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scav-eng-er · 6 years ago

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So..my thoughts on TROS

Spoilers. duh.

So..being on here, I obviously dove HEAD FIRST into the spoilers and seeing what I saw, i. was. pissed. The kiss kept me literally on cloud FUCKING 9 for a good 30 min until I went farther in and saw the fall of one of the most beloved, developed and interesting characters in the sequel trilogy. So going into the theater, I was already angry and disappointed in the writers, JJ and anyone who thought this was how the Skywalker saga should have ended.

Then, while watching, I began to understand some (and I mean VERY FEW) things as to why they went the way they did.

Rey Palpatine

I fucking rolled my eyes when I heard this, like I thought this was such a poor and cheap move that they made Rey related to Palpatine. I was like “she is supposed to be the image of hope and light for the new age of jedi and future generations.” Then watching the movie, I noticed that she was always so headstrong, and sometimes reckless with her emotions, her power and trying to keep a level head. Even in TFA and TLJ, Rey would would jump right in the fight cause she was so passionate. There was that passion, which could be perceived as dark that pushed her to whatever she did. And then the inner struggle with accepting her family and realizing “holy shit, am i evil?” But the fight and her saying “I am all the jedi” sounds like (at least to me) “I am who I choose to be.” Her little vision of Dark Rey was also an indicator of what she could be should she choose to go down that path. She may be a palpatine by blood, but you can’t choose your family and they don’t define you. Even if she was a nobody, or a scavenger, with pauper parents, she can choose who she truly calls family.

So do I mind that Rey is a Palpatine? Not anymore, because I think her character can inspire others who had a dark background like her, and remind them that your family will never define you, only you can.

Even with the decisions of the writers for the way she ends up on Tatooine (basically another desert) with BB8, just like how we were introduced to her (which I didn’t like. she literally ends where she began), I will always love Rey. I knew she would never turn dark, but knowing that she has that darkness, like all of us (cause literally no one is a saint), she has control over it and chooses to be light.

Reylo is C A N O N.

FUCK. YES. I WAITED FOR FIVE FUCKING YEARS FOR THIS. This relationship and dynamic of these two incredibly strong characters is something I have been following for so long and will continue to do so when I rot in my grave. The chemistry between the characters and actors is so passionate to the point where I couldn’t take my eyes off the screen.

I see Ben and Rey and of course I think balance. Since seeing them fight in TFA and have this almost 50/50 chance of who would win, I fucking lost it when I saw how equal they are. They are so yin and yang it hurts. Rey is the light (yang) with that hint of darkness (when shes reckless, too passionate, her family) while Ben is (yin) with all that darkness with that spark of light (because he’s a fuckin’ solo lets be honest, it was always something that he struggled to push down).

They are literally the power couple of the century. I freaking love that they fight together and Rey has shown signs of being stronger than Ben. And does he feel insulted? Or upset because a nobody/girl/scavenger could potentially beat him? No. He is so in love with her power and passion that he wants to help her control it. When she blew up the ship? He was fucking BLOWN AWAY, like as if his heart eyes couldn’t get any bigger.

And Rey just knows. She always tried to pull Ben out of the dark, and never wanted to give up on him. She stabs Kylo? The Supreme Leader and the reason so many are suffering all over the galaxy? She fucking heals him and in a moment of despair and sadness of both of them losing Leia, she tells him that she wanted to “Ben’s hand.” I think she told him this in hopes that he was still in there. With their vulnerability presented to one another, she took a chance that finally opened his heart with the death of his mother and talk with his father (cried so hard btw).

Finally, when we see Ben after their fight on the Death Star his scar is gone. Rey healed his scar, a symbol that was very Kylo. He tosses his saber, gets rid of his layers of (brooding) clothing and goes after his girl. Nuff said.

