#the cleaning lady meta
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The Cleaning Lady: Scenes at home in 2x08
This was supposed to be just a quick text message to @idealisticrealism, but as with everything TCL, it grew a life of its own, kicked my shins, stabbed me in the heart and then took off running. Sigh.
Amidst the bombshells and revelations in 2x08, the show finally deigned to grace us with Arman dropping by the De La Rosa abode not once or twice, but four times. Throughout the ep, it was striking to see Arman in Thony's space and the way they navigated around each other in that space.
So here are some very brief thoughts about the four scenes -- they are not fully formed, so please feel free to disagree or add to them!
(NB. To be fair, 2x08 shows us three different homes: the De La Rosa's, the Morales's, and JD's. There's a meta somewhere in there to be written about the contrasting visual design and interactions in all three spaces. Please, someone [not me], go write it.)
Well, I'm staying here... you shouldn't be alone.
In the first scene, we know that this is the morning after the harrowing events of 2x07. Arman comes in through the back door. While the conversation takes place in the laundry room, he has also walked in some ways inside to get a sense of the space, checking out Luca's room and clocking the fact that Thony's family has left.
Thony remains standing near the door. As she speaks of her anguish of what Arman was forced to do, and her discomfort of lying to Garrett, he walks to her, closing the distance between them and she accepts his embrace.
Please, come in.
I love the second scene so much. Thony brings Arman through the front door -- so his motorbike is parked out front too?? -- swinging open the door widely as she walks in. In my favourite recurring detail of the De La Rosa household, Thony slips off her shoes, and Arman -- probably too distracted with being around her in her space -- does not lol. But as she welcomes him to the living room, 'Please, come in', she keeps her jacket on, tying her visually (and emotionally) with Arman.
She sits on the sofa, cross-legged and tucking her feet underneath, while he chooses the smaller couch, perpendicular and closest to her. Despite the stresses of what is ahead of them -- and her hands, as usual, are folded in front of her in a protective gesture -- she is disarmed by his presence, as comfortable as she would ever be in this episode.
Look, Thony- // It's fine.
So much of the third scene screams caution, an emotional pulling back: it is now dark out; Thony, startled awake, wields a knife before hearing Arman's voice, and peeks through closed blinds before opening the back door to let him in. Like the first scene, they are meeting again in the laundry room, both now standing close to the door. But their stance is markedly less comfortable than earlier that day, though not (yet) as confrontational as in the next scene.
I sighed so loudly when she opens the door -- an unmistakable cue for him to go. She even holds on to the door as he hangs on to the frame, not quite ready to leave yet. As she closes the door behind him, a last glance at him as he goes home to Nadia.
I'm sorry.
Oh boy. The fourth and final scene is in her backyard -- our boy doesn't even get through the door this time. The visual arrangement of the scene is somewhat confrontational : arms braced on knees, Thony has been waiting for him to arrive, and walks up the path to preempt him halfway; he doesn't get anywhere near the house. And she's even got shoes on lol.
I love that as they walk toward each other, we see the clutter behind Thony -- fairy lights and window decals, mismatched pots and lounge chairs (JD and Fi's 'Sorry about the mess // Don't worry, it makes us feel right at home' comes to mind). It's proof of the home and the family that Thony is adamant about protecting, and with Arman intending to do the same with Nadia as well, they are uncomfortably at odds in that closing shot.
To end, I'm just gonna quote @idealisticrealism here, because she says it in words better than I can:
The way it reflects their relationship over the show so far, too? Growing closer and then being pushed apart again by outside circumstances, having to distance themselves when they don't want to? Help
Yeah, help is right; god help us all. This effing show, I tell you.
#the cleaning lady#the cleaning lady meta#thony de la rosa#arman morales#armony#laura this is all your fault™#two more episodes?#im not ready to say goodbye
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i think jo tickles our brainworms now because she is so deeply entrenched in that sweet sweet 2006 misogny which so many of us can relate to. not only is the way dean responds to her incredibly patronising and sexist but the way she pushes herself to meet an unachievable representation of cool girl is so visible. she's not like other girls but she's still beautiful she's one of the guys but she's still feminine she wants to be a good hunter but she's still not allowed to hunt she is just a character full of traits which run parallel to each other. desperate to be the unattainable. there is an ambiguity in the show itself to whether she is a good hunter or not - which perception of jo is more true, dean or her own? the 2006 misogny is internalised, it is intrinsic to her character and it is so, unendingly, relatable
#and so transparent to us now when we look back#and ofc the fandom response was so rancid too !!!!!!!!!!!!!#jo is a girl bathing in the pool of misogny and now we take those waters and run them until they are clean#and wash in them ourselves#or some shit it's late i should sleep but. do you get me#jo harvelle#spn ladies#jo meta#sapphicnatural#ola originals
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important questions:
1) goncharov is his last name, right? did we ever hear his first? i refuse to believe katya calls him goncho in bed
2) obviously movie logic audience comprehension blah blah everyone’s talking english, but (other than when sofia is translating for her uncle ofc) what language do we think the bratva and mafioso communicate in? just gunshots??? something inherently hilarious to me about Andrey’s truckload of smuggled slavic heavyweights diligently studying their lil italian phrasebooks, hushing each other when they pass thru yet another polish checkpoint, after goncho calls in backup. like. u at least want to be able to get across the basics like ‘surrender or I’ll shoot you!’ and ‘open the door or I’ll cut off another finger!!!’ to the locals.
3) I know there’s a lot been made of the significance of costuming choices & the contrast between sophia & katya on this, with the crucifixes & lace chapel shawls & the way the mafia wields piety as a symbol of domination, but I think there’s a really interesting case to be made for sophia’s performance of catholicism as a metaphor for the heteronormativity forced on her by being so closely related to the Don. she could never be anything but straight pious but we don’t even particularly see her paying anything but lip service. her worship is a performance read onto her by others. we see her context and her presentation and we assume - and she lets us, it keeps her safe. (which is why all y’all can miss me w/ the Discourse about her passivity in letting katya undress her in That Scene - she! was! scared!! - because she took off the crucifix herself. & I’d have to check but. this is why it fucks me up to see her back in the lace shawl & knee-length skirt at the end. wanna bet that necklace went back on the second katya died & never came off again???)
but KATYA. katya’s ambivalent as fuck to orthodoxy, she’ll walk the walk when she wants to, she’ll rock up to a mass in that killer burgundy number and take sacrament like a choir girl if it gets her what she needs, but ultimately it’s her choice. right? we get kinda the very edges of a hint from goncho’s lil Moment w/ the medallion b’fore the Big Fight that maybe he’s more Into It w/ the whole religion thing, but i never once got the feeling he put that on katya. she gets to choose dick religion, pick it up and put it down, and i for one think that’s very bisexual of her.
but idk. wdyt? is soph’s piety the real deal? or does even asking that question play into the whole,, Lesbian Temptress Leading Nice Girl To The Devil bullshit?
#give! us! sophia's! interiority!!!!!#male screenwriters i am begging u#goncharov#unreality#i have a lot of actual for real thoughts wrt the intersection of slavic & southern italian religiosity#as the grandaughter of a neopolitan cleaning lady abandoned to the church age 12 & a PoW czech bricklayer who never once went to church#but SEPARATELY#i do genuinely want answers to the first two questions as it is 8 hours before i gotta be up for work but i appear to be. writing fic.#meta
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An Extremely In Depth Dissection of the Cleaning Lady, Episodes 6-8
Okay, I am sure I am going to inadvertently piss someone off by saying this, but it needs to be said: in a general sense, we’ve began to confuse romance with lust and sex. And while those things are not inherently exclusive and removed from each other, they all can and do also exist without each other. Television in the past few years, particularly shows surrounding younger characters tend to use sex as a cure all. A lot of times, it is contrived plot armor that, ironically, doesn’t actually add anything to the actual plot or story. It’s just used for sensationalism, whether it makes sense or not. Perhaps I’m in the minority of people that want earned interactions between two characters, or that want the ownership of a character’s sexuality to feel authentic to the character. there are many criticisms I’ve had and will continue to have about the show, but I will also be the one loudly applauding the writers and showrunners for letting the characters be authentic and human, and not simply doing what would be sensational or exciting with no genuine reasoning behind it. (i’ll discuss more of this below the cut.)
Let me be the first to say, I hope that the show never makes a major character decision purely for fan service. Because THAT is what kills a show. Let me use of one the most famous examples: Game of Thrones. Yes, that show was sensational in every bit of meaning- but the sensationalism was never the point of the show. The political drama and danger that it created was always the focus and always meant to be at the forefront. To the point that it dictated whether characters that we loved lived or not. It was when the showrunners lost sight of this and ran out of source material that the show shifted and became something unrecognizable. They gave into fan service with bigger battles, more sex, random out of character jokes that didn’t fit the person saying them and it tarnished what was once considered one of the greatest pieces of television we’ve had.
Whether or not we like it, whether or not we agree with every choice regarding two characters and their relationship, the show is not about the romance between Thony and Arman, That is a MAJOR part of it, but the actual show is about a woman trying desperately to save her family and the impact that has on everyone that comes into contact with her. Yes, it is technically an ensemble show- but there is ONE main lead- The Cleaning Lady- Thony. And the reason this show is so good and we care so much is in large part because the writers and showrunners understand what their show is about- as do the actors. Yes, there could be improvements and I’m sure they will come. But I do think we have to be realistic about what we’re going to see and support what we do have and do like so that we don’t end up losing it. Now that I’ve said my piece on that, let’s dive in.
This is going to be different than my typical dissections of the episodes. I feel that these last three episodes have all gone hand and hand in three parts of a whole. So, I’m going to be looking at all three and breaking down moments and thoughts that particularly stood out to me.
First, I want to discuss the pacing. As many of you know, I write fanfiction on the show. In fact, this show brought me out of a years long hiatus of writing any fanfiction at all. At the time, I was inspired to write because of the myriad missing moments I felt we had in the show- specifically between Thony and Arman. Now, while I do still find that I crave certain moments or scenes to give more context- I haven’t felt a pulled to write because I’ve found myself very pleased with how the story and its pacing has unfolded this season. I was, obviously, always a fan of the show- but this season, they’ve really found their stride and seemed to have really honed onto those quieter, more delicate moments that make the characters feel more real and personal. It’s something that I greatly appreciate and wanted to make mention of it before I speak on anything else. If the show is able to maintain this pace, I genuinely believe season 3 could be their strongest and potentially garner them more support from a larger fan base.
