#the plot was pretty rushed since they were doing so much to set everything up in 90 minutes but eh its not the worst
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FEMALE MOVIE/TV RECS (PART 1 / FANTASY)
got inspired from a recommendation post so decided to make a list of movies and shows with female-centric stories/female protagonists. since i can't post all of the genres in one post, i'll split it into multiple posts and y'all can save or add to the list as you wish. (disclaimer: i have watched most of these, but i only know about the existence of others. not every movie/show on these lists will be my recommendation. my recommendations will be beneath the list with reasons. also some of these are way better than others in terms of storytelling/performance--which is why i'll list my faves separately):
#1. FANTASY/ADVENTURE (LIVE ACTION)
Common Themes of Media In the List:
-Strong female friendships
-Romance critical (or anti-romantic centrism)
-Emphasis on female-female relationships
-Warrior girls and women
-Revenge against awful men
-Distrust of male love interests
Ones I Haven't Watched:
His Dark Materials
Everything Everywhere All At Once
Paradise Hills
Crimson Peak
Outlander
The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina
House of the Dragon
The Nevers
Cursed
NOT LISTED BUT QUALIFIES
Pan's Labyrinth
Mary Poppins
Twilight
The Craft
The BFG
PERSONAL NOTES FOR THE ONES I'VE WATCHED
The School for Good and Evil
5/10
There were many things about it that were good. The chemistry between the two leading actresses, the primacy of friendship over romance, the effects, the costume and set design, the insane cast (Charlize Theron, Cate Blanchett, Michelle Yeoh, Kerry Washington?!) and the score. Some of the performances were good, too. The pitfalls of the film had more to do with the writing and directing. Some scenes were rushed, some dialogue was embarrassingly bad, some plot points were just nonsensical and childish. The magic system was also not well executed (though I've seen worse).
It's mostly mid, but the ending is refreshing for the fairytale genre and if you like fairytale fluff, you'll probably be more willing to forgive the film's transgressions. If you can, there'll be a lot of fun left to have with it.
2. Damsel
6.5/10
More action than fantasy and with a much smaller cast. Most of the movie focuses on Millie's character. The performances in this were pretty good, though. If you like heroines getting revenge, non-cliche fantasy stories involving princesses, and dragons, this movie is right up your alley! Also the costuming is delightful! It's predictable, but it is also entertaining.
3. Willow
7/10
This show was just fun. Fantastic effects, female heroics, tomfoolery, lesbians, action, evil forces, cool costuming, lesbians, sword-play, riddle-solving, dumbass princes, sarcastic mentors, and lesbians! This show knew exactly what it was trying to be. Aside from some poor performances, my overall impressions is positive.
4. Wednesday
7/10
I personally enjoy Wednesday Addams' character wherever I see her. Having a whole show of her was just a treat. I didn't care for the typical highschool-shenanigans (like the cliques) as much, but there were many enjoyable elements in this for me. Particularly, the effects, the crime, the other female characters, and the ending. It's entertaining and pretty to look at. Also I'm always on my wenclair propaganda.
5. Shadow & Bone
6/10
I've read the Six of Crows duology and the first book of the Shadow & Bone trilogy, so for me this show was a let down. For new watchers, however, you'll find interesting female characters, cool effects, and an entertaining (though sometimes choppy) plot. Inej Ghafa is my queen forever, regardless.
6. Renegade Nell
7/10
This is puts the fantasy in revenge fantasy. I love all the actresses from Derry Girls, and Louisa Harland is still charming in this. It's basically if Gentleman Jack (same director, I think) and Tinkerbell teamed up. Or if Little Women was also Pirates of the Caribbean but instead of taking to the sea it was highway robbery! The action sequences are so fun, the villains are nuanced (particularly the villainess) the comedy isn't overbearing (like I forgot I was watching a Disney show tbh) and the silly towel boy from Ted Lasso is here! I personally had fun. I hope it's renewed.
7. Alice in Wonderland/Through the Looking Glass
7/10 (i love these so much so it's 8/10 for me)
It sucks that Depp is in this, but I can never ever forsake my girl Mia Wasikowska. I just love these movies. I love the design, the music, the costumes, the irreverence toward marriage and romance, Alice's personality and relationship with her mother, how it tackles the pathologisation of female autonomy, the performances, etc. The books are one of my favorite books of all time so there's that.
8. Maleficent
7/10
I really loved the performances in this, the metaphor for rape, the satisfying revenge. I don't mind that it was cliché. I love Maleficent movies. AND the Lana Del Ray cover for "Once Upon A Dream." Also, the first one makes me tear up every time. The mother-daughter love is just so touching to me.
9. Warrior Nun
(?/10)
I love the premise of this show and I can get behind the characters. The protagonist just annoyed me so much so often I have taken multiple breaks and can't remember the story. I am all for imperfect, asshole girl characters. But this protagonist was just whiny and careless beyond reason. And it was taking too long for her to get with the nuns. Like I was not invested enough in her running away arc. Like sis get your ass to the coven you are not that main of a character!
She took up so much screentime when literally every other character in the show was more interesting than she was.
At least there's lesbians.
10. Snow White & The Huntsman
(8/10)
What can I say? Kristen Stewart was hot in this, as was stepmother. Effects? Stellar. Direction? Stellar. Performance? Mostly stellar. Drama? Action? Magic? All there. Thoroughly entertaining. Refreshingly anti-Disney. Unfortunately there are some annoying men involved (I'm talking about the dwarves of course) but it never gets too overbearing. This is, however, the least feminist of the entire list and scores lowest on the above common themes.
#radblr#female centric media#female fantasy movies#feminism#fantasy heroines#hadesoftheladies rec list
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Hey love! I just wanted to say I love your works and wanted to maybe ask for a request. Today is my birthday and I was wondering if you could do a Carl x reader surprise birthday related smut where maybe he surprises reader by remembering it’s her birthday (maybe he was keeping track or something) and he invites her over for a cute/romantic dinner and he saves her for dessert 🤭. Idk I thought it sounded cute and would ask.
Birthday Surprise
Carl prepares a birthday dinner for Y/N, but things are not quite going as planned... Bit more of a plot, then sex. Everyone is 18 or over.
WARNINGS: smut, nsfw
Your birthday was pretty gloomy; it was the first one without your family, and nothing could really cheer you up - not even the birthday cake and the little presents that Tara and Rosita, with whom you shared a house, gave you.
Now you were alone, since the other two girls were on guard duty. It was already dawning, soon it would be dark. A knock on the door pulled you out of your somber musings. Carl was standing on the threshold. You had started dating a week ago and had already kissed a few times, but nothing more had happened yet. "Hey, sweetie," Carl greeted you, hugging and kissing you, "congratulations. I, um, I prepared a surprise for you." He gestured vaguely in the direction of his house. "Are you coming?"
You agreed, just wanting to quickly change and put on makeup, then you followed Carl out. You reached his house and entered through the back door as you sniffed suspiciously. "What's burning in here? I smell smoke," you said alarmed.
"Oh no," Carl exclaimed, rushing into the kitchen. Thick black smoke was billowing from the oven. Carl opened the oven door, and it got worse. Hastily you opened the windows, coughing, and Carl pulled a completely charred lump out of the oven. "Damn," he lamented. "That was part of the surprise!" You helped Carl air everything out and clean up the burnt cake. With great difficulty, you stifled a laugh. Carl cleared his throat. "Okay, but that was just dessert, I prepared more," he announced proudly. You steeled yourself, because as far as you knew, Carl could neither bake nor cook.
He presented a colander full of cooled, congealed spaghetti. "I just need to heat this up quickly," he promised, gesturing to the beautifully set table. "Why don't you sit down?" He lit several candles before dumping the spaghetti into a pot of tomato sauce and warming everything on the stove.
What he finally served didn't look very appetizing, but you realized how much effort Carl had put in, so you didn't give it a second thought. The noodles were mushy and the sauce far too little seasoned. It tasted awful. "Do you like it?" inquired Carl expectantly. His cheeks were flushed in the candlelight.
"Yes, it's quite great, Carl," you fibbed.
"Too bad the cake burned," he fretted, whereas you thought it was probably better that at least you had been saved from the cake. It was quite dark outside by now, and the dining room was lit only by the candles.
"So where are Rick and Michonne?" you asked.
"They went to Carol's because I said I wanted to celebrate your birthday here with you undisturbed," Carl explained. "Judith is asleep." He got up and came around the table to kiss you, and this time his kisses were more demanding and intense than usual, and when Carl grabbed your hands and playfully pulled you over to the couch, you realized he was planning to sleep with you for the first time today. Longingly, he kissed your neck. It was pretty early for that, but you were already sure after that short time that you loved Carl, and what were you going to wait for? In this new world, everything could suddenly be over any day. You stroked through Carl's hair and unbuttoned his flannel, signaling to him that you also wanted it.
"Are you sure you're okay with this?" he made sure. "Or is it going too quickly for you?"
"No, I want to feel you, Carl," you whispered, "I'm ready." His flannel and his shirt came off, then yours. You admired Carl's upper body, he wasn't particularly muscular, but so lean and somewhat defined, and his skin so flawless, with a few small moles.
Carl gazed entranced at your breasts and began to fondle them. Hot flashes shot down your spine. Your lower abdomen was getting hot, and you felt your panties moistening. You lay down on the couch, and Carl pulled a box of condoms out of his pants pocket and placed them on the side table.
It wasn't long before both of you had completely undressed, your clothes lying messily on the floor, and you were exploring each other's bodies. Carl's dick was a good size, with a nicely shaped red tip that glistened wetly. As you gently grasped his stiff shaft and moved your wrist up and down, Carl closed his eye and whimpered. "Oh, please, Y/N, keep going," he begged. You were delighted by the reactions you were eliciting from Carl with your actions, and you had just begun to lick and suck on his tip when Carl gripped you by the shoulders and gently pushed you away. "Wait," he whispered hoarsely. "If you don't, I'll cum right now, but I do want to fuck you."
You giggled nervously, embarrassed, as Carl unwrapped one of the condoms and slipped it on his cock. "Looks like you've done this before," you teased him.
"Um, yes and no," he said, blushing. "I practiced it a few times so, well, so nothing would go wrong." He coughed. "How... what position should we do it in?" he asked uncertainly.
You lay down on your back. "I think it's easiest that way," you said hesitantly. Carl got himself into position and rubbed his tip over your slippery entrance until you moaned softly, spreading your legs even wider and looking at him with hazy eyes. "Please, Carl, put it in," you whimpered, all wriggly with arousal. Millimeter by millimeter, Carl penetrated you. It hurt a little as he stretched you out, but the pain was displaced by excitement and by the overwhelming feeling of being so close to Carl. It took a while for his dick to be completely inside you, and you looked deeply into each other's eyes for a few seconds before Carl began careful thrusts.
