what's it called when sunrise does this

v controversial opinion but im tired so

people who shit on a certain actor called benedict need to stop with their unnecessary hate bc he has in fact the range he's just made some absolute shit decisions regarding his acting career and i will fight to death to say that he could do in fact roles like the doctor if it would not be the year of the lord 2023 and if the scripts and such wouldn't suck ass :')

ok that's all

I miss the soccer family, but I wanna have a fix about what happens during the birth of Rosie? :') I THINK THAT WOULD BE SO CUTE

Baby Rosie can't wait to meet her parents. Literally ~

As Rosie's pregnancy advanced, so did Miguel's eagerness when you reached the final stage of it. A couple of scares had him carrying you like a bride to the car and driving to the nearest hospital.

"She's such a troll already" you grumbled upon returning, tired, sore and so so sleepy.

"Maybe she's afraid the doctor will spank her too hard?" You giggled at his words.

His goofy attempts of lightening the mood always worked. He was a goof underneath an intimidating exterior. Your goof.

"At least we know she's excited to hear you" One of your hands took Miguel's to place it on your belly. His eyes twinkled upon seeing the fussing inside.

"She'll be a troublemaker." With a kiss on your cheek and a little belly rub, he resumed his task of getting home. Thankful that the lights were red to have that little moment with you.

Gabi was surprised to see you back, still pregnant.

"What happened, Mama?" she quickly fetched your slippers and helped you change shoes.

"Ay mi amor, your sister doesn't wanna come out yet."

"Pinche Rosie..."

Gabriella mumbled in a hushed tone, her potty mouth, thanks to Miguel, had been more prominent ever since she hit the thirteens.

"Where is the baby?" Asked the actual baby, Benjamin, while looking at you with his beautiful rusty brown and curious eyes.

"In the oven still, cariño"

"I thought it was on your belly?"

Miguel chuckled and helped to remove your coat.

"Alright, let Mama rest. Rosita will arrive when she feels like it. Are you hungry, mi vida?"

"Not really, but a hot cocoa would be great. God my back is killing me."

You whimpered as Miguel helped you to the couch, too exhausted to waddle over the bed, rubbing circles on your back.

----

That night had been hard, despite the doctors saying Rosie was fine, he couldn't help but think about you and your struggles on carrying his third child. Gabi had proven to be difficult enough, Benji had made an emotional mess out of you, but Rosie was definitely a challenge.

Big round belly nested between your thighs, your hands rubbed tiredly at the discomfort, trying to subdue it. An apologetic smile came to his lips as he kissed your temple. Conveying a fraction of his gratefulness towards you.

Little did you know that he was always marveling at your body and how this adapted so easy to pregnancy. The scientist in him was always observing and making mental notes on your cues to know when you were in pain and absolute discomfort. Right now, all he could do was to lay behind you and bask you in his body heat with a gentle hug.

He knew his temperature made wonders on your aching muscles, your lower back specially. Where the pressure accumulated. He also knew his children would be big, he was a big man after all, and having you go through such changes and pains just to carry his children, had turned in no other but the ultimate love proof from you.

You loved him. Not that you didn't show him, quite the opposite really. Sometimes his brain was too enraptured in seeing his children grow right before his eyes, that whenever you showered him in love it felt like experiencing it for the first time, despite thirteen years preceding you both.

You didn't know what had come over him that hugged you so gently, like holding the most beautiful thing a man could hold, and rubbed your belly softly. Admiring his part of the teamwork.

"Thank you." It came a soft whisper from his lips, "For going through this for us."

A lazy and sleepy smile stretched on your lips.

"You're so sappy I love it." You took his hands and kissed them, "You're the only man I'm willing to have children with. And the only man I'd ever got a baby fever with if I'm honest."

He chuckled in your neck, inhaling your scent.

"Oh really?"

"Yeah. And look at us now. Expecting our third."

His hands massaged your shoulders gently, easing a bit of the building up tension. Then they moved to your breast. It wasn't erotic, but soothing. Intimate even. Your hands drooped as he moved them towards your belly, rubbing from the lowest to the tip, feeling the occasional kicks and movements his daughter replied with at his ministrations.

"You gotta come out, Rosita." He mumbled while his hands kept busy. You had been slowly drifting off to sleep.

---

Contractions appeared every seven minutes, seven minutes you used to breath and whimper. Miguel never left your side, not that you let him anyways, your hand clenched with a vice like grip he whimpered subtly in pain.

"I'm sorry mi amor" You spoke in between breathless sobs. Raging hormones and the nerves always took over you, bus his encouraging words always ground you.

"Mi niña, mírame." He hushed as your temple and cheeks were doused with his kisses and affection.

"I love you. You'll do great ok? I'm here." Clammy hands looked to embrace him, "I've got you, mi reina."

The lump in his throat turned bigger as the doctor approached, ready to get Rosie out. It was time to push. A flurry of things came to his mind, what if the baby was too big?, What if something happened to you last minute? What if-

No. None of that was happening. You were fine, and the pushing was going as great and painful as it should be.

"Just a few more pushes, Mrs. O'Hara. The head is nearly out"

"I so wanna punch you right now" He chuckled and held your hand tightly as you breathed and prepared to push again.

"Eres un cabrón..." (You fucker) you half sobbed half chuckled before pushing.

"Así me amas, chula." (You love me anyways)

The last word came out as a choked whimper as you held to him a bit too strong. Pregnant women's strength always amazed him.

"Una más, corazón, ya casi sale" (One more, sweetheart. She's almost out.)

You took a small break, panting and gasping for air. Sweat etched to your skin, like some strands of hair on your forehead.

The loud and healthy wail of your baby echoed through the room. Rosie had arrived.

Nurses quickly cleaned her and cut the umbilical cord, weighed her down and gave her to you.

"Look at her, Miguel" tears were unavoidably shed. Seeing your baby, your little Rosie finally in your arms, instantly snuggling in your chest, as if seeking refuge from the outside.

"Mama's here, mi amor." You cooed as you rocked her. Miguel's heart gave an enthusiastic shimmy upon seeing his daughter, one of the many pieces of him, latching on your breast.

Silky, soft and dark curls perched ontop of her tiny head. Her skin was a lighter shade of his, cheeks however made honor to her name. Flushed, rosy and oh so ready to be squished and kissed.

He kissed the top of her head and then yours. Whispering sweet swords of gratefulness and a lot of thank yous

His family was finally complete.

....The baby blues...

Nanami Kento x (F)reader 

AN:(Sorry this is a short chapter i hope you enjoy!)

I watched as (Y/N) stood in front of the full-length mirror, her eyes filled with sadness and insecurity. It had been a few weeks since she gave birth to our beautiful baby, and I could see the toll it had taken on her. Her body had changed, and she was struggling to come to terms with it.

I slowly approached my wife, wrapping my arms around her waist and resting my chin on her shoulder. The softness of her body against mine felt comforting, and I could feel the weight of her insecurities slowly lifting. "You are the most beautiful woman I have ever known, (Y/N)," I whispered, my voice filled with love and sincerity.

 "I love every part of you, including your stretch marks. They tell the story of how you grew our baby, and that is something to be cherished, not hated." I traced my fingers along the delicate lines, marveling at how they told the story of our love and the miracle of life we had created together. Each mark was a testament to her strength and the bond we shared as parents.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she turned to face me, her voice trembling. Her fingers traced the lines of her stretch marks, and I could see the emotions swirling within her. "But Nanami, I don't feel like myself anymore. None of my clothes fit, and I don't recognize the person I see in the mirror."

I gently wiped away her tears, my heart aching for her. "I understand that it's hard, my love. Your body has gone through incredible changes, and it's natural to feel a bit lost. But please remember that you are still the same incredible woman I fell in love with, and nothing can change that."

She sniffled, her eyes searching mine for reassurance. "Do you…mean that?"

I nodded, cupping her face in my hands. "Absolutely. Your body may have changed, but it's a testament to your strength and love. You carried our baby for nine months, nurturing them and keeping them safe. That is an incredible feat, (Y/N), and I am in awe of you."

A small smile tugged at the corners of her lips, and I felt a glimmer of hope. "But what about my weight? I feel so heavy, and none of my clothes fit properly."

I kissed her forehead tenderly, my hands still cradling her face. "Your weight doesn't define you, my love. It's just a number on a scale. What truly matters is your health and happiness. As long as you are taking care of yourself and our baby, that's all that matters to me.”

I held her tightly, wanting to convey all the love and support I had for her. The softness of her body against mine felt comforting, and I could feel the weight of her insecurities slowly lifting. The warm, delicate scent of her skin filled my senses, reminding me of the incredible journey her body had been through to bring our baby into the world.

"You don't have to go through this alone…We are in this together, as partners and as parents," I whispered, my voice filled with tenderness. "I will always be here to support you, to remind you of your strength and beauty."