GARRETT
To my pleasant surprise, Agent Garrett Miller has FINALLY arrived. It took a season and a half, but I can finally say that he’s a character I am becoming invested in and wouldn’t be opposed to seeing more of. Episode 8 was definitely his strongest episode, but I think that this last episode set him up for some really interesting development for the rest of the season.
I’ve said it before, but I genuinely think the biggest issue with Garrett’s character was never that he was a flawed FBI agent; rather, it was that he was so inherently rooted in his privilege on a show about people trying to make a way without privilege and protections. While it made total sense for him to not fully understand his privilege and agree with Thony’s point of view, it was a failing of his actual character’s design that he had a constant safety blanket last season, which led him to having no real consequences and coming off as extremely un-relatable. Last season, almost every personal (and professional) issue he encountered was handled within the matter of that episode. His ex wife that he cheated on didn’t want him around his son? He showed up at her house, made her laugh, and things were fine. He was supposed to be on a tight leash after his inappropriate behavior with a CI, but still did things without his superior or partner? He found some good intel, so they were able to overlook it. He gets someone deported and nearly gets Fiona deported, as well? He’s back on that “short leash,” but isn’t removed from any casework. Even him attempted smuggling of Thony across the border, his most selfless act last season, ended up impacting her more than him and he still suffered no true consequences. Not even with his boss and friend, who would’ve had every right to sever any personal relationship with him after that. There was nothing that actually made his character develop because he didn’t have to develop past the very clear safety net laid out for him. Then, this season, we met Maya- and it all changed.
I was nervous about the introduction of Maya at first; thinking that we were just going to watch him win without actually deserving the win. Again. But to my shock, that didn’t happen. While it was sad Maya’s part in the story was reduced to something so small and we didn’t get to emotionally connect with her as much, outside of the lens of Garrett’s former lover, she did end up serving a greater purpose and meaning to the show. And not just for Garrett, but also for Arman. I wouldn’t say that Maya humanized Garrett, because he already was a believable human- just not a likable one; but it did ground him. Her presence rooted his character back into a sense of reality and served as an ongoing reminder of a constant consequence for his actions. She ended up in the messy situation she was in because of choices that he was a part of; and for once, this consequence isn’t just going away. Garrett is actually being forced to think and act differently, to take accountability, and face some hard truths about himself. I don’t know if it will last, but I certainly hope that it does.
I enjoy the burgeoning friendship he has with Thony, and I think it would be increasingly interesting to see the push and pull of how he interacts with Arman in later seasons. I also really appreciated the way he was with Chris and Fiona. I don’t know that I would necessarily envision something romantic, but I would be incredibly curious to see a type of confidant relationship happen between Garrett and Fiona. It would be unexpected, but it would also have to be earned which would mean major growth for both of their characters to come to this place of mutual respect and understanding. I’m intrigued by the thought.
I also appreciate the fact that he didn’t cross the line with Maya again, at least not physically. I worried that they would take the seedlings of growth we had and destroy it by having them be incredibly intimate with one another; but in reality, while you could feel the tension (and at times desire between them) we watched Garrett exhibit something that he isn’t known for: restraint. I genuinely enjoyed spending time with this version of him and I hope that we get to see more of this side of his character- because this is the side that’s going to make him feel more imperative to the show and the other characters.
CHRIS
I am so glad that they have carved out more of this show and story for Chris, and I hope they continue to do so. I can truly see his character having such growth and a beautiful arc as we continue to watch him heal and struggle with that healing. I hope that they don’t just act like the whole Marco thing never happened, but I also want them to show us what it looks like when Chris feels like he’s regaining control of his life or actively choosing to live it. He’s so young, but so wise and he already exists as a type of anchor for the family. Fi choosing to not keep him as in the dark is something I wasn’t entirely expecting, but that I’m thrilled about- because it opens up a realm of possibilities. For example, with JD’s words last episode, one could wander if the next season of the show would explore these influences in Chris’s life. A JD/Garrett like presence vs an Arman. And while we know that Arman is a gentle giant, most don’t. And I can absolutely see Chris feeling powerful in the way Arman did by getting involved in this world. It would also serve as an interesting conflict for Thony and Fiona.
Something that really struck me with Chris is just how much he genuinely loves Thony. They don’t have enough scenes together that are just the two of him, but she is clearly like a second mother to him. I would love to see more of their individual relationship more built up as the show progresses. Not only was Thony willing to take the fall for him, but Chris was going to take the fall for her. And from the beginning, he was able to see what Fiona could (or would) not- that Marco was hurting Thony. Again, I feel that with Chris getting older and being so perceptive of everything happening around him, that we are being led to more of his inclusion into Thony’s world.
JD AND FIONA
I don’t have too much to say here, save for the fact that I enjoyed the awkwardness and juxtaposition of their scenes for Thony and Arman’s. While the latter’s were tender and intimate, the former were cozy and innocent. Incredibly sweet and safe, and felt warm compared to the coldness of what Thony and Arman were facing. It made me happy to see the fun loving Fi from older days make an appearance and to watch her feel so at home in this new space. I don’t get the heat from her and JD that I do with Thony and Arman, but I do get the comfortable warmth that makes me curious to see more. (I still am toying with the whole Fi and Garrett getting closer idea.) Fiona deserves happiness and joy, and it was just nice to see some of that “normalcy” in the midst of so much turmoil.
Now, here’s my beef with JD. He is NOT wrong. Jas does need to be kept safe and protected, they all do. And yes, Thony’s decisions (particularly concerning Arman) have cost her some of that safety they had last season. However, JD is extremely hypocritical in acting as if Thony, alone, has made some grave error in protecting her family. He’s concerned about Thony, who is actively working with the FBI; but wasn’t he complicit in keeping a secret from the FBI- himself? I just feel like he’s doing a lot of finger pointing for a man that just rolled back into town. And the suggestion that Fiona leave Thony, when it isn’t like she’s been the one truly bringing danger to their doorstep until now, makes me really disappointed in him. He had no concern for Thony, and I get it- again, he’s a Dad first. But if they are all a family, them that includes Thony. And he needs to think of her, too.
KAMDAR
I just want to say: THANK YOU WRITERS FOR LETTING NAVEEN ANDREWS DO WHAT THE FUCK HE DOES! I’ve said it from day one and I will say it again, let Naveen act and that man is going to act the house down. Robert is so terrifying and insidious and loves playing mind games, and I cannot wait to see him even more in action and wordplay next episode. He is becoming such a delicious villain.
THE THONY AND ARMAN OF IT ALL
I think right now, we probably have the most interesting opportunity to watch the development of the relationship between these two. Something that I really appreciate about them is that they feel grown. They feel mature and adult, because they are. And they make decisions that are more calculated and thought out, like an adult closer to their 40s and less like one closer to their 20s. It’s something incredibly refreshing to see on television, and something that made shows like Breaking Bad (which I’ve often said has heavily inspired the style of this show) so intriguing. Part of the reason that I’m so excited about this pacing is due to the fact that we no longer have to do as much guessing with these characters and how they feel. It’s not so much that they’re saying exactly how they feel more than before- I mean, Thony and Arman are slow walking that communication bit- but rather, we’re getting to actually see it. We’re actively getting to watch the conflict they feel about their very feelings, and I love getting to see things like that- both as an actress who studies, does, and teaches this for a living but also as a viewer who gets to watch these people reveal themselves to us. Character work is my favorite thing, and I feel so much more connected to these two, in particular, this season than I did the last.
While I’m sure to some it would’ve made sense for Thony and Arman to fall into bed by now and to say I love you, to me it makes perfect sense why they haven’t. Given the fact that the very nature of the show asks us to question what we view as strictly right or wrong, I highly doubt that the writers are afraid of Thony and Arman being perceived as cheaters. They wouldn’t have the show that they did with the subject matter that they do if they didn’t expect the audience to be more emotionally intelligent than that. We learned the very first episode that Thony feeling like things were out of her control sent her on a spiral of trying to make everything as perfect as possible to make up for it; so, why in there would she then do something that she would view as reckless when she’s trying so desperately to push out the recklessness of her life?
That’s literally the point of her and Arman. He is something that is associated with this recklessness and lack of control that she has over her life, yet his very existence contradicts this stereotype he should represent because all he’s done is try to help her regain control of her life and feel free. He’s tried to be her anchor and she ended up becoming his.
What’s kind of magical about where they are right now is that Thony has allowed herself to view her relationship with Arman as something solid and not reckless, something that took the entirety of last season for her to do. She kept pulling back and walking away from him because she knew what not doing so would mean- and it would go against what she feels that she should be. Her own moral compass. Their interactions in Mexico opened the door for her to start considering what it might mean if she did accept what she was feeling and did allow herself to find comfort and solace in someone that accepted her exactly as she was; even so, she was still hesitant and pulling away. Her focus was then and still is Luca and her family; and though she’s starting to blend the line between Arman and her family as one unit (when she was having a panic attack in his car, she said to him: “Let’s go home.” then corrected it to, “I need to get home.”), she still is Thony. The perfectionist, the surgeon, the woman who has put everything she’s ever wanted and needed on the shelf for someone else. So, when we do finally see these two being so completely intimate, and sexual, and romantic all at once- it will be because she feels safe in that choice. Thony has no reason to feel safe in that right now.
Arman is still married, even if his marriage is truly over. And he may love Thony but he isn’t ready to admit that to himself let alone to her. Admitting that would mean admitting that this life he’s trying so hard to win back from Kamdar, this world he’s given up his family for, isn’t actually making him happy. He’d have to confront Nadia’s insinuation that he’d never be fulfilled being the “hero” that Thony sees him as, and ask himself if that’s true. And if Arman is too afraid to tell Nadia that things aren’t right in their marriage, that he isn’t happy- why should be expect him to suddenly be more emboldened with the person that has literally captured his soul? Thony has come from a place of abuse in her previous relationship. A place where she was never enough, and never had the support she needed. while Arman has been there for her and showed her what that support has looked like, he also hasn’t shown her that she is enough. He iced her out when he went to prison and first came out; and now- even though he’s killed for her, he’s still making Nadia a priority.