There was a slight twinge, but then the pain disappeared completely, and you felt like your pussy was made of hot liquid lava, having Carl inside you made you almost senseless with arousal. You felt yourself growing wetter and wetter for him, and for the next few minutes all you could hear was both of your moans and sighs, and the sound of Carl's dick moving inside your slick folds. You stroked his back, feeling his lean muscles play beneath your fingers. His hair clung sweatily to his forehead. "Carl, I'm going to cum," you panted, biting his shoulder lightly.
"Me too," Carl returned. His poundings became more erratic, he gasped, then wrenched his handsome face and cried out in ecstasy as he had his orgasm inside you. Stars flickered across your visual field as you climaxed as well, your pussy contracting uncontrollably, over and over.
"Carl!" you screamed, while he helped you through your orgasm.
Afterwards, you cleaned yourselves up and snuggled together under a plaid. Again and again you kissed and let what had happened linger, quite dazed by the aftermath of your shared orgasm. And so you couldn't react fast enough when the key turned in the lock and a few seconds later Rick and Michonne were standing in the room. Rick gaped open-mouthed, then eyed the clothes on the floor and scratched his head, speechless, while Carl pulled the plaid up to his chin. "Ok, Carl, well, I didn't expect that now," Rick stammered, looking strained at the bookshelf. His face was all red.
"Well, I did," Michonne dryly replied.
"Did you... did you use protection?" inquired Rick anxiously, frowning.
"'Sure we did, Dad," Carl assured, his face also flushed with embarrassment. You tried not to look at anyone, the situation was so awkward.
Michonne rolled her eyes and grabbed Rick's arm to push him out of the room. "Let's get these two dressed and cleaned up," she ordered. "And air out, please," she called to you before closing the door.
Carl and you looked at each other, then burst into silly laughter.
--
Tags: @loveforcarl @knochentrocken0808
#the walking dead#twd#carl grimes fanfiction#carl grimes x reader#carl grimes x y/n#carl grimes#carl fanfiction#carl grimes imagines#carl grimes smut
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Damn, with your track record of unpopular opinions and hot takes, I was sort of hoping you'd be TG. Ah well lol. Have you seen the S2 trailer?
I'm not really anything.
I've certainly made a number of posts supporting Team Liquorice over Team Broccoli (I prefer to use those names as I am uncomfortable calling any faction that House Velaryon associates with "The Blacks.") and I stand by pretty much everything I said in them, but if you want to see some Pro-Broccoli posts, I can make those too. I know it's cliche to call myself "Team Smallfolk" but I really am first and foremost on their side. I've always said that this war did not need to happen and it was within the Highborns' power to stop it, to prevent the common people from having to go through The Dance. All that needed to happen was for someone to concede. That's it. Literally all it would have taken, and to her credit, Rhaenyra considers doing this.
Team Broccoli have it tricky, because the show is framed around Rhaenyra, it centralizes her as the protagonist. It puts Alicent and her faction in the role of antagonists of Rhaenyra's story. Additionally...it' would be difficult to identify as a Green, because right out of the gate, you'd have to defend yourself and clarify that of course you're NOT a misogynist. The Broccoli faction is heavily associated with misogyny as they are trying to prevent a woman from taking the throne. Naturally, this doesn't mean that people who support Aegon over Rhaenyra are sexist - and if you're one of the people saying that...um, stop it. They are fictional characters in a fictional war. We really shouldn't be taking it that seriously, and it's disingenuous to act like misogyny is the only reason a fan might choose Aegon. Even the Hightowers don't really care that Rhaenyra is a woman. That's the basis they're using to seize the throne, but that's nothing more than a means to an end. If Rhaenyra were a man, they'd still want to seat Aegon, they'd just have to think of something else to justify it.
I have seen the trailers, and I love just about everything about them. I especially love how they gave us one for each team, that is genius. The only thing I don't love is how we're already getting a reduced count of episodes, from ten to eight. Particularly since this show is apparently only going to be four seasons or so, this hurts. Like, did you guys learn nothing from the last two seasons of Game of Thrones? All the negative reception they got for how rushed they felt? Even if they wanted to say, push certain battles back to Season 3 for the sake of budget, they could have stretched things out a little more, given the episodes, characters, and plots time to breathe. I don't know, it also just depends on how much content is available to be adapted.
Hey, here's a nice thing I can say about Team Broccoli. Your trailer slaps. Team Liquorice's trailer is just kind of average. Then again, the main reason the green trailer is better is because of the Aegon content. He's everywhere in this trailer and he is killing it, so I really hope this is a sign that they'll make him more important. Also, he now has the funniest line in the entire show so far. "To war then!" Like. Oh god. You absolute idiot, you slay me. Meanwhile, Rhaenyra's trailer is...fine. There's nothing wrong with it. I'm just glad they fixed Jace's hair. (And ruined Criston's, it's a tradeoff.) I love everything to do with Alicent and Rhaenys in these trailers, they really are setting up to be the voices of reason. How bout that scene of Alicent in the dress she wore back in episode one? I'm thinking dream sequence, because why would she still have that dress after all this time? There's also poor Helaena with a knife to her throat. That kills me, because I've read the books and I know what scene that is...
#Fandom Analysis#House of The Dragon#Team Green#the blacks & the greens#HotD Analysis#HotD Season 2#Rhaenyra Targaryen#Aegon II Targaryen#Fire and Blood#Team Liquorice#Team Broccoli#Rhaenys Targaryen#Alicent Hightower#Helaena Targaryen#Jace Velaryon
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Haunted (24/02/24)
I feel ill and tired but I watched the episode when I woke up, so.
I know I normally post this after the episode airs but I'm not worried about spoiling anything because all my discussion of the actual episode is below a cut. Just don't read below the cut if you haven't watched yet. Also, I'm only talking about what I can be bothered to write up (so I’m extremely focused on a few characters) because I'm really very tired and my brain is melty.
Is that really it for Paige? It felt like a pretty un-final final episode. Whether that's actually goodbye or not, PAIGE DESERVED BETTER, she's been treated like a side character in another person's life (yes, I know that person is my fave but I get to give him preferential treatment, the writers probably shouldn't) since the start of AHOV but she at least should've been the absolute focus of this episode, not the love triangle. Maybe Barriers set my standards for final episodes too high with how well they handled Sah’s exit.
The patient plot they had going on with Paige and Jodie didn’t feel like it made sense for the two of them as much as it might’ve made sense for Sah and Teddy during the original iteration of the love triangle. Like, since when are Paige and Jodie comparable to ’rush into a burning building’ friends?
I’m sure there could’ve been a way to make Teddy and Jodie interesting, I still wouldn’t have like shipped them or anything but I might’ve accepted them in the same way I accepted Teddy/Paige happening immediately after I thought we were finally getting our Sah/Teddy storyline in With a Bullet, but they have not done it and I want them to break up immediately.
The crowd's reaction to the explosion sounds like an obvious and very silly added-in sound effect and that isn't a complaint because I found it funny. Also the explosion-y scenes we saw today only represent half the explosion-y scenes in the trailer.
Jan and Teddy can have one scene together and I will love every second of it. Di Botcher and Milo Clarke play them so well, they've got the dynamic on point and I just love them so much. I completely believe, as Jan is dragging Teddy away from running into a burning building, that she has been been putting up with him for 24 years. As silly as that can be, I also think it really adds to their storylines (when they get them...), being able to believe that Jan has known Teddy his whole life fuels the I-need-to-lie-down feeing I get any time I think about Teddy and Jan when Teddy was younger.
I’m interested in Tariq. It must be hard to introduce a new main character who already has a relationship with another main character because you have to really hit the ground running, it's probably why the Holbyverse is so full of estranged families. But they did it well with Jan and Teddy and I hope they do it with Rash and Tariq too.
I think I like Siobhan but in the sense that when I was giving my non-Casualty friends the weekly Casualty update, the overwhelming response to "there's a new clinical nurse manager and she's older" was "GIRLFRIEND FOR JAN??????" which I doubt will happen but it's a brilliant suggestion.
She’s what the ED needs, though. Everything is exploding all the time and she has shown up to try and stop that a bit and I love her for it.
With the Harry and Mel stuff: Stevie will be obviously fucking right and they’ll (Charlie and FAITH) all be like “omg Stevie is overreacting fr” IS SHE???? hhhhhhhh… SIOBHAN KNOWS SHE’S RIGHT THOUGH (I’m happier with how this stuff has been this week, actually, just because the show isn’t also treating her like she’s unreasonable anymore)
I’m sure other stuff, important plot stuff, happened but I've not got much brain power left for words so I'm leaving it here.
OH, WAIT, YEAH. “Must have a hell of a bromance going on to go back in there." Theodore, my love, you got shot for your best friend, though that wasn't really a 'bromance' situation, was it? Aughshsh... I miss them and the get-a-room-losers way they used to stare at each other so much.
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Bob's burgers beginners episodes
if you want to start watching bob's burgers but aren't sure where to begin with over 265+ episodes i have compiled a small list of episodes that i think are a good introduction to the series and characters!!
it is an episodic sitcom so i wouldn't worry too much about starting with season one episode one. you won't really miss out on too much context except for some secondary character introductions, and in my personal opinion the earlier seasons aren't the best introduction for the characterization and humor that the rest of the series has and probably aren't the best to start out with watching. i will try to include at least one episode that focuses on each of the main characters :)
Bob Belcher and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Kids (season 11, episode 6)
in my opinion this is the best episode to start with if you've never seen an episode of the show before. it was the 100th episode special and so it does a good job at introducing the characters, settings etc as if it were a rewritten version of the pilot episode AND it's a lot funnier and more enjoyable than the actual pilot episode!!! it does a good job at introducing family dynamics and characters and also has a really catchy song lol
the plot of this episode is that there's an annual festival on ocean avenue and bob is hoping it'll be good for business but due to a series of events the kids end up setting the restaurant on fire, and end up getting up to some shenanigans to try to make it up to bob while him, linda and teddy try to get the restaurant in good enough condition for them to open for the lunch rush (also there's a fun plot twist at the end of this episode)
The Hurt Soccer (season 8, episode 12)
this episode is really funny and enjoyable and doesn't rely too heavily on secondary characters that were introduced in earlier episodes for it to make sense
the plot of this episode is that bob and linda accidentally signed louise up for a soccer team (which she absolutely DOES NOT want to be on) and she ends up having to compete in the final game of the season with bob as the coach and tina as the assistant coach, but louise's soccer team is kinda terrible. gene and linda end up opening a musical production in the restaurant bcuz they are both huge showbiz performers. Weirdly enough this episode ALSO has the restaurant catch on fire but i swear to god that isn't a consistent thing on this show it's just these two episodes </3
Eat, Spray, Linda (season 5, episode 18)
this is a pretty simple episode about linda's birthday where the kids and bob try to give her a happy birthday but EVERYTHING seems to be going wrong for her. it's a cute episode and has some interesting insight into linda's character and her relationship with her kids without feeling overwhelming!!
