#would love love LOVE to see a post campaign scene where all three of them get to talk
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The fact that Essek storms off "in a huff" and is literally brought to tears when he sees Caleb mourning Molly...there's just so many interesting implications for shadowidomauk there.
It's the fact that Essek saw Caleb kiss Molly on the forehead the way he kissed him--saw Caleb repeat these familiar phrases in battle to Lucien that he once used to comfort Essek. Essek learning Caleb's love language, and seeing it reflected in how he treats Mollymauk.
It's Essek seeing Caleb at his lowest, at his most desperate and hopeless--how very wrong it feels to see him like this, how painful it is to watch him fall apart over losing Mollymauk. "Caleb Widogast, have you ever accepted defeat?"
Because of all things, it is Molly's death that leaves Caleb more brokenhearted than Essek's ever seen him, the only time he's ever truly admitted to knowing defeat--"Maybe today. For the first time." The way Caleb came all this way and tried so desperately to save him, and it still wasn't enough. He poured his whole heart and soul into that ritual, and it just wasn't enough.
Essek being moved by the Nein's own grief, choked up and crying for this person that he never even met. Insisting over and over, "It's not fair--it's not fair...We've just all come so far. It's not fair." And it's the moment that Caleb kisses Molly on the forehead and says his goodbyes that really breaks Essek's heart, the passion and gutting loss of Caleb's own grief that sends Essek storming off and fighting back tears.
Do you think...Essek ever tells Kingsley what happened that day? How hard Caleb tried to save him--how much it shattered him when Tealeaf was still lying dead in his arms? Do you think he ever told King about the forehead kiss and how tender Caleb was with him--how he must surely love him? Do you think Essek admits that even he was crushed when Tealeaf didn't wake, that he never knew him before, but still mourned him all the same?
Do you think he ever quietly tells Kingsley that he's happy he came back, how much it means to him--especially for Caleb's sake--
Do you think Kingsley ever kisses either of the wizards on the forehead and everything just. Kinda falls into place for Essek--
#mollymauk#caleb widogast#essek#kingsley tealeaf#widomauk#shadowidomauk#sorry i am just...having feelings about all of them again#would love love LOVE to see a post campaign scene where all three of them get to talk#where maybe king is fascinated by essek because hes still New and doesnt make his heart ache with old memories#and essek just. cant help but tell king just how important he always seemed to be to caleb#because he feels like king deserves to know and caleb never got to share those feelings--
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Are you still feeling hopeful? I’m trying really hard not to feel demoralized these last few days…
Hi, darling anon! I totally understand where you’re coming from. We’ve been at it for weeks (almost THREE) and things have seemingly slowed down, there’s drama both in-fandom and out, and there’s just sort of an ever-creeping feeling of disheartenment. And on top of everything, it’s JANUARY (DEROGATORY).
But you know what? Despite all of that, despite it all, I am still clinging onto hope. Call me stubborn or whatever else lol, but yes, I’m still hopeful. I think I will be until I see Djenks wave some sort of white flag, or until a lot of time passes with no forward momentum. And even with the latter, I’ll probably still have the stubborn wish to get something like a movie or whatever else in the future.
Now, I’m clinging onto hope for a few reasons. One, and this is the most important one, we really don’t know what’s happening behind the scenes right now. I think that mentality can also swing into negative territory, but I’m using it to propel me into hopeful territory. We don’t know what all is being discussed, we don’t know if anyone’s interested, and we don’t know who all is fighting and how hard.
Again, could be twisted into a “nothing is happening” type view, but when I look at David? At Taika? And how much the show means to them? How passionately they’ve spoken out about it? And how gracious David and the rest of the cast/crew has been? Idk about you, but I’d like to think they’re trying to push for a continuation as hard as they can. *Stede voice* I don’t think…any of us have let go, actually.
Not to mention that the cast and crew have not stopped posting/interacting with renewal campaign efforts. David hasn’t told us anything that would allude to failed deals, and Ruibo still posts #SaveOFMD type things. It just feels like they’re still riding alongside of us.
Secondly, and sort of along those lines, I’m holding on to the knowledge that every renewal is different. There have been some giant campaigns with zero results, but there have also been smaller campaigns with success. There have been campaigns that have only landed a few more episodes, whereas there have been others that landed more seasons, a movie, etc etc.
Each case is unique, and really has to do with what’s going on behind the scenes. Why the show was cancelled in the first place, if the platform is willing to shop it out, if other platforms find it desirable/profitable, etc etc.
And I think along those lines also, there comes a mentality that makes people even more disheartened and sad. I think there’s this thought that if we’ve slowed down, if we’re not pushing enough, we won’t get renewed. And I don’t really think that’s the case; I don’t think renewal rests squarely on our shoulders like that. Because, again, I think a lot of it really has to do with money, and with negotiations between studios. I think we’re very good for visibility and noise, and subsequently, I think any sort of effort is great effort! I think any work that has been conducted is good work.
It’s also important to think about how we’re sort of in a transition stage of the campaign right now, too. Things are significantly different than they were just a week ago. There are campaign leadership changes going on, the focus is different, and new plans of attack are being ironed out.
So, we all just need to give ourselves some grace. We’ve done so much, and things have moved so fast, and the cast and crew have felt so loved. We’ve made it into publications, made it onto physical ads, and gotten the attention of outside entities (shoutout to Astroglide WJDJW). We’ve also all come together, which is VERY wonderful considering how divided things felt towards the end of October. We’re doing wonderful all things considered, and so for that reason among a few others, I’m still hopeful.
Also, there’s this post by @pehmokoira that goes into even MORE detail of why we shouldn’t throw in the towel/lose hope.
SO. TLDR, there is a lot weighing down on “the atmosphere of this ship,” but I still encourage you to keep those fingers crossed. Help maintain the momentum however works best for you. Take a break, take a step back, and take care. But keep that stubborn little fire burning if you can 💜🏴☠️
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Hi yume! I have three questions I would like to ask you...
What do you think about these two photos? do you think Simon is really like that under the mask? (in my opinion it might look more like the first photo, but I don't know. Many say it's the second because it looks more like Samuel, but honestly, the haircut of the first is very similar to the scene where he takes off the mask.)
In your opinion, how would Simon behave in a social context? (for example going out alone, taking a bus or any other public transport.) do you think he would still keep the mask on, or would he cover himself with something else?
How would Simon behave with children (you know, in the comic he had a nephew who was very important to him.) What do you think he would do if maybe a small child, in the park with his/her mother, approached him curiously and touched him? or are there kids throwing the ball in his direction by accident? would he kicks the ball back to them?
Thanks in advance, you are the best!🫶🏻❤️
I love your answers and everything you post! (I'll never stop saying this, sorry...🥲)
Hey Sofia :D Thank you for your ask and sweet words 🥺 It's truly nice to hear you like my answers :D Appreciate your support 🫶
First things first ;p the art on the right is from Wombywoo, if i'm not mistaken.
Alright, let's do this *cracks knuckles and neck, cause i always spend wayy too much time on answering my asks >.<*
1. You know.. headcanon-ing Simon's face is kinda fun cause his face is hidden :D Everyone can put their own thoughts in the mix. I thiink when MWIII is out, imma do a part 2 on Simon's face. Anyway,
I remember that first photo (left) was on reddit, extracted from MWII files somewhere last year. It was already said that the hair was from Graves(?) and put on his head. I also think it's either a placeholder or not finished since they've only used his 3D head for mask placement and the scene where he takes of the mask and we (only) see his fluffy short hair.
It really wouldn't be a surprise if Simon's (face) features are alot of that from his VA, Samuel Roukin. I've seen every frame multiple times by now *edit life* and to me, it really looks like Simon has Roukin's eye shape and nose(for the most part). I loove the fact the devs stayed true to Simon's brown eyes *-* So what else did they stay true to? Or is it completely Roukin's face? We might never know :P But personally for me it's still 50/50. Half Roukin's face/ half comic Simon's face. Ok ok, maybe now more like 70/30. idc, just show me. No, don't! Yes!
2. Ooff, good question. I wonder if he uses public transport since he also can drive. (i'd rather take the car thn the bus ngl :P).
At the end of the campaign with 141 and Laswell sitting in a bar, Simon still has his eye paint and mask on. Though be it another mask thn that he was wearing during the Chicago mission. So that makes me believe he conceals his face in his free time (outside), i'm not exactly sure how tho cause wearing a skull mask like that in public might alarm ppl? idk.