The other side of their relationship; however, is this level of understanding that’s passed between them. They don’t do a great job at saying exactly what it is they feel, but they have this way of silently understanding one another and that prompts more open communication between them and allows them to better understand the other’s needs. Outside of just noticing things about one another, like when the other needs comfort; they have this understanding that they aren’t just friends and that there is something deeper there. Or different, as Arman put it. Their worlds can no longer exist without each other, but they also are too afraid to intertwine their worlds the way that we all want them to.
What I found most interesting about the scene where Arman returned the key card to Thony was that you could literally see the moment Thony shamed herself for allowing herself to feel. You could see her mentally calling herself reckless and stupid, and Arman trying to explain and fix things before she shut him down. Because she couldn’t face it, and she couldn’t fix it. And it broke my heart because we watched her be alone all over again and all I wanted to do was hug her and say “you are enough.” She took a very clear emotional step back in that moment, which was evident in how she delivered the news about Nadia to him in their final scene together. And I am so curious to see how they’re going to bridge that gap. Because in such a short time, she went from allowing herself to believe that she maybe would actually be able to find something real and genuine with a person that would love and support and accept her no matter the cost, to being hit with her reality- which is that Arman isn’t technically hers. And that line between their two families does, in fact, exist. That moment when the camera cuts to her after he yells at Garrett and uses the words “my wife,” was that first crack in that image Thony was building in her mind. And the keycard just shattered that little bubble even further. And it is delicious, regency era inspired drama that I am so excited to see unfold.
This post is already ridiculously long (seriously, if you’re still reading- hats off to you), but let me close with saying this: When Thony and Arman do finally have their moment of pure passion and love and desire and romance, I am so excited for it because it will actually have been earned. This show is very much told through the lens of the female gaze, and because of that, I want Thony’s embracing of her sexuality to be authentic to a grown ass woman that is steadfast in what she wants. I want it to be empowering for her, I want her to feel safe and not regretful. I want her to associate it with her having control and power over her own body and desires, and not replaced with a few lightly satisfying shots that will be purely fan service. Thony deserves so much more. Her relationship with Arman deserves more. And I cannot wait to watch them reach that more.
#the cleaning lady#armony#thony x arman#thony de la rosa#arman morales#nadia morales#garrett miller#robert kamdar#fiona de la rosa#tcl meta#tcl dissection#the cleaning lady deep dive
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The Cleaning Lady S2
I guess I’m in minority, because all what I’ve seen in the tags was fandom complaining about this seasons being boring (and hating Garrett as useless).
To me it was anything but boring, on the contrary, I found it even too nerve-wracking at times (mostly in a good way); there was one thing after the other, no catching any breaks for any characters, gah.
And it was so hard, rooting for multiple characters with conflicting interests.
It was perfectly normal and understandable that Thony and Fiona and JD would each prioritize their own kid(s), and the tension that was causing between them kept me on my toes throughout the season.
I think JD had come to realize that he can’t really break up Thony and Fiona and their kids no matter how much he wants to protect Jas.
Gah, and Chris and his struggle first for accidentally causing Marco’s death and then in the end choosing to stay with Thony for Luca’s sake despite, understandably, resenting Thony for Fi’s deportation.
I just. My heart breaks for this kid and how grown up he has to be due to the circumstances.
I am probably the only one who feels sorry that Garrett died.
I really liked how they wrote his character progression: he started as a rather shitty human being and a shitty FBI agent, but he’s made so much progress, he started following the rules, doing the right thing both law- and humanity-wise and he even came to realize that he does get too personally involved with his CIs.
And it could’ve been great to watch his development further.
I’d love to see him reconnecting with his son and becoming a good father.
I also really liked both Thony and Arman kinda working together with Garrett, especially the finale/the final scene.
Look, yes, I’ve been low-key shipping these two/three. Of course, I’d never expect the show to go there in canon, but it would be nice to see them occasionally pretend to work together or otherwise. ;)
Then again, I guess they can’t have Tony keep having her personal FBI agent to turn to whenever she’s in trouble with the law.
Especially now that she and Arman took over Kemdar’s crime empire (or at least the drug run.)
If we get S3 – which I hope we do – it’s going to be interesting.
(One speculation only: I do think Nadia will inevitably find out about Arman helping Thony again and kick him out for good. Which is both yay and nay, because I like Nadia and I am also on the verge of low-key shipping these three. :P)
But if it doesn’t get renewed for S3, I think this has been as good of an ending as any. I can just imagine Thony brings Fiona back and everyone lives happily ever after. ;)
#i hope there aren't too many typos but i jsut had to get my feels out asap#The Cleaning Lady#tcl meta#my meta: tcl#notes to self#so i don't forget#tho i probably have forgotten something :p
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Where do you think the writers are going with the Nadia & Arman & Robert triangle? Arman seemed jealous of Nadia last ep but the writers also fired up Armony again. (loved those Armony moments!!) I think Eva D said in an interview that Nadia won't betray Arman but tensions seem to be rising for sure. I can't see him walking away from Thony at this point.
You'd think that after the insane amount of words I just wrote for my 2x04 recap that I'd try to keep this short... but apparently I am just literally incapable of that when it comes to this show.
But anyway. I have no idea if this will really answer your question, but I'll give it a try. Just bear in mind that I don't look at spoilers so I have no idea what actually lies ahead in this show, I'm just going on what makes sense to me based on what we know of these characters and what we've seen so far in the season.
So, the way I see it, this season needed two things:
a Big Bad with an interesting arc
a way to separate Nadia and Arman, to create room for Armony
What better way to achieve those things than with the same person? Enter Robert, who (at least, as it seems to me) is the linchpin of the season: he's Nadia's ex who clearly still desires her; he has forced Arman into business with him, and now has power over this choices and actions; and he is apparently deeply involved in the drug ring that Garrett is trying to bust, which means Thony is connected to him on two sides-- through being Arman's life business partner, and through Garrett forcing her involvement with Maya.
So, for Robert's plotline to be high enough stakes, it needs to seem like he will actually destroy Arman and everything he's built; and for that to happen, it would likely require a betrayal from Nadia, who knows where Arman is weakest. Which means that we as an audience need to feel that there's actually a genuine possibility of her doing that, and the way to do that is to have her pull away from Arman and move towards uniting herself with Robert.
How perfect, then, that this also allows for the other main plotline of the season, and the one we're all here for: Armony.
I think the writers know that in S1, we viewers were able to put aside the discomfort of the infidelity angle to an extent (I know I absolutely did, and infidelity is usually one of my total deal-breakers)-- and they aided us in that in a few ways, like by making Marco an absolutely terrible husband, and pretty much making it clear that his and Thony's marriage would have already ended before she left for the US if divorce was legal in The Philippines; by having Nadia and Arman's relationship often being portrayed as somewhat businesslike, or even tense and antagonistic at times, where even the more tender parts were generally from Arman reacting to Thony being unobtainable; and by having Armony be just so damn entrancing, but also having them be (relatively) restrained, both of them almost always hiding their emotional connection behind other things, like saving Luca or dealing with the FBI.
After Arman almost being blown up, though, and then being thrown in prison with a man who wanted him dead, and then having to put everything on the line for his freedom, it forced he and Nadia closer again-- partly because yes, there is genuine love there, but also because Nadia knows the life she adores depends on the money and power Arman possesses, and without him she risks going back to having/being nothing; and also partly because Arman feels honour-bound to her, not just as his wife, but as someone who helped save him and who now relies on him for survival.
So how the hell do you make Armony happen in the face of all that, without making Thony look like a homewrecker and Arman look like a dishonourable, ungrateful asshole?
Easy. You have Armony do their best to keep their distance for a few episodes, while still demonstrating Arman prioritising Thony's needs even at the detriment of his and Nadia's own situation-- and all the while, having Robert shower Nadia with respect and appreciation, reminding her how it feels to be desired and adored above all others. Before long, you have Nadia-- proud, self-respecting, slightly spiteful Nadia-- deciding "Alright Hubby, you want to put this other woman's needs above mine? Well, two can play at that game" and cozying herself right up to Robert again.
And ta-da! You suddenly have a marriage where both parties are pulling away from the other in favour of being with someone else, which is so much more comfortable for viewers than seeing Nadia as the loving and dedicated wife who is trying to cling to her husband while he ditches her to get it on with Thony. It's more comfortable for both Arman and Thony, too-- Thony genuinely likes Nadia and doesn't want her getting hurt, hence why she has always stopped things between her and Arman before they could go too far (and of course in S1 it was also because of her own marriage, though that is obviously no longer a factor, thank god). And Arman himself will definitely be relieved to feel the grip of his marriage loosening, though tbh it's still going to be complicated for him-- he'll be stuck between wanting the freedom to be with Thony (and respecting that it's absolutely Nadia's right to leave him), but also feeling like he needs to keep her from allying herself with Robert because of the serious consequences it could have for himself in terms of his business/his debt (and subsequently, the consequences for Thony, who won't be able to run her own cleaning business/clinic without him and his money/connections).
That struggle is going to be a central theme of the season, as is the question (like mentioned above) of 'will Nadia betray Arman and help Robert destroy him?'. And tbh, I don't think she will-- it might look like it, right up until the end, but she won't. Honestly, my dream is that she will fulfil the role of Robert's pretty little plaything until the time is right, and then she'll turn around and betray Robert, taking his entire empire out from under him, and proving she was never just a prize to be won or a possession to be owned. Then the season can end like a matching sequel to the first-- with Robert (like Hayak) either dead or in jail, and Nadia taking her rightful place on his throne, finally getting all the power and respect she's always wanted, while leaving Arman and Thony free to run their own little medical enterprise and live happily ever after like the two idiots in love that they are.
Is that what will actually happen? Probably not, sadly! But still, there's always hope lol-- and honestly, whatever does happen, I really do believe Armony will get through it just fine.
