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darkcircles4lyfe · 3 years

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Death to All Might, Rebirth to Yagi Toshinori

So about All Might. I’ve been extremely wary of talking about what could happen to him because straight up saying “I don’t think he’s gonna die” is asking the universe to spite me. Plus it also feels like a room full of people turning to stare at me as if I said the Sun isn’t a star. Man has death flags everywhere, I know.

But, okay, *Bill Nye voice* consider the following:

Mr. Yagi here, if he overheard everything, just received the final nail in the coffin on his career. His time as the symbol of peace is not only over, it was in fact partially responsible for the current state of things, since he once did so much on his own that his absence now makes heroes and civilians alike ill-prepared to cope. I think it was very apt for that one guy to be wearing an All Might shirt--he was acting as a mouthpiece for the latent societal problems embedded in All Might’s legacy.

We know already that he’s been feeling useless. I love this scene and although I’m not gonna talk about it right this second, remember what Aizawa says about just “being here” being enough:

And we know from conversations with Inko that Toshinori is also reframed his purpose around looking after Izuku. But in the end, Izuku rejected his help, and it was his classmates instead who were able to save him. Now the very progress of humanity is rejecting him too. You may me wondering how on Earth I don’t see the logical conclusion of all this being his death. Hold on. It actually has a lot to do with the fact that we’re all expecting it. Nighteye himself saw it, and despite any contrary convictions anyone might have, the plot doesn’t seem to be veering away from that end. All Might Is Gonna Die, says absolutely everything.

It’s occurring to me that I have previous experience with this kind of plotline that probably little to no one else in this fandom shares, being that I’ve read a certain book series in which the main character is told in no uncertain terms that he will die (no, I’m not talking about hp). The series in question is T*e Und*rland Chronicl*s (censoring so it doesn’t get put in their side of tumblr) and I’m sorry but I’m about to go on a shameless tangent about it and spoil the ending for you.

So in this series there is a prophecy in every book, each one having something to do with war and conflict, and so far all of them have been right. In the last book [mc] finds out that it’s prophesied that he will be killed. Lots of the things in the prophecies are convoluted and metaphorical, but no, this one literally says “when the [mc’s title] has been killed.” He spends the whole book coming to terms with this, and he gives into it, only to find himself waking up in the hospital instead. “Wow, plot twist. /s” you may be thinking, and yeah sure, the mc in a kids book survived, big shocker. But it doesn't end there. After the war, there are peace talks, but they escalate until the two sides are on the verge of declaring war again. And [mc], bless him, has just been caught in the middle of all of this the entire time. He’s sick as shit of fighting, of watching the suffering and death of people he cares about. He draws his sword against both of them angrily, gives a speech saying he won’t take a side, and then promptly breaks his sword across his knee: “There. [mc’s title in the prophecies] is dead. I killed him.” He’s giving a huge middle finger to everyone there, to the man who wrote the prophecies, to the entire fucked up culture of it all. And so something that was taken literally turns out to be metaphorical. That is, if you still believe in the prophecies at all.

Hopefully you’re catching my drift here. What I’m saying is, even though this other series has nothing to do with bnha, it goes to show sometimes it’s the most absolute certainties that are red herrings, and a “death” can consequently be a symbolic one. In All Might’s case, it could be the death of hero society and a rejection of his own past. In other words, character development for Toshinori himself that reflects on the way the world is changing, too. Also there’s the fact that the mc from that other series I’m trying not to name has an honorary title, and I’m imagining that role he occupied “dying” could correspond to something that amounts to, “All Might is dead. I (Yagi Toshinori) killed him.”

And here’s another thing: we also have to ask ourselves what good a dead Toshinori is to Izuku, narratively speaking. Yes, Izuku has spent his whole life idolizing even the more toxic parts of All Might, and his idealized vision of his hero does need to “die.” But how about Toshinori as a father figure? Izuku regretting that his last interaction with Toshinori was to reject his help may drive home the fact that he shouldn’t go off on his own, but at this point it’s kinda redundant. If anything it would negate some of the progress that was just made because it’d make him extra paranoid about losing other people too. To be honest, the whole “Uncle Ben” trope, the mentor/father figure who dies and gives the mc a reason to do better, is so tired. Experiencing the death of a loved one really doesn’t deserve to be romanticized like that. I might as well admit that I’m speaking from experience, and let me tell you, losing someone you love suddenly, when you weren’t around, and with unfinished business--it makes you paranoid as hell that it will happen again. It literally gives me nightmares. Y’all, I cannot stress enough that trauma does not equal character development. Granted, just because I know this doesn’t mean Horikoshi does, but in general he does seem to lead his characters toward healing.

Okay, back to the present. Toshinori is turning away from UA. He likely feels useless and rejected. We can infer that what happens next will involve Stain, and we have a couple of extra clues to go with it: Stain considers All Might a true hero, and has stated that he would let All Might kill him. And since Horikoshi loves his parallels, we also have this fight between Endeavor and this random villain who admires him so much that he wants to die by Endeavor’s hand:

This suggests a confrontation in which Stain challenges All Might to live up to himself as he once was, so that as a hero he can vanquish Stain and symbolically overcome society's perversion of that role. But based on what All Might has learned about the system he upheld, Stain is wrong. All Might is not a “true hero” in the sense that the societal issues Stain witnessed exist not in spite of All Might, but (in part) because of him, because he took too much of the responsibility for himself.

Stain probably had no idea about the personal cost of All Might’s lonely burden until after the fact. Maybe he’s seeing it now. So then perhaps the confrontation would be more about Stain claiming he’s just as fake as the rest. Either way, Toshinori has the opportunity to denounce himself and be rid of “All Might,” to stop living in his own shadow. Nighteye’s vision has been defied before, and I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if the combination of society shifting + Toshinori’s own conviction is enough to do it again and work fate in his favor.

He is not All Might. He is Yagi Toshinori: quirkless, worn down, and directionless except for his dedication to Izuku. If he survives his interaction with Stain, he can resolve his imperfect mentorship by confessing about his shortcomings and simply supporting Izuku as a part of his family, not as his teacher (as Aizawa said, just “being there”). And that’s how you really get character development, for both of them. I mean, shit, imagine Toshinori straight up telling Izuku to stop calling him All Might.

#disclaimer: I have a lot of emotional investment in dadmight #so I am hella biased #but hopefully I also have some unique insight to share #all might #yagi toshinori #bnha #mha #bnha meta #bnha 325 #bnha 326 #lin speaks

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sam-t-a · 3 years

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Okay.

*Deep breath*

I think I’m finally calm enough to put into words exactly why I hated the finale and why I wasn’t completely surprised that I hated it.

(Heads-up: this is really long and pretty negative. If you disagree, I would of course appreciate your point of view and love to hear it, but just thought I’d let you know in case this is the kind of post you would like to avoid.)

To me, it felt like every character on the show got betrayed in some way or another, but the main ones are Han Seo (devastatingly), Chayoung (obviously) and Han Seok (bear with me).

Cha Young:

She started out as a solid FL who annoyed some people for sure, but who had so much promise as someone unconventional and bold. The way her mother’s death affected her and caused a clear shift in her personality was a super interesting plot point that really never got explored. We have no idea how she came to sacrifice her morality in joining Wusang, just that she wanted to spite her father, which is a very superficial exploration. She gets cute idiosyncrasies in lieu of an actual character and an actual character arc.

We also, halfway through the show, seem to forget that her father's death was the initial trigger. Cha young does not suggest bold ideas or intricate plans, she doesn’t fill the gaps Vincenzo is incapable of filling (because that would require that Vincenzo have flaws, and that’s not something the writers can abide), and she’s literally victimized in episode 19 and bedridden in episode 20, and that is IT.