I kinda lean more to the idea he isn't that among people much (being outside). If he already prefers to work alone than in a team (141 is a no brainer for him tho, imo) i don't really see him being out and about and social in his off time Q_Q And with all this online ordering, he gucci. But okok, i do see him do groceries and stuff. You know, basic stuff. He will have alot of hooded clothes, caps and what not. Corona must've been a 'delight' for him. (ok ill stop. sorry)
I think he barely makes eyecontact, or just shortly cause he's friendly. He a good lad.
Srsly don't waste your time on this next hc;
You know.. what if he just lives in a very small village somewhere quiet in England where everyone knows eachother and he don't have to worry about all that outside shii cause everyone in that small village knows how he is. Easy peasy, live and let live. Often people in small villages are old cause many young move to the city. So them golden oldies in his town are just happy they have a soldier in their midst and respect his privacy. Buut.. thn again, the bigger the city.. the easier it is to blend. Oh well. Whatever XD
3. I THINK HE'S REALLY GOOD WITH KIDS! But doesn't show, is scared to show, etc etc all that. I even think if a kid is being bullied in his presence he would intervine. I'm sure of it. But i think he would avoid being around kids. If one's come up to him i think he will be friendly but not interested in a conversation or play ball.
I'll let myself out
#IF YOU READ ALLL OF THAT LEMME GIVE YOU A SMOOCH#and sorry for wasting your time#ask yume#ghost#headcanon#simon ghost riley#call of duty
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hi! i’ve been a fan of your writing since da2 and i’m so glad you’re playing bg3 now too. it’s been really interesting following your play throughs and character choices and how that ties in with your fic. i know you went with the choice to have astarion kill tav when he firsts bites her because it’s hilarious and i always want to do that, but i think i’d miss the scene after with the whole camp (and all the approval for defending him lol) and ahhhh i just don’t know! if you feel like it, i was wondering if you would talk more about your HCs around that choice and what to you makes it worth losing the morning after scene with everyone because i feel like it’s such an important group moment but… i want to punch him for killing me and also kind of slow things down with him so we stay just reluctant but oddly compelled allies for longer
Ahhh, what a fabulous question! Thank you so very much for this handcrafted opportunity to sit you down at my kitchen table with a cup of coffee and trap you for the next three and a half hours.
So the first bite scene ending in Tav's death wasn't actually intentional! I started playing BG3 in a three-person MP team with @eponymous-rose and @mystery-moose, and it so happened that my character (Tavish Gale, already ironclad) was the one who came across the boar and triggered the bite scene that night. By pure chance I rolled two natural ones on both those checks, and when it cut to the next morning and Tav was outright DEAD, we couldn't stop laughing! We had no idea what to expect or what the consequences would be, and when I switched to a SP campaign so I could horrifically binge this game like the gremlin I am, I felt compelled to recreate that glorious, character-defining moment.
However, as you note, that does mean you miss out on that lovely post-feed conversation where everyone says they're okay with him. On the other hand, you get that absolutely flat read of "Oh no. Something terrible happened here. :|" and then you get to punch him, so, you know, basically equal losses on either path. I know you get a ton of approval points after with the survival track, but I'm finding I'm not hurting for approval even in early game (I actually had to go and mod his approval 15 points lower about halfway through Act 1 this run because I was triggering his romance scene too early ahead of the party).
I actually need to probably sit down and write out the details of what happens here, but I do think a couple things take place. I know for sure that Tav fails the checks & doesn't fight it because she gets sucked into the feeling of relaxation and lethargy and the sense that nothing matters anymore. She spends most of Acts 1 & 2 fairly certain they're going to die any day, so why not live life to the fullest and do whatever you want in the moment without thinking about the consequences? If she's going to go out early anyway, why not to a relatively painless vampire bite instead of the agony of ceremorphosis? She probably realizes she's dying in those last seconds, but it's very much a "finally" instead of "oh no," so it's not really any skin off her nose.
I'm almost certain Astarion is shocked out of his mind when her heart stops. I don't think he realizes what's happened until he sits back and she's ice-cold and smiling, and his first instinct is to run off into the dark ASAP before everyone else wakes up and shanks him. Except because this happens IN THE MIDDLE OF CAMP, LARIAN, I think someone sees the whole thing go down and realizes Astarion didn't mean to do it and Tav was a brick-thick idiot who leaned all the way into her own death.
On pondering, I kind of think it was Shadowheart, who is utterly disgusted with both of them but who also knows she can bring Tav back with a scroll and does so without much drama. She'd be the kind of person to see what was going on, but who doesn't care enough to intervene or go "hey everything okay over here I can't help but notice you're engaging in some risky behavior", but who also wouldn't leap to TIME TO KILL ASTARION the moment it went too far.
I think Tav wakes up with a raging headache, and now that there are suddenly consequences she can't immediately brush off, she gets embarrassed and mad. Cue the punch, the argument, and probably everyone else waking up in the aftermath. Lae'zel initially wants to boot him from the group, I think, but Tav's anger burns out pretty quick (and she's pretty aware of her own failures to stop him), and she points out that if they're going to saddle themselves with Wyll's, Gale's, and her own baggage, it'd be pretty hypocritical to dump Astarion over his. So we still get some defense of him to the group, and I think Karlach (and probably Wyll, and honestly maybe Shadowheart who saw his fear) would be onboard with keeping him around pretty quickly. Promises never to do it again, keep your teeth to yourself, etc.
Astarion I think spends this entire conversation very, very scared and doing everything he can to hide it. I think he's completely overwhelmed by euphorically feeding on a thinking creature for the first time and then completely horrified by killing her - not because he likes her but because what if this is why Cazador commanded us not to, what if I can't control myself on my own without his compulsion, what if I really am the beast he's always said. He's panicking from the outrageous swings of emotion and talking really quickly and trying to put up a bold front, but inside he's about half a hair from snapping off into the woods and never coming back.
I think it's the punch that kind of shocks him out of the spiral, and then Tav then defending him to the group helps him flip into the "well obviously I deserve to stay and in fact to kick me out of the group would be not only stupid, but deadly" mode long enough to get through the night. He tries to put on the usual devil-may-care indifference, even though everyone can see through it, and they have a tense few days where everyone's pretending everything is fine even though it's really, really not.
Astarion & Tav are also avoiding each other religiously here, until something happens in a battle (the harpies, I think) and one of them gets injured because of that avoidance. That night, Tav stakes him to the ground and makes them talk about it. I think this is where she says she's not actually averse to him feeding on her and in fact asks him to do it that night - to get them both over the hump of what happened the first time. Astarion needs to feed without fear & she needs to not get swept up in the lethargy, and if he's going to get back to the sneering equilibrium he ought to have in the first and second acts, he needs to be successful at this and he needs to feel like he's won, or at least like he has an edge over her again. She's a little transparent about wanting to be bled in part to help him get back to this position of control, and in part because she does like forgetting the weight of reality, and in part because, again, they're gonna die in like twelve hours, surely, so who cares?
Anyway, it goes as well as it can for the two of them, even if they're both a little prickly throughout, and by the end they're a lot more comfortably back in that manipulative space they prefer. From there it moves on compliantly with canon into the party leadup (Loviatar and such) and then the party itself, and then progresses as scheduled with the rest of the game.
Ahh, it's so fun to think about these kinds of things. I'll continue to ponder, but I think this is either it for them or very close. Thank you so much for asking and for letting me ruminate! <3
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RWRB Musical Ramble Part 2: References/Parallels
More on this brain rot because I’m losing my mind over it
I thought of moments and scenes from the movie (because if we’re gonna adapt this into a musical, we’re gonna need to use the movie more than the book just because of the limitation of theatre) that sort of draw parallels to songs and moments from musicals I know:
Their initial feud and quips from the opening scenes remind me of “What is this Feeling” from Wicked, which in the musical, is literally the start of Glinda and Elphaba’s enemies-to-friends arc. Plus this part would be so funny with Henry:
Yes, there's been some confusion
For you see, my room-mate is
Unusually and exceedingly peculiar
And altogether quite impossible to describe
Blonde
Matthew literally posted this parallel on his Instagram story a few days ago: The get low moment in the movie is so similar to the dance in West Side Story, so imagine an upbeat fun party song where everyone is dancing and suddenly it’s just the two of them staring at each other while their motif plays
The Red Room/ First Hook Up/ Polo scene fits perfectly with Bad Idea from Waitress, I mean Alex initially calls them a beautiful mistake in the books, and just look at the lyrics:
Heart, keep racing
Let's make mistakes
Let us say, "So what?"
