school. Your mom had business with the school and she brought you along. It was only the second month of high school for him- who was nine at the time, and seeing you was the first time he every felt interested in anything in high school. When he learned you were not a student and just the child of someone who worked with them, your mom had set up a playdate with his aunt. Because that’s what nine year olds do, they have playdates.

And you’d been side by side for a good chunk of your lives, but when Hiro had finally told you he was going to college in the city, you’d assumed it meant that you would stop spending so much time together. But, on your first day of school you had a shitty time because highschool sucks but when you walked out after the day was over and saw him waiting with a shark ballon and snacks, the day had started looking up.

You’re Hiro’s first love, at least he likes to think of it that way. Honestly, he doesn’t really know what consistiutes love and if he told anyone he thought that they’d tell him he was too young to know. How could he be too young? It’s not like he hasn’t loved people before. But they would never say that if he said he loved you because you were his best friend.

You’re Hiro’s first love, but he never told you that.

After finally placing the final gems lining the bottom of his eyes, you leaned back and looked at your work with pride. Hiro turned and looked at himself in the mirror with black eyeliner and smokey eye makeup with sparkling gem stones stuck on his face with eyelash glue.

“I feel stupid!” He laughed out loud.

“Everyone feels stupid, who gives a shit.” You placed your head on his shoulder.

Hiro tried desperately to ignore the swarming butterflies in his stomach at the feeling of your body pressed against his.

While cleaning up all the mess you two had made, he found it very hard to stop looking at you. Even though he was the one with a attentive and eye catching makeup, somehow you were still his focal point. He hadn’t looked in the mirror to see his own face as nearly as many times as would be expected.

“Oh wait!” Yout zipped up your makeup bag. “I have to take a picture!”

“What! What do you need a picture for?” Hiro groaned.

“Reference, duh.” You said it like it was the obvious thing in the world and pulled your phone out.

You had Hiro sit on the floor, with the flash on to make sure that the gems really shined while you took the picture. After you took a few (hundred) you stared at them while sitting across from him on the floor.

“Hm,” You hummed.

“What?”

“I like what I did, but I think I accidentally fucked with your gender expression.”

You two burst out laughing at the comment. But after all of that, you moved from your spot and sat next to Hiro on the floor. Where you then dropped your body weight into his lap.

“Thank you,” You looked up at him.

“For what?”

“Letting me do your makeup.”

“Oh,” He scoffed. “Totally, you can do it anytime.”

Then you two just hund out there on the floor, SZA on repeat and the buzzing taking over the atmosphere around you. Somehow, Hiro’s hand found yours and now you were just pushing and pulling your arms simultaneously up and down.

“You know, you can be so charming when you’re not frustrated or hungry.” You looked up at him.

Hiro placed his free hand on his heart, “Aww, thank you. I’m charming as shti.”

“Oh wait, your gem’s falling.”

You sprung up from his lap and tried to gently stick it back to his skin using your pinkie finger. Once you’d accomplished that, Hiro’s eyes would not avert from you. It was like his brain was at odds with each other because the left side wanted to save his dignity and friendship, and the right was doing what ever it wanted. So now you two were just staring at each other face to face, nobody said a word until:

“You’re the first guy who ever let me do this to them.” You whispered with a smile.

And he will never know what force of magic compelled him to do it: he leaned forward and stole a small kiss from you. Totally taken back, your eyes widened and you sort of leaned back. Just as he did it, Hiro could feel all the color in his face drain and all the butterflies had morphed into moths that ate his insides.

“Shit,” he whispered. “Shit, shit, shit- I-I’m sorry. I didn’t mean- well- I’m sorry. I-I should go, right?”

He was a babbling, stuttering mess. You, still semi- in shock were trying to make sense of out what just happened.

“I’m gonna go.” He spit out and raced out of your bathroom, down the stairs and out of your house. (After saying bye to your mom of course.)

“Y/n!” You heard your mom call out .

Still in a daze, you walked over to the top of the staircase adn wondered if maybe you were dissasociating. Had that all happened it your head? It all happened pretty fast so maybe…wait was Hiro even here?

“What was that?” She asked. “Hiro just said bye and left. What happened?”

“I-,” You opened your mouth and waited for the sentence to form. “I think he kissed me.”

“Oh..” She put her head down and went back to staying out her teenage kids business.

But the part that didn’t come out of your mouth was: I think I wanted him to.

Just then in an moment of irrational behavior, you slipped on some slides and ran outside the house. (After tell your mom you’d be back.) Hiro had walked to your house so he couldn’t have gotten very far. You found him taking the long way back to his house by walking through some backallery where apartment buildings put their dumpsters.

“Hiro!”

Oh fuck what now? As if the day couldn’t kick his ass even more. Were you there to tell him off about how you can’t just spring that on people, or how you now saw him as a creep? Either way, by the end of the conversation you had chased him down to have your friendship would never be the same. Assuming you stayed friends.

Much to his surprise when you got to him, you straight up hugged him. Like a huge, tight, warm hug. The kinda hug you give people when they go away to college or when the come back. He didn’t know what to do with that.

“Uhm,” He’d started to wonder if maybe the alley was a welcome in the twilight zone. “S-so, are we gonna pretend that what I did wasn’t super weird?”

To try and make him feel better you said, “It wasn’t weird-”

“No, it was.” He cut you off. Your attempt failed. “It’s okay you can say it. But maybe, we don’t have to talk about it?”

Hiro may have liked you, but no feelings were ever worth loosing you as a friend. In his world you were th eonly thing that he could have. Tadashi had friends his age who did things people their age do. He had you, and he didn’t want to loose you. Maybe by not talking about it, you could pretend it never happened and things would stya the same.

You smiled and pulled away from the hug. Looking up at his black racoon eyes were the left one was missing a gem and the eyeshadow was smeared.

“Talk about what?” You played.

Hiro breathed out a sigh of relief with a smile. “So, you’re not mad at me?”

With the same spurr of irrational thought you used when you left your house, you propped yourself up on your tip toes, leaned forwards and gave him a proper kiss. Not a quick peck, but a kiss.

He honestly thought he was going to pass out. All thd wind had been knocked from his lungs and he was sue the buildings around him looked like they were melting. You gently brought your fingertips to your own lips and smiled.

“Why would I be mad?”

all spg albums poorly described by me bc i can

album one: steam man band: michael reed voice: GUYS HOLY HECK LOOKIT MY ROBOT FRIEMDS THEIR SO COOL OHMA G AD clockwork vaudeville: now when you say you bought yourself a pickle- sound of tomorrow: the jons audible lenny face as he says “in the nude” on top of the universe 2009 ver.: RABBIT FUCKED A TOASTER AND UPGRADE KILLED THE SPINE THE GIRLS ARE OFF THE SHITS on top of the universe 2011 ver.: alternate timeline where the jon and rabbit kill the spine and deny him ice cream i am not alone: poor one out for upgrades 1 (one) song, shes trying her best ice cream parade: i don’t even know where to begin with this one brass goggles: LOCAL ROBOS ARE FEELING EMO SO THEY HAVE A SING ALONG out in the rain: splish splash they was havin’ a bash electricity is in my soul: okay but whomst the hell is that electronic voice who sings the “la la’s”? serious question who tf is it???? steam man band reprise: michael reed voice: GUYS MY COOL ROBO FRIENDS ARE GETTING AN ENCORE HOLY HECKIE blind minstrel’s ballad: ominous captain albert alexander: listen,,,, he beat spider hulk in an arm wrestling match,,,, hes really cool,,,,,, the 2¢ show: steamboat shenanigans: some say they sang so hard they really did make it to the moon and across the stars ;) one-way ticket: CHU CHU I LOVE U ju ju magic: jonathan giraffe what tHE FUCK ARE YOU SINGING ABOUT HONEY? ARE YOU OKAY? me and my baby (saturday night): the spines a hopeless romantic and he loves to treat his girl and his siblings support him little birdie: jon makes friends with a bird or some shit idfk rex marksley: the spines a hopeless romantic and sings about his cowboy crush and his siblings support him automatonic electronic harmonics: they want to feel cool,, let them feel cool,, prelude to a dream: hey michael i thought you were supposed to be the human friend whats all this about not being a human being?? mike? m-mike?? make believe: FUCK SOCIETY, TRANS RIGHTS BITCHES *EPIC KAZOO SOLO* honeybee: ah yes that one song we won’t ever let them forget bc were all emo scary world: the morse code says spoopy the suspender man: rabbit voice: yeah theres this guys who sold his soul or whatever how fucked up was that, anyway i want to wear a dress :3c that’ll be the way home: THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL THAT’LL the ballad of lily: oh boi we about to have another character song on this album airheart: character song 2 electric boogaloo circuitry: y’all good? mk iii: curtain raiser: beebop voice: STEVETHY SOMEONES TRYING TO PLAY THE ALBUM   steve voice: oh fuck steam powered giraffe: HEHE NAME DROP mecto amore: this is some rabbits in love again shit but with WHAMST hatch fever: hatchy is here and the album version does not capture how feral hatchworth performed this on stage a way into your heart: spg as a whole @ their fans: we love you all so much thank you for the support over the years :) <3 me through tears: bitch,,,,, <3 ghost grinder: rabbit and the boys on their way to the graveyard at 3 am to party with rabbits dead gf please explain: i stg everytime i hear hatchy sing “gum in my gears” i think he’s saying something else and i’m sure you can fill in the blank, but the thing that gets me is thats so on brand for him to say dsfdfg she said maybe: rabbit is just young old dumb and full of love these days isn’t she? go spine go: almost 6 minutes of hatchworth and rabbit being two year olds and poking fun at spine roller skate king: everyone sleeps on how good this song is wtf i’ll rust with you: me knowing full well this song is about rabbit outliving her gfs throughout the decades bc shes a robot: oh,, so thats why theres so many love songs by rabbit on this album,,, rabbit you good?? wired wrong: the spine you good?? fancy shoes: hATCHWORTH YOU GOOD??? steam powered giraffe reprise: we interrupt your regularly scheduled robot angst hours with that good weeb shit™ turn back the clock: okay back the robot angst bleak horizon: our lovelys saying goodbye saying they’ll be back to bring smiles on our faces soon as we close out to some ominous as fuck shit teasing vice quadrant the vice quadrant: the vice does tight: okay so the vice quadrants fucked up and the robots are very concerned by this on a crescendo: ominous foreshadowing thats so ominous i had to look up what this song meant lore wise bc i just thought it was the robots just dancing and having fun steamjunk: my dear sweet honey darling is traveling through space and I’M WORRIED ABOUT HIM starburner: low-key robo angst bc their worried about their souls being damned or some shit but its cute  progress and technology: david YOUR RANGE wink the satellite: wink voice: YOU WAS MY BABY MY FUCKIN CINNAMON APPLE burning in the stratosphere: oh fire fire: this is the most haunting shit i have no joke for this sky sharks: hoo boi the sky sharks certainly won’t be killing us all today, but climate change sure will daughter of space: PREBBY SPACE GODDESS HNNNGNNGNG star valley night: honeys you know you can just wait for it to be night time right? then you can go play in the star valley at night- commander cosmo: BITCH YOU GOOD? where is everyone?: THERE SHE IS MY BABY gg the giraffe: MY DARLIIIIINNGGG SING IT HONEY  the pulls: wink my darling y’all ok? soliton: corpse man and space goddess sing a really nerdy analogy about love and its gorgeous where i left you: wink seriously are you okay? over the moon: rabbits just done but shes gotta sing it and go all out with how done she is bc shes extra it’s cosmic: is the “alright!” rav?? also is this love song supposed to represent them causing more fuckshit and destroying the universe and just not realizing it bc their in love?? idfk man it bops hold me: whether from the perspective of holly or rabbit i weep openly at this song the speed of light: david: this is where the astronaut turns evil won’t tell you why tho ;) literally every lore buff: *listens to this song and tries to theorize wtf happened* rav to the rescue: local green space twink rescues his space bf more at 11 starlight starshine: OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO the space giant: three steampunk robots fight a giant starbaby in guitar hero to save a satellites crush; a planet thats a huge apple i have zero jokes for this is already too absurd  oh no: oh OH OH? O H. OOOH OH??????????? o  h... oh no.... necrostar: evil pissrock possessed evil dead guy and is ready to cause fuckshit while the robots sing about how scared they are at the end super space blaster centi-asteroid invaderpedes 2: cute interactions with the robots! i hate this title tho whale song: wholesome shit to distract you from all the lore and foreshadowing at the end Music from steamworld heist:  automatonic electronic harmonics, on top of the universe, electricity is is my soul, honeybee, and brass goggles: me minding my own business playing steamworld heist: *walks into a bar where spine rabbit and hatchworth are performing one of these songs* me: HOOOOOGH heist ho!: yeah thats piper for ya starscrap: hi i’m in love for rabbit? prepare for boarding: GET IN BITCHES WE’RE GONNA OVER THROW THE PATRIARCHY  the red queen: capitalism? demolished. what we need are some heros: the spine projecting his love for cowboys onto the player characters the vast frontier: hatchworth: I’M A BAD BITCH YOU CAN’T KILL ME the stars: they made it lads they made it over the moon and across the stars.... also how’d they keep singing for that long aren’t they tired? quintessential: malfunction: wow i can’t believe spg ended transphobia i don’t have a name for it: love? i guess??gd fgdsghfdg blue portals: the idea of hatchworth going through the blue portals when i know they’re made out of blue matter is terrifying  overdrive: they want to seem cool please play along and pretend their green screen work is cool the ballad of delilah morreo: this came right the fuck out of nowhere but fuck its here now and its fantastic love world of love: wonder what other balboa park songs they’ll bring back, like never gonna give you up :) only human: i’d die for you hatchy salgexicon: they deadass wrote a song about their dnd campaign  sleep evil sleep: i guess we’re all evil BC WE KEEPING SLEEPING ON HOW GOOD THIS SONG IS TOO photographic memories: walter worker chelsea? come get ur mans- leopold expeditus: hatchworth: hey guys checkout my fursona dream machine: this song keeps me up at night with the endING I JUST WANT RABBIT TO BE HAPPY AND ARTSY BUT THE WAY IT ENDED WITH THE VICE QUADRANT RELATED TEASER MAKES ME THINK RABBIT PICKED UP A SATELLITE FREQUENCY FROM WINK ABOUT HOW NECROSTAR WILL KILL RAV IN THE FUTURE DEADASS I’M NERVOUS WHAT HAPPENED

