#treason ep 1
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Hands up if you, too, are shocked to discover Jin Bu-Yeon is being held prisoner in CheonJongo
#tkem#alchemy of souls#jin bu yeon#kdrama recycling#as if this ep pt2-1 didn't have ENOUGH feels#you had to bring up Lee Ho#kdrama#more like okay: drama#netflix kdrama#the night of the treason
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Jie jie are you going to do a rec post for SOKP?
aight!! i got this ask two?? three?? weeks ago, but never got round to doing this because work has been fdjkhdsghskjf, but here y'all go
what: period cdrama // completed // 38 eps, roughly 40 mins each (+ one bonus epilogue ep, about <10 mins)
where: iqiyi (standard disclaimer that i don't watch with subs so i don't speak to the quality of eng subs)why: villain (of sorts) reincarnation fix-it, what's there not to like?? incredibly attractive cast.
this is jiang xuening. she is, as you can probably guess, the empress. there's been a coup. it's headed by her ex-best friend (who was in love with her until his family got massacred and she chose to leave him to pursue her dream to be empress) who resents her + a bloodthirsty advisor to the emperor. the only man she's ever loved (not the emperor ofc) hates her and is in prison because of her. her life is hell. she knows she has no way out. she trades her life for her imprisoned lover-
-and wakes up 18 again.
because jxn is not stupid, now that she's got a chance to do things again, she immediately decides this time she's going to do better!!
firstly!! she's going to be good to her bff yan lin!!
yan lin's family was massacred before?? not this fucking time!! not on jxn's watch!! she's got a few months to get her shit together and fix this for him!!
"this sounds too easy, sarah, it's a reincarnation fix-it, she's got cheat codes," you say? you're wrong. did you expect jxn to pay attention to anything in her first life beyond clawing her way up to the position of empress?? hell no. she knows the what, the when and the how - she's missing so much of the whys, which is probably important if she wants to stop it from happening.
in the meantime!! my girl's got other problems to deal with!!
in her first life, she died a really goddamn tragic life in the palace. when she was rebooted into life #2, she made the decision to stay tf away from the palace and everyone associated with it. no jxn in palace = no jxn dying in the palace. easy peasy!! foolproof. no way she can mess this up.
she ends up in the palace as the princess's study buddy 🥰 ofc she does, because jxn just can't get a goddamn break. thank you yan lin and co for meddling. 😊
while she's there, she accidentally seduces befriends the princess.
princess was in love with a crossdressing jxn in life #1 and got Really Pissed Off about it when she found out jxn was in fact not the man of her dreams (or a man at all). she made jxn's life in the palace hell in life #1.
jxn: this time around i just won't dress as a man!! no male!jxn = no princess falling in love!!
princess: fool. this time i'll love the female you 🥰
ykw? works for jxn. as long as she's not dying, everything is fine. girlfriend +1 it is then!!
while we're on the topic of sorting out her relationships while she's in the palace, let's talk a little bit about zhang zhe, aka the only man she ever loved in life #1
this is zhang zhe, low ranking officer in the ministry of justice. as straight-laced as they come. excellent cheekbones. in life #1, had a Soft Spot for jxn and did some stuff against his conscience for her. in this life, she's determined not to ruin him!! he's like her 白月光
ANYWAY these two meet again in the palace when he saves her life when she's being framed for treason. immediately, jxn is all 😍🤩 over him again. why would she not!! he was her biggest regret in life #1!! she literally died to save him!! (for those of y'all who expect to have SL syndrome over him, prepare to be WELL-FED, these two have a long arc)
alright y'all know how i said jxn was in the palace to be the princess's study buddy? well!! let's meet their teacher:
xie wei. advisor to the emperor. resting bitchface 10/10. petty af. occasionally feral and murderous 🥵. they were sort of briefly acquainted way back when they travelled to the capital together and jxn saved his life when he was having an Episode (long story short, bb boy is Unwell). the last face jxn saw in life #1 when she took her own life. you guessed it, he's aka the bloodthirsty advisor who staged the coup in life #1.
jxn is (rightfully) quite afraid of him. she tries her best to stay out of his way, but he's trying to sound her out (because she knows his ~secret) to see if she's friend or foe, so they end up in each other's paths more often than not, including important times such as these:
when jxn is trying to thwart a plot to frame yan lin's dad for treason
when xie wei is committing murder
when jxn is heart broken over zhang zhe
they kind of form an alliance!! in jxn's mind, xie wei and yan lin staged the coup together in life #1, so their interests must sort of be aligned!! plus!! xie wei is hella smart!! he'll know what to do to stop yan lin's family from getting masacred!!
ANYWAY that's the gist of the story - i've avoided most of the spoilery parts i think.
there's also the typical cdrama villains you'd expect in a show like this: evil empress dowager, power-hungry prime minister, spoiled brat daughter of the prime minister who is also scheming to be queen, evil uncle of the king trying to usurp the throne etc etc. all the things you need to prop the Palace Evil Schemes up.
i've seen some people say this is a 低配 version of love like the galaxy, which, ykw? fair. 😂 lltg is written better. sokp was a fun watch, though!! y'all know i am into reincarnation plots, and am basically predisposed to liking most of bai lu's dramas. and!! this show ends on such a good note!! i've been tricked into so many ~vague endings this year that this was so so so good to get <3
some of the parts dragged a bit for me (i am p meh about zhang zhe, i mean i get the appeal, but he's not doing it for me), but it wasn't bad! i liked xie wei's character enough to sit through a lot of things. could've done with like 300% more yan lin and the princess, but we can't always have what we want!!
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84 years ago i've promised an alicent and rhaenyra post, and i've finally got around into making it.
so book!rhaenyra and alicent is not that complicated. alicent was fine with rhaenyra when she thought that viserys will name their firstborn son heir, and when that wasn't the case they started beefing & despised each other.
the show's decision of making them former friends is actually a good choice. it adds depth and tragedy into their relationship & makes the entire conflict more personal. instead of the stepmother x stepdaughter dynamic we get 2 childhood friends, destined to become enemies.
young!rhaenyra and alicent arc was actually really good. alicent got married to viserys and tried to mend her relationship with an angry rhaenyra. and just when things were getting better the realization that things can never go back to the way they were & they were destined to become enemies = alicent becoming the green queen & the rivalry truly begins.
and that's where... thing got... messy
because in ep 6 we see alicent and rhaenyra fighting. they seem to hate each other & constantly trying to undermine each other. then we get to ep 7 & driftmark, and we all expected that from that moment on we will get book!alicent and rhaenyra rivalry and hatred. but no? all of the sudden, one dinner and they're friends again?
i'm sorry... what?
and then alicent refuses to hurt rhaenyra and her family, rhaenyra's crying over a piece of paper (i was with daemon going "the fuck is this") rhaenyra shocked over alicent's betrayal & both women do not want to hurt each other.
so, you're telling me that after driftmark - after rhaenyra wanted to have alicent's maimed son tortured & tried to get alicent accused of high treason and after alicent demanded luke's eye these women feel anything but hatred towards each other?
you're telling me that alicent - who has spent the entire show believing that her children's lives will be in danger if rhaenyra became queen suddenly goes "you'll make a good queen" (again, i was with otto giving her the side-eye because GURL) one dinner is apparently all it takes to fix 20 years of rivalry and hatred?
and that's the problem. the show doesn't seem to be able to tell the difference between "friendship" and "relationship". rhaenyra and alicent's relationship can still be the center of the show even if they are enemies. even if they're no longer friends. look at magnificent century, hurrem and mahidevran's rivalry is the center of the show & it's very clear that these two women were forced into becoming enemies and that the real villain is the sultan.
hotd wants to force the "friendship" narrative on the show, but they still have to stick to certain book canon events, so it comes off very forced and unnatural. they're unwilling to let these 2 women become enemies, so they take their agency and give it to otto and daemon. otto and daemon are the ones who want war, rhaenyra and alicent just want to go back into being friends :( look at this page from ep 1 that you've prob forgotten all about!
they literally have to sacrifice their agency. because alicent being the leader of the green council & rhaenyra being the one wanting to go to war against the people who took away the crown she was promised doesn't fit the "friendship" narrative. so let's make alicent unaware of everything & rhaenyra doesn't even want to go to war :( it's all daemon and otto and the eViL mEn. it's honestly such a disservice to their characters. they're stripped of their ambition and agency for the sake of forcing their "friendship".
and the thing that truly made me lose hope is ryan saying that "there's still hope".
my dude.
from the first moment we see the girl. from that first scene where they're sitting under the tree - there was no hope. there was never hope. they're doomed.
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A League of Nobleman (君子盟) - Whump List
Whumpee : Lan Jue played by Jing Bo ran and Zhang Ping played by Song Wei Long
Synopsis : Zhang Ping is a poor scholar who wanders the streets, using his skill of pulling noodles to make a living. He is meddlesome in nature and likes to involve himself with government cases. Lan Jue, the Minister of Rites, is constantly embroiled in the political strife of the court. Possessing a graceful and elegant appearance, he seems to lead a smooth-sailing life but actually hides a history unknown to many. While traveling to the Capital for the National Examinations, Ping unknowingly becomes entangled in Jue's secret operation. Together they will face tough cases head-on and life-and-death situations. (MDL)
Genres : Thriller, Mystery, Wuxia, Historical, Bromance
Note : Since I really liked this drama, I made an edit for it on my youtube channel that you can watch here.
Warning! Possible spoilers below!