Someone who started out supposedly as Vincenzo’s equal just became another piece in his chess set, no matter how important a piece she may be.

So her role as a badass avenger is trashed. That leaves her role as a love interest. Now, as Vincenzo’s love interest, she was supposed to get kidnapped in like episode 5 or 6 at the most if the villain has any brains whatsoever (Han Seok may or may not, more on that later). We need a reason for that not to happen too early. Cue villain is somehow in love with her for all of 15 minutes or so throughout a 20-episode series because a love triangle is inconceivable with the show’s current structure and for its purposes.

So, she spends 15 or so episodes making the first move on Vincenzo, every time, putting herself out there, creating cute moments, getting nothing in return, and then he leaves. No confession, nothing much, he wasn’t even going to say goodbye or give her the choice of coming with him.

I’m sure more chayenzo-oriented fans have already expressed all the necessary outrage over this, so I’ll move on to the part that I’ve personally been way more emotionally invested in from the get go: the Jang brothers.

Han Seo:

I was among the minority that hated the “Vinny hyung” angle from the get-go and I’ve ranted about it in another post, so I won’t get into it here in-depth, but basically it was because I felt like Vincenzo hadn’t earned it, so to have the last words Han Seo hears be “You deserve to be my brother” or whatever the fuck he was on about PISSED ME OFF. It’s VINCENZO who doesn’t deserve to be Han Seo’s brother and hasn’t done a single thing to earn it. He was a good ally. The situation he allowed Han Seo to be a part of was beneficial to him, but Han Seo’s attachment to him was neither healthy nor heartwarming, and it certainly wasn’t returned on the level he offered it.

Vincenzo’s disregard of his death didn’t strike me as odd because I never saw enough indications that this was a two-way street and Han Seo’s safety and well-being came second so often that I didn’t get the impression Vincenzo was doing much to keep him alive. This is what I meant when I said the show was glorifying a torture survivor’s trauma responses. Han Seo himself, as a torture survivor, meant nothing to them. He was just there to create one more contrived comparison between Vincenzo and Han Seok. Instead of recovering from the trauma, it’s simply employed to someone else’s favor. He doesn’t go to prison for Han Seok, he takes a bullet for Vincenzo, and we’re supposed to see that as so much better.

All of that might (JUST MIGHT) not have ruined the show for me if he’d died better. 1) It was narratively pointless and totally avoidable, 2) they could’ve framed it as heroic, but instead Han Seok’s hand patting his head is pushing it down, so he can’t even get shot with his chin up and his back straight, Taec’s already taller, so the angle’s fucked and the whole cinematography screamed “kicking an injured puppy” and most certainly NOT “survivor finally stands up to his abuser”. The final nail in the proverbial and literal coffin is that he is mourned by no one. They’re FLIRTING not 3 MINUTES LATER, it felt so tone deaf and left such a bad taste. As I said, I didn’t expect significant mourning from Vincenzo (gotta say, I didn’t expect no mourning, that was a shocker), and Cha young and the tenants had no real interactions with him and no reason to mourn him, which left only one person who could.

Which brings me to Han Seok.

Han Seok started out as a solid villain, clear goals, clear skills that help him achieve his goals and basically make him a villain worth defeating, and a very complex relationship with both his own psychopathy and his brother.

Let me get it out of the way: I do not believe Han Seok is capable of killing Han Seo because he had every reason and every opportunity to do so in previous episodes and couldn’t do it (I say couldn’t because a certain degree of reluctance is in itself inability). Han Seo’s danger far outweighed his material value the minute he shot Han Seok and then completely lost any value once he came out to the world as the chairman and it became clear that the prosecution would be going after him if anything happened, and not his brother. But time and again, he’s proven he’s all bark and no bite when it comes to Han Seo (killing-wise, specifically).

The scene where he asks him to beat Vincenzo to death could be interpreted as him wanting to give Vincenzo the “painful death” he would have given him, but honestly, I think he was way past that point. He just wanted him dead in the “You crazy? we have to kill him before he kills us” sense. To that end, killing off a key ally of Vincenzo’s, who betrayed you and almost got you killed a bunch of times, should take priority, but Han Seok’s priority is reclaiming Han Seo by forcing him back onto his side. Now, much like his “love for Cha young”, Han Seok’s keenness on not killing his brother was essential to the writers so that Han Seo can justifiably make it this far and still be useful to Vincenzo (he can’t help if Han Seok completely excludes him from all events, plans and management processes, so Han Seok needs to want to keep him on his side enough not to do that even when it’s more prudent).

All of this isn’t to say it’s unbelievable that he would kill Han Seo, but it’s DEFINITELY unbelievable that he would stay the same man after killing him. Someone here (I’m sorry, I don’t rememebr who) once said that Han Seo had become, over time, far more of a foil to his brother than Vincenzo was. To me, this means that Post-Han Seo Han Seok would be out of balance (tilted screen), unhinged in a way he never was before. The Han Seok we see shrugs and “oh, well”-s and moves on in a flash, not really any different from the villain he was four minutes and a whole brother earlier.

This is very consistent with the way the show has been de-humanizing him from the start. I’m not saying this to defend Han Seok in any way, he’s a serial killer, an abuser and a total maniac. But you can be all those things and still a human being. In fact, you can ONLY be those things if you’re a human being. The show used its villain vs villain idea to justify a lot, but in the end, Vincenzo had to be a protagonist. He had to follow up every “I’m a villain” with a contrived “but at least I’m not (insert something worse)”.

On the level of humans:

1) Vincenzo is supposedly different because he doesn’t hurt children or women (unless the women deserve it, and shooting a parent in front of their kid doesn’t count as hurting.)

But we never see Han Seok hurting women or children either. In fact, if we proceed with the “chayoung is the myung hee of the good guys” comparison, he hasn’t hurt any women nearly as badly as Vincenzo did.

2) Babel vs Mafia

Babel’s corruption is compared a lot to the mafia, with Vincenzo commenting repeatedly that the people are WORSE than the mafia...which is bullshit. Babel is a set of companies that provide goods and services, but use illegal means to maximize their profit, so they hurt/kill people in the process because they want more money and care about money more than ethics. The Mafia is an inherently criminal organization that functions PURELY on the basis of its criminality. Every single dime Vincenzo spends is blood money. None of it is clean. And while we’re on the topic, I find the whole “taking Miri under his wing” thing pretty unreasonable too because he tried to have her killed you guys, I cannot believe we’re just glossing over that. He had everyone who worked on that vault killed, just random fucking construction workers. And he’s not sorry. And the show tells you he shouldn’t be.

3) Repentance

Han Seok says outright he won’t atone, and while Vincenzo says no such thing out loud he just...doesn’t repent, I guess. He keeps the blood money, he goes back to being a full-time mafia dude doing mafia things. He leaves the same man he arrived.

So, if on the level of harm inflicted upon humanity, Vincenzo and Han Seok are pretty much equal (and Vincenzo might actually be worse), then why should we root for Vincenzo?

Well, my friend, that’s where the dehumanization comes in!

I was initially very excited to see their portrayal of a psychopath because of the very interesting ways in which the informal moral code and official justice system surrounding a psychopath/sociopath/narcissist affect their behavior and their chances of not turning out rotten, and the show looked like it was looking at corruption in general.

But as the show went on, the villain vs villain thing proved not to be enough, Vincenzo has to be better in some way (or if you’re as obsessed with him as the writers are, then ALL ways), so it became a villain vs monster narrative. Vincenzo isn’t ethical or fair or in any way interested in having a remotely positive impact on society, but at least he’s A HUMAN BEING unlike SOMEBODY. So, the characterization goes to shit, Han Seok becomes a cartoon card-board cut out of a villain and emphasis is put on how pointless his violence is, as opposed to how purposeful Vincenzo’s is.