The Miami Home Design and Remodeling Show Returns to Wynwood with Star-Inspired Interiors and Designer Looks for Less!

The Miami Home Design and Remodeling Show returns Labor Day Weekend to Wynwood – Miami’s internationally recognized art, design, restaurant and nightlife hub. The show takes place August 30 – September 2nd at Mana Wynwood, 318 NW 23rd St, Miami, FL 33127. Early Bird admissions savings are available online until August 29thwww.homeshows.net

Whether looking to decorate a new home, need touch-ups or a full-scale renovation, the Miami Home Show offers over 150,000 sf of exhibition space filled with thousands of selections and hundreds of exhibitors who will offer expert advice and show-exclusive savings.

Feature Areas and Seminar Schedule

All Weekend

Designer Rooms for the Stars: At a surprise reveal, four Interior Designers will present a room vignette inspired by local TV news personalities. Michael Zavala (Zavala Concepts) for Santi y Laurita, MIX 98.3; Debbie Travin (DLT Interiors) for Roxanne Vargas, NBC 6 South Florida.; Francy Arria (Max Space Design and Décor) for Jennifer Correa, CBS 4 Miami; and Roberta Black (RB Design) for Liane Morejon, WPLG Local 10.

 2pm Sunday and Monday, Sept. 1 – 2

One-Day Room Makeovers: How to Get the Designer Look for Less with Martin Amado, Design Expert & TV Host of SoFlo HOME PROJECT and author of One-Day Room Makeovers. The Secrets to Styling the Home of Your Dreams Are As Easy As 1–2–3! Design expert and “makeover maestro” Martin Amado reveals the 3-step method he uses to create dramatic room makeovers for his clients in only one day. Attendees will also get the chance to win a personal one-hour design consultation with Martin!

2pm Saturday, Aug. 31

Casados y Complicados with Santi y Laurita, in partnership with MIX 98.3 (Univision). In a podcast style, El Flow de Miami’s dynamic duo, Santi y Laurita share a behind-the-scenes glimpse of some life experiences and personal difficulties. Plus, enjoy a Q&A and book signing. #CasadosyComplicados

3pm Saturday, Aug. 31

Living in Wynwood: A panel discussion in partnership with INDULGE (Miami Herald) and Wynwood Business Improvement District (BID). Thinking about making Wynwood your home? INDULGE’s 2019 Design & Real Estate Issue’s featured Architect and Interior Designer, Sandra Diaz-Velasco talks to a group of experts about how this popular tourist destination is transforming into a place to “live, work, play and stay.” Panelists are: Ines Hegedus-Garcia, Mario Ariza, Adam Kayce, Manny Gonzalez, Sven Vogtland and Adam Meshberg.

Environmental & Home Security

 1pm Saturday, Aug. 31

Turf's Up Radio, Elevating and Educating the Green Industry with Jeff Hesser, VP of Contributor Relations Turf’s Up Radio™ which is the only radio station dedicated to the Green Industry. Driven by industry professionals, this 24/7 platform aims to provide both those who work in or on the business as well as those who utilize its products with insight and knowledge.

5pm Saturday, Aug. 31 & 3pm Sunday, Sept. 1

Keeping Your Home Safe with Jon Douglas Rainey of “It Takes A Thief.” Home Security and Personal Safety educator, Jon Douglas Rainey will be sharing the hard statistics of home invasions; who are today’s number one targets for criminals; and why most people falsely believe that they are safe. Jon will also be sharing security advice that will make your home and your family safer by discussing how to implement security conscious choices in your daily routines.

  Design & Organization Tips

 4pm Saturday, Aug. 31

Closet Envy: How To Organize Like The Pros with Beth Levin, Closet Queen®, a Golden Circle member of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) who has been featured on HGTV’s Mission: Organization! Learn tips, tricks and products to help make the most of any sized closet.

 1pm Monday, Sept. 2

Design on a Dime with Jasmine Nicole. Join Jasmine as she shows you how to make updates to your place with free resources and local services.

 3pm Monday, Sept. 2

Organize Your Space: Harmonize Your Life (Bilingual Seminar). Meet TV and YouTube design expert/influencer, Julia Alzate! An organized home is key to leading a stress free life. Learn some basic organization skills and how to decide what to keep and what to give away.

  Family Fun

 1pm Sunday, Sept. 2

Shark Fun for Babies and Big Kids presented by Miami Superhero. Sing, dance, play games and take selfies with the world’s most famous fish!

 “I appreciate how the Home Design and Remodeling Show brings together so many vendors in home improvement, design and lifestyle under one roof. This benefits the homeowners because they become educated on the diverse services and products available to them to update their home and, ultimately, improve their life. The one-on-one access they have with vendors is priceless,” said Martin Amado, Design Expert & TV Host of SoFlo HOME PROJECT and author of One-Day Room Makeovers. “As a designer on TV, I’m constantly asked for referrals for trustworthy sources in my field. With so many vendors at the home show every year, homeowners can save time and feel confident seeking advice in so many different areas of home improvement.”

Miami Home Design and Remodeling Show August 30 – September 2, 2019 Labor Day Weekend Friday 4:00 pm - 9:30 pm Saturday Noon - 9:30 pm Sunday Noon - 9:30 pm Monday (Labor Day) Noon – 7:30 pm

Mana Wynwood Convention Center 318 NW 23rd St., Miami, FL 33127 www.homeshows.net [email protected] 305.667.9299 @FLHomeShows Instagram & Twitter FloridaHomeShow on Facebook

Forever in my mind sailing ⛵️ through the waves currents riptides 🌊 fly high 🕊 lil bro channel spirits n spread these messages in divine time keep your spirit alive through my life writing stories data kept in mind that articulate this matrix’s design cast tidal waves that open up the mind give blind eyes insight pointing spotlights amongst the moonlight glow vibrant signs that glisten in the midnight sky shimmering silver stars of glitter…we all started blind til we take a moment to peep inside this mind god designed counting blessings puffin clouds of chronic loud holding grip tight this 9mm hellcat stay ready spitten hollows out from by my side sounding off when threats come to life Real eyes Realize Real Lies was reminiscing about the old days when life was simple and care free without worries… never will I forget the memories and bonds created along the way of this journey… miss the goon squad every day God Descended kings started from a dreams vision boutta turn into reality…remember younger days running round finding trouble like it was yesterday caught between the motions… enjoy it while it last they say because I didn’t believe them at first when they said as the age digits climb high the years pass on by and when you blink It runs laps before your eyes stay tuned with these Melodic vibrations that sound a harmonic hum of drums background chimes with tracks cooking heat starting fires & make ripples cast spells that waves my wings catching drift up in the sky wind gusting at the back ship sails I’m floating out my mind wish me well no kiss n tell we wish them well… had to create a slice of heaven while living rooted in the darkness casted amongst the hungry sharks learn to appreciate the simple things when looking out the window of this ride we call life got a long drive ahead… brings comfort knowing you can rest u shed some light in the dark shaded areas of my life as you do for many other humans lives 🌎 🌙 💫 ⏰ 🌌🍄💊🌊🚀🛸 247 well hit you back in a sec. 47 baby nips JW Never forgotten baby brotha I’ll see you all there on the other side when I earn my wings & stripes until then I’ll count up these blessings kick back & watch as the stars align https://www.instagram.com/p/CZEr--RL-EdB4NgdjEtJ0wN2kdlZARBr_fu1Vg0/?utm_medium=tumblr

Survival of the Fittest. 6X01 Scandal Reviews

Oh scandal, I have missed you. This year and last year have been a roller coaster and a actual nightmare and I have missed scandal dearly. This was a solid episode, that really grew on me. We are aware that flashbacks will take center stage this season. And we will see the characters move from the present back to the past on the campaign. Lots of questions and theories rolling in my head but Scandal starts this season off nicely while letting the audience in on some of the things we have missed in our absence. 