Lan Jue
Ep 1 : None
Ep 2 : Choked, anxious, half stumbling, has to sit down
Ep 3 : Anxious, heart beating fast, vision blurry — Accused of treason, almost taken to jail
Ep 4 : Kidnaped, unconscious, rope around his neck, coughing, water thrown at his face, choked, cut slowly with a knife in the arm, in pain, (Gif Set) — Hanged, choking, saved, (Gif Set)
Ep 5-6 : None
Ep 7 : Crying, emotional
Ep 8 : In an explosion, debris from a tunnel collapse on him, struggling to stand up, ears ringing, worried for Zhang Ping, (Gif Set), trapped
Ep 9 : Worried for Zhang Ping
Ep 10 : Enters a state of hypnosis/illusion, facing his inner demons, panicked
Ep 11 : Still under hypnosis, panicking, heavy breathing — Teary-eyed — Suddenly wakes up from the hypnosis
Ep 12 : None
Ep 13 : (His close friend gets angry because he’s worried about him. It’s not whump by I really like these brotherly moments) — In jail — Stomachache
Ep 14 : Stomachache worsens, concern for him — Teary-eyed — (Zhang Ping comes to his house to make him food to cure his stomachache. It was really sweet) — Attacked, pushed to the ground
Ep 15 : Fighting, hit in the head, collapses — Unconscious, carried by Zhang Ping — Wakes up, has a falling-out with Zhang Ping — Getting drenched in the rain — Becoming a bit crazy, hallucinating — Hand scratched by a cat
Ep 16 : Angry outburst, shaking, desperate — Hallucinating, becoming crazy — Finally calms down and becomes rational again
Ep 17 : None
Ep 18 : In jail
Ep 19-20 : None
Ep 21 : Poisoned, has a nosebleed, very dizzy, unsteady, collapses, passes out
Ep 22 (⚠️TW for attempted suicide⚠️): Wakes up in bed, helped up — (Flashback) Drinks poison willingly, drinking, passing out
Ep 23-24 : None
Ep 25 : Learning the truth about his father, emotional, angry outburst, teary-eyed
Ep 26 : Has a nightmare
Ep 27 : None
Ep 28 : Restrained, manhandled
Ep 29 : None
Zhang Ping
Ep 1 : Sword at his neck — Get tangled up in fabrics and falls (comedic)
Ep 3-4 : None
Ep 4 : Back slashed by a sword while saving Lan Jue, in pain, concern for him, passes out — In bed, unconscious, treated, (Gif Set), having a nightmare, concern for him, doctor says he is dying (he was only pretending)
Ep 5-6 : None
Ep 7 : Pinned to the ground, restrained
Ep 8 : In an explosion, debris from a tunnel collapse on him, buried under some rocks, unconscious, concern for him, wakes up, (Gif Set), trapped, arm injured, arm bandaged
Ep 9 : Missing, concern for him — Wakes up tied up in an unknown place, manages to free himself, attacked — Unconscious (or dead?), about to be used as some sort of sacrifice, revealed it was just an illusion, choked, manhandled (in the illusion), sweating (in the real world) — Thrown to the ground, kicked, inhaled some poisonous gas, helped up — Leaning against a tree, weak — Has a nightmare
Ep 10 : Enters a state of hypnosis/illusion
Ep 11 : Tired after performing the hypnosis, falls asleep — Agitated sleep, has a nightmare, heavy breathing, given a flower to calm his nerves
Ep 12 : Restrained, taken away — Put on his knees, restrained, punched twice, manhandled, put in some kind of torture box that makes him hang by the neck, choked, vision blurry, passing out, (Gif Set), saved by Lan Jue, weak — Bruises on his neck
Ep 13 : Punched, grabbed by the collar — In jail
Ep 14 : Fighting
Ep 15 : Fighting — Slashed in the back with a knife/sword, in pain, shoulder bleeding — Carrying Lan Jue on his injured back — Crying, has a falling-out with Lan Jue, sword at his neck, collapses due to his wound — Getting drenched in the rain, collapses unconscious, found, concern for him (Gif Set) — Shivering in bed, looked after — Falls of his horse exhausted, passes out — Wakes up in bed — Big wound on his back treated
Ep 16 : Having a nightmare, sweating, agitated in his sleep
Ep 17 : None
Ep 18 : In jail
Ep 19 : None
Ep 20 : Drugged, vision blurry, weak — Teary-eyed
Ep 21 : Very dizzy, unsteady, collapses, passes out
Ep 22 : None
Ep 23 : Watches someone he loves die in front of him, crying, angry, knocked out
Ep 24 : Wakes up in bed, emotional, restrained, falls to his knees, punching the ground, heavy breathing, teary-eyed — Exhausted, teary-eyed, hallucinating, collapses unconscious — Wakes up, vision blurry, sick, weak, stumbling, carried, very weak, passed out — Enters an illusion (in a state of hypnosis), exhausted, collapsing on his knees, teary-eyed, gets his memories back— Crying, wakes up
Ep 25 : None
E 26 : Manhandled, framed for murder
Ep 27 : Handcuffed — Stabbed, collapses, concern for him, gasping in pain, passes out
Ep 28 : Walking holding his side, helped to walk — (Flashback) Stabbed, concern for him, knife taken out, wound treated and sealed with fire, wakes up in pain, bandaged (Gif Set)
Ep 29 : Holding his side
>> More Whump Lists
#a league of nobleman#whump list#asian whump#whump#cdrama#chinese drama#jing boran#song weilong#bromance
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What We Came Here To Do pt.4
The 100 Episode 2 pt.2
A/n: This Post is a little short and goes into ep 3 just a little bit bc I needed filler. also if you squint you'll see a little bit of Bellamy falling for the reader.
Summary: Y/N Kane was a mechanic apprentice that worked under Jake Griffin and Sinclare until Jake gets floated and you get locked up for treason. Now you are part of the 100 getting sent to earth. Of course, you miss your best friend Wick but is stopping your dad Marcus Kane from coming down to earth worth losing Wick forever, the hot (totally not a guard) Bellamy Blake thinks so, so you just might follow him.
Warning: Cursing, violence, sex (Eventually), Slow Burn!!!
Pairing: Bellamy Blake x reader(eventually), Wick x best friend reader, Raven x best friend reader, Finn x best friend reader
pt.1 pt.2 pt.3
Finn Pov
In the drop ship, Finn was helping Clarke gather supplies when Wells walks in.
“There you are, I've been looking everywhere for-what are you two doing? I already said my father left us with nothing.” Clarke shakes her head looking up at Wells, silently examining the cut Murphy gave him. “I'm fine.” He mumbles hiding the wound a little as if he was a little kid about to get scolded for playing too rough. “Just a Scratch.”
“Clearly you’re making friends fast. Keep the scratch covered.” She squints her eyes a little, focusing on the pack hung on Wells’ body. Finn looked at it as well, admiring the craftsman ship.
“Yeah I pieced it together with some parts off the dropship insulation, seatbelts, parachute, you name it I used it. Figured we could use the parachute to carry Y/n.”
“Good give it to someone else. You're not coming.” Clarke says standing up and not giving Wells another glance.
“Clarke, my ankle is fine.” She scoffs, spinning on her heels so fast Finn was worried the rubber souls of her shoes would melt.
“I don't give a shit about your ankle Wells. It's you. I don't want You to come with.” Finn watched in shock. He hadn’t expected to see a side like this with Clarke.
“You came back for reinforcements. That's me.”
“He's got a point, Clarke.” She shot a look filled with daggers at Finn causing him to cringe a little. “So far only Monty and Jasper have volunteered. I can carry her on my own but it'll be easier to protect ourselves if we have more eyes and hands.”
“Monty, you can't go either.”
“What why?! Y/n is my friend too!”
“You were raised on farm station. What up here,” She tapped his forehead gently with her index finger. “Is gonna save us all.”
“Then I definitely have to come if you are making Monty stay.” Clarke rubs her temples.
“Fine.” She says in a curt tone. “We leave now.” Clarke turns on her heels again, this time Finn and the others close behind her s she walks up to Bellamy and Octavia.
“Are you leaving? I'm coming too.” Bellamy scoffs at Octavia.
“Like hell you are.” She pouts about to protest when Clarke cuts in.
“He’s right, you’ll only slow us down, Octavia. But you on the other hand,” Clarke turns towards Bellamy. “You are coming with us.” He scoffs.
“Already planned on it princess. I wasn't gonna let you guys go get Y/n without my help.” Clarke nods and makes her way to the edge of the makeshift camp everyone in tow.
“Murphy follow us, Atom you keep my sister fucking safe do you understand me?” Atom nods and Murphy falls in line with the rest of the group.
Everyone walked in silence for what seemed like forever until there was a click of a gun behind Finn and Clarke. They both turn in unison to see Bellamy with his gun pointed at Clarke and Murphy with his signature cocky grin.
“What’s the rush guys? Not like Y/n actually survived a spear to the heart. Which sucks cause the kid had a spark.” Bellamy says inching closer to Clarke.
“Put the gun away, Bellamy.”
“Why don't you do something about it?”
“Y/n screamed when they moved her, which means they didn't spear her heart.”
“The kid still has a spark.” Bellamy mutters under his breath.
“We don't have time to waste.”
“Take the wristband off and then we’ll go rescue Y/n” Clarke scoffs at Bellamy.
“The only way the ark is gonna think I'm dead is if I’m actually dead.”
“Brave little princess.” Bellamy Smirks and uncocks the gun placing it back into his waistband.
“Hey get your own nickname.”
They keep walking when Bellamy let out a loud sigh.
“We need to split up and cover more ground. Clarke come with me.” Finns ears perk up.
“Ill come with you guys as well, Jasper can go with wells and Murphy to make sure they dont kill eachother.” Bellamy shrugs a little.
“Whatever.” The silent journey continues until something crosses Finns mind.
“Bellamy why do you care if we find Y/n. Isnt she one of the privileged?” Bellamy is quiet for a moment before speaking.
“From what I’ve seen of her, she doesnt act like one of them, she acts like one of us. She has a sassy spark and doesnt deserve to be taken out by a fucking spear.” He stops walking and turns to look at Finn. “Why do you care so much if we find her?”
“Shes one of my best friends. Me her and wick always hung out in the mechanic wing. God Wick is probably worried sick about her.” Bellamy goes to open his mouth but Finn cuts him off. “And no Wick isnt her boyfriend just her best friend in like the entire galaxy.” Bellamy nods and keeps walking. It got silent again. Eventually Wells, Murphy and Jasper meet back up with the other group.
“How do we know were going the right way? Do we even know where they could have taken her?” Wells asks, his ankle clearly starting to bother him.
“We dont. Spacewalker over here thinks hes a tracker.” Bellamy says matter a factly. Finn goes to say something snarky but theres a low groan that stops him.
“What was that?” Finn asks.
“Now would be a good time to get out that gun.” Clarke tells Bellamy. They all slowly continue to walk forward when Finn sees you, bloodied and barley alive strung up in a tree like some sick christmas tree ornament.
“Oh my god Y/n.” Finn and Clarke walk forward but clarke was alittle ahead causing her to fall into a hole. Some how Bellamy caught her before Finn could even process what happened. “Pull her up! Hurry!” Finn panics. Bellamy pulls clarke up and Finn rushes to her side. “Are you okay?” She nods and stands following Bellamy around the hole to where you were tied up.