Stand By Gene (season 6, episode 12)
this episode features A LOT of secondary characters but I don't think its too confusing if you just go into it with the understanding that these are the kids friends from school and they appear in many episodes before and since this one. besides that it's a very fun adventure-type episode of all the kids going on a small adventure to find a two-butted goat at a nearby farm and explores a lot of interesting friendship dynamics. the subplot is a silly restaurant game between bob, linda and some other minor secondary characters but it does a really good job of showcasing their relationship and support of each other (while also being super compeitive) if you don't want to watch EVERY episode where a secondary character is introduced right away this is a really good one to start with. it's sooo charming and fun
The Laser-inth (season 7, episode 18)
I'm slightly biased because this was one of the first bob's burgers episodes i ever watched but i do think it's a really good one to start out with!! the main plot is about bob taking gene to a rock concert where he ends up getting sensory overload bcuz of the loud music and lights and is a good protrayal of bob's parenting style and how he is as a father. the subplot is linda taking tina and louise to an american girl style doll restaurant and it's mostly silly fun but also a little bit sweet at the end :) AND they help a spy doll escape from being killed. genuinely a very wholesome and fun episode with so much heart. also one of the episodes that explores the "it takes a village" type parenting style that is so important in bob's burgers worldbuilding (specifically in the subplot with gretchen)
Wharf Horse (or How Bob Saves/Destroys the Town) & World Wharf II: The Wharfening (or How Bob Saves/Destroys the Town) (season 4 episodes 21 and 22)
THIS is a huge two-part season finale that is a good introduction into the more high-stakes episodes of bob's burgers and the world that surrounds them. it's almost a prequel episode for the movie (which i maybe wouldn't recommend watching RIGHT AWAY but it is really good) and is super enjoyable and tense!!! i can't even begin to describe the plot of this one but basically mr fischoeder (their landlord/guy who owns everything in town) is convinced by his brother to sell wonder wharf so they can build condos and. things happen!! VERY TENSE!!!
also maaaybe look at the trigger warnings for this episode if you dont mind spoilers and think you might be triggered by certain situations because it is a bit darker than most episodes (not darker than the movie though lmao)
Mother Daughter Laser Razor (season 3, episode 10)
this episode is an earlier one but really good and explores linda and louise's dynamic. linda thinks that louise doesn't like her and signs them up for mother/daughter parenting classes which louise ABSOLUTELY hates. good episode about meeting your kid where they're at and provides some more context for later louise and linda episodes (where their relationship is definitely improved). the subplot where bob teaches tina how to shave her legs is also really sweet and I love how understanding and empathetic it is towards tina as a neurodivergent teenage girl <3
Mission Impos-slug-ble (season 8, episode 20)
this episode is another low-stakes episode but it explores the relationship between louise and tina (which has been explored before in earlier episodes and will be explored again!!!!) and also is just generally a very fun more school-focused episode. it does have a lot of wagstaff school staff members as secondary characters which might be a bit confusing if you aren't aware of their dynamic?? but honestly i think it's pretty easy to understand even from within the context of the episode and what's provided onscreen. also has some rudy screentime and other characters from louise's class (rudy is louise's best friend which is pretty much the only important thing to know here). the subplot is about bob giving a eulogy at a funeral but i can say the character who died is not a character who had been introduced previously despite how it might seem. He's just a guy they made up for this episode but it's a fun subplot
The Hormone-iums (season 6, episode 14)
this is a cute tina episode and has bob being a great dad too :) there isn't a lot to explain it's just an episode about tina wanting the lead role in a play type thing and having a crisis of morality and wanting to fit in with her classmates. the subplot is also very funny AND involves a transgender/drag queen plus-sized women's shoe store so you know it's good
Poops!... I Didn't Do It Again (season 10, episode 20)
episode focused on bob and louise's relationship as father and daughter where louise is going on an overnight field trip but she can't poop unless she's at home (ITS SO MUCH MORE HEARTWARMING THAT IT SOUNDS. bob is such a good dad) and in my opinion an episode that does a great job of showcasing louise's personality and fearlessness while also showcasing her internalized anxiety that she mostly gets from bob lbr
the subplot is about linda and the kids trying to make a stupid video for linda's parents anniversery and its entertaining enough BUT im absolutely not giving any context for the pickle costumes. it's so much funnier that way. They just have those don't even worry about it <3 we call this episode two in The Pickle Costume Trilogy
Driving Big Dummy (season 12, episode 4)
teddy episode!! I wanted to include at least one on this list because he's the unofficial sixth main character and has an important role in this show (you'll notice he's had an appearance in almost every episode I listed here) and this is one of my favorite episode of his :) there aren't any secondary characters and no real context is needed outside of the main six characters. bob and teddy go on a roadtrip together to pick up some equipment for the restaurant etc and have conflict bcuz teddy is outgoing and blah blah while linda and the kids compete to become the employee of the day (aka linda brags to the kids about how she's the best employee at bob's burgers. which she is. and then lets them win anyway because she loves them). fun episode and a great introduction to teddy and bob's relationship dynamic even if it wasn't intended to be
there are SOO MANY other bob's burgers episodes that I think are great and required viewing when it comes to this show but I wanted to make a short list of episodes for anyone who might want to dip their toes into the Bob's burger water without having to commit themselves to 14 seasons. by no means is this an inclusive list of every episode new viewers should watch. it isn't even 5% of them and honestly i would recommend watching through the whole show eventually bcuz every episode is somewhat important but this is a good starting point if you think you might enjoy this show!!
(I didn't include very many episodes from the more recent post-movie seasons not because they aren't GOOD. they're some of the best in my opinion. but because almost all the episodes are experimental storytelling or require a lot more context of the characters and their relationships and 14 seasons in they aren't really writing these episodes to introduce new viewers to the show. like imagine trying to introduce someone to the show for the first time using the amazing rudy or amelia lmao)
#txt#bob's burgers#long post#WATCH BURGERS BOB. i know at least 35% of my followers don't watch it and have considered it bcuz of me#actually same w/ bobs burgers fans watching object shows bcuz of me. i love to cross-contaminate the ecosystems of my interests
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Well, chief. I guess this is it. Thanks for everything, and I'll see you aro-- Oh, we aren't finished yet.
Goddammit.
Hypothetically speaking, if you were going to be alone with a man who might try to kill you, what size of knife would you carry on your person and where would you stash it? Asking for a friend.
Are you, though? You know in a Saturday Morning Cartoon when the adult guardian goes, "The plot is happening but YOU will go to your room and behave yourself. You will NOT slip out and go do the thing."
But this is like episode 87 and we all know they're going to slip out and go do the thing anyway so, really, saying this is just a formality at this point?
That's your level of authority, Yakou. Thank you so much for saving my life from my terrible mistakes last chapter; Anyways, back to doing the things that got me in trouble in the first place!
I'll write him a note and leave it in Halara's hotel room, along with an IOU formally requesting that they deliver it to Yakou upon confirmation of my death.
I obviously won't be able to pay the IOU but at this point I'm pretty sure Halara only cares about the optics of charging money.
Kurumi, I took you to meet my dangerous, ambiguous wildcard contact. There's a 50/50 chance he's going to tie you to a chair and dangle you over a vat of acid before all is said and done. We are well past the point where something as innocuous as worry is inappropriate.
OH THANK GOD. Of Death. Literally. Thank you for finally ending this awkward quasi-farewell, Shinigami.
We're running out of good ideas to escape from this sub. This is one step above pointing behind Yakou and shouting, "LOOK, A FALSE LEAD!" then bolting when he turns around.
Because then it will spoil. The best kinds of evidence have an expiration date!
Yuma finally proving that abandoning all pretense and bailing at the speed of feet is, and always has been, a viable option for dodging Yakou's paper-thin attempts at professional responsibility.
Sorry, man, but you-
HAHAHAHA OKAY, Yuma made me laugh but I was unprepared for Kurumi to then also bolt out the door. XD Run, guys! Yakou looks like he maxes out at a shamble! A brisk jogging pace should do!
To be fair, she does not work here. It'd be uncomfortable for her to stick around someone else's workspace without her one and only connection to this place.
Sorry, Yakou. As hard as you're going to kiss her ass, Kurumi is not interested in becoming your intern. She's here for Yuma. And she is as much of a troublemaker.
HOLY SHIT YOU GODDAMN VAMPIRE
I legit did not turn the camera to check the fireplace. He may have been here for this entire scene thus far.
I KNOW RIGHT!? We need to put a bell on him. Wait, no, bell only chimes when you move. ...one of those perpetual motion clicky ball sets that managers have on their desk to make them look important. He can wear it around his neck.
You heard as much as Yakou, man. Yuma was super cryptic and then fled.
*sigh* Okay, what's Desuhiko pulling this time, Vivia? Is the pale blue blink supposed to be Fubuki? But then the storm would be... him getting the shit kicked out of him....
Ugh, I don't have time for his shenanigans, I have a trap to go die in.
For a man who was all gung-ho about box cutting my throat out, you sure don't seem to be in any rush to do it. I think Vivia used up all of his energy trying to stand up dramatically.
How are you going to feel if I die before you have a chance to kill me, Vivia? Can you live with that regret? Or... I guess, since you want to die someday, maybe not being able to live with that regret would be a good thing.
I guess. Keep doing what you're doing and hope for the worst, my guy. Power of positive thinking!
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Fic Tag Game
Thanks @fandomscraziness22 for the tag!! 🩵
How many works do you have on AO3?
10! My page says 7 but I have some I've published anonymously.
What's your AO3 word count?
122,718
What fandoms do you write for?
It's been a while since I've posted anything but when I do find the motivation to write it's usually Julie and the Phantoms, Outer Banks, or The Summer I Turned Pretty!
I've written some for other fandoms too but that was a looong time ago haha.
What are your top 5 fics by kudos?
(Not including the ones I'd like to remain anonymous 😉)
- Fire Red and Ocean Blue (TSITP)
- I Hate the Way I Don't Hate You (JatP)
- Been Counting My Blessings Thinking This Through (OBX)
- Something Like That (JatP)
- I'm Standing in Your Line (I Do Hope You Have the Time) (JatP)
Do you respond to comments?
I really try to respond to every comment, even if it takes me a while to respond! I genuinely appreciate people who take the time to not only read my writing but also share with me their thoughts, so the least I can do is respond back 😊
What's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?
Oof in general I usually stick to happy endings so there hasn't been a ton of angsty endings! But I once wrote a fic exploring a character navigating the aftermath of the sudden death of his wife. It ends with him bonding with a woman in a bar who had also lost her husband, and they dance together and while it's nice to have some sort of companionship again, there's an unspoken agreement that nothing and no one would ever compare to their late spouses. (Based off the song Ghost of You by 5SOS, specifically the last line!)