She looked up at me, her eyes filled with gratitude and a hint of vulnerability. Her fingers traced the lines of her stretch marks, and I could see the emotions swirling within her. "I'm so lucky to have you, Nanami. Thank you for always being there for me."

I kissed her forehead again, my heart swelling with love. "The feeling is mutual, my love. We are a team, and together, we will overcome any challenge. Remember, it's not about how you look, but about how you feel. And I want you to feel loved, cherished, and confident in your own skin."

She nodded, a newfound determination shining in her eyes. "You're right. I need to focus on my well-being and embrace the changes that come with motherhood. Our baby is worth every stretch mark, every extra pound."

I smiled, feeling a sense of relief wash over me. "That's my girl..... You are a remarkable woman, and I am so proud of you...now...let's get to bed I know you could use the extra sleep."

As the days went by, I reminded (Y/N) of her strength and beauty every chance I got. We took walks together, enjoying the fresh air and the opportunity to bond as a family. The gentle breeze caressed our faces as we strolled hand in hand, our baby nestled in a carrier against (Y/N)'s chest. The sunlight danced through the leaves, casting a warm glow on her face, and illuminating her radiant smile.

I encouraged her to indulge in self-care, whether it was taking a relaxing bath with scented candles or treating herself to a new outfit that made her feel confident. We would spend evenings cuddled up on the couch, watching our favorite movies, as I would run my fingers through her hair, reminding her of her beauty and all the love I had for her…

Slowly but surely, I watched my wife begin to embrace her lovely postpartum body. She started to see the beauty in her stretch marks, recognizing them as a symbol of the incredible journey she had been through.

@miasmultifandomdump once more! I'd like to request:

✧ birthday gifts for Klaus Mikaelson and the scenario is a sick day with his s.o. :)

Fluff Prompt | N.M {request}

℘ prompt — #4, impromptu dancing sessions

℘ warning — absolute fluff

℘ pairing — niklaus mikaelson x f!reader

℘ count — 0.7k

℘ a/n — hi all! the requester, @miasmultifandomdump , changed her ask so i apologize if there was any confusion! thanks again hun for the birthday wish/request.

Feeling Good

Once upon a crisp winter evening, you arrived home, the familiar scent of pine and cinnamon greeting her as she stepped through the door. The house was a symphony of twinkling lights, festive wreaths, and the warmth of a crackling fire. You blinked, momentarily stunned by the transformation that had taken place while you were at work.

“Nik?” You called out, shedding your coat and dropping your bag by the door.

A smile danced upon your lips as you made your way further into the house, your heart swelling at the sight of Klaus bustling in the kitchen, an apron tied around his waist. He turned, a grin spreading across his face at the sight of you.

“Welcome home, love,” Klaus greeted, his eyes alight with joy. “I hope you don't mind the sudden burst of holiday cheer.”

The aroma of a savory dinner lingered in the air, intermingling with the festive scents that enveloped the house. You stood in awe as you observed Klaus, his focused expression softened by the glow of the kitchen lights. He turned, a smile gracing his lips.

You shook your head, unable to contain your delight. “It's amazing, Klaus. Thank you.”

With a gentle wave of his hand, Klaus directed you towards the staircase. “Go on, freshen up. Dinner will be ready shortly.”

In the comfort of a warm shower, you couldn't shake off the overwhelming feeling of gratitude. You emerged feeling renewed and found Klaus had set the table impeccably, adorned with candles and adorned with elegant holiday-themed decorations. The aroma of a delectable meal wafting through the air.

Klaus gestured towards the dining area, “I thought we might have a special evening together.”

You both sat down to dinner, the air filled with easy conversation and shared laughter. You marveled at Klaus's culinary skills, utterly unaware of it and mentally coming to the conclusion that he’d be cooking every meal. You savored each bite as you both talked about your day, well mainly you since he loved listening to your voice.

As your conversation lulled to a comfortable silence, Klaus rose from his seat, extending his hand towards you with a mischievous glint in his eyes. “Would you care for a dance, my dear?”

Surprised but utterly delighted, you accepted, rising to your feet as he led you to the center of the living room, amidst the glowing lights. The smooth, soulful notes of Michael Buble's Feeling Good filled the room, wrapping around both of you like a familiar embrace. Klaus proved to be a masterful dancer, effortlessly guiding you through dips and spins and graceful movements, the warmth of his touch sending shivers down your spine. Your shared laughter mingled with the music, as though adding to its melody.

You both laughed and twirled, lost in the enchantment of the moment. Klaus's eyes held a softness that you cherished, a silent language that spoke of affection and devotion. With every step, every dip, he seemed to convey unspoken emotions, your hearts beating in unison to the rhythm of the music. In the embrace of the moment, time seemed to pause. You found herself lost in his arms, the world outside the dance floor fading into the background. The touch of his hand against yours, the warmth of his gaze, all of it felt like a beautiful dream.

As the song wove its way to an end, you found yourselves nestled on the couch, limbs entwined in a comfortable embrace. Retreating to the coziness of your shared space, you snuggled beneath soft blankets. Klaus hummed the fading notes of the song, his voice a soothing melody that lulled you into a peaceful state. His fingers tracing idle patterns on your skin as you drifted into a peaceful slumber. Wrapped in the warmth of his arms, you felt safe and cherished, the lyrical melody of 'Feeling Good' becoming a lullaby guiding you into a restful sleep.

In the tranquil serenity of the night, bathed in the soft glow of Christmas lights, you lay in the embrace of love and the enchanting aura of the holiday season, grateful for the simple yet profound joy of being with someone who made every moment feel like a cherished memory.

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Like an open book

Summary

Crowley awakens to the faint sound of pencil scraping against paper, and opens his eyes to see Aziraphale drawing him. Seeing the sketch in the angel's hand, he marvels at the way Aziraphale is able to read him.

Notes

Just a lazy and fluffy morning…

On Ao3

Rating G -  637 words

It was a strange sound that awoke Crowley that morning, and without opening his eyes, it took him some time to determine its source.

Until he guessed it.

A pencil scratching on paper. 

Without opening his eyes, he asked, his voice still asleep, "Angel, are you drawing me again?"

Aziraphale replied quietly, "Absolutely, my dear. Do you mind?"

Crowley snuggled a little more into the warm blanket and replied, "No, go ahead, as long as I can keep lazing around in bed, that's fine."

Aziraphale laughed softly and replied, "On the contrary, it suits me just fine if you stay quiet for a while longer."

The demon dozed off for a while, lulled by the sound of pencil on paper and the angel's sporadic humming.

When he awoke a little later, he let out a contented sigh. 

If asked to define paradise, he'd say this was it.

A warm, cozy bed, the little sounds that conveyed the presence of his angel, their mixed scents wafting through the air, all a far cry from the sanitized whiteness of today's heaven. 

All this was theirs and theirs forever.

Yes, their true heaven on earth.

The sound of the pen stopped and Crowley turned on his side, opening his eyes to look at his angel..

The angel sat next to Crowley, leaning against the headboard, his sketchbook on his lap and a fond expression on his face as he asked, "Awake for good, my dear?" 

Crowley nodded as Aziraphale placed his sketchbook and pencil beside him before leaning over the demon and pressing a kiss to his forehead. He took the opportunity to wrap his arms around the angel's neck, forcing him to lie against him.

Over his shoulder, he could see the sketchbook open to the page of the drawing in progress. It was himself, of course, asleep, and seeing his expression through Aziraphale's eyes, the demon's throat tightened slightly. 

There was, of course, the quality of the execution, the way the sheets fell around him in elegant draperies, or the way the morning light illuminated his face. But most of all, the Angel had a natural talent for capturing Crowley's emotions, and once again he had succeeded perfectly. The demon looked so trusting, surrendered in his sleep, and what moved him was that he knew that was exactly how he felt. 

Burying his face in the angel's neck, Crowley murmured against his skin, "You are so good at reading me, Angel..."

Aziraphale wrapped his arms around him and said softly, "As you are so good at reading me. After so many years together, and now living together all the time, it's kind of normal. It's rather comforting to have someone close to me who knows me so well."

Crowley hummed in agreement. They'd seen so much of each other, the worst and the best, there was no need to pretend, they just knew, and Aziraphale was right, it was rather comforting.

After a moment of silence, the demon asked quietly, "Aren't you tired of drawing me? Even after all this time?"

Aziraphale chuckled softly and replied, "That's like asking me if I'm tired of eating crepes after all this time. No, I'm not tired of it, neither of you."

He kissed Crowley's hair and added, "Though there is one I love immeasurably more than the other."

Crowley lifted his head and said playfully, "The crepes?"

Aziraphale rolled his eyes and said, "Idiot. Are you fishing for compliments?"

"Does it work?"

