#-ish. for both. but i think its enjoyable with or without the ship reading

[kiyomitakada]

"This isn't what I meant by 'bonding activities,'" Misa says.

L has his entire arm, up to the elbow, stuffed into the Jenga tower box. Light silently prays for his hand to get stuck. "Did you not say you wanted company, Amane-san?"

"Yeah, but I didn't mean with you," Misa retorts. "I said I was lonely without Light around!"

"Yes, and Light-kun is attached to me," L explains patiently. He successfully withdraws from the box; the missing Jenga piece dangles between his thumb and index finger. Damn it. "Many couples play tabletop games together."

"I don't want to be in a couple with this creep," Misa says. "You don't either, right, Light?"

Light sighs. "Misa, you're a suspect in a murder investigation. It doesn't really matter if you want to or not."

"What?! What about consent?"

Since when have you cared about consent? Light does not say aloud. Instead he says, "Whatever," because he's a nice person. "Let's just get this over with."

"Beh," Misa mumbles, but she settles down on the sofa to peer at the Jenga tower pieces L has dumped onto the table. Light and L sit opposite her; L, with uncharacteristic grace, places the last wood block on top of the pile.

"You know," Light remarks, "I'm pretty sure the pieces are already arranged as a tower when you first buy them. You didn't have to scatter them all out."

"Oops," L says without a hint of remorse.

No one moves. Eventually Light, with another sigh, leans over and starts stacking the tower up himself.

-

Light has played Jenga before, obviously. With friends during recess when it was raining outside, yeah, but more often with Sayu and Mom over the holidays. Mom is brilliant at it; Sayu's alright, but takes too many risks. Light's no strategic master, but he's also never lost, as far as he can remember — he just plays it safe and goes for the loose blocks in the middle.

Suffice it to say that this round is going to kill him.

"This should not be standing," he says in a desperate plea to the rules of physics.

Misa grins. She's only been taking blocks from the left side of the tower (and putting them on the right side, to be fair, but that should not nearly be enough to balance this structure). Even one piece in the base level is gone. "But it is!"

"Ryuzaki," Light says, gesturing at their inadvertent creation of the Leaning Tower of Pisa's inferior cousin, "how is — how?"

"Amane-san is quite a good opponent," L muses, neatly dodging his question. He leans forward with a smile, pressing his thumb into his lip. "I am honored to be playing against her."

Misa brightens. "Hey, Ryuzaki, you're not so bad!"

"I'm here too," Light mutters.

"Hmm." L tilts his head, thumb digging deeper. Light watches the way the strands of his hair fall out of and into place. "Let's see…"

Five seconds pass. Then ten.

Light, all of a sudden, realizes he's been staring at the way L's hair curls just slightly when it brushes against the nape of his neck for far too long. He drops his gaze immediately; it lands on the chain between them instead.

The chain. The chain connected to L's hand. He could end this hell with just one tug —

No, too suspicious. If he cheats at Jenga, L will surely jail him (again) for mass murder.

"Can you hurry up?" Misa crosses her arms, leaning forward. "It's only supposed to take a minute, you know."

"Not all of us have your reality-manipulating powers, Amane-san," L murmurs. His thumb has not left his lip.

"Or maybe I'm just better than you."

L's gaze flickers upward. "Did you often play Jenga in the past?"

"Not really." Misa shrugs. "My friends weren't all that into it."

"Then I find that rather unlikely." L glances back down to the pieces he's considering; Light lets himself exhale.

"No, it just means I'm a natural talent!"

Instead of responding, L reaches and plucks a piece away. It happens so fast Light has no time to blink, exactly the same way L eats sweets.

The tower wobbles and —

No. Still standing.

"Jeez," Light mutters.

"Unhappy I'm winning, Light-kun?" L puts his piece down on the top level. He puts it down vertically. (He's already placed five other pieces this way, packed together in a geometry that is apparently conducive to structural support. Light wishes he could strangle him.)

"Who says you're winning?" Light and Misa say simultaneously.

They blink at each other. Then Misa beams, putting her hand up for a high-five. Light meets it hesitantly.

"I do," L says, unconcerned. He tugs the chain. "It's your turn, Light-kun."

"I know that." Light leans forward, narrowing his eyes. Despite everything, this shouldn't be difficult. All he has to do is find a loose block, and then this tortuous game will continue on as usual.

He briefly considers collapsing the tower on purpose.

No. Light Yagami does not lose. He taps at one of the pieces; nope, load-bearing. Another one. Nope. Another —

Suddenly he's falling — wind whistles in his ears — and then he hits something bony and angular with a thump.

Light stares. He'll deny this later but he stares and stares and stares, until he finally registers that he is lying in the lap of quite possibly the second worst man alive and jolts back upright, pushing him away. "What the fuck, Ryuzaki!"

L's laugh is low and slow and amused. "I only moved my hand a little," he says. "I didn't know Light-kun could tip over so easily."

"You are cheating," Light accuses. "You wanted me to lose!"

"The tower is perfectly intact," L says. "No evidence, no crime."

Light tears his glare away from L to check. Yes, the accursed tower is still standing. Damn it all.

"That's the whole problem, isn't it," L continues. "No evidence…"

Misa slams her hands down on the table, making the tower judder. Light startles; he'd almost forgotten she was there. "You locked us up for two months and didn't even have evidence?!"

"There is plenty of evidence in your case, Amane-san." L turns to look at her. The loss of his gaze feels a bit like a punch, but a mild one that Light is not affected by whatsoever. "And besides, I was referring to Jenga."

"Well, what about my boyfriend? He never—"

"Just drop it, Misa," Light says. "He's not changing his mind."

For a split second, Misa glares at him. Light almost flinches — and then it's gone again, replaced with a pout. "But he's insufferable!"

"You'll only have to suffer me until we catch Kira," L says dryly. "So I suppose we'd best do that as soon as possible."

(Aizawa, muttering from the control room: "Oh, really.")

"Yeah, well, we will," Misa says. "And I bet Light's going to beat you to it, 'cause he's so much smarter than you. Right, Light?"

"It's still my turn," Light says. "If you pull me again, I'll break your nose."

"Hmm. Ten percent."

Light steadies both feet on the ground, clenches his chained hand into a fist, and reaches for the tower again.

He taps. And keeps tapping. With growing horror, he realizes that there are no loose pieces. Every level is made of just the middle block and the right block now, and none of them are pullable. They’re just not enough on their own.

…Wait.

Light takes a long inhale and holds it, just in case a breath would disturb the structure. He squeezes his eyes shut, then open. He reaches for the level 75% of the way up.

Slowly, agonizingly slowly, Light uses his thumb and index finger to maneuver the middle piece into a diagonal —

There! The right piece slips out easier than butter.

Light does not indulge his first instinct, which is to yell FUCK YES!!!!!. Instead he leans back, exhales, inhales, and then puts the piece back on the top layer.

The tower does not fall.

"Your turn, Misa," Light says, attempting to school his smile from "deranged" to "enthusiastic."

Misa claps in delight. "That was amazing!"

"Interesting," L muses. "Interesting."

"What?"

"I was under the impression that moving a piece other than the one played was a rules violation," L says.

"Wh—" Light nobly does not punch him. He weighs the possibility of claiming he had never done that, but the middle block is indeed at a distinctly unnatural slant now. "That's not true. You made that up."

L leans over the side of the sofa and plucks the manual out, flipping through it carefully. "'Any blocks moved but not played should be replaced'—"

"—'unless doing so would make the tower fall,'" Light reads over his shoulder. "And it would!" The middle piece is clearly the only one holding up the entire layer. "Take that, Ryuzaki!"

L frowns. "You, Light Yagami, are a sore loser."

"I think you're the sore loser here, to be honest," Light says, faintly giddy. He could kiss someone right now.

"Your turn!" Misa says triumphantly.

They both turn to look at her. Misa has removed the other side of the base layer. The tower is now standing entirely on one block, wavering uncertainly in the faint air-con breeze.

"What the fuck," Light manages.

Misa grins. "Good luck, Ryuzaki!"

[ @deathnotetober day 21: games ]

[inventors-fair]

Take Two: Two Takes ~

I wanted to highlight a couple of judge examples for this week because they exhibit clear direction on both sides of the spectrum. This is what I’m talking about with recontextualizing, and I’m very excited for both these cards.

@mistershinyobject — Reckless Outfitter

What’s happening here? Well! I see a young Kor, sliding down a rock face on their way to the battleground, tossing out knives and axes and grappling hooks to their surprised and mildly concerned fellows with expert precision. You can’t get too crazy without having that good aim! And they do, they have the aim to yell that catchphrase (heh) as they’re going down. Mechanically, it’s a powerful upgrade, still in the same color as its origin, but let’s talk about meaning.

What’s Lava got to do, got to do with it? Lava Axe’s iconic flavor text means that it’s a hard act to follow, but that original card has a mood of smirking irony, being said to your opponent as you, the pyromancer, burn the heck out of their face. If you’re on the receiving end, well, it’s kind of jerk-ish. So on this side, the Reckless Outfitter is entirely different. Maybe they’re tossing an axe, but this isn’t an enemy: it’s an ally. They care about whether or not their compatriots catch their weaponry, and it matters that it connects. Allyship vs. enemy-ship is vital to making this card into a thoroughly enjoyable reframing. It’s simple, but honestly, it’s joyous. That’s what I feel, and that’s something to strive for.