The Death of Ben Solo

I am struggling to write this. I could not. Believe. They did this. Not just to the fans, but to Adam. This is the only thing I couldn’t understand in the film. It WORKED. SO. WELL. We all literally knew something dramatic was going to happen, but it was either the kiss or Ben being redeemed (and still fucking living). I cried for two days when I saw what happened and then again in the theater. I brought a pair of sunglasses in a dark theater so I could wear them on my way out so no one saw me like jfc. Ben didn’t deserve that, Rey didn’t deserve that. The poor boy was practically swept into a world of darkness and abuse and never had a chance to break through until this girl, this “nobody” came into his life and helped nudge him back. I was actually glad Rey wasn’t 100% the reason he changed, like his dad, his mom - the ones who have been with him from the beginning - knew him and deep down, knew what he would do. The only who had to finally accept it was him. And he did when he went diving back to help Rey and defeat Palpatine. He definitely knew that he would be punished for the crimes and probably live a lifetime in jail, but I would’ve accepted that more than a (rather poorly given) death.

And I understand he did it for Rey. I do... kind of. But with an entire world/galaxy at your fingers, to write whatever you want to about the force (including this healing technique?), you’re telling me that he had to give all of his life to her? Couldn’t Leias sacrifice bring him back? I just think it was a cheap move. I can’t imagine how upset Adam must’ve been when he realized Ben’s fate. He thought of Ben as the “bad guy who think he’s the good guy.” He did such a good job of getting into the characters head that it probably felt like a piece of him died as well. He, and Daisy, I think didn’t want that to be the last we saw of Ben Solo. Also, shitty death..just poof gone. She didn’t cry, didn’t mourn. Her other half, literally 50% of her soul...gone. Rey will feel this wound in her that will never heal and that pain will always remind her of him, with his arms around her, the kiss, the first, real and true smile of Ben Solo before he fell.

I’ll probably add more to this or something but that’s all I can get out right now, I’m still raw and recovering. I’ll post more stories in the future cause I have so many, but now, enjoy the holidays and sleep peacefully knowing that Rey and Ben love each other.

xoxo my reylo fam

#reylo #star wars #tros #the rise of skywalker #rey palpatine #rey skywalker #rey x ben solo #rey x kylo ren #bendemption #ben solo #kylo ren #tros spoilers #rey solo #adam driver #daisy ridley #rey #scavenger writes

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the-far-bright-center · 6 years ago

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To those still struggling....

It truly saddens me when I encounter people saying that because of whatever awful thing that supposedly happened in Disney's incoherent version of 'canon', Star Wars is now 'ruined' for them. Not because I cannot relate, but because I understand the feeling all too well. It’s one of the reasons I have refused to watch the rest of the so-called 'sequels', because even just seeing TFA was enough to almost destroy any warm or positive feelings I had about SW forever. Thankfully, I managed to come back to it again, but I know how impossible it can seem when in the midst of it.

To those who are still struggling, I wish I could convey to them the beauty and meaning that I still perceive in this story. I wish I could show them that there IS a way back, but it really is something that people have to discover for themselves and in their own time.

For now, all I can do is humbly offer my own perspective and experiences, and explain how I have managed to re-discover and hold onto my own preferred understanding of Star Wars...even in the face of so much that is constantly threatening to rip it from me at every turn.

Sometimes, it’s as simple as taking a little break and then returning to it later. For some that may only take a short while; for some it may take years. After TFA nearly broke my heart forever, I decided to put SW behind me and took what I thought would be an indefinite hiatus from it. But I was lucky: after only about five or six months, several unexpected yet highly potent catalysts brought me hurtling back to the galaxy far, far away...and I've remained here, ever since. :')

Not without a struggle, mind you. There’s been several other very dark times when I have felt deeply distraught and questioned whether or not I had the strength of will and even just the emotional energy to continue as part of the SW fandom. I won’t get into detail about those circumstances, because I’d realllly rather not open still-unhealed wounds, but I do want to be honest that this is not an easy or even linear process.

Even so, I still do my best to find ways to hold on.

In the time since TFA, and during those subsequent upsetting situations, I have found that one of the many ways in which to deal with all of this, is to come to a clearer understanding of what is the REAL Star Wars, and what is the 'false pretender' SW that has been made recently just to make money. To me, that's the main difference. Whatever people may think of the original films -- aka, the Prequels and the Original Trilogy -- the fact is that a) they were made with a creative and artistic vision, b) they remained true to that vision throughout, no matter what sorts of changes were made along the way, and c) they possessed always, at heart, an unabashedly Romantic and transcendent spirit. The same cannot be said for the so-called 'sequels'. (Nor for much of the ‘supplementary’ material that has been put out during the Disney era.)