I don't usually write major character deaths, and I actually ended up taking that one down because it was too sad for me haha.
What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?
The rest of my fics pretty much all have HEAs because at my core that's what I enjoy most haha. But my favorite and probably fluffiest ending is Fire Red and Ocean Blue.
Do you get hate on fics?
I don't remember ever getting any hate! *knock on wood*
Do you write smut? What kind?
I do not, but I always enjoy reading a good smut fic!
Do you write crossovers?
No, but I love AUs or fics based off of other books/shows/movies!
Have you ever had a fic translated?
Also no haha.
Have you ever cowritten a fic before?
I've attempted to, a loooong time ago when I was first getting into fanfic. Nothing ever came of it though, we were both, like, 12 so it fizzled haha. I have no idea where that person is today but I hope they're doing well!!
What WIP would you like to finish, but doubt you ever will?
Back when s1 of Outer Banks came out I started working on a Jiara one night stand fic and got about halfway done. I still think about it often, but too much has happened in s2 and 3 it just wouldn't make sense anymore and I'd basically have to start from scratch.
What's your all-time favorite ship?
This is a tough one! My oldest and most beloved ships will always be Romione and Percabeth. But no ship has ever, and may never again, have me in a chokehold quite like Juke did during the height of my JatP hyperfixation. So one of those three! 😂
What are your writing strengths?
Ooo I love a good theme or motif or analogy and bringing everything back around full circle. It makes my little perfectionist virgo brain very happy haha.
What are your writing weaknesses?
Sometimes I'll rush through the little details just to get to the main plot points. I constantly have to remind myself to slow down, a sort of "stop and smell the roses" if you will, and set the scene or create unique little character details to make my fics more descriptive.
Thoughts on writing dialogue in a another language for a fic?
If it's needed it's needed! I usually will copy/paste and look up the translation if I need to.
First fandom you wrote for?
Glee haha. I used to be OBSESSED.
Favorite fic you've ever written?
I feel like this answer changes depending on my mood haha. Right now I think it'd have to be Been Counting My Blessings Thinking This Through, but that could totally be recency bias haha. I am very proud of it though!
What fic would you want to rewrite someday?
I wrote this PJO (Tratie) fic called Rivers about 10 years ago and to this day the idea behind it is probably one of my favorite ideas I've ever had for a fic. When I reread it now, I can't help but see the writing of a 15 year old girl who had no idea what she was talking about and was unable to execute it in the way I wanted to in my mind haha. I always tell myself I'm going to rewrite it, and maybe with the show coming out soon, it'll inspire me to!
This was so fun!! Tagging @story-courty @bex2313 and @writerownstory and anyone else who wants to participate!
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Hello again! Since I started watching season 2 of the bear I've been building up some thoughts regarding the overarching plot and characterisation. I haven't been able to share my ramblings with anyone else, so I hope it's ok to share them with you. It's been a while since I've been this disappointed by the direction a show has taken. :(
I mentioned before on one of your posts that I saw Carmy as asexual, or at least not seeking a physical or romantic relationship with women. In season 1 I was so happy that Sydney was kept as a colleague/friend, which carries into season 2. I was legitimately hopeful to get just one show where the main character doesn't have a contrived romance storyline. I feel they always just derail the main plot for meaningless character interactions with terrible dialogue, with male and female characters never being allowed to just be friends.
When Claire was introduced I audibly GROANED. Manic pixie dream girl has entered the chat.
The scene in episode 6 where Richie and Mikey are saying how in love Carmy is with Claire, how amazing she is, how hot she is—it felt like they were trying to convince me and not Carmy. You and others have said before how Claire just exists to be a love interest, and every scene with her does nothing except try (desperately) to solidify that. I feel like I'm being repeatedly beaten with a bat that has "Claire is nice so you should like her" written on it. The scene where Richie is legitimately upset that he messed up the generator and is worried Carmy will dismiss him—why was Claire laughing at that? I thought she was meant to be nice? That's what every character keeps telling me...
Every scene with her drags, every character that mentions her name suddenly causes the scene to shift to focusing on Claire. It's like Claire is the centre of the universe and is pulling in and crushing everything with her gravitational pull.
When Carmy kissed Claire in episode 5 it made me lose hope for his characterisation. It was like I was instead watching JAW's character from Shameless. All nuance thrown out the window for a rushed relationship with no chemistry. His journey to heal from his traumas and come to terms with Mikey's death sidelined to make way for boring shot reverse shot talking scenes with Claire. Carmy doing restaurant business? Nah, let's watch him and Claire have some boring dialogue during a car journey.
Hater mode activated: Claire as a character is boring, shallow, and only added because "hur dur boy must like girl". Despite what her character was supposedly introduced for, I think her introduction just caused season 2 to waste time on meaningless fluff that actively made other characters worse by association.
I have 3 episodes left to watch but I'm feeling pretty low about this season. I shouldn't have expected an asexual main character because I just set myself up for disappointment, but the bear really had me thinking it wouldn't do something this lame. I'm still carmrichie for life though, your fics are keeping me hanging on. Sorry for such a long and depressing ramble in your inbox. ❤️
P.S. The scene with Richie and Mikey confronting Carmy in episode 6 really gave me vibes of Carmy being closeted and feeling pressured about his friendship with a girl (similar to what you previously said about the monologue in s1e8). I also got vibes of Richie trying to hide his own insecurities with women by being vulgar in this scene.
hi! <3
if i’m being honest i agree about everything :/ and i hate saying that this show’s disappointed me because all of my friends know just how much this show means to me and the steel grip it’s had on my brain for the past year since the first season first came out… i feel like i’m partially the problem because my expectations were probably too high + the shift between s1 and s2 was very drastic and i’m honestly not a huge fan of change either. i’m not sure exactly what i expected from s2 but the demo and remodeling of the beef felt very rushed to me… like the restaurant was undergoing very significant changes but all of that felt like it was put on the backburner in favor of focusing on the characters. and obviously a show will focus more on individual character storylines than settings (and i actually did really enjoy some of the growth we got for our side characters, sydney marcus tina and richie’s episodes were all amazing and i loved that sugar’s presence was much more prominent this season) but like you said the claire plotline with carmy felt very out of place and ooc… it just felt extremely weird for carmy’s character to make this jump from s1 where we see all the emotional trauma he still suffers from being so attached to mikey, how he uses the beef as a distraction for his grief but obviously those two things are deeply intertwined for him and by obsessing over the beef day and night carmy still remains entrenched in mikey by extension—there’s still so much about carmy’s trauma in relation to mikey that’s been left unaddressed and imo he still largely lacks closure and i was expecting that to be fleshed out properly in s2 but instead he spent all of it being infatuated with a girl we were introduced to for the very first time this season.
can i say something actually. ik the creators and both jaw and ayo have all said that there won’t be any romance between carmy and sydney but i feel like they actually will be endgame and the creators are just trying to throw fans off so they won’t expect it LMAO or at the very least the way the writers have set up the storyline leaves it open as an option if they do change their minds and decide to go that route eventually. i’ve said before that i don’t ship them but i think there is a genuine and undeniable bond between carmy and sydney, although i enjoy their relationship platonically their dynamic and relationship has waaayy more depth than whatever carmy and claire are supposed to have going on… and i hate disliking female characters for being bland and stale because 9 times out of 10 it’s never their fault that they’re written that way, but seeing how realistic, grounded and likable our other female characters are (sydney, natalie, tina) it feels like there’s less of an excuse for her to be that way. she feels like a generic self insert pulled out of a x reader fanfic 😭 i immediately got the romantic vibe from her and carmy even from the season trailer but seeing what we’ve been told about carmy’s character i was sincerely hoping that i was misinterpreting it and she was just his cousin or something lmfsodoajaoaj and it felt so cheap and tacky for them to pull the “actually she’s his estranged childhood friend and he’s always had a crush on her!” card in e6. i also agree with what you said about that conversation sounding like carmy being closeted while richie and mikey tease him… also was kind of put off by the way they were talking about her tbh especially considering the fact she’s supposed to be carmy’s age and we know they’re both significantly older? i’ve also actually never considered interpreting it as richie overcompensating in that scene since he was still with tiff at the time (who i actually loved… i have my beef with carmy and claire but i would stand by tiff and richie until the end of time actually) but now that you mention it i think that makes sense too… much to think about
i can’t remember if i’ve said this before in another post but i also really disliked how love triangley they framed all of sydney’s interactions with carmy in relation to claire… i understood the purpose of other characters instilling this seed of doubt in her about her partnership with carmy and whether or not she was capable of trusting him, really trusting him, but i feel like there were multiple moments of unnecessary tension between the three of them and like you said, i’m so tired of contrived romance subplots in shows where there’s a female and male lead. i love carmy and sydney as individual characters but the possibility of their relationship being romantic just genuinely does not compute with me in my brain… that being said though it genuinely was very wild to me that everyone involved in the show made it clear on multiple occasions that there was no intention of sydney and carmy’s relationship going in that direction, just for them to introduce some random white girl this season just to give carmy a love interest. like? this season was longer than the first one and they still weren’t able to flesh out carmy and claire’s relationship and dynamic the way they did with him and sydney in s1, they felt so incredibly rushed and it was ABSURD to me when carmy openly admitted to liking and even loving her because those are things that feel like they should be so monumental for someone like him, who is supposed to be emotionally traumatized and romantically inexperienced—it was honestly strange to me hearing him tell even richie that he loved him and you know how i feel about them so. anyways you pretty much summed up my feelings towards claire and her plotline perfectly, and i genuinely wish that weren’t the case but i feel like that plays a part in why i find myself so incapable of rewatching this season t_t and i know objectively the point of the plotline was to show that carmy actually isn’t at a place in his life where he’s capable of maintaining a healthy romantic relationship/balancing it with his work but it still just felt strange to derail from the whole grief theme/mikey plotline for that when i was expecting them to delve even deeper into that this season instead.
i’m assuming you’ve finished the season since sending me this—just in case you haven’t i’ll refrain from talking about anything else that might spoil you but i will say that the one thing they absolutely did correct this season was e7. i’ve been dying for a richie centric episode and that gave me everything i could’ve asked for, it was so so gratifying seeing richie find his niche like that and i’m so excited to see what else the series has in store for him. this season wasn’t all bad but i was admittedly disappointed by a few things—nevertheless all that being said i did actually genuinely enjoy how the season ended and where it left off; that felt a lot more like s1 to me and i’m eager to see how they’ll pick things back up between carmy and richie specifically next season… hopefully s2 is just a product of middle child syndrome and s3 will blow us out of the water
#sorry for answering this late i’ve been crazy busy lately and i was waiting for the chance to sit down and reply to this properly 😵💫#and of course i don’t mind! i love getting long messages in my inbox tbh#thank you for sharing your thoughts with me 🤍🤍#been meaning to give my thoughts on carmy and richie’s interactions this season as well… that’ll come later#ask
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hi ok i dropped ons a bit ago so i dont really know whats happening rn but. hands you a microphone. if you so wish please use this ask as an excuse to complain about the writing and describe what you wish would happen. bc when i did read it i love the characters and the dynamics in the earlier chapters and then the further i got the more it just. didnt click with me
HI YOU ARE GOING TO REGRET ASKIGNG,!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OOAKAYOAOKAKY to begin. Major disclaimer i am a HUGE ons fan, genuinely i got into the series in 2015 and i am Still here and actively creatign shit for these dudes with a stupid ass poster right above my head as i type this. ...........Now. that fact goes hand in hand with the fact i fucking hate ons and most importantly i hate kagami takaya (the author).