@loreholdlesbian — Grudge Bearer

And then I read something like this, and yeah, well, this card is...chilling. Chevill might hunt things, but this warlock evokes something far more cruel. On the surface the grudge-bearing is clearly evoked, but that flavor text implies a magic to her begrudging. The hero speaks, and there’s one grudge, one curse. A baby cries, and the parents are now forever having to watch their back. Or worse, she’ll enact the spite herself. 

Jezums. This card legitimately gives me chills, and it’s totally different to Eternal Witness upon which it’s based. Being a witness and being a warlock aren’t diametrically opposed exactly, but this card does something so important that I want everyone to think about: it asks the why of the card. Why does the Eternal Witness remember? Because she cares and she will recall that memory as part of her magic. Why does the Grudge Bearer remember? Because everyone who spites her will pay in the end no matter the crime. What a painful, awful, dangerous existence. I love how much thought went into this card, taking the character and asking who she might be. Fantastic.

~

So yeah! Hope that helps, y’all. Change the fate of your characters. If you had the chance, would you take it?

Fatefully, @abelzumi

[jaime-the-antihero]

! DreamTeam Fic Recs ! (Part 1)

Fic: Wouldn’t It Be Nice? by Qupid   https://archiveofourown.org/works/26201704/chapters/63764839 Status: Incomplete, 12/? Chapters Pairing: DreamTeam, Dream/George, Dream/Sapnap, Sapnap/George  Rating: Teen  Summary: Just a collection of interconnected oneshots told completely out of order.Dream is on a journey across the continent, searching for answers of some kind. Sapnap and George are determined to follow him, even if they don't know a single thing about the masked man. He's mysterious and definitely not entirely human, but between Sapnap's tendency to set things on fire and George's constant confusion, the three of them still seem to fit together perfectly. Comments: This. Fic. OML this fic. In my opinion, one of the best in the fandom. The way the characters are written means you cannot help but love them. Slight Fantasy AU, but all amazingly done/written. Mysterious, Realistic, Exciting, Fluffy, Angsty and just amazingly well written. Once you start reading this, you will be checking for updates everyday, or just re reading it constantly. Perfect Human/Seriousness Placement, and amazing irl situations.  Fluff Fics:  Fic: Chu! Chu! Chu! by  jardindefaerie    https://archiveofourown.org/works/27055921 Status: Complete. #2 of the Series  Pairing: Dreamnap Sapnap/Dreamwastaken Rating: Teen Summary: "best friends don't kiss," sapnap said quietly, his voice balancing on a tightrope. "not a lot of them... i don't think. "dream hummed thoughtfully, eyes lifting to the sky then dropping back to sapnap's. he knew very well where the conversation would be going and he was happy with its journey.it was about time they talked about what they were, what they really were."i guess not.""but... my mom and dad kiss," sapnap stated, his voice trailing off and then rising. "and they kiss because they're married... you know?" dream blanked. all right, they were skipping some stages here. or the one where sapnap and dream kiss lots and lots. Comments: Very cute, lots of fluff. Not the best grammar/capitalization, but still a very good read. It is a ship fic, so if that bothers you don’t read. Overall very sweet and cute! Will make your heart melt. If you read the series, bring a toothbrush or all the fluff will rot your teeth.  Fic: How to Piss of Dream 101 by  WinkBonk1210 https://archiveofourown.org/works/26370034  Status: Complete  Pairing: No Pairing/Gen Friendship Rating: Teen  Summary: Where everyone is a god. Tommy and Tubbo start shit, Techno and Wilbur try to clean it up but fail, Sapnap and George are also blamed, and Dream is angry. Comments: Another Fantasy AU/God and Goddesses AU. Really Hilarious. Borderline Crackfic, yet still a very enjoyable read. The grammar and spelling is not top-notch, but hey, its still a good fic. Little Brothers Tommy and Tubbo, Best Friends DreamTeam, and Exhausted Older Brothers Wilbur and Techno.  Angst Fics: Fic: light a fire, watch it burn by  balimaria https://archiveofourown.org/works/26554168 Status: Complete  Pairing: Dream and Sapnap  Rating: Teen  Summary: Something churned deep inside his chest. An intoxicating kind of ecstasy- overwhelming, addictive.Fire became an obsession. Comments: Pyromaniac!Sapnap. Very good, kind of dark though. The fic sheds a strange light on loyalty and fire both. The characters are slighty OOC, but only for AU purposes. Highly Recommended. It’s a short read, but worth all the seconds.  Fic: if we knew the end by Miyula https://archiveofourown.org/works/26175862/chapters/63694456 Status: Incomplete, 2/? Chapters Pairing: Dream Team Close Friendship Rating: Teen/Gen Summary: It wasn't supposed to end like this.It wasn't supposed to start like this. From waking up in a biome as rare as time, to seeing the ferocious flying beast of the end thrice the size and covered in layers of thicker scales and purple-ish black grime.What happened?What had happened to have caused this? Comments: Spooky Mystery Fic o.O This was one of the first DTeam fics I read, and I will always recommend it. The adventure story telling in this is just perfection. It leaves you speed running each line of text. I can’t say much without spoiling, but I can say this fic is worth the read. Amazing grammar and spelling, and all round good writing. I know I put this in the angst section, but it has a good amount of fluff as well. Just dumbasses boys being boys y’know?  Fic: And I’ll Love You Still. by  sleepyspookyghosty https://archiveofourown.org/works/25970911?view_adult=true Status: Complete Pairing: One Sided Sapnotfound :( Rating: Teen  Summary: {“Once you had put the pieces back together, even though you may look intact, you were never quite the same as you'd been before the fall.” ― Jodi Picoult}  In which Sapnap learns some information that he didn’t want to know, and is now not the same. Comments: Oh how relatable this fic is. Sapnap’s emotions are so easy to connect and relate with, and it just leaves your heart aching. A good story about love, friendships, and highschool, all rolled into an amazing little one-shot. Highschool/Human AU. Sap has some self depreciating thoughts, so be warned if that triggers you. Have some fluff on hand for the sad ending btw. 

Favorite Authors + Series:  Anything by Aria_Cinabun is a guaranteed 10/10  Make sure to check out their series “Tommyinnit Stories”  “You Said Family Went To War” Series by  Lillian_nator !! EXTRA !!  Just a statement, No. I do not ship these people, I ship their personas in a fictional game. I do not condone any explicit Tubbo/Tommy, Tubbo/Anyone, or Tommy/Anyone as they. are. minors. If you are okay with that, get the hell away from my page. Another thing now that thats all out of the way, If you would like to see a part 2 make sure to follow and like! I have a SleepyBois Inc Fic List coming up soon as well, so eyes open! If you ever just want to peruse my bookmarks, my Ao3 is @/JaimetheAntihero!! 

[mthofferings2020]

wynnesome

See wynnesome’s existing works here and here.

Preferred contact methods: Discord: wynnesome#4442 Dreamwidth: stargraven

Preferred organizations: - Amazon Conservation Association - Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) - Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN) - St. Jude Children's Research Hospital - World Central Kitchen (See the list of approved organizations here)

Will create works that contain: Angst wants: Dark characters/themes, unhealthy relationships, questionable power dynamics, shady morals/ethics, under-negotiated kink, dub-con, non-con, miscommunication trainwreck, physical and/or emotional torment, break-it, break-it-worse, ending leaves you bleeding out on the floor. Fluff wants: Banter, wordplay, crack, crack treated seriously, mutual pining, get-together, first-time, porn with feelings, emotionally cathartic sex/kink, aftercare, tooth-rotting-they're-so-married domesticity.

Will not create works that contain: Daddy kink, mpreg, scatplay, underage/de-aged, genderswap, Avengers: Endgame or post-Endgame.

  -- Fic or Other Writing --

Auction ID: 1239

Will create works for the following relationships: Stephen Strange/Victor von Doom - 616