“I can climb up and cut the vines.” Finn says getting out his makeshift knife.
“Ill come with you.” Wells says following him.
“No you stay down here and watch murphy, Bellamy lets go. I need you to hold her up while I cut her down.” He nods and both of them start climbing up.
“Look her wound, it has poultice on it.” CLarke points out.
“Medicine? Why would they try and heal her just to string her up like live bait?” Wells interjects.
“Maybe they were trying to catch something that likes its dinner breathing.” Bellamy says starting to climb up the tree.
“Or maybe they are trying to catch us.” After a few minutes of cutting and Bellamy trying to sooth you as you cried and whimpered from the movement, you were finally free. Bellamy carried you down from the tree, Finn jumped down after and opened his arms for Bellamy to pass you to him.
“Are you sure? I dont mind caring her.” Everyones heads head snaps in the direction of the sound of a branch snapping.
“Bellamy gun!” Clarke urges. He quickly goes to pass you off to Finn when a gun shot goes off. He looks over and Wells is shooting and missing at a large cat lookin thing. Bellamy goes to reach for the gun when the animal finally goes down. Bellamy looks at Wells a little shocked.
“Now she sees you.”
Time skip back to camp
Y/n Pov
Everything was dark and felt like fire. The fire would stop for a moment and then it would continue like hot knife being stabbing into your soft skin. You knew you had to of been being loud there was no way you werent you just hoped whoever was making you feel this way knew what they were doing.
After a while the burning stopped only to be replaced with a new pain, that made your whole body writhe in pain. In you time in this darkness you heard voices. Some you could recognize like Clarke, Finn, Monty, and Jasper. But there was one that you recognized but couldnt put a name to it.
“Hey, youre gonna get better okay? You cant die on me.” The voice spoke softly “I have this plan, and idea really that me and you can run this camp but I cant do it with out you.” You felt a large, rough and callused hand grab yours. “I need your spark.”
You were unsure how much time had passed but you knew clarke and Finn continued to check in on you.
“Her pulse is through the roof, its pushing 380.” Clarke says as she lets go of your wrist.
“GO TO BED”
“SHUT HER THE HELL UP”
“JUST LET HER DIE ALREADY”
Finn leans down and brushes the hair from your forehead.
“Dont listen to them okay, you are gonna make it.” Clarke stand up, watching the way Finn is so soft with you and smiles.
“Im gonna go get some water, watch her okay?” Finn nods and positions himself in a way that he can watch the door and you.
~Taglist~
@gaymansruse @severa-kane @slut4bradley
#bellarke#the 100#bellamy blake#the 100 clarke#the 100 bellamy#bellamy x reader#octavia blake#the 100 finn#the 100 imagines#john murphy#bellamy blake imagine#bellamy blake smut#bellamy blake x reader
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The Legend of Anle ep 1-10: Thoughts and feels!
Not my favorite poster, but one that I think it’s pretty nonetheless.
I’m actually really happy with how the story started, despite being different from the novel. I like that Anle and HanYe met within the first ten minutes. While in the novel they have a real conversation until chapter 9! That’s crazy. Despite them making Anle more agressively flirty and HanYe a lot more shy, I like the dynamic they have managed to built. It took them a good five eps imo to find their footing and start the story for real, but I like that they took their time for the setup.
I’m specially happy with how good of a double agent Anle is. She can be so cheerful and obliviously flirty, saying Crown Prince this, Crown Prince that, but then turn around and give off this cold look and transform into the Di Ziyuan who’s back for revenge. And although a bit harder to read at the start, Crown Prince is shaping up to be a hell of a noble and righteous character. But the man is not a saint and I’m sure they’re gonna do him justice on that end hehe
If she knew he was going to catch her, doesn’t that show she has a bit of trust in him?
Of course, I wouldn’t be here without the romance (not even for Gong Jun, sadly... nah who am I kidding, I probably would, but I wouldn’t enjoy it as much) and while I’m a bit subconsciously anxious because of the big secrets and tragedies lurking in the back, I cannot help but to think them cute. It does seem like HanYe doesn’t have any idea there wasn’t any real treason and it looks like Anle isn’t completely sure of that (the way she got him drunk to get him to spill secrets about it told me as much). And because the show has been following the novel pretty closely, I’m just gonna trust it and believe they will do the story justice.
They’re choosing to keep the Emperor more in the background in these eps, just like his mother, but these are bitches and I hiss at my screen everytime I see them. I’m not kidding. I guess Crown Prince and his sister turned out to be actually good because of the tragedy the lived when they were children and well, guilt. So much horror would turn you one way or the other, I think. And I have to consider the Emperor really made sure HanYe received the best education (and actual values) to make him the way he is.
my besties!! there was so much going on at their fight scene, but it just cracks me up that’s how they greeted each other and afterwards became sworn sisters lmao
I absolutely love Anning already and I feel like every minute we have with her is so precious! I just want her and Anle to be friends forever and get wasted together while annoying their boyfriends I mean, her guard and the CP. *winks*
I like them! I’m gonna ship it! (even if they break my heart in the end lol)
I just love that their relationship has been evolving organically. He wouldn’t even look at her with more than a look of desdain or exasperation, but she started to wear him down and like I said, bring down his barriers. Now he smiles sweetly at her and that’s how I know he’s fallen for her. Well, he also pretty much said it while he was drunk and then admitted to think about her often, to her face!
And while they’re both beautiful, they didn’t start to like each other because of looks. For HanYe, he knew from the beginning Anle wasn’t there to be just the Crown Princess, he knew she had ulterior motives for joining the court, but chose to trust her and that, so far, has been proven to be a good choice (until it won’t be, but now is not the time for that). With all the corruption in the palace and outside of it, Anle has been proven to be a powerful ally and one with amazing deductive skills, witty, smart and capable. And that’s why HanYe is captivated.
However, I do love more the fact that Anle has started to fall for the CP simply because he’s good. This girl, who has been waiting for a decade for this very moment, a mastermind hungry for revenge, decided to stage the “perfect” plan of shamelessly chasing after CP’s delicious body so that she wouldn’t raise suspicions about her real identity, but ended up caught up in her own trap. And I know she’s just gonna deny it until the last possible moment and then, it’s probably gonna be too late.
But for now, let’s enjoy the adorbs! (In ten eps I’ll probably be crying so)
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Team Green here (in the sense that I love the Greens character yk) Well rhaenyra did suggest to torture Aemond after the eye incident. It was a protective gesture due to the possible danger of the rumors, but it shows that she can be reckless to protect what is hers even if it means to hurt her own half-brothers. And she also never did anything to suggest she would never hurt her siblings.
And yes ultimately the Greens ambitions (the thirst for power or the need to protect their family) is what doomed them. But it’s a good tragedy. Otto placed his daughter in a dangerous position and had his gran-children in dangerous positions as well, it was doomed from the start.
At least that is how I understand it !
hi anon
Rhaenyra demanded that Aemond be tortured, but it was more of a strategic move than anything else. Rhaenyra has seen people commit high treason in front of his father’s eyes (ep. 1, ep. 3, ep. 4, ep. 6) and he do absolutely nothing to punish them, she is aware that Viserys will not torture aemond, but by asking so the attention has gone from "aemond lost an eye" to "aemond has committed high treason against the princes in line to inherit the throne" + the king reiterated once again that the heir is Rhaenyra and that no one can insult her sons, not even the king’s own sons. As for the book, the situation is different. Rhaenyra demanded that Aemond be tortured only after Alicent demanded that Luke’s eye be cut, Rhaenyra wanted to be the one who silences Alicent. We do not see Rhaenyra interacting with his brothers, neither in the book nor in the show. But in the book it is clear how Alicent and her children were those who resented Rhaenyra and her children. Alicent began to antagonize her because she wanted her son on the throne and Aegon, Aemond and Daeron did the same with Jace and Luke because they saw them as responsible for the "theft" of their right to the throne. On the other hand, it is not mentioned that Rhaenyra had problems with his brothers, simply that they did not speak. If this is not necessary to prove who would have been in danger if the other person had risen to the throne, Rhaenyra after his coronation claimed that she understood that her brothers had been manipulated and said she was ready to forgive them, Aegon’s were his wish that Rhaenyra and daemon be put to death.
Now, setting ethics and morality aside, killing her brothers would not have brought Rhaenyra any benefit. Kinslayer is one of the worst crimes in Westeros, condemned by the faith of the seven, the ancient gods and the drowned god. Men state that “no man is accursed as the kinslayer'' and “the kinslayer is accursed in the eyes of gods and men”. It would not be long before Rhaenyra would face rebellions of all kinds and people would find a way to lay her down or kill her, and dragons could help but the problem would persist (look at Maegor for examples, balerion’s flame didn't stop the rebellion of the faith).
And I agree with the last part, otto condemned his daughter and his grandchildren right after her. If things had been handled differently I am sure that all this could have been avoided, “tragedy” is the word that best describes the situation.
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Romitri - Rose / Dimitri - Vampire Academy - Season 1 - Ep 9
Welcome to my Meta for episode 9 of Season 1 of Vampire Academy on Peacock! If you’d like to catch up:
Episodes 1-5 Meta
Episode 6 Meta
Episode 7 Meta
Episode 8 Meta
SPOILER ALERT: I will spoil absolutely everything. So, reader beware. I haven’t yet read the books, so feel free to fill in the blanks, if you like! Can’t believe we’re already here, near the end.
Time to dive in!
Darkness
Haven’t we all faced some inner darkness at some time or another? Something that has clung to us with such steadfastness that we believed it must be an exterior force clinging to our goodness, robbing us of who we are. This episode is a study in the many facets of darkness... darkness that can come out of corruption, darkness that can come when night falls, darkness that arises from our choices, and darkness that becomes all that’s left when we deplete the light.
If I wrote Metas for the whole episodes, we’d be here for hours discussing... but this is a Romitri Meta... and it’s still going to be bloody long. So, grab your favorite fangtastic popcorn and drink (spirited or not), and let’s have fun!
Rose and Mason Embrace Their Future
Uhhh, Rachel? I think you forgot what this Meta is about... two sentences into it.
No. I didn’t forget. But, I think this is important. I’ve seen people saying, “It’s not the Rose and Dimitri show... this is Rose’s show. Abso-friggin-lutely. Rose and Lissa’s relationship is truly the heart of the show. And I don’t think we can properly discuss what happens between Dimitri and Rose this episode without taking into account the Mason factor. Like it or not, he’s a part of this.