The angel raised his hands and cupped Crowley's face between them before saying softly, "You know very well you'll never have to fish for compliments from me. I can live without crepes for centuries, but I couldn't live without you, not for a second," then he closed the distance between their faces and kissed his facetious demon deeply.

Still not beta'd

Still not my native language

Still hoping you'll enjoy this story  🥰

Still thanking you for bearing with me 😝

Ineffable Growing Love series : (After season 2) 

Part 1 Story 1-99

Part 2 Story 100-?

Ineffable Husbands masterlist : here (Before season 2)

One Piece-Chapter Round-Up(Chapter 1082)

Haven’t written anything in a while on here manga-wise but there’s no way I miss talking about such a banger One Piece chapter. To start off with we get an adorable cover of Chopper mistaking Zeus for cotton candy. It’s good to know our collective son is being fed. It takes a fandom to raise a human animal hybrid after all. Jokes aside, I’m going to be diving into spoilers for this chapter below the “Keep reading” so check it out if you’re curious. Also, ya’ll should probably hold onto your butts cause this one’s gonna go a lot of places.

R.I.P T-Bone. As a lover of weird and offbeat characters in One Piece, I am genuinely crushed by T-Bone’s death. If you don’t remember, as he was mainly a minor antagonist in Water Seven, here are some reminders. 

He is one of the most lionhearted and kind character’s of One Piece, looking after both his subordinates and innocents. To me, the most logical way for T-Bone to have been killed is to have seen the citizens' plight and laid down on his sword so that he could get the reward money for his family. That’s the kind of man T-Bone was. He transcended the Marines as an institution and stood up to the strawhats as he believed them to be villains on the way to enact evil. After having his car disconnected and facing Rocketman bearing down on him, he faced Zoro in a one move duel, losing but having Zoro acknowledge him in the process. In a certain way he was also used to foreshadow Ryuma in Thriller Bark as he was skeletal looking and a swordsman. But most of all, he was an unquestionably good person in a world where muddled alliances and the forces of the world can waylay and mislead someone from their dreams and ideals. In my heart you will be missed T-Bone.

Moving on, with a heavy heart, I do want to take a second to talk about old One Piece, specifically Water Seven. As I went back to get screenshots I couldn’t help but marvel at the art of Water Seven. While Oda’s art has probably gotten better, his paneling in those days was in my opinion, at the height of Shounen paneling, matching up with the original Dragon Ball in terms of fluidity of action but bringing such a heavy emotional weight to the characters and line work that it really felt like the peak of his art style. His art has gotten a lot more refined but I really missed the adventurous romantic feel of his pre-timeskip art. As a whole, as things get more dense and locked in, the lack of romanticism and sense of adventure is really felt at times. Despite that, it has been replaced, for the most part, with other equally amazing things. Though I can’t help but miss it at times. 

Talking about the actual chapter again, I’ve looked favourably on the Marines in the past, like Garp and Koby, but if I spend an extended period of time thinking about them, that pleasant taste turns to ash in my mouth. Because the Marines as an institution, are broken and corrupt, more intent on perpetuating themselves than they are with forward momentum and progress. As is the territory with institutions. It’s a portion of why policing doesn’t work in real life. Living in Japan, with their harsh views on crime, Oda would know better than most. Despite what this chapter seems to be about, this chapter is actually exploring what I believe to be one of the main themes of One Piece, the inevitability of institutions. There are probably punchier and more accurate ways of conveying this theme, such as systemic oppression and such, but this really resonates and covers the full gamut of ideas that I believe Oda covers. I will expand on this as we move along but I wanted to put it out there so it would be on the back of yalls mind.

I absolutely despise Sengoku. Like as a person. As characters I don’t think there’s any that I actively dislike because the way Oda characterizes just works on me. I need to make that distinction because I think my dislike for Sengoku is something Oda has purposefully generated within me and others. Talking earlier about Koby and Garp and Hibari and T-Bone and other marines, there is a very important distinction to be drawn in that regard as well. And some very important points to be made. Marines that are on the younger side, like Koby and Hibari and Tashigi, are people that have joined the Marines to do good without having yet become fully complicit in its evils. But they have done so because it is, despite its flaws, the best way they can make a difference and not be stopped. It’s the inevitability of the institution, where despite it’s evils it must provide some sort of benefit, and where those with dreams must filter through it and make it greater just to have a shot at their dreams. People like T-Bone and Smoker are clearly different from similarly old people like Garp and Sengoku and Aokiji in that while the former may be in the Marines, they do their best outside of its systems, being forces of good in spite of their association. The latter on the other hand, as a result of their complicity, whether or not they have good hearts, have become tools of the Marines oppression. Garp’s name is repeatedly used to strike fear into the hearts of pirates and as a symbol for common people to look up to, despite his best attempts at changing them from the inside. And the argument for changing the Marines from the inside itself is such a flawed argument as can be seen with Garp himself. Trying his whole life to change things ended up with him being ground into the dirt while watching his grandson be murdered by a coworker. Dragon must have realized this as well and so created an organization to oppose it. The revolutionary army are an institution itself but one built on the premise of opposition rather than self perpetuation. They are meant to end when the World Government and Marines do. Though I do believe Oda also doesn’t think that to be the answer as our hero is a Pirate. Arriving at the end of this paragraph I just realized I didn’t address the moment that made me go on this tangent. As pictured above, Sengoku hears of T-Bone’s death and rather than mourn the man who many looked up to, he worries what it will do to morale. He wonders how the institution of the Marine’s will keep going. If he was ever a good man, the ways of the marines have corrupted him to think this way. In a way Cross Guild, another institution, also occupies a similar area as the Revolutionary Army, but Oda makes it even clearer that it’s not the way as our first big introduction to it is through the death of such a great character. 

Now let’s move on to the meat of this chapter. Buggy and Cross Guild. As we see above, this really down on his luck man was the one who killed T-Bone. Though knowing how strong T-Bone was, being called the ship slasher and being acknowledged by Zoro, as well as how kind he was, it’s easy to believe he let himself be killed to save this man's family. But it’s also through this interaction that we get a repeat of the theme that I mentioned earlier, The Inevitability of Institutions, as well as a great bonus where we see the inherent romanticism of Buggy. Buggy and his lackeys, Mihawk and Crocodile, have propped up Cross Guild to be an institution for Pirates, a much more successful version and iteration of both the Utopia Crocodile wanted and the Pirate Kingdom Blackbeard wants. They have made themselves the doors one must walk through. But this need also sets up the way that Buggy will later reject this monolithic thinking. 

As we see here, these institutions make it so that now, even to live, you must subscribe to one of them. As much as Cross Guild claims to be pirates, they are an entity in and of themselves. Because the whole dream of piracy is the freedom of not having to cater to anyone else's whims or conform. Cross Guild aren’t pirates, they’re Cross Guild. Another thing I want to comment on is the In the Flesh chants. Obviously the dramatic irony makes it funny since most of it is just cloth, but it’s also such a great representation of the makeup of Cross Guild itself. By propping up Buggy as the leader of Cross Guild, he comes to represent something that is mostly not him, just like how his giant persona isn’t him. 

In the panel above incorporates One Piece’s trademark humour, and later levies it into an emotionally resonant and stirring declaration. I know most people are freaking out about Sabo returning but I can’t get over how much I love Buggy. And his crew pulling a similar stunt to Barto Club, and having him be the figurehead of the ship actually also highlights how close Buggy is to Luffy as well. Also I love Buggy’s crying face, it’s so pathetic. 

I know this panel is mainly played for laughs but I can’t help but feel sorry for Buggy. He really hasn’t done that much wrong to deserve this. And seeing the meeting room, it seems Mihawk, the edgelord that he is, really enjoys his torture. Remember, Mihawk’s full name is Dracule Mihawk, the first part being based on the famous Vampire who’s namesake in turn was known to impale and torture people. It’s really interesting how, other than the mentor and goth side of Mihawk, we also get to see his sadistic side here. But Buggy’s declaration that his life wasn’t supposed to be like this really calls my attention. While Mihawk and Crocodile argue about how to make sure Cross Guild and Crocodile’s Utopia can stay afloat and perpetuate its own system, Buggy dreams. 

Buggy is one of Luffy’s best foils in the story, their interactions being so explosive that they can’t help but reveal things about each other. Luffy has a lot of parallels in the story from Blackbeard being a cowardly mirror to him to Koby being a weaker version whose cowardice was driven by his lack of strength. Buggy doesn’t have courage or strength and his circumstances had forced him down quite a dark path by the time the two crossed paths. Buggy was someone, who, seeing the potential of his peers, was forced to give up on his dreams and take the route that life gave him. As he stated, he never wanted to be what he became, he genuinely believed in Shanks and probably would have followed him had he set out for the One Piece as Shanks was the reason he gave up on the dream in the first place. Buggy, in an elevated sense, also represents those swayed by the circumstances of their life into having their path chosen for them and filtering into an institution, this time in the form of Cross Guild but earlier in the form of Impel Down. Buggy is someone who was forced to give up on his dreams and Oda shows what dark paths that can lead to but he also loves Buggy a lot because he doesn’t let Buggy fully give up on his dreams. 