Work Description: This auction is for a fic that will fall between 1k and 5k. To keep to the word length I'm comfortable committing to, the prompt or starting point needs to be concise. For me and the way I write, that usually means a prompt of no more than a few words to one sentence, defining a central theme or pivotal moment, and then the fic will take shape to bring that about. For general style of my writing, my AO3 has a range, and my Dreamwidth has a bunch of recent angst fics/ficlets. Here are links to two works I've written for Doom and Strange: - Doctor Doom crack/fluff - DoomStrange angst ficlet I haven't posted a lot of Doom or DoomStrange fic yet, but I am raring to go for this ship. I have taken part in many hours of brainstorming and RP for the pairing, and I have a brain full of headcanon and a folder full of ideas I'd like to write for these two. For a prompt that hits me in the right spot, I could also write DoomStrange/Tony Stark. I'd consider writing DoomStrange with a different third, but please ask me if you have something like that in mind. I love Battleworld DoomStrange: God-Emperor Doom and Sheriff Strange, and their canonical partnership. I do like to play with dark, problematic, and manipulative power dynamics in their relationship. If it seems soft, that's probably because somewhere behind it is a knife so sharp you won't feel it till the blood loss hits. But I can also write them in bantery, humorous, and outright ridiculous interactions. On that side, I love their "snipe and bicker but would sacrifice myself for you in a heartbeat" relationship a la Savage Avengers. When I write angst, I tend to focus on breaking it hard rather than fixing it, especially in a shorter fic. However, as long as I feel it's a prompt I can accomplish in under 5k, I'm open to the idea of hurt/comfort, of heavy angst with a positive resolution, or the kinds of lighter angst that come from mutual pining, misunderstandings that will get worked out, etc. Those situations where it hurts along the way, but everything is going to be ok. I write by letting my brain get a hook into a particular idea - or maybe more like, letting a particular idea get its hooks into my brain - to where it takes me over that threshold from "interesting concept" to "I have actual words insistently demanding to be let out now." With that in mind - if you have a very specific idea for a fic you'd like, please contact me before bidding, to make sure it's something I feel like I can hook and be hooked by. Otherwise, please be prepared to chat/brainstorm with me after the auction, so we can come up with an idea that we're both enthusiastic about. OR, I can also take a very small prompt as a starting point and just run with it. By "very small," I mean something like a word prompt or a kink or trope that might be found on a Bingo square. I'd take the prompt, and your preference for the general tone (humor, romance, angst, etc.), roll it around till I land on a compelling hook to get me started, and follow it from there. As far as my pile of "ideas I'd like to write," I'm open to discussing some of those that I think could be accomplished within a 5k fic. Time Frames: I'll be able to begin brainstorming/discussing prompts anytime after the auction week. I do have one pre-existing fic-writing commitment that I aim to finish by the end of 2020. So assuming we've worked out a prompt, I should potentially be available to start writing for this pretty early in 2021. Pinning down actual writing time is tricky, but once I've actually begun writing, a fic of this length usually takes me anywhere from a few days to a few weeks to complete. Please feel free to contact me to talk over any questions or ideas!

Ratings: Teen, Mature, Explicit

CLICK HERE TO BID ON THIS WORK

-- Beta Service --

Auction ID: 2091

Will create works for the following relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark - Any Universe Bucky Barnes/Steve Rogers/Tony Stark - MCU Bucky Barnes/Steve Rogers - MCU Bucky Barnes/Tony Stark - MCU Stephen Strange/Victor von Doom - 616 Tony Stark/Victor von Doom - 616 Jean Grey/Logan/Scott Summers - 616 Tony Stark/Stephen Strange/Victor von Doom - 616

Work Description: This auction is for beta reading of one fic up to 10k words, or two fics totaling up to 10k words. For beta-reading, barring my DNW, I'm generally wide open for characters, ships, universes, genres, kinks, and tropes, and for gen fics. A fic doesn't have to be "my ship" or "my kink" for me to read with care and give well-considered feedback on your writing, including elements of plot, continuity, characterization, tone, and theme, as presented within the fic itself. That said, my "Wants" and my Relationships section for this auction touch upon characters, ships, and kinds of works I read, write, and engage with the most for my own personal enjoyment. So those are where I'll be able to give the most detailed feedback on more levels, such as character voice, canon storylines, and general fluency with those characters and their worlds. My first Marvel ship is Steve-Tony, and I'm happy to read for them in any universe. I've spent the most time with them in 616, MCU, and early Ults comics, with light knowledge of AvAc, Avengers Assemble, and EMH. DoomStrange is my newer ship that I'm loving a lot: Battleworld God-Emperor Doom/Sheriff Strange; Triumph and Torment; Savage Avengers. Plus other pairings for either character, or threesomes/moresomes with the pair of them involved. Another area I'm VERY much here for is any and all fics related to Jonathan Hickman's X-Men comics: HoXPoX; Dawn of X; X of Swords. I jumped on board with X-Men at HoXPox last year, and am up to date with reading all of the current X-Men titles. I have almost no knowledge of prior X-Men canon, so, as mentioned above, I'm still happily willing to beta for other X-Men works, but I won't have that same degree of connection to canon and characters. As a beta reader, I can work on several levels, ranging from simple SPaG/proofreading, to detailed suggestions for sentence structure, flow, and word choice. I can help advise in regard to (American) English-language phrasing and word usage. I also really enjoy delving into emotional dynamics and thematic development. In terms of personal areas of expertise, I'm a musician and recording engineer. So I can give a lot of "what it's like" and some light scientific "how it works" if you have a fic where someone is a musician, in a band, playing a gig or concert, recording in a studio, or a variety of other possible situations involving the music industry and/or audio and sound systems. I prefer to beta-read in Gdocs where possible, where I can leave a lot of suggestions and comments. My goal is always to help the author feel good about their work and about making it the best it can be. So I appreciate your guidance in ways to give you feedback and/or critique that will be helpful, positive, and constructive for you. If I haven't beta-read anything for you before, I'll want to talk with you before I begin, to get an idea of the kinds of feedback you're looking for. Then I'll probably work through a page or two and wait to go further until you've had the chance to take a look. From there, you can tell me if there's anything I could approach differently, address, or avoid, in order to be more helpful for you. Time Frames/Schedule: I have a couple of pre-existing fandom commitments that I'm aiming to complete before the end of 2020. I'd prefer to say "early 2021" as the soonest I'll most likely be available to fulfill this auction. I give a lot of attention during beta reading, and often work in short sections at a time, over a period of days. For a 10k-ish fic, I might take anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks to work through the entirety. Generally, once I've worked through the fic, I'm also happy to continue exchanging comments, or take a look to see how see how things are working after changes are made. For any questions, please feel free to contact me!

Ratings: Gen, Teen, Mature, Explicit

CLICK HERE TO BID ON THIS WORK

The auction runs from October 18 (12 AM ET) to October 24 (11:59:59 PM ET). Visit marveltrumpshate.com during Auction Week to view all of our auctions and to place your bids!

[chivalin]

February Week 8 - April Week 18: Appreciating Other Content Creators Recs (SWTOR)

It has been ages since the last one but since today is “May the Fourth be with you” and swtor fan appreciation day, I decided to pour all my efforts into making this.

I have to apologize though as the comments on these are not as lengthy as in the previous ones but I really wanted to publish this today and also finally get caught up with the recs posts :P. But know that even if your name or work isn’t in here, I still absolutely adore everything I have appreciated in the past!

But anyway, for those new to this, here’s the intro from the very first recs post that explains everything perfectly:

I promised in my New Year’s resolution to spread more positiveness around towards other content creators out there. So -  - here are some of my favorite creators, fics, art and other things - - that I want to appreciate once more. You can find more cool stuff in my Art Appreciation Blog dedicated solely for appreciating others’ contents.

Basically I just want to spread some positiveness around because as a content creator myself, I know how much joy and encouragement even one show of appreciation can bring into people’s lives :)

*

ART

@starryevening - Sith Apprentice

The style is very pleasing to the eye in this and the colors are absolutely fantastic! Everything is so vibrant which makes this such an eye catcher, and I especially love the hair and face so much!

@mirielsart - Revan & Malak

Not exactly full on swtor art, but hey, it’s close enough and I just couldn’t pass by this without including it! The style makes me weep and everything else about this is superb too from the coloring to the poses that end up creating such a strong, emotive piece!

@aspyforthethrone - Sass // Gev // Hunter & Theron & Ewanh

All the characters have been captured perfectly and the style (and the clothes, can’t forget them because, daaamn!) in these is absolutely golden too! I highly enjoy the easily recognizable expressions, and the mood of these pieces is just stunning, especially in the Gev piece!

@tracinyad - Nino

The style is very pleasing and I just love how the face looks! The coloring is superb, I love the blue so much, and I especially love how the hair has been done!

@erinmccomics - OC Fight Week Duel Comic

This comic is absolutely hilarious and I just love how the action moves fluidly from one panel to another! The expressions are also so freaking awesome, making this such a fantastic piece!

@sirenofvathraki - Header Edits

Daaamn, these edits are ridiculously good and it’s such a joy to look at them! Seriously, I absolutely love how these look as the color scheme, composition and practically everything is just so spot on!

@aredheelmahariel - Togruta

This is an absolutely stunning piece that I can’t just seem to drag my eyes away from! The coloring is mesmerizing and I’m so in awe because of it, and damn that gaze is so hypnotizing too!

@skullinacowboyhat - Miraluka Druid // Togruta Monk

I absolutely adore these designs so much as the coloring is superb in both of them and- damn, I just love these so much, alright?? They feel very real and immediately catch my interest whenever I see them!

@dottiechan - Togruta Codzhekel // Togruta Codzhekel Digital

This rec post wouldn’t be complete if I didn’t include these fabulous pieces because my sweet Togruta is in them! I can’t sing praises enough of how much I love both of these and they do Codzhekel more than enough justice, leaving me happily weeping away because of pure awesomeness! (Ty so much once again for doing these <33)

@popiell - Pureblood Natjana // Sith Pureblood/Mirialan Hybrid

Same as above as the first one has my dear Nat in it and she looks absolutely stunning! I love the style in both of these so, so much and can’t help but to just marvel the pure talent and skill that has made it possible to create these pieces! (Also, ty so much once again for doing Nat <33)

@windwyrm - Firebrand Kaliyo

This is such an interesting and very well done piece that I’m definitely in awe! I absolutely love the colors and how perfectly all the different elements work together to create such an interesting and breathtaking piece!

@dingoat - Scourge & Jedi Knight // Torian & Jedi Knight Fight Scene // Torian & Jedi Knight Hug

Such amazing pieces of work that never fail to tell a story on their own! I absolutely love the mood, composition and coloring (aaaand, practically everything, haha) in all of these and I can honestly say that these pieces are just flawless and pure perfection!