Unfortunately, I cannot make anyone else see things this way. It's a journey people have to make themselves, before they can get to that place. All I know is that it was returning to the original Lucas-era material via the Prequels, (the pre-Disney seasons of) The Clone Wars, and the Original Trilogy that helped me find the real 'heart' of Star Wars again. Once I did, I was able to define what Star Wars means to me, and what I felt was it's true underlying message and meaning. Now, I feel quite staunch in that understanding — and therefore, NOTHING and NO ONE will ever be able to take it away from me. Star Wars, the REAL Star Wars, is eternal.

I feel strongly that everyone who calls themselves a Star Wars fan in this day and age should take the time to figure out what Star Wars means to them. It's different for everyone, and that's ok. But once people understand how they personally need to define Star Wars for themselves, it becomes easier to figure out what aspects of so called 'canon' to accept, and what you want to reject completely and ignore.

In order to do this, it likewise helps if people remove the pressure from themselves to feel like they have to watch/consume all of it. Just because it's 'there' doesn't mean one is compelled to see/read/look at it/acknowledge its existence. Some people may be strong enough to consume it all willy-nilly, but many are not. I am definitely in the latter category, and I've had to protect myself accordingly. There is no shame in outright avoidance if that is how one needs to deal with the seemingly never-ending onslaught of constant additions to 'canon', imo.

And likewise, there is nothing wrong with NOT liking or enjoying something if one does happen to watch it. To deal with with the aftermath of that kind of disappointment, I find that it helps to view it as not a ‘real’ part of the story. To discard whatever it was that I disliked from my personal, preferred version of ‘canon', and either just ignore it outright, or replace it with a better canon in my mind!

[On a related side note, as I have mentioned before, there IS such a thing as ‘too much canon’. I feel that Disney is putting out SO much material that is not merely ‘optional’, but which they are claiming as ‘canon’, that it is actually beginning to infringe on people’s abilities to feel free to imagine things for themselves. To imagine things how they want them, or need them to be, when ‘off-screen’. The problem is that there is no ‘off-screen’ anymore: Disney seems to think that every single moment in the life of a character needs to be told via film, book, comic, tv series, or otherwise. Where is the room, in their brand of ‘canon’, for headcanons and fanfiction?? The answer is there IS no room for fan-imagination in their version of this franchise. In the Lucas-era, Expanded Universe material was OPTIONAL. It was considered secondary canon at best. But now? It’s being forced down our throats. This is yet another reason why I have to ignore most if not all the Disney output these days, because it is just. too. much.]

One approach I’ve used to help me hold on to a positive view of this story even in the face of everything, is to first and foremost view the original, pre-existing saga as a True/Real Myth that transcends any on-screen material, and is instead a retelling of a deep and meaningful cosmic/universal Truth...much in the way that all good stories exist beyond even the pages/screen/stage, and linger in our hearts and minds. If we view it like that, then we can also understand that its essence is untouchable by greedy corporations and by arrogant wannabes who think they know better than the original story. It can then exist forever, and not be at the mercy of anyone or anything.

And most importantly, it can exist in our minds in the way that we each as individuals need it to.

No one should feel obligated to continue to follow the new films or each and every piece of Disney's endless SW output if it is upsetting to them. One of the best things I ever did was to totally ignore it all completely. Yeah, it's tough because of how pervasive it is right now, but sometimes it is the only thing that helps. Especially at first, when one is still deeply hurting over it all.

I want to reassure people that’s it’s ok to not feel excited about new or upcoming content. Goodness knows, I have not felt excited about it for years now. Due to Disney’s poor treatment of the original characters and story in TFA, ever since then I haven’t been able to trust them with SW at all. I therefore cannot feel excited about the new stuff one bit, and instead feel nothing but a pervasive sense of dread about every new piece of SW-related media, however innocuous. I tend to view anything that does turn out to be decent (such as Rogue One) as a pleasant surprise, rather than expecting it to be the norm.