This is dangerous on multiple levels (and I promise this is the last point I’m making).

1) For people in general, dehumanizing abusers/murderers/etc. makes us very liable to forget that you don’t have to be “a monster” to cause harm, and it makes people complacent in their belief that they are “not bad people” since they aren’t total monsters. The Banality of Evil is a thing, and in this series, it goes completely ignored. No one is inherently incapable of good or inherently undeserving of humanity.

2) For victims of abuse in specific, it’s dangerous to portray abusers (including serial killer and non-serial killer ones) as entirely bad and unlovable, because it poses the dual risk of making victims less likely to acknowledge their abuse if it comes from someone who cares about or loves them on some level because the idea that someone cannot both love and hurt you is so stereotypical. Your abuser can genuinely want you in their lives and need you and, on some level, love you, and IT DOESN’T MATTER if that love doesn’t stop them from hurting you.

On the other hand, portraying the victims of abuse as capable of flipping an off switch and hating the abuser with no hesitation or second thoughts to the point of unapologetically and cheerfully helping someone kill them and having no mixed feelings about it sends the message that if you CAN’T do that, then are you really abused? Are sure you’re not complicit in your own abuse? Do you even want to get rid of them?

So this is basically why the way the show ended was so painfully disappointing for me. And the main reason it hit so hard was that it was initially so good and had so much promise. I really expected more.

#Vincenzo #vincenzo meta #vincenzo spoilers #not that mad anymore but still so disappointed #hong chayoung #jang han seo #jang han seok #so much it to fix #my brother says hi #he is disappointed too

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nikibogwater · 3 years

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I still don't understand the point of the ending to ROtT if they wanted to "restart everything"......

Like Jim wasn't the only main character, heck the Arcane order were more of Douxie's villains than Jim's and he wasn't around them to often....

Idk, I still feel a bit salty about this since Wizards had to be cut short in order for the movie to happen but Douxie didn't get enough time to shine like Jim, Krel and Aja did for their respective shows.

(This is a long boi, so half of it is under the cut. I apologize for my Unbridled Passion 😅)

So, just going off of a few things Del Toro said in a Q&A, as well as some things Marc Guggenheim has said in interviews, I think Rise of the Titans was a multichapter disaster in the making. By which I mean, it sounds like some of the decisions made leading up to the movie being greenlit were....maybe not the best.

Del Toro has wanted to do a Trollhunters movie since before the show even existed. While I understand having a preference for a certain means of storytelling, I think it was his refusal to give up on this idea that ultimately doomed the ending of the series to begin with. It sounds like Dreamworks gave him the option to either have Wizards be a full-length series, or cut it in half and use that budget on a movie. Now I'm definitely way more mad at Dreamworks for being so stingy with this project than I am at Del Toro, but the fact remains that I think he went with the wrong choice. There was simply no possible way to wrap up this entire series in only an hour and a half. There were just too many characters and too much story that needed to be told. Had he opted to keep Wizards as a full-length series that would mark the conclusion of the entire trilogy, I suspect we would have gotten a much more satisfying and well-rounded ending (and also more Douxie--I agree with you that that would have been better lol). Granted, we wouldn't have gotten the jaw-dropping visuals that we saw in the movie, but audience response would suggest that story really does need to be prioritized over visuals (what a shocker! ...Except not really).

It also sounds like the RotT team was under some serious corporate pressure. The fact that the movie was being developed alongside Wizards, with a release deadline set for less than a year after that show's release, just reeks of meddling from higher-ups. And the writing of the movie has that unpolished, unrefined feel to it, as though the writers were just scrambling to throw something together in time. Honestly, I really feel for them. I don't think this fully excuses the absolutely horrendous M!Preg subplot or the cop-out ending, but I do understand that they must have felt backed into a corner.

The main thing that I think played into the movie's gosh-awful ending was....it sounds like they really didn't want this series to end. Marc Guggenheim mentioned ending the series like that because he wanted to keep it open for future stories, and Del Toro is still trying to get Dreamworks to greenlit another, smaller Tales of Arcadia project (two shorts a year for four years). It sounds like Dreamworks was desperate to be done with Tales of Arcadia, meanwhile the creative team wasn't ready to say goodbye to this story just yet. That, combined with the pressure to have the movie out less than a year after Wizards, was just the final nail in the Coffin Born of a Single Poor Choice.

But the thing is, all stories have to end. In fact, most audiences want an ending of some kind. And just because you've ended one story, that doesn't mean there's no more opportunity to tell more tales in this universe. Heck, the entire art of fanfiction is built on expanding stories beyond their conclusion, introducing new ideas and adventures for familiar characters to go on. And I know sequels have a bad rep in Hollywood for a reason, but given Dreamworks' fantastic track record (Shrek 2, How to Train Your Dragon 2, etc.), I don't see any reason why they couldn't have given Tales of Arcadia a satisfying ending, while at the same time, leaving it open to potential sequels.

So, yeah. The TL;DR version of it is: Basically it all started when Del Toro chose a movie over making Wizards a complete series, and then there was just this domino effect until we ended up with the disaster that was Rise of the Titans. And while I know sometimes my criticisms of the movie can be very harsh, the truth is, I sympathize a great deal with the writers' situation and the limitations that were forced upon them. But uh....also...

There's literally no excuse for M!Preg or for retconning the entire series.

Sorry that was so long, Non. But thanks for the ask! Hope I didn't chatter your ear off, haha. ✨

#tales of arcadia #toa #rise of the titans #long post

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darkzorua100 · 6 years

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I love how episode 73 hasn’t even aired yet and I already know what the main take away of the episode is going to be on Tumblr.

Playmaker vs Bohman? Hell no. No one gives a crap about this duel.

Cyberse Quantum Dragon? Maybe but it quickly got overshadowed.

Yusaku and Ryoken meeting in RL again and Ryoken hopefully asking Yusaku for a hotdog? Yeah that seems like something the Datastormshippers are going to go completely crazy about. Hey just because I love Datastormshipping as much as everyone else, and trust me I’m going to fangirl as hard as the next person if that’s how Ryoken starts that conversation (geez the writers seriously are just writing the fanfiction themselves. If Ryoken actually enrolls in Yusaku’s school next, I’m done) doesn’t mean I won’t bring up the fact that we kinda do go a little overboard on it. Also maybe we should ask for more Playmaker vs Bohman duels because we seem to be getting Datastormshipping moments in these episodes as well. We got Yusaku and Ryoken’s adorable meeting in 58 and now this.

I’m still in shock that this is how we are more then likely going to get the Yusaku and Ryoken alliance at the end of 73. I was expecting the alliance to form at the end of this duel sure but in Link Vrains, not in the real world, and especially not with Ryoken just causally walking up to Café Nagi and asking Yusaku for his cooperation when he’s working. My god I’m crying from laughing so hard to just how hilarious this scenario is going to be but then I realize just how bad our situation has to be with Lightning if this is how Ryoken is going to ask Yusaku and his team for help. Speaking of which, where the hell are Takeru and Flame in this screenshot? We see them getting attacked by some Bits and Boots in another screenshot so were they actually captured by Lightning or were they just not involved in the meet up? I’m going to guess the later even though I would love the former to happen.