@spindlewit - Jedi Consular

The design of this Consular is so pleasing that I can’t help but smile widely whenever I lay my eyes on it! The outfit is superbly done and I really like all the three poses, and I also have to mention how much I just adore the coloring!

@sssamson - Theron & Imperial Agent // Vector Outfit Meme // Torian Outfit Meme

I absolutely adore all of these and their styles so much! They’re so pleasing and interesting to look at and I just love the connection in the first pic while the outfits in the last two are superbly done, not to mention I just adore the top hat wearing killik with Vector!

@viridanlegacy - Metal Fashion Imperial Toons

This is the greatest thing my Finnish eyes have ever laid their gaze on, haha! I absolutely love the design of these characters and the poses are so well executed too, making this piece pure perfection!

@redosjenny - “New Top Nerd”

I adore the expressions and the good, casual mood in this so much! The colors are pleasantly vibrant and it definitely tells a story on its own which is always such a good thing!

@semper-draca - Tarot Card Gimrizh (nsfw for nudity and blood)

This is a very powerful piece of art that is just an absolutely delight to observe! I love all the details and symbolism, and this definitely such a flawless and very well-thought-out piece!

@painedting - Ziost & Sith Inquisitor

The mood in this is ridiculously powerful and I absolutely love how this has been colored too! The face is very well done and damn, the look in those eyes nearly sends shivers down my spine because it’s so intense!

@claudela - Pureblood Outfit Meme (nsfw-ish for mostly bare upper body)

This is- I don’t even have words to describe how awesome this is! Seriously, the outfit is so on point and DAMN THAT CHARACTER is amazingly done and I definitely love how vibrant the colors are!

FIC

@aly-the-writer - Rest (Arcann/Male Jedi Consular)

The style is really fluid and sucks you right in the moment you start reading! I quite adore the chemistry between these characters and how smooth their interactions are, creating such a delightful piece!

@lesabear - Malicineve & Temperamental Astromech // Vharmir & Down Time w/ Theron

Oh man, I can’t praise enough how well the first-person narratives are executed absolutely flawlessly in these fics! They also have such a pleasant, easy to follow paces and the characterizations and humor are very well done too!

@keldae - Phobia (Theron Shan/Female Jedi Knight)

The style in this is so catching and pleasant to read that it makes you devour the fic before you even realize what has happened! The pace flows smoothly from one paragraph to another and I just love the interactions between all the characters!

@talonfics - The Depths of Surrender (Kaliyo Djannis/Female Imperial Agent)

I really, really enjoy this as it’s well-written and the chemistry between the characters is superb! I just love the style and all the cool bits that can be found in here, like the one where they’re kissing in the end!

@fer8girl - Eyes on You (OC/OC) // I Never Mean to Hurt You // Charmed (Torian Cadera/Female Bounty Hunter)

All of these are such enjoyable and delightful reads, I can’t praise them enough! The style is absolutely fluid and I definitely got sucked in because the telling and characters are so interestingly told!

@nerf-burger - A Massage (Felix Iresso/Female Jedi Consular)

Such a sweetly awesome and well-written piece that I can’t help but be in awe! The interactions between the characters are really natural and I just utterly love how Felix is portrayed and how supportive he is!

@cinlat - Forced R&R (Theron/Vector/Female Imperial Agent)

Oh my god, I absolutely love this! The chemistry is so on point between everyone and I have to admit that I definitely fell in love with this pairing while reading this!

@tishinada - Patience (Andronikos Revel/Female Sith Inquisitor)

This has such and excellent style and telling that it’s an absolute joy to read! Andronikos’ portrayal is superb, and I just love the interactions and observations between these two!

@cavalier-life - Caught in a Storm (Theron Shan/Arcann/Female Sith Warrior)

Such an interesting and lovely poly ship that I definitely grew invested in while reading this! The pacing is really nice and smoothly flowing, making this so easy and delightful to read!

@kunoichi-ume - Starships in the Night (Vector Hyllus/Female Bounty Hunter)// 30 Days of Domestic Fluff (Torian Cadera/Female Jedi Knight)

I absolutely love both of these! They’re such superbly written pieces that also have amazing chemistry between all the characters! The style is really great and I have to admit that these being not so common pairings makes me love them even more!

@sassheliosazuras - Snuggling Cat // Jackass Inibri-cat

I just can’t leave these out from here because animals are such a soft spot of mine, especially if they want to snuggle or are the embodiment of Inibri, haha! Seriously though, I enjoy both of these immensely and they make me so happy whenever I even think about them!

@lordviridis - Welcome to Dromund Kaas

Oh maaaaaan, I witnessed this fic being made and know what’s going to happen in it and it’s *so* good that I can’t praise this enough! Such intricate telling and pleasant style, not to mention that I just adore Aleena because she’s such a good character!  

[inevitably-johnlocked]

Hey sorry do you know any ‘being a couple for a case’ fic ? Thank you'

I CERTAINLY DO. It’s one of my favourite tropes of ALL TIME. Like, I reread these fics ALL THE TIME. I am just SO SAD that there’s no long-fic really strictly from Sherlock’s POV. Like I would LOVE for a fic where we see Sherlock’s thought processes about trying to get John to be his date / partner / whatever. 

FAKE RELATIONSHIP 

ANYWAY. I added a few onto this list here, but here’s a full list of the ones in my bookmarks.

Wars We Fought, Things We’re Not by blueink3 (M | 55,126 w.) - Five months after John’s world has fallen apart, Mycroft sends the consulting detective and his doctor on a case that neither is prepared for. [[**FAVE. You have to check this one out!**]]

I can’t pretend by Salambo06 (E | 7,692 w.) - They had arrived more than a hour ago, and the moment they had walked inside the hotel reception, John had understood why Sherlock hadn’t wanted to come. Two men, posh suits and expensive watches on their wrists, had come to greet them with sharp remarks and badly hidden mockery, and John had seen red. Sherlock hadn’t said anything, mostly ignoring the two men entirely, and without thinking twice about it, John had slid an arm around Sherlock’s waist and introduced himself as his husband. [[AHHH so much pining John, I love it. Sherlock is so good to him!!]]

A Hundred Thousand Ways to Say the Name John by Jberry (E | 16,825 w.) John Watson and Sherlock Holmes must solve a case on a cruise ship. To get close to the crew and passengers, they must get married for the case on the Baetica. However, their relationship hits rocky seas both due to the case and internal conflicts. Part 1 of Baetica [[FAVE!!! MUST READ!!]]

Twelfth Night by yourdykeinshiningarmor (E | 15,139 w.) - John is invited to his aunt’s Twelfth Night ball. Sherlock offers to attend with him as a friendly face among strangers, but John’s family force him to address his true feelings for Sherlock. [[this one is cute]]

Till Death Do Us Part by prettysailorsoldier (M | 15,390 w.) - When Sherlock links a recent spree of murder-suicides to a psychologist who specializes in marriage counselling, there’s really only one thing to do: Go undercover as a couple in hopes of drawing the killer out. Faking a relationship seems easy enough, but things take a turn when their real issues start to creep into the sessions, and, all the while, a killer is watching, waiting in the shadows for their chance to strike. Part 12 of 25 Days of Johnlock [[OH GOD this one is lovely. Lots of pain but happy ending]]

That Partitioning of the Things of Youth by wearitcounts (Sher_locked_up) (E | 35,353 w.) - Victor Trevor is in town, and nobody’s happy. [[I really like this one. Jealous John AND Sherlock and lots of Angst]].

What I Hide By My Language, My Body Utters by PixChuu22 (M | 9,047 w.) - Based on a prompt from Tumblr user thetwogaydetectives - “fake relationship that ends up being so real, they finally realize they are in love.” (I like this one. They end up together because of a case).

The Case of the Made-Up Case by DoubleNegative (T | 2,394) - Sherlock takes John to a club. For a “case.” Yes, John, a case. Part 1 of The (Secret) Adventures of Sherlock Holmes [[CUTE!]]

The Newlywed Game: Johnlock Edition by patternofdefiance (E | 9,020) - John and Sherlock pretend to be married in order to be contestants in a Newlywed Game. Of course it’s for a case. Of course it doesn’t stay that way. Part 8 of I Blame Tumblr [[LOVE THIS ONE. It’s so cute!]]

A Case of Identity by jkay1980 (T | 91,009 w.)John and Sherlock have succeeded in rebuilding their friendship after Sherlock’s fake suicide, but an unusual case puts their relationship to the test. They pretend to be engaged and attend a marriage counseling workshop. Under the pretext of the case, Sherlock turns out to be a master of seduction, and John finally learns he might like Sherlock more than he thought. Slowly, John discovers that he loves Sherlock not only in a friendly, brotherly way, but both men have to fight their own demons before they can think of taking their relationship to a new level… [[I love this fic. It’s a really great long-fic!]]

A Bit of Indulgence by beltainefaerie (NR | 3,364 w.) -  A case leads John and Sherlock to fake being boyfriends and John runs into an old acquaintance. [[This one is so domestic and cute GUH I love it.]]