Mason is caught up in the euphoria of the woman he loves choosing him. Yes, that’s what he sees. That’s what he thinks is going on, here, because we know he was aware of Dimitri and Rose. He saw it first-hand during the Benchmarks. He saw it outside the pub. He saw it when Rose and Dimitri trained together.
He’s not completely oblivious, but, at the same time, he doesn’t realize how deep Rose and Dimitri go. It’s soulmate stuff.
But, right now he and Rose are fantasizing about what they are going to do in the human world. And Rose is truly, truly feeling happy. But not because she chose Mason... because she chose herself.
That’s right. Rose Hathaway chose Rose. Dimitri isn’t even a choice in her mind, anymore. She’s released the belief that he will ever “come to [his] senses”. Rose is moving on because she has accepted that the path she truly wants is closed to her.
And it’s more than just moving on from Dimitri. She’s also looking to move on from Lissa. Lissa’s breakup with her shook her up. Follow that up with Dimitri’s words about Rose’s unusual upbringing, enveloped in the love of a Moroi family... and Rose is as lost as Dimitri.
But, we’ll get to that later.
While Rose is in the throws of euphoria, Dimitri is unknowingly facing down the long walk (but short fall) to the depths of hopelessness. The “choices” they made are coming back around.
Dimitri is Arrested for Treason
Refresher: Rose made an insane choice and told Sasha Tanner to run. Not saying she was wrong, but in Dimitri’s eyes this was the stupidest choice... to choose to aid and abet someone going AWOL... to choose Treason.
But, he chose Rose... and that’s landed him here, in hot water.
“Guardian Belikov, the punishment for treason is very serious.”
Duh. Like, none of us think the punishment for treason is a lollipop and a stern warning. It’s f*cking treason, you dolt. Dimitri, with his spotless record isn’t going to enter into it lightly.
Alberta enters, and she looks right at Dimitri. Like, “You, f*cker. What the f*ck did you two do?” Behind her is Rose, and her eyes lock onto Dimitri as fast as his lock on hers.
They likely haven’t spoken since the Ring... have avoided one another. He’s been healing, so we know it’s been a few weeks since he no longer sports the black eye. But with that one look, we know they are united. They won’t give each other away, if they can.
But Dimitri’s report is damning. He was the Head Command on this mission. He already knows he’s f*cked.
“I stand by my statement.”
Because there is no other option for Dimitri Belikov. He made this choice to cover for Rose back then, and he can’t go back on it, now. He will always choose Rose.
“I hope you know what you’re doing.”
Because they both know he’s f*cked. Dimitri even nods at that. Yes, he knows what he’s doing. He’s doing what he convinced himself he wouldn’t do—choosing love over duty.
Now, he doesn’t know that they have Sasha... but he knows they know something, and even that suspicion is enough to screw him. And he knows it.
And he makes the choice anyway. Look, I know a lot of us have a sour feeling in our stomach because our boy ending the last episode macking on snake venom in a human skin. He’s a lost boy, unsure of who he is anymore. But one thing he knows in his heart despite his head railing against it—he loves Rose Hathaway. No way in hell he’s letting anything happen to her if he can help it.
Dimitri’s Apartment
I love this glimpse into his life. Having his own apartment, he’s afforded more space and privacy than the Novices collected in their co-ed dorm.
We open on a stack of books. Biographies, as Dimitri will later identify, of humans. He describes it as his way of seeing the world, later, but I suspect it’s also his way of being someone else. He can’t embrace the idea of choice, as Rose can, but reading of another’s life and choices allows him to imagine in a way that he’d never allow himself outside of the sound of turning pages and the weight of the book in his hand.
Books are so often an escape for those of us who grew up in trauma. You can open a book, tune out the world, and disappear. I think it’s telling of Dimitri’s personality that he disappears into others’ lives. Perhaps secretly wishing his was filled with more of those choices he doesn’t believe he has.
The bed is impeccably made, another stack of books at the end of it. There’s a sense of scarcity to this room, Swedish Ladders lining one wall, candles and religious relics filling the window space. A mat on the floor for meditation. There’s so much white space in here, void of anything that isn’t necessary—save the books.
These books are Dimitri’s quiet rebellion. They’re scattered. They’re stacked imperfectly. They aren’t organized by author or alphabet. They’re the pieces of himself that yearn to break out of the shell of conformity.
But he’s not reading when there’s a knock at the door. He’s sitting cross-legged on the floor, meditating. He knows what’s coming.
He even warned Rose, “Do you have any idea what they’ll do to her if they find her? What they’ll do to you if they find out that you helped?” “I don’t care,” she had said. She didn’t. She didn’t care what happened to her.
But she cares what happens to him.
That’s why, despite her plans to leave, she shows up at his door.
He opens the door, and as soon as she sees him, she sighs, full of relief. He matches her sigh with one of his own. They didn’t know what had happened to the other after that moment of eye contact. Rose looks around her, and Dimitri wordlessly opens the door for her to enter while simultaneously looking for anyone watching.
And this effortless rhythm is so indicative of the bond between Dimitri and Rose. Fractured as they’ve been since the breakup, they are still completely in sync when they want to be. Neither had to utter a word for the other to know how they each felt, what they needed to do, and how to follow through.
Yes, they’ve trained together so they can make those choices in combat. But, this isn’t combat. This is a dance. It’s a painful, slow, heartbreaking dance. But no less beautiful.
The door closes, and Rose fills the silence with her ownership of the situation. This is important.
Remember back in the early episodes when Rose faced the consequences for taking Lissa outside the Wards? Dimitri tried to offer her support, but then felt she wasn’t taking it seriously. He asserted how people need to take ownership of their choices.
“I’m the one that helped Sasha escape.” “Sasha chose this. It’s not on you.”
While technically true, I don’t think early Season 1 Dimitri would have taken the same attitude. Yes, Sasha chose her path. But, Dimitri, my dear, you chose yours to protect your Roza.
Their initial conversation done, Rose finally takes in the fact that Dimitri is deliciously shirtless. But it’s so awkward, now. Dimitri wasn’t thinking about it, either, but with the lull in the conversation, he moves to put on a hoodie.
And all the Dimitri fan-folk collectively groan and throw things at the screen.
Look, I may be a Demi who spends my time wondering how hard it’s going to be for the makeup team to cover Kieron Moore’s new butterfly tattoo if/when we get S2, but I understand that there are people out there drooling over this moment.
Even Rose in her, “I’m running away to start a new life with Mason” state of mind can’t help but think, “DAYUM!”
And, I find it fascinating that Rose is in her full gear... Hair in a bun. Wearing her uniform. Boots.
While Dimitri is stripped bare of that (oh, yeah he is!). *ahem* Dimitri is barefoot. He didn’t even have on a shirt until Rose walked in the room.
All the bravado he’s carried with him, the badges he’s worn and the pride he’s taken in his role as a Guardian has been stripped, and he knows it. He’s more vulnerable than he’s been since the boat.
But Rose is focused on the task at hand.
“What’s going to happen to her?” “It’s in the hands of HQ, now. Nothing either of us can do.” “And that?” “A tracker. It’s nothing. Just due process and safeguards.”
No. It’s. Not. Look, all y’all people who are still pissed at our boy... He is now doing exactly what Rose did for Lissa back in episode 2 when Rose hid her Tribunal from Lissa to protect her... to choose her first. Dimitri is choosing Rose.
He’s not going to tell her about his troubles because he wants to protect her. He separated from her, and he hurt her, and he knows her. If she knows that he’s facing something, she’ll want to face it with him. Because much as they are both hurting, they still trust one another. They still know one another.
“I’ll be fine once all this blows over.” “HQ doesn’t let things blow over.” “The Dominion needs all the Guardians it has right now. I’m not entirely without value.”
There he is with his perceptions of “Value”, again. Remember Dimitri had requested to be moved to another province because he believed his value at St Vladimir’s to be compromised. But, it’s a very well thought-out lie. Rose knows as much as he does how dire it is—that people like Tatiana want to put teenagers out in the field... that non-Royals have had their Guardians taken.
What he doesn’t expect is her sly smile and response.
“If that was a brag, you need to step up your game, Comrade.”
It’s the first small smile she’s offered him since she walked in. But it puts him at ease. This is the same smile she wore on the boat as they shared a few moments of peace and contentment in their love before the whole thing went to sh*t.
But, also, it’s the return of one of her nicknames for him. The first time it was said, it was in friendly competition (with a touch of flirting). The second time, in anger in the Ring. This time, she’s said with affection and familiarity. He can’t help but smile back... that same smile from the boat.
It’s as though they’re both toeing the line between this present moment and the memory of who they are mixed with the potential of what they could have been. It hurts but in a bittersweet way that almost makes you forget the pain.
“Hard to brag to the woman who gave me a black eye.” “Sorry about that.”
And she means more than “Sorry about your eye”. She’s sorry about the whole thing. Rose was hurting, and angry, and out of control. And she knows it. She lost control, and she can’t even blame the darkness for any of it. Rose Hathaway won the fight, yes, but she lost a piece of herself in the moments after when she continued to pound a downed man.
But Dimitri’s already forgiven her. He will forgive her anything. He can’t help it. He’s that much in love with her.
“Forget it, Roza.”
It slips out, the dagger stabbing into them both simultaneously. Dimitri relaxed too much into the moment and let it slip. He let it slide. And Rose realizes the moment she hears it just how much she still loves him, even though she wishes she didn’t. It would be so much easier if she didn’t love him.
But as one of my favorite ships, Veronica Mars and Logan Echolls remarked, they don’t write songs and stories about the easy loves.
Part of what makes this scene hurt so much is that they both believe this is the last time they’ll see one another... but for different reasons. From Dimitri’s perspective, he wants Rose to go on to lead a beautiful life, not get tangled up in this mess by fighting for him somehow. Because, he knows she will. He knows that if she thinks she can help, she’s going to.
That’s why he was so strategic to tell her that Sasha was out of their reach, that they could do nothing to help. He is doing everything he can to set Rose up for a beautiful life... without him.
And Rose Hathaway is here to say goodbye because she believes Dimitri is a non-choice for her, and she needs to live her own life. She needs to figure out who she is outside of who she’s been.
Side Note: I talk a lot about relating to Dimitri’s trauma. But I also relate to Rose in this moment. See, both of them are struggling with personal identity outside of what they’ve known up to this point. The difference is that Rose is handling it more like I did, when I first starting figuring out who I was.