AS YOU SAID. ons started out really strong with a super cool concept and the characters are likeable as HELL. which is so fun because as soon as you get further into ons, kagami decides to drop literally everything that made the story enjoyable and instead focus majorly and literally Only about the plot. its like he has this idea and he wants to get it through to us which most of the time is fine!!! but like he creates these awesome characters that get left in the fucking DUST.
HELL!! as of rn im pretty sure we haven't seen the rest of shinoa's squad (only mika and yuu) since last year!!!!!!!!!!!! AND DON'T GET ME STARTED ON WHEREVER THE HELL NARUMI WENT!!!!!!!!!
literally the whole story is almost. half baked. that's how i'd describe it like. world building fucking sucks he like sets the table only to leave you starving with that shit. he's like "hey there's monsters in the ocean!!" only to never ever have the characters interact with the ocean. there's a whole page discussing the ocean and we never fucking go into the ocean. all of these characters have really interesting back stories and character motivations and ideals and YADDA YADDA and he just. its like he ?? gave up. with trying to do anything more than stupid comic relief dialogue and nailing in this whole idea of family and whatever the hell he jsut fucking left them to die!!! the last interesting chapter we had on how a character felt was like. idk 103. and we are at like 130 nwo its literally hell.
don't even get me started on the theme of found family that has been there from the very start. not only did it NEVER reach its potential but we straight up!!! don't get fucking ANYTHING other than what yuu goes with these days of like. "oh everyones family and can do no wrong . <3" and then you turn and there's kimizuki that's supposed to have betrayed everyone for his blood family (which he lost literally in minutes. it was so brushed over and not even emotionally investing WHICH IS A LOSS) BUT NEVER BECOMES A MAJOR CONFLICT WHERE IT COULD??? LIKE... IDK IF I WERE WRITING THE STORY I WOULD MAKE IT SO THAT THIS WHOLE IDEA OF FAMILY IS DIFFICULT TO DEAL WITH. like. ESPECIALLY how shinoa squad is just . Told to be a family. by the military. and then they're basically only able to bond a little bit before mika is back and suddenly yuu and mika fuck off to do everything with hardly anymore group bonding which sucks it so sucks
THERES JUST. AHHH THERE'S SO MUCH LOST POTENTIAL IN TRYING TO MAKE A "cool" STORY!!! it ISN'T EVEN COOL ANYMORE!!!! there's just too much information unfolding all at once that has TERRIBLE pacing and it's like. impossible to fucking care about. there were literally dramatic gay angels that romeo and juliet'd their way to death but its NOT a big deal in the major public cause it was like. One chapter to care about them. Then boom they're dead. he sucks at this. all major reveals are rushed and pointless while other plot points earlier in the story are unresolved or just so painted over by other useless shit that they're unrecognizable now
sorry that's like. this has been all complaining and not more about what i wish would happen. what i wish Would've happened. which do not get me wrong i ALSO think a lot about that (<- would like to do a major fix it fic for the entirety of ons one day)
but what i wish wouldve happened? i wish we could've seen more of the squad interacting. i wish that they were friends worth dying for before mika and yuu reunited. i wish that we got to see mika and narumi integrating into the group instead of that whole 2 or 4 months where they were new just. being completely skipped. i wish that yuu and guren would fight for real, without yuu just being like "oh he's family im sure he is in the right somehow." i want him to beat and get beaten in return. to cry over it. to not understand and be misunderstood in return. i want him to be more than a one dimensional protagonist. we literally have the bones for something so great in him and all kagami is doing with it is just saying his soul is just a mika from millions of years ago.
iii . idont know. literally the only fleshed out relationship in this stupid series is mikayuu which like , Yaay. i guess. but also man i want to see the others. i want the girls to be written better. if i wrote the thing i'd have shinoa as a co-protagonist. because she is literally so fucking fundamentally important but just straight up every cool thing she ever could've amounted to is reduced to just. "little girl in love" which sucks. it sucks. it all sucks so much. she had like a fucking god inside her like since birth and the release of him was just over and done with. we got a sickass line where she goes "oh my body doesn't feel like mine anymore" . never expanded on. shes like fine now. she should be so fucked up she could be so fucked up and shes nottttt
anyways again i love ons. although i remake it in my head every day. i hope this answered your question somewhat i think i lost track
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It feels like the pacing for this arc and past arcs after the “Phos Goes to the Moon” arc starts to go faster and faster so there is a lot to be desired in between. It feels like the story goes from A to Z without putting in the other letters in between. I really wanted to see how the Gems would react to becoming Lunarians, because their fast acceptance was something I just can’t understand why it was so easy to undergo such a drastic transformation without any qualms. There were also interactions I wanted between some characters that did not happen or were written in an unsatisfying way that felt like the nuance in them just disappears.
I understand that time skips with the length of decades to centuries to millennia means that Gems can change drastically, especially in the setting of the Moon, where the Lunarian world allows the Gems to have more freedom to find themselves and find their own resolutions. Now I just have to hope and pray “The Party at the End” book added in with the special edition Vol 12 preorder will give me some answers and explanations. But part of me also is expecting mostly Cairnmea content in it per usual.
I dunno, part of me feels like Ichikawa is going through both burn out for this series and also wanting to move onto other projects aside from HNK, considering she works with Nintendo and is a character designer for Pokémon.
Agreed to a lot of this; the thing that bothers me the most is that there's so many characters that seem like they're set up to get some kind of development, and then the story kinda leaves it hanging, and for a while I had assumed there would be conflicts and resolutions and closure, but these issues dropped off the face of the earth....
The shift from the gems being hunted for sport for their entire existence only to be integrated among the lunarians, and nobody has hard feelings about it, everybody is happy to have left the earth where they've lived forever, everybody just kinda 👍 their way though it, fine we are lunarians now, okay we can restore dead gems because we changed our minds this is fine actually, whatever happened to Ghost and Lapis though, or whatever complex situation Rutile & Padparadscha had, or whatever are the ramifications of dusted gems coming back to life only to find almost everything they knew is gone and they have to live a new way of life without ever having asked for this :/
Not saying she shouldn't have done it at all, but the lack of extra time to introduce it made it feel pretty ooc to me. Especially given that "everybody has to die at some point" has been admitted as a plot point for a long time, so rushing it wasn't necessary at all. It also feels like there's a lot of missed opportunities...
That's not even mentioning things like the admirabilis, or earth stuff like the ice floes, but i'm still holding onto the hope there might be some more answers for that in the upcoming chapters. I'm also waiting to see if there's interesting stuff in the vol 12 booklet (though i'm not getting my hands on it, so i'm not sure if anything will be shared), but i'm not expecting much either though, but at least it might be fun!
+ regarding ichikawa being burned out, i'm not sure. I do think hnk is important to her because she put a lot of effort into it even when it's not necessary (cf artbooks, updated pages for manga releases, etc). If i had to guess, either she 1. happened to have a different vision of the story and she's fine with that, and/or decided on a deadline (ch108?) and eventually realized she was running late and had to scrap things/rush the story a bit and couldnt say everything she wanted to. The second option seems doesn't seem unlikely to me since hnk can only go so far with 20 pages per month, and she's trying to supplement it with additional material.
Either way yeah, i don't exactly know how hard hnk is on her since she takes hiatuses pretty liberally when she's working on other projects. A hiatus is still pretty different from a finished series though, so you may be onto something if she is trying to diversify her line of work...?
#TUMBLRS EDITOR DELETED CHUNKS OF TEXT LIKE 3 TIMES i had to rewrite. sorry the last part is a bit tldr but violence&hatred for this websute#i hadn't talked about hnk for a while whoa.... pretty much my thoughts on anything ever since the gems arrived on the moon#disclaimer a lot of what i'm saying pertains to my own enjoyment etc etc i don't write a lot so i'm not qualified to speak too much on it#asks
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Spoiler-Free Review - The Tutor
So I went to see the film with a friend tonight. To set the scene, we were the only ones in the theater. Which was good because we sure were reacting to certain moments obnoxiously LOL. Without giving too much away, I’ll try to review specific qualities of the film.
This is all my opinion. I am not an authority on what makes a good film, and I realize that.
Plot (3/10) - This was honestly the worst part for me. There were many times when things were unclear (i.e.: how did [character] get to this point, why did [character] have such an over-the-top reaction so soon over something so insignificant, why are these extra characters necessary, what is [character]’s current motivation). Which is unfortunate since they had the makings for a solid story. But it was - again, in my opinion - not well-executed. Some of it was due to pacing. Some of it felt like they bit off too much and threw in everything but the kitchen sink (if you’ll forgive the mixed metaphors). It seemed as though there were “twists & turns” for the sake of having them or some type of shock value, but they didn’t land as super shocking. Then when the climactic “twist” happened, it felt super abrupt and contrived. So I understand why Garrett was reluctant to sign on until he read it a few times (personally, I think he should’ve trusted his gut). I also understand what they mean when they said you’re there wondering who’s the actual villain (not at all once you know the conclusion, but as far as the plot goes because it’s just all over the place). There were also lots of moments where they sprinkled in “character history” and it was like, alright you’ve laid the “groundwork”, but maybe you a) should have incorporated the offscreen character rather than this other person or b) just not mentioned it at all. Also, by the end it seemed unclear how any of this was possible. It’s hard to explain without giving away spoilers, but basically nothing is as it seems and as a result, it’s unclear how a 17-year-old would pull it off, even with the help that he did have. All that said, there’s a moment that offered decent foreshadowing that wasn’t too on-the-nose. I still picked up on it as likely being relevant for later. I just couldn’t have guessed how it would be relevant until it happened.
Pacing (4/10) - This sort of improved as the film continued. In the beginning, things were slow. It was like, “Alright, there is a build-up here, but for how long?” This kind of goes hand-in-hand with the plot issues since there were times when I was like, this feels super rushed but of course it does because we’re all over the place with the story. The ending was also not it for me. It simply sort of ... flatlined, I guess is the best way to describe it. It was almost like when you conclude a presentation in school and go, “So ... yeah.”