The Norwood Love Builders by flawedamythyst (T | 47,798 w.) - Sherlock and John go undercover to solve the murder of Joanna Oldacre, but things are complicated by the many feelings John has been repressing in the wake of Sherlock’s faked death and return. [[OMG this is like my FAVOURITE fic in this genre ever. It’s SO good and well characterized]].

Hitting the Water at Sixty Miles an Hour by what_alchemy (E | 30,568 w.) “You love your mother, Sherlock?”John watched the muscles in Sherlock’s jaw jump. He nodded in one sharp jerk.“Then we’re going to her party and making her happy.” John let out a resigned sigh. “As a ruddy couple, you bastard.”

Once More, With Feeling by cellard00rs (T | 21,178 w.) - To put off his meddlesome, matchmaking mother, John convinces Sherlock to play the role of his significant other. Unparalleled awkwardness ensues. [[nice amount of fluff and pining!]]

Hope Springs Eternal by QuinnAnderson (T | 4,054 w.) - John Watson and Sherlock Holmes go on holiday, and Sherlock has romance on the brain. [[Another cute one!]]

Five Times They Kissed for a Case, and One Time They Kissed for Real by fleetwood_mouse (M | 32,406) - A stolen ring! An artful blogger! And many more adventures for your enjoyment.

Disguises are always a self-portrait by yellowteapots (NR | 6,223 w.) - They were headed to a Pride Fest for a case-triple suicide/murder- which, of course mean they had to pretend to be couple. John had a suspicion Mycroft took a fairly sadistic glee in booking them a (single king-sized bed) room at the most romantic B&B in town. (I LOVE THIS ONE SO MUCH)

A Silver Sixpence by doodle (E | 16,400 w. LIVEJOURNAL) - John and Sherlock have to get married for a case, and learn some things about each other. I LOVE LOVE LOVE this story, though its only fault is that it’s on LiveJournal… (PITA to read on mobile)

AMNESIA:

Here are a couple where either John or Sherlock have amnesia and they think that they are each other’s husband or partner.

Among the Secret Things by Kate_Lear (E | 26,073 w.) - Sherlock would be the last person to describe himself as given to flights of fancy, but at the look on Lestrade’s face he could swear that something inside him curls up and dies. Part 1 of Among the Secret Things

What Meets the Eye by worldaccordingtofangirls (M | 8,251 w.) Amnesia is just another case to solve. Piece together unfamiliar faces, reconstruct the old identity, the lost reality. A challenge that Sherlock could even enjoy. He can read people like books. The man with the silver hair is his boss. The tottering old woman, his landlady. The girl with the worried look in her eyes…infatuated. And as for John Watson? His husband. Obviously.

“FOR A CASE” TROPE

So these aren’t necessarily relationships, or weren’t tagged as such, but contains some other “for a case” fics!

Midnight Blue Serenity by BeautifulFiction (E | 151,907w.) - When Sherlock infiltrates a club in order to track down a serial killer, his altered appearance is enough to make John question his assumption that Sherlock is beyond his reach. However, is he the only one who appreciates his flatmate’s charms, or is Sherlock at risk of becoming the next victim? [[THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVE FICS OF ALL TIME. tw for gore-ish type things near the end.]]

It Isn’t Strange Until You Think About It by ivyblossom (T | 4,596 w.) - John tells the truth about how it happened. For some reason, “it’s for a case” always seems to do the trick.

The Case of the Vanishing Pants by SwissMiss (E | 44,025 w.) - Five times John and Sherlock lost their pants for a case. [[there are some angsty bits in this, but I did giggle at a few scenes]]

OTHER SORT-OF RELATED FICS:

Here are a few that aren’t REALLY “for a case” but they end up together or the Johnlock is strong in it because of cases or because of situations.

Rescue by missilemuse (T | 2,574 w.) - If this was the way Sherlock Holmes loved, it was no wonder why he had avoided the damned emotion for over half of his life. Part 6 of Reichenbach To Return [[this isn’t really Johnlock, but it is… it’s non-ad10ck ad10ck. You have to read it to understand. It’s SO good and painful, trust me. Sherlock!Whump and pining]].

Five Times John Noticed But Didn’t Really by ScandalousMinds (T| 6,383 w.) 5 times John (thought) he noticed something peculiar about his and Sherlock’s relationship but really missed the obvious.

A Need To Know Basis by mattsloved1 (K+| 964 w., FFNet) - As the cab door shut firmly, the DI had yelled out they were to make an appearance at Scotland Yard the next day. It was while John watched London pass by that it happened. (short and sweet!! I love it!!)

Hallowed Eve by EventHorizon (T | 14,750 w.) - It probably wasn’t the smartest idea to let Sherlock choose the costumes for Halloween, but John never considered himself the smartest man in the room, anyway. (It’s a couple’s costume thing!)

Equine Arse Anonymity by Kayjaykayme (E | 3,834 w.) - Sherlock needs to speak with suspects at a fancy dress ball. He chooses a couple’s costume for himself and John. It is logical, practical and well thought out. John doesn’t agree and exacts sweet revenge.

Maybe This Christmas by feverishsea for leopardwrites (T | 6,021 w.) Anthea has given up her life, her own desires, even her name in service of something greater than herself. But that doesn’t mean she can’t see when someone else wants something – even if she doesn’t happen to care overmuch for that person. And it doesn’t mean she isn’t willing to help. (Anthea gets the boys together)

You Can Imagine the Christmas Dinners by ardenteurophile  (T | 23,584 w.) Sherlock takes John along for Christmas dinner with Mycroft and Mummy (And “Anthea”, too). Over the course of the evening, John realises that everyone in the room - apart from him - seems to think that he and Sherlock are a couple. Part 2 of Xmas Dinners Verse (I LOVE THIS ONE)

The Sexual Awakening of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson by suitesamba (M | 24,579 w.) Sherlock owes Mycroft a favor. Mycroft calls in that favor by offering Sherlock’s consulting services in a charity auction. Sherlock and John soon find themselves at the country manor of Mrs. Ives-Patton Smarmington III - not very coincidentally a long-time friend of Sherlock’s mother - where they are reluctant participants in her Murder Mystery Weekend. It’s a play within a play for Sherlock and John, and their roles for the weekend event bleed over into their real lives, waking the sleeping dragons within. Or In which John learns that Sherlock owing Mycroft a favor is very suspect, and Sherlock has a very bad idea.

Hope those satisfy! Alex also has a list that has some ACD Holmes on the list too!

[terresdebrumestories]

Watching with Fanfan: Shadowhunters

Season 02 - Episode 01: This guilty blood

No reviews on this blog for months, and we’re picking up the habit—though certainly not the same rhythm I had going last summer, I’m afraid—with a Shadowhunters review. I’m starting to think I might be part of this fandom, after all, even if it’s a fairly specific fringe of it.

Anyway, I know I never finished the detailed criticism of season one, mostly because I never really had enough time for it—and also because watching every episode once is far more than enough for my taste—but I have now watched the first episode of Season 2 and since I’ve been asked to share my opinion of it, I might as well seize the occasion to get back to reviewing things.

In this case, sadly—but unsurprisingly enough, if you know the show and what my problems with it are—there isn’t much good to be said.

Last season ended when Jace, under threat, followed Valentine to his lair with the Mortal Cup in their possession. This, understandably, threw everyone in a feat of panic and, when the episode opens, we see Clary hop up on Valentine’s ship, more-or-less says she’s here to rescue Jace...and proceeds to spend the next five minutes doing nothing but look vaguely anxious while Jace fights with and kills Valentine.

Obviously, it turns out—several scenes later—that Jace didn’t really kill Valentine, who was in fact masquerading as Clary to test Jace’s loyalty...so in other words, we open with a scene that is both sexist (in that, as usual, “Clary” has zero influence on the plot and, when “she” does, it’s by getting revealed as Valentine’s disguise) and utterly pointless because the entire conflict of it turns out to be a fake out. It’s not quite as annoying as opening on a dream sequence—which I thought it was at first—but it’s still starting with something that goes nowhere.

(Some may argue that the point was to show us Jace doesn’t want to be with Valentine, but considering he was blackmailed/threatened into following the villain in the first place, that point has already been made last season, and even if you want to re-make it for the newcomers, there are other ways to do it, thank you very much.)

As far as the general quality of the episode goes, though, the opening is actually a fairly good indicator of what we’re about to get.

True, the plot sort of moves forward, in that ever-confusing way that comes when things evolve because the plot demands it and not because the characters really do anything useful. Clary continues to react to the plot—when, in good storytelling, the plot should react to her—while saying things that make it sound like she’s acting while, in effect, we mostly just see her stand around and complain.

(Example: At one point of the episode, Clary is supposed to be locked in the Institute. To get out, she uses a glamour that makes her look like Aldertree, the new Clave representative who was sent from Idris because we like Lydia now. This is accompanied by a grossly misused quote from “The art of war” and about ten seconds of Luke being confused as to why Aldertree speaks to him. Do we see Clary put the glamour on? No. Do we see her figure out how to use said glamour without being caught mid-lie? No. Isabelle gave her an idea—aka: Clary didn’t even come up with her brilliant idea on her own—then jazz hands and voila, no problem, no conflict, no use for our heroine, she can go straight to the ‘be locked out of the action by another character’ part of the episode.)