I limited my ties with my past. I tried new things that I’d never done before. I got outside of what I was “supposed” to be and started to see my life from a new perspective.
Co-dependency is a hell of a drug. I was raised with the expectation that I would be codependent. But... that’s not who I am, and as soon as I got out of the house and into college, I slowly started to see that who I was wasn’t defined by who mothered me. I could choose my own path. I could choose to be who I wanted to be. Now, my mother and I have a much better relationship, now, but it took a lot of years of tough talks and work.
Rose and Lissa are co-dependent and have been for a long time. They’ve both realized it in different ways, and so Rose is going to try to figure out who she is. And I fully support her. And so does Lissa.
Lissa even tells Rose that she’ll be back (yes, I know I’m skipping... I’ll get back to it in a second). Lissa knows that Rose needs to figure out who she is. And I think that’s important.
It’s important for Rose not to let herself be defined by Dimitri or Lissa or anyone else. Rose needs to embrace who Rose is, then add in what she wants and take out what she doesn’t.
Back to the Scene: Rose needed to know that Dimitri was okay before she left. Because, much as he knows she’d do anything to help him, Rose knows it herself. But, he seems okay. She can finally say goodbye.
But him saying, “Roza” sends her spiraling. You can see her searching the room around her for something else to focus on. Her eyes land on the books, and you can see the wheels turning.
“Are all these about-” “Humans.”
Rose went out into the Human world with Dimitri, once. It was the happiest they’d ever been. But she never would have imagined that he had an interest in that world the same that she did. They never really had the opportunity to discuss it, and it hurts anew that he chose to sever things between them after they’d experienced such a world together.
She’s planning on heading back out into that world... without him.
“Biographies—my way of seeing the world.”
F*ck. That hurts. Because she wanted to show him the world, but he pulled away. And now she is going to see the world, but without him by her side.
Rose looks for something else to focus on, and her eyes land on the religious relics. Her voice fails her. She can’t think of what to say as she looks at the flickering flames, remembering his steadfast dedication to his religion. He chose that over me. He chose that over me.
It’s the drumbeat in her head. And it hurts.
“Having a staring contest with the air, are we?”
It goes back to the beginning. Not their first interaction, but close enough. They share a smile, an earnest one. Oh, how far we’ve come.
But Rose loses the smile and a quiet sadness overtakes her. Oh, look how far we’ve fallen.
Rose walks over to him, head down, mustering the courage to tell him goodbye. But somewhere between their exchanged looks at one another’s lips and eyes... she loses courage.
It reminds me so much of their first kiss... the charge that ran through and between them that sent the air crackling with tension. They still have that same spark. But this time, Rose isn’t closing the distance. Rose is saying goodbye.
“I guess I’ll see you around, then.” “Yeah. See you around.”
In their own Lois / Superman interaction (think Superman Returns), these two are talking about the issue. Both of them are keeping something from the other, and the other knows it. Both of them are speaking in circles, and the other knows it.
But they both also know that those dams need to remain in place, right now. For so many reasons.
But as both utters their phrase, it’s a goodbye.
“Goodbye, Dimitri. I’m leaving forever. But it’s okay because I know even if we’re not together, you’re going to be okay.”
“Goodbye, Rose. I’m leaving forever. But it’s okay because I know even if we’re not together, you’re going to be okay.”
These two f*cking piss me off. Because if either of them actually communicated, it’d be a whole different story. But, we love them because they are flawed people making flawed choices in an effort to protect one another. If they did everything perfectly, there’d be no conflict.
We’d all switch off the tele (or laptop) quicker than you can say, “World’s Shortest Forbidden Love Story (but still better than Romeo & Juliet)”.
Rose breaks the eye contact and connection, but Dimitri remains rooted in place. It’s so symbolic of where they are and where they’re going. Like last episode, Dimitri is digging in while Rose is running away.
Rose walks to the door, but she looks back at him, offering a modified salute to him, almost with a smile. And I honestly can’t remember if she ever saluted him before. But, it’s bittersweet, the way that she smiles softly at him with the salute.
But my favorite part is how she watches him the whole time she closes the door. Rose doesn’t turn her back to him and pull the door closed behind her. She backs out, watching him as she goes. She’s memorizing him, spending those last few seconds looking at him... but also symbolically showing us how hard it is for her to walk away. She can’t turn around... not until he’s completely out of sight.
Because Rose would stay if she knew he needed help. And he knows it.
As she exits, he offers his own half-hearted salute, but then takes the fingertips that touched his heart to brush his lips in a goodbye kiss.
Goodbye to the love of his life. Goodbye to his one exception. Goodbye to the life they could have had. Goodbye to the moments they shared. Goodbye to the chance to watch her live from afar.
Dimitri knows the fate that awaits him, but it’s a little easier knowing Rose Hathaway will get away with it—that Rose Hathaway still has the chance to build the life of her dreams.
Meredith Tries to Talk Sense to Mason
We’ve seen these two palling around a lot the whole season. Two good friends. But, the best of friends often have tough talks, and this is one of them.
“We’ll be okay.” “We? Anyone with eyes can see how she feels about Dimitri.”
My husband and I started dating in college, and he once told me that before me, he didn’t notice the buildup of romantic relationships in shows before. But, being around it more (and being in love for the first time *ahem*), he saw it more.
I think Meredith is falling for Mia, and as she is, she’s more and more aware of how others feel about one another. Not that poor Mason was every subtle (he’s more a “neon glowing light” kind of lover), but I think Meredith’s definitely more tuned-in to Rose these days because they both are in the midst of forbidden love affairs.
For Meredith, it’s Mia. For Rose, it’s Dimitri. They’re both pining for people they can’t have.
“She asked me to go with her. Rose is with me, now.”
As we say in the South, “Oh, Mason, you sweet summer child. Bless your heart.”
The kid’s gone. And he’s clinging to anything that gives him the shred of hope that Rose might feel the same way about him as he does about her.
There’s a hitch in his voice between “is” and “with”, as if he’s trying to speak something into being, to will it to be so.
“Then why did I just see her coming out of his apartment?” “Sweet.”
See, this is why I don’t think Mason is “oblivious” as some people have said. I think he’s aware that there’s something going on there, but he legitimately thinks he’s won.
And here comes Meredith with another reminder of Rose running off to Dimitri.
But she chose me. We’re running away together.
He wants to believe it so bad that he’s tuning out the truth.
“You deserve someone who loves you. The way you feel about Rose, that is how she feels about Dimitri. She can’t help that any more than you can. I’m sorry, but you’re gonna have to face the truth.”
Meredith hits it on the nail, here. (Did I mention she’s my favorite Novice besides Rose? Because she bloody is). Rose loves Dimitri. She can’t help it. She can run away from it. She can pretend around it. But she can’t purge it. He’s not a drug in her system. He’s a piece of her soul as much as she’s a piece of his. And it’s a lot harder to lop off part of your soul.
And poor, poor Mason. Instead of listening to his friend, he goes on the offensive, attacking her, tearing into her, trying to one-up her.
Mason’s raw and he’s angry, but Meredith finds a way to stay calm, in spite of that.
“Rose doesn’t love you.”
And there are tears in Mason’s eyes... because deep down... he knows that. He really does. But he’s ignoring his head as much as Dimitri has been trying to ignore his heart.
Mason walks away from his best friend... the last words he thinks the two will ever exchange.
And, yes, I do want Mason to find love and joy, someday (if he doesn’t die in the finale). But, we all know it’s not going to be with Rose Hathaway.
“... are you lying? Are you covering for another Guardian? Or both?”
That’s all it takes for Alberta to connect the dots. “Is Rose Hathaway going to be a problem?” It was Dimitri himself who once asked that of Alberta. Dimitri feels her glare, and his eyes find hers. He glances away, quickly.
He knows she knows. Now, Alberta can speak up and try to lessen Dimitri’s sentence, or to try to carry out “true justice”. But she doesn’t. In this moment, Alberta makes her own choice—not to intervene.
“I was the Commanding Officer. I was responsible for the veracity of the information I relayed. Any gap between my report and the truth rests solely on me, as should the punishment for giving false information.”
Dimitri. Chose. Rose.
Dimitri will always choose Rose.
“Though I wonder at your prioritizing punishing a Guardian during a time of Civil Unrest.”
Sh*t, your girl’s been rubbing off on you, Guardian Belikov!
But, it’s an incredible sign of growth for Dimitri “Good Soldier” Belikov questioning what’s going on. He’s so used to following orders, to following commands, to doing what he’s told.
But for one bright, fleeting moment, Dimitri Belikov questioned the establishment without questioning who he is... and I’m so proud of him.
“You’ll be taken to the dungeons before you are sentenced by the Queen.”
Alberta is aghast. She didn’t expect that. I think they’re all surprised that such a harsh punishment is being dolled out to someone who has such a spotless record. And she’s the only one who knows the truth—he did it for Rose.
This may be the truest representation of love she has ever seen. Damphirs are subservient to the Moroi, especially the Royals. Guardians have the elevated task of protecting the Moroi with their very lives. Most marriages within the Court are arrangements born out of the quest for power or status. Amongst Damphirs, romance and love are not permitted or expected. Sex, sure. Love? No.
But Alberta just witnessed Dimitri give up his very life for the sake of the woman he loved. She’s come face-to-face with it for the first time, probably in her life. And she can never shake its impact.
If she survives, of course.
Too soon? Yeah, probably too soon. Anyway...
Mason Goes to See Dimitri
I’ve looked at this from several different angles, because there are a lot of thoughts out there regarding this scene. Honestly, I think it’s Mason trying to reassure himself of what he believes by counting Dimitri out. He wants to look Dimitri in the eyes, tell him that he’s got the girl, and move on feeling that sense of victory that he so badly needs to validate him right now.
And, like Meredith said, he deserves to be with someone who loves him, and he shouldn’t let his relationship with Rose define him so much. He’s got a lot to offer, and I can only hope he discovers it before it’s too late.
Look, I’m not saying he’s a-goner, but book readers say he’s a-goner, so it’s very possible Rose’s favorite puppy dog is a-goner.
Mason gets Dimitri to himself, partly because he can’t possible let anyone else know about his plans, but also because he wants to focus on this moment. It’s not vindictive. He doesn’t hate Dimitri. But he hates that Rose loves Dimitri.
“I wanted to tell you... Rose and I are leaving.”
Watch. Dimitri’s. Face.