Acting (7/10) - This was the best part of the film for me. By no means was it a show-stopping performance by any of the leading/supporting actors, but they definitely sold certain emotions. Unsurprisingly, Noah’s best work was with the scenes that required more subtle acting (i.e.: scared looks, teary eyes). I have always found those types of moments more compelling with him than the big reactionary moments (i.e. the preview they showed where he is banging his legs). That’s not to say he didn’t do those moments well to a degree, but the problem for me with them was that the context/pacing was so abrupt that it distracted from his performance. Like I said to my friend, it’s not good if you watch a thriller and see a high-impact moment & all you can do is laugh. One thing that I did enjoy was seeing him tap into certain other qualities that we haven’t seen him utilize before. Like when in the preview Jackson asks Ethan about how he feels knowing his son will be a bastard. Or in the tutor’s quarters preview when he goes from emotional to calm and detached smiling. He was pretty good when it came to turning it on and off like that. It was the same with Garrett. His great acting moment came at the end right at the descent of the climax. Again, it was more of a tight shot that focused on his emotions. As for Victoria, she was fine but it was a pretty forgettable performance. That’s not her fault, as I see it. The role was supporting and didn’t really lend itself to any big moment.
Directing (5/10) - The directing didn’t speak much to me. What went well was perhaps in part due to directing, but I would not doubt was mostly the actors’ own abilities shining through. Where I felt the director could’ve improved was making certain emotional scenes less outrageous. It almost felt like the train temporarily went off the tracks and I get it, it’s a thriller. You’re tapping into a certain amount of twisted emotions and exaggerating them, but it sort of came off as ham-fisted. They could have reigned it in a little more to make the scenes less comical or cringeworthy.
Overall, I would give the film 2 out of 5 stars. The two stars were hard earned by the actors for giving what they could with not a lot to work with for material.
#the tutor#noah schnapp#garrett hedlund#victoria justice#review#no spoilers#film review#amateur review#the tutor film
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hi ! i (they/them) am posting live from work......but im excited to present jeong haeran, socialite by day, nightrunner gwisin by night, and god's favoritest bastard 24/7. she's trying desperately to find a mask that's big enough to hide everything she's ashamed about, a problem that she thinks can also be ~magicked away~ if she could just get to astra.
🤍 i haven't gotten around to her proper bg yet, but here is her profile, plots, & inspo board! i'm also available on dc if anyone prefers, so just lmk.
so . her forbidden backstory (tw for mentions of murder):
born and raised in ansan and has never been anywhere else, to her dismay
just turned 27 last month, has been a part time pianist at revel for around 8 months now, starting a little after her fiance's disappearance.
on that note, she was engaged last year. no one rly saw her coming ? like, literally, she was a nobody before. it was rly the engagement that catapulted her into ansan's upper class scene, where she worked her way up and became known as jeong haeran! self taught pianist! aspiring museum curator! future loving wife (shudders)!
what they don't know, and what she intends for them to never find out, is that she's the daughter of jeong minah, a convicted murderer.
on paper, there's nothing wrong with this. if she were a more optimistic person, she would hope that people would be able to look beyond her past n just see her as she presents herself. but she's not lol.
all of it went down during the dawn of her early adulthood and so, as u would expect, fucked severely w her sense of identity. then life decided to throw it into another blender during the first and only time she goes to visit her mother, where her mother tells her, i did it for us.
most details are unknown. when it all happened, she was shielded from the details, and she has Not had any oustanding urges to revisit the whole situation, thank u. the first thing she did w her fiance's money is pay the enforcers to lock away anything that could trace her back to that past.
but the Daughter Syndrome is very very very very very hard to shake off. no matter where she goes, what name she uses, how she dresses, she is still Her Mother's Daughter. and every time her mother writes her from prison, haeran tramples over every boundary she has tried to set in a rush to read it and (despite how much she wants to despise her) hear how her mother is doing.
so anyway her identity is currently ? ? ? ? ! ! ! not doing so hot. and brother , the gender of it all
presents masc and goes by gwisin / sin (he / him) around the nightrunner circle. has a voicebox mod that lets her sound more masc and dresses as formlessly as possible. as far as everyone is concerned, it's she/they when it's "haeran" and he/him when it's "sin." its a fluid thing to her, more concerned abt the expression than identity (since paradoxically her identity is heavily defined by how she thinks ppl perceive her). it's all about trying to be so far away from how she typically appears to others, that no one would recognize her anymore
ooc / she/they is perfectly fine for her in writing, but he/him for threads where she is presenting as gwisin! it is also ok (nd highly encouraged by me!!!) for your muse to perceive/refer to gwisin using masc terms!!
more recently:
her first involvement with the nightrunners was watching races when she was a teen. after her mother was convicted and she officially became "independent," inheriting what little money their family had, the first thing she did was buy a bike and start racing her #problems away
i'd say her most active years were about 4 years ago? around 25 yrs old, she realized she was never going to get out of here if she didn't get herself out -- and where tf could she go where her name couldn't follow her?
astra seemed like the only logical solution. so she put down the nightrunner mask, sold her bike, prettied up, and went into the business of scamming ppl into believing her new bougie identity
she was good about it for a few months. she found a boyfriend, tho completely unattracted to him. grew bored, started sneaking out to watch races again. moved in w the boyfriend. grew more bored and went back to the place she sold her bike. it was long gone by then of course, but the owner took pity on her and pointed her to a mechanic who helped her build one from scratch.
then the happy couple got engaged, which loops us back to the start
her fiance went missing almost a year ago. no one knows what happened; the popular story is that he flew off to astra, but no one's heard from him since. did haeran have smth to do with it ... ? idk ...
tldr: she spends her days conning her place into upper society and then relieving the frustrations of that whole affair w her bike. she IS going to make it to astra someday though, mark her words.
my goals for her: for her to actually, finally move on from her past OR embrace it and reconcile w her mother. for her to find bouts where she feels like "herself." to less nefarious abt it all (possibly unrealistic)
potential plots:
plot page plug
someone w/ connections to astra?? someone she noted as her possible ticket up there and is now trying to get closer to?
fellow nightrunners... she's competitive but loves a good dirty trick even if it means she loses
a person she can shit talk with. rly, it goes a long way. she's been wearing such a clean, pristine mask for years now, and she misses when she used to just not care
other music enjoyers ? she technically conned her way into the "pianist" title too, she knows her way around keys and can read music but....doesn't rly know anything beyond the pieces she has to play for work.
accidental sugar babies lmao. i feel like her fiance was well off and all that money's left with her now, and she has a tendency of seeing someone and being like Damn u are one pathetic meowmeow, so to speak, and then giving them a little something to buy food/clothes with
past flings (fem/nb identifying muses)
other emos w parent issues. lets talk about it
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I want to give my ranking of all the movies in the Hell House LLC franchise, so here's my list (and I will probably make quite a few people mad with this)
First place has to go to the first movie, obviously. Aside from the fact we wouldn't have the rest of the movies without it, it sets themes and scares that reoccur throughout the franchise and give the general basis for the tone of the series and a rough idea of what has happened at that location. I also think it has phenomenal acting. When it comes to found footage films, it's a difficult genre to get right, and to me the most important thing is finding actors that can sell that what you're seeing could be real. Found footage is supposed to be a realistic style, as if the events could happen to anyone, and you need actors who can confidently sell that in the very limited style of found footage. The first movie has great acting that genuinely sells the events. When characters are frightened you feel that they are actually frightened, not just acting. This is something I think is very hard to get right with FFF and the fact Hell House got that right immediately is amazing.
Second would have to go to Origins: The Carmichael Manor. I really enjoyed pretty much everything about the film. It provides a whole lot of lore that we never really thought about, while also explaining the biggest mysteries through the franchise (I will try my best not to spoil too hard for anyone who hasn't seen it). Additionally, being able to see the old tapes they find is nice, since we were told everything at the Abaddon was filmed, but we never got to see it. Now we get to see at least a part of it. I also think it has amazing acting that holds up to the first movie. Despite the limited range of main characters they make everything work very well. My only complaint is that while the end of the movie does explain some nice lore aspects, I do wish it had been explained a little clearer. I think perhaps it was in case they decide to make another movie maybe focusing on the carnival, but it did feel a little rushed.
This is where I'm going to lose a whole bunch of people, but third for me goes to Lake of Fire. I know this is everyone's least favorite, and while I do think it's flawed, I don't think it's the worst. For starters, the acting is superb. Although we know something is wrong with Russell pretty fast, his actor does a very good job of keeping the mystery a secret until the end. We all knew something was wrong with Russell, but we didn't expect his true intentions at all, no one could have seen that coming. The plot is flawed, yes, and could have done with some rewriting, but I generally don't think it's as bad as people make it out to be.
Last place goes to the second movie, The Abaddon Hotel. Words cannot express how much I disliked this movie. The one nice thing I will say is that it does give us some important lore, and that lore isn't badly written, but that's all I can say about it nicely. The acting is frankly awful, with the exception of Mitchell and Tully. As I said before, FFF really need the actors to sell what the audience sees and seem as if they are responding genuinely to what they are seeing, it shouldn't ever seem like just actors acting out a scene. That is what all of the second movie feels like, a bunch of actors acting. It feels more like a bunch of rejected takes that somehow made it into the final production than an actual FFF. I will say I think the actor for Mitchell was actually very good, and he is the only one who I think actually sells what he sees as real. Tully is amazing, but that's not Tully's role in the film. His job is simply to be the villain, to frighten everyone inside the hotel. But the acting is just awful. The worst part is that I do think the other actors could have performed stunningly in these roles and sold the movie better, but the director's just settled for what was okay instead of the best they could do.
Again, these are just my opinions, and while I'm sure there are people who will definitely disagree with me, at the end of the day this is just what I think.
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The tl;dr on Trigun Stampede is that it’s a good show, but*
This is the show that I watched on a whim bc I thought Vash was cute and it consumed my brain for the next three months. I do not regret that decision.
Heading into Trigun, I knew jackshit about it. I think the only character I could’ve recognised prior to this was 90s Vash (whose design I didn’t and still kind of don’t like!). I was too young for Adult Swim in the… very brief period of time that it was actually airing on Cartoon Network in Australia and I’m not sure if Trigun was even on it anyway, so I had absolutely no expectations walking in.
Obviously, the most notable thing about this show to a newcomer is the animation. It’s been interesting watching RWBY vol 9 and Stampede back to back, let’s say that much. It’s stellar. I think this is one of the prettiest shows I’ve watched in a very long time, and the combat animation is fluid, energetic and full of so much personality. I was still deciding how I felt about the show right up until episode 3 - Millions Knives’ debut - and as soon as I saw the attack on Jeneora I was hitting up my WatchPal to recommend it. I think you can definitely see where Studio Orange cut corners - some locations can feel very empty - but for what they actually want you to focus on, the show looks great.