Olivia Pope:

It was nice to see a familiar person that I have missed dearly, Olivia came back to the light if only for a minute it was still nice to see that she is still in their wrestling with her demons.  We start the episode off on election night, stakes are high and the energy is somewhat subdued but you can see that this election has been a very close race from start to finish. Olivia makes a statement for everyone to vote if they haven’t yet and then Mellie mentions San Benito…oh snaps. Defiance is never dead, another close race with one county that will declare the winner. It's like they say, History repeats itself.  But then Fitz walked in and said they are up by 2,000 votes in that county but then Olivia turns to look at Jake, I suppose to either gather his reaction from the statement and also to show that Vanessa now drinks

What the hell has Pete Harris done now besides be the most irrelevant person in the fictional universe oh and also low down dead beat piece of crap. Crap has happened to make Vanessa start drinking but I’m curious if Jake made her start drinking or did something despicable cause ole girl is a straight up lush. And you know how the story goes Jake going to disappear when he literally has one job which is be to ornamental and he can't even do that right. *sips tea* Jake is a part of Vargas's murder with good olé dad and let me just say that when Fitz noticed and called Jake out on coming late to a freaking national crisis, the national crisis... uh yeah he up to no good.

 When Olivia heard Fitz say he got off the phone with the mayor of San Benito and that they were in the lead by 2,000 votes; she knew that wasn’t true and needed to get confirmation by her gladiators, and look whose there with that information- Charlie who has now joined OPA since I don’t see Marcus anywhere in sight. And don't think I'm not watching Charlie either. Anyways.

Charlie makes a reference to that large lead and Olivia knew right there that they lost, and much to my surprise and delight. Olivia quickly conceded and seemed completely at ease with losing though it was a painful loss to have.

Now, that’s what I’m talking about!  That is my girl ! Fuck this presidency and go find the real to key to eternal power and happiness cause it springs internally. Olivia wasn’t being crazy like she was in season 5 which tells me that Olivia has been working on some of her issues. And that it’s okay to fail if you did the best you could.

 And Olivia did her best.

She refused Rowan’s help who would have promised her the Oval because Olivia wanted to earn this on her own and from what I am seeing she didn’t want to fix another election. Progress.

The ex-lady gang couldn't stand to be around people or watch the polls coming declaring Vargas the winner, so they sequestered themselves in a bathtub sharing a bottle of wine together but it was nice to see Olivia say sorry for not winning though she promised Mellie the Oval. Mellie talks to Olivia and tells her feelings and appreciation for her help and it is a nice moment between these two people who have such history with each other. Olivia didn’t need to apologize but it was nice to hear… speaking of ‘sorry’ Olivia has been using that one word more in this one episode then she has in a complete season.

Deep inhale people, what’s that smell? *sniff* smells like remorse with a hint of mint.

Oh Baby girl. I don't  know if Iyanla came and fixed her life but something happened to make Olivia aware of who she was becoming and I am here for this awareness.

But then Vargas got shot.  And I knew Vargas would die just like most of you but man he would have done some good in this fictional realm. There needs to be a good guy but like scandal shows the good guys either die or become corrupt, fortunately Susan got out with her soul intact; does anyone miss Susan cause I do. Any who. Instead of Olivia just letting that old man die a miserable life she has to go to see him and point that finger at him when she knows good well he will flip the script and make her issues the problem that needs fixing.

 The progress we just saw in Olivia shattered in a matter of seconds.

I’m so tired of Rowan and taking his joy in fucking up his own species so he can remain hierarchy and ruler of them all. I want to rip his mole off. Ugh. But while Rowan is ruler of all evil he also spits truth bombs though he’s projecting.

“I am not a predator. I am smart prey.”

Nah, you are the freaking predator but Rowan wasn’t lying when he said he wants to help his “own species” *cough Jake* *cough Olivia* but *double cough himself*. That should have told Olivia right there that Rowan has his finger on that trigger. Cause if anyone knows anything now it is that Rowan loves Rowan.

So Olivia just going to forget that ‘dad’ did this same psycho bullshit last time when it came to her helping Edison, how he manipulated her and he just told her in his tirade monologue that “she is weak” and that she “let’s everybody in”.

Girl, Olivia wake up. Don’t fall for it. But we know it. It’s too late; Olivia has once again fallen in daddy’s trap as he lays out his plans 

“for the ultimate predator.” 

 Olivia is a shark smelling blood. And dad is her trigger. I found it interesting though that when Olivia went to the White House to find out if Vargas is dead she purposely seeks Marcus for answers and tells him a lie that even she can barely muster "come on, Marcus...were friends." This causes Marcus to pause and turn around and look at Olivia but before answering, Marcus wanted to know how Mellie is doing...I'm willing to bet that Olivia has found out about them and probably put a stop to it but nevertheless Olivia answers and Marcus tells Olivia that they aren't friends because "your Olivia Pope." And ladies and gentlemen he didn't mean it as a compliment either and when Olivia went to the hospital to see Cyrus she said "I'm Olivia Pope." And the thing about it is that her name  that once carried such power and weight means nothing now. It was Abby who gave Olivia access in an area that she used to run. Abby has surpassed Olivia, it's no longer Olivia's name who everyone knows and fears, but Abby is making a name for herself and not afraid to flaunt her power when needed.That was a tough pill to swallow for me personally because Olivia prided herself on that name and now it means nothing. I hope that moment doesn’t way too heavily on Olivia because she's needs to look in instead of looking out.

The second Olivia got what she needed she ran up to the residence and finds Mellie playing with Teddy. Did anyone catch Olivia looking at Teddy, yes she was waiting for him to leave the room but there was something else there that caught my attention and clearly Olivia’s but the moment was over in a blink of an eye.

The once harmonized duo appear to have hit a rough patch as Olivia is once again power hungry thanks to dad but Mellie isn’t having it: after all she sees what happened to Vargas could have happened to her not to mention Jerry died and Fitz got shot and she lost her marriage here in the White House. But Olivia was like.

I think Mellie thought that she was running the show and Olivia had to check her like she did ol’joker and say she ain’t done running so you better fix that wig and grab them pearls cause Olivia has to prove dad that she is better and more powerful than them all. *sigh*

But at the end of the episode when Olivia gave Cyrus that hug and whispered in his ear; she knows what he did. Goosebumps covered my skin because while Olivia is now on this quest for answers; I am hoping and believing this will lead Olivia back to the light. Back to her core values, back to her white hat.

 Olitz:

 Oh what sweet joy thou has brought to my soul. Olivia and Fitz are not together  but their is this sense of calm and peace that surrounds Olivia when she finds herself alone with him. The comfort familiarity of these two souls finally in each other’s orbit after such a long departure has my heart swooning with a sense of nostalgia. I am excited about watching Olivia and Fitz whose lives have gone in completely different directions seem to have met once again at this familiar intersection. In five seasons our hearts have been broken and healed by their connection which is their sacred vow, granted there has been circuits and shortages but finally it appears as though Olivia and Fitz have moved forward in their relationship towards a more promising and satisfying note. 

 Friendship. 

 We know much has transpired for these two to be able to talk to one another again and not feeling the griping hole of their uncoupling. Surprisingly for some but not to me, Olivia and Fitz are comfortable in one another’s presences. Theirs no awkwardness or intimidation But genuine ease and peace. Fitz excited about Mellie winning grabs a glass of scotch and hands it to Olivia because Olivia is still the person he wants to celebrate with and the thing about it, is that their was no jealously surrounding them. Fitz was proud of Olivia and her would be accomplishment. This moment is a reminder of their beautiful bond that they still share.

 They say heavy is the head that wears the crown. And for Olivia her head had grown quite tired of the added weight and pressure. Overwhelmed by the loss, Olivia seeks solitude just for a moment to catch her own bearings but guess who notices her absence almost immediately.

  I know some were waiting to hear the ‘light’ an were disappointed but I wasn’t and I was relieved that it wasn’t because that moment wasn’t the time for them. The light is their song that is often played when they come together or have reunited after being without the other for so long, that wouldn’t have been the right time but nevertheless the moment is easily etched on both of their faces when they find themselves back in this familiar place with their souls merging together to create this moment that has always been made for two.

Fitz, knew he had to go find Olivia, and while I was annoyed at first that he didn’t pay attention to Olivia’s own fall and request of time. It finally registered what Olivia was saying to him. This is the second time that Olivia has articulated her desire for a minute. 

 It wasn’t the action itself that made my chest tightened but the look between these two people who are able to communicate without words. Olivia can't manage eye contact, it's seems impossible for her to look at the one person who knows you in a way that leaves you completely vulnerable and Fitz does. He sees Olivia and Fitz knowing what Olivia needs grants her that request and with a heavy sigh Olivia’s head falls on Fitz knowing that he would be steady and strong as the weight she’s carrying transfers over to him. And like the man he is, Fitz doesn’t waiver.  It wasn’t a minute but it was exactly what Olivia needed to remind herself that she’s okay.

 When Olivia came to see Fitz after running to the hospital to catch cyrus and ended up seeing him completely in shock at watching Vargas get shot. Olivia went to the White House and apologized for wasting Fitz’s time and Olivia was vocal about her feelings of shame and embarrassment, how she wanted to believe that Cyrus was guilty and she told all of this to Fitz. Fitz listened to her express her fears and regrets and even heard her sincere apology. And then Fitz also expressed his feelings and how he wanted Olivia to be right since she always is…..pump your brakes Fitz, Olivia is not always right, hell she hasn’t been right in a long time including yalls break up so you need to chill on this statement cause it ain’t a fact. *fixes shirt* now as Olivia and Fitz converse and expresses their feelings; Fitz admits that he doesn’t want to steal another election and we know per Olivia’s conversation with Rowan that she too didn’t want her dad to fix the election. It seems both of them are trying to be better people and learn from past mistakes. It’s never too late to change. Progress isnt always a straight line but it matters not how you start the race but how you finish it.

I can’t wait for these flashbacks because to see Olivia and Fitz grow as individuals and to admit their setbacks and hopes, leaves me feeling more hopeful of their possible reunion.

Fitz:

  Oh sweet baby Fitz. Let me say that when we last saw Fitz in season 5, he had grown and appears to be coming into his own. But this episode really showcased his Presidential power. It’s evident that Fitz has been working with Olivia on Mellie’s campaign but it’s wonderful to see him in the fold and out of the White House for a minute. Fitz was the man of the hour, he made sure to comfort both the most important women’s in his life but also to lead and show courage and strength in the face of a crisis. Mellie and Fitz’s conversation was one of the highlights of the episode. It finally dawns on Mellie that she has completely misjudged Fitz, and the White House. All along she thought he was stealing her joy and taking the view away from her until she realizes

 “there is no view, We are the view.”

The Oval- the White House; it’s all an elaborate illusion to showcase power when in truth like papa pope said:

“power is never lost”.

 The White House never made Fitz powerful but the beauty of Fitzgerald Thomas Grant is that while others may find him weak due to his benevolent nature and lack of power seeking. That is were his strength and power comes from. Being consciously aware of the power and lives at stake is not lost on him. When he had to deny Vargas’s widow the opportunity to call her children because had to make sure that America was safe and wasn’t vulnerable to an attack, shows that while he is making that transition to leave office he is still the President and all orders must go through him.

We have lost Obama and now we about to lose Fitz. Granted he won’t be leaving office until probably later in the season….my heart ain’t ready to see that beautiful specimen walk out them doors and onto Air Force One. And when Olivia asked Fitz for time to prove Cyrus guilty and he told her until morning she said she needed more time and he didn’t back down to her.

That man made me feel things in my undercarriage and the way Olivia had shut up an nodded her head told me she respected Fitz’s answer. Something she would have never done before. This is growth people. Fitz is still in love with Olivia but it doesn’t jeopardize his duty to the republic and Olivia sees that now and respects him.