And there it is. With just those words, driven purely by dreams, Buggy injects such a heart-stirring sense of romanticism back into the series. Because here's the thing. We already know Luffy’s unwavering goal has been the One Piece. And he is the most romantic character in the series in terms of love for adventure and exploration. But it’s been a constant and now he has the strength and clout to do all of it without barriers. Buggy is chasing that dream while impeded by some of the strongest people in the verse. In the face of such strong adversaries, Buggy dares to blindly dream and it reminds me so much of Luffy at the beginning of the series, looking down a Sea King as it stood in his path. Crocodile and Mihawk are monstrous but Buggy actively defies them. I love One Piece ya’ll.

So is Buggy a bad guy? Or just a fool who couldn’t hold onto his dreams as the waves of reality slammed into him? Here, he rekindles those dreams by verbalizing the feelings that drove him and every other pirate out to sea. A dream of freedom and treasure. The dream that you could aim for something other than what life had laid out for you. 

This is by far, one of my favourite speeches in One Piece. It reminds me of Rogers speech and delivered by such a pathetic character, hits so much harder. By doing this, Buggy defies Crocodile and Mihawks desires for a self perpetuating kingdom as there is now an end goal and really stands for the ideals of the series itself, a blind dreaming hope, the desire to chase after impossible dreams, and the love of the journey itself. What matters to these people isn’t that they’ll get to the treasure, it’s that they tried to. And were free while doing so. 

Not me crying at Buggy D Clown. One Piece gets me so emotional sometimes. It’s so beautiful. But asides aside, let’s wrap up some other thoughts in this final Buggy panel before getting to Sabo and the Revos (good name for a band?). First of all before we get to what this symbolizes for the series itself, I want to say a few more things about Buggy. His situation of failing upwards has always been shown in a comedic light but I believe it shows the insidiousness of the world. Because while the lower rank people, like the man who killed T-Bone, have to get filtered through these organizations to live, so does someone like Buggy, who doesn’t have the strength to resist such a fate. If you don’t have the strength to resist these institutions, they will use you as tinder, as fuel. Luffy isn’t in an institution because he’s strong. Almost every other character in the series doesn’t have a choice against it. Wheen you think about it, Buggy’s story really is a tragedy. Somewhere along the way, through necessity of survival his values got twisted. He’s always been a dreamer through and through so I think that’s why it’s sent him on an upward trajectory. But it all began with Luffy, who not only set him on the right path, but also gave him hope when he broke him out of Impel Down. 

And now the other purpose of this panel. With Buggy declaring his hunt for the One Piece, all 4 Yonkous are now on the hunt. Do ya’ll realize what this means? What the structure of the next arc is going to be? So this part is going to be mixed with some speculation and some evidence, but I strongly believe the next arc is going to be a showdown at Elbaf for the last poneglyph with every major Yonkou involved, with the final arc possibly after getting the One Piece or at the location itself being a showdown between Luffy, the Revos and the Marines. Or it very well could be a final showdown with all the involved parties at Elbaf. That all depends on how fast Oda wants to end things. I believe one of two people could be the man with the burn scars. The obvious choice is Jaguar D Saul. And that would be the way to go if Oda wanted to end the series faster, as him having the writings of Ohara as well as the last poneglyph would also set the Revos and the Marines scrambling after him. The other could be Scopper Gaban, the third prominent crew member of the Roger Pirates. That would be the final Roger Pirate marking Luffy’s journey and a great source of info. The last possible bead we had on him, if it wasn’t Shiki the lion, was him drinking with Crocus. But effectively, having one person hold the last key to the One Piece makes it so that the four Yonkou’s are on a collision course with them. I would love to see a Mad Max style race where the Yonkou’s are forced to clash purely for the love of adventure and their dreams, instead of ideological differences setting them against each other. It would be a really romantic and fun way to cap off some character’s journey’s. 

Moving on once again, we see some new Revo’s and I particularly love Ushiano and Ahiru. While the other two are also very cool, I love Ushiano’s way of speaking and his character design, he reminds of Barney but if he was soft and lovable. And Ahiru’s character design is just so great. I don’t know if anyone remembers Nami’s early character sketches but she was supposed to have a bionic arm so I’m really glad to see that return in another character. 

And here we get to see them interact with Sabo and find out that Ahiru was going to blast him. Ugh, Oda’s just so great with characterization! In about three panels we find out that she has a stoic demeanor, is a shoot first type of character, and worries about and misses Sabo, letting her guard down and being quite cheery around people she just met. And Ushiano is just adorable. I want to hug him. 

Oh yeah, Sabo’s back by the way. So it appears that Sabo did indeed survive the bombing of Lulusia and he’s seen something. His interaction with Koala is adorable and mirrors Koby and Hobari to a tee. 

And here we get the theme of this chapter rearing it’s head back one last time. Another set of down on their luck, weak citizens forced to filter through an Institution. This time the Lulusians through the Revolutionary Army. Oda has, in every instance possible in this chapter, where we look out into the world, highlighted the absolute despair involved in the inevitability of institutions and the forced choices that come with such a world. And is it a coincidence that this only happened when we took a look out into the world, away from our beloved strawhats? No, as we saw even earlier, through Aokiji being forced into the Blackbeard Pirates and the 100 damned souls onto beehive, in a world of inevitable institutions and forced choices, such decisions are forced on the weak. It’s why our protagonist is Luffy, and why he desires freedom. It’s exactly what he fights against, and it’s reflected in his crew as well as he took them away from the lives they thought they would be forced to lead. 

And finally we arrive at the final panel of this chapter. The truth about Mary Geoise. And a promise of a reveal. Oda usually likes to cut away at moments like this to maintain the breakneck pace of weekly releases but I really hope we get to learn what happened. Because it could very well contextualize for us what the next part will look like and whether or not the final confrontation will include everyone. It’s also very sweet that Sabo thinks about now involving his subordinates as it might get them killed. This information could also line up with the potential release of information that could happen from Egghead coming up so it could be saved for that. I’m really excited to see what it brings. Another thing that this chapter, being so good, makes me think about is how I’ll feel about it later when I binge the series. Because it’s always a balancing act between week to week storytelling and making an engaging continuous story. Back in Dressrosa, the week to week was a bit of a slog but on a reread and binge it was frankly amazing. I wonder if the breakneck speed and absolute amazing experience week to week right now will affect it negatively as a whole later on. Well, the only thing we can do right now is wonder and wait for next week.

If ya'll got this far, thanks for reading. I'm super late on this one but I'm glad I took my time because I could let my thoughts develop. And once again, if anyone wants to talk One Piece or any other manga with me in-depth, don't be afraid to hop into my dm's. See ya'll next time.

John Gielgud on Romeo and Juliet, from a letter to Richard Sterne dated June 22, 1963, as quoted in Sir John Gielgud: A Life in Letters:

All thanks for your two letters. I am delighted to hear Ashland [Oregon Shakespeare Festival] is so much to your liking, and that you are to try a fall with Romeo. You will find the part a great challenge and often unsatisfactory, for Juliet has all the best positions in the text – the Banishment must not seem an anti-climax after her great cords scene – similarly the Mantua scene is hard to put over after the Potion – and the mourning. You only manage to beat her to it in the Tomb – and you will surely get a crick in the neck, while she queens it up on that damned balcony! Don’t let the director convince you that the love scenes are realistic. The ball scene meeting is a SONNET, the Balcony the epitome of longing and romantic imagination and ‘getting to know you’. The Wedding is the only scene when he really declares his most complete surrender to her (and she to him). The farewell is not a rough and tumble on the bed. It ought to be played on the same balcony as the other one – only they are worn out with the past night and the agony of parting – morning light, bleak despair = EPITHAL[AM]IUM – foreboding on both their parts which they try vainly to hide from each other. The evanescence of youth and passion – the hectic hopelessness of the moment they are both strangely aware of – then in the Mantua scene, he grows up in a single moment ‘Then I defy you, stars!’, he is suddenly a man and not a boy, no longer affected (Rosaline scene), not rash (encounter with Tybalt at the Ball and the Mercutio death). He has no sense of humour – he is a doomed young madman (but must not be too conscious of it himself!). In the tomb he is tired again suddenly – (the effort of control when he heard the news of her death, the long ride from Mantua to Venice, the blind rage as he kills Paris) and, marvellously, he shivers in the cold silence and dimness (just as SHE described it in the Potion scene) and he promises to stay there and look after her in that icy stillness. SIMPLE. (I only found this extraordinary truth in doing the death speech by itself out of context in the Recital.) It is a wonderful part. I know how to play it well now, but I could never convey it on the stage. Olivier was Romeo (though he couldn’t speak it in those days) because he was absolutely the lover of all time in the way he looked at Juliet and leaned against the balcony, and flung himself on Tybalt, but he was VULGAR in the farewell because he insisted on lying on top of Juliet and giving a physical violence in the love scenes which Shakespeare could not have imagined (or risked) with his boy Juliet! The words must do it. But they must give you a beautiful SIMPLE costume, and every help with wig and make-up. The first entrance – from a distance – is very important for the first impression, and grace of manner and deportment must be blended to a feline sensuality and sudden violence at a few important moments. You need to relax with a Latin indolence, but always with an underlying athleticism and a power that is ready to strike – like a flame – in the moments of fury and expressed emotion. So full of feeling at one moment – and an emptiness at others for contrast – the utter spontaneity which Latin people have when they are very attractive – and very young!