Also, I don’t think anyone had brought this up but I also just love how that one screenshot of the RL Datastormshipping reunion also might have unintentionally spoiled the winner of the Playmaker vs Bohman duel. In this conversation, Yusaku has his left arm raised like he normally does with his duel disk because of Ai. If he lost this duel, he wouldn’t do that because Ai wouldn’t be in his duel disk anymore. I mean, it isn’t much of a shocker that this duel ends in another Playmaker win, especially considering we know he’s getting a Synchro during this duel, but I just felt like pointing that out for anyone who wasn’t entirely convinced. We also got a screenshot of Playmaker with Cyberse Magician and Bohman, Haru looking happy (my guess because Bohman took the lead by destroying Cyberse Magican), and what appears to be Bohman’s new Link Monster he got from his Storm Access.

Onto 74′s cast list, I find it interesting that if the end of 73 is when Yusaku and Ryoken are to form their alliance, why wouldn’t Ryoken be on the cast list as well. I mean, we still don’t know if Yusaku is going to agree to this temporary partnership so maybe that’s why? Maybe Ryoken and the rest of his Knights are going to be doing their own thing while Yusaku and Takeru are doing there’s. If Yusaku’s team does agree to this alliance, hopefully Ryoken will start to give us more info about the Hanoi Project and our last two Lost Children. Maybe Ryoken is the one to info Yusaku about Aqua’s imprisonment and suggest that Yusaku and Takeru go and recuse her if they so chose to do so while Ryoken and his Knights try and get into contract with Aqua and Windy’s kids? Again, I think there might be some kind of fail safe built into the Ignises’ program that only their respective Origins are able to activate and that’s why we need to find them and get them involved in the story finally.

Lightning is also an interesting name on here. Windy, Bohman, Haru, or even Jin aren’t speaking, and I don’t think he was the one to capture Aqua, so I wonder if he’s going to be monologuing to himself when he’s fixing up Windy, and my guess Bohman as well, about his future plans with all these obstacles against him now? Or heck, he might have actually captured Soulburner and Flame at the end of 73 and is currently breaking them apart to reprogram the both of them? More then likely the former but again, I can dream.

Earth, Aqua, and Go we knew about. Akira and Hayami I expected as well but Aoi and Emma are back in the story again. Emma we still don’t know how her standoff with Blood Shepard ended, and probably never will at this rate (but hey she isn’t dead), and Aoi...well it is going to be interesting with her if Akira sent her and Emma to go assist Go with the capture of Aqua and Earth and we get some kind of reaction out of Aqua to Aoi’s presence. If Blue Girl and Aqua do so happen to be in the same room together, and Aqua doesn’t react to Aoi, I think that’s the final nail in the coffin of Aoi’s being Aqua’s Origin theory. The summary of the episode still doesn’t state who exactly captured Aqua and I still don’t think it was either SOL or Lightning but other then Extras, no notable names on the cast list on who actually did until it is revealed next week or in the preview. That preview is really going to be interesting.

#vrains #vrains spoilers #Thoughts #theories

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theseaeaglelives · 3 years

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Finals - Week 1

THE SEA EAGLE

MAKING RUGBY LEAGUE PRETTY SH$#TY AGAIN!!!

Melbourne Storm 40 def Manly 12

It has been reported in various media outlets, that prior to this game, the Filthy Wrestlers devised a game plan to nullify the impact of Manly superstar Tommy Turbo.

Amongst other things, this complicated plan involved strategic kicking into the corners, and/or away from Turbo, swarming defence, starving both Manly and Turbo of the ball as well as the usual array of filthy cheating wrestling tactics that the Storm specialise in.

Coinciding with the Storm’s Plan, in the week leading up to this game the Sea Eagle also put some thought into devising a blue print in terms of game plan designed to beat the Filthy Wrestlers. Channelling the philosophy of the late great master Coach, Jack Gibson, whose main mantra was that rugby league is a simple game played by simple men, the Sea Eagle came up with the following 5-point plan, to wit:

1 Eradicate simple and avoidable basic errors.

2 Maintain discipline and do not give away soft and needless penalties.

3 Do not gift the Filthy Wrestlers easy possession predominantly by adhering to the above two points and hope to get at least 50% of the ball.

4 Defend like there is no tomorrow.

5 Try and score in the 5 minutes before half time and 5 minutes after half time, and whatever else you do, don’t let the opposition do it to you.

Unfortunately, and despite its simplicity, Manly were only able to stick to this suggested game plan for 2 minutes when a basic handling error by the normally reliable Morgan Harper was latched upon by Storm winger Isaac Lumee Lumee who raced away to open the scoring.

From that point the suggested five-point plan went out the window, with Manly’s first half degenerating into a rudderless rabble. On the back of what can only be described as a “lazy” but soft high shot from Marty Taupau, the Filthy Wrestlers added to their tally when Kenny Bromwich strolled through some feeble defence to score.

Mistakes aplenty continued from Manly, again the normally reliable Morgan Harper the culprit, coughing up possession on numerous occasions.

The Storm were relentless, mistake free and after Storm forward and Queensland powerhouse Christian Welsh strolled some feeble defence to score, making it 16-zip after as many minutes, it was effectively game over.

Manly did manage a try against the run of play via try scoring freak Jason Saab (turbo), but another mistake on the stroke of half time, again with the normally reliable Morgan Harper the culprit, saw the Rorters run in a late try to take a 24-6 lead to oranges.

Morgan Harper was having a “”Mavinesque” shocker rekindling memories of Steve Mavin circa 1987 but unlike Mavin, Young Harper was not unceremoniously pulled off (no pun intended) and thus was not rendered inconsolable at the end of the game (as poor old Steve Mavin was in 1987).

The nightmare for Harper continued in the second half though, when only minutes in, opposing centre Justin Olam gave him the easy brush off setting up Ryan Papenhausen to score, this suggesting that perhaps it would have been better for all concerned had Young Harper been pulled off during the break (no pun intended).

To add insult, point 5 of the simple Sea Eagle plan had been broken as well, with the Storm racking up converted tries in the 5 minutes before half time, and the 5 minutes straight after half time, 12 points all up, which if it wasn’t obvious already, was the final nail in the coffin for Manly’s hopes in this game.

As was the case in the first half, Manly did manage a try against the run of play in the second half via try scoring freak Jason Saab (turbo), who capitalised on a rare Storm error.

In the end it was the Storm Plan that triumphed, with the Filthy Wrestlers able to pull it off to perfection (no pun intended). From a Manly perspective the stats tell the entire story of their capitulation and of their failure on all counts to stick to the Sea Eagle’s suggested five-point game plan, to wit:

Point 1. Errors: Manly 9 Storm not many

Point 2. Penalties Conceded: Manly 9 Storm 5

Point 3. Possession: Manly 39% Storm 61%

Point 4. Missed Tackles: Manly 36 Storm 19

Point 5: Storm scored in five minutes before half time and 5 minutes after half time- points conceded by Manly – 12.

It’s fair to say Manly were overawed by the both the Storm and the occasion. That said, to take on the Filthy Wrestling Cheats in a major semi-final will be invaluable experience for many of the younger brigade within the Manly ranks, most who have not tasted finals footy and who will hopefully be better for the run.

It should not be forgotten that there are few Manly players who are Ex Tigers and juniors from the Eel district, who clearly have a few demons to rid themselves of in that respect. They will no doubt be informed this week, about what is required to play at a club like Manly, as opposed to what was acceptable at their former clubs.

Next week Manly get a chance for redemption against the injury plagued Latte Sipping Roosters, with the winner set to get a crack at the Bunnies (whose adoption of a Master Coach Wayne Bennett plan – which was very effective- saw Souths without Latrell Mitchell, defeat the highly fancied Penrith Panthers in a high quality contest).

Manly’s opponents next week are the Eastern Suburbs Latte Sippers. Despite their well-documented injury toll, the Latte Sippers will be no pushovers. On any basis, they are playing with heart, courage, commitment and against the odds. They have been doing it all season. Of course that can only get you so far. You actually need star quality, and take out Tedseco, and their roster looks a bit thin on that front.