 On the Truman balcony when Fitz and Mellie were talking, that was one of their truest conversations but what showed growth from both parties was their awareness; Mellie becoming aware of what she is asking for with becoming President and what she remembers happening last time: Jerry dying, Fitz getting shot, losing her marriage, suddenly feeling the doors closing in on her and it's there that Mellie sees she was jealous of Fitz, he never wanted to be President and he never craved the power that came with it but Fitz respond with the perfect answer  that he's not a good guy and that he's always had power because his name is "Fitzgerald Thomas Grant" interesting that both Olivia and Fitz use their names in reference to measuring their power. The difference between the two is that one knows their power and their worth while the other is looking to create a name for themselves and find their voice and power. Fitz is making so proud and I can’t wait to follow his own journey of self acceptance and no longer needing anyone to tell him how to do his job.

Interesting Views:

The lack of music in this episode, even Olivia and Fitz's theme song when they sat down was different.

Marcus is now Press Secretary, something Olivia has done in the past and my bet, Olivia has something to with Marcus getting the boot from OPA.

I think Cyrus has something to do with Vargas getting shot but I don't believe he orchestrated the entire thing cause we know Rowan and Petey still out there trying to save their own 'species' and I’m still watching Charlie.

Curious to see how Mellie ended up in the Navy shirt, and before y'all start going crazy- it’s a different shirt and it’s just a sign that Mellie and Fitz are close once again. Nothing scandalous about them but Mellie quickly opened her mouth and told Fitz she still wanted the oval though she just told him how bad it was.

I honestly chuckled at Olivia’s confused face about what’s going on with Quinn and Charlie, curious how this news will affect her.

I loved this episode and excited to see how it plays out and where do all these people go from here.

Until Next Time....Muse.

Some Avatar AU ideas (really long but Please Ask Me About Them)

I have a lot of these?? I know it’s a lot but if you see one you like Please Ask Me About It I Would Appreciate It A Whole Lot, It Would Make My Day

- Zhao is careful. The Blue Spirit is caught, and Aang remains so. Katara and Sokka survive their illness, but are never quiet the same, and suffer permanent damage to their internal orans for the rest of their lives, as well as symptoms of early dementia. Zuko is tortured for his treason, given the greatest punishment of all: he is left to live utterly humiliated, blind, mutilated, and armless, doomed to be trapped and tortured in a prison made hell until the day he dies. Aang is left permanently on the brink of death, always inches away from starvation. He no longer hopes for freedom, merely death, that perfect painless peace, so he may be reborn and this ruined iteration can finally rest. Toph never even hears the name Aang, though she is embroiled within a small and dying resistance force. Katara and Sokka take care of Momo and Appa through work in a nearby town, kept from Aang by the intense secrecy surrounding the Avatar's whereabouts. They have looked and looked and looked- it's like he vanished off the face of the planet. They can't go back home; the waterbenders have met the same fate as the airbenders. The earthbenders, what little there are left, scurry and hide like rats beneath the cities they once ruled and loved. Ozai has won. There is no one left to disagree.

- Bending is not a human trait. Back when the world was new, four major races ruled: The merpeople of water, the centaurs of earth, the drakes of fire, and the harpies of air. Merpeople were covered in scales, with long, powerful tails and rows and rows of teeth and arms far too long for comfort. They had flat, almost non-existent noses and huge, solid iridescent eyes that looked like the purest of pearls. Centaurs had human torsos, but the bottom halves of equines from the neck down; they had manes that went all the way down to the base of their hooved-half's neck. They had the ears of equines, and eyes strangely round and colorless. If their hooved-half had horns, so did they. Drakes were quadrupedal and scaled, with long tails often ending in spikes or other weapon-like attributes. They had vestigial wings, mostly leathery, but very rarely feathery. They had long snounts filled with shark-like teeth that could grow back no matter how many times they were lost. They had horns, often massive, of many different shapes (but mostly curved back), with jaggedness or off-shoots usually connotating the ability to breath and control lightning. Harpies were human-like in shape, but were covered in feathers and had digitigrade legs that were feathered on the thighs but more scaled and bird-like below, with very bird-like feet. Their arms were much the same- feathered to the elbow, and scaled and bird-like from then one, with only four claw-tipped fingers on each hand. They also had massive wings, though they alone could not hold them up- a harpy that could not bend was a flightless one. Their faces had  half-formed beaks and large, solid eyes and no ears, merely ear slits. But all of the First Races, immortal and powerful as they were, were full of such terrible hate. The earth withered under their battles, crumbled beneath centuries of war. So the spirits bound together, and with all of their power, raised something new from the fabric of the world: humans. Aware of what made the First Races so terrible, they made humans different: they held no power over the world besides their own hands, and more importantly, they could die. And the humans spread. Over every inch of the earth they crawled, finding homes in the nooks and crannies of the earth the First Races' destruction had wrought. But they did not spread merely among their own. Half-things began to exist, creatures of terrible power that could die like mere humans. And they spread, and soon benders were half as common as humans- part mortal, part immortal beings who could have any amount of either blood as long as they had both. They are born human, save for one identifying thing (flimsy, transparent scale patches on legs and webbed feet for merpeople, soft hooves for centaurs, horn nubs for drakes, and featherless winglets for harpies), but as they grow and their powers begin setting, they grow less and less human in appearance. You can tell a benders power from their form- the less human, the stronger. And indeed, in this way benders are superior to the First Races; while they withered and grew ill when their powers were hindered, benders merely become more human-like and none the worse for wear. Benders take on the forms of their powerful predecessors in strange ways. Waterbenders only take on tails instead of legs in the water, and only if their bending is strong enough. The stronger a waterbender is, the longer they can submerge without air; it is even said the most powerful of waterbenders have gills (though no such thing has been seen in decades). On land, they merely have webbed feet and patches of scales on their legs. Due to the human mouth not being half as big as necessary to fit all a merperson's teeth in, young waterbenders just growing their first sharp teeth often have some pulled. For a short time when they are first growing in, a tooth removed will not grow back, and so there is a small window for this measure to be taken. Waterbenders have excellent dark-vision, but are often colorblind. Some develop a small illisium (that glowy thing female anglerfish have on their heads to attract prey), but it's very rare. Earthbenders come in two main categories: bipedal and quadrupedal. Bipedal earthbenders are weaker than their more centaur-like brethren. They have hooves and a tail and usually fur from the waist down. Equine ears are not unusual but not particularly common. Otherwise, they are human in appearance (though black, too big irises are not too uncommon either). Quadruped earthbenders are often nigh identical to the centaurs of old, though missing the ears or eyes is not altogether uncommon. Earthbenders are all born two-legged; the transition from bipedal to quadrupedal is often very painful and arduous. Tradition calls it the cost of such mastery over the very earth itself. The process usually takes a week, but can take anywhere from four days to fourteen, and the entire time the earthbender is racked with monstrous growing pains. People say that the time your transformation takes you is proportional to how powerful the earthbender is. Firebenders are strange; they range from entirely bipedal to a more gorilla-like gait (walking on knuckles and back legs) to mostly quadrupedal, though that's found only in the royal family. Their horns follow the same rules as the drakes. A weak firebender has merely a few patches of scales, while one of, say, the royal family will be covered head to toe in them. Their facial structure depends on the strength of the firebender in question; a weak one will have a mostly human face, likely with slitted eyes and definitely with pointed teeth (a trait found in even the most human of firebenders), while a strong one will have a longer snout-like face with drake-like eyes and teeth. Airbenders always have digitigrade, harpy-like legs, though all other traits (save the wings) are entirely flexible. Unlike the airbenders of canon, these airbenders often keep their hair around shoulder-length; this is because ear slits are super gross and weird looking, and no one wants to see them. After humans and benders populated the world, the spirits decided to remove the First Races- they had served their purpose, paving the way for the Young Race, and were now nothing but purposeless war machines. But with the existence of benders, they had to make a choice: destroy them for their power? Or preserve them for their humanity? An idea was put forth: by creating a being with blood from all powers, they could create a peacekeeper, someone to keep the power of the young in check, someone who embodied how the world could harmonize. And so, with all their power and might, the spirits acted, and the First Races vanished off the face of the earth. And a child was born to two benders (of what type has been lost to time), one with horn nubs and winglets and scales and hooves. Aang always knew he was the Avatar. It was... more than a little hard to ignore. He had grown up lonely; no one wanted to play with a mis-matched child who could do too much too young, who never really looked human, who looked scary with power. Gyatso loved him, and made sure to keep him company... but one old man wasn't enough for a social creature like Aang. He tried to be upbeat, but sometimes it was hard, when you felt less like a person and more like an idol, kept on the shelf and seen but not heard, prayed to but not listened to. He left in the night when he heard he would be separated from his favorite person in the world, and though he could have flown himself, something in him couldn't leave Appa behind. It paid off, when he had at least one friend from home left, a century displaced from everyone he had ever known. He has a long, thin snout that ends in a sharp, short beak, great big black eyes like pools of space-stuff, and horns that even at age twelve show great power. They sweep back like the reins of a horse, and are entirely smooth and without offshoots. His deer-like ears are constantly turning and twitching. His hunched but bipedal body is mostly covered in soft, small feathers like grey down, but his stomach and chest are protected by baby-blue scutes that trail down all the way to the tip of his tail. He has legs like a harpy's, but they end in the dainty, split hooves of a deer. His tail is long and whip-like, and patches of feathers are missing on it to be replaced by yellow and orange scales. Its tipped by a scorpion-like stinger, though he does not know if there's venom in it (how would he check?). His arms are very long and he can comfortably walk on all fours, though he's slanted downwards a good deal. His five-fingered hands are tipped with long, but dulled claws the same black as the rest of his hands and forearms. He has very big wings, the feathers ending in white tips, shaped like the long, fast wings of a tern. Sokka and Katara lived a life about the same as canon, save Katara's penchant for catching fish the 'fun' way. Sokka made a point not to eat those fish, because he did not want to think about how many teeth she had (far too many, in his opinion) and what those teeth had done to the fish (or could do to a person). Sokka is a little afraid of Katara in this world. She has a sclera, but no pupils, and her irises are like liquid rainbow they're so iridescent. Her arms aren't that much longer than normal, but she's got more than enough in claws and teeth to make up for it. She strong enough to grow a tail in water, but not gills, and her scales make a nebula of deep blue and sea prune purple and dark, deep green. Her fins and webbings are a simple light blue. Sokka is a human, and is perfectly fine with it. If it weren't for his sister, he'd be an awful shitstain about benders, and even being the brother of one he's still not overly fond of them. Toph is a centaur, through and through, the spitting image of a First Race- she's a mountain goat, specifically. Small, white, fluffy, tiny curved horns, even her cloven hooves are adorable; she looks harmless if you've never been to the ring. If you have, you'd know she's the most powerful and dangerous earthbender of the century, and that her small horns are sharp as daggers- and she's not afraid to get dirty. Zuko is a firebender, obviously, but he didn't receive a scar- his wings were ripped off. Being vestigial, it doesn't affect functionality, but having entire limbs ripped off tends to have aftereffects, namely pain. Pain, and shame- the fact that firebender wings are vestigial means they are often used as a form of punishment. Having notches in them is a mark of shame- removed? Reserved only for those not good enough to die. His scales are crimson, with dull pink scutes (Azula always says he looks ugly as a scar). His wings were a shade redder. They were leathery as his fathers. But shame is not new to Zuko. While the rest of his family (save his human mother) are perfect quadrupeds, he's had to train himself just to walk on his knuckles, and has a heavy upward slant. His wings were never very big- on the small side of average, really. His tail is only four feet long, nearly doubled by Azula's and tripled by Ozai's (though age is definitely a factor there), and it ends in a simple ivory three-pronged blade-plate, a little bit wibbly and curved, a mockery of the fire nation symbol. His claws are a little above average size and ivory, not the huge royal obsidian of his family. But his horns are the biggest disgrace. Only one and a half feet, straight back and slightly curved down, not a rough patch or hint of an off-shoot on them. The horns of a coward, Ozai said. Only meant for keeping your own neck safe- though yours are hardly long enough to do even that. When Azula was young and feeling extra mean, sometimes she'd grab them and ride him like a bull as he roared and fought to get her off. Now, for reference: he's stronger than the average firebender, but not by much. Average horn length is a bit more than a foot. Tail length is around three feet. Most firebenders are bipedal. The royal family is royal for being purest of blood, aka Strong As Goddamn Shit. So yes, he brings much shame to the family- but most people outside the family would be somewhat frightened by him. He's missing patches of scales, most notably on his face- long ago, Ozai clawed off the scales on the left side of his face, and they never grew back. When Zuko was younger, it was a terrible source of shame. He got older, and realized the visible lack of power brought more shame to Ozai than him, and felt better about it.