(Whether we fangirls survive is another matter entirely).
Well, anyhow, there's my thoughts lol. I guess the TL;DR is that Robert exists as a romantic counterweight to Thony, and that this season we will see Nadia/Arman turn into Nadia/Robert and Arman/Thony, just as we'll see all the complications that come from those complex connections and interactions and loyalties-- and damn if that ain't gonna be great to watch.
#The Cleaning Lady#TCL meta#Armony#Nadia/Robert#Good lord I need to stop writing about this show and go to bed#would be interested to hear what you guys think about the Nadia/Robert situation though#so feel free to share
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2x01 music analysis
Hi, me again. I wanted to take the time to appreciate the score in the one armony scene we got the other day, because it’s awesome.
So, when rewatching the phone scene, I thought I noticed something familiar about the music. I decided to go back to the first kiss, and what do you know: there were similarities. While the key is definitely different, there is no mistaking what sounds like a familiar motif where the notes are going back and forth. The biggest changes are that while there are a few different notes used in the kissing scene, there are only two in this newer one (and I forgot what this is called; I’m sometimes ashamed to tell people I’m a music minor), until near the end. Sometimes, simplicity is best.
The other difference is the tone. With the kiss, it’s slow and searching, like what Thony and arman are doing with their feelings. However, with this phone call, the pace is picked up with the help of percussion, bongos, if I’m not mistaken. Though it’s not necessarily a positive situation, it’s almost hopeful-sounding, and epic. They may be separated at the moment, but their connection is stronger than ever. That little bit of bongo in the background is reflective of what may come in their relationship this season, and I can’t wait to see it play out.
#the cleaning lady#armony#music meta#I always think that little pats of percussion make things seem more epic#leave it to me to write meta from anything
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The 2021/22 TV season is coming to an end. I watched a lot of shows this year. A LOT. All in search of some new inspiration, or hyperfixation, after the early-season fiasco that FBI MW turned out to be for me. Haven’t found one, but wanted to make a note for self, because of all those metas I wanted to write, but never go to it. ;) (behind the cut, because it turned out long, lol)
FBI MW first. I thought I made some note about it, but can’t find it, so I probably didn’t. I wrote about my expectations here, so I won’t be repeating that. Just to sum it up – I wanted to see more struggle with Kenny’s PTSS, but not in the sense of hurt, more like… a mention of therapy, him reaching out to his colleagues for support a bit more. Things like that.
I got a little validation in the form of Jess telling Maggie that “Kenny’s been struggling since the shooting”, but then… Well. He was gone from the show. Not dead, thankfully.
No worries, he still lives on in my head. He inspired me to create a new project (based on an old one, but re-developed) which is going to turn into a first draft of a novel during this year’s NaNo. So, I guess this could be called a fixation, ha! Not hyper, but still.
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Other than that, I watched a lot of police dramas. I guess I like the genre.
FBI – they now gave OA the PTSS therapy angle. We’ll see where that goes, if at all, but OA is not as intense as Kenny was, this is not the same for me. Other than that, the show is just a pass-time.
SWAT – I really, really appreciate that they never end a season on a cliffhanger. I’m sad to see Chris go, she was awesome. BTW, my fave on this show was (way back when -- does anyone remember her?) Captain Jessica Cortez. What is it with this show and female characters leaving? (no insinuations here, in case of Cortez it was actress’s pregnancy and her choice to be with her family).
Seal Team – oh my, I loved this season’s storyline of Jason’s TBI and him falling apart and Spenser’s dilemma and his eventual teaming up with Perry and supporting their boss. It was well executed. I would be more inclined to hyperfixate if it was Spenser in trouble. But perhaps not. He’s not THAT type of character either.
The Rookie – I LOVE this show. The problem is I wouldn’t fix anything here, so there’s no way I’d get inspired, I guess? Also, I don’t really see a lot of potential for whump and angst, so there’s that. But I love the humor of it, the occasional seriousness. I love Lucy, she’s ah-mazing and her and Tim are gold. The finale shenanigans were so ridiculous, they were just adorable.
NCIS: Hawaii – started watching it for the potential of Kai being a Kenny-take-two, but that didn’t happen. I grew to enjoy it in the same way I enjoy FBI – as a pass-time and I guess I’ll keep watching. I like Lucy here too, lol. What’s with all the Lucys? (remember Killjoys, @hithelleth? ;) ) and I see a lot of potential between her and Kai. NOT in romantic sense. FRIENDSHIP, there could be a great friendship between them. Or between Kai and Jesse (Jesse and Lucy have it already). Or… If anyone thought to write friendship, either on the show or in fics… *le sigh* If that was the case, it could be my hyperfixation (ETA: the finale had a little-bit of that. The Jesse, Kai and BoomBoom scene… um… not there yet, but)
Chicago PD – stopped watching early this season, returned for a couple episodes where Adam was whumped. Still think PJ Flueger is a fantastic actor and hugely underused on this show. Will watch the finale, but I guess I’ll give up again come next season. Too repetitive.
Chicago Fire – returned for a moment because of Brett Dalton casting, loved his character and the storyline. I know it’s a matter of interpretation, but it was such a validation for my feelings regarding the treatment of his earlier character by THAT show creators (no naming any names, but important people know what I’m talking about). Good job ChiFire!
Oh, I quit both 911s, btw.
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I haven’t watched any medical dramas for a while (probably since ChiMed disappointed me with their lack of knowledge abut how childbirth works early-on, and Code Black was cancelled), so this year I gave a chance to a few couple-season-old ones. Tried New Amsterdam and was bored, tried The Good Doctor and liked a few moments, but disliked most of them (the portrayal of an autistic character. Nope).
Then I gave a chance to The Resident and fell in love instantly. This is the show I would hyperfixate on if I watched seasons one and two as they aired. Then I would be disappointed, lol. Now, I still enjoy it a lot. Matt Czuchry can sure angst like the best of them. Because of him, I watched all the Rory & Logan scenes on YouTube (not the whole show, lol)--
--and the whole show Good Wife. The show was bad in the sense of everyone tried to undermine everyone, it was the opposite of the found family trope. But it was good in terms of storytelling and acting and such things, I can appreciate that. Season five was a true angst-fest with Matt in the main role, and I’ll probably be returning to it. It’s an old show though, so I’m not sure why I mention it at all, hmmm.
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I watched some sci-fi too. And here I have a feeling I’m forgetting about something, but maybe I’ll remember it later. For now, it’s:
Foundation – a spectacular show in terms of scenography, special effects and all that. Just beautiful. I liked the Emperors idea and execution. Didn’t like the ending, in that the creators were untruthful to the book. There, the individual didn’t matter on their own merit, but as a tool of the larger society, to “get things done”. Here – they created some unnecessary bloodline connections. Importance of the character because of who they were born to. It’s not about that at all. Anyway, I will certainly watch the next season, if only for the beauty of it.
Star Trek Picard disappointed me with… being all about Picard. LOL. Seven of Nine was fan-freaking-tastic, I’m so happy they found a use for this great actress after what she was made to wear in ST: Voy. Yeah, the progress in female characterization is great. And Jeri Ryan is really, really good. Raffi was great too. Love her. Captain Rios though… I mean. Captain Rios was fabulous, Santiago Cabrera could make me hyperfixate on him… If he had a storyline worth hyperfixating. And wasn’t left behind in the past. So, so sad about it. Don’t think I’ll return for this show.
I tried to watch ST: Disco too, but didn’t quite endure. And I started Strange New Worlds now, really liked the pilot, the next two episodes not so much, but the jury is still out.
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And last, but definitely not least – Cleaning Lady. I can’t say enough how good this show is. I wrote a short meta here, but I think it deserves another one. Maybe it will happen. Meanwhile, I’m eagerly anticipating the second season (or at least the announcement of Fox’s fall schedule in the hopes that they would get a full-season this time).
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What’s next? I’m looking forward to a few things, like Umbrella Academy, Motherland Fort Salem. And also Roswell New Mexico, but that’s only because it’s a final season. Otherwise, I wouldn’t watch it.
#es watches too much tv#es talks about tv shows#es talks#es metas#es watches the resident#es watches cleaning lady#es watches ncis hawaii#not tagging more#because too many lol
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Immortal Cop Danny P.2
Part 1
So, we have seen my scenario where Danny is revealed as an Immortal Cop really late in the Timeline, like nearly the entire Batfamily has already been formed kinds of late.
But what about a world where Danny has been on the Force since Batman Year 1?
Officer/Detective Nightingale has been one of the best and most loyal members of the GCPD for well over 3 decades. He didn't hide his "Meta Ability" when he first joined the force, since Gotham hadn't been introduced to all of their Superpowered Rouges yet, and the attitude for Metas in Gotham was nowhere near as harsh as it would be in the future.
He was one of the Go-To Cops in the early days of the Batman, since he had proven to be trustworthy and most people felt comfortable talking to him. Most of the community respected him, although some saw his power of Immortality as unnatural or freakish.
Batman met Officer Danny on one of his earliest cases. Danny pushed him out of the way of a Bullet and saved his life, getting shot in the process.
Bruce will never forget when Danny reached into the hole on his side and pulled the bullet out with his fingers. He didn't even flinch.
Danny has also been one of Commissioner Gordon's best friends and closest confidants for years. He was even offered the job of Commissioner once due to his extensive experience on the Force, but refused since he knew Gotham would never accept a Meta Commissioner, or maybe because he believed that he wasn't the right fit for the job.
Dick remembers the time when Officer Nightingale found out about Robin's age. He will always think of Danny laying into Bruce for bringing in such a young kid as one of his fondest memories.
Gordon remembers being invited to dinner with Danny's mom, a nice if cryptic lady dressed in gothic clothes who thanked him for all the work he did for the city, and for keeping her streets as safe as possible. Apparently she did the same for Batman, who had gone to Danny's apartment for some information and left with a full belly and plenty of leftovers.
He was basically the best Cop you could ask for. Calm, kind, honest, understanding, and he genuinely seemed to be trying to help the people around him.
Barbra calls him Uncle Danny, and he was there to help her adjust when she lost use of her legs.
Commissioner Gordon thinks of Danny as his best Cop/Friend, unflappable and loyal to a fault.