And make worse what was already pretty bad
This secret is safe
No reason to throw it away when there's love to be had
Hold me tight as I tell myself that you might make sense
And make good what has been just so bad
Let's see this through
It's a pretty good bad idea
Me and you
Plus in the actual show, the reprise is literally just the three couples having very enthusiastic sex, and again, lyrics:
Hearts keep racing
There’s no mistaking
We can’t come back from this
Good, ’cause I want more of what I had
It feels so good to…
Feels so good…
To be bad
To be bad
Take this bad idea and walk this wire
Throw your spark into oil and fire
Chance won’t come every single day
So don’t throw it away
Don’t throw it away
We might burn but we might get saved
I don’t feel much fire at all these days
Feels so good to
Feels so good to be
Bad
The Emails can be done like “Take a Break” from Hamilton, where Angelica and Hamilton, or Alex and Henry are on different, opposite parts of the stage, left and right, or like in Hamilton, Alex working on the campaign on the base stage, while Henry’s on the balcony, taking turns singing their letters/emails out, we could even add the cute signatures from the book every time they finish their own verse, and the chorus could be a harmony sang together about how much they miss each other, plus Hamilton and Angelica are literally in America and London respectively and Take a Break has this line:
And there you are an ocean away
Do you have to live an ocean away?
Thoughts of you subside
Then I get another letter
And I cannot put the notion away
I thought of the Waterloo Letters paralleling the Reynolds Pamphlet from Hamilton, but on second thought although they’re both about “affairs”, the Firstprince one is a genuinely loving and monogamous relationship unlike the extra-marital sexual affair Hamilton had, and in Hamilton, we see it from other people’s perspective like Jefferson, Maddison, Philip and Angelica, but in RWRB both the book and movie show us the reaction of Henry and Alex, the two people directly involved. Plus in terms of emotions, Reynold Pamphlet feels damning on Hamilton, while the Waterloo Letters feel heart-breaking on Henry and Alex. But the staging of letters flying around and everyone reading it like crazy would translate pretty well
That’s all I can think of for now but this was really fun!!! I’ll definitely write again when I think of more
Finding GiFs and formatting for this was so exhausting and took me more time and writing the actual post, I'll add the rest later when I figure out where tf the gifs I want are and how to format this properly
Part 1 / Part 3
#rwrb movie#red white and royal blue#rwrb#alex claremont diaz#firstprince#henry hanover stuart fox#henry fox mountchristen windsor#rwrb thoughts#rwrb musical#watch me go insane over this#musical theatre#Spotify#meraki essay
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Just read your post about the stunning lack of Caleb/Nott/Yeza content out there and I get you friend!!! I am so wild about the whole dynamic going on between them. I'm on ep 62 right now and I am losing my mind over Beau asking Caleb if he's in love with Nott... Caleb standing quietly outside Nott's bedroom door... The longing, the complex feelings between the three of them... Idk where this was going I just!!! Am so glad I'm not alone with these feelings.
One of us! One of us! Yessss!!! I wish I had something eloquent to say about them but most of it is just incoherant screaming.
I went FERAL over that scene between Beau and Caleb. I think if she had asked if Caleb loved Nott it would have been an entirely different story. I still think he was just denying it though just a little bit. He loves her in all the ways its hard to be just in love with her, you know?
And Caleb standing outside her door. It still hurts my heart. I think about that at least 10 times a day. What was going through his mind? How exactly is he feeling? There are so many moments around all of that I would LOVE to talk to you about!!!
I still cannot believe that the entire fandom slept on them??? And Caleb and Nott in general??? It is mind boggling to me. They are individually and together some of the most interesting characters and dynamic in the nein imo. Im biased but hey. But there is so much POTENTIAL. The longing. The changing relationships and displacement. The healing and trauma. The co-dependency. Nott needing Caleb to change her back. Caleb relying on Nott early on.
And Yeza. Oh Yeza. The sweet halfling who is head over heels for Nott no matter form or her name. I can't with him!!! And I so wish we would get to see a conversation between him and Nott about Caleb and how everything is different. I don't think Nott would ever do that but it's nice to dream. But he has to know how close they are. And how does he feel about it? Is he jealous of Caleb? Does he feel bad for him? Is he understanding? I have questions!!!! In the end, I think he would do anything to make her happy, including inviting Caleb into their lives in whatever capacity she wanted.
Also ngl, I will sort of die on the hill that Nott's feelings toward Caleb are definitely changing, leaning more toward romance and the like than they were at the beginning of the campaign. I definitely won't spoil you. But like c'mon. And i have no idea how much what people said in the replies to that post actually happened, etc. But I hope Sam and Liam didn't drastically change anything about the story they wanted to tell because of people's reactions.
I also don't think its a coincidence that Nott's feelings are evolving as she rescues Yeza and reunites with him and Luc. I think Caleb and Yeza are beginning to represent much more to her than just her loves. They represent different ways of life, different values, different personalities. They have facets of her in both of them, and I think she's putting pressure on herself to choose. Neither Yeza nor Caleb seem too concerned about that or maybe aware of it? I just think there's meaning behind her shifting feelings and the fact she is being faced with this choice (as she sees it) now. Whether intentional on the part of Sam, no idea, and frankly, i don't really care lol.
But please always feel free to come scream at me about these two!! I'm always willing to listen!!! And I love hearing others thoughts about them!!!!
To sort of maybe hopefully quell this void in the fandom, I highly recommend you read this fic my lovely friend @gelatinouscute wrote for me. (If the link doesn't work, I can definitely message it to you). But it's very good!!!!
#critical role#cr2#widobrave#mighty nein#the brenattos#caleb widogast#nott the brave#still dont have a tag for asks#but i meant what i said#im always interested in hearing others takes on them and whatnot#theres not enough nott and caleb and yeza content in this world#and it was not addressed in game enough#my first rare pair or ship or obsession or whatever#i have so much empathy for you who have rare pairs on the regular#this is NOT fun#also you didnt ask for an essay but you got one sorry
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C3E58 - reaction
I am very entertained that they are fighting a creature with many mouths who causes psychic damage from the sounds, considering I'm in the gibbering mouther section of my C2 rewatch and about to get to the laughing hand, so it's all just fucked up mouths for me XD
LOL the fact that FCG has started consistently fucking with who doesn't get bonded and it's an issue each time. I love it! Though I'm worried about their stress points, I'm also kinda looking forwards to a little blow up.
I saw a few spoilers about the episode before I watched so I WASN'T terrified when Fearne went down and got swallowed, but holy fuck if I hadn't known she lived for a threesome, that would have been so stressful!
I'm so glad we got to see at least a tiny glimpse of the wolf-king! I want Matt to post a picture of it on twitter please! Please please just for me!
Huzzah for bag of holding! Great with the notes and harness and rod for plot development, good for funds for refilling some pockets, especially because ...well, I don't even know what the funds status is of this group. VM was rich AF, M9 was poor AF, I have no clue where BH falls. Especially because a lot of it is based on RP (I think M9 probably had as much as BH, but rped as much poorer - nope I lied, counting today's haul, BH has like double the amount that M9 had by the same episode)
Wish we could have gotten more from the FRIDA moment, interesting that Matt has Christian be much more active in the rolls and directions, whereas with Ashton and Fearne's dad (not Birdie, I can't remember his name) they were much more passive while Imogen and FCG/Laura and Sam really took the lead. Confirmation of Aeor though! Sounds like they got smited by the gods though I don't think we had any idea previously that some Aeorians were against using the malleus factorum. Not surprising once I think about it for like, two seconds, but never considered it before.
THREESOME!!!!! Oh I SO hope that Fearne holds to her early game comment and does 'work her way through all of them'. PLS PLS PLS. Anyhow, a touching and mostly hilarious moment, I loved every second of it. I'm also pleased that the first kiss and first sex scenes were from PCs that it seemed like the fans went out of their way to desexualize, I love it.
All the gifts! Hoodies were adorable, and then two wooden gifts from Chet! With how frequently the table gave each other game related gifts out of game previously, I do enjoy how much it's a lot of in-game gifts now.
Oh fuck those scenes with the Changebringer and Dawnfather were INTENSE. HOLY SHIT. I am very hyped, for the gods to just force visions and make demands (at varying levels of demandingness)!!! I wonder how many non-PCs are also receiving these visions? Did Caduceus get one? Fjord? Pike and Vex and Scanlan? Random other clerics and paladins of the world?