There are about a thousand things to compute in a matter of seconds. “Rose is running off with Mason.” “Rose is getting out, good for her.” “Rose is going to be happy.” “I truly know for a fact that she will have a good life.” “This makes my sacrifice worth it.” “This is why Rose acted weird.” “I knew she was hiding something.” “That’s why she reacted when I talked about seeing the world.” “Rose is going to see the world... with Mason.” “Mason knows about me and Rose.” “Mason’s going to be with Rose and I’m not.” “Mason made a special trip to tell me.” “Little f*cker’s got no idea what he’s messing with.”
That last one’s important. Not because Dimitri is vindictive... but because Dimitri knows what he and Rose have and why they aren’t together. Mason doesn’t.
Mason’s still clinging to the idea that Rose “chose” him.
“That explains it.”
There’s a small smile on his words. But it’s that same heartbroken one he used talking about Alexei, the one he used talking about the darkness within him... now it’s also attached to the sadness he feels about losing Rose... because he does feel it.
“I thought maybe it’d help if you know that she’ll be okay.”
D*ck move, Mason.
Okay, look, I believe he’s truly not trying to be a little sh*t. But, he’s justifying why he’s doing it, when he is really doing it to try to assure himself of the reality to which he’s clinging.
And, I get it. Last episode I wanted to pour hot lava on Dimitri’s libido for daring to neck with Lady Evil Von Psycho. So, I’ll get over my annoyance with Mason, but I’m frustrated with him. I’m allowed!
“I wish you the best. Rose is meant for greater things, and she deserves to be safe. And happy.” “She does.”
Right there. That’s where you see that shift. Mason is puffing out his chest on that, “She does”, like, “and I’m the man to do it!”
But Dimitri picks up on that right quick, and it’s his turn to lean in.
“Never tell her what’s about to happen to me. If she knows, she won’t leave.”
And now Mason knows where he stands.
Yes, Rose is going off with Mason, but because she doesn’t think Dimitri is a choice, and Rose is choosing Rose. She’s chosen Mason as a companion because she wants to go with someone easy. She doesn’t have to convince Mason. She doesn’t have to push or draw him out. Mason’s this sweet, loving puppy trailing after Rose. And that’s what she’s looking for right now—easy.
But her heart will always tug her back to Dimitri. As his tugs him back to Rose.
He could have given her up at any point in this process, but he never did. Heck, he could be vindictive now and announce Mason’s plans and get him thrown in the dungeon with him. But he doesn’t. Dimitri chooses Rose over and over.
And if Rose thought there was a choice to be made... she would choose Dimitri every time, too.
Dimitri’s speaking facts, here, but he’s also spitting in the face of this validation that Mason was seeking. Mason didn’t “win” anything, here. If there ever was a contest, it wouldn’t be a contest. It couldn’t be a contest, because Dimitri and Rose’s love is true, and they will always choose each other.
“Let’s go.”
Dimitri is done. Much as he wants Rose to be happy and content, he doesn’t need Mason throwing sh*t in his face right as he’s going down. The Guards return to their positions while a gutted Mason watches Dimitri.
“Fuck you, Dimitri. Fuck you.”
Dimitri barely pauses as Mason holds back the tears. Because, much as Meredith tried to break though, Dimitri did. Deep within, Mason knows it’s true... if she knew what was happening to Dimitri, she’d never leave.
“I’m leaving... For so long, all I thought of was being your Guardian, and that was enough. But now, after everything, I need to figure out who I am outside of all of that... And outside of you.”
Rose is taking a huge leap, here. Do I wish she was doing it alone? Sure. But that’d be a lonely journey. Taking Mason with her gives her someone steadfast and loyal (gosh, I really am describing a puppy...) who she can count on.
Growing up with one version of yourself in your head is so hard... especially when you hit a point and realize you have no f*cking idea who you really are because you’ve informed every decision based on who you thought you were. That’s where Rose is. Rose has realized that she informed all of her decisions on being Lissa’s Guardian.
Being forced outside that mindset is what helped bring her here... that and losing so much. She lost Mikhail. She lost her great love. She lost so much of herself in the process.
But who the hell is she? We’ve seen it, sure. She’s headstrong and fierce. She’s intelligent and foolhardy. She makes quick, gut decisions, and she commits. She asks tough questions, and she acts without considering the consequences if she thinks it’s right.
But it’s all been measured against what kind of Guardian she could be. Rose needs to figure out who she is without all the measurements and comparisons... when she’s just... Rose.
Much as I doubt she and Mason will make it far (hello, STRIGOI attack!), I wish we could see Rose go on that journey of self-exploration. I’ve been there, and tough as it is, it’s marvelous.
And, yes, I had a man in my life at the time, too.... and one I was breaking up with. Gosh, it’s a long story, but essentially I took time off to figure out who I was without a man and without the influences of my childhood. And on the other side of that, I found the man I married 15 years ago waiting for me... patiently waiting as I worked on myself.
Golly, I love that man.
So, Rose, go figure out who you are. It’s so freakin’ healthy.
“So... um... just you? Or...” “I’m going with Mason.”
Lissa still has no idea what’s gone down between Dimitri and Rose. And as Rose says, “Mason”, there is no absolute joy or excitement. It’s a statement. It’s what it is. Lissa takes in that information, because she liked Rose with Dimitri. But, she’ll always support her bestie.
“Stop it. He’s a good guy.”
And that is so freakin’ telling. He’s a good guy... Not, “I love him.” Because, she doesn’t... not like that. But, he is a good guy.
“You’re being weird.”
She can’t read him. She doesn’t know him at a glance. She never pegs what’s going on with him. But Mason has felt the full impact of Dimitri’s words and is choosing to ignore them wholeheartedly. This is what he wants, and he’s going to hold onto the fantasy as long as he can... hopefully forever.
But as they’re walking off, his arm around her, she can’t help but look back.
What is she looking for? Is she hoping to see Dimitri there, watching her, giving her a reason to stay? Is she hoping he’d run after them? We don’t know.
But for that very small second, she isn’t looking forward on the adventure. She’s looking back, just as she did when she exited Dimitri’s apartment.
Dimitri Trapped and Unable to Help
The camera movement is eerily similar to Dimitri praying in the Church during Near Guard, Far Guard. He’s not praying this time, but he is feeling fuck*ng helpless... moreso when the alarms blare.
Rose and Mason drive off
The music line strikes me so hard, “I can take the pain”. That’s what they play as Rose smiles to herself, then her smile diminishes a little. Because she knows that she’s leaving a part of her soul behind.
She just doesn’t know how bad it truly is.
As always, thanks for reading. Next week’s going to be insane, and we’re all going to lose our minds. But, I’m ready for the fun. Enjoy our last week of Daniela Nieves torturing us with out-of-context clues, VA Jail locking up cast and fans alike, and our favorite Vampire Academy cast and crew crushing it.
Bonne nuit. Buenas noches. Goodnight.
#Vampire Academy#Vampire Academy Peacock#Sisi Stringer#Kieron Moore#Rose x Dimitri#Dimitri x Rose#Romitri#Romitri Meta
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Hi!
can you summary abt their side stories in eps of 10-11? if u dont mind 😭🙏
Most of the fun stuff in the epilogue happen in Ch 1-10, where we get to see Rupelali's cute newlywed life + and at the end of Ch 10, Rupert finds about her pregnancy and Lari's super relieved to see that he's super happy/supportive about it too.
So not much happens in the last two chapters:
Rupert is in extreme papa bear mode and fiercely overprotective of Lari and his kid now. He and Lari were at St Volgorward (the holy city) for her High Court Judge duties, and they ended up staying there for the rest of her pregnancy (about 7+ months). They did try to return to Champagne, but the journey was a few days long and they were attacked by Duke Arnbach on the first try back to Champagne, so Rupert's like "nope, we're staying in Volgorward until it's safe".
Rupert crossed swords with Duke Arnbach again, and killed him for treason against the Empress in front of the Council of Elders, which basically shut the rest of them up. Meanwhile, Rupert wanted to build another fortress around Volgorward to protect Lari, but the dutiful aides, LeMille and Louis ran to Lari to have her talk sense in to Rupert before he does stupid excessive stuff (the usual) haha. That's where we get the familiar quote: Amongst the Emperor's aides, there is no one who didn't know who held the true undisputed power of the Empire. (basically Lari > Rupert because she's the only one who can talk sense when Rupert tries to do something extreme hahahah)
In the last chapter, Lari's been screaming in pain from the labor for hours and Rupert's anxiety has reached his limits. Because of tradition, men can't enter the room while she's in labor, and he says enough is enough, I'M THE EMPEROR, I"M ENTERING. (and basically shoved Lehan away lol). It's a cute moment as Lari's also at her wits end and about to pass out from exhaustion, but seeing Rupert there, she starts bickering with him and accusing all this pain is his fault cuz he got her pregnant, and well, Rupert' can't refute that haha. But it's a good thing Rupert's there, because his presence gives her strength for the final pushes (as well as grabbing his arms tightly till they were scratched/pulled at his hair too ^^' + once again, he thinks how Lari can be so petite but able to bear so much in her body) but in the end, their firstborn, Elizabeth (Ellie) was born safely.
The ending of the Epilogue is a short scene between Louis, who is talking to the St Volgorward lake that is slowly purifying Tori's Blue Eagle crystal. He wanted to tell her that Rupert has a child now, and of course it's with Lari. The two of them grew up nicely and even had children before him. He admits that he's older and should have children too, but he thought of the three of them - Rupe/Lali and Tori as kids anyway, and was happy to see at least two of them grow up. So maybe, Tori will return soon? (this sets up for the special side stories)
The end
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Round 1.2 Bracket 2 Side B
The Knights of Rodeghan vs The Diablos
The Knights of Rodeghan
Appearance: Season 1 ep 10 “Royal Pain”
Crimes: Treason, long-term conspiracy, destruction of a mini golf course
The Diablos
Appearance: Kim Possible, So The Drama (Movie)
Crimes: Mass destruction of property, hive-mind anarchy, endangering children, worldwide terrorism, flase advertising
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RIDERS OF BERK | HTTYD SERIES | BREAKING DOWN HICCUP
Blog Post Series : Breaking Down Hiccup
Title : In Dragons we Trust | Alvin and the Outcasts
Ep/Season : Episode 5 & 6, Season 1 (Riders of Berk)
Premise(s) :
Mildew sets out get rid of the dragons. As usual. Alvin the Treacherous, a long term enemy of Berk has now ceased the opportunity to appear and kidnap the dragon conqueror for himself, much to his surprise.