Bruce thinks of him as one of his more trusted allies, on the same level as Commissioner Gordon even.
Robin called him "Cool Cop D". Later, he was one of the reasons Dick decided to become a Police Officer.
Hell, even Damian commended the man's resolve to help the City, which was considered a monumental feat at the time.
Which is why it was such a shock when Danny disappeared.
He just didn't show up for work one day. This in and of itself wasn't too out of the ordinary, but he usually called in to tell them he was gonna miss a day. They thought it was just because he was so anxious lately, jumping at the little things like a guy bumping into him or asking to leave room at the mention of Autopsies
Then he missed the next day. Not that bad, I mean he had been really stressed out recently. Maybe he just needed an extra day, to work off the stress? Nobody was really worried anything had happened to him, he was immortal after all, but they were still concerned.
Then he missed a third day. This was far more concerning. The last time this happened, Danny had been found passed out in his apartment because he hadn't slept in days and hadn't eaten in weeks (what's the point if he won't die either way?).
He had been put on medical leave for a month after that.
So one of the guys decided to visit his house, just to see if he needed some help.
They find the apartment empty. No evidence that he ever lived there. It was like the entire place had been scrubbed clean of anything that even hinted at his existence, and whoever had done it obviously wanted to cover their tracks.
So, an investigation is launched.
And almost instantly, the Feds take the Case from the GCPD and declare Danny as dead a week later.
Seems they forgot to take a look at his Resume...
So Gordon takes this to Bats, who immediately starts investigating the Feds in White who showed up to steal the case.
...
Tag List:
@overtherose @kyrianclawraith @ghostreblogging @the-autistic-spider @just-rant-and-write-fic-idea
#dpxdc#dp x dc#danny phantom#batman#dc#dcu#danny fenton#danny nightingale#Cop Danny AU#Batman Year 1#batfamily#danny is in hiding#the GIW has been searching for him for decades#but they finally found him after he accidentally used his stronger powers and appeared on their radar again#coverup#Batman is suspicious#Good Cop Danny#Good friend danny#Uncle Danny#Danny is the good cop of the neighboorhood#danny is depressed#cause he's immortal so it doesn't matter if he takes care of himself or not#thats why he went on medical leave#for a mental vacation to deal with his depression#depressed danny#lady gotham helped him escape#she set up his identity and got him a spot on the police force#lady gotham is his mom#lady gotham adopted Danny as her son#she makes an amazing feast every time one of her knights visits
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Jobs are hard…humans are harder
Part 1, Part 2, Part 4, Part 5
Danny was bored, there was no other way to describe it. School wouldn’t be starting for another month and he barely knew anything about this world, which unfortunately meant he didn’t know anyone in this world. No one but Diana that is, and the nice old lady next door who sneaks him candy. Unfortunately Diana spends half the day at work and as such Danny was bored. You can only watch the news concerning meta human rights before you go mad. True she would be home soon, they would have dinner and talk about her day, hopefully with no calls for Wonder Woman.
Danny groaned as he flopped over the side of the couch, trying to come up with something to do. Diana found him like that, half hanging off the couch, asleep, with the news playing in the background. With a chuckle she silently creeped over to the side of the couch. With groceries in one hand, she grabbed Danny by the back of his shirt and lifted. He startled awake as she lifted him to eye level.
“You do know I’m not a cat, right?” She smiled
“Really? I couldn’t tell, you play the part so well.” She snarked back setting him back down on the couch. “I’ve got the ingredients for dinner, wanna help?” She asked.
Danny nodded, slowly rising from his place on the couch. “Sure, what’s for dinner?”
“Spaghetti, grab the cutting board and start cutting the onions for the sauce.” Danny grinned
“Aye, aye Captain!” He said with a laugh. He grabbed his tools and got to work. “So how were things at the museum?”
“Things are going steady, with the new exhibit up and running we are getting an influx of visitors. It’s nice seeing the younger generation taking an interest in history.” Danny paused
“By younger generation, do you mean my age or Mrs. Gertrude’s age?” He asked with a raised brow.
“Very funny, back to chopping you. Garlic is next.” Danny laughed but did as he was told. “Speaking of your age, you turned 16 recently right?” Danny nodded. “There’s a position open at the museum, it’s nothing to hard, just leading a few tours. It may not be your ideal way to spend your time, however it would give you a way to get out and make some friends before school starts. As a bonus, you’d be getting paid.” Danny slowed his dicing.
“It’s better than anything I’ve come up with. But… I don’t know, maybe?” Danny shrugged. “I’ll have to think it over. I’ve never had a real job before, mostly just helping out around the lab. What’s the job? ” Diana gave him a sly grin.
“No pressure, they’re looking for someone to help run the space show. Of course, if you aren’t interested…”
“I’d get to run the space show?!?!?” Danny interrupted “Scratch that, I’d be getting PAID to run the space show?!?!” His face was split in a giant grin. Diana laughed.
“You would be getting paid to HELP run the space show. That means assisting guests, answering questions, doing a bit of clean up and anything else Dr.Scott needs help with.” Danny was nearly vibrating with excitement. “The application is in my purse, which you can fill out After we finish making the sauce.” Danny grinned and got back to work. Between the two of them they managed to get the sauce on the stove in record time.
While the sauce cooked, Diana gave him the application and she walked him through his new information. As they were talking they were interrupted by the news announcing a break-in at a bank nearby. Nothing to draw Diana from helping Danny… until they announced that the perpetrator was Cheetah.
“Danny, I’m so sorry. I promise I won’t be gone long.” She apologized. Danny shrugged giving her an understanding look.
“It’s all good, I can’t t lol you how many times I had to tell run out on my friends because a ghost attacked. I’ll be here when you get back and dinner will be ready. Stay safe, okay?” And off she went. Danny finished up the application, excited at the prospect of getting to tell people about SPACE. Once he was done he turned up the news to see how Diana was doing.
He watched as she fought like a true warrior, no hesitation, not a single motion wasted. The way she interacted with Cheetah though…seemed oddly familiar. The back and forth… there was no way.
He pondered on the thought as he got up to start the pasta. There was no way, right? That seems like the kinda thing you tell someone. It was possible of course, but well... only thing to do is ask.
About a half hour after Danny's "epiphany" the spaghetti was done and Diana was walking through the door. Once the food was served, Diana poured herself a lovely cup of wine. Of course she did this not realizing how much of an utter gremlin her newly acquired cousin was. She had fully settled into her seat, taking her first sip of wine when Danny decided to confront her.
"Are you dating Cheetah?" Diana spit out her wine, coughing as she tried to clear her throat.
"I'm sorry, care to repeat that?" she asked
"I asked, are you dating Cheetah? It's fine if you are, no judgement here. I mean, Ancients know I have some crazy exs, and gender has never been an issue..." He stops as he takes in the look of confusion. "What?"
"How... exactly did you come to that... interesting conclusion?" She asked. Danny shrugged.
"Honestly just the way you guys were bantering. Reminded me a lot about how me and my ex fought, sure she didn't know we were fighting, but I did." He said with a straight face. Diana couldn't help it, she burst out laughing.
"No, cousin, I am not dating Cheetah. Though we were once close friends." she said with a smile.
"Oh, okay then." Danny blushed. "Sorry for assuming."
"All is well, I will admit that among the women of Themascyra such things are commonplace. I too am not bothered by gender." she smiled "Now come, eat your food. I will be bringing you to the museum tomorrow so you can turn in your application. I’ll even show you around where I work.”
“Sounds great! Can we stop by the space exhibit? I wanted to check it out even if I don’t get the job.”
Diana smiled “That should be fine, I don’t actually have work tomorrow so barring another alien invasion we should have the day to ourselves.” Danny nodded and started to take a bite of his spaghetti.
The fork was halfway to his mouth when he froze “What do you mean ANOTHER alien invasion?!”
———————
Danny was practically vibrating with excitement, the meeting with Dr. Scott had gone well, and Danny had to be physically dragged out of the space exhibit by Diana once he realized they had a full section with an interview from a real live Martian! Next on the list to do was checking out Diana's section of the museum, then they would get ice cream like civilized human beings.
As they approached her section the woman at the desk looked up with wide eyes.
"Why Diana what a handsome YOUNG man you've got here, what's your name sugar?" she proclaimed with an obvious wink. Danny blushed, while Diana laughed.
"This is my cousin Danny, I told you about him. Danny, this is Doris, the world's best receptionist, I don't know how I'd survive without her." She said with a smile.
"Oh I'm sure you'd soldier on somehow. How're you like'n the museum Danny? I hear your lookin to work with Dr. Scott." Danny grinned.
"It's great! I turned in my application today and we did an impromptu interview, which I think went pretty well. We were just headed over to check out Diana's new exhibit."
"Oh well don't let me hold you up. You enjoy yourself hun." she said with a smile. The two headed further into the exhibit as Diana explained what it was she did at the museum. The more they explored however the more Danny was quite clearly trying to keep the grin off his face. It wasn't until they were walking to the ice cream parlor that he explained the cause of his glee.
"I just can't get over the fact that you are an ancient greek demi-god, telling people about ancient greek mythos as though it was nothing more than a religion, y'know like a liar. You are being paid to lie." Diana raised an eyebrow.
"It's not technically a lie. Many people worshiped the gods and so it was in fact a religion, I simple choose to leave out the fact that they were real." Danny grinned.
"Agree to disagree, now let's get some ice cream." the two walked through the doors of the unsuspecting ice cream parlor and, after much debate, each ordered a whopping ten scoops of ice cream. Which they then proceeded to eat at one of the tables, in less than 15 minutes, with no visible signs of brain freeze.
(The girl behind the counter might having an existential crisis as this was after the teenage boy talked the fully grown woman out of fifteen scoops. They don't even have fifteen flavors!)
All in all it was a good day.
------------
Danny was not having a good day. He was slumped over the table in the break room as Diana patted him on the shoulder.
"Three tours in one morning, with two more after lunch! And every single one had a Jeremy!” Diana quirked an eyebrow.
“A Jeremy?” Danny nodded.
“That one kid who tries to climb on all the exhibits and refuses to stay with the group no matter how many times his chaperone scolds him.” Diana gave him a solemn pat on the back.