Seriously, I am so hype. C3 took me a bit to settle it, but it is a very easy second place for me out of the three campaigns! Still won't beat C2 for me, but I'm pretty sure that's because 1) it was my first campaign and 2) it's when I really hit hyperfocus on CR and could watch two and a half to three episodes a day. ...yeah, I binged HARD on C2. Started late January 21 and finished in time to watch the finale live.
I'm also intrigued to see how all this is going to go. They physically CAN'T have Aabria and Christian playing once everyone is back together, there's just no room at the table. What is going to be the thing that splits them up? I wonder if it'll end up coming down to an NPC having to be 'group regulars go to this location, group guests go to this location' to have a natural and realistic separation.
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MW3 More Thoughts: A little more on what I would have preferred for the ending (Maybe just me being salty lol)
// Spoilers Ahead
Narrative-wise, I think Price should have been the one to die
Lmaojshafjklh Okay but LISTEN! Hear me out...
I think the campaign could have gone on as is, just fine, except for that final scene. Soap still gets shot down, but he doesn't get up to do that final hit on Makarov. Instead, he lays there on the ground, still reeling from the gunshot wound, and he's forced to watch as Price is killed by Makarov.
The screen fades to black, and the scene picks up in a cinematic. We watch in 3rd person as Ghost and Gaz step in and intervene, Gaz could be the one to yell out "Price!" this time, and the firefight continues on the same. Ghost could still yell for Johnny, but Gaz pulls him back to the bomb, Soap wincing but instructing them on which wire to cut.
They stop the bomb and the scene ends with Ghost kneeling down over Soap, helping to stop the bleeding and Gaz relaying the news over comms. This time though, with a full cinematic and score playing as all three of them look over Price's body, a solemn frown on each of their faces.
"One KIA... It's Price."
I love Price, I do! It was just his time to gooo 😭 It was hinted at so much by the promo art, we've had three full games now to enjoy his character, and I think everybody expected it... Which I don't think is a bad thing at all!
In fact, I think it makes for a good story!! It means that the path that you're taking makes sense, that the narrative is telling a believable story. Not that Soap's death was unbelievable/ or not hinted at (they gave plenty of foreshadowing), it was just unsatisfactory as hell, I thought. He was BARELY coming into his own. He was making all the right calls, shining even more so than he did in MWII, and we've only had him for a year!
Like I said in a previous post, I'm fine with a Soap death, I just think this one sucked for him 😂 He deserved better I say!
From there, same cinematics, Soap giving his own little quip at the funeral (maybe an apology for what happened, maybe he blames himself partially for his death?). And the post credits scene... but with Ghost. I'm especially proud of this idea, imagine it's Ghost who shifts out of the shadows in Shepherd's office, getting his revenge for him and Johnny in Las Almas (It'd be so sexy please, imagine it with Ghost, my lord).
And of course, the game continues with a new captain. I love Captain MacTavish and Captain Garrick, but I'm partial to Captain Ghost, personally. He is the lieutenant after all, AND they already use him as the poster child for the series, so I think it'd be an easy transition. Plus, I imagine him as a reluctant Captain, and this game perfectly showcased how Soap and Gaz both help to pick up where the team's lacking. It'd be less of a Captain and his subordinates situation, and more of an equally powered trio of scary-as-fuck operatives.
That's just my idea, at least. It's just a random string of ideas, but I would have much preferred the games take a direction like this over the direction they decided on.
Hell, I think it actually would've been better off for Price, seeing as I've been seeing some people turn on him for how he handled everything 😂
But enough ranting, there's a lot I DID love about the campaign. I'm just a little salty for how things turned out. All /lh though, I do still love Price and all the team going forward.
#mw#MW3#MWIII#mw3 spoilers#mwiii spoilers#rant#ramblings#I might make this into a full idea later on once the full timeline is done#No promises though teehee
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I gotta know, if you were in charge of an Eddie Munson spin-off, what would it be?? Prequel series? Post-Season 5? What would be the center of the plot? You’re one of the only writers I trust with Eddie so I wanna know all the details 👀😂
-🐝
Aaahh omg thank you so much 🥺😭🖤
Okay I can imagine several scenarios for which an Eddie spinoff series would work well (and btw I firmly believe we will get an Eddie spinoff series).
As a prequel series, I can imagine a spinoff about the Hellfire Club with Eddie as the main protagonist. I'd write it as a story centered around one ongoing D&D campaign with the events in the campaign mirroring and morphing with real life at Hawkins High while we dive deeper into Eddie's past where he takes some of his inspiration for the campaigns from, as well as his life with Wayne AND we get to know the other members of Hellfire and Corroded Coffin. I'd keep the overall stakes more lighthearted though - say, a finale set at Battle of the Bands for example. Eddie's past and childhood flashbacks and overall background would provide a lot of heavy topics which should definitely be addressed though the focus shluld stay on how Eddie got to be and is the brave, kind, fierce and protective soul we got to know. It would have to balance the funny side of his character and the funny scenes of ST4 episode 1 with the fucked up stuff he'd had to endure before he came to live with Wayne, and the topic of bullying, but Eddie's character has so much complexity and depth for it to allow for this balance. Think The Ocean At The End Of The Lane by Neil Gaiman, not from the vibes but from the way of storytelling.
This one definitely would work as a prequel AND a sequel, independent from Eddie being resurrected.
I'd take every Eddie spinoff we get, I just want him back, but if I had to decide which Eddie spinoff I'd prefer, it wouldn't be a prequel but a sequel. I want Eddie to have a chance, a future, and time to live because that's what he deserves. A prequel would always be overshadowed by the notion that it's a bit pointless considering his ending was set, in case they don't bring him back. It would be gutting, to know that he still finds his demise in the Upside Down when he deserved to live and find a place in this world and the true, unambiguous love he obviously wished for himself.
As for a sequel...there would be several options, depending on the course of ST5. If they actually did a time jump, MCU style, and it would simply be implied that ST4 never happened because of it and thus Eddie lived, a Hellfire spinoff exactly like the one I described would still work perfectly, set in his final senior year with maybe even Mike and Dustin and Lucas having guest appearances and we see Eddie graduating in the end. Which again...would have been foreshadowed in the actual series btw, giving the once tragically doomed shadow over his story a beautiful spin, to see 86 WAS in fact Eddie's year after all. Btw I'm crying while writing this, it would be absolutely perfect.
I'm in the process of plotting a miniseries about exactly such a Hellfire Club story centered around Eddie, btw. I want to have it written and ready to post in the months leading up to ST5 👀
Another option for a sequel would be Eddie returning in ST5, joining the others in the final battle - and then having to go on the run because he's still wanted for murder and the military or himself having to clear his name.
Those are the three most exciting possibilities I'd come up with. I'd love to hear your guys' thoughts 😍🖤
And thank you so much for your asks, darling, I'm still working on answering the other two but I'll never get fed up with them; on the contrary, I love getting your asks and theorizing with you 🥺🖤
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So I've been reading your superb Brucas posts and LOVED your choices for your three favorite scenes (82 letters, Pretty Girl/Crazy Girl, and obviously the rain speech is epic!) But I have to nominate the S2 scene where Lucas surprises Brooke, aka the girl behind the red door, with a new home in OTH. Lucas: "I wasn't ready to lose you." Brooke: "I wasn't ready to be lost." Me: *cries for all of eternity* I so enjoyed your followers' UOs about OTH and your responses to them. I guess my biggest unpopular opinion is that S2 is my favorite of the series - it's amazing seeing Brucas as an actual couple for most of S3 and nice to see Naley officially reunited, but S2 highlights this really unique, special connection Brooke and Lucas have as they get to know each other on a deeper level. They have such an emotional, soulful connection - S2 forever dispels the myth that Brucas is just about fun and sexual attraction. Jeyton also makes S2 special to me. Just as Brooke makes Lucas so much happier (and likable!) by taking him out of his head and Lucas grounds Brooke and lets her be more serious, vulnerable, etc., Jake makes Peyton SO much happier and more likable to me than she is at any other point in the series, while Peyton brings out the side of naturally sweet, conflict averse Jake who's ready to fight (for custody, for what he believes in) etc. The fact that these two pairings weren't endgame is TV malpractice!!! And I'll be even more unpopular by adding that while I get why Naley fans dislike S2 and I do enjoy Naley together, Nathan is at his most layered and interesting this season because they're apart, and their angst also gives us some of Bethany Joy Lenz's most perfect acting. Add in some of the most hilariously campy Dan scenes and the fact that overall I like Breyton's dynamic in S2 a lot more than I do any other season, and S2 is just my special favorite. Bet you'll never guess who this is ;)
Hey! Thanks for the message and I agree, painting the red door should be on that list, I just didn't think of it at the time, which sometimes happens when I make lists ;)
I also understand why season 2 would be your favourite season for all of the reasons you just said -- I especially like their connection through her campaign, I'm not sure if you've seen my reviews of the show during my rewatch -- there is a lot of great Brucas content in season 2 and the most I believe Breyton is in that season as well and of course Jeyton.