- The Avatar is a being born of four soulmates (usually of the non-romantic type), one from each nation, who can fuse to create the Avatar and can transfer thoughts simply by touching, and even boost each others power levels by even only two of them being around each other. They have no identifying marks, and when one dies, so do the other three, so the Avatar's icons even knowing their own identity doesn't always happen. They are all born at the exact same moment. To compensate for this rarity and difficulty in even forming the Avatar, benders are much, much rarer. Rare enough, in fact, that before the airbenders were destroyed, every bender upon turning 16 was tested by that lands spiritual leaders. It is 14 years before this world's equivalent of the canon start of the show. A woman in the hidden places beneath the mountains of the Southern Air Temple, last refuge of the last Air Nomads, dies peacefully in her sleep of old age, never knowing who she was. So too do three others, all of different nations. They are all old, and no one takes notice. Four are born in the same bright instant, also of different nations. 14 years later, and Aang escapes the caverns, young and naive to the horrors of war. He's curious, and figures water as air's sister element would be most welcoming, so he flies south with Appa. He meets Katara and Sokka, and strength floods their veins just from standing close and foreign thoughts fill their heads when they touch and suddenly Aang's destiny, why he felt so strongly he had to run away, becomes clearer than the purest ice. They find a ship, lost and frozen. A flare goes up. A 14 year old banished prince, who left home disgraced and mutilated at age 11, finally lays eyes on two halves of his whole ticket home. There's a fight. It doesn't last very long. But Zuko feels strangely strong. He attributes it to adrenaline, to hope, to anything that won't desolate the very purpose of his quest. He does not touch the airbender as he takes him prisoner (for this is the last airbender- who else could be the Icon of Air). Aang escapes with Katara and Sokka and Appa's help. They travel to the earth kingdom. And it's a lost cause, blindly wandering, searching for the rush of proximity to another icon in a country bigger than any other, but they get lucky, and at the Earth Rumble VI Aang gets on stage and grabs Toph's arm and thoughts swarm each other's heads. Toph throws him off the stage and meets him below and asks him what the fuck is going on, and after excited explanations the Icon of Earth joins their ratty gang. But they all know what comes next. They're stronger than ever before together, but the Avatar can't exist without their fourth and final piece. Upon a realization had late at night, Aang convinces the group to wait. Zuko's been hunting them for months. He won't fail them now. Sure enough, he comes- ponytail and fancy clothes gone, riding a thin ostrichhorse with his uncle, a gaunt look heavy on both their faces- desperate to go home through any means necessary. But Aang is faster than him, and though Zuko's wearing gloves and long sleeves, Aang darts forward and puts his hand on scarred skin and thoughts crash into him like a wildfire. Zuko can no longer deny it. Iroh, who has suspected since he first saw the too-large blast of fire Zuko made in his fight with the Avatar, is supportive and encouraging and convinces him to go back after Zuko runs away. The four Icons finally meet as allies. One problem- they have no idea how to make the Avatar. Iroh tells them it's total trust and opening their minds to each other and Zuko storms away again, because he's a child and also was definitely planning on betraying them all. But he makes up his mind- if he can hide his plan from them, he can convince them to go to the Fire Nation to fight Ozai- and there, he'll turn them in, earning his honor and his father's love. But that means clearing all the thoughts of such a betrayal from his mind, and over time, he starts to believe what he's trying to convince the others he believes. He runs away one night, unable to handle the realization that one can't actually lie in their own head- it just becomes truth over time. He has to make a choice- who is he loyal too? His father obviously, he thinks- but his father, who burned half an eleven-year-old's face off, who banished him for what he had hoped was forever- is he worth fighting for? Of course, says the son of Ozai, subject of the Fire Nation, Crown Prince to the throne. Not in the slightest, says the young boy with friends who care for him, who at some point and entirely without his consent made him care about them too, who loves his uncle and misses him mom and has traveled all around the globe, who knows intimately the horrors of what war leaves behind. Zuko makes his choice.

Please give me thoughts?

HESOYAM (8) ATE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sw3ahlVUZ2k

"Divinity's Coffee"

"Welcome back. Take a few moments to stare at the fridge and recap this shit show that is 2020 on our sweet way to 8. Shoutout to 2012 also, happy new year. The new age is finally here aren't you excited guys! We ate dummy. This is gonna be as easy as buying guns from rednecks."

A half a million just for one verse

The only sponsor Eye'm accepting is Cadillac Hearse

16 cylinders the Boule wanna scrimmage us Los Angeles blowing the plugs 45 rush Why do we fall in love with all of these samples Is scholarship of the highest intent even ample Kobe books chasing Covid in a helicopter They chased the ego while he chased the doctrine Nano-subliminal warfare is digital That Melanin Eye got even adjusted to your chemicals The Christ that is to come is the ghetto Why it ain't no tissue & Bobby Hemmitt told us let go Several issues & humanity we won't miss you If your life ain't on the line, then don't mention 'respect' If you ain't already died, then don't mention who's next No more presents teach the youth about the afterlife Field of reeds Occult think tank paradise You a pawn for lies he told the truth your peers cried They ain't my peers no more #7 says so So advance your age Eye will advance my grade It's MJ lean on me food poisoning games They played games Eye played the short bus, him no here ....Why eat on happiness way more than fear (Monsta) Inked a few classics the gallery lightly applauded The last one was a masterpiece now they mad he started In real life scaling flights with a broken leg Walking through the halls of Amenti turn up the Soul Glo It builds character the young frequency of head Operating agreements wear a mask like nah hoe Distance socially my casket is the right depth Temple of Seti 1 still undefeated on deck Got married in Decatur, So imagine when Eye die Archons gone still hate on me when hoes see my face and cry Heard nothing from my brother Hitman in years, so Eye became one Create my own Sun reflection of Sirius 1 Consciousness is a lonely road, so pack some headphones & Leadership may take it's toll if you bitch prone..............................

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxna58t7By0

"Pedal"

Creon in his finest hour "know thyself" Eye knew God, Then Eye went to Hell Bruh you recording this? You know goddamn well Yall luck just to get a shell Don't aspire Eye am the Truth G'd up x-finiii Make jazzy my vibrations in Philly with Ms Jilly Bucket list, Kicked the Bucket, Bucket empty Now this human personality is shitty....

"Was born ruff and rugged when addressing the mass public my attitude is fuck it cause folks like them love it"

Can you imagine the LOVE streams focused divinity ALL Eyez on CRE, Sirius Galaxy, L-O-V-E Finish the rest so we can eat.. (8)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pDpGGZtv2c

"Dominion HDCRE"

Looked at the EQ turned the kick down, it's just for kicks Been Man'd up it's lit Clown, Comedy Hype they just stand-up's the resonance Learning Critical Sense For Instance..... The scaling of a business Beyond clips masquerading in forbiddeness Knowledge of these puppet strings, Auset said this dank smell like incense After game 7 game 8 the remanence All 60's in a dunk comp roll triple 6's You ain't a GOD dude don't end up on a hit-list Every album so far this year Eye ain't learn shit Serving summers by default it ain't my fault trick (8) Eye put that on Bloody niggas voting Blue bitch Even though they all babies neglected from their hue-ness Can't even tell em' what the truth is...........

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPQu7xtuWyw

"Abalxxx"

"Eye personally would like to thank all pall bearers both known and unknown (Ase). We bring to you 8. Another fridge party classic courtesy of my Universal Black Ass. Rebel Co 4 Life, Whipped backs and stripes. Turn this shit up Loud with the Billy Kimber, Billy Jean, Jumpman December. Hesoyam, Eye Am.. A.M......."

Who picks the best beats crackas call it Masonic Flow They tried to knock a Titan, then knocked on my door Everything ain't for sale even the best ass Tear the head off a shark remains for the crabs Talks up teaming up brakes and rotors flaming mad Chaos beings noose em' up & watch ankles drag Let it ink with such purpose and yet fluidity Creon will never publish shit in yall's industry A living cheat code floating jail-broken firestick Fire with the sticks 5th bedroom lighter shit IN REAL LIFE charging half a million just to get on Everything in Gaia ain't for free Mr. Archon Introverted yet homicidal while they bark on 9/11 20/20 jargon with Harmon Melodic from as such studios embarked on Cartridges and building brands, astral diamonds spark on............................swish

shes giving it her all🥺 tapping on the wheele🥺 harmonizing with herself🥺 letting charlie have his solos🥺

they’re stopped at a red light and ashton happened to pull up next to them and how is he not going to record calum’s family absolutely jamming out to baby shark for him to see??? and later that night calum comes home and tells charlie that he believes him when he said no one could sing the shark song better than dovey 🥺

The humanity at the center of ‘Rick and Morty’s’ rick-diculousness

When there's no one to blame but yourself

Image: adult swim

Like its mad scientist protagonist, at times it feels like Rick and Morty does everything in its power to remain unlikeable.

Grotesque, crass, nihilistic, confrontational, distressing, and almost insufferably up-its-own-ass intelligent — it’s actually the show’s undeniable heart (and tendency to rip it out of your chest) that grounds the sci-fi juggernaut in issues that can hit a little too close to home.

If Rick and Morty has ever made you uncomfortable, you’re not alone. And, actually, not outside the intentions of its creators.

“We always saw this show as our little darling that was supposed to have nothing to do with success, or attention, or pleasing people,” co-creator Dan Harmon recently told us. 

On those first two accounts, he and fellow mastermind Justin Roiland failed miserably.

SEE ALSO: ‘Rick and Morty’ co-creator slays trolls harassing its female writers

This season, Rick and Morty is up 81% year over year, and has become the #1 comedy on TV among adults 18-24 and adults 18-34, according to Nielsen’s Live+7 ratings — putting it ahead of primetime favorites like The Big Bang Theory and Modern Family. The critical praise for Rick and Morty remains damn near unanimous. 