THE OPENING SCENE
The opening sequence of Episode 5 is cathartic. When Hiccup free falls, there is such freedom and release. He glides in the air with such ease. The artistic direction of the show is refined. Hiccup is the bravest in the sky, and ironically, somewhat uncomfortable on land. He is himself with Toothless, or in a better way put - more himself. But without Toothless, he is always placed in a position of finding himself.
Episode 5 and 6 is exactly that. We know that Mildew’s scheme to get rid of the dragons succeeds at the end of Episode 5. And Hiccup is now looking for an opportunity to get Toothless back and bring him home. The struggle now begins as Hiccup has to find his strength in the absence of his best friend.
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT
HICCUP HORRENDOUS HADDOCK III
At the start of Episode 5, we are made aware of the dynamic of Hiccup in the village. There is now no disputing that he is Stoic’s heir. I’d like to think that the village was worried having Hiccup as chief initially. He’s scrawny, tiny, couldn’t/wouldn’t kill a dragon. He didn’t fit the Viking mould. Even Stoic was concerned. But after the battle with the Red Death, no one can fault Hiccup’s stubbornness and bravery. His courage was unmatched. His compassion greater than the scale of his measure and his understanding even larger.
So, when we go into Riders of Berk, Hiccup is undisputedly next in line. This is reflected in what Stoic tells Hiccup in Episode 5 “all eyes are upon you son, whatever those beast do reflects on you AND whatever you do reflects on ME.”
RELATIONSHIP DYNAMIC
FATHER-SON & CHIEF
Hiccup is trying to prove himself. And while Stoic has done better after the events of the 1st movie, in terms of parenting, he still struggles to divide his position as chief and his role as father. This context is often a topic when we follow a storyline involving royalties and their heirs.
Stoic doesn’t want to disappoint his son, but he must also protect his village, which is allegedly being ruined by something his son loves the most and believes are innocent.
The question of trust is still a running theme between father and son.
And the notion of whether Hiccup is a worthy leader hangs lightly in the air.
The living situation between dragons and Vikings is still precarious.
HICCUP X ASTRID
I can’t not talk about them. When Hiccup was contemplating the series of unfortunate events, he starts to believe that Mildew set everything up. After they leave the dragons on Dragon Island, Astrid, sad and upset looks for him. I notice that the two of them, in the earlier days of friendship, often sought each other for support (as they will continue to do into their relationship).
At the same time, Hiccup confides in Astrid the possibility of Mildew’s treason. She has always been his voice of reason. A great listener. She doesn’t nudge him towards the impulsive but is wise in her counsel, letting him make his own decisions, but reminding him to calculate them. We know they grew up together, but the grew together as well, if you get what I’m saying.
This reminds of the final movie, when Gobber pesters Astrid to marry him. It is because he knows that Astrid makes Hiccup better. Even Valka acknowledges that he listens to her. There will always be a Hiccup and Astrid.
HICCUP V ALVIN THE TREACHEROUS
Alvin the Treacherous (voiced by Mark Hamill might I add 🙌🏼) is Hiccup’s first enemy. I get that Mildew might be considered the first, but he wasn’t a real threat to Berk (yet).
Something Hiccup proves very well, is that he is brave. He isn’t stupidly audacious, like Snotlout, who when push comes to shove might run away from the challenge (though arguably Snotlout gets better towards the end).
He is also very clever. He chooses his battles and uses psychology to outwit his enemies, instead of brute strength, which most of them would have more than him anyways.
HEROIC STORY LINES
UNDERRATED ROMANTIC | CHIVALRY AIN’T DEAD
Hiccup heroically shows up just when Astrid needs him. I love these little touches. Hiccup continues to prove himself to be nothing like “Stoic’s little embarrassment.”
Hiccup tries to trick Alvin. Astrid catches on quickly (proving their inward connection) and plays along w his plan. We know that this rouse may not fly if it was put against the twins or Snotlout, who may not get the idea immediately and Fishlegs would be too nervous to act it out well.
HICCUP’S BRAVERY
Was it stupid to let Alvin take him hostage? Yes, but Hiccup was unafraid. And didn’t even flinch while captive. He grows a lot in these two episodes. I love that his size holds no comparison to his courage.
BATTLE STRATEGY IMPROVES
While Alvin will prove to be a lesser evil than the demons that will soon chase him in later seasons, Hiccup and the way he manoeuvres Toothless on the battle field will improve and match up w the evil at hand. The turns he makes when battling Alvin is a little clumsy and out of touch, but this will change as he practices and progresses in the story. I like that they made it look that way, as opposed to Hiccup just naturally knowing how to fight w Toothless by his side. I appreciate the growth they’re trying to lay out here.
Likewise, the way the riders work as a team will also progress. The other’s seemingly irrelevant rattlings will prove useful, and Hiccup will learn to be a leader, team player and friend to them and they to him.
CONCLUSION
I loved how Stoic faced off Alvin. Punishing him for taking Hiccup. Which shows off his tenacity, strength and love for his son.
I like how though Mildew wasn’t outed, he didn’t need to be. It’s like a lesson in “things don’t always work out the way you want it to and justice isn’t always served independent of evidence". But when you do the right thing, things will workout, and that’s exactly what happened.
I love that at the end of the episodes, the village cheered on the dragon riders sparking on a desire to let them stay and tolerate a free roaming dragon city.
#hiccup haddock#toothless the dragon#vikings#astrid hofferson#histrid#riders of berk#httyd#mark hamill#alvin the treacherous#breaking down hiccup#hiccup x astrid#ROB#character breakdown#httyd series#httyd fandom#httyd franchise#HTTYD hiccup#hhtyd astrid#storyline discussion#why the HTTYD franchise is unmatched
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The argument in the end of ep 32 is the best kind of couple’s argument because they are both right.
It is pretty clear by now he is not on the side of the Crown Prince (who is a lovely human being but would make a disaster of an emperor tbh. I wonder who he was in love with who he couldn’t marry btw.) There is a reason he evaded answering when she earlier asked him who was involved in that meeting in the tower about changing out the crown prince.
The vast gulf between them is because to her everything is personal. The Crown Prince and the Empress are lovely people but totally unsuited to their positions. If either Consort Yue or Third Prince were more ruthless, they’d long lost their positions. And the thought of them as emperor/dowager empress combo is terrifying - they are the sweetest but the country would go to the dogs. But NN is not a politician, she is a young lady reveling in the fact that she found a family, so she wants to help them. That is normal.
He explains and the thing is, he’s right, it’s insane to be impulsive in the palace and you never know where things would lead BUT she was never good at following instructions unless there is a good why (which is an interesting echo of their convo in the carriage where he wanted her to provide reasons for her decision since he provided his reason against it; LBY should remember that and apply that here! If reasons are needed for minor disputes, all the more for something big like this.)
Dude, you need to tell her WHY!!! She might be able to avoid scuttling your plans or generally doing something dangerous if you explain to her what your plans are and/or reasons for caution and not the general “it’s complicated” statements, either. But the thing is, this relationship is an adjustment to them both - he’s never had to explain himself to anyone before, it’s always “here’s my orders” - he did not grow up in a normal family after all.
Yes!!! Tell him!
Man, that’s a lame excuse. I get that he’s trying to protect her and also one doesn’t blab about treason investigations or w/e for fun, but she needs more than this!
She has a point. She is temperamentally unsuited to palace life but she’s not the one who picked to be there; and he knew her character and still wanted her.
Ooooof! The moment she brings “like my mom” comparison you know discussions are shut down and her trauma has taken over. This triggers so many things for her. I do love that this drama has them stumble towards compatibility, that it’s not all smooth sailing because LOVE or whatever - there are a lot of wrinkles to be worked out between two vastly different people each with a metric ton of baggage. When you have two equally strong-willed partners all of this has to be worked through (she wouldn’t have had any of these issues with Yao not just because of environment difference but because she was the undisputed boss in that relationship.) I especially love that it’s her best qualities, ones he loves her for - her being unrestrained, going for loyalty and justice, her unconventionality - that are now also causing trouble. Because life is complicated and yeah if these qualities were the most helpful under all circumstances then everyone would pretend to have them. (Side note - she turned in her great uncle at ep 1 and LBY praised her for putting country above family. This whole situation here doesn’t just confirm he meant it sincerely despite her thinking he was mocking her, but also that I think he never processed that she can attack someone who wronged her despite abstract family ties but it’s not that she places country about family per se but precisely because personal ties are so important to her - to repay good for good and evil for evil, abstract rules be damned. Here is the other side of the coin, her helping the empress because she was good to her, any abstract issues not mattering.)
That is her biggest fear; giving up herself. But the thing is, she should not but she also cannot stay the same forever. Even if she never married LBY or anyone at all, life and years would change her anyway! She needs to find a balance of keeping her true core but adjusting to life as is (if your true self could get you beheaded perhaps it’s time to see if you can change just a little.)
In conclusion, (a) I love that this drama is showing that marrying way up, someone way above you in status, is not cinderella dream but comes with its own huge set of issues and (b) they are both so damn young and finding their way and I love it!
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i think i know what bugs me the most about infinite darkness, which is also just an issue with RE in general.
everytime i think to myself "oh i'll rewatch infinite darkness", i'm only ever really thinking of the first two episodes, not the last two. all of that kinda dawned on me as i got to the end of ep 2.
resident evil has some pretty fuckin cool underlying themes: corruption, biological warfare, politics, treason, foreign policy, etc. most RE entries feature those themes as a starting point behind virtually every problem in the franchise. RC started as a result of the secret development of bioweapons to which the US contributed, damnation deals with the use of bioweapons in armed conflict, etc. then you've got some sillier villain motivations because it's RE and it has to be a little silly. but essentially, it's 1. virus/parasite/mold/BOW is being developed and 2. a private actor who's trying to either make a shit ton of money or just wants to bring about chaos gets ahold of it and 3. the US government is always kind of involved, somehow (and then there's a monster with a bulging eye and the place blows up).
so you've got these recurring themes which are most of the time dealt with in a more lighthearted manner: it turns out to be a big bad guy motivated by money or power who just turns people into monsters.
now the thing about infinite darkness is that it actually has a really interesting premise. you've got the war in penamstan, which features overt commentary on the US' foreign policy and involvement in other countries (callback to wars waged in the middle east), as well as the frequent accusations that the US is trying to get back at china by whatever means necessary. this is incredibly relevant in the international political landscape, and will continue to be for a good number of years. episodes one and two don't shy away from blatant criticism of the US.
and i keep thinking "FINALLY, it's getting serious." but it never does. because it's RE, and i love how unserious it is, yet i can't help but think about how it would turn out if it went through with its themes.