“I know of them well, though for me, they will always be Misty. Don’t worry though school will be starting soon and the tours will slow down a bit.”
The timer on Danny’s phone went off and he groaned, taking one last swig of his toxic sludge from his thermos he dragged himself out of his seat. "Yeah, yeah, but then I'll be going to work AND school. I'm so happy I dropped heroing in this world, I don't know how you find the time!" Diana shrugged "I'm gonna swing by the coffee shop in the geology section after work with Travis, you want anything." Diana thought for a minute.
"Call me when you get there, depending on the rest of the day I might get a Frappuccino or solid black coffee with three shots of espresso." Danny nodded.
"Ah yes, the nectar of the gods, you got it!" He said with a grin as he took off. Diana smiled, happy that Danny was finally making friends, before she threw away her trash and headed back to work.
-------------
By the time the end of their shift ended Danny had found a second wind. The last group of the day had been very well behaved with not a single Jeremy in sight, and all enthusiastic about SPACE! Travis was trudging along behind him in shock as he watched the teen who looked like he was going keel over not even an hour ago, seemed like he was about to start floating. He shook his head in disbeief.
"Danny, my man you are not human." He said not noticing Danny stiffen. "I wish I had your energy." Danny gave him a stiff laugh.
"What can I say? I just really love taking about space. I mean, considering the amount of known extraterrestrials currently active on earth! I can't understand how anyone could not be into space." Travis shrugged.
"Eh, it pays the bills at least." The two walked into the coffee shop, looking at the specials.
"Dude, you're 17, what bills do you have." Travis shrugged.
"I pay my phone bill, plus I'm saving up for my car." Danny nodded accepting the answer.
"Fair enough, hey you go ahead and order. I'm gonna call my cousin and see what she wants." Travis smirked.
"The hot cousin who runs the Greek exhibit? For her I will get all the coffee." Danny rolls his eyes as his phone began ringing.
"Calm down lover boy, she's way out of your league." a laugh sounded from the other end of the phone as Diana picked up. There was a slight commotion outside the café.
"And who is out of his league, exactly?" Diana asks, Danny smirks as Travis frantically shakes his head. Things started to get louder.
"Oh just this girl he's got a crush on, we're at the café. Did you decide what kind of day it is." Diana hummed on the other end, but before she could answer a security guard went flying down the hall. "What the hell!" he shouted. Danny ran over to the guard ready to help him up as Diana frantically tries to find out what happened. Before he can say anything though he feels a pressure against the back of his head.
"Look who's tryin to be a hero boys!" comes the shout from behind, Danny is roughly grabbed by his arm with a gun to his head. He started to shake as the attacker laughed. "Now we don't want any trouble y'hear? We're just gonna grab that pretty rock over there and be on our way."
Danny watches as the security guards point their guns at the thieves as the start to break down, a display on Dunite? Danny looks at the thieves confused. What could they possibly want with a fertilizer? Heck the only reason he even knew what is was is because he got bored waiting for his coffee! Danny flinches as the gunman pushes into his head harder.
"Not so brave now, huh kid?" he says with a smug tone. "This is what happens to heroes." he is practically shivering at this point as the gunman laughs. "Look at this! He's shaking in his shoes." Danny on the other hand has begun repeating a mantra in his head, practicing an inordinate amount of restraint.
'Don't break the human, don't break the human, Don't BREAk the HuMan!'
Danny clenches his fist in annoyance as the gunman continues to blather on about something called Kryptonite? and making his boss happy. He wasn't really paying that much attention, repeating his mantra over and over again. His concentration only broken by the gunman suddenly being jerked away. He turns around to find none other than his cousin standing behind him, sans glasses, in her full Wonder Woman armor with a rather angry look on her face.
It didn't take long for her to disarm and capture the criminals, with a quiet remark about a Frappuccino as she passed by Danny. She turned them over to the police before flying off, only to rush over to him minutes later frantic talking loudly about how worried she was. Travis ran to his side, shaking with fear.
"Are you okay man? What were you thinking! You could have been killed!" Danny gave him a sheepish grin.
"Honestly? I wasn't, sorry for scarring you dude." Diana put a hand on his shoulder.
"Danny? They need you to make a statement, you'll have to speak with security as well before we head home okay?" she asked in a soft tone as if he might break at any moment. And Danny might have believed the concern as well, if it weren't for the hidden mirth in her eyes. Danny nodded along saying bye to Travis before heading over to the police.
It was a full hour of telling the same story over and over again, to different groups before they finally let him go. As they walked out of the museum Danny drooped his shoulders. Diana wrapped an arm around him.
"I know you can handle yourself, grandfather told me that much, but are you okay? That was probably a bit upsetting." Danny groaned.
"That was embarrassing! I could take them all down in seconds, without even breaking a sweat if it weren't for one thing." Diana cocked her head to the side as Danny visibly deflated.
"Perhaps the fact that you don't want to be a hero?" Danny huffed,
"Well that and... you have to promise not to laugh." Danny said with pleading eyes, Diana used a finger to cross her heart in agreement. "I've... never actually fought a human before." Diana snorted "Hey! It's not funny! All my enemies were ghosts, none of which held back by the way. The ghost hunters always used ranged weapons or traps, no real need for confrontation!" he whispered harshly as they made their was down the sidewalk. Diana burst out laughing at Danny's expense.
"It's a little funny, you've got to admit it." Diana fought to calm herself. "If you'd like, I have plenty of experience fighting humans, I could give you some tips on not killing them on the first hit." Danny's eyes widened.
"Seriously?!?!?! That would be awesome! When can we start?!” Diana laughed as they approached their apartment.
"While I love your enthusiasm, I have a meeting with the team tonight, and I am responsible for monitor duty tomorrow morning." Danny frowned as they made their way through the lobby to the elevator. Once inside he spoke up.
"Aren't we supposed to be having dinner with gramps tonight? How's that gonna work out." Diana shrugged.
"I'm sure we'll find a way. I don't think he will accept an excuse of 'not enough time.' Speaking of which, you wouldn't happen to know what's on the menu, I may have a strong stomach but I think ectoplasm is a bit much."
Danny shrugged, "No idea, but it's not like he's gonna serve blob ghost stew or something. I'm sure he'll make something you can eat.
--------------
Clockwork looked away from the screen showing his grandchildren with a sigh. Slowly he took the pot filled with stew and set it aside...
Perhaps he should defer to the Lunch Lady's superior knowledge on this particular challenge.
@a-salty-sal@impulsiveasshole@meira-3919@alcorbearson@cute6troll@samgirl98@skulld3mort-1fan@addie-lover-of-stories@amercurio@chronicallyonline-fandomwh0r3 @heirxofxtime @gin2212 @thegatorsgoose@wanderer-of-worlds@terzatheunderscorerima@bright-shade@satanicrutialspecialist@mur-ururu@birdie-24-05@ascetic-orange@cyber-geist@thatrandomsarahchick@dr-syko-pharm-4@observerblock23@addie-lover-of-stories@rainybyday@berseid@pastalavistamf@ae-vixrose@sunflowershine03@theauthorandtheartist@ruelukas22@krzys2000@onlyhereforthechaos@stargirl1331@apointlessbox@mewzaque@distractedducky@cutelittlebeanie@unorthodoxdreamers @universallytacowolfbakery @joseph557@ver-444@icedbluesoul@shark-time@milo-l-l @spookytragedyshark@
I think I got everyone, here's a link to the Ao3 version as well
#dp x dc#wonderwoman#cousins#dp demi god au#Danny phantom#diana prince#clockwork#doris just wants to live vicariously through diana#poor clockwork#hes a good cook but he mostly works with ectoplasm these days#part 3
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Once and Future Royalty
Just, stay with me on this one. I know its going to look crazy at the start, but trust me, I know where I'm going.
It all started with the 537AD scene in Wessex in the opening montage of "Hard Times," S1E3. Yeah, the one where Aziraphale is supposed to be a knight of the Round Table and Crowley is role-playing the Black Knight, and they are both so super-squeaky shiny clean - not a speck of dirt or mud on them. wtf! It looks out of place, unrealistic, and was bugging the crap out of me, like a stone in your shoe. It just didn't fit. I mean, why put a myth, a legend, into that sequence? Oh, OK, yeah, the preceding stories from the Bible, like the Garden of Eden and the Flood, aren't "myths" as well, you say? Hmm. In the context of the Good Omens AU, being a biblical based story, they belong there far more than the legend of King Arthur.
King Arthur, who supposedly united Britain under his rule during the late 5th century and early 6th century, was shown to have the divine right to rule by wielding the mighty sword Excalibur. Some stories tell of Arthur pulling Excalibur from a stone. Some tell of him receiving Excalibur from the Lady of the Lake. Either way, it was bestowed upon him by divine grace. Despite his triumph in battle, he left no heirs, as his queen, the fair Guinevere, was barren. She had a long-running love affair with the greatest knight of the court, Sir Lancelot, but despite this being an open secret in court Arthur would not put her aside. The knights of the Round Table in the court of Camelot were near-paragons of Christian virtue, and there are many tales of their search for the Holy Grail, the cup from the Last Supper of Jesus Christ.
In the end, mortally wounded in battle, Arthur was taken away for healing, and never seen again. It was said he would return when Britain was at it most direst hour to save the day once more. A "messianic" return.
The Once and Future King.
Now, I'm no Arthurian novice; I drank up all of T. H. White as a teenager, read the Dark is Rising multiple times, Marion Zimmer Bradley's interpretation and what ever else I could lay my hands on for a good couple of decades. And there is LOTS of King Arthur stuff around. You are not left wanting for anything new to read or consume. And I'll bet there are a fair few of you also out there who know a quite bit about the legend as well. Oh, and I can't tell you how many times I have watched Monty Python and the Holy Grail. I still walk around quoting it day-to-day, like the good little Gen-Xer I am, having grown up on that stuff. So I really should have listened to my intuition when bits of Monty Python kept popping up in my brain in response to other parts of GO I was thinking about. (Staaay, I said, stay with me here....)