The Latte Sippers won’t be pushovers, however. Only a well-disciplined performance by Manly will give Manly at least an even money chance of winning. Anything less and Manly will be bundled into touch for season 2021, and deservedly so.

As for Morgan Harper, on this performance he should be dropped for next week and replaced by Dylan Walker in the starting line up (Walker had a very good game in this fixture), and with Moses Suli promoted to the bench. But as the papers have documented, Moses Suli is off to the Saints on an amazing $600k a year deal so Harper may well be given a reprieve as he has been earmarked as the Manly centre for the future.

Clearly no one at Dragon joint venture club or Young Suli for that matter reads the Sea Eagle. They never go any better when they leave the nest, and Suli is already a journeyman at a very young age. You can connect the dots as to how well he will go next year, playing for the rabble that is St George at present.

The only positive for Manly out of this week (and also the Roosters) is that Souths have caused Penrith to go to the other side of the draw, and if form is any guide, it will see Penrith play the Storm in the GF Qualifier.

That will give the Storm and the Panthers a much harder run in to the GF than either of them might otherwise have expected, and if we dare to dream, the Panthers might do everyone a favour by bundling the Filthy Wrestlers into touch in season 2021. Time will tell for that one.

It also gives each of Souths, Manly and/or the Roosters a much better chance of actually making the GF than might otherwise have been the case. There is not much between these 3 sides, and they each will be thankful they do not have to face either the Filthy Wrestling Cheating Storm or the Panthers in a GF qualifier and they will each fancy their chances of getting to the GF (of course only one of them will make it).

Perhaps there is (or might be) a god who actually supports Manly after all. Manly have a chance that they do not really deserve here (given their efforts this week), to go all the way to the GF in season 2021. They need to grab it.

A short report this week. The Sea Eagle is disappointed that Manly have let their fans, and Master Coach Hasler down this week. They owe it to everyone (not the least of which themselves) to aim up next week. If they don’t, some of them can expect to feel the wrath of a few orders from Manly football management along the lines of “you are free to negotiate with other clubs if you like son, remember you will not go any better when you leave the nest”.

THE SEA EAGLE

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themeatlife · 5 years

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Goodbye PG

The aftermath of the trade that sent Paul George to join Kawhi Leonard and the LA Clippers

I’ve been working on my Spider-Man: Far From Home review and reranking all the MCU-Infinity Saga movies, but obviously I had to put that on hold for some breaking basketball news.

July is certainly not a favorite month for Thunder fans. On the 4th of July in 2016, it was the infamous Players Tribute announcement from Kevin Durant that he was leaving to Golden State. Sure, in 2017 GM Sam Presti worked magic and traded for Paul George from Indiana and last year PG re-signing with OKC. But, alas, nearly a year later we get the shocker.

Paul George traded to the Los Angeles Clippers for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari, and a plethora of first-round picks for the next seven drafts.

The most shocking part of all? That PG requested the trade and that Kawhi recruited him and sold him on requesting the move. Yeah, that Kawhi. The apparently silent but deadly recruiter that proved to be took much for Russell Westbrook’s influence and friendship with Paul George to overcome. The deal happened shortly after midnight on July 6.

I found out from my wife when we woke up this morning, in a similar fashion to how I found out about Kevin Durant leaving. Now, I want to say, I’m not as devastated as I was when Durant left. PG requested the trade and that gave Presti the room to maneuver to get something valuable back in return.

But this feels almost like the final nail in the coffin of the first phase of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Like three years ago, Presti has a huge decision to make about Russell Westbrook. Back then, OKC wanted to stay relevant and locking in Russ to a long-term deal was the easiest way to regroup before they could go after guys to retool and try for a championship again. But unlike three years ago, Russ is now 30 years old nearing the end of his prime. And the multiple knee procedures don’t help the situation either.

Does the Thunder do the hard reset and ship Westbrook off to officially start the tough rebuild? Or do the Thunder bundle some of the draft picks along with Steven Adams or Andre Roberson to land a superstar in the vein of Paul George like the did a couple years ago? It depends on how Westbrook, Presti, and the Thunder feel their chances are to land another star and win a championship. What we do know is that the window is quickly closing and with either opinion OKC needs to act quickly to recover.

All I know is that Paul George is gone.

While it was short lived, the PG Era in OKC gave back some of the hope that was lost when KD left. It was cool to have a second MVP-caliber player back in a Thunder uniform. I don’t really have any of the animosity toward George that I had for Durant. Maybe because it was a different situation. Maybe because the Thunder got something back in a trade rather than getting left cold in the dark. Or maybe because the second time you get burned it hurts less.

Thanks Paul George for bringing some hope back for a couple years. Good luck in LA, except when you play against OKC, of course.

Will the Russell Westbrook Era in OKC continue? We’ll see in the coming days

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dak-legacy · 5 years

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I’m sure it’s not an uncommon opinion right now but I didn’t like the ending of Game of Thrones. Shocker, I know. It was the final nail in a coffin I’d been denying was even there. Now I see the end for what it is and I am disappointed.

This is not a case of “There’d be backlash no matter what ending they went with.” Because yes, that is true. A series ending is not what many fans want. We always want more, and to consume more. Ironically more is what GoT needed.

Also the “If you don’t like it why don’t you write a better ending.” and “You’re not a story writer, how do you know what’s good and what isn’t” Arguments are stupid too. We don’t need to understand how something works or how to make something to know that we do not enjoy it, or that it’s not working properly. I don’t know how my toilet works but if it started overflowing I’d voice my displeasure to the manufacturer and/or landlord.

If you care enough there’s an ending below the cut, but don’t feel like you have to read it.

TL/DR: The North and Dany beat the Night King during the Long Night. They march on the capital only to find Winter came and has already killed everyone because the crown prepared for a war, not w

In an ideal world we’d get two seasons to finalize everything, something with this many characters and plot points needs it. But if it must be one season then fine.

Season 8 follows the Night King’s Storyline and the Final battle for King’s Landing.

The Long Night takes up 7 episodes, chronicling the arrival of Dany’s forces in the North, outside allies such as Jaimie Lannister, and the coping of the Northern Lords with a new southern queen.

As the night sets in the dead don’t attack right away. There are several days worth of waiting while people are too scared to venture into the darkness. This gives Winterfell more time to prepare for the siege and allows the battle to be more co-ordinated than what we got in the show.

Prior to the battle Tyrion asks Varys if he has anything to make their deaths quick, should the cold begin to take them or the dead overwhelm the city. Varys provides a poison called “The warm embrace.” A quick death which allows the drinker to experience warmth one last time before passing on.

Enough people have covered why that battle sucks, do some googling and find a strategy you think would work better than the one they used and put it here.

Following the battle Winter is still in effect, it didn’t just end because the Night King died. Darkness across the North. Jon agrees to follow through his promise for Dany to assist in the liberation of King’s Landing but they must march quick before the snows trap them. Dany and Jon take their dragons and fly to Dragonstone to find somewhere with light and is a bit warmer to prepare. Her armies follow suit as do the Northmen.

THE IRON FLEET DOESN’T TELEPORT IN OUT OF NOWHERE.

As they march on King’s Landing they realize how quickly winter has taken hold. While the night isn’t in effect down here it is almost perpetual low light as the sun struggles to remain in the sky. The area around the capital is quiet and whited out, covered in blankets of fresh snow. It’s beautiful.

The beauty is cut short when the army marches on the gates of King’s Landing. No archers on the walls, no armies in the field to meet them, the gates are closed and the city silent.

When riders approach no attack alarm is signaled and the city remains quiet. Dany flies overhead to look and sees no army waiting, and no fleet in the bay protecting it.