//
i'm coming back to this draft after watching death island because DI does a similar thing, but better? i think ID is essentially overly ambitious: it sets out too many themes and events and fails to follow up on them properly. you shouldn't start a discourse on imperialism and foreign policy if you're not ready to properly discuss the matter.
DI also weighs in on the bioterrorism vs capitalism vs the US government themes, but less seriously. it's all done through dylan, who has a certain set of views on the matter and wants to use the virus to reset the entire planet. but it doesn't really go beyond that: it's just dylan going "man fuck corporations and the US government" and then blatantly destroying the core 4 by giving them the most obnoxious reality check ever (which was EXACTLY what they needed). that's all. i like this better, because RE is a very unserious franchise at heart, and it shouldn't try to be something it isn't. the climax of any RE movie is always big monster with a countdown, like the games, and there's really only two solutions to that: either capcom starts using the CG movies to expand on the lore in a more serious way by divorcing themselves from the traditional layout of the games, or they keep the same formula as the games, but then they really shouldn't get into as much detail (there's just not enough time).
#if you ask me i'd rather capcom expanded on the lore in the cg movies and in a manner that's different from the games#if i want the traditional resident evil formula i'll play the RE games i have on my ps4#the reason why the cg movies are deemed silly is not because they are sillier than the games#it's mostly because as a movie with no interactive aspect to the story it's just not as interesting to watch#i still like the movies. but if they want to keep the RE formula then they can't decide to get serious about the themes at the same time#like they did in ID#resident evil#leon kennedy#resident evil infinite darkness#resident evil death island
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I've always thought the prophecy was about both striking a balance. Merlin was meant to keep Morgana in check and Morgana was meant to keep Merlin in check.
Me too. Even Alice Troughton in the dvd commentary with Colin Morgan for s4 admitted that love/hate were always coexisted with each other.
Morgana certainly had the power and the invincibility for it, to keep Merlin in check, to draw him out, to make him face his dark and human side, to make him face his wrongs his sins and his victories.
Unfortunately Morgana didn't have the information he had. Merlin had all the information and he used that against everyone. Moreover her magic matured too late (with respect to Merlin's).
I think the real tragedy of Merlin's life was that he was already conditioned to kill from the very start (ep 1x06 Remedy To Cure All Ills ironic title ngl). That episode alone started it all. He was so so new and naive to everything and in that episode he showed absolutely no remorse at "accidentally" killing someone who offered him guidance and knowledge (at the expense of gaius).
And look I get it, he panicked. But after that he never wondered why Edwin was so so righteously angry at Gaius. Remember, Gaius sold Edwin's parents out to Uther and let young Edwin escape. Edwin's gravitas was so justified, you know? Merlin never tried to learn about the things Gaius did to protect "others" and most importantly to protect himself and his position. Even if Gaius thought black magic was evil, he still threw others under the bus for fighting for their lives. He still left Edwin (and Merlin) an orphan.
How does this relate with Morgana? You see from that point on, from episode 1x06 up to "2x03 The Nightmare Begins" Merlin has already killed at least seven people, most of them magic users.
Edwin,
Mary Collins (indirectly but him thwarting her plan zapped her of all energy),
Aulfric,
Sophia,
The Black Knight (who had a reason for it's anger),
Tauren's goons,
Nimueh
Sigan
Hengrist's goon's
plus he almost choose to get Mordred killed... 2 times.
He knew the reasons most of these had, but they didn't matter to him, he was never allowed to properly emphathise with them (Gaius taught him very very very well). Because his orders were always to "eliminate the threat" "kill them" for the sake of his destiny.
As Morgana's magic truly manifested in S2, Merlin was already too far gone and too far deep in the liar and vigilante game. Merlin was continuously performing treasonous and unlawful tasks UNCHECKED for two years! TWO YEARS!
TWO YEARS OF "JUSTIFIED IN HIS OWN HEAD" HOMICIDE AND MURDER WITH NO REAL REPERCUSSIONS.
And also I get why they had resorted to that kind of actions. One of the definitions of extremism from wikipedia said:
In addition, extreme acts are more likely to be employed by marginalized people and groups who view more normative forms of conflict engagement as blocked for them or biased.
That kind of radicalization and extremist training by both Gaius and Kilgharrah was effective as hell.
Morgana only started the proper coups at around mid-s2. She hasn't truly killed anyone for magic yet (aside from Tauren in S1). Even in Fires of Idirsholas she felt guilty of accidentally collaborating with Morgause.
It took 1 year of isolated training away from everyone for Morgana to be fully radicalized, forged in the fires of extremism herself. Even then, even in 3x01 and 3.02 when she killed one guard and she actively helped set in motion Morgause's terrorist attack, she still was willing to hear Merlin out in the crypts. She even laid out all her cards, showed her strengths and vulnerabilities for him to see and judge. Morgana still choose to be diplomatic despite it all.
What Morgana didn't know was that she wasn't dealing with a proper negotiator, she was dealing with a vigilante and secret agent who has three years worth of (1)all the vital information, (2)unchallenged power, (3)unchecked morals, (4)numerous kills, (5)experience in deception and (6)extremist conditioning. And the worse part was that the person who she thought was her friend, Merlin, even with everything he had, genuinely believed he had nothing to offer in exchange for her peace.
I think that's the tragedy of it.
With her truly coming into her full power only at s4, Morgana was too late to have a chance to inspire change in Merlin as a proper equal to him. Merlin has been in that overpowered and unchallenged state for 5 years at most. And by the time Morgana had become truly confident in s4, both of them had gone in the farthest ends of the extremes of their idealogies.
Merlin knew everything about her. But Morgana lacked the most important piece of information, the identity of Emrys.
No one could keep Merlin in check in the proper diplomatic manner anymore.
They have to come to arms.
#mergana#merlin critical#bbc merlin#bbc morgana#wars of truth and privilege who would win#otp: secret service x insurgent#otp: there is no other way#failure of negotiations#merlin meta#merlin essays
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In sisi(2021) how did you find franz's potrayal? He was ruthless towards the rebels in ep 1 and cruelly executed them for going against the empire but was really loving towards marie, who was the daughter of a woman executed for treason. Wasn't this a bit strange how did you feel?
I've actually never seen Sisi (2021), I've only seen Die Kaiserin (2022) but I'll probably watch it soon because I'm learning German at the moment.
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Love Like The Galaxy
“looking forward to your thoughts on 48. see you on the other side!“ ( @uchihasass )
Episode 48 was indeed a m a z i n g. This visuals, the gathering storm, that tense spoken confrontation at the Marquis’s birthday party that explodes when Ling Buyi throws off his cloak! That they chose some discretion in the fight scene and pulled back to show the blood spattering on the windows (because the big mook fight was not the main event and it gives the audience a breather before the next big gory event. (Good heavens, Ling Buyi’s blood-spattered face.)
And I’d adored the build-up as Niaoniao begins to realise what’s happening and sends out a quiet messenger to confirm what’s going on and, and - she’s acquired a lot of subtlety. And that scene where her mum and dad are talking about how there’s kind of an ominous air about her and at the same time we can see her and the wedding attendants through the window just quietly doing the preparation thing...? They had a really good cinematography team here, a good eye, they take the time to set things up nice.
The bit where I started crying was when Niaoniao is about to head out on a horse - and then her entire family gears up and fights the blockade so she can get through. For a girl who starts the story completely estranged from her family, this is a powerful moment.
I’m now on ep 50 where she has, once again, saved Ling Buyi’s life, but doesn’t want to ever forgive him for, er, not letting her die with him.
And like a lot of conflicts in this story, I can absolutely see where both sides are coming from. He loves her. He can’t give up his revenge. He doesn’t want her to die. Kill his ‘dad’ before the marriage happens so her and her good family don’t get implicated.... it’s an obvious choice.
Whereas Niaoniao, who has been very lonely for much of her life, very disrespected, in situations where people believe the worst of her, all things which scar her soul, wanted him to understand that she was Ride or Die.
There’s some other things boiling out when she talks to various people about things - her continuing frustration that she, a talent just as much as Luo Ben was a talent, is expected to marry and put all her energy into supporting her husband, that this is the only way her culture will let her advance. That she can’t trust his sincerity, because at multiple times it looked like he was doing things for her, but was also using that as a smokescreen for his other matters.
Yeah, Ling Buyi made his decisions because he loved her very very much.
His actions also... made her feel like something flimsy and disrespected.
“Has he ever been of one heart with me before?”
And she still saves his feral bastard life. (Because he saved hers.) Bless her: she’s got a good heart.
There’s... there’s a lot about relationships in this story, the ones that work, the ones that don’t, about loyalty to the family and how they can support you, and what one owes to the family. So Niaoniao, a spiritual loner, interacting with all these issues, is interesting.
EDIT:
Also... so people act out in this story for two big reasons. 1. They have a pretty cushy life but They Want More. 5th Princess etc. Kind of... super-anxious about losing status or selfish, whatever. And 2. They cannot get justice through the rule of law. Niaoniao with her 2nd Aunt and, once that woman is gone, her mother constantly believing the worst of her (not without cause). Luo Ben, his career constantly sabotaged by his uncle because the minor family should not outshine the main branch. Huo Wushang, who witnessed murder and treason but he’s a tiny child and the only other witness is mad...
I can understand why people start planning private revenge and crooked tricks when the law fails them. It’s still a dangerous road to start on - once one starts doing extrajudicial violence it’s tempting to keep going. Note the bodycount from Luo Ben’s ploy, or Ling Buyi in his status of a law enforcement officer torturing prisoners.
And I think it’s important to note that Ling Buyi spends more than a decade (mostly) trying to assemble his evidence in a (mostly) legal way. Niaoniao, yes, a trickster, who dares to love and hate, learns not to deny her tricks - and she will ask for clemency for people who have actively tried to wrong her. Somewhere, someone, probably 3rd Aunt and the Empress, taught her mercy as well. Perhaps, through the estrangement with her mother, Niaoniao learnt some of her mother’s ideas on justice, too. (They’re trying, okay!)
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