You can see why Sterne thought it would be worthwhile to record Hamlet rehearsals. Read all about those with Emails from an Actor!

My Thoughts on Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (SPOILERS AHEAD)

No, seriously, there are heavy spoilers so don't read this if you haven't watched the movie yet.

TRIGGER WARNING: mentions of death and brutal violence, mentions of suicide, mentions of depression and trauma, mentions of PTSD.

Look, these are just my very fresh thoughts 4 hours after watching the movie in the cinema. I will explain the good and the bad and I will try justify my opinions (despite the fact that no one needs to justify their opinions on movies lol but we all know how crazy some fans can be when it comes to their fav directors/actors/characters). Please, I don't need comments telling me 'hey, it's just a fictional character, fictional movie, blah blah.' Everything is subjective and this is content being made for us, so we are allowed to have opinions!!

Elizabeth Olsen absolutely NAILED this performance. It is by far the best thing about this movie. I can not fault it at all; her parts were the most interesting and engaging (and while it was heavily because of her performance, the directing was a big part of that too). Every line, every expression (physical or facial), everything Elizabeth did was perfection. She had me gripping my seat every single time she was on the screen. I was gasping, crying, filled with excitement and every emotion possible at different times. I was practically hypnotised by her acting and felt like I was being pulled into the screen. It’s all in the eyes, man. It’s the EYES and the amount of emotion she’s able to convey in them. She can turn from panicked to calculated to cocky to broken in seconds and all we need to do is look at her eyes and we’ll know. You know how people say ‘Heath carries’ in The Dark Knight? I felt this way here (TDK fans don't attack me). Elizabeth carries CRAZY. Perfection and she deserves all the attention and praise for this performance.

This did not feel like a Doctor Strange movie. Or a Stephen Strange one. Or both. Probably both. God, we’ve seen this all before and I’m getting so tired and bored of it. I adore his character and I was so excited to see some progression, some complexity, some more depth to his character. But nope. It’s the same ‘I am an arrogant man and so what? But wait, I fucked up? Okay, my bad, I’ll fix it and my actions will have no direct consequences on me.’ And it’ll be the same thing in his next movie, as it was in his first one. It’s Tony Stark all over again. And I hate it. Please, PLEASE, Marvel, come up with something different! Men are not all egotistical people who have one weak spot which happens to be their girl, the girl they can’t have but is always ‘almost there but not quite’ with them. It’s ‘man have ego, man realises ego bad, man fixes problem’ and then we see the SAME THING in the next movie. Where’s the character progression? Please. Please. Stop butchering your characters, especially the men.

Speaking of his character, why the fuck are we barely seeing his powers used? His best fight was the first one saving America. Dude was cuffed the whole Illuminati/Mordo fight and they save the use of his powers until he fights Evil Strange. And WTF was that fight? Look, I’m all for artistic freedom and whatever, but that was not it. They have so much power, so many abilities, and y’all are fighting with music notes? PLEASE LMFAO. Nope, not it. I did not like that scene, especially with how hyped everyone was when the trailer came out. They had us thinking Strange vs Strange would be on another level of insanely cool power, like the 'What If' episode. But nope. Pretty disappointed in that.

While there were a lot of variants of him, they barely had enough time on screen for me to give a shit about them. I’m sorry but what is up with these 5 minute appearances just to be killed off? Is this Marvel’s way to show off ‘hey, we have a multiverse now!’ like the way they fucked up Pietro/X-Men Peter’s appearance in WandaVision just to make a Boner joke. Gross. Please. The world doesn’t have to revolve around ‘our’ Marvel universe (which is 616...lol I'm not even going to address how ridiculous that is). I want to see more. Now that you’ve opened up the multiverse, why does it feel like you’ve closed it all in one movie? Especially with the way the Illuminati all got killed within a few minutes. Why? Just to show off Wanda’s new fighting skills? Or as a desperate attempt to solidify this ridiculous villain narrative you’ve given her? (I’ll get into that later). I wanted to see more, I wanted to see these new multiverse characters in the future projects at the very least. But with the way these very important, big, and powerful characters were killed off AND the way America Chavez is now being trained in the mystic arts…well, it looks like they’re closing off this multiverse concept and I’m not happy with it. Maybe I’ll be proven wrong, but for now that’s what it looks like to me.

DUDE. YOU BUTCHERED WANDA’S ARC. I’m sorry but did you seriously make her not only kill people (and be okay with killing a CHILD), but make her BRUTALLY kill them in ways that can only be described as horrific to the point where she’s enjoying it and playing with her powers and think we would just...accept it? Bruh…did they just…forget how broken she was over Lagos? How she broke down crying after realising she’s been giving the people of Westview her pain and grief? Villains don’t feel guilt. She’s an anti-hero, sure, but not a full blown villain. I get that it can be justified because of the Darkhold, but if it was corrupting her to this extent, then her motives would be more than just wanting to be with her kids again. That’s something WANDA wants and it’s not a ‘villain’ motive to be buried in so much trauma and grief that you just want to get back the people you lost. It’s different to Zemo turning the Avengers against each other because that was revenge. Vengeance, if you will. This is Loki wanting the throne and power to prove his worth to his father. And Loki is very much an anti-hero. Loki killed people, but we don’t see this level of brutality, we don’t see him cutting people in half, bursting their fucking heads. It’s just…so out of character for Wanda to be doing things like this. Although they were great scenes, visually and horror-wise. I loved it, and I loved Elizabeth. But it was just so out of character and I feel it was done only to justify killing her in the end. Because even if she didn’t sacrifice herself, they wouldn’t let her live on when she’s been seen on screen brutally killing heroes. Y’all just can’t have powerful characters, can you? I feel like Marvel just don’t know what to do with them because they’re so hard to work with. Trying to find a villain to use that’s big enough to be a challenge for these powerful heroic characters is difficult, which is also a reason why they nerfed Hulk, and nerfed Thor in Endgame. They do much better with these street heroes than the Godly powerful ones. And it’s just really disappointing.

Carrying on with that ending that I will never speak of again after this, I really think the message Marvel have been sending is dangerous. Before people start trolling with ‘they’re just comic book movies, they’re not realistic, blah blah blah I lack critical thinking skill and social awareness’, what Marvel give to their audience has an impact. It always has and it always will, and representation is important. That includes mental health and people who struggle with theirs. When you have Bruce Banner telling the Avengers he’s tried to off himself just to have the entire team brush it off and never speak of it again, when you have Thor’s trauma being turned into a joke, when you have Tony Stark’s PTSD turned into a sacrifice that apparently is the only way he can ‘rest’, it becomes problematic. And what really tips the iceberg in this movie? The fact that we have a character who has lost everyone, her parents, brother, her country, every home she’s ever had (Sokovia, Avengers compound, Westview house), her love (I’ve lost count of the amount of times she’s lost Vision at this point), AND her kids…and what do you do with that? What message do you send? Die. That’s the message. She just…sacrifices herself? Despite the fact that was all know Wanda is very capable of surviving that collapse, you still had her practically kill herself because she can’t handle being alone. Are you fucking serious? Time and time again Marvel have refused to take mental health seriously for these characters and there are REAL PEOPLE watching these movies, real people relating to these characters that comfort them in a way, real people that see their own trauma on the screen and think ‘wow, I get this. I feel this. I’m heard’. And time and time again, they’re not taken seriously, don’t get given the help they need, or they die in some sacrificial way. Tony, hell even Natasha was haunted by her past, and now Wanda. Just because you made her realise her wrongs doesn’t make it okay, it doesn’t make it a ‘for the better good’ situation, not when she’s had no problem exploding a man’s head earlier on in the movie. Butchered her arc, butchered her characterisation, and sent the worst message possible to the thousands, hell, millions of Wanda fans that resonate so much with her character to the point where some of them feel watching her saved their lives. Shame on you, Marvel.