Episode 4’s reveal of Wolfwood’s Punisher (and what it can do) lives in my head rent-free to this day, and quite frankly episode 12 is one of my favourite fight scenes in pretty much anything. A lot of love and attention to detail goes into these fights, and the choreography is fresh and exciting. Vash shooting at Nai resembling a 3rd-person shooter was so much fun. WatchPal was very patient with me constantly asking to pause, rewind, watch that scene again, pick out this or that detail. Sorry dude. Worth it to see how terribad a fighter Nai actually is, though, shit’s hilarious. I think that even if you don’t care for the plot, this show is worth watching just for the fight scenes and set pieces.
I think no one’s going to argue the plot is rushed, but what’s there is solid and interesting. This world is absolutely fascinating, and I had a lot of fun speculating on what was happening or what Nai’s goals were. The most fun I had was picking out the biblical themes (which I surprisingly know more of than I thought I did) and working out who was what was where and why, and I’ll be very curious to see where that all goes. I’m also an obnoxious Final Fantasy 7 purist, so I was obviously enjoying the heavy-handed pro-environmentalism themes and psychological horror elements. Nai was right until he was wrong. I’ll be… interested to see how this all resolves next season, because I’m not sure I’m meant to think Vash is right, exactly.
Vash is an enjoyable MC, though he’s kind of a woobie, huh? I watched Badlands Rumble in the middle of all this and was shocked at the difference in characterisation (incidentally, not a good movie!) He was definitely a lot goofier in eps 1 and 2, but things took a real turn in episode 3 that he never quite cheered up from so I’m hoping to see him in his natural habitat once things chill out. “He’s both the hero and the heroine” is a phrase that’s stuck with me since I learnt the screenwriter apparently said it, and it’s certainly made the way he’s written incredibly interesting to dissect symbolically.
Picking apart symbolism in this show is one of my favourite things to do with it.
Surprisingly, I think William Conrad is one of the more interesting characters in the show. I’m so fascinated by the logic behind everything he’s done. I want more of this dude, I thought Meryl was gonna murk him and was pleasantly surprised when she didn’t.
I like Wolfwood. I like narrative foils and homoerotic subtext. I think Wolfwood is potentially really interesting and didn’t get to shine in Stampede, but he’s got at least one whole season ahead of him and I am already predicting that Trimax is going to make me exceptionally mentally unwell about him. I can pick ‘em. I can sense it. I can smell blood in the water. I am also saying, right now and for posterity, that Wolfwood is going to die. He’s gonna die in Stampede, he’s gonna die in Maximum, he probably died in the 90s. Sorry. It’s gonna happen.
If this weren’t a 12 episode series and it would’ve been unsatisfying for it to happen here, I would’ve expected him to die redeeming himself after betraying Vash in July. Now we’re past his Judas phase, I’m wondering what the New Biblical Imagery he’s going to pick up to replace it will be bc as is, uh... dude by all means should probably just power walk really fast in the other direction and never be seen or heard from again.
Nai is a really fun and sympathetic villain right up until he's fun and an absolute monster, and I respect his deranged manner and willingness to wrangle that twincest subtext as close to actual text as he could possibly get it. I am SO curious how much of that was in the original because jesus christ. I felt bad for the guy and agree with him to a certain extent, but my feelings about Nai’s handling are going to have to wait until I see how Vash’s arc continues and what happens to Plants going forward. Vash doesn’t seem particularly motivated to change the status quo at this stage which is... interesting. We’ll see what happens.
I was very lukewarm on Meryl until eps 10-12. Now it’s the Zazie-Meryl Power Hour. As soon as I realised they were parallels my brain woke up. While I’m really ??? unsure about Wolfwood’s trajectory going forward, I am very excited for Meryl’s. It also helps she turned into a chain-smoking disaster senpai in the timeskip. She’s Mary Magdalene also. That’s really cool. I felt really smart when I figured out that really obvious connection, finally, in episode 11. (I know some bible but not that much bible.)
I… I don’t get points for figuring out which two biblical figures Vash is representative of. No one does. I do get points for noticing he yanked Wolfwood’s entire colour scheme when he started trying to kill Nai, though. That was cool. That fight was so fucking cool.
Trigun Stampede is a really fun show.
*But.
It is a show absolutely hamstrung by its episode count. When you’re dealing with either 12 or 24 episode seasons you’re inevitably going to run into problems when you’re not working with original material, and Stampede was having serious problems fitting in all the plot points that it needed to before the finale. This show’s pace is absolutely breakneck with absolutely no room to breathe, and in the end that means the main cast’s relationships suffer for it. I was very disappointed to find that I really liked Roberto in the episode that he died, and that was episode 10.
Episodes 10-12 leaves the implication of shenanigans and much stronger relationships than we got. That’s a real shame because the show roughly broke into Vash-Wolfwood, Vash-Nai and Meryl-Roberto with very little crossover - I know Vash/Meryl is a classic, but she ended up having more chemistry with Wolfwood, and any semblance of party dynamic evaporated once we got to Home. And speaking of Home, that lack of space between episodes and the necessity to explain Vash and Nai’s backstory ended up with us teleporting in and out, and the rest of the trip to July getting crammed off-screen. Integral scenes are missing - I had to consult a more knowledgeable coworker about the missing pieces of Wolfwood’s backstory so I could get his rough timeline (and age) actually explained to me, and I did find myself wanting to explore this world a lot more than we had time to do.
Like. Seriously. What the hell is up with Legato. Who are you. How are you doing that. Why are you here. Why is your hair blue.
The photo of the group in episode 12 in particular really makes me feel like there’s a lot we missed out on without a couple of breather episodes here and there. I think with the exception of Vash and Nai, whose relationship is quite interesting and intense, I enjoyed the concepts of the characters more than the actual execution. However, I’m also 100% sure that Nai and Vash was the Absolute Main Focus of this season, so, I can let this go if season 2 delivers.
Sorry Vashwood, you’re very fun in theory and I like you a lot, but we’re kind of pulling at threads here. Trimax is apparently gonna be an Experience though.
I try to take the circumstances of a work’s creation into account when I talk about it, and between a 12 or 24 episode series I understand why Studio Orange chose 12, but Stampede really needed 15 or 16 to shine with the narrative it wanted to tell. I also understand why Stampede chose to seed future plot points that went absolutely nowhere this season - Wolfwood’s beef with Livio, Legato and Elendira being prime examples (christ this guy is gonna be busy in season 2), and the trip Home specifically after the Sand Steamer feels a bit pointless at this stage - but I can’t help but wonder if that time would have been better spent elsewhere.
Although, a lot of fans couldn’t even deal with Milly’s absence even though it took about 5 seconds for me, someone who confused Trigun with Cowboy Bebop until quite recently, to work out what Meryl’s rough character arc was and why Milly was absent (but pretty clearly coming back later in very predictable way), so maybe Studio Orange was being wise by assuring, uh, certain fans they hadn’t forgotten or maliciously chosen to delete these characters.
I’ve heard Trigun wasn’t as popular in Japan as it was in the West, so maybe that 12 episode pick was playing it safe, but since S2 has been greenlit and Stampede seems to have been a pretty big success, hopefully Orange can spring for 24 episodes this time and make this show really shine.
Anyway, I’m gonna read the manga now.
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You replied to my post saying Nya never choice to become the water ninja I 100 percent agree that was traumatic plus that makes Wu I really bad person so wanna talk about it together
Yeah Nya was kinda forced into it. I don’t really blame Wu (sorry if you were hoping to trash him, you’re valid I just don’t hate wu that much tbh) because it’s not like he held Nya at gun point or anything (also Misako had as much part in it) and I’m sure Nya would have found out eventually but yeah it isn’t ideal. A lot of Nya’s plot is really interesting on how it explores her struggle to be independent and have control in her life. A lot of people say that she’s badly written because misogyny but in my humble opinion, I think that there’s a lot of unexpectedly decent feminist (intentional or not) commentary in her story.
Now I’m gonna use this as an excuse to ramble about Nya lol. I feel like I very much stray from your original point but ehh sorry abt that lol
Tl:dr - Nya has a lot of identity and self worth storylines as well a deterministic mindset and it’s cool to observe these themes that are present in literally all of the show
She’s a young girl who gets adopted into a highly male dominated family (she’s the only girl) and quickly adopts the mindset that she has to be better because of the need to prove herself in the face of sexism. By this I mean, she’s always getting singled out because she’s not a ninja (see: Wu asking her to stay home and watch Lloyd whilst the ninja do missions). I don’t think this literally means she didn’t feel part of the group because they were boys, it was because they were ninja but that could be a metaphor.
This leads her to make samurai X and we see that she is an incredibly talented and accomplished person. I used to wonder why she kept samurai X a secret, but I think it’s because by being samurai X, she could control her own actions and other people’s expectations of her. She could be a hero without people worrying about her safety, or her capability. Also this kinda makes sense as to why she was so competitive with the ninja
We also get reference to her need to be independent when it comes to Jay, who in s1 Snake Bit we establish that he overcompensates way too much, putting her on a pedestal and whilst it’s not like he expects much from her, he does have a perceived image of her that isn’t accurate or appreciated by her. She just wants him to be himself, so she can be herself as well. In season 3 we start off establishing how their relationship is flawed which then sets up their (admittedly awful) love triangle arc. Jay is still pretty clingy and Nya still needs her space. There’s no cool socio-political interpretation that makes Nya’s crush on Cole make sense. I mean maybe we can make it a metaphor for how ai and advance technology is kinda soulless and love compatibility is an overly romanticised endeavour and actual relationships don’t work like that. And Nya’s indecisiveness fits into the idea that she’s again forced to make decisions based on other people’s expectations?? And she still has very little control as she becomes a trophy wife essentially, like the prize to Jay and Cole’s contest. Kinda? Anyways…
And then we have s5 where the episode when she wore the green gi could be a nod to the fact that she was very much in the same shoes as the green ninja, an under-prepared hero with the power to save the world. Whilst yeah it isn’t great she was kinda rushed into the responsibility of the world, there’s also another moral to her arc, which is the subject of her true potential, her own impossible standards on herself and how she gives up easily.
Diverging into headcanon area but I like to think that both of Kai and Nya’s true potential are linked to the loss of their parents. Kai valued being the green ninja over everything else because he equates being a ninja to being able to protect his family ever since Nya was kidnapped and he had to become a ninja to save her. And so that translated to being obsessed with being a saviour and the best because if he wasn’t then he had to give up and the last thing he had to give up on was the idea that his parents were coming home. (Dunno if that made sense since I rushed that point but this isn’t abt Kai lol). Nya on the other hand gives up incredibly easily (or at least as soon as it gets hard). She felt she couldn’t be a hero alongside the ninja so she never even told them about samurai X. Instead of fully cutting off from Jay, she remains inactive in their relationship, slowing growing distant from him. Going back to my point abt s1, she seems to hold herself to a certain standard, which I feel like is a valid observation of gender in our society today. Don’t mind me getting a little political but women are held to very strict standards. There were many things women can’t do and no one ever agrees on what, women can’t be too boisterous, or rowdy, and they also can’t be too uptight or safe because then they’re boring. I think even feminist ideology contributes to this to an extent, in our own version of toxic masculinity, the idea that a woman has to be a strong independent woman because otherwise she’s giving in to the patriarchy. Specifically I mean when girls say “I’m not like other girls” and swear off make up, and feel like they have to be un-girly. It’s not that being girly or un-girly is an issue, it’s that people feel like they have to be a certain way because the other way is wrong. And Nya holds unnecessary standards to herself, and it’s only when she allows herself to be messy, unregulated, when she’s not competing to be better than the ninja or better than herself, she’s able to achieve her true potential. And whilst Wu is kinda annoying, I can believe that he’s just trying to prepare her for what’s to come, that sometimes there are no right choices (heyy I’m quoting Seabound).