Of course, I do admit that my ability to dismiss the ‘sequels’ and ignore any related SW output is due at least in part to my own personal perspective — I was never hyped for the sequels in the first place as I don’t agree with continuing the saga after RotJ. I do feel that other stories could potentially be told about totally different characters unrelated to the original saga. But the actual Skywalker saga is completed with RotJ. (This is perhaps a viewpoint that can only be fully appreciated if people take into consideration the additional meaning that the Prequels give to the Original Trilogy’s ending.)

Anything that insinuates otherwise was always destined to be a disappointment at best, and deeply destructive and upsetting at worst, because it had to pretend that the original story and its main characters’ arcs were ‘not enough’, and that it required additions and/or continuations in order to be somehow 'complete'. It de-valued the importance of the efforts and actions of almost every single character from the PT and OT, by instead inferring that it was the ‘sequels’-generation of characters who had to ‘put things right’. When really, everything was ALREADY ‘put right’, or set to be put right, by the end of Return of the Jedi. By adding yet more personal and galactic tragedies onto this already resolved tale, the Disney sequels inherently miss the point of the original story and negate its meaning — the ending of RotJ is the culmination of the PT and OT storylines, and transforms what would otherwise be solely a tragedy into, as Joseph Campbell puts it, ‘a transcendence of the universal tragedy of man’ [emphasis mine].

The redemptive ending of RotJ is what elevates Star Wars from being just another entry into an endless slog of sci-fi/action blockbusters, and turns it instead into something far greater. And, in my opinion, it’s crucial that people can still view it that way. I hope you’ll forgive me for quoting myself here, but it bears repeating in this context:

“.... [the Skywalker saga] is at once a Tragedy (in the Greek sense, considered by many to be the highest form of Drama, and exemplified by the Prequels), as well as a Fairytale (with its characteristic transcendent Romanticism, as embodied by the Original Trilogy). Together, these blend into one complete and ultimately mythic story—a tale of, first, disaster, followed by (to borrow a term from J.R.R. Tolkien) eucatastrophe, aka the so-called ‘happy ending’ which is, in essence, a poignantly satisfying resolution that by nature denies and defies the nihilistic concept of ‘universal final defeat’. The tragedy is thus transformed into a ‘divine comedy of redemption’, through which we experience first the emotional devastation of the Prequels, and then, ultimately, the deep and abiding catharsis of the climax and resolution of the Original Trilogy.

As it stands, Lucas’s six-film saga is a universal tale, a story at once modern and timeless. A ‘created-myth’ that, through its dual nature as a tragic, cautionary tale of how Fear leads to a fall from grace, immense loss, and imprisoned suffering and an inspirational story of how unconditional Love leads to redemption, restoration, and release from bondage, has the power to resonate with all of humanity….past, present, and future.

In light of the above, the importance of Return of the Jedi as the official ‘ending’ of this particular story cannot be overstated. Its uplifting conclusion and ‘redemptive restoration of meaning’ is crucial to the mythic status of the saga, and necessitates that any and all further stories about the Skywalkers remain in the realms of our imagination. By 'imagination’ I mean anything from fanfiction, to an ‘expanded universe’, to other forms of ‘unofficial’ supplementary material. It is crucial that we feel free to dream about all (or none) of our preferred possibilities for the post-RotJ period. And equally crucial, in my opinion, that no one single version of these infinite possibilities is enforced upon us. The happy ending is happy only insofar as we have the freedom to believe in it indefinitely, if we so choose. ”

Now, to be clear, there was a time, prior to the release of the Prequels, when 'continuing' the story after Return of the Jedi might have at least been understandable. After all, this is why there were indeed so many 'Expanded Universe' stories written during that interim era between the release of the two trilogies. But once Anakin had been established as the Chosen One who would 'destroy the Sith' and 'bring balance to the Force', it made it so that 'the saga' and 'Anakin's story' were now one and the same. As Lucas himself noted, once Anakin comes back to the Light and fulfills his prophetic role and destiny, the story is OVER.