The fact that the plot moves on its own by virtue of ‘It has to move’ more than real logic for the most part—or at least, not a logic that makes sense to me in terms of how characters react—is, honestly, not the biggest problem this show has, though. I mean, let’s face it, sometimes a story where the plot advances because it has to (as opposed to advancing because the hero does something) can be enjoyable enough, if not the best in the world. It’s not really my thing, but it happens.

The biggest problem in this episode, imported straight from season one, is that it literally will not let go of its offensive tropes.

Aside from the fact that all the Adults are Useless at best, or obstacles at worst—like Maryse who, we’re supposed to resent for “trying to take back the Institute from Lydia” (1), which we were rooting for her to do last season, and who went from having Jace as a favorite to literally saying it was a mistake to take Valentine’s son in(2) (3)—Shadowhunters also continues with its dubious casting choice for the minor characters. The guy who gets killed while posing as Valentine? A black man. The vampire who massacred her family, killed innocent people, and is a meanie to Jace so he can kill her illegally? A woman of color. The Bad Guy that was sent from Idris? A black man. His co-minor villain? A woman of color. Do we continue?

I mean, this is far from the worst I’ve seen in terms of racism, and I suppose that’s a good thing—somewhat...is ‘not as bad as it could be’ a good thing, really?—but that doesn’t mean these choices are innocent given the racial context of US TV (4) and the show shouldn’t be let off the hook from it just because it has four main-ish characters of color—aka Luke, Simon, Magnus and Isabelle, though in Izzy’s case (as in Maryse’s case) it’s unclear if we’re supposed to read the character as a woman of color.

Plus, if you thought racism was the only problem in the series, you’d be wrong. I’ve talked extensively about the problems with Magnus and Alec’s relationship last season—and before that, I’ve discussed the problems with the way they’ve been handled in the books—so if you were already reading this blog last year this may sound a little repetitive, but here it is anyway: Malec, as a relationship, is incredibly badly handled.

Aside from Magnus’ depiction as a an aggressively—and creepily—sexual guy (5) who has repeatedly ignored Alec’s boundaries and requests throughout the first season, this first episode (re–) establishes several things that don’t do anything to endear me to the relationship.

First, this episode takes place a few days—maybe a week, top—after Alec outed himself by publicly dumping the woman he was supposed to marry (which, by the way, would have been a politically advantageous move for him and his family) thereby standing to “lose everything” (6) and they’re already fighting. Considering they’ve known each other for a grand total of one month, at the very best and that they got together less than one week ago, Alec and Magnus should be in the honeymoon phase of their relationship. The fact that they aren’t doesn’t speak well for their future as a couple.

Second, we now know that Alec is willing to use emotional blackmail against Magnus (“Why won’t you [help me do something that could kill me and therefore land you in trouble] after everything I’ve done/sacrificed for you?”) which is a tactic of abuse and a definitely shitty thing to do to anyone. True, Alec is (implicitly) called out on it an he apologizes later on, but that doesn’t change the fact that Magnus would have every right to dump him right then and there, thank you very much.

Third, during their second scene, Magnus entirely dismisses the risks Alec took in order to be with him (which, might I add, Magnus pretty much harassed Alec into). True, this is as much shitty worldbuilding as it is bad characterization, but given that Shadowhunters were established as very homophobic in season one (again: “I could lose everything”, plus the mention Magnus made of “Don’t ask, don’t tell”) Magnus saying that Alec “didn’t sacrifice anything for [him]” makes him an asshole who Alec would have had every right to dump right then and there, thank you very much. In short—and I might get flame for this again but that won’t change the truth of it—Magnus and Alec are terribly bad for each other, their relationship is dysfunctional at best, unhealthy at worst, and no amount of fake hype, freeform propaganda or straight fetishistic fangirl screaming will convince me otherwise.

So, what can I say to conclude this review? None of what I saw yesterday night—yeah, it took me two days to download the thing. I’m questioning my life choices—was a surprise. The problems present in this first episode were already present last season, and I’m fairly sure they’ll still be present this season. Hopefully, they won’t get worst. Either way, I’m probably going to keep watching, if only for a while—and to motivate me into working on my rewrite project—but I’m also going to keep telling everyone I know not to embark on that franchise. There are, after all, less infuriating trainwrecks to watch ;)

-------------------------

(1) We’re supposed to believe Lydia & Izzy when they assume Maryse is the one who decided to ask for the Clave to send someone new to direct operations. It’ll probably turn out to be true, given that the show wants to make her into the bad parent, but in real life (or a setting meant to imitate real life) you don’t always decide who is appointed to supervise you.

(2) Remember: back in Season 1 Maryse, like everyone else, thought Jace was a Wayland. Now, for some reason, she’s acting like she knew about his dad all along and is regretting her choices. Outstanding characterization and logic right there.

(3) I’m actually more forgiving of what they did with Jocelyn given that they establish Jace’s demon blood in this episode, too. I’m expecting the reveal to be uselessly dragged out next week, and for the whole determinism thing to grow at least as ridiculous and nonsensical—and hypocritical—as it was in the books, but at least it makes sense for Jocelyn to try and shoot Jace. It makes zero sense for Maryse to suddenly despise Jace, and it’s also not required to explain why she doesn’t want to look for him too hard.

(4) Western media in general has a race problem, don’t get me wrong, but Shadowhunters is a US TV show so let’s stick to the context at hand.

(5) A trope used to paint both bisexuals—which Magnus is—and men of color in a negative light, might I add. Admittedly, I’m not sure if Asian men are more often oversexualized or desexualized so I might be wrong on that one. Still rubs me the wrong way though.

(6) Direct quote from Alec’s season 1 dialogue.

[recentanimenews]

Shield Hero Fans Go Nuts for Raphtalia's Swimsuit and Naofumi's Leveling Spree!

  Hear ye, hear ye, it's that time you've been waiting for every week: Shield Hero time! If you haven't watched this week's episode of The Rising of the Shield Hero, please shield your eyes from these spoilers!

  **SPOILERS AHEAD**

  We start this week's episode with... new allies? I know Naofumi's name was cleared and all, but there's still a lot of people out there that still treat him like a criminal, so making new allies seems like a huge change of pace here! Nevertheless, we meet the BEST TEAM's bunkmates: L'Arc and Therese. Before they got too chummy, Raphtalia couldn't understand a word Therese was saying and asked if she was foreigner.

  Well, that was convenient! The language barrier is something Naofumi totally forgot about, since his handy dandy shield already translates everything for him. Now we can get to know our new allies! As Naofumi introduces himself... both L'Arc and Therese burst out in laughter? Wow, rude!

But they don't believe Naofumi to be ACTUAL Shield Hero, after all, the Shield Hero is an evil guy that deals with stuff like scames, blackmail and kidnappings. He can even get anyone who ends up annoying him killed! Truly an evil guy, right? Ahh...seems like news of Naofumi's name being cleared hasn't reached far and wide yet.

Even with L'Arc saying all those untrue things about the Shield Hero, he also believes that Naofumi himself doesn't have those terrible qualities, and that he's truly a good guy! Seems like they'll still be able to get along...hopefully! L'Arc still believes Naofumi's just hiding his real name, but he's too easy-going to care, which totally works for the Shield Hero team, because they offer to party up to take advantage of the Cal Mira's level boosts. The more, the merrier!

Before any real plans are set in stone, Naofumi gets summoned to meet the ship's crew. Something about getting the crew excited with having the Four Cardinal Heroes onboard... but how exciting can that be when three of 'em are total chumps? Ah well, at least Naofumi can share what he learned about the weapons' system: if you trust and believe the info about the systems that are told to you, they unlock and you can use them! It's a pretty big discovery and definitely some vital info that all Heroes need to know.

We are treated to the most sorry sight in this episodes: the three hero stooges being completely seasick and even unable to stand! "How are you okay, Naofumi?," they ask. Gee, is it because he's not a total lightweight like y'all?! Pathetic! How can the ship's crew even get excited over this?! Whatever, it's time to talk about the ever-important system discovery... but what's this? They don't even want to hear about anything "complicated" because their condition will worsen. Seriously? These three hero stooges will help with the Waves? Oh Naofumi... you have your work cut out for you!

What's hilarious to me is that L'Arc and Therese just stroll on by and they don't really pay much attention to the three sickly idiot heroes! I wonder if they know that those three are the Heroes of legend that will help save their world. Anyway, enough about the baka trio, Therese has a request for Naofumi, and she'll pay the big bucks for it! She heard from Raphtalia that he's quite skilled in jewel crafting, so she wants him to make her an accessory she could use. Since he's already getting the materials and he'll be paid, why not?

The BEST TEAM finally reach Cal Mira! The island is a popular spot with the tourists, and with good reason: it looks like a beatiful and relaxing vacation spot! But that's not the only reason that Cal Mira gained its fame; apparently the past Four Cardinal Heroes trained at the island, making it a big draw for travelers. With all of this bringing tourists and adventurers from all over, there's some rules they all gotta follow, like avoiding barging into other adventurers' battles to steal their prey... Isn't that basically telling them not to kill steal? Truly, this is an MMO! 

    Along with that weird totem pole-ish looking statue, there's an epigraph left behind by a Cardinal Hero? Nah, that can't be right, it's totally bogus--WOAH, it actually worked! So the legend of the previous Cardinal Heroes coming to train here wasn't a lie after all! In the midst of this discovery, L'Arc and Therese find our crew and make plans to party up for the leveling spree. Seems like Naofumi took a liking to those two! Hopefully they can stay allies for a long time... fingers crossed! With plans being set, why don't we see what leveling in Cal Mira is all about before calling it a day?