Shame on you, Marvel, for introducing an LGBT couple just to have them killed off/sucked into some multiverse portal within seconds. Bro…you really needed that token representation so you can get your pat on the back? Come on. Do better. Other than that, America Chavez was great. I loved her character, and yes, it’s very ‘MCU formula’ with the whole troubled kid with powers they can’t control/don’t understand yet. They get taken under the wing of the parental figure (daddy strange lol) and eventually figure out the power/control/confidence was within them this whole time. It’s stereotypical, but it’s needed. I don’t think it’s that bad because we’re being introduced to new characters, new heroes, and they will have similarities with the old ones. They have to have the one thing that makes a hero, well, heroic. It’s overdone but I don’t think that makes it bad. Not everything has to be new and different. It’s okay, guys. She’s a kid. She’s supposed to be like this. I like it.

The visual effects, cinematography, CGI was great. Some CGI was a little off (like the third eye lol let us not talk about that) but overall it was a very visually appealing movie. My absolute favourite scene was when Professor X went into Wanda’s head. God, the white, the broken debris around, the horror, the hole, the RED, it was just so beautifully done. I need it as my new laptop wallpaper or something. I absolutely loved it. I’d go watch the movie just for those visuals again.

Okay…the directing…I’m sorry but it felt like Feige and Raimi were just competing with each other the whole time. The Raimi parts felt too Raimi and the Feige parts felt too Feige. It was very…contrasting, and it did not mix/balance well for me. Raimi had too many of his classic zooming in shots, and Feige had too much of your typical MCU funny formula. Although I did very much prefer Raimi’s takes. The horror is just done so well and executed amazingly. Again, it may also be Elizabeth’s acting for that lol but the directing is great for those. I loved the eerie vibe, the witchy vibe, the dark vibe. Which is why I’m just so disappointed it didn’t balance well. It felt like too many directors in there, too many takes, too many vibes. Very inconsistent.

Also, my love for the witchy-ness is also why I’m so disappointed with Wanda’s ending. Does this mean we won’t be seeing this sort of type of directing anymore? This vibe, this horror, this character? It feels like were just getting started and it just had so much potential. I would have loved to see Wanda as a consistent anti-hero or even with a better villain arc in the future. I love this witch mystic mythical shit so much and unless she’s going to be in the Agatha Harkness show, I’m worried she really is dead/gone from the MCU now. I don’t think I’m ready for that.

And Strange’s ending was very strange…He drops down and the third opens…okay, cool. So I guess we’ll see how the Darkhold corrupted him in the next movie? Wrong. He seems completely fine with having the third eye in the first post-credit. So another thing they opened just to resolve right away…this movie just felt like they were trying to resolve and close everything off and I don’t really like that. I prefer things being kept open, endless possibilities, a problem that still needs solving etc. It keeps it interesting. Again, another reason to hate the Wanda ending lol, like why couldn’t she have just hidden herself, teleported away after destroying the Darkhold. Or I’m just desperately clutching at straws or whatever the saying is lol I just can’t believe she’s actually just…dead. I refuse. Sorry.

So. It wasn’t horrible, it also wasn’t amazing. But it could have been if the directing was so inconsistent, if the characterisation of Wanda wasn’t so off, if Doctor Strange has some real character progression that isn’t overused with every egotistical man in like every comic book movie. It was fun to watch, it was beautiful to watch, and it’s definitely one of my favourites just because of the horror and visual effects. But Elizabeth carries HARD and I will forever stand by that statement.

im curious how you feel about how the lady vex moment was done in the show?

as someone who is only starting to watch the campaign (so i’ve seen just clips of that moment and not the whole thing) and who also watched the cr watch party as they explained it, i quite like how it was done. the intent and meaning was there so from a perc’ahlia standpoint i’d say it works (esp since they are still developing that relationship and they aren’t as close as in the stream i think) but also syldor’s (at least the show’s version) reaction felt appropriate and allowed for vex to stand up to him and for that to be the main part of the moment imo

Thanks for the ask! I’ve had some… conflicting feelings about the Lady Vex’ahlia moment, which I do think is in part due to me having built it up so much in my head over time. It’s such an incredible moment in the stream, and the victory of Syldor having to accept the title was lost in TLoVM which really threw me off. That being said, with a week to rewatch it and let my feelings about it settle, I’ve warmed up to the animated version much more. Objectively I think they did it wonderfully, and just like you said, the way Syldor didn’t accept it made much more sense in this context. They had so much more time to fit nuance with Syldor into the stream, but here they needed to make him an absolute asshole to convey the insecurity of the twins. it would have been a bit hollow if Vex so quickly had a win when Percy one-upped her father because that would have made her sadness and willingness to go with Saundor much less clear. Taking that win away from her in the show I think made this version hit much harder than it otherwise would have. The scene works perfectly in the stream as is, but TLOVM simply is not the stream. That's not to say TLOVM doesn't have its weaknesses, but as much as I first did, I no longer believe this moment is one of them.

I also think adding the new scene of Percy and Vex talking afterwards made it all come together really nicely. They haven't had nearly as much time to develop Percy and Vex’s relationship, so as much as I wanted more Perc'ahlia it almost would have been too abrupt for them to suddenly act the way they did with each other in the stream. In the stream, Vex was ecstatic with Percy and even gave him a kiss on the cheek, and that simply wouldn't have fit here (as much as I adore that scene). That deep feeling of the upset of not being able to rattle somebody so awful, and just like Vex said, telling them to fuck off usually feels like it hurts you more. Having her express those feelings gave her comfort while also not fixing her issues, so the audience can understand why she then has an emotional struggle with Saundor. I know that they have much more to squeeze in, and I think it will always take me some time to get used to the changes, but once I do it’s really fun to be able to appreciate them as a different medium. The stream will always be there, and I can always go back and watch the (absolutely marvellous by the way if you haven’t seen it) “I’ve known a lot of people with money” and “it’s Lady Vex'ahlia” scenes. Still, I think the way they adapted it was super well done and has made me more excited about it as time has gone on. I think you’re absolutely right about how the appropriate reaction from Syldor and Vex talking back to him worked here, and I’m so glad to see that people are enjoying it. As the expectations of it have worn off a bit for me I’ve been able to have much more fun with it as well :)

Also if you haven’t, I would HIGHLY suggest going to watch any Perc'ahlia scenes in the Feywild. The arc is much (by usual TV standards, but it's not actually too many CR episodes) longer in the streams and all of VM is there, and it’s so so enjoyable as a short few episodes of dumb fun and daddy issues. The “they are definitely not worth you” exchange is also objectively incredible in the stream and makes me lose my mind every time I watch it, so while they couldn’t fit it in its entirety, which is totally fine, I think it should be required viewing for everyone because it’s one of the most heartfelt Perc'ahlia scenes hands down.

THE YOUNG AVENGERS ARE BACK!

in: MARVEL’S VOICES: YOUNG AVENGERS #5 (a 6 part series!)

written by Anthony Oliveira and art by Jethro Morales

?,$,&;&:9:! THEY’RE BACK! and this is a marvel unlimited exclusive FOR NOW (at least i’m hoping). hopefully we get a physical release for this just as we did for the wiccan and hulkling comic. anyways, less talking, let me give you more info on the comic!

“The anthology series renowned for its fresh take on “the world outside your window” launches a new, ongoing six-part story! Now available exclusively on the Marvel Unlimited app, MARVEL’S VOICES: YOUNG AVENGERS #5 launches in the exclusive Infinity Comic format. Fans clamored for it, and we’re finally here to deliver: pop culture critic Anthony Oliveira finally puts his pen to the Young Avengers with up-and-coming artist Jethro Morales!”

“We spoke to the writer and artist about their personal Young Avengers fandom, what readers can expect from this all-new arc, and their favorite parts about bringing the super-team back into the forefront!” “Young Avengers has a dedicated fan base who I'm sure are stoked to see the “Young Avengers” name reignited. What can readers expect from this story?”

ANTHONY OLIVEIRA: Events transpire! Protagonists and antagonists clash! Scenes follow, one after another, though not always in order! And we will learn what power cannot do, and what forgiveness can. People are certainly very excited for the Young Avengers to be back, and absolutely no one more than me! But the years since have changed them, I think. These characters have been off on their own adventures for a while, and I wanted to really get to know them again. So for each of the characters we got, I tried to think really hard about the story each of them needs right now, and did my best to give it to them. If you don’t know these heroes this is a great chance to befriend them; if you do, I think it will feel like catching up with an old best friend.

JETHRO MORALES: The fans can expect a lot of heartfelt moments with tons of action and fun in every panel and page throughout the arc. And, as one of the artists, I gave it my all to convey visually all the emotions and excitement masterfully written by Anthony that I hope the fans will appreciate.