That is not to say that there couldn't have still been films made that were set after RotJ. But there was never any need to actually 'continue' the *Skywalker saga* itself, other than for, imo, entirely commercial reasons. When first starting out, Disney did not have the confidence that audiences would want to watch anything under the name of Star Wars unless it was DIRECTLY related to the Original Trilogy, and to the Original Trilogy alone. They did this even though there was zero 'need' for a continuation after RotJ — not from a storytelling perspective, at least. It was all just marketing strategy, just like everything that Disney does with this franchise. It’s important to understand that Disney wanted to convince people that the main saga 'had' to continue indefinitely as an endless cycle of soap-opera-esque family tragedies SOLELY so they could likewise continue to make money off it. I think it’s now become clear to many that you cannot continue the Skywalker saga past RotJ without retconning the hell out of it in a negative manner (which they did), and thus destroying its meaning (which, once again, they did...or rather, attempted to do).

So really, from my point of view, the only way post-RotJ films would have worked would have been if they had told a new saga about a totally different family that just so happened to be set in the SW universe, maybe with some references here and there to the original characters, story, settings, etc.

In addition to the above-mentioned intangible ways of shifting my own mindset towards SW and redefining it all in a manner that makes sense to me, I’ve also found that immersing myself in transformative fanworks really, really helps. Both my own and others. Whether it be fanfiction, fan art, fanvids, edits, meta, and anything else under the Twin Suns. It helps to both erase the shitty aspects of the so-called ‘official’ canon, as well as to learn how to reclaim this story for ourselves as fans. It’s almost a way of defiance against the tyranny of false authority that claims the ‘official’ canon is the only ‘valid’ one. No one should get to decide that for you, in my very strong opinion!

My most recent forays into action figure customizing have been especially therapeutic. I now have mini ‘characters’ who I can hold and protect, not to mention pose and photograph in as many happy scenarios as I wish. NO ONE can take them away from me now, muahaha! ;)

But even if one doesn’t feel up to creating fanworks, simply reading fanfiction written by others, and/or forming one’s own personal headcanons is a wonderful way to ‘take back’ Star Wars for oneself.

All of the above is just how I understand this subject. I realize that of course everyone comes from different perspectives on this stuff, so I’m not trying to push my views, but just offering them in case others might feel the same way and are perhaps unsure how to deal with those feelings.

It is a confusing and often stressful time to be a Star Wars fan, and it’s more than understandable that people might feel a bit lost or even overwhelmed by it all. The above approach has proven to be an absolute lifeline for me over these recent, difficult years, and I can only hope it might be helpful to others as well. :)

#personal #anti-tfa #anti-sequels #anti-disney #however...#this is a positive post #the REAL Skywalker saga #FREEDOM OF IMAGINATION #ABOVE ALL #<3

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garecc · 7 years ago

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Splashes of Color

Thanks to @flightfoot for being an amazing beta

Sequel to Blank Walls

[On ao3]

Hermes has been imprisoned by the emperors. He wastes away in his cell for months, until Apollo rescues him.

Do you know what it's like to give up?

To lose track of time?

To resign yourself to a quiet, slow, death?

To know your family has forsaken you?

To know you are alone?

And then

be proven

Wrong?

To accept your fate to die in chains, losing yourself ever so slowly at the hands of your enemy?

Hermes felt so far away from everything real. His consciousness felt like a balloon above his head, tethered to his form by only the thinnest string. Close yet out of reach.

There was a small part of him aware of people nearby.

Of faces.

Of colors.

A difference in the gray scene that had swallowed him whole. In the blank dull room he had found to be his prison for so long now.

But he didn't react.

He couldn't react if he wanted to.

Reality was far and between. Spread thin.

One of the figures seemed desperate. The other seemed shocked.

It was almost like an electric shock when the desperate one touched his shoulder. Words spilling from their lips.

The words floated into the air, buzzing like bees.

Words as meaningless and important as the flitting thoughts of a fading deity.

Things seemed staticky. Fuzzy.

“-ermes! Hermes!” his name cut through his delirium, through the fuzzy silence.

The sound was followed by a terrible mind-consuming ringing that only seemed to get louder as words floated and spun closer.

Was any of this real?

The ringing ebbed away as words floated around him, meaningless and far away.

The constant pressure on his wrists that hadn't changed in.. some long unit of time, changed.

Reality crashed down on him like a tidal wave and he jerked his wrists away.