I kept chewing away furiously on the Wessex problem, growling in feral frustration at it, but also kept reading and sorting out some other ideas and metas at the same time. Eventually I found the key in a tiny little post, about a small detail in the 1941 Blitz episode S2E4, of all places. I wanted to slap myself with how much was staring me in the face so obviously once the door opened. And the damn beauty of it is, that I already written about some it, out of context, without knowing the why.
OK. Where to start this journey...hmmm, back to Monty Python, because, guess what - the Wessex scene is actually riffing off one the more famous skits out the the Holy Grail. The scene is a masterpiece of political satire, from start to finish, but the relevant part here is this sequence:
In case you missed the salient points: Arthur claims he is king by divine providence, because he was given Excalibur by the Lady of the Lake. Dennis the peasant protests this waterlogged method of determination, mentioning ponds, watery tarts and a moistened... well, I hope you get the idea about where this is going.
Meanwhile, in 537AD, Wessex, as the mist swirls around them:
"It is a bit damp," complains a shiny silver Aziraphale.
Yes, Excalibur would be a bit damp after it emerged from the Lake. (vidavalor! Get your mind out of the gutter! I'm trying to have a serious discussion here! Please! And I wasn't even going to go anywhere near what the sword in the stone is really meant to be referring to...it's not even relevant to the discussion at hand, I swear! Well, there is going to be sexual relations mentioned but - oh, never mind...)
Right. Where were we. Lets leave those super-clean elite pretendy knights to swim off through the swirling mist back to their dry homes to write and file reports to head office, along with Patsy and the hired Igors, and Dennis can keep playing in his lovely muddy filth after he finishes protesting being repressed by the divinely-deluded Arthur. I've got a bit more to say about what Aziraphale and Crowley might represent here later but you need some more context first, so lets move on. I just needed to show you the first bit so you can see the Arthurian theme stretches across both S1 and S2, and will likely appear in S3 as well. More about that towards the end.
Ah, before I forget...another ref from the Holy Grail we need to cover:
This GIF, unfortunately, doesn't have the full exchange between the peasants, which is this:
P1: "Who's that then?"
P2: "I don't know. Must be a king."
P1: "How can you tell?"
P2: "Because he doesn't have any shit on him."
Ah. Er. OH!
Have you made the connection?
Who have I been emphasizing as being unusually clean in their Arthurian setting? That's right, Aziraphale and Crowley.
What's this implying? That they are royalty. Celestial royalty. Maybe not kings, but how about princes? You know how we've been discussing whether Crowley was a once at least an Archangel, and there is even a hint that he was a fallen prince of Heaven given during the replay of Gabriel's trial? (Not the prince, but a prince - a seraphim) And that Aziraphale may have once been Raphael, and may be again in the future? Once and future royalty. To me it adds weight to the past discussion, and helps to explain the assumed authority expressed in these two scenes here: On the left, Aziraphale takes control inside the book shop as the angels and demons argue who is going to punish Gabriel and Beelzebub (finally found it after several months!) and on the right, Crowley is shouting at the assembling demons in the street that they are "out of order."
Onward, Patsy. (I hope you're still with me.)
1941, the Blitz part 2, minisode.
We've found Excalibur! On to Camelot!
[Edit note: I've added a few GIFs and screen shots into the sequence of parallels above because I was thinking over a few things since I posted and felt this actually sat better. To try and explain, as they don't exactly match as I would like, in the Holy Grail movie, King Arthur and the knights he has gathered rock up at the foot of Camelot and gaze up in awe at it. "Camelot!" Arthur declares to the party. "Camelot!" Galahad echoes in excitement. And a third "Camelot!" comes from Lancelot. What do we get in GO? Aziraphale leaps out of the Bentley (Crowley's black horse) and declares "The theater! Sophocles! Shakespeare!" I swear, if you put the two side by side, they would match. It's not just a reminder of how much time Aziraphale has seen pass by, or that we are seeing a tragedy play out. But damn it, I could so just see Aziraphale attending a Sophocles performance in Athens back in the day...]
Camelot was King Arthur's castle and home of his court. In S2 of GO the Windmill Theater is established as our court of Camelot where our 1941 Blitz-era Arthurian drama is to play out, involving Furfur and the zombies.
Yes, poor old Furfur. Two's company, three's a crowd, as they say. Now we know we're in Camelot, we need to be reminded of the central tragedy of the Arthurian story, that ultimately led to the golden kingdom's fall. Lady Guinevere, Arthur's queen, famously loved Sir Lancelot, and the two were passionate lovers. It was essentially a love-triangle at the top, with Arthur being jilted, but he wouldn't/couldn't discard his queen. Where do we see this playing out in 1941?
Furfur, pleased with himself for catching an angel and a demon in the act of consorting together (with the help of the zombies,) barges into the backstage dressing room, and confronts the lovers with their crime. But who is playing who in the Arthurian love triangle? I would say Furfur is clearly caught in the role of Arthur here. Consider the following exchange:
FURFUR: Hmm, well, well, well… What have we here?
AZIRAPHALE: Sorry, have we met?
FURFUR: Oh, no, you never had the pleasure, but… we have, haven't we?
CROWLEY: Have we?
FURFUR: What do you mean "have we?" You know we have. We were in the same legion. Just before the Fall. Doing dubious battle on the plains of Heaven. Remember?
CROWLEY: I remember going into battle, I don't remember being there with you. Sorry.
FURFUR: I was right next to you. We did loads together. You use to jump on me back, little monkey in the waistcoat. Anyway, whether you do or whether you don't, it doesn't matter. I'm here to inform you, as a representative of the Higher Powers of Hell, that you, Crowley, are in breach of the Infernal Code. Consulting and collaborating with an angel, Fell the Marvelous, aka… [opens book] Azirapalala. Azirapapap. Aziphapalala.
AZIRAPHALE: [annoyed] Aziraphale
Furfur claims a past intimate relationship with Crowley, which Crowley spurns offhandedly. Crowley is playing Guinevere here, jilting Furfur/Arthur, which leaves the demon-smiting Aziraphale standing in for the handsome hero Lancelot (with his French connections, no less), and doesn't he make us weak at the knees when he drops his voice an octave in dominating disgust. (Is it suddenly getting hot in here...? Phew!)
Interestingly, looking back in S1 at 537AD Wessex, though, I would say that Crowley was Lancelot as the Black Knight, a role that Lancelot sometimes played in the legends, and Aziraphale would then be the fair maiden Guinevere. It certainly plays into Crowley's long term role of playing the knight who comes to the rescue of Aziraphale's princess in distress. Excalibur was no where in sight, perhaps still beneath the waters of the lake. Nor Arthur. Perhaps it was still too early in the story then...
I had originally suggested in my very first post that Furfur was given a stag as his demon avatar because he was wearing horns for being cuckolded by Crowley. But I wasn't quite thinking about it in context with the Arthurian legend! The stag is also often associated with royalty, plus while wandering around the medieval bestiary website that someone linked to, it interestingly notes that the enemy of the snake is the stag and the stork (Shax's avatar.) Ah ha!
So how can we extrapolate this knowledge into a possible appearance of the Arthurian theme in S3?
Will we see the love triangle of Arthur/Guinevere/Lancelot come back into play and cause more chaos? I'm wondering if it might have something to do with the Fall.
Or will our lovers bring down a divinely-appointed ruler via their committed behind-the-back defiance of expected propriety?
Will Excalibur appear from beneath the waters, perhaps in another form, to declare a new king?
Could it even be a combination Jesus/Arthur, King of the World, returned? And they turn out to be a very naughty boy, disappearing into the night clubs of Times Square, New York, and that's how they lose him? (Social media viral sensation, anyone?)
I wouldn't be half-surprised if Greasy Johnson's name turns out to be Arthur, actually.
And no, I haven't forgotten that Adam's dad was named Arthur as well.
Bring on S3!
**Bonus**
If you've made it this far and you're thinking:
Let me leave you with this last connection.
In the back stage change room, remember Furfur delivers these lines:
FURFUR: What do you mean "have we?" You know we have. We were in the same legion. Just before the Fall. Doing dubious battle on the plains of Heaven. Remember?
On the first level, he is referring the Great War in the Good Omens AU.
On the second level, Furfur is paraphrasing Milton's Paradise Lost.
On a third level, I can (and will in a future meta) connect this back to the training initiative paintball fight at Tadfield Manor in S1.
And even deeper on a fourth level, if you do know the Holy Grail movie well, you'll remember there is an odd little subplot in it, that infers that the whole King Arthur and his knights thing is merely a full-on violent cosplay that is murderously rampaging across the countryside in the present day with the police in hot pursuit. It's a strange juxtaposition between reality and dream, and you aren't quite sure what it is real or not. The ending is bizarrely and abruptly surreal as the two story lines collide in the heat of battle, as the police turn up and arrest the combatants. A bit like this:
#good omens#good omens 2#good omens meta#good omens analysis#aziraphale#crowley#king arthur#king of the who?#the return of king arthur#excalibur#the lady of the lake#watery tarts#monty python#monty python and the holy grail#run away#camelot#arthurian legend#ladies of camelot#guinevere#lancelot#the once and future king#once and future royalty#good omens 1941#furfur#shax#dubious battle on the plains of heaven#tadfield manor
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The Cleaning Lady : Fi & Thony in 2x01
This is unpopular opinion that will get me kicked out of fandom, but whatever.
My very first thought when I woke up this morning -- gaslighting. Fiona is being gaslit by Thony.
It's a chilling thought, but it's been percolating in my mind since the 2x01 scene where Fi calls her out on her connection with Arman, that Marco "knows something's going on with the two of you". It was a blink and you miss it moment, but I froze for that split second when Thony pointed a finger at her in response, her expression slightly twisted, a controlled, silent fury. A how fucking dare you say that to me. A loss of words, because she had no other words at that moment than to admit that Fi was right. And then, Fi backpedals, apologising for that accusation.