It's also interesting rewatching season 2 Naley because out of all of the storylines, it's the one that feels the most immediate to me, like, with Brucas and Jeyton, I think because I've spoken a lot about them and how they don't end up together, I just watch it and keep going, you undid all of this for LEYTON so I'm just prepared for the inevitable whereas with Naley, while I know everything is going to work out with them, Haley's motivations bother me and so I watch it like, I know it's all going to work out but I don't think I would stick around if I was Nathan because Haley is pretty shitty in season 2 because she is the one who made it music or Nathan, Nathan was entirely supportive of the whole thing, he just didn't like Chris, which is fair so I watch it like I forgot how much I hated Haley this season, haha.
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Tumblr Revival
Tl;dr
Tumblr has a large interconnected community of artists and content creators, and should focus on its strengths and what it does right. Instead of trying to compete for space against Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Tumblr should focus on empowering its community and giving that community the tools to develop the site's unparalleled uniqueness.
Tumblr is the crossroads of the internet, with a monthly user traffic of 300 million it is the perfect space for artists, content creators, and small businesses to grow their following without having to fight for a seat at the table against companies with huge budgets.
Hi, I go by Nacho here on tumblr, and I'm sure as many of us on tumblr have noticed, the (hell)site is kinda going downhill. Tumblr was bought by Automattic in fall of 2019, and I am sure they have the best intentions to help tumblr stay afloat. However, I think it's time the community took a more deliberate approach to how tumblr is handled, and hopefully Automattic and @staff will hear us out. I think I have a solid solution to tumblrs money issues, that will help both the site and empower its online communities.
First and foremost, I am not involved with Tumblr or Automattic. I am just a simple blog trying to help out a place that I've been on since 2010, and I would hate to see it die here around 2023.
So, let's get to the root of the problem on tumblr right now. That being money, tumblr is currently costing more money that it produces, as we've seen with its 97% drop in value from 1.1 billion dollar sale to being sold at around 3 million dollars.
So the first thing that must be improved before anything else can be improved on tumblr is how much money they're bringing in a month. I don't think folks on tumblr hate monetization as much as we all collectively say we do, I think the issue is that most advertisers are completely disconnected from the groups they are trying to advertise to on here. Tumblr comprises roughly 65% millennials and 30% gen-z, the two generations that advertisers seem to have the hardest time advertising to for a myriad of reasons. The main one being that they don't fully understand what we want, and sometimes just don't listen to what we are saying.
Lets look at how tumblr makes its money, Tumblr has four main revenue sources,
Ads by sponsored posts
Display ads through video posts
Sponsored Day ads or banner ads
“Premium Themes”
I'll go into depth on all of these and how tumblr could make potential changes to improve their revenue anywhere from three to six months after it implements some or ideally all of these changes.
First tumblr ads and sponsored posts, these changes are going to be contingent on tumblr allowing its users to share, like, and comment on ads much like all other media sites currently allow. Or at least giving advertisers the ability to turn that on or off as a function.
The average tumblr post gets reblogged 14 times, that number increases significantly if the ad is engaging and actually caters to the communities wants and needs. My reasoning for giving users the ability to reblog ads is to increase user engagement while maintaining their current ad vetting process and all of the nonsensical ads that are run on tumblr 90% of the time.
The other reason for allowing tumblr users to share and comment on ads, or have it be an option for advertisers to turn on or off as they'd like, is that the appeal of tumblr is the ability to propagate and obsess over the most niche things (i.e OSHA.)
All the while allowing content that gets shared all over the internet bubble up to the top through the collective hand of the tumblr community. Along with this tumblr has no way for small users to share their own products or services, every single major site has a way for users to advertise their pages or products through the site.
Tumblr is a content machine that creates imagery and memes that get shared all the time across the internet, so the ability to share and curate its own ads is paramount to improving advertising and user engagement on tumblr.
My proposal here is for tumblr to expand its advertising capabilities to all users, while charging a flat rate fee to advertise on tumblr, with additional charges for popular tags or trending tags. Tumblr currently has no self service advertising system much like Facebook does for example. Where facebook charges a daily rate on cost-per-click(CPC) or cost-per-thousand(CPM)
Charging a flat rate fee at a rate of a day, week, month, or quarterly basis with variances in prices based on the lease term and what the advertisers would want to have their ads show up on certain tags. This would open up the doors for small businesses that don't want to advertise on places like facebook, twitter, or google with their complicated CPM and CPC models. Also bringing in more small locally owned businesses with the added value of less competition for ad space on tumblr.
This would also take some of the weight from tumblrs own advertising staff from having to explain a convoluted system to potential advertisers. Creating a simplified model with the the advent of tumblrs own infrastructure able to get a single post to a large variety of users. Where the current ad model uses a “shotgun” method to hit as many people as possible, the tumblr model could encourage advertisers to curate a more personalized and intimate experience that tumblr users would love.
Why not just advertise elsewhere? Tumblr still in fact gets over 300 million views a month as of June 2021 (Statosta), and the added benefit for users to be able to like, share, and interact with ads would allow ads that the community enjoys to be talked about more. Giving advertisers more honest feedback about their ads while increasing their SEO’s.
Also small businesses that can't compete with the vetting processes that are used on other sites, would have a better chance of developing their business and increasing their clientele on tumblr whose core demographics are approximately 60% millennial and 35% gen-z. This core demographic does in fact care about being able to shop at local stores, or even a store across the US that is trying to drum up its own online sales.
These ads could be placed inline on the tumblr dash while moving other sponsored ads to the right of the site on desktop, but making them alternate on mobile between user ads and sponsored ads.
Second, the display ads should be changed to allow tumblr users to share and further interact with ads to generate more user engagement, incentivizing more businesses and companies to build their brand status on tumblr. Tumblr has a good model for creating short diaries or daily vlogs for companies that wish to show off their products on social media. This includes smaller businesses and vlogers that want to post videos or tutorials of themselves on their blog.
Tumblr is a good site for user engagement with a pool of creative potential for anyone wanting to gauge the desire for a particular subject or piece of media, maybe even an upcoming show. Having the ability to share and comment on sponsored ads would also help advertisers by allowing them to get more bang for their buck with a considerable uptick on how users engage with that content.
Third, tumblrs sponsor day ads and banner ads are inexpensive and should be highlighted as a selling point over their competitors. Tumblr 24-hour banner ads are considerably more affordable for businesses when compared to places like twitter with their 200k price point. For the same amount of money on tumblr a business could have their company at the top of the dashboard or app for 8 whole days. Much longer and much better than the competition.
Keeping this price fixed, with a change in the price CPC is still a much more lucrative and attractive selling point than any of the competition on the internet today. I know this might not be exactly what tumblr wants to hear when it is hemorrhaging money right now, but let's look at the cost for these 24 hour daily ads and banner ads. If tumblr hypes up the price point on these ads they could see a significant rise in advertisers considering the lack of competition on tumblr and past success stories of companies who did advertise on tumblr.
At the same time larger advertisers should be encouraged to make engaging ads and blogs on tumblr that will make people want to actually go to their blogs, that then link to an external site or page. Not ads that instantly try to force you to go to some other site, by rewarding or offering special discounts for people who find a special code or something off of the actual blog. Or even for giving the same code to everyone who reblogs a certain post made by the advertiser.
Seems too good to be true? Look at “Asos” back in 2015 when they held a shirt design competition on their tumblr blog. Where they had 900 submissions, four of which were picked, and were sold out of the user generated shirts in 10 hours.
This is not the only case however, but FX ran their own campaign for the show “Man Seeking Woman” where they saw a 2.8% increase in user engagement, 86% increase in their tumblr followers, and they actually saved money through advertising on tumblr.
All this leads me to believe that tumblr actually was and continues to be the best place for brands, small businesses, and artists to develop themselves through genuine user engagement.
Finally, the “premium themes” that are available on tumblr that allow for unparalleled customizations that you hardly find elsewhere on the internet anymore. Tumblrs ability to take a variety of media sources, as well as having an unparalleled level of customization, user interconnectivity, and a vibrant artistic scene shows that it is ripe with potential.