As the Season 3 finale approaches on Sunday, Oct. 1, it appears Rick and Morty has transitioned from cult favorite into full-on cultural phenomenon in just a few months, since the premiere in April.

But the metamorphosis goes far beyond ratings. Over the course of the season, we watched a show that did all it could to alienate itself from everyone turn into a show that’s about as personal and intimate as a nightmarish Thanksgiving at granny’s house.

The familiarity that grounds Rick and Morty‘s universe(s)

Since Day 1, the series has reveled in an unrelenting, disconcerting kind of honesty. But when Season 3 promised to be the “darkest” one yet, no one really understood what that meant. More gore, presumably — plus the soul-crushing existential dread we’ve come to know and love.

Then the premiere finally aired. Both gore and existentialism abound in Rick’s annihilation of not one but two planetary systems of governance. But the most disturbing twist of all in “The Rickshank Redemption” cut deeper than even species-wide genocide.

A scene all too familiar to anyone who’s attended a family dinner

Image: adult swim

And it took place in the family garage, without a drop of blood being spilled.

Mere seconds after Beth declares she’ll never let her father come between her and Jerry’s marriage again, the devil himself portals back into her life uninvited. 

“Guess who dismantled the government?” he declares as an apology for abandoning his daughter (again).

Without so much as a blink, Beth wrestles out of her husband’s embrace to crawl back into daddy’s arms like a beaten puppy to its abuser. “Please don’t leave me again.”

“I never will, baby.”

From there on out, we can only watch in horror as Grandpa Rick’s reign of terror takes hold of the house. Having manipulated Jerry out of the picture, Rick reveals his psychotic plan to his grandson — globs of alcohol-induced spittle flying from his deranged mouth: 

“I’ve rep[burps]laced them both as the de facto patriarch of your family and your universe. Your mom wouldn’t have accepted me if I came home without you and your sister, so now you know the real reason I rescued you. Oh! I just took over the family, Morty!”

Yup. Definitely getting darker.

How Season 3 transcended itself (by accident)

To anyone who’s ever been a member of a family, these scenes of dysfunction feel unshakeable.

You know this man, the de facto patriarch, who manipulates himself into the center of everyone’s universe, only to abandon them at every opportunity. Or perhaps you know his daughter, wine glass perpetually in hand, struggling to fit a role she never suited, while enjoying herself most with the poor robotic approximations of her children programmed to emote only supportive affirmations toward her behavior. 

SEE ALSO: ‘Rick and Morty’ went super Freudian in ‘Pickle Rick’ and it was perfection

Maybe you’re the kids, watching helplessly from the backseat, as the insurmountable truth that none of the adults know what the fuck they’re doing dawns on you. That, in fact, nobody knows what the fuck they’re doing.

The psychological damage stemming from the collapse of their traditional family unit ripples through nearly every episode of Season 3 with stinging authenticity. The sci-fi premises that used to define the show’s boldness have become more of a backdrop, as week to week the tragedy of a family fighting to put their ill-fitting, broken pieces back together unfolds. Only to fail. Again and again.

Rick and Morty has become one of the starkest portraits of familial love, and our endless capacity to care for and destroy the people we’re closest to — often simultaneously.

This shift has surprised perhaps no one more than the show’s own creators.

“If anything we were trying get back to basics,” Harmon said. “We were just chasing the initial dream — that joy of infinite possibilities that we got from Season 1… and I guess along the way we screwed up and made Breaking Bad instead.”

Whether intentional or not, the numbers don’t lie. Rick and Morty is striking a cord of universality that it never has before. But in typical Rick and Morty fashion, that universality doesn’t come from any place of comfort.

It stems from the shared agony of being alive, and stumbling through the illogical reality of human existence.

The two major emotional themes of the season have personal relevance to Harmon in particular. For one, in between Season 2 and 3, he started going through his own divorce. For another, he got himself into therapy.

“In previous seasons, the height of my introspection had to do with how angry I was at NBC. Or humankind in general,” he said, referring to his disastrous experience as the creator of the beloved but niche NBC show, Community. “The big shift [of Season 3] is that I don’t have anything to be angry at, except myself.”

In one of Harmon’s favorite episodes of the season, “Pickle Rick,” the once infallible and all-powerful patriarch can be seen on a therapist’s couch. Having turned himself into a literal pickle to avoid dealing with the damage he’s inflicted on his own family, Rick looks positively dwarfed in the seat.

And, for the first time in Rick and Morty history, a character bests the smartest man in the universe.

SEE ALSO: ‘Rick and Morty’ Season 3 returns with a blood-soaked ‘Mad Max’ family therapy session

“You seem to alternate between viewing your own mind as an unstoppable force and as an inescapable curse. And I think it’s because the only truly unapproachable concept for you is that it’s your mind within your control,” therapist Dr. Wong tells him. “You chose to become a pickle. You are the master of your universe, and yet you are dripping with rat blood and feces.”

Before their time runs out, Dr. Wong tries one more appeal: “The bottom line is, some people are okay going to work [in therapy], and some people well, some people would rather die. Each of us gets to choose.”

For Harmon, this scene was the most clear demonstration of his own transformation as a writer and person.

“I don’t know if I could’ve written that two years ago,” he said. “Two years ago, I would’ve made sure Rick got the final word.” For once, he didn’t. 

This is sad: Dan Harmon recently got divorced, so this is Rick and Morty Season 2 Credits vs Season 3 http://pic.twitter.com/P2UizjHmWU

— Chandler Balli (@CinematicEX) April 3, 2017

“I wanted to make sure Dr. Wong’s response came from a place of, ‘well, don’t let yourself off the hook — just because you’re mad and alone. That doesn’t make you above other people who just want to get better. And it doesn’t make you beneath them, either.'”

In Season 3, Rick and Morty managed to pull off its biggest, darkest turn of all. To the utter shock of an audience desensitized to all things blood, guts, and abject atheism, the show transformed from one of infinite comedic cleverness, into one of equal and biting emotional intelligence.

The human heart at the center of the Mr. Poopy Butthole

“It feels like we swam the English Channel, got across, then somebody said: ‘that was amazing how you outran that shark that was trying to eat you,'” Harmon said in reference to Rick and Morty‘s  explosion into popularity. “It’s just like… ‘what? No, I was trying to swim the English Channel.'”

He paused to reconsider. “Actually, it’s the opposite: you were swimming away from a shark, and then told you coincidentally swam the English Channel.”

For a show with an ethos that insists it does not care about people, the world, or the senseless pain it inflicts — Rick and Morty understands human nature in a way that few other shows do.

Addressing a popular fan debate over the source of their mad scientist’s drinking problem, Harmon noted that he remembered Roiland saying that “the day we find out the ‘one’ reason why Rick drinks, the show’s over. Because nobody drinks for one reason.”

He added, “I mean, none of your friends have origin stories, either. Real people are defined by their own undefinability. Out of all the unreal things, I think the most real thing about Rick is that you don’t know what makes him tick or where he’s coming from.”

The humanity and cruelty of Pickle Rick

Image: adult swim

We can make guesses. Like with our own family members, we can take Rick at his word when he says “as far as Grandpa’s concerned, you’re both pieces of shit!” Or we can see him for what he is: a walking contradiction, like the rest of us, with all the redeeming and irredeemable qualities that make us human.

Perhaps the most central question driving the tension of Rick and Morty throughout the course of the series is whether or not Rick actually loves his grandson (or is even capable of love at all). But much like our real-world relationships, the answer is a double-edged sword.

“If you really really loved someone, and [like Rick] also knew the universe was a meaningless gaping mouth waiting to eat innocent life alive — it could take the form of telling that person over and over again that they mean nothing. That you don’t care about them,” Harmon points out.

If you’re a person who’s ever lived, breathed, and dared to try and connect with another person, that internal conflict likely carries an unsettling resonance.

Ironically, it’s not the surreal circus of infinite multiverses, microverses, interdimensional space travel, alien planets, sex robots, Mr. Poopy Buttholes, or even Birdpeople that makes Rick and Morty stand out.

Instead — more than any other drama, comedy, or live action show before it — the most unprecedented thing the show ever did was to further commit to its stark, unvarnished realism.

WATCH: The major differences between Logan and Old Man Logan from the Marvel Universe

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Stopping Testosterone 😖

So for completely unforseen reasons I had to stop T in the middle of February. Taking my last shot was nerve wrecking and devastating and it's an event that I don't want to experience again. Hopefully I won't have to. While having to stop sucks I'm comforted by the fact that I'll be able to start again in about 6 months and stopping will totally be worth the wait. So here is a list of things in order as I can remember them that that happened as my harmone level went crazy. For a reference my last shot was Feb 7 and it's now Mar 27. °I felt like shit: I'm sure most of this was disappointment but I was pretty depressed and as a result didn't want to eat or go out and as a result felt weak and sick °Backne was a real and serious thing °My eczema flared pretty badly °Sex drive completely vanished but came back around a month after stopping °Im not sure if the bottom growth I had got smaller in girth or just seems smaller because I don't get hard as frequently or the same way I used to. °My voice has stayed in pretty much the same range, will occasionally crack °Last week shark week came to fuck my life up and the cramps were hell °All hair grown on has stayed the same and has maybe even continued to grow ( At a much slower pace) This includes the lil baby stache I'm working on

Things to Do in Vancouver this Weekend: Feb. 16, 2017

The festivals begin! This weekend marks the beginning of the JFL Northwest comedy festival, the Talking Stick Festival of Aboriginal arts, the Chutzpah! Festival of Jewish performing arts, and Winterruption, a festival of family fun on Granville island.

  Friday | Saturday | Sunday | Ongoing

Friday February 17

17th Annual Chutzpah! Festival | Abraham In Motion

17th Annual Chutzpah! Festival Where: Various locations What: Breathtaking dance, discerning theatre, hilarious comedy and globally-celebrated music highlight this year’s festival with world-class performances and workshops by international, Canadian and local artists. Runs until: Monday March 15, 2017

Michelle Wolf, a part of the JFL Northwest Comedy Festival | photo credit: Mindy Tucker

JFL Northwest Comedy Festival Where: Various Locations What: Vancouver’s biggest comedy festival! Presenting some of the best in stand-up, sketch, and improv. This year’s headliners include Sarah Silverman, Tom Segura, Trevor Noah, and Game Grumps. Runs until: Saturday February 25, 2017

Talking Stick Festival Where: Various locations What: Celebrating Aboriginal culture, this festival showcases the new evolving contemporary work of today’s artists. All areas of the performing arts are represented from theatre, dance, drumming, and music to spoken word, visual arts and multimedia performance. Runs until: Sunday February 26, 2017

NeoIndigenA | Photo credit: David Hou

NeoIndigenA Where: The Cultch What: A full-length solo performance from award-winning artistic director, choreographer, and performer Santee Smith (TransMigration), exploring our relationship to ancestors, the living universe, and renewal. The spellbinding score features elemental voices of Inuit singers Tanya Tagaq and Nelson Tagoona. Runs until: Sunday February 19, 2017

Winterruption Festival Where: Granville Island What: Granville Island gets even livelier this weekend with music, art, and activities for families with kids or without. Runs until: Sunday February 19, 2017

Science World After Dark: Quantum Where: Science World What: With a drink in your hand, and no kids to be seen, explore how researchers are merging quantum mechanics and information technology to create the technologies that will revolutionize and redefine the 21st century—and how many Canadian researchers are leading the way.