    Even low-level monsters give an ample amount of experience points! Excellent! And they spawn infinitely? Definitely a great area to farm some levels, that's for sure. But as with any leveling spree... after fighting the same weak enemies over and over, no matter how much exp. points they give, it becomes a total chore. It's time for some excitement; where are the higher level bosses?! 

    Wait a sec... why isn't anyone gaining exp. points all of the sudden? And then the three stooges heroes appear... of course they would all kill steal from one another! The three are quick to get territorial and  proceed to bicker and yell at each other. How old are these three again? 'Cause they sound like they're 6 right now.

    Naofumi's had enough of this farce and leaves to a higher level area. Finally, some excitement and that sweet exp. points boost! Not to mention better drops too; Raphtalia and Filo were able to get newer weapons to fight the higher level monsters with. With all this leveling... how is Naofumi not tired? Isn't he still cursed from his Blood Sacrifice curse? He couldn't hide this fact from Raphtalia, who urged Naofumi to rest. She's really the best girl! 

    Just on cue, L'Arc and Therese find the Shield Hero team, and they were worried about not seeing them come back to the main island. Having people worry over him is not something Naofumi is used to, and with Raphtalia, L'Arc and Therese teaming up to say "hey, enough is enough, pal," he can't refuse their offer to call it quits for the day. But not without drinking!

    Most of the time that Naofumi and crew gather with others, it ends up in chaos, but this time it was... really enjoyable! Getting some R&R without any trouble is such a rarity, so they enjoy as much as they can. We see Filo singing, Raphtalia being buff and destroying any fools who dare to challenge her, and Naofumi being indestructible when it comes to alcohol. It's a real treat to see the BEST TEAM enjoying themselves like this! 

    The next morning comes (thankfully, no hangovers!), and it's time to level like crazy with L'Arc and Therese! But not before Naofumi handing over the promised accessory he said he'd make for Therese. It's such a gorgeous looking accessory too made from a rare and vibrant red Starfire! She's so overjoyed that...she's crying? "The jewel is filled with joy," she says as she praises Naofumi's skills. I wonder if her hobbies lie in creating, collecting  and analyzing accessories. Naofumi did such an amazing job that Therese wants to shower him with all the money! Wow, I guess he won't be worrying about going broke for awhile, huh?

    Now they're ready to kick some butt and gain some levels! With a bigger and balanced party, leveling was a breeze; the BEST TEAM reached level 70! However, now gaining more exp. points got to be a drag with the lower level enemies, and y'all know what that means: time to take on the area's boss!

  Therese uses her strange new skill from the accessory she got from Naofumi on the mob...but with Naofumi in the mob?! What's the big idea, Therese?! Are our new allies traitors?! No... that's not right. The skill obliterates the enemies, but it didn't harm a hair on Naofumi. And in addition to that, it seems to have lifted the curse on Naofumi? What the heck is this skill?! 

Our team chalks it up to it being just another strange spell in the already strange world they're in. As they all split their loot, there's an apparent "weird" item that dropped. What was it? Unfortunately, WE NEVER GET AN ANSWER. Why?! I want to know! Will this come up later? Will it be important later?! TELL ME!!

Mystery item aside... Naofumi, Raphtalia and Filo have worked very hard, so why not time for a break? Let's go to the beach and relax! Filo looks adorable with her cute pigtails and swimsuit; an angel of the sea! And Raphtalia? Dear LORD, she's a knockout with her swimsuit! Buuut... Naofumi pays zero attention to that as Filo tells him that she's discovered an interesting new area to check out underwater.

    Haha, ohmygod, those outfits... Naofumi has a strange sense of style! Where did he get those penguin onesies?! As ridiculous as those outfits are, it lets them get by underwater to see where this mystery place is. And they sure found it, but it was sealed tight. How were they to get inside? Naofumi lightly touches the door and it reacts to his shield, opening and making a path for them. But wait, there's air inside? Just what is this place?

    Surprise! There's a dragon hourglass here, hidden away in this island! It looks identical to the one at the cathedral back in the capital too. This... is terrible news, because any place with one of these hourglasses can be attacked by a Wave. What's worse, this hourglass reads that there's only TWO DAYS before the next Wave hits this area. WELP, I guess good thing everyone's been doing their leveling, right? We can only hope the other three idiots have been leving as well. How difficult will this Wave be? Will the Four Cardinal Heroes protect the islands and successfully defeat all the enemies? Will Glass show up again? And what was that mystery item they got while leveling?! We won't know until next week's episode as we get closer to this season's finale!

  While we wait for our burning questions to be answered, let's get to the best part of this segment: your reactions! What did y'all think of this week's The Rising of the Shield Hero episode? Let's find out!

  This is what we wanted ???????????? pic.twitter.com/9QN6WUjAMl

— Giovanny Barrantes ジオ???? (@SomecallmeGeo) June 12, 2019

  Drunktalia is the stronger girl pic.twitter.com/mjGfQdnUA0

— Ginto (@Ginto62) June 12, 2019

  Don't mess with Raphtalia when she's had some of that drink ????????#shieldhero pic.twitter.com/8hAm1VnSi1

— Chandler Ingram (@Chandler_Ingram) June 12, 2019

  Best Ponytail ever ! #shieldhero pic.twitter.com/PWAqEy9lLZ

— Ginto (@Ginto62) June 12, 2019

  #shieldhero cute pic.twitter.com/T1rnG8bNye

— ???? Caio Hope ❤️ (@CaioHope) June 12, 2019

  Filo solo concert when? I would pay big money for it. #shieldhero pic.twitter.com/MaTZQz1ymz

— Henry兄さん???? (@TheHenkuku) June 12, 2019

  Therese is cute. ????#ShieldHero pic.twitter.com/7e5WidxcA5

— Matsukaze Kuki (@MatsukazeKuki) June 12, 2019

  Loves seeing them all team up if only for a short time. Made a hell of a team #shieldhero pic.twitter.com/I7tDb3bF11

— Chandler Ingram (@Chandler_Ingram) June 12, 2019

  An hourglass here of all places???? ???? and a wave is about to hit in just 2 days!!!!!#shieldhero　#盾の勇者の成り上がり pic.twitter.com/JSxhCsriNh

— ✨Diego The Royal✨ (@prodegyxtinct) June 12, 2019

  My Best Boys are cool now, right? They're allowed to be buds now, right?#ShieldHero ❤️???? pic.twitter.com/gkZrbPRBlh

— Matsukaze Kuki (@MatsukazeKuki) June 12, 2019

  ah, yes! another cute Shield Hero episode!!! ????????????

— Kirie (@Kirie_Zero) June 12, 2019

Give some love to the official Shield Hero Twitter and Facebook fan page where you can discuss the latest episode with fans every week! 

Watch The Rising of the Shield Hero on Crunchyroll

----

Nicole is a features writer and editor for Crunchyroll. Known for punching dudes in Yakuza games on her Twitch channel while professing her love for Majima. She also has a blog, Figuratively Speaking. Follow her on Twitter: @ellyberries

  Do you love writing? Do you love anime? If you have an idea for a features story, pitch it to Crunchyroll Features!

By: news+feed@crunchyroll.com

[esandcasg]

Star Wars – The Force Awakens revisited – A Big A Review

It’s on Netflix. I’d just finished a Cost Benefit Analysis (my first proper one at work) and thought I’d whack this on and put down my thoughts, especially given recent (and less recent) discussions about The Last Jedi.

Speaking of which, another prompt for this was that in our post-viewing debrief of the Star Wars sequel, my brother said to me ‘Come on, if Han Solo hadn’t have died it would have been a good film’. My bias towards Harrison Ford is well known; so was my general view of TFA clouded by the smuggler’s death?

It should be said at this point I’ve not seen the film from start to finish since I saw it at the cinema, making it the only Star Wars film (well, TLJ is the same actually) that I’ve only seen once. I watched the prequels a number of times – though I think with less frequency as the trilogy progressed – and have obviously seen the original trilogy ad infinitum.

Anyway – let’s not digress too much before we’ve even got to the bones of the piece. I’m intended this to be a general commentary on the film itself before diverging into a general mulling over the direction of the newer Star Wars films in general.

TFA starts with a focus on new characters – Poe, Finn and Rey. There are a few others dotted about – Lor Van Sekka (I have undoubtedly got that name wrong, but the character played by the bad guy from Minority Report), BB8 and, of course, Kylo Ren, Hux and Cappy Phasma. The feel of the film is immediately Star Wars. There’s an earnestness about Poe that tonally fits and I actually like the brutality of the Stormtroopers here; it harks back to A New Hope, when Obi Wan and Luke come across the slaughtered Jawas. Stormtroopers developed into figures of fun throughout the Original Trilogy and this sort of had them back as actually nasty pieces of work.