Tumblr could still use its post+ feature, but in the same way that Discord uses its subscription service. For cosmetic changes that can be added modularly to the site or individual blogs for an additional monthly fee. In conjunction with partnering with community artists to bring small cosmetic additions to individual blogs, while paying the content creator and tumblr taking a small portion of the profits over a certain amount.
To be completely honest this is probably the hardest portion of this entire pitch to make changes to in a shorter period of time, considering all the testing and “under the hood” changes that must be made. However, I think that implementing this as well as the other changes I have proposed will bring back more foot traffic to tumblr as well as increase its revenue and profitability.
In closing, I am simply working with whatever information I was able to find online and a good amount of time invested on my part to do this. I think tumblr has a ton of potential still to return as a force for good for the communities that exist and want a change from what the internet has become. Time and time again when any company or public entity dies it was because it did not change and refused to adapt and innovate, oftentimes not at the hands of the people working everyday to keep the site running. Instead at the hands of people who dont see the value in what has fallen in their laps.
If you agree and think this is something that can be done, please reblog this post and follow me for more updates. If I don't hear back or this does not gain any traction by the end of the year, then tumblr can go to its inevitable end. I will be here sinking with the ship.
@support @engineering @music @wip @changes @photomatt
#tumblr plus#tumblr post plus#tumblr staff#advertising#marketing strategy#changes#tumblr premium#post plus protest#community#automattic
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To the critical fans of Critical Role,
With the announcement of Campaign 3′s premier and the three week approach of our return to Taldorei, I have seen hundreds of excited posts by Critters flood the tag here on Tumblr joyfully cheering for the new characters, new setting, new exciting experiences to enjoy. It’s a wonderful and heartwarming sight, though it has been tempered with some concerns--specifically due to the setting.
Campaign 3, as we are all well aware at this point, is taking place on the continent of Marquet, a place we’ve only been to a couple times in Campaign 1. The Marquet we saw then was heavily inspired by Middle-Eastern and South-Asian aesthetics, and as far as we know that region is still inspired by those cultures. It’s an interesting and brilliant piece of worldbuilding that I’ve been excited to dive deeper into since we were introduced to it.
And it seems I wasn’t alone in this--months before the end of Campaign 2, even, there were people filling the Critical Role tag with their predictions for Campaign 3, and most common amongst them was the speculation of a Marquet-based campaign. People were excited at the concept of returning to Marquet and really seeing it fleshed out, especially four years after the last time we saw it and with all the experience Matt has gained and grown into with worldbuilding. We were excited to see the unique characters that the cast would make once they went there.
But now that the setting has been confirmed to be Marquet indeed, that same tag has been filled with wariness and unease.
Don’t get me wrong, I totally understand the reasoning. As many have pointed out already, Critical Role’s cast are all white, and the creator of Exandria himself is a white man. The fact that they are choosing to take the next leg of their story in Marquet inevitably means that they are choosing to tell a story in a land and with characters that are based on cultures they are not innately familiar with. Specifically, they’ll have to portray people of color in some manner, and if they want to be accurate to the setting, portray that culture as well.
It’s a difficult balancing act--creating a character in a background and culture that is so different from one you’re familiar with, and doing so in a respectful manner. Not many creators have successfully threaded the needle--I’d argue Miles Morales is probably the most successful, and even then I’m sure my inbox would be filled shortly by the influx of complaints in how poorly Miles was made. The fact of the matter is there’s no pleasing everyone, and even the most sincere of intentions can be flawed and imperfect.
That’s not what this is about.
This is specifically calling out those fans of Critical Role who are arguing that if Matt wanted to do Marquet for Campaign 3, then he should have handed the reins over to another creator that was non-white, replace at least half the cast with POC players, and have the rest play characters non-native to Marquet. This is to those fans who want Critical Role, but different.
Because at the end of the day, that’s who you are. I’ve been following some of the discourse surrounding Critical Role for a while before I dove into the actual show myself last year. And a lot of the discourse was exactly why I avoided this series for so long, because it seemed so worrying to me. There were people getting upset that the cast weren’t playing any non-white characters--then, when Beau and Veth came on the scene, they got upset that they weren’t ‘accurate’.
You know, in a game where characters can shoot lightning and talk to gods.
People will find a way to complain about anything in something they like but don’t love, and racism is an easy option to look for complaints. I’ll admit, the cast of Critical Role isn’t perfect, but they’re people. They’re constantly growing, moving, changing, as all people do. What they’re going to make isn’t going to be perfect, but I honestly believe it’ll come from sincere love and joy. For most of the critters, that’ll be enough. For those I’m writing this to, it won’t be.
To them, Critical Role will never be good enough. If the cast stays the same, they’ll complain that they’re white people playing non-white cultured characters. If the cast changes, they’ll complain that it’s not Critical Role anymore and doesn’t have the right chemistry. If they were to not play in Marquet at all, they’d call Matt a coward and a racist. There’s simply no appeasing everyone, and definitely no appeasing those who just want to complain.
I for one am excited to see what Campaign 3 will hold for us, and am hopeful the cast does well in their portrayals of the cultures that inspired a fantasy world of Matt’s making. I know I’m not alone in this. For those of you who just want to complain, though, feel free to tell my why I’m wrong.
My blocked list has been feeling a bit empty anyways.
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I love your writing so much!! If you’re still taking requests, could you do 9 with Obi-Wan and Anakin?
Thank you!! <3 And of course! I hope you enjoy.
From this various prompts list.
Set after The Wrong Jedi arc. And it’s way... way longer than I meant it to be. Whoops. I told myself, make this one short. Actually a prompt fill. And then I laughed at myself and wrote a fic and I don’t know exactly how long it is because I was too scared to look at the word count.
I tagged it as long post so I hope those of you who aren’t in the mood for my rambling bs are as to skip it!
I will add a reading cut when I get my hands on a laptop.
_
When Skywalker stormed into the training bay, his fists clenched by his sides, troopers scattered out of his way like silver-fish before a Bloodfin.
Even without Force-sensitivity, it was impossible to miss the potent fury rolling off the young General in waves, almost visible on the air, scalding anyone who got too near. His eyes glided right over the Clones, however, and fixed on a single figure standing alone on a mat, performing a slow exercise.
Anakin strode over to the edge of the mat and stamped his foot on the edge, twisting it a few inches just as the other man’s foot came back down from a stretch. He slipped. At the last second he caught himself, turning on the spot to regain his balance.
“Anakin,” Obi-Wan spoke calmly, as if nothing had just happened. As if his friend wasn’t glaring at him with rage and disdain.
“A duel,” said Anakin, in a tone that brokered no argument.
General Kenobi’s face tightened slightly. But he nodded graciously and summoned his lightsaber to his hands, drawing backwards towards the opposite wall and raising his blue blade in a low Soresu opening.
Skywalker waited only half a second before launching himself at the other man in a blur of blue light and red-hot anger.
Cody, watching from the wall, clasped his hands behind his back as he watched the two Jedi spar at bewildering speeds.
Dizzying swirls of colliding blue light. Last-moment maneuvers, a blade hot as a sun missing moving limbs by inches. Skywalker always on the offensive. Kenobi always giving ground.
Obi-Wan’s eyes widened slightly as his entire body trembled under the weight of a blow that could have removed his head from his shoulders had he not blocked it; his own serenity seemed to shrink in the face of Anakin’s fire and desperation.
There was a blur of motion, and Skywalker stood triumphant as Kenobi crashed to the floor with the younger man’s saber an inch from his chest.
Obi-Wan stared up at his friend. “Solah,” he whispered.
For a moment more, the scene hung suspended. The lightsaber burning close, too close, to Obi-Wan’s vulnerable body, Anakin looming over him with anger in his eyes.
Then Anakin turned and stalked out of the room, leaving his former Master on the floor with a faint scorch mark on his pale tunics.
“Sir.” Cody strode over to his General immediately and helped him to his feet, watching him wince, feeling a surge of helpless anger at the nagging realization that he had never anticipated a time when his General would be hurting because of Skywalker. “Sir.”
“Cody,” the Jedi said wearily. “I need to get up to the bridge.”
“You need to see Hoop,” said Cody, referring to the 212th’s medic.
Obi-Wan shook his head. “No. We’re still two days out through hyperspace and we need to find a way to make contact with the ground troops on Ryloth before we go barging in.”
Cody clenched his jaw but assented, knowing that there was no dissuading his General, not now. He had just one more thing to say.
“General.” He waited until Kenobi looked at him. “You threw that fight.”