Matthew Good (show 2 of 3) Where: Commodore Ballroom What: Of the new EP, I Miss New Wave: Beautiful Midnight Revisited, Matthew Good says “I’ve waited almost 20 years to reimagine these songs in the studio; I think I may have actually bettered what some consider my best work.”

Carl Craig

Carl Craig Where: The Imperial What: A Detroit-based producer of techno music.

  Saturday February 18

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Susan Point: Spindle Whorl

Susan Point: Spindle Whorl Where: Vancouver Art Gallery What: Since the early 1980s, Susan Point has received wide acclaim for her remarkably accomplished oeuvre that forcefully asserts the vitality of Coast Salish culture, both past and present. She has produced an extensive body of prints and an expansive corpus of sculptural work in a wide variety of materials that includes glass, resin, concrete, steel, wood and paper. Runs until: Sunday May 28, 2017

Haiku Workshop Where: Queen Elizabeth Park What: Be inspired by the park to create haiku poetry along with writer Michael Dylan Welch.

Matthew Good

Matthew Good (show 3 of 3) Where: Commodore Ballroom What: Of the new EP, I Miss New Wave: Beautiful Midnight Revisited, Matthew Good says “I’ve waited almost 20 years to reimagine these songs in the studio; I think I may have actually bettered what some consider my best work.”

Unicorn Ball Where: The Imperial What: A fundraiser for the Vancouver Pride Society. Dress in your most colourful, most sparkly unicorn costumes and outfits to dance the night away.

Fake Shark Where: The Fox Cabaret, 8:00pm What: Local alterna-freak-pop band, with Little Destroyer and Funk Schwey.

Pelleas und Melisande

Pelleas und Melisande Where: The Orpheum, 8:00pm What: One of the most respected pianists of his generation, Kirill Gerstein performs Brahms’s sprawling Piano Concerto No. 1. Schoenberg’s complex and darkly dramatic symphonic poem Pelleas und Melisande is hailed as both helping to pave the way for a new kind of composition and one of the last great works of Romanticism.

Vancouver Canucks vs. Calgary Flames Where: BC Place Stadium What: All Canadian hockey. Except probably all of the players. But the cities that the teams identify with are certainly Canadian. 

George Washington

George Washington Where: The Cinematheque What: Set in a derelict North Carolina hamlet, and acted by a non-pro cast, George Washington follows a group of impoverished preteens, black and white, headed by 12-year-old Nasia, the film’s wise-beyond-her-years narrator. Her new boyfriend is awkward, eccentric George; one of “God’s mysteries and mistakes”.

JFL Northwest Presents Comedy Short Shorts Where: The Rio What: The filmmakers of the 2017 Comedy Shorts Shorts film competition battle it out  for a $ 1,000 grand prize and their chance to be screened at Just For Laughs in Montreal.

Dash For Dogs

Dash for Dogs Where: Stanley Park What: Raise money and run to support BC & Alberta Guide Dogs. The organization makes a profound difference to blind/ visually impaired people by partnering them with a certified guide dog at no cost.

  Sunday February 19

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Retro Design & Antiques Fair

Retro Design & Antiques Fair Where: Croatian Cultural Centre What: Mid-century modernist decor, estate jewelry, pop culture classics, French country collectibles, old dolls, decorative art pottery, funky 50’s kitsch and more. Drop-in appraisals will be available all day on a first-come-first-served basis.

Cozy Coyotes Where: Stanley Park, 10:00am What: Love is in the air as coyotes go a-courting—bachelors and bachelorettes will seek to find their match, while lifelong mates prepare to raise a new litter. Set out with the Stanley Park Ecological society to learn more about coyotes in Stanley Park and track their movements during denning season.

Dover Quartet and Mandolinist, Avi Avital

Dover Quartet and Mandolinist, Avi Avital Where: The Vancouver Playhouse What: The Dover Quartet was catapulted to prominence after winning First Prize at the Banff International String Quartet Competition in 2013. As the first mandolin soloist to become an exclusive Deutsche Grammophon artist, Avi has made three recordings for the label to date including Vivaldi, his 2012 debut, featuring his own Bach Concerto transcriptions, and his 2014 album, Between Worlds.

The Vancouver Academy of Music Symphony Orchestra presents Hector Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique Where: The Orpheum What: The French composer Hector Berlioz (1803-1869) wrote the semi-autobiographical Symphonie Fantastique for Harriet Smithson, an Irish actress with whom he was enamored and eventually married. Berlioz’s frantic passion, vibrant harmonic coloration and dizzying dramatic phrases put listeners into a musical delirium Leonard Bernstein famously described as “psychedelic”.

  Ongoing

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Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival (ends this weekend) Where: The Cinematheque What: By presenting unique outdoor and mountaineering films that illustrate experiences and cultures from all corners of the globe, VIMFF brings communities together to promote positive values and active lifestyles. Runs until: Friday February 17, 2017

Elle

Elle (ends this weekend) Where: Firehall Arts Centre What: the story of Marguerite de La Rocque de Roberval, a French noblewoman who set out in 1542 for Canada with her uncle, Jacques Cartier to colonize the new found country. However, she finds herself abandoned on the deserted ‘Isle of Demons’ (off the coast of Newfoundland) as punishment for taking a lover during the voyage. With real bears, spirit bears, and perhaps hallucinated bears, along with the residue of a somewhat lurid religious faith and a world of self-preserving belligerence, the voluble heroine does more than survive. Runs until: Saturday February 18, 2017

NeoIndigenA | Photo credit: David Hou

NeoIndigenA (ends this weekend) Where: The Cultch What: A full-length solo performance from award-winning artistic director, choreographer, and performer Santee Smith (TransMigration), exploring our relationship to ancestors, the living universe, and renewal. The spellbinding score features elemental voices of Inuit singers Tanya Tagaq and Nelson Tagoona. Runs until: Sunday February 19, 2017

Winterruption Festival (this weekend only) Where: Granville Island What: Granville Island gets even livelier this weekend with music, art, and activities for families with kids or without. Runs until: Sunday February 19, 2017

Vancouver International Wine Festival

Vancouver International Wine Festival (ends this weekend) Where: Various locations What: For noted oenophiles and the casual wino alike, Canada’s premier wine show is a celebration of informative, educational and entertaining wine experience. From educational seminars, wine tastings and minglers to wine and food grazing events, lunches, winery dinners and the ever-popular Vintners Brunch, you’ll be sure to find something to please your palate. Runs until: Sunday February 19, 2017

The Oscar Shorts

The Oscar Shorts Where: VanCity Theatre What: See the Oscar nominees for short films. Presented by category. Runs until: Thursday February 23, 2017

Michelle Wolf, a part of the JFL Northwest Comedy Festival | photo credit: Mindy Tucker

JFL Northwest Comedy Festival Where: Various Locations What: Vancouver’s biggest comedy festival! Presenting some of the best in stand-up, sketch, and improv. This year’s headliners include Sarah Silverman, Tom Segura, Trevor Noah, and Game Grumps. Runs until: Saturday February 25, 2017

Toy Babies Where: Hot Art Wet City What: Doll-headed portraits will once again be filling the gallery for Andrea Hooge’s fifth solo show. Andrea takes her inspiration in part from vintage children’s toys and books, her cultural heritage, and the memories of her childhood understandings of the world. Runs until: Saturday February 25, 2017

Corleone The Shakespearean Godfather Where: Pacific Theatre What: A classic tale of power, destiny, betrayal and honour: what if Shakespeare had written The Godfather? This brilliant comic premise takes on surprising dramatic power as Coppola’s movie masterpiece shows itself to be true Elizabethan tragedy. Runs until: Wednesday February 25, 2017

Talking Stick Festival Where: Various locations What: Celebrating Aboriginal culture, this festival showcases the new evolving contemporary work of today’s artists. All areas of the performing arts are represented from theatre, dance, drumming, and music to spoken word, visual arts and multimedia performance. Runs until: Sunday February 26, 2017

Flight of the Dragon

Flight of the Dragon Where: FlyOver Canada What: For a limited time, FlyOver Canada presents Flight of the Dragon, a flight ride experience that takes you over the breathtaking Chinese countryside and renowned landmarks. FlyOver Canada invites all guests to come and enjoy both FlyOver Canada and Flight of the Dragon; two virtual flight rides for the regular admission price. Runs until: Sunday February 26, 2017

The Audience Where: Arts Club Theatre What: From Winston Churchill to Margaret Thatcher, through Tony Blair and right up to David Cameron, the Queen has held a weekly meeting, or “audience,” with each of her twelve prime ministers. Peter Morgan’s imaginary glimpses into these tête-à-têtes provide a droll and fascinating portrayal of a lioness of history—one who, over the span of six decades, transforms from an uncertain young monarch into the revered figurehead of today. Runs until: Sunday February 26, 2017

Japan Unlayered

Japan Unlayered Where: Fairmont Pacific Rim What: The exhibition will highlight the architecture of Kengo Kuma, from its small beginnings to its current large-scale works. Extending beyond the work of Kengo Kuma to include Japanese design from a wide range of fields represented by Muji, Beams Japan, Chef Nozaki of Waketokuyama, Sakurai Tea Experience, Acura Canada, and other Japanese design themes. Runs until: Tuesday February 28, 2017

Unsung Heroes Festival | Image by John Sherlock

Unsung Heroes Festival Where: Blue Water Cafe What: A month-long event to bring awareness to local and unique seafoods and to avoid species that are over-fished or harvested in ways that can damage ocean beds. In prior years, the menu has consisted of dishes such as whelk paella, steamed gooseneck barnacles and sustainably-raised sturgeon liver mousse. Runs until: Tuesday February 28, 2017

+Plus and Converge

+Plus and Convergence Where: Kimoto Gallery What: New works from Michael Soltis and Yorke Graham. Runs until: Saturday March 4, 2017

Odysseo

Odysseo Where: In a tent! A really giant high-tech tent. What: 65 magnificent horses, 48 talented riders, acrobats, aerialists, dancers and musicians take the stage for a seamless look outside of reality. Deploying their extraordinary talents, the acrobats present a mix of force and sensitivity, interacting with the spellbound audience, while the live musicians and vocalist immerse spectators of all ages. Runs until: Sunday March 5, 2017

The Men in White Where: Arts Club Theatre What: When Abdul’s cricket team decides to take action to end their losing streak, they talk of recruiting Abdul’s brother, Hasan, who is an expert at the sport. But bringing Hasan from India to Canada will take more than just a plane ticket, and not all members of the team agree with the high cost. Runs until: Saturday March 11, 2017

17th Annual Chutzpah! Festival | Abraham In Motion

17th Annual Chutzpah! Festival Where: Various locations What: Breathtaking dance, discerning theatre, hilarious comedy and globally-celebrated music highlight this year’s festival with world-class performances and workshops by international, Canadian and local artists. Runs until: Monday March 15, 2017

Haroon Mirza

Haroon Mirza Where: The Contemporary Art Gallery What: The Contemporary Art Gallery presents the first solo exhibition in Canada by British artist Haroon Mirza. Runs until: Sunday March 19, 2016

Judy Chartrand, What a Wonderful World Where: The Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art What: Her beautiful and provocative work presents her own personal history and insights into life in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, and commentary on racism and post–colonial relations between Indigenous and non–Indigenous cultures. Runs until: Saturday March 25, 2016