There's a whole other essay to be written about familial relationships and obligations in TCL -- a perversion of utang na loob, the 'debt of gratitude' in Filipino culture -- that complicates not only the way Fi feels about Marco (which stems also from her uneasy relationship with her father, a dynamic I hope we see explored in 2x02), but the way she feels obliged to speak to him (kuya not only denotes older brother, but is a honorific in Filipino culture that connotes respect) or about him to others. And this complicates her dynamics with Thony, her best friend and sister-in-law. Martha Milian nails it every time onscreen, in that uncertainty in her voice and body language whenever she broaches the issue of Marco -- or Arman -- with Thony.
In this episode, Fi was only one of the many people who questioned the armony connection -- Garrett had alluded to it earlier on, Marco would do it later on, and Nadia raised it with Arman during the jail scene. But for me, even though we could probably appreciate Thony's perspective about her connection with Arman (it's still so new and so fraught with many issues and emotions, and frankly, it's also no one's damn business), I couldn't help but be disappointed by her reaction to Fi. It's one thing for Thony to deflect the issue when Garrett brings it up -- the feelings aside, it makes sense when she needs to protect Arman from a legal, criminal standpoint. But it is galling that she shuts down her best friend with a raised finger, if not invalidating her opinion, then at least making her question it.
From a storytelling standpoint, I can see why it wasn't time for Thony to admit the truth to Fi. The escalation throughout the episode was interesting -- it started from Garrett to Fi to Marco, who with "how you twist reality, justifying your behaviour... it's insane" doesn't mince his words. Arman and Thony may have admitted their feelings to each other, to an extent, but it's time they admitted it to others. As much we want them protected in their bubble with each other, there are now repercussions that are hurting Fi, and also Nadia, the longer this goes on. I can't help but think how cathartic it would have been, if Thony had confided to Fi; to say yes Fi, you're right, something is going on with Arman. It would have broken that pattern.
To be clear, I love this depiction of Thony. A lot. So much has been said about her strength, her steeliness, the lengths she would go for Luca, but she is not infallible, nor should she be expected to be. She has her share of unattractive traits, as does every single person on TCL -- yes, Arman too, let's talk about it (@idealisticrealism, we had that entire discussion earlier about her talent and smarts, her experience being a surgeon while being a woman and the challenges that came with that, how it makes her short-tempered and impatient with those that are not quick to get on her level; Fi got that quite a bit from her in s1).
And with best friends, sometimes we are careless with one another, often we take each other for granted, because we know we have something solid at the base that is not easily broken. In fact, now that I've worked my thoughts through this, I'll revise my earlier point and say that I don't think Thony is gaslighting Fi on purpose, but it is the consequence of her reluctance of vocalising that truth to her best friend, effectively keeping Fi in the dark and unsure. If you can't talk about such things to your best friend, who can you do that with? I just feel that on this, Fi deserves a straight answer from Thony, not her anger and impatience.
#the cleaning lady#the cleaning lady meta#thony de la rosa#fiona de la rosa#arman morales#armony#in other news I'M SO HAPPY THIS SHOW IS BACK#twelve weeks of losing my mind over this damn show#send help
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T.I.P. - Pt.4 (End Chap 1)
CW list
A number of buildings, buildings of all kinds, started being blown sky high. The one commonality was Phantom. The DEO was pressuring the League to intervene. By their account he was involved in Meta trafficking and incredibly dangerous. (Too dangerous for them to deal with.) By all on scene accounts he was definitely doing something, but the damage was surprisingly minimal. Many of the buildings were reportedly abandoned. Some had even been marked to be condemned. It was suspicious but it maybe wasn’t as malicious as the DEO made it out to be. The League was starting to have reason to doubt their versions of the story after Amanda Waller took charge.
The League ramped up efforts to gather intel. Trying to speak to the elusive Phantom and the young lady working behind him. Hopefully get ahead of whatever they were doing before another building was forcibly converted into a crater. The girl had been a case that the Young Justice team was following. A Meta, and reportedly named Suzie, though Phantom called her Secrets. They had little else.
Somehow they only really arrived to the commotion in time for cleaning up and too short notice to gather a proper team. The couple of times they got there before Phantom was done clearing out he had managed to keep everyone too occupied to intervene. They were always in the wrong spot to see anything and he was good at managing their movement. He had the opportunity to do more than knock out some of them more than once. It looked like he might have been able to go toe-to-toe with Superman in strength, but kryptonite did nothing. He never said much but he looked tired.
He looked tired when asked if he was being coerced. He said no. When asked if he was working alone, his answer was yes, though they knew that wasn’t true. J'onn also wasn’t able to read his thoughts, though he did sense him to be not only tired, but also sad, frustrated, and maybe a bit afraid.
The DEO was unwilling to share any information they had, even on Secrets who’d been a resident of one of their orphanages. The DEO was also getting impatient with the caution of the League. They, and by extension the GIW, started carefully fortifying locations that might become targets, trying to balance maintaining the League’s naivety to their activity and stopping the destruction from continuing. If more important locations were found it could lead to their systems getting compromised. Danny was used to all the old tricks, but the GIW were planning a trap.
Masterpost
AN: I've decided this would probably be a good spot to have as the first chapter. I've already gone back and changed a couple small things for AO3 and I've written some more for upload here. I don't think my writing will be outpacing these uploads without some serious inspiration, but I am having fun doing it this way. Thoughts welcome!
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ONCE MORE I am submitting Kurabe to @kirbyoctournament
Name: Kurabe
(Aliases: The Lady of Shadows, The Unkillable, Grape Lady, Kura-Kura (Used by Bebebe), Kuracchi (Used by Bebebe), Kuraqueen (Used by Bebebe))
Reference Image/s:
(More on my Toyhouse)
Notes on Personality (optional, but preferred!):
Normally carries herself with grace, she is usually calm, but can quickly become fierce at a moment's notice. She cares a lot about honor and acting in a manner befitting that of a warrior. She however can be very reckless, putting others before herself and getting hurt in the process. It’s this dedication to her friends and those around her that causes many to respect her. When off-duty, she does her best to be an adoptive mother to Meta Knight, though she can be overbearing at times. She is quite good with children and has a soft spot for orphans.
Backstory and Lore (optional):
Originally an orphan from a desolate planet, Kurabe was taken into the Organization, a task force created to protect the galaxy. She would prove herself as a warrior, becoming one of the strongest there is (She is often referred to as "the strongest woman in the galaxy"). Then on one fateful mission, she would come across an orphan child named Meta, who would eventually become her greatest student.
Likes: Her students, cooking, reading, jewelry
Dislikes: Evil, people who mumble, those who harm children
Favorite food: red velvet cake
Weapons: Rubis and Grenat (twin swords she forged herself)
Because of how puffballs that aren't Kirby work in my AU, she can use Copy Abilities that she's mastered or is decent with in the form of puffball magic.
Copy Abilities Mastered: Sword, Ice, ESP, Stone, Mike (but because she's actually good at singing, it heals people. But she's too shy about it to do it often.), Ninja, Fighter, Suplex, Ghost (She is the Lady of Shadows. There are battles where she is seemingly untouchable and seemingly appears anywhere without warning.), Water, Cleaning, and Cook.
Copy Abilities Decent/OK with: Fire, Leaf, Spark, Archer, Bomb, Laser, Hammer, Parasol, Spear, Staff, and Whip.
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youtube
"There’s really a sense that the gods brought them together so he could be her most loyal retainer someday without Lady to protect her, and so he could serve someone who will treat him like an actual human being and won’t ask anything dishonorable of him." - @maidenvault
"Shrike" │ a Sandor Clegane & Sansa Stark fanvid
Note #1.
I just want to leave a little love note here for all SanSan meta writers. In the interest of transparency, I’d like to clarify that I don’t ship Sandor and Sansa romantically. I think they are kindred spirits, but I don’t interpret their love as having a romantic element.
That being said, I am obsessed with SanSan metas. Truly some of the most well-articulated, insightful pieces I have ever read. Especially when it comes to the depth of understanding of Sandor’s character, internal dialogue, and motivations. Just reading them through the lens of a ‘Sandor Clegane Character Study’ is an absolute treat.
But I also think the reason I can enjoy them so immensely (despite not viewing the relationship as romantic) is that – at its core – we’re still all on the same page here. Said page being that their dynamic is just bursting at the seams with utter devotion. That their truest happy endings are wrapped up in each other; protector and protectee.
And I thought @maidenvault little mini meta [HERE] captured my feelings on the subject so perfectly, to the extent that I very much had her above quote reverberating in my head while I worked on this video.
~
Note #2.
The non-show footage in this video is from the astoundingly beautiful short film “Bird Song” by @kateofthecanals. If by some sheer insane possibility you have never watched it, HERE it is for your viewing pleasure.
The non-show audio is from the ASOIAF audiobooks (read by Roy Dotrice) and from my attempt to clean-up the audio from Rory McCann’s audition tape.
#sansan#sandor clegane#sansa stark#the hound#game of thrones#got#asoiaf#sansan fanvid#got fanvid#asoiaf fanvid#gotedit#asoiafedit#rory mccann#sophie turner#fanvid#my edits#my video edits#my sandor videos#my got videos#Youtube
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There are four conspiracy theories in Merlin fics/meta(perhaps, there are more; I just haven't met them yet):
Kilgharrah was evil and plotted against the House of Pendragon and Merlin. Varies from "The Dragon just followed the destiny as it was meant to be, hiding the true outcome from Merlin for higher reasons" to "He sought his personal revenge manipulating Merlin" to "He arranged everything to wipe out the Pendragon blood off to Albion to be clean from them".
Enchanted/Altered Morgana: Varies from "Morgause manipulated and used Morgana's mental instability and fear" to "Morgause's bracelet was enchanted to attract Morgana to the dark side" to "Morgause used mandrake on Morgana like on Uther and Gwen" to "Morgana died from hemlock and came back wrong from the dead".
Morgana's true parentage: Morgana wasn't Uther's daughter. Varies from "Morgause knew that Morgana is Gorlois' but wanted her on the throne so hid the truth" to "Lady Vivienne just knew/by scrying, Uther just assumed Morgana was his" to "Lady Vivienne didn't knew because Uther slept with her magically disguised as Gorlois".
Arthur's true parentage: Uther didn't participate in Arthur's conceiving. Varies from "Arthur was born of Ygraine and magic" to "Arthur was born of Nimueh's magical part and Ygraine's physical part".
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