Obi-Wan inhaled slowly, a look of what his Commander recognized as pain — grief — flickering behind his blue eyes. “Anakin needed the win,” he said quietly.
=
The second time Anakin Skywalker stormed into the training bay, everyone moved aside to watch even before Obi-Wan had turned around to greet his former apprentice.
Men from the 501st and the 212th, thrown together on this joint mission as if to both aggravate and soothe the hurt of Ahsoka’s departure, stood side by side and watched as their Generals flung themselves into the fight as if lives depended on it.
As Kenobi let Skywalker take the offensive. As he let Skywalker come to the edge of victory again and again and then held him off at the last second.
As Anakin’s rage grew, as he began to resent Obi-Wan for dragging the battle out and denying Anakin the victory he craved and deserved. Holding him back as always.
As for the second time Kenobi threw the fight in a way that Anakin didn’t notice.
Letting him walk off with his rage dispersed for awhile, the relieved and triumphant victor, while the bruised and shaken loser climbed to his feet and went back to work with an air of gravity around him. As if Obi-Wan had absorbed the weight of his friend’s anger and carried it like a shroud.
Maybe he did.
=
The third time Anakin confronted Obi-Wan, he won by punching Obi-Wan in the face.
The fourth time Anakin confronted Obi-Wan, he won by burning his leg from hip to ankle.
The sixth time Anakin confronted Obi-Wan, he won by pressing his foot down on the other man’s throat almost to the point of unconsciousness.
The eighth time, he won by knocking Obi-Wan’s lightsaber from his hands and driving him back against a wall with his own saber at Obi-Wan’s neck.
=
“You have to stop,” Hoop said.
Obi-Wan shook his head. “He... needs this.” A hiss escaped his lips as the medic dabbed bacta along the abrasion above his eye, the bacta he had tried to say he didn’t need.
“He needs a therapist and an ass kicking,” retorted Hoop, disregarding standard respect. He didn’t care about protocol in general, and certainly not when his General turned up every other day — usually dragged in by Cody — with bruises and cuts and strained muscles.
Obi-Wan only shook his head again.
=
Cody, Rex, Hoop, and many of the others had hoped that the battles on Ryloth would serve as a good outlet for General Skywalker.
They did.
But it wasn’t enough.
Fighting what felt like a futile war for the planet’s freedom, being back on Ryloth yet again, and the gaping hole in the 501st where Ahsoka had once stood only seemed to drive Skywalker’s pain upwards. And for Anakin, all emotions led to rage, eventually.
He could not stand the depths of his emotions, the dark days, the low times. If he was not happy, he chose rage over sorrow.
And there was so much sorrow.
=
There was a two-day reprieve after the campaign on Ryloth. Temporary victory had been purchased yet again with the blood of the natives and the GAR, and the 501st and 212th departed for another campaign halfway across the galaxy at once.
And for two days there was time to rest and think.
And then Anakin stalked into the training bay again. Not finding Obi-Wan, he waited for him, and as soon as the older Jedi entered the room, raised his lightsaber in an Ataru salute.
=
The thirteenth time Anakin challenged Obi-Wan, they dueled for over three hours, and both fell exhausted to the ground.
The nineteenth time, Anakin left Obi-Wan with a leg broken in two places. Cody had to physically restrain Hoop — and himself, frankly — from jumping General Skywalker and throttling him.
The twenty-eighth time, Obi-Wan’s guard slipped, and Anakin’s saber drove straight through Obi-Wan’s thigh. A mirror image of the wound Dooku had inflicted on his other leg, a lifetime ago it seemed, back when they had been on the same side.
Were they still?
Anakin’s face had dropped with shock at the injury, and before any of the men could react, he had picked Obi-Wan up in his arms and rushed him to the med bay.
And then the Council called to speak with Kenobi privately, and Anakin’s rage and hurt against them for their role in handing his Padawan over to the authorities rose up again like a serpent reading to strike.
The thirtieth time Anakin challenged Obi-Wan, he fought with his left hand, as if taunting his Master that he was still superior.
The thirty-sixth time Anakin challenged Obi-Wan, the older Jedi fought back, taking the offensive just long enough that it seemed he would be victorious — and then something in Anakin’s face broke. Grief and dismay were revealed in the cracks of his wrath, and Obi-Wan retreated again, and then fell.
The fortieth time Anakin challenged Obi-Wan, he was met with silence.
Anakin stared, his saber already lit in his hands, as Obi-Wan stood up slowly from where he had been meditating.
He dragged himself to his feet like a man on the verge of collapse, but he was as irritatingly graceful as ever, composed, serene. Anakin’s hands tightened on his weapon.
“Well?” he prompted.
Obi-Wan said nothing.
He looked down at the floor, and some of his burnished, ruddy hair fell over his eyes, concealing his face from view. Anakin waited impatiently. A strange feeling rose inside him, something nauseous and uncertain, and he did not want to know what it was.
“Well?” he demanded more aggressively.
Obi-Wan swallowed hard and looked up at him.
And Anakin was struck by how small his Master looked.
Shorter than him by a few inches, yes, but somehow that larger-than-life quality that hung about the man had fallen away. He looked tired. Beaten, humbled, hurt — like a child, like a man driven to the edge and then over it without anyone pausing to take notice of his fall.
His blue eyes were shattered by unshed tears.
Anakin recoiled.
“I can’t,” Obi-Wan croaked. His voice was tight as a wire, strained with the effort of holding back tears. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry, Anakin. I... I’m too tired to be your emotional punching bag today.”
“Obi-Wan—” said Anakin, not even knowing what he was going to say, and stopped there.
“I’m sorry,” Obi-Wan repeated. And he sounded it. Looked it. Was dripping remorse into the air like a sky about to storm. “Please. If this is what you need, I can keep doing it, but I just need today. I need a day to breathe. And — and if you’re —”
A tear trickled down over one cheek and into his beard. Then another.
Anakin was watching with his expression frozen between anger and shock.
Cody leaned forward as if about to spring. Rex’s hand settled on his shoulder.
“If you just need more time, I’ll give it to you,” Obi-Wan whispered. “But if you’re angry enough to strike me down unarmed... do it. I don’t — I don’t want — I can’t —”
Cody jolted under Rex’s grip.
And still, Anakin’s saber blazed in his hands, casting Obi-Wan in blue light, reflected in his shining eyes.
“I can’t,” Obi-Wan said helplessly.
Anakin hesitated.
Conflicting emotions ran across his face one after the other, grief chasing pain chasing anger chasing despair chasing rage, like shadows passing over deeper waters.
He raised his saber a little higher.
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#and that there is an ambiguous ending#obi wan kenobi#anakin skywalker#star wars#my writing#prompt fill#commander cody#captain rex#501st battalion#212th attack battalion#ahsoka tano#the wrong jedi#Anakin has issues#obi wan has issues#someone hug them#long post#very long post#very very long post
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Laura just posted an adorable picture on her instagram of her and Travis and Ronin on the beach... and if we find out on Thursday that in Fjord and Jester’s epilogue they have a family and spend their days on the coast... I will cry. Like after filming the finale did they just decide to go and do the same thing?
And see now I’m getting emotional thinking about how much Travis and Laura’s son has been a part of this campaign! Like when Travis and Laura were making their backstories for Fjord and Jester, she was pregnant, and when we first were introduced to their characters, she would have to hide her baby bump under the table. Then of course when Ronin was born, and the campaign of the Mighty Nein changed forever because when Fjord and Jester were kidnapped, Molly died. And for the past few years, behind the scenes their baby has gotten older, but Fjord and Jester have grown so much and fallen in love and maybe when he’s older, he can watch it all too.
Now, at the end of the campaign, after we know they filmed the finale, Laura posts an adorable picture of the three of them beside the ocean - and whether or not that ends up being a reflection of Fjord and Jester’s epilogue, we’ll find out! But it would be so cute if it was. I think it’d be adorable if they wrote him into the story after being with it from the very beginning. And it would absolutely make me cry.
EDIT: @princessamericachavez has reminded me that I forgot to include Grog’s Bunions and Flagions game where there was a blue skinned lady and a half orc gentleman with a little baby... THIS KID HAS BEEN A PART OF THE STORY SINCE THE VERY BEGINNING!! I’m an emotional screaming mess thank you for reminding me of this very important fact!!!
#i'm emotional#as usual#fjorester#critical role#the baileyhams#fjord x jester#laura bailey#travis willingham#fjorester thoughts#baileyhams make grog's prophecy complete
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thoughts on the doafp season 2 trailer?