The ringing was back. Fog creeping into his mind. Washing out and obscuring any thoughts he may have had.

The shackles got tighter and the balloon popped. He found Himself back in his form.

White static buzzed around his brain. Fog threatening to fuzz everything out again.

Hunger ran through his form, once again aware of everything wrong. Ichor was pounding in his ears and bits and pieces of him screaming and screaming and he didn't want to wake up.

There was a part of him who wanted to sink back into unawareness.

There was a part of him that wanted to return to the blank nothingness that claimed him for oh so long.

A voice.

He heard a voice,

Far away and he couldn't understand but he latched onto it, held on for dear life.

It was real and that's the only thing he was sure of.

Information about his surroundings poured into his open mind.

Gray walls

Gray tile floor

Gray ceiling

He was grasping for anything anything to hold on to.

He didn't want to fade-

“Hermes.” He held onto the voice. Trying to drag himself forward.

The hands returned to his shoulders.

“Can you hear me?”

They sounded scared.

They sounded terrified.

He tried to signify he could hear them anything anything would work.

But he couldn't see he couldn't force words from his mouth.

Information spiraled through his head more information than he’s had in some long period of time. (why doesn't he know he should know how long it’s been-)

There was a girl in the room. Young. Early teens? Preteen? He didn't know.

“If you can hear me try to focus on my voice alright?”

He couldn't respond he couldn't respond he couldn't respond he couldn't respond he couldn’t respond he couldn't respond.

A teenager. Demigod? No mortal. No. Not Mortal. Too familiar- Apollo.

Apollo. It's Apollo. He came. His family came. He came.

“I’m going to try and get the shackles off.”

The click was like an explosion in his ears.

A sound he never expected to hear.

Apollo (he came he’s here he wasn't abandoned his family came) lowered his arm, making sure it didn't just fall to his side.

The other cuff clicked open.

He was free.

Information flew through his consciousness. Facts and data and why couldn't he breathe-

“Hermes, Hermes it’s okay breathe”

Apollo its Apollo he came he came he came.

He came.

His family didn't abandon him.

His lungs expanded with a shuddering gasp and he was breathing.

Shuddering sobbing hiccuping gasps.

“We’re going to get you out of here.”

Information and data were swirling through his head. He couldn't make sense of it. He couldn't make sense of anything.

He focused, and forced his head to move.

Up.

Down.

A nod.

There was too much to process. So much information swirling through him. He couldn't process it.

Where are his domains?

Where is HE?

His entire being screamed for energy. Screamed for nectar and ambrosia. He couldn't think he couldn't move.

His tongue felt swollen in his throat.

The ringing in his head was unbearable.

“Can you talk Herms?” The fear in his voice sent Hermes into another spiral of just trying to understand everything.

Right.

Left.

A shake of the head. No.

Too much information. He couldn't do this.

There wasn't enough of Him to do this.

The hand on his shoulder was sending unreadable information passing through him at lightning speeds.

He couldn't process anything. Nothing made sense. It didn't make sense.

There was a part of him that longed for the nothingness.

“Is nodding too much right now?” Apollo asked, somehow sensing his distress. (Apollo it’s Apollo Apollo’s here he came he came for me they didn't abandon me—) “Don't nod if it is. I’ll take your silence as a yes.”

He didn't move. His mind was full of alarms and he felt frozen. Information falling through him. Tearing through his mind as he struggled to make any sort of sense of it. It felt encrypted. It felt wrong. He couldn't understand.

His arm was placed over Apollo’s shoulder. He felt Apollo haul him to his feet.

Dizzying amounts of information slammed into him. He couldn't think. He couldn't fathom. He couldn't perceive.

Hermes put every single bit of focus he has on placing one foot in front of the other.

He couldn't think he couldn't think he couldn't think.

Left

Lift

Forward

Step

Right

Lift

Forward

Step.

There was too much.

Everything was so much.

Too many sounds to many voices to many colors.

Too much.

It was too much.

Someone was screaming. Angry screaming. The sound cut into his head like butter.

Screaming.

Hermes tried to cover his ears. He couldn't. He couldn't move. He was frozen in place.

The sounds and voices and screaming melded into a blurred mess of sound.