AND THEN we get season 6. A beautiful Nya season. Yeah I said it, I think s6 is not only a good season, but a good season specifically for Nya. Because that first ep where she was getting judged by the media because she’s the girl ninja, is incredibly real in comparison to real life. Ninjago is a world which happens to have to same gendered standards and sexism that our world does and I don’t think it’s portrayed awfully. So Nya faces heavy critique from the public because flat out sexism, and Jay has the knowledge that she and him are literally fated to date(d). Nya explains to him at the lighthouse that she’s not dating him because it feels like she doesn’t have control of her life, she was always just an add on to someone else’s story like Kai or Jay and she’s even been forced to be the water ninja with powers she didn’t earn, only inherited. But at the end of the lighthouse ep she sacrifices herself again for the world. And importantly she puts her faith into someone else. She’s spent a lot of her screen time trying to battle it out to be independent and separate and self sufficient and self orientated, that she didn’t let anyone in. Yeah she is strong and independent but that doesn’t mean she’s not allowed to rely on ANYONE. It’s important to let others carry the burden sometimes.
Her last words in the finale of Skybound is really telling. She tells Jay that he should use his final wish at the cost of losing her, that she “never wanted to be part of the boy’s club anyways”. She’s accepted she needs to sacrifice herself, and that she still thinks she’s not really a part of the “boy’s club”. She then states that the “greatest love stories always end in tragedy” which shows how pre existing expectations (yeah I feel like I’ve said that too much) have shaped her deterministic mindset, that she isn’t fated to get her happy ending. And I choose to interpret the final wish as Jay being like “no you do get a happy ending I’m going to bend the laws of time and space because you deserve a break”. Also the title “Skybound” is also symbolic because it doesn’t just reference Jay and his powers, or Nadakhan’s floating djinnjago, but how Jay and Nya were technically bound because of Jay’s future thing and also how Nya was bound and restricted herself. Seabound also has similar symbolism but I’ll get to that.
Okay okay s7 is great because we get Nya and Kai’s parents. Tbh s7’s writing is a little weak imo, just cuz the hands of time were really under developed like they only wanted to take over Ninjago so that Krux could prevent the invention of the Borg watch??? But I think it’s nice to note that Kai and Nya’s respective attachment to their powers as seen in s11, might be because it’s one of their only connections to their parents. Their powers are not only symbolic of their connection to Ray and Maya but are also the reason they were able to save them at the end by making the dragon. I’ll go into more detail about Maya and Nya when I talk about Seabound.
Nya is also forced to kinda put her own misgivings and be a brave face for Lloyd in s9. Her brother, her boyfriend and two of her bestest friends were thought dead and she had to be strong for Lloyd. And it’s pretty amazing and she deserves the world! She’s someone who’s gone through so much loss in her life time but she just makes do and moves on. When she had no parents she and Kai looked after themselves on their own, when she couldn’t be a ninja she made herself a mech, when the ninja split up and then went missing on Chen’s island she was rebuilding the bounty and then infiltrated said island. She’s very cool is all I’m saying.
Also a moment of appreciation for how Nya and Jay’s relationship is incredibly different in s10 onwards in comparison to s1-3. Now their dynamic is that Jay doesn’t try as hard to be impressive for her, and she’s allowed to be a big strong gf who somehow keeps catching him from falling or getting injured. We get to see Nya reciprocating and CHOOSING to be Jay’s partner rather than it being Jay who initiates all the time. It’s much healthier and it’s a reflection of how they have both individually and jointly grown as people.
Something I’d say about Nya’s writing is that maybe her arcs are a little too consistent. She is constantly CONSTANTLY having to prove herself. In s11 she has to learn to control the ice in the never realm, in s13 she has to defeat the queen of the munce and assert her dominance as leader of the munce, and in Seabound she has to defend her right as the water elemental. #giveNyaABreak2022 for real. Like we know she’s badass but my god enemies are always underestimating her. Bringing back the feminist commentary but this is again, in line with the narrative that people always underestimate women or even women underestimate themselves. That’s all I got to say on this point.
Seabound is such a good season (I’m halfway through rewatching it - I stopped because I got sad at the merlopian king’s death). We get to see Nya’s independence conflict resurface as she struggles with an overbearing mother who has a specific way of doing things. It’s worth noting that Maya acts like the very traditional stereotype of what a woman should be. She’s calm, collected, motherly, wants to do housework and baby other people, a stickler for rules and manners etc. Note: there is nothing wrong with just happening to fulfil a stereotype, stereotypes are only bad when people expect that groups of people have to fulfil the stereotype purely because they belong to a certain group. Maya is allowed to like cleaning or whatever, it’s only sexist writing if we said that only women like cleaning or she only does it because woman (and she’s like the only woman who acts particularly this way, the other female characters aren’t part of the same mold so imo this is fine). However the fact that Maya does fulfil the homely wife/mother archetype adds to Nya’s own feminist narrative. Nya has basically spent her life trying to defy the expectation that she needs to calm or nice as well put together as her mother and in the season we quickly see that Nya is also trying to defy being like her mother. Nya is her own person who’s gone through different struggles than her mother and Nya doesn’t need to be like her. But it turns out that they share a crucial similarity in that they’ve both faced some really hard decisions. Maya had to abandon her family to save them and at the end of Seabound, so does Nya. In Seabound, the very powers that stripped Nya of her role as samurai are now forcing her to give up her form and her life to save the world. The whole “that’s just how the cookie crumbles” mindset is pretty consistent with Nya is s6. And the title Seabound is very appropriate because of how she’s literally bound to her powers and had to give up her life for them. And..
Spoilers for Crystalized
…we get to see the other ninja defy the impossible to get her back. In crystalized, Nya realised she wants to be herself (again that on going theme of her identity) and wants to be with her family, so much that she’d give her powers and status as the water ninja (which used to be her greatest fear). Her powers as the water ninja represented her need to be better, it represents her journey to become a powerful warrior, but maybe she’ll learn that she was always powerful and strong even without her powers and that she’s allowed to choose herself especially since she has a family of ninja who will break the law for her. I think I’m rambling now but I think you get the point.
Tbh I’m gonna miss her as a ninja and I’ll be happy if she ends up reclaiming her water powers at some point, but rn, a return to samurai x does feel like a logical next step. (I mean maybe I’m just too liberal, I’ll be happy whatever happens to her because at least she’s still kicking right?) Anyways I love Nya and more people should appreciate her! Also more people should appreciate that her story definitely tackles some very real experiences in terms of sexism, I don’t think it did a bad job at that either!
And don’t mind how meandering this post is I wrote it over 3 days lol haha.
#ninjago#lego ninjago#ninjago rant#I talked about feminism and I’m low-key kinda scared this is too much of a hot take for tumblr#don’t wanna make Ninjago a really political thing or anything I just appreciate Nya’s writing especially from a feminist angle ykno#ninjago nya#Ninjago crystalized#ninjago seabound#ninjago skybound#ask
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Ok well I’m very curious about Oof now
TW: Non-explicit noncon, dubious consent
This is NSFW, so minors begone!
From this
So this is actually a... request? Kinda??? I don't know if you remember or not (you were part of the convo, but it was a while ago now), but for those who don't/aren't in it:
Flavioli in the server (join if you aren't there already!!!!) came up with the concept of Simon being treated kind of like Finnick was in the Hunger Games series: being sent to higher ranking members of the World of Mages as "company" (i.e., prostitution/escort work, in a way). The plot would take place after the Humdrum is defeated in an AU where Simon doesn't connect with Baz and still trusts the Mage at the end. The Mage finds a use for Simon once he's lost all his magic, having Simon sexually service influential people to gain influence for Davy himself. Here's the link to the convo if you're in the Discord and want to read back yourself!
In the planning I've done so far, it's going to be all from non-Simon POVs. Baz in particular finds out months or years after this started happening and decides to figure out how to "hire" Simon himself in order to talk to him and help him get out of his situation.
Here's a couple excerpts because I couldn't pick one:
“You were Snow’s roommate, weren’t you, Basilton?”
“Yes, sir,” I respond, quirking an eyebrow.
“Did he ever whore himself out to you? Taught him everything he knows, ay?” Clark laughs.
Addams is smirking like we’re sharing an inside joke, but I’m in too much shock to properly respond. “Excuse me?” I can’t keep the venom from my voice, but neither man seems to notice.
“You were there when he defeated the Humdrum. Emotions must have been running pretty high, and with a body like his… Well, I wouldn’t blame you for taking what you wanted.”
----
Addams responds by leaning up to my ear. The feeling of his hot, rancid breath against my ear nearly makes me gag. “Talk to Davy and he’ll get you set up. Tell him you want to have a meeting with the Chosen One about his company. He’ll make sure you’re… taken care of.”
Addams pulls back and claps me on the shoulder with a sickening grin and a wink. He walks to the table just as the Mage himself walks in.
I leave without bothering to grab my coat.
The second I’m outside, I dial Fiona.
“Don’t you have a coven meeting right now, boyo? Finally loosening up a bit?” she cackles.
“Did you know?” I growl into the phone.
“I know a lot of things. You’re going to have to b-“
“Fiona, tell me you didn’t know.” I know I probably sound hysterical, but I can't help it. I am hysterical.
Anyway! This isn't really my comfort zone to write, but I was super interested in the concept as something to read and no one else seemed comfortable with writing it.
I haven't done much with it since the day we discussed it back in early September, but I feel like it'll happen at some point. It's something that I've gotta be kind of delicate with, considering the subject matter, and I do need to figure out how to write this in a way I feel comfortable, so I'm not gonna rush it.
And if anyone else wants to take this concept off my hands, please let me know! I feel like someone else would do a much better job writing this than I could, so my DMs are open if you want to claim it :)
#m writes#m answers#wip#I was gonna answer this earlier but I was in class#and this isn't necessarily the kind of thing I want someone looking over my shoulder for 😅#I like this concept a ton I'm just struggling to figure out how best to handle it still#all I have written is this first scene and I don't even like that too much so I'll probably start over from scratch later
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