Preview from MARVEL’S VOICES: YOUNG AVENGERS INFINITY COMIC #5.

(before i cut to the chase, here’s our writers excitement about wiccan and hulkling!)

Any favorite Young Avengers runs or solo character series that you've appreciated as fans? (Or can recommend for Unlimited readers!)

ANTHONY OLIVEIRA: I have been reading YOUNG AVENGERS since the very first week it came out! I remember in those early days thinking it was impossible that what seemed to be happening with Wiccan and Hulkling was actually happening—queer people like us just weren’t shown in comics or on TV. It was like a miracle.

Preview from MARVEL’S VOICES: YOUNG AVENGERS INFINITY COMIC #5.

i’ll leave the rest of the article/q&a here!:

Read MARVEL’S VOICES: YOUNG AVENGERS INFINITY COMIC #5 on the Marvel Unlimited app now, and come back each Wednesday for new issues from the six-part arc!

EVERY WEDNESDAY!

Shostakovich's violin concertos are an absolute marvel of musical brilliance, showcasing his unparalleled talent and revolutionary ideas. From the moment the first note is played, it is clear that these concertos are a testament to his unique style and innovative approach to composition.

The style of Shostakovich's violin concertos is characterized by a perfect blend of traditional classical elements and his own avant-garde tendencies. He effortlessly weaves together melodic lines and intricate harmonies, creating a tapestry of sound that is both captivating and thought-provoking. His use of dissonance and unconventional harmonic progressions adds a layer of complexity to the music, challenging the listener to delve deeper into the emotions and narratives conveyed by the violin.

But it is not just the style of these concertos that sets them apart; it is the harmony that truly captivates the audience. Shostakovich's harmonic language is daring and groundbreaking, pushing the boundaries of what was considered acceptable in his time. He fearlessly experiments with dissonant chords, creating moments of tension and release that are as thrilling as they are beautiful. The harmonic progression in his concertos is unpredictable and unexpected, keeping the listener on the edge of their seat, never quite knowing where the music will take them next.

What truly sets Shostakovich's violin concertos apart, however, are the revolutionary musical ideas that he explores. In a time of political turmoil and censorship, Shostakovich used his music as a means of expressing his discontent and challenging the status quo. He infused his compositions with themes of struggle, oppression, and resilience, creating a powerful narrative that resonates with listeners to this day. His ability to convey deep emotions through his music is unparalleled, as he crafts melodies that evoke a wide range of feelings, from melancholy and despair to hope and triumph.

Shostakovich's violin concertos are a testament to his genius and unwavering commitment to pushing the boundaries of what is possible in music. They showcase his unique style, daring harmony, and revolutionary musical ideas, leaving a lasting impact on all those who have the privilege of listening to them. It is through his music that Shostakovich's legacy lives on, inspiring generations of musicians and reminding us of the power of art to transcend political and social barriers.

ugh ohmygod so I saw this post and it made me so mad that I simultaneously wanted to reblog it just to rant in the tags and to not reblog it so that I could avoid sharing it with /more/ people

listen. music is universal. when a singer, songwriter, producer, lyricist, musician, team puts something out into the world, there may be emotions that they are trying to put into it. They will draw on these emotions as they perform and edit and refine this thing they are making. There may be a story they are trying to tell, an experience they are trying to communicate, and this may not be straightforward; there is a level of abstraction between conceptualization and realization that I am convinced exists to some level in all pieces of art like this. This is not a flaw; this is marvellous. When I the listener interact with a song, or an album, or an artist's entire body of work - the emotions that I feel and the story that is conveyed to me may be just. absolutely different from the artist's intentions and their own experience. It may resonate with me in an entirely different way than intended; it may resonate with someone else in a separate, distinct, discrete way. My and others' awareness of the artist and any context they have made clear may play a part in this or it may not; it depends on how I interact with music and how readily available this information is.

All this is to say: the only fucked up thing with this whole gaylor shit is the part where people are convinced that their interpretation of her music and the way it resonates with them indicates some fundamental truth about her identity. The only person who knows that is her and frankly it's none of anyone else's business and it's probably not that interesting anyway. But!!! this does not mean that her music cannot resonate with someone's experience of queerness!!!! It is story and song and a vehicle for emotion, and the details that make something sing true to someone's life and values are not pinned to the artist's "true identity" like a fuckin. butterfly to a corkboard. there is VALUE and DELIGHT in being aware of some additional dimension of queerness by virtue of the singers intentions or identity or whatever but that's a fucking BONUS you NIMRODS the only thing you need is a heart to feel things and a song to feel them about it's about YOU and how you interpret things. you change things just by existing!!! the only person to experience a song the way you do is YOU!!! "if I wanna listen to gay music I'll listen to gay ppl singing about gay sex" good for you!! but what a sad and limited life you must lead to need the significance and meaning of art spoonfed to you by author bios.

AND THEN. fucking condescending ass AAAAAAAH listen. christian rock can slap. i say this as someone who is markedly not christian. and even if you don't think it slaps that's fine. but the fact that someone's out here going "oh poor limited babies who've never listened to real proper good music before projecting sasanaru onto christian rock because they've never known anything else" grow uppppp!!! first of all!!! nobody. NOBODY. is out here saying 10,000 reasons by matt whatever is about sasuke and naruto kissing. you know this in your heart of hearts, just like you know deep down that there is VALUE in eking out meaning in places where you don't expect to find it, and in places that have some connection to the earliest parts of you. (and even if you aren't doing this, aren't interacting with the context of the music and its genre, see above re:universal fucking language). you've probably done it before. it's tumblr, land of transformative works and webweaving of course you have. how limited in scope must you be to think that people who listen to a genre you don't value but who are also queer or something must be just poor deprived children, limited in resource, waiting for that next evolution i'm gonna weep. anyway listen to relient k cowards

Fic Writer 20 Questions

Thank you for tagging me @h1myname1sv!

1.) How many works do you have on ao3?

104 (it's not all fics, a few are fanvids. I do have a lot more fics in Italian not posted on Ao3, though.)

2.) What’s your ao3 word count?

137,912

3.) What fandoms do you write for?

A lot, I'm very multifandom! My current obsession is Daredevil and it led me to write on many other marvel characters (Natasha and Clint, Peter), an historical fandom of mine is Detective Conan and I might write something for it soon—if I manage.

4.) What are your top five fics by kudos?

What am I looking at, Matt? A short piece I wrote for fun right after watching 1x08 of She-Hulk; I was hyped and so was half the fandom.

A marvelous october collects the stories I wrote for last year's writober (mixed up with flufftober prompts). It's mostly Daredevil and it has a few chapters I'm pretty happy with, but I branched a little with other marvel characters (Kate, Clint, Kamala, Peter, Layla).

Ideas live forever (let your voice be heard) I'm really happy this story is so high here. It's a one-shot for Barbie [spoilers ahead]. After the ending, it follows Barbara adapting to the changes brought by her new life and coming to terms with things that didn't change—namely, her lack of attraction to anyone. AroAce Barbie for the win!

Three times Daredevil isn't a lawyer plus one short and fun 3+1 fic with Matt being sassy as Daredevil and Frank deducing something about his lawyer. (Secret identity who? Matt doesn't know her)

Not my friend (who are you?) I wrote this one for the dde promptfest, it was fun! It's about Brett reaching some conclusions of his own during S3 about his favorite (?) vigilante.

5.) Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

I usually do! Don't often know how to answer so maybe it's just a 💜, but I appreciate the people who comment and I try to let them know.

6.) What’s the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

That's a tough one. I'm all for angst, but I need happy endings. (Or, well, hopeful ones.) The angstiend ending (and fic) I've ever written was my OC's reaction to her best friend's death, I'm pretty sure (it doesn't exist on Ao3).

7.) What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Now that's hard for the opposite reason, lol. I'll go with The joys and concerns of teaching magic bc it's more than slice of life/fluff for the sake of it, there is some trouble/action before the happy ending.

8.) Do you get hate on fics?

I don't think that's happened recently, no. I got hate for my ship back when I started, in 2013 in the Italian fandom, and it was awful, but I'm not 15 anymore and I think I'd react in a very different way now (I'd ignore them and keep writing whatever I want).

9.) Do you write smut? If so what kind?

Nope. I don't believe I'm capable of it LOL <- same prev!

10.) Do you write cross overs? What’s the craziest one you’ve written?

I've written a couple in the past. Craziest probably was Detective Conan/Yu-gi-oh!

11.) Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I know.

12.) Have you ever had a fic translated?

I don't think so.

13.) Have you ever cowritten a fic before?

Yes, I have, and it was super-fun!

14.) What’s your all time favourite ship?

Heeeh. I'm a multishipper girl, and often I'm perfectly happy with my favorite ships being platonic as well as romantic, so... I don't know. One of my oldest OTPs is Shinichi/Shiho from Detective Conan, I'll go with them.