It looks like S2 will be great. I was impressed by how little evidence of covid restrictions there were; that will definitely help the series age well. I thought it was likely that Sam would move in and I’m excited to see how that plays out. The mother-daughter growing apart angst is going to be brutal to watch but there's a lot the writers can do with it. Interesting that they’re focusing so much on Melissa’s redemption right off the bat and that they’re also introducing a school play story line. I’m withholding judgement on the use of Gina Rodriguez as Elena’s conscience but it does make sense to increase her role since she’s by far the most famous cast member.
I was very pleasantly surprised that the trailer focused so much on Bobby’s story line. The biggest shock was that they included a brief shot of Bobby and CJ smiling at each other in the high school hallway. I’ve thought that CJ is a likely choice to be Bobby’s real love interest ever since it became clear last fall that Donovin Miller had joined the cast. He’s the right age, non-white, and only shows up in 2x06 which is very late but makes sense if CJ and his role in Bobby’s story line is subject to Disney restrictions that straight characters don’t have to worry about. It’s interesting that CJ is featured in the part of the trailer where Elena talks about being there for others and lifting them up, it strongly suggests that CJ will be a positive influence on Bobby. A lot of the Bobby clips look pretty angsty and with CJ only first appearing in 2x06 I’ve speculated that there could be a shift in Bobby’s story line then or an old one wraps up and CJ helps launch a new one.
That scene of Bobby walking at night with Liam is almost certainly Bobby coming out to Liam in 2x10, a scene which Brandon has been hyping up for a while. Nathan was also on set that night but perhaps he leaves earlier or joins later. There’s also the possibility that Bobby comes out to Danny earlier but it’s hard to tell which ep that could be since Danny is in every ep except 2x09 this season. Of course, it could also be a misdirect and Bobby decides he’s not ready to tell him yet. I’m shocked that Danny somehow found out that Bobby had a crush, on what he thinks was a girl, back in 7th grade. I can’t wait to see how that comes up, did Bobby let something slip or were they talking about Monyca? Also I think that Bobby on the blue couch is him talking to Cami about struggling to come out which I’m sure will be well done. I’d love to see Cami coming out to her own parents but I really don’t know if Disney will allow that when it looks like the writers already have quite a bit packed in to Bobby’s coming out arc.
We’ll also go a long way to finding out whether Brandon has been hyping Cartero because he has been explicitly told that Liam is meant to be bisexual regardless of whether Disney ever allows it or whether he’s been projecting his own bisexuality onto Liam without any basis in reality. That being said, I don’t think we’ll actually get canon Cobby or Cartero this season and any canon relationship for Bobby would only come in the 3rd season if they’re lucky enough to get one. Back in the fall Ilana liked a tweet that said writers should normalize interracial relationships that don’t involve a white person and I think she’s applying that to Bobby’s story line and that we can rule out his love interest being white. It’s a bold move for a Disney show since even most of their straight interracial relationships involve one white person. Not to mention Disney has a poor track record of how they treat their black male characters, something Doafp seems determined to improve on.
There’s also the unfortunate fact that there will be limits on what Disney allows but I’m confident that the show will make history with Bobby coming out to his family and friends by season’s end. There will be a price to pay for all this lgbtq rep and I think the show being released all at once which will likely doom any hopes of S3 is part of that. Disney did something similar with The Owl House which is the only Disney show to surpass Doafp’s level of lgbtq rep, the show was cancelled and the 3rd season will consist of only three 44 minutes eps (if you haven’t watched The Owl House yet you should, it’s a hoot).
The trailer seems to confirm what was evident from the cast’s social media posts while filming, that Ziggy only has a very small role and is largely absent. Presumably he goes to another high school but it’s gonna be hard to reintegrate him back into the show if they get a S3 and he’s the only one who wasn’t around for Bobby’s coming out arc. We saw Tony Espinoza’s character on stage with Elena during the student rep speeches so he’s connected to that story in some fashion. Brogan Hall’s character Tripp is absent from the trailer but we know he’s in 5 eps, most in the first 6 eps of the season and he seems to be Elena’s main opponent in the student rep race. Also not much of Jessica and nothing of Joey.
I’m curious to see how all these story lines fit into only 10 eps especially when so many of the recurring characters are in so many of the eps: Liam and Sasha are both in all 10 eps, Danny in 9, even Melissa is in 7 eps this season. Some story lines and characters will probably fall through the cracks. We know Ilana directed 2x09 so we’ll see if that’s a special ep. Fwiw Charlie on twitter said that his favourite eps were 2x03, 2x05, 2x07, and 2x09, presumably some of those eps focus on Bobby coming out to Cami and his family at least.
I really hope that we get a miracle and Doafp gets a 3rd season but with the news that the Doogie Howser reboot is getting the standard weekly release starting in September it makes it more and more likely that Disney is airing all the eps at once just to burn them off. On the plus side the trailer on the official Disney twitter account has over 811 000 views as of me writing this so perhaps a proper advertising campaign could draw a larger audience if Disney is willing to put the effort in.
#Diary of a Future President#Doafp#Bobby Cañero-Reed#Liam Carter#CJ#Elena Cañero-Reed#Cobby#Cartero#Doafp asks#asks#answered
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BJ/Hawkeye for the ship meme lmao
Thank you! lol I think I'm going to have to answer for both categories, this is schroedinger's ship for me.
Send me a ship and I’ll answer three questions based on if I ship it or not.
Ship It
What made you ship it?
Ok this is actually a weird ass answer, and honestly even weirder considering the order I watched the show in, ie I started with season 7 and wrapped back around (bc I'd seen seasons 1-6 a decade ago but didn't remember details) so this is one of the last episodes I watched, but it was the scene in The Grim Reaper where Hawkeye is ranting to BJ about his impending probable court martial and BJ is sipping a martini and telling Hawkeye dude has an open and shut case and Hawkeye says "You know you'd make a hell of a witness for the prosecution" and BJ's like "you'll make a better one." Then BJ gets mad about an unrelated jacket dispute and leaves, and this scene is never brought up again.
It made me sit up and go "what the fuck" and immediately start wanting to write fic and meta and rewatch more of their scenes etc. It was just so interesting because it was clearly a purposeful writing choice, Hawkeye draws attention to how shitty BJ was being, but it's never actually addressed or followed up on. And that's what made me recognize that it's a solid, deliberate yet almost entirely uncommented on pattern of their relationship. And I'm very intrigued by that.
What are your favorite things about the ship?
The dysfunctionality. BJ's weird mind games and jealousy and condescending refusal to emotionally support Hawkeye. Hawkeye leaving and coming back multiple times. The sense of like... enforced intimacy because they're stuck together in a war zone and they need each other. The replacement marriage jokes and vibes. I'm gonna write a post on this eventually but the way you can genuinely frame BJ's emotional conflict throughout the show as Peggy vs Hawkeye.
Is there an unpopular opinion you have on your ship?
All of the above lbr. But to say something different and specific: I don't think Hawkeye would be reticent about adding sex to their relationship if he ever realized BJ isn't straight. The most common take I see is that Hawkeye is afraid of breaking up BJ's marriage or thinks he wouldn't be as good for BJ as Peggy, etc, but I think the only reason he might hesitate is because he knows he'd probably be the one getting hurt, and then I think he'd go for it anyway.
And I wouldn't say this is a given, but I could easily imagine a scenario where he actively tries to break up BJ's marriage and steal him away, particularly if BJ is gay rather than bi, but even just because... I think that's how Hawkeye rolls. We saw him with Carlye and Kyung Soon, we see the way he latches onto campaigns even when he knows they're all doomed to fail - he goes after what he wants, hard. (Though I could see Erin being a reason for Hawkeye not to do that. But if it was just Peggy I don't even think he'd hesitate in trying to seduce him away tbqh.)
Don’t Ship It
Why don’t you ship it?
I don't endgame ship them because I think they'd be terrible and miserable together, and if they did figure out their issues and chill out and manage to be happy together I'd just be bored so I don't want that anyway. I want an intense relationship followed by a break up.
What would have made you like it?
Honestly... it all comes down to chemistry. Their vibes are just not engaging in that happily ever after way to me, I find them boring when they're in sync, and I only find them interesting when they're being toxic and fucked up. So if they were more entertaining when happy together, I'd probably be more inclined to endgame ship them.
Despite not shipping it, do you have anything positive to say about it?
Like I said, I would love to read like 100k of them having an intense fucked up relationship that crashes and burns epically, I think that would be my ideal Mash fic.
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