Screaming talking.

It was too much.

Someone was crying,

He heard crying.

Desperate words urging him forward. Desperate panicked words urging him forward.

Apollo. Apollo was crying because of him.

Another step forward.

He had to keep moving.

Left

Lift

Forward

Step.

Color blurred out and all sound faded to a faint buzz.

His body felt far away.

Meaningless information passed through him in waves. He couldn't make sense of it. He couldn't make sense of anything.

Colors, sounds, smells, sensations passed through him.

Too bright too loud too m u c h.

His knees felt like they would buckle.

Somewhere far away he was aware of Apollo dragging him forward. His voice no longer grounding him but adding to the blur of fuzzy faded senses.

Everything was too loud and too jarring.

Information crashed into him in harsh waves.

He couldn't understand.

He needed it to be quiet.

He couldn't speak to tell him to be quiet.

He couldn't think.

There was too much.

He couldn't go on.

Then everything went blank.

Hermes left like he was floating.

Is this what it feels like to fade?

It was silent. Somewhere between dark and light.

Slowly his senses ebbed back.

First, he was aware of movement.

Of travel.

Second the hum of an engine.

Third the presence of someone close by, his head in their lap.

Gentle power— his power —was drifting through him.

Thoughts and prayers from his followers were within reach.

They were traveling. Part of his domains.

His tongue no longer felt swollen in his throat.

He could feel his spheres of influence. They were within reach. He could feel them. Interact with them if he so wished.

Hands petted his hair. Soothing. Calming.

He was afraid if he opened his eyes everything would disappear and he would be back in that room.

“Herms?” Apollo broke the silence. “Are you awake?”

He nodded.

“You nearly faded,” Apollo said slowly, shakily. “Can you speak?”

He could. He technically could. But his voice felt stuck in his throat. So he shook his head.

Apollo was silent for a long moment, until tears started gathering in Hermes’s eyes,

He couldn't believe this was real.

“You came.” His voice came out choppy and broken, hoarse from lack of use.

He felt Apollo go still.

“You came for me-” a sob caught in his throat.

The sound of the engine was beginning to tear into his head.

The sound of passing cars and whooshing air was beginning to get too loud.

“You came.” He repeated a third time.

A tear dripped down his cheek. A sob wrenched itself from his throat.

Apollo pulled him into a hug.

Hermes couldn't stop his tears as he clung to Apollo.

He was shaking.

Behind his eyelids, all he could see was the color gray.

His brother. His family, came for him.

He wasn't alone.

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iamdanielyoon · 8 years ago

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Blade Runner 2049 Review

***/*****

B-

80%

9:30pm

2D Digital

10/17/17

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

Notes:

Mostly empty theater but there were possibly 15 people in the 160 seat theater.

Got seats in row C, seats 11 and 12. Smack dab in the middle and a place where the screen was close enough to fill most of my field of vision.

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Audiences, and critics, called the original Blade Runner an esoteric film. Never before has a film been characterized so aptly. Wes Anderson is niche. David Fincher is focused. Steven Spielberg is talented. J.J. Abrams is new cinema. I hate to be so condensed in my perspective of them, but I’ll chalk it up to the short attention spans present in the online world. I hope I got my point across, though. All of these attributes I attributed to each of these accomplished directors can be seen as positive or negative. I, personally, am a fan of all of the directors I mentioned. I haven’t loved all of their works, or even seen all of their works, to be honest, but I do acknowledge their ability in crafting stories (although I have finished viewing the filmographies of J.J. Abrams and David Fincher). Their narratives have a distinct flair and I respect the craft they bring to the industry.

The connotation attached to the term ‘esoteric,’ however, was that the film was meant for those who liked noir & sci-fi stories. The film is not like Looper (2012) or Star Trek (2009), far from it. So don’t expect anything like that sort of thing going into it. The film is, at its core, a detective story. In terms of mature film, the Coen brothers can be comparable in terms of pacing, I suppose. But where the Coens have fascinating dialogue and well-executed editing, Blade Runner (1982) was more of a plodding crime story. It meanders and it doesn’t pander. It is for a specific set of people yet the film has been a major influence in the sci-fi genre, in all mediums. In this rare instance, the scathing, often empty, certain critiques of CinemaSins on the film were accurate. The fantastical visual imagery of its time nonetheless does not make a sufficient story, a well-told narrative or a propelling plot. Critics and audiences complain about that in cinema to this day and yet they gladly overlook those faults in this film.