The gates to King’s Landing are frozen solid and require Dragon Fire to blast through. When the army march through the city they find mostly death. Frozen corpses in the street, almost like human ice sculptures. What few are alive shiver and peek out of their homes to the astonishment of everyone.

Frozen sellswords and soldiers clutter the areas they were practicing drills and even up at the Red Keep it is no different.

After entering the keep they find, shivering on the throne. Cersei Lannister, wrapped in her warmest clothing. Ser Gregor Clegane frozen in place beside her and Maester Qyburn sitting on the steps.

Gregor attempts to protect his queen, but his boots are frozen to the floor. In trying to step forward he rips his own foot off. By the time he reaches the Dragon Queen and her men he is barely a torso and one arm pulling himself to her. The unsullied stab him multiple times with their spears and pin him in place but he remains alive, much to Qyburn’s amusement. With nothing else working the Hound, Sandor Clegane, arrives and offers fire as a solution. He pours oil over his brother and lights it himself, letting go of his hatred for his brother and fear of fire as he watches him go up in flames.

Dany demands surrender and the Queen and her hand accept. However she is too cold to move and Qyburn comments that she will not make it to Casterly Rock or anywhere before the cold takes her.

Tyrion offers his sister the Warm Embrace poison as an act of kindness to her. While she still dies resenting him, commenting that he killed another child of hers, he is content knowing he was able to end her suffering.

Dany, acting as Queen, takes care of what is left of the city. Bringing in what food other houses can spare and doing what she can to save who is left.

Other characters comment that the crown had prepared for a war, not winter.

In the aftermath Dany sits on the Iron Throne, but realizes it is nothing more than a cold chair in a cold hall. She has Drogon melt it with dragon fire. Realizing Westeros is not where she belongs she leaves the decision of the crown up to the Westerosi. She then takes her army, Drogon and Rhaegal back to Essos to secure the cities she liberated and rule where she is needed.

During the cleanup Qyburn is put on trial for his experiments by the maesters who use the chance to question him as to what happened in Cersei’s court. He explains that Euron Greyjoy abandoned Cersei when he realized that The Iron Islands were no longer his and that his ships would freeze in the bay if he stayed. Qyburn is sentenced to imprisonment for his crimes regarding experimentation and practices undertaken under Cersei’s rule.

After Dany leaves the Lord of Westeros hold a meeting to determine who has the right to be king. The come to the same consensus that a ruler should be chosen by the representatives of the powerful houses.

Tyrion is named Hand of the King once again. Brienne of Tarth is Captain of the Kingsguard, Podrick gets his knighthood, Ser Davos is named Master of Ships, Bronn gets Highgarden but is not named Master of Coin, Varys is named Naster of Whispers, Jaimie Lannister is named Master of Coin, Samwell Tarly is named as maester but represents the Grand Maester on the small council.

In terms of the Stark family.

Sansa is named Warden of the North. Her cunning and smarts benefit the region and allow for stronger alliances between houses.

Jon becomes ambassador the the Free Folk and Night’s Watch allowing for better communication between them. He pets Ghost lots.

Arya indulges her exploration fantasy and continues her life as a roaming assassin.

Bran returns to Winterfell and continues to advise his sister on matters relating to the world. However in later years he merges fully with the Godswood and waits to pass on his gift to the next three-eyed-raven.

Our last shot is of Sansa receiving a scroll telling her The King is coming to visit Winterfell. We never find out who was elected as King.

Now I am not a screenwriter, probably not even that good of a writer. I’m a disappointed fan, just like most of us. But that’s usually why you hire teams of writers and bounce ideas around between colleagues. It evens out the creases.

#Game of Thrones #GoT #GoT Spoilers #Spoilers #Game of Thrones Spoilers #long post

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florahecate · 5 years

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Read More 22 Best and Worst Foods for Stress

The following post 22 Best and Worst Foods for Stress is republished from Eat This Not That by Olivia Tarantino

Although you tend to eat well and exercise often, are you finding that you still can’t seem to shake off the weight? Look to your stress triggers. A poor diet, busy life, and a demanding job can contribute to chronic stress levels, which can prevent you from losing weight—and may even add on the pounds. So what’s the connection between stress and your muffin top?

Here’s the deal: Back when humans had to evade predators, we developed a fight-or-flight response to help alert our body to a danger. When we’re stressed—whether it’s because we’re being chased by a mammoth or a fast-approaching project deadline—our body releases a group of hormones called glucocorticoids, whose job is to replenish the energy supply lost during the stressful encounter by revving sugar cravings and increasing fat stores. That way, your body ensures it has enough energy in case another lion crosses your path.

As a result, you get really hungry, really quickly. And you end up craving sweet and high-fat foods which both stimulate the brain to release pleasure hormones to reduce tension as well as provide a quick jolt of replenishing energy. The nail in the coffin? These high-calorie, high-fat foods not only contribute to overeating and subsequent weight gain, but they can even make your stress even worse.

While adding certain foods to your plate may actually exacerbate difficult-to-manage emotions, other foods will help you pull through with ease—without sacrificing your waistline in the process. Read on to learn what science-backed, stress-relieving, natural foods you can use to nourish your body and banish those feelings of frustration and which ones you should keep far away. Stash some of them in your snack drawer alongside these high protein snacks so you can jump over emotional hurdles with ease and get back to life refocused, refueled, and less overwhelmed.

First…The Worst

Avoid these stress-triggering foods so you don’t exacerbate your nerves to the point of a mini meltdown.

Ice Cream

It might cool off your mouth, but delving into a pint of ice cream won’t cool off your mind. In fact, foods that are high in refined sugar only increase stress hormones, including cortisol. That’s because your body can’t use up all that refined sugar (unless you’re in the middle of or recovering from an intense sweat sesh), so your blood glucose levels plummet rapidly. Via the “glucose counter-regulatory response“, your brain perceives low blood-glucose levels as a life-threatening situation and secretes more cortisol to trigger hunger yet again, which in turn, causes you to continue to feel stressed.

Coffee

You might think that a focus-inducing coffee could help distract you from the stress of a looming project deadline, but not all cups are equal. While caffeine is known to be a mood-booster (and may lower your risk of depression) by stimulating dopamine activity, this chemical compound can also blunt the absorption of key mood-balancing nutrients like vitamin D and the B vitamins. What’s worse is when you add a few spoonfuls of sugar to your java, which can cause a post-sugar crash soon after you finish your mug, leaving you hungry, searching for sugar, and with more cortisol.

Chinese Take-Out

When your body switches into fight-or-flight mode during times of stress, one of the responses is to elevate your blood pressure. If you’re constantly shoveling high-sodium foods into your face, you may actually exacerbate your body’s stress response as well as worsen your body’s regulation of blood pressure, resulting in general high blood pressure or hypertension. Chinese food is one of the worst offenders of sodium-laden fare (think: teriyaki sauce and soy sauce). In fact, the gluten-free pad thai from P.F. Chang packs a whopping 5,000 mg of the stuff! Be weary of what you order on those late nights at the office when you’re grinding to finish a project due at 8 A.M. the next morning. Use our guide, Eat This, Not That! For Takeout Addicts for help.

Pretzels

These baked twists are a double-edged sword. Not only will their high sodium levels bolster your blood pressure, but their fast-digesting, refined carbs can actually increase anxiety. That’s because, without the digestion-slowing fiber typically found in whole-grain, complex carbs, pretzels made from simple carbs will spike glucose levels—which then raises the stress hormone cortisol. Beyond their satisfying crunch, pretzels are quick-digesting carbs that only briefly lift mood before sending it (along with your satiety) back to low levels.