15.) What’s a WIP you’d like to finish, but doubt you ever will?

My original fantasy novel. I haven't touched it in 3 years and right now it feels pretty impossible, but I do hope to get to plot and write it properly one day.

16.) What are your writing strengths?

Introspection, I think. And conveying emotions to the reader.

16.) What are your writing weaknesses?

Action scenes make me cry and descriptions are a work in progress ;_;

17.) Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

Absolutely, if it makes sense for the fic! Playing with languages is fun.

18.) First fandom you wrote for?

Naruto!

19.) Favourite fic you’ve ever written?

This question is so mean. They're my children! Okay, I do have favorites—plural. If I reeeally have to choose, probably What's in a soul? I'm really happy with how it came out, in Italian and English both.

No pressure tags: @usaigi @ceterisparibus116 @auofgoldandfantasies @folkloristico

Resident Evil: Death Island (2023) Review

Two Resident Evil projects in one year?? Well then, Capcom really is tickling my guilty pleasures recently. The Resident Evil 4 game remake was nothing short of stupendous and proved how game remakes/remasters should be handled (looking at you Rockstar Games). Now we have a new RE 3D anime release that follows the Infinite Darkness Netflix mini-series from a few years back. Hopefully a 2 for 2 for Capcom this year?...

Plot: D.S.O. agent Leon S. Kennedy is on a mission to rescue Dr. Antonio Taylor from kidnappers, when a mysterious woman thwarts his pursuit. Meanwhile, B.S.A.A. agent Chris Redfield is investigating a zombie outbreak in San Francisco, where the cause of the infection cannot be identified. The only thing the victims have in common is that they visited Alcatraz Island recently. Following that clue, Chris and his team head to the island, where a new horror awaits them.

So evidently the most significant selling point of Death Island is that it is the first proper time it teams up the five main recurring characters of the RE franchise - Chris, Jill, Claire, Rebecca, and everyone's favourite rookie cop Leon S. Kennedy (one must mention the S.). Yes, some of these characters paired up during the infamous Resident Evil 6 - though the less said about that game the better. Regardless, Death Island finally gives us the whole team united! See this as an Avengers-level team-up movie for the Resident Evil universe. In a nutshell, this is a big moment for RE fans around the world. So Capcom better not do a Marvel Phase 4 & 5 and betray their fans' trust, right??

Resident Evil: Death Island seems like a missed opportunity. It had all the pieces that could have come together to create something truly special, however, instead the final result is a bit lazy. Don't get me wrong, if you're a fan of Resident Evil, and to be fair if you are not a fan of RE then neither this movie nor review should be interesting to you as this really is a feature-length piece of fan service. As I was saying though, as an RE fan, there is plenty to enjoy. The zombies are gory and vile; the lickers are back being as horrible as ever - I am so glad I was not holding the controller this time. Seeing our heroes together was of course entertaining, with stand-outs being Jill and Leon. I don't believe we have ever seen Jill in this badass form. She kicks ass more so than she's ever done in the games, and then Leon as per usual throws around some absolutely hilarious quips and one-liners, reminding us all why he is one of the franchise's favourites. Also must give props to the animation. We've come such a far way since the first time around when we saw our pixelated heroes enter that forsaken mansion. The computer graphics are honestly really sharp and impressive, with the creature designs, and especially during the action sequences with the use of slow motion there is some serious ass-kicking on display.

That being said, Death Island is missing something very key - emotion. I say this fully aware that we love RE for the horror and the cheesiness of it all but with all our main heroes in one movie I sort of expected to care more than I did. The thing is, the animation style of Death Island is not really capable of accurately conveying real human emotion, so wherever we have the quiet moments when we are having a break from the action, the dialogue between the characters and a scene involving the main villain exposing his convoluted plan of destruction in a slow and tedious manner comes off as really dull. Also, the premise is ridiculously simple. Our heroes go to Alcatraz (some old-school Call of Duty: Black Ops - Zombies vibes going on there). They fight some monsters, kill the main monster in the end and Bob's your uncle. There's hardly anything else to it. Speaking of the final creature they battle - the heroes look cool fighting it and apparently pulling our rocket launchers (obviously) and weapons of mass destruction out of butt-fudge nowhere, but alright, I'll just assume the Merchant from Resident Evil 4 was hiding behind one of the crates selling them some rare things for a high price. However, the creature itself, though it looked cool, did not do anything? It hardly fought back, just spent most of the time moving around slowly and staring our heroes down. Why? Like this is Resident Evil for crying out loud, we want to see our heroes kick butt of course but we also want to see the monsters fight back and be massive and intimidating. But nope, this dude just slithers around a little and takes it like a pu**y.

So the verdict. Resident Evil: Death Island certainly has its moments of entertainment, and of course seeing these legacy characters team up is wonderful, however, the movie lacks energy. When the action is there is bloody good fun, but there are too many breaks in between where characters talk and it's no fun. And yes, the endlessly monologuing baddie is a bore and his motivations? My gosh, what a wuss.

Overall score: 5/10

Saw this post, which mentions the movie at the end, and I just have to say:

I fucking love the Scarlet Pimpernel.

I loved the book growing up (haven't reread it so I don't know how I'd feel about it now), but I just rewatched what - to me - is The Version, the one from 1982 featuring Jane Seymour, Anthony Andrews, and Ian McKellen.

(I hadn't even realised that Chauvelin was Ian McKellen because I don't think I knew who McKellen was when I first watched the movie! So wild to see him that young!)

The movie doesn't follow the plot of the (first) book, but I don't care because I love it so much. This was the absolute height of romance to me when I first watched it, and I carry a great deal of fondness for it even now. Watching it again was a delight, and the aspects I love still worked for me despite being much more Aware of Things than I used to be.

A quick aside about Paul Chauvelin: He's got an unbudging fanatical sort of patriotism, of course, a dogged determination even when faced with what must be near-certain defeat at the end. But it also feels like there is a kind of genuine disappointment in him, an inability to understand how someone he considers a like mind could look at their reality and arrive at a different conclusion. There's a sort of fading/lost hope as the woman he loved (maybe truly, once upon a time) moves beyond his reach. I don't like him, especially the way he touches Marguerite (there's so much presumption), but I think McKellen does a great job.

But on to the things I love most.

Jane Seymour

She is just... so luminously beautiful in this role. My (deeply unaware) baby queer heart fell for her immediately, and present me can confirm that, like Percy, I too would probably fall in love with her upon our first meeting.

Not only is she stunning, she's passionate and determined and will use every ounce of her considerable acting skill to keep Chauvelin at bay. She loves fiercely and is loyal to those she loves. She will go to the ends of the earth to defend them, will stand in defiance against her country itself if it means protecting them.

Her portrayal of Marguerite is fantastic, warm and furious and bitingly cold and deliriously happy and courageous in turns. The transition from the glowing, joyous woman on her wedding day to the one who says, "I've lost my husband's love, and I don't know why..." is absolutely heartbreaking.

Once she discovers the truth about the husband she loves but has not fully understood until this second, she does not hesitate a moment to fling herself into action, risking everything to bring him home safely.

She's marvelous and lovely and brave, and my baby queer self had good fucking taste.

Anthony Andrews

Truthfully, even without Jane Seymour, Anthony Andrews alone might make this my favourite movie adaptation.

To me, he embodies the character like no other actor has (that I've seen, at any rate).

He is foppish as hell, a beautiful dandy, ever fantastically dressed and perfectly poised, the darling of society.

He is also the bravest and most daring of English noblemen, risking his life near-daily to save people from the guillotine.

Simultaneously.

And he portrays it so well, with all these levels and layers to his performance, especially in his role as popular society man Sir Percy Blakeney, baronet. (Baronet?)

I feel like other depictions I've seen have either been too foppish or too serious, never inhabiting both roles equally well, never managing to shift between them and meld them in a convincing way.

Andrews' Sir Percy can go from vacant eyes to the sharpest of gazes in a flash, can transform in an instant from a social butterfly with gloriously ridiculous affectations to a low-voiced mastermind with nerves of steel. It's like he can become a whole new person before one's eyes just from a change in stance or expression or pitch.

I swear I've not seen anyone else manage to convey so many emotions and variations in the role, and he makes it look effortless. He makes me believe, at least for those 142 minutes, that he is everything his legend says he is and more.

And who knows? Maybe it's not as good as I think. Maybe it's just that I saw it at the right time in my life and was convinced and bewitched so thoroughly that my nostalgic impression persists to this day.

Maybe.

But whatever the cause, whatever the reason I feel this way, I felt it all over again when I watched the movie again recently.

And that? The ability of this movie, which came out before I was even born, to affect me that way years ago and still today?

That's fucking magic.

Just.

THIS FUCKING MOVIE.

The End.