That said, this idea of brutality is undermined by two First Order figures – Hux and Phasma. Kylo Ren is supposed to be this vaguely immature, hot-headed bad guy. He has moments of rage and uncontrolled reactions to things, but he’s not supposed to be in charge. Unfortunately, both Hux and Phasma seemed to be being portrayed almost tongue in cheek. Hux is pulling ‘I’m a bad guy’ faces throughout, and Phasma’s voice is too much like someone who has spent their entire career in rep, giving overblown performances, and are suddenly given a spot on TV and are unable to play it down. Look at the Imperial officers in the Original Trilogy. There’s one sneery guy who gets throttled by Vader in A New Hope, but the rest of them – Tarkin and Piett particularly – are just fairly normal, cold, straightforward people. They are almost business-like in their manner, whereas Hux and Phasma are almost cartoony (both would be worse in TLJ). I wonder whether casting familiar-ish names in both roles made that likelier.

So you’ve got, in the First Order, a childish main bad guy (necessarily so) and two cartoony sub-villains. There’s a problem right off the bat. And that only gets compounded when we meet…

Rey.

I have a problem both with the characterization of Rey and the performance. Let’s start with the performance. It’s too on the nose. It’s not helped by all the exposition she has to do (more on this anon) but there’s something sort of stilted about the way the lines are delivered. It’s almost too earnest (despite my comment about this earlier on). It’s… it’s the sort of performance I would give; too affected, lacking subtlety unless she has people to bounce off. Ridley is good in later scenes when she has to be upset but the sort of earlier, day to day stuff seems pretty bad – it’s the same when she’s being enthusiastic with Han Solo on the way to Maz’s place.

The characterization doesn’t help. Rey is both wistfully looking for a way out (seeing the ship leaving Jakku) and yet determined to stay. She’s both self-reliant and desperate to be liked. And yet the performance isn’t conflicted AT ALL to start off with.

Anyway. So I have an issue with the first order, and Rey is a little jarring. But otherwise I think the story works and I’m enjoying it. I enjoy it even more when Han Solo and Chewbacca come in.

I remember watching Six Days, Seven Nights with my older brother at the cinema and there’s a scene where Ford’s character, Quinn, is drunk at a bar. My brother leant his head close to mine at this point and said “He’s acting now”. He didn’t mean it as an insult or a compliment but as a comment. A couple of years later I read an interview with Ford where he bemoaned the lack of opportunity he’s had in some respect in terms of the roles he’s offered. Referencing The Mosquito Coast (which is a great film, and he gives a great performance in it) which performing poorly at the box office, Ford said something to the effect that as soon as he tries something outside the parameters of his usual Ordinary Guy put in Extraordinary Situation role, people say “He’s acting now”. As my brother had.

I suspect that given the type of roles Ford has enjoyed success in, there’s been an element of maybe not considering him that good an actor. We could argue this point back and forth, but I think one of the reasons this manifests is he has – undeniably – screen presence. There is a complete ease at being on camera, being on a film set, that I don’t think is that natural anymore for a lot of actors. Actors from an older generation had it – Streep, Julia Roberts, Tom Cruise, Clint Eastwood, Jack Nicholson – but maybe younger actors don’t in the same respect. Perhaps that’s because back in the day you used to go and see a film because a certain actor was in it. I’m not so sure that’s the case anymore.

Anyway, my point in all of this was that there’s a sense of ease in the way Han Solo and Chewbacca come into the film. The familiarity helps (you’ve seen these characters loads before) and the relationship between the two helps as well.

Unfortunately, the arrival of Solo and Chewbacca triggers two things which will eventually begin to make the film less enjoyable.

The first is exposition. All the dialogue starts being weighed down by it. What happened to Luke. What happened to Kylo Ren. What happened between Han and Leia. What happened to R2D2. On and on and on. It doesn’t really let up. And it makes the dialogue a lot more boring. The exchanges between Han and Leia are particularly bad in this respect. Same for the exchange between Han and Kylo Ren. It’s all just exposition.

I understand the need for explaining some things but Abrams and Larry Kasdan should have had more faith in people sticking with the films because they’re Star Wars. You didn’t need to explain that Kylo Ren was Han and Leia’s son until the last confrontation. You don’t need to have both Han and Leia talk about what happened to Kylo Ren on a number of different occasions.

The second bad thing is fanboyism. The maguffin of the film is Luke, so there’s a certain amount of wistfulness baked in, but as soon as Han comes in, everything becomes about worshipping the original trilogy. Rey and Finn are amazed to meet Han. Kylo Ren is a Vader fan boy. They compare the planet to the Death Star. Everyone wants to find Luke.

The film starts on its own two feet but seems to become less and less secure of itself and more and more reverential to the past as time goes on. Why? There’s really no need. You are going to have a certain amount of Star Wars fans regardless. You don’t need to constantly revere the past. In fact it’s more interesting not too, I would argue. This may seem an odd reference, but I like how Ghostbusters 2 starts, with Ray and Winston as children’s entertainers. How in a fictional world heroes can be forgotten as the world moves on (in that case, New York). I think that’s partly why I liked TFA to start off with. You’ve got Luke, Han and Leia who have, to some extent all fallen on hard times, and a world that has sort of moved on.

Except it hasn’t, really, because of the fact that everything still revolves around the three of them, and becomes more about them as the film goes on.

That then brings me to the ending of the film. There are some glaring errors here; Han’s death, the tone of the subsequent remainder of the film and the appearance of Luke.

Let’s start with Han’s death. It’s pointless, and here’s why. The only reason that Han should die at that point is either to save his friends or to allow Kylo Ren to become something else.

Does his death save his friends? No. At that point there’s something of a bond beginning between Rey/Finn and Han but not worth talking about. But Kylo Ren isn’t getting in their way. Han could plant the bombs and leave quite happily but is compelled to confront his son, presumably because a) he’s his Dad and hasn’t written him off and b) Leia told him to. Neither are about saving his mates.

So then we’re down to character development for Kylo Ren. The obvious thing is that the patricide allows Ren to choose the dark side. Except there are a couple of problems here. Firstly, where’s the conflict? It’s not as if up until this point he’s been struggling with the choice between the two. There is one real point where this is referenced and that’s the bit where he’s talking to Vader’s mask. There’s nothing else in the film that shows his struggle. There’s stuff that shows he’s immature or incompetent but nothing to say he’s struggling between the light and the dark

So suddenly there’s a need as far as the writers go to make him choose the dark side?  

Fine, so let’s go with that. Except that there’s no difference in his character in The Last Jedi! None! He’s still a whiney, impulsive, slightly incompetent bad guy. So you’ve gained nothing and have lost a character that a) all the fans loved and b) could have actually bought more time for the new characters to establish themselves without the films having to live or die based on who they are.

Ren should have had a scene early on in TFA that shows he is still struggling. His first appearance needs to show his struggle, when he kills that guy. Maybe afterwards you see him take off the mask and look down at the lightsaber in disgust? Something that says this guy isn’t quite dark side yet. The problem is that the writers wanted him to be a bad guy from the off, to be scary from the off. And then almost reverse-engineer this struggle.

Ok, to point no. 2. The tone of the rest of the film.

Han’s death should have been an opportunity for Rey/Finn and, especially, Chewie to lose it. To absolutely lose it. Rey sort of does but sort of doesn’t, and it’s hinted at in her fight with Ren but that should have shown her almost being pulled to the dark side in her rage, and she should have been prevented from killing him by something else. Maybe that earthquake. I know that sort of happens anyway, but there’s no real rage in her performance. There’s no real sense that she would have killed him if she could. Then there’s the obvious Chewie/Leia non-hug, and how there almost seems to have been no impact on anyone that Han had died. And you have Rey going to see Luke, Luke not saying anything, R2D2 and Chewie not leaving the falcon – all this has been done to death. The tone is confused. They’ve blown up the new death star – good. But Han died in the process – bad. I know Obi Wan Kenobi dies in A New Hope but there’s a crucial difference, or a crucial set of differences. 1) He does so knowingly. 2) His voice appears later on so he’s still there. 3) Luke et al get a chance to get revenge. Han’s death, however, mars any achievement of blowing up the death star. It makes it unfulfilling as an achievement. For me, anyway.

And then Luke at the end. For a film to gradually get more and more about one character, to build up this character’s appearance, to have him do and say nothing is a really, really crappy payoff. There’s way too big a build up for nothing to happen. And the ending isn’t even interesting, because we know she’s going to see Luke. We know it’s going to happen. What would have been more interesting is that when they landed they say the broken X Wing, Rey and Chewie and R2D2 go up to the temple except it’s been destroyed. It’s in ruins. And then from out of the shadows comes a darkly-dressed Luke who pulls the lightsaber from Rey’s hand and ignites it. End film.

It starts really well, as a Star Wars film. The universe is true to what has come beforehand and I like the ruined nature of the place. The war was over but it took a toll on the world, and the peace allowed the first order to rise. That’s all cool. And say Luke has disappeared, and Han has fucked off somewhere, and Leia is holding it together. And have the new characters basically have to reunite them in some way, that shows the new characters to be taking the lead. And then gradually have the old dudes fade into the background as the films go on. I think that could be a plausible way of developing a new franchise.

Unfortunately they seem to have flipped between extremes – JJ Abrams almost too in love with the past. Rian Johnson then feeling that it needs to be jettisoned (along with most Star Wars traits). And so we’re left with Abrams again to try and tie up what has become a mess. There’s no single vision (for better or worse) and no real momentum going from one film to the next.

I’ll still watch the next one, as I’ve watched them all so far, but my appetite is diminishing to the point I’m questioning how much I liked Star Wars in the first instance.