Canned Soup

Sure it’s convenient and fast—what we typically look for when it comes to satisfying those stress cravings—but avoid this vehicle of food at all costs. Bisphenol A (BPA) is an endocrine-disrupting, hormone-mimicking chemical used in most canned food liners and plastic containers which can throw off important mood-stabilizing neurotransmitters by significantly altering genes in the stress-mediating portion of the brain, according to research. (It can also skew your genes toward obesity.) One study out of the University of California–Berkeley even found that children exposed to BPA in early childhood were more likely to have anxiety issues.

Pressed Juices

Overturning your anxious mood with a healthy option is a good idea, but don’t grab a freshly pressed juice. Shocker, right? But hear us out. Unlike whole fruits, juices are devoid of slow-digesting fiber and loaded with both glucose and fructose. The result is a blood sugar spike from the glucose that triggers a rush of the stress hormone adrenaline, and the fructose can alter how the brain responds to stress on a genetic level, according to a recent study. As a general rule, avoid all juices—even those naturally sweetened with fruit. If water is boring to you, then try one of these detox waters instead!

Tofu

Soy is a triple threat when it comes to stress. For starters, because over 90 percent of soy products in America are GMO, most soy-based products you eat will be treated with glyphosate, an herbicide shown to cause nutrient deficiencies, especially in mood-stabilizing minerals. Add that to soy’s high levels of anti-nutrient phytic acid, which can’t be diminished by traditional soaking and sprouting methods—only through fermentation can these levels be decreased. Lastly, soy is also high in copper, a mineral linked to anxious behavior. If you must eat soy, stick to fermented varieties like tempeh and miso, which are easier to digest.

Wheat Bran

It may be touted by health experts for its impressive fiber content, but wheat bran gets a black mark in the anti-anxiety department for its high concentration of phytic acid. This anti-nutrient binds to important mood minerals like zinc and magnesium, limiting their absorption. Soaking and sprouting can help reduce levels of phytic acid, which is found primarily in whole grains and dried beans; so make the extra step a staple of your kitchen when prepping these foods.

Red Wine

Wine-ing down with alcohol may only wind you up more. While a glass of vino or whiskey on the rocks may feel like it initially helps to calm an anxious mind, research suggests the happy hour strategy may backfire long-term. A few drinks before bed can cause sleep problems, blood sugar swings, and dehydration—all things which can increase stress hormones even more.

Diet Soda

That pop! of the soda can might be enough to quell your stress levels, but stop there. Aspartame, an artificial sweetener that’s found in many diet sodas, has been found to block the production of the neurotransmitter serotonin. This can cause all manner of neuro maladies including headaches, insomnia, changes in mood—and yes, even stress. It’s not just aspartame, either; look out for NutraSweet and Equal as well to protect your mental well-being. Find out more about these sugar alternatives in Every Popular Added Sweetener—Ranked!.

And Now…The Best

There are a number of healthy options that have been scientifically proven to alter brain chemistry and hormones to help your body deal with stress more easily. Reach for one of these picks when a stress-induced craving hits, and fit them into your diet in general to both improve your mood and waistline.

Spinach

If you’ve been holding your palms on your temples all too often, you might be coming up short on certain nutrients. Research suggests that folic acid deficiency can suppress the production of S-adenosylmethionine, a naturally occurring compound that helps produce serotonin and dopamine. Compounded with the fact that when you’re chronically stressed, your brain begins to produce excess stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, and fewer neurotransmitters associated with relaxation and happiness, like dopamine and serotonin, you’ve got a problem. Luckily, scientists believe that improving folic acid status can help reinstate happy hormone levels. To reap the benefits, whip up a three-cup spinach salad and you’ll reach nearly half of the daily recommended intake of folate for both men and women. For more sources of folate, try beans, chickpeas, lentils, asparagus, avocado, or broccoli.

Olive Oil

Counteract that stress-induced rise in blood pressure with an olive-oil drizzled salad. A report by UC Davis found that just two tablespoons a day could significantly decrease systolic blood pressure in as little as three weeks. A separate study found that people who ate olive oil daily enjoyed a bigger boost of the happy hormone serotonin than those eating other types of fat. Researchers speculate the benefits are from EVOO’s minimal processing, which leaves higher levels of health-promoting phenols. In case you didn’t know, phenolic content diminishes with time, and particularly when exposed to heat and light, so EVOO should be stored in a cool dark place and used within a couple months of opening a container—not left out on your counter. Find out what other foods you’re eating wrong and missing out on important nutrients!

Oats

When you’re stressed out, the all-important, mood-regulating neurotransmitter known as serotonin takes a hit. And when you find out that carbs play a role in helping the serotonin building blocks cross into your brain where they can be assembled into the feel-good hormone, you realize that your stress-induced carb craving makes sense. But the key to satisfying those cravings is reaching for slow-digesting, complex carbs like whole grains to promote stable blood sugar levels rather than the refined carbs that cause spikes and dips. Steel cut oats are closest to whole-grain status and also provide a source of tryptophan, the amino acid precursor to serotonin. Plus, the vitamin B6 found in oats is important to keep your brain focused and energized to keep you from feeling like shirking away to cool off from your rage with a nap. Get the most out of your meal by pairing your overnight oats with the mood-boosting nutrients found in nuts or eggs.

WildSalmon

Regularly consuming fatty fish like salmon and tuna will help you boost your mood. These fish are loaded with omega-3s, a mood-boosting fatty acid that may make it easier for serotonin—a chemical that makes you feel happier—to pass through cell membranes and multiply. An added benefit? This fatty acid can help decrease inflammation, a common side effect of chronic stress.

Strawberries

These bright fruits are not only one of the top high fiber foods, they’re also packed with vitamin C (ounce-for-ounce even more than oranges), an antioxidant which has been proven to help people cope with stressful situations. According to one study, levels of cortisol (one of the hormones produced during stress) decreased rapidly in subjects given vitamin C supplement, and the blood pressure of the study participants returned to normal more quickly in the vitamin C group than in the control group.

Rooibos Tea

Sick of being crabby? Forget the happy hour cocktail and steep yourself a cup of rooibos tea instead. The red brew is rich in a powerful flavanoid called aspalathin. Researchers say this fat-fighting compound reduces levels of stress hormones (which trigger hunger and fat storage) and can even inhibit adipogenesis—the formation of new fat cells—by as much as 22 percent. Sounds like more than enough of a reason to sip a cup!

Dark Chocolate

Yes, really! But the key word is dark. Milk and white chocolate are full of sugar (which would only pull you down and make you frown) and contain fewer cocoa solids, the ingredient full of antioxidants which researchers have found can help stimulate the euphoria-inducing chemicals that real chocolate does, especially serotonin, working to buffer the effects of stress. Make sure to grab a bar that’s higher than 70 percent cacao—our guide to the Best and Worst Chocolates should help.

Red Peppers

We know polishing off a sleeve of cookies might feel like the best option after a rough day, but you’re better off crunching on a red pepper. That’s because red peppers boast the highest amount of vitamin C in the produce aisle—just one cup has over three times the recommended daily intake of the nutrient! Though you might know it as the immune vitamin, the antioxidant properties of vitamin C also fights off free radicals and lingering stress hormones. Snack on slices raw dipped in hummus or add the veggie to a stir-fry to reap the benefits.

Nuts

Switch those crunchy chips for nuts to curb your munchies and relieve stress. Most nuts (two standouts are pumpkin seeds and almonds) are high in magnesium—a vital nutrient for our body’s natural stress coping mechanism that the average American isn’t getting enough of. Common symptoms of a magnesium deficiency are an inability to manage stress and the physical ramifications of that like high blood pressure, insomnia, fatigue, or loss of appetite. What’s more, nuts are also rich in mood-boosting selenium; the amino-acid, serotonin-precursor tryptophan; and depression-relieving omega 3 fatty acids. So we’re giving you the go-ahead for that PB&J.