Layers of Influence

Layers of Influence Where: UBC Museum of Anthropology What: This stunning exhibition will explore clothing’s inherent evidence of human ingenuity, creativity and skill, drawing from MOA’s textile collection — the largest collection in Western Canada — to display a global range of materials, production techniques and adornments across different cultures and time frames. Runs until: Sunday April 9, 2017

Vancouver Special Where: Vancouver Art Gallery What: The first iteration of this series and it features works by 40 artists produced within the last five years—Vancouver’s post-Olympic period. The exhibition includes many emerging artists as well as those who are more established but whose ideas were prescient. Some are recent arrivals to Vancouver, while others are long-term residents who have already made significant contributions. Others are nomadic, less settled in one place and are working energetically between several locations. Runs until: Monday April 17, 2016

Nat Bailey Stadium Winter Farmers Market

Nat Bailey Stadium Winter Farmers Market Where: Nat Bailey Stadium What: Don’t fret the summers Farmers markets packing up – winter is here, and you can still shop local for fresh produce, preserves, baked goods, and crafts. Runs until: Saturday April 22, 2017

Hastings Park Farmers Market

Hastings Park Farmers Market Where: Hastings Park (near the PNE) What: The Hastings Park Farmers Market features a great selection of local produce; nursery items, fish, meat & dairy; artisan prepared foods, baking and treats; local crafts, and of course, food trucks. Runs until: Sunday April 30, 2017

Susan Point: Spindle Whorl

Susan Point: Spindle Whorl Where: Vancouver Art Gallery What: Since the early 1980s, Susan Point has received wide acclaim for her remarkably accomplished oeuvre that forcefully asserts the vitality of Coast Salish culture, both past and present. She has produced an extensive body of prints and an expansive corpus of sculptural work in a wide variety of materials that includes glass, resin, concrete, steel, wood and paper. Runs until: Sunday May 28, 2017

What are you up to this weekend? Tell me and the rest of Vancouver in the comments below or tweet me directly at @lextacular

Inside Vancouver Blog

The humanity at the center of ‘Rick and Morty’s’ rick-diculousness

When there's no one to blame but yourself

Image: adult swim

Like its mad scientist protagonist, at times it feels like Rick and Morty does everything in its power to remain unlikeable.

Grotesque, crass, nihilistic, confrontational, distressing, and almost insufferably up-its-own-ass intelligent — it’s actually the show’s undeniable heart (and tendency to rip it out of your chest) that grounds the sci-fi juggernaut in issues that can hit a little too close to home.

If Rick and Morty has ever made you uncomfortable, you’re not alone. And, actually, not outside the intentions of its creators.

“We always saw this show as our little darling that was supposed to have nothing to do with success, or attention, or pleasing people,” co-creator Dan Harmon recently told us. 

On those first two accounts, he and fellow mastermind Justin Roiland failed miserably.

SEE ALSO: ‘Rick and Morty’ co-creator slays trolls harassing its female writers

This season, Rick and Morty is up 81% year over year, and has become the #1 comedy on TV among adults 18-24 and adults 18-34, according to Nielsen’s Live+7 ratings — putting it ahead of primetime favorites like The Big Bang Theory and Modern Family. The critical praise for Rick and Morty remains damn near unanimous. 

As the Season 3 finale approaches on Sunday, Oct. 1, it appears Rick and Morty has transitioned from cult favorite into full-on cultural phenomenon in just a few months, since the premiere in April.

But the metamorphosis goes far beyond ratings. Over the course of the season, we watched a show that did all it could to alienate itself from everyone turn into a show that’s about as personal and intimate as a nightmarish Thanksgiving at granny’s house.

The familiarity that grounds Rick and Morty‘s universe(s)

Since Day 1, the series has reveled in an unrelenting, disconcerting kind of honesty. But when Season 3 promised to be the “darkest” one yet, no one really understood what that meant. More gore, presumably — plus the soul-crushing existential dread we’ve come to know and love.

Then the premiere finally aired. Both gore and existentialism abound in Rick’s annihilation of not one but two planetary systems of governance. But the most disturbing twist of all in “The Rickshank Redemption” cut deeper than even species-wide genocide.

A scene all too familiar to anyone who’s attended a family dinner

Image: adult swim

And it took place in the family garage, without a drop of blood being spilled.

Mere seconds after Beth declares she’ll never let her father come between her and Jerry’s marriage again, the devil himself portals back into her life uninvited. 

“Guess who dismantled the government?” he declares as an apology for abandoning his daughter (again).

Without so much as a blink, Beth wrestles out of her husband’s embrace to crawl back into daddy’s arms like a beaten puppy to its abuser. “Please don’t leave me again.”

“I never will, baby.”

From there on out, we can only watch in horror as Grandpa Rick’s reign of terror takes hold of the house. Having manipulated Jerry out of the picture, Rick reveals his psychotic plan to his grandson — globs of alcohol-induced spittle flying from his deranged mouth: 

“I’ve rep[burps]laced them both as the de facto patriarch of your family and your universe. Your mom wouldn’t have accepted me if I came home without you and your sister, so now you know the real reason I rescued you. Oh! I just took over the family, Morty!”

Yup. Definitely getting darker.

How Season 3 transcended itself (by accident)

To anyone who’s ever been a member of a family, these scenes of dysfunction feel unshakeable.

You know this man, the de facto patriarch, who manipulates himself into the center of everyone’s universe, only to abandon them at every opportunity. Or perhaps you know his daughter, wine glass perpetually in hand, struggling to fit a role she never suited, while enjoying herself most with the poor robotic approximations of her children programmed to emote only supportive affirmations toward her behavior. 

SEE ALSO: ‘Rick and Morty’ went super Freudian in ‘Pickle Rick’ and it was perfection

Maybe you’re the kids, watching helplessly from the backseat, as the insurmountable truth that none of the adults know what the fuck they’re doing dawns on you. That, in fact, nobody knows what the fuck they’re doing.

The psychological damage stemming from the collapse of their traditional family unit ripples through nearly every episode of Season 3 with stinging authenticity. The sci-fi premises that used to define the show’s boldness have become more of a backdrop, as week to week the tragedy of a family fighting to put their ill-fitting, broken pieces back together unfolds. Only to fail. Again and again.

Rick and Morty has become one of the starkest portraits of familial love, and our endless capacity to care for and destroy the people we’re closest to — often simultaneously.

This shift has surprised perhaps no one more than the show’s own creators.

“If anything we were trying get back to basics,” Harmon said. “We were just chasing the initial dream — that joy of infinite possibilities that we got from Season 1… and I guess along the way we screwed up and made Breaking Bad instead.”

Whether intentional or not, the numbers don’t lie. Rick and Morty is striking a cord of universality that it never has before. But in typical Rick and Morty fashion, that universality doesn’t come from any place of comfort.

It stems from the shared agony of being alive, and stumbling through the illogical reality of human existence.

The two major emotional themes of the season have personal relevance to Harmon in particular. For one, in between Season 2 and 3, he started going through his own divorce. For another, he got himself into therapy.

“In previous seasons, the height of my introspection had to do with how angry I was at NBC. Or humankind in general,” he said, referring to his disastrous experience as the creator of the beloved but niche NBC show, Community. “The big shift [of Season 3] is that I don’t have anything to be angry at, except myself.”

In one of Harmon’s favorite episodes of the season, “Pickle Rick,” the once infallible and all-powerful patriarch can be seen on a therapist’s couch. Having turned himself into a literal pickle to avoid dealing with the damage he’s inflicted on his own family, Rick looks positively dwarfed in the seat.

And, for the first time in Rick and Morty history, a character bests the smartest man in the universe.

SEE ALSO: ‘Rick and Morty’ Season 3 returns with a blood-soaked ‘Mad Max’ family therapy session

“You seem to alternate between viewing your own mind as an unstoppable force and as an inescapable curse. And I think it’s because the only truly unapproachable concept for you is that it’s your mind within your control,” therapist Dr. Wong tells him. “You chose to become a pickle. You are the master of your universe, and yet you are dripping with rat blood and feces.”

Before their time runs out, Dr. Wong tries one more appeal: “The bottom line is, some people are okay going to work [in therapy], and some people well, some people would rather die. Each of us gets to choose.”

For Harmon, this scene was the most clear demonstration of his own transformation as a writer and person.

“I don’t know if I could’ve written that two years ago,” he said. “Two years ago, I would’ve made sure Rick got the final word.” For once, he didn’t. 

This is sad: Dan Harmon recently got divorced, so this is Rick and Morty Season 2 Credits vs Season 3 http://pic.twitter.com/P2UizjHmWU

— Chandler Balli (@CinematicEX) April 3, 2017

“I wanted to make sure Dr. Wong’s response came from a place of, ‘well, don’t let yourself off the hook — just because you’re mad and alone. That doesn’t make you above other people who just want to get better. And it doesn’t make you beneath them, either.'”

In Season 3, Rick and Morty managed to pull off its biggest, darkest turn of all. To the utter shock of an audience desensitized to all things blood, guts, and abject atheism, the show transformed from one of infinite comedic cleverness, into one of equal and biting emotional intelligence.

The human heart at the center of the Mr. Poopy Butthole

“It feels like we swam the English Channel, got across, then somebody said: ‘that was amazing how you outran that shark that was trying to eat you,'” Harmon said in reference to Rick and Morty‘s  explosion into popularity. “It’s just like… ‘what? No, I was trying to swim the English Channel.'”

He paused to reconsider. “Actually, it’s the opposite: you were swimming away from a shark, and then told you coincidentally swam the English Channel.”

For a show with an ethos that insists it does not care about people, the world, or the senseless pain it inflicts — Rick and Morty understands human nature in a way that few other shows do.

Addressing a popular fan debate over the source of their mad scientist’s drinking problem, Harmon noted that he remembered Roiland saying that “the day we find out the ‘one’ reason why Rick drinks, the show’s over. Because nobody drinks for one reason.”

He added, “I mean, none of your friends have origin stories, either. Real people are defined by their own undefinability. Out of all the unreal things, I think the most real thing about Rick is that you don’t know what makes him tick or where he’s coming from.”

The humanity and cruelty of Pickle Rick

Image: adult swim

We can make guesses. Like with our own family members, we can take Rick at his word when he says “as far as Grandpa’s concerned, you’re both pieces of shit!” Or we can see him for what he is: a walking contradiction, like the rest of us, with all the redeeming and irredeemable qualities that make us human.

Perhaps the most central question driving the tension of Rick and Morty throughout the course of the series is whether or not Rick actually loves his grandson (or is even capable of love at all). But much like our real-world relationships, the answer is a double-edged sword.

“If you really really loved someone, and [like Rick] also knew the universe was a meaningless gaping mouth waiting to eat innocent life alive — it could take the form of telling that person over and over again that they mean nothing. That you don’t care about them,” Harmon points out.

If you’re a person who’s ever lived, breathed, and dared to try and connect with another person, that internal conflict likely carries an unsettling resonance.

Ironically, it’s not the surreal circus of infinite multiverses, microverses, interdimensional space travel, alien planets, sex robots, Mr. Poopy Buttholes, or even Birdpeople that makes Rick and Morty stand out.

Instead — more than any other drama, comedy, or live action show before it — the most unprecedented thing the show ever did was to further commit to its stark, unvarnished realism.

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