So let’s get my thoughts on the original Blade Runner out of the way. I watched The Final Cut (2007): the one recommended by Blade Runner 2049’s director Denis Villeneuve. Like films of the past that had dark, gritty, grimy, seedy sci-fi worlds, Blade Runner had great production design. Ridley Scott is a flawed director, one who has had his fair share of duds and head-scratchers, but one thing you cannot deny is the man’s attention for detail and his extensive use of practical effects. The props used in The Martian (2015) were gorgeous. Blade Runner is no different. To cut my thoughts on the original short, here are my thoughts in a nutshell: Overrated; interesting sound design; weird parts; strange change in atmosphere/tone in final act (something I believe CinemaSins touched on) and overall a mediocre experience.

What’s lovely about this film is the fact that this film remains grounded within a future of that universe. Time has not been altered or changed to reflect modern tastes. Touch screens and head-up-displays that are prominent in our modern cinema have very little to do with the established world of Blade Runner. The Voigt-Kampff test is a technology that was interesting in the sense that it remains iconic and fascinating from a filmmaking perspective. And this film adds new vehicles, weapons and a great cinematographer to its established universe and polishes out the rough edges that were present in the original.

Blade Runner 2049 stars Ryan Gosling in his second role in which he actually gets to show that he can act (the first being La La Land (2016)). Most of the time, people submit that acting, in its best (see Oscars) form is subtle. Other times they suggest that powerhouse, extremely emotional performances like Hugh Jackman’s from Prisoners (2013) is what constitutes a great performance. While I do realize that acting requires immense talent, incommensurate kinds of methods for getting into character, a cooperation between all the major filmmakers involved, and more, I lean more towards James Franco’s performance in 127 Hours (2010) than Colin Firth’s in The King’s Speech (2010). #JamesFrancowasrobbed. But rarely do I say that the casting for a film was impeccable. Sometimes certain performances win over the people, sometimes it’s a great chance for actors to branch out, sometimes there are surprises from left field, but in a few rare cases, it’s hard to see anyone else in a role. Ryan Gosling is great for K, Harrison Ford returns in good form as Deckard, Bautista brings something truly unexpected in his role and there is an integral character with a small role overall that is pitch perfect. After I saw her and Robin Wright’s subtle acting it cemented my thoughts on the film in the acting sphere. It’s superbly cast. The small important character was the actual performance that I was most pleased by in this film, however. Jared Leto was interesting as the eccentric, blind, rich man… I think.

Hans Zimmer’s talents are squandered in this film. He’s been able to collaborate to great effect in films like The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014), as flawed and bad as it was, and the first two Kung Fu Panda films (2008 & 2011). But instead he’s to do his rendition of the original film’s compositions. He’s got to do Vangelis, again. Thirty-five years later. I get it. People like the original’s score. People worship Zimmer and Blade Runner, sometimes they happen to do both. For the original Blade Runner, that composer’s sound was an iconic part of it, sure. Doesn’t mean it was timeless. Hans Zimmer got a lot of flak for making his own version of the Batman theme in The Dark Knight trilogy, and the world is all the better for it. Here, he is boxed in the world of Blade Runner. Here, he is chained by the fans of the original. The film suffers because of those fans. Instead of going in new directions like Giacchino for Jurassic World (2015), Star Trek (2009), Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014), War for the Planet of the Apes (2017) or Rogue One (2016); instead of bringing back the composer that he previously collaborated with in 2015 for Sicario, Johann Johannsen, we are given a bland fan offering. There are moments when I notice the film’s music is about to head to something great, and then it veers towards synth sci-fi. Film score snobs, music critics and whoever else may heap praise upon Zimmer and his Dunkirk (2017) collaborator Ben W. for this film, but I won’t be one of them. Zimmer and his new buddy (Zimmer worked well with Junkie XL in Batman V Superman (2016); Junkie XL previously crafted a great