Eggs

Feeling a bit tense after a fall out with a friend? Take out your angst by cracking some vitamin-D-rich eggs and boost your mood in the process. (FYI, a three-egg omelet will serve up over a third of your daily recommended intake of the nutrient.) Exactly how the sunshine vitamin works to improve mood isn’t yet fully understood, but one theory is that the nutrient increases levels of feel-good hormones, serotonin and dopamine, in the brain. (Plus, eggs are full of tryptophan, an amino acid needed for serotonin production.) Another way these protein-rich foods pack a de-stressing punch? The slow-digesting protein and fat will stabilize blood sugar levels post stressful situation. Pair your eggs with a piece of whole-grain bread to increase levels of serotonin further as carbs are necessary to facilitate the entrance of tryptophan into the brain.

Low-Fat Plain Yogurt

Next time you’re pulling your hair out, grab a cup of plain yogurt. This breakfast staple serves up a hefty dose of lysine and arginine, two amino acids that a study published in the journal Biomedical Research found work together to decrease feelings of anxiety and stress hormone levels. For an added punch, grab a container that has “live active cultures,” which signifies the presence of probiotics. Studies have found that proper gut health plays a critical role in influencing emotions such as anxiety, depression, and stress through our “gut-brain axis.” In fact, a small study by UCLA researchers found an association between consumption of probiotic yogurt and reduction in stress hormone level elevation following an emotional task.

Black Tea

Switch your black cuppa joe for the tea variety to ease your mind. A double-blind, placebo-controlled study published in the journal Psychopharmacology found that those who drank black tea were better able to manage stress than their herbal-sipping counterparts. Not only did black tea drinkers have lower levels of cortisol, their bodies were also able to lower stress hormone levels back to normal and relax more quickly after a nail-biting situation than non-black tea drinkers. Researchers speculate that ingredients such as catechins, polyphenols, and flavonoids in tea leaves may be at play, as they have previously been found to affect neurotransmitters in the brain. Be sure to steep your own cup at home—and avoid these antioxidant-deficient 26 Absolute Worst Bottled Teas in America.

The post 22 Best and Worst Foods for Stress appeared first on Eat This Not That.

#Eat This Not That

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lostinyourears · 6 years

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Arena Mexico Report! 06/19/2018

Metalico, El Hijo de Signo & Cancerbero vs. Leono, Bengala & Principe Diamante

Who’s who?

Cancerbero is the only masked rudo, Signo has skulls & Crossbones on his pants and a goatee while Metalico is in plain black pants with just a mustache.

Leono in black, Bengala in blue and Principe Diamante in white.

How’s the match?

Good, this was better than I was expecting from there undercard guys. Leono might be the most generic guy on the roster, no offense to him. Just has a very plain jane look, he could take some notes from Signo/Metalico who despite looking pretty average/normal, but make up for it by being more personal. I don’t want to throw Leono under the bus, but it seemed worth noting. This match probably won’t make these guys many fans, but I thought Signo/Metalico showed promise of becoming an undercard team akin to Raziel/Cancerbero. Of course Cancerbero replaced Sangre Azteca here which explains why he isn’t with Raziel here like he normally is... since he was just subbing.

Star Jr., Astral, & Electrico vs. Virus, Espanto Jr. & Disturbio

Who’s who?

Star Jr. in red, Astral in gold & Electrico in white.

Virus maskless in black/facepaint, Espanto Jr. the only masked rudo and Disturbio in red hair.

How’s the match?

Very good, I’m a big fan of Star Jr. and if I were going to make a top 5 talents of CMLL I’d like to see more/I’d like to see used better he’d be easy in the top 5. It helps that he is teaming with the great team of Astral and Electrico. Virus is obviously the best rudo and it shows. Still Disturbio/Espanto Jr. do a great job as well. Really all around fun midcard trios match. These rudos seem to fit one another like a glove. If Espanto Jr. or Disturbio can form a group with Virus it would help position both better on the card. Hope all these guys can keep putting out performances like this.

Titan, Esfinge & Triton vs. Okumura, Kawato San & Templario

Who’s who?

Titan in silver, Esfinge in gold/silver and Triton in white.

Okumura in orange is older, Kawato in red is younger & Templario in silver.

How’s the match?

Very good, Kawato and Okumura are a great team and you’d be hard pressed to find a talent on their level that’s as fun to put with them than Templario. You can say the same thing on the flipside with tecnico team Triton/Esfinge and their 3rd here Titan. I will say though that Titan seems above this, but luckily he isn’t having to carry the match on his back being paired with such great talents.

I think this match works so well because everyone involved feels like a star trying to impress. With both teams being people you want to succeeds and either team being easy to cheer for. For the rudos though my favorite is Templario by a mile and it’s great to see him on the Tuesday Show. It’s even more appreciated if he isn’t going to show up Friday.

Dragon Lee, Soberano Jr. & Stuka Jr. vs. Shocker, Mephisto & Ephesto

Who’s who?

Tecnicos all in blue, Stuka in light blue, Soberano in full pants and Lee in briefs.

Shocker maskless, Mephisto in silver/gold mask and attire and Ephesto in a red mask and attire.

How’s the match?

Good, this match suffers from me not really caring about Shocker. Almost the complete opposite of Templario/Titan. I think Shocker might be the worst Rudo on the roster to have fill out this team. I suppose Vangellys or Bestia would be as bad or Mascara Ano 2000? He sorta deflates the match and while this is fun for the tecnico spots and Mephisto/Lee feuding it fails to live up to the tooth and nail action of the previous 2 matches on the card.

Atlantis (c) vs Rey Bucanero for the Mexican National Light Heavyweight Championship

Who’s who?

Atlantis masked and Rey Bucanero without.

How’s the match?

Very good, it’s been a long while since Atlantis defended this belt. At least over a year(think it’s closer to 2), but to be fair he was out on injury for several months of 2017 and the start of 2018. With all the National, CMLL and NWA World Historic belts in CMLL it’s pretty easy to forgive a champion being on the shelf for a while.

Of course the National belts are controlled by the Boxing and Lucha Commission, they didn’t see the need to vacate it off Atlantis so he kept it despite not defending for so long. Glad to see him defend and this was a great showing from the legend. I think some people might roll their eyes at this. I really had fun with it though and was surprised at the bumps Atlantis took.

I think Rey Bucanero though is a pretty boring defense. No offense, but he isn’t much of a threat in 2018 even if he made it to the tag team title tournament finals with Terrible at Homage to 2 Legends, it was Terrible’s momentum that made them seem like a believable team not Bucanero’s.

Shocker was the cornerman for Bucanero while Stuka Jr. was in Atlantis’ corner. Informa the day after(Wednesday) saw the official announcement by Rey Bucanero that he and Shocker are going to start being called Señores Bien and team together. That seems like a poor team, hopefully they don’t rope in anyone I like as a 3rd. I just don’t want all my Templario matches to be with Shocker and Bucanero, though they might need someone who can pull more than their own weight. I hope the best for both men, but not so much best that they win gold or tournaments with just the two of them.

Atlantis retained which seemed like the obvious outcome, but with all the time between now and his last defense it didn’t seem implausible that they take the belt off him on a random Tuesday. Though with his win here this belt continues to seem like the last Atlantis might hold as he is nearing his 60′s. Who knows though, he could go another 3 years like Negro Casas. Only time will tell. Pretty solid show with the main downer being the match that involved Shocker. The main event won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but I thought it was nice to see Atlantis is still El Idolo De Los Ninos.

Highlights :

Arena Mexico Highlights 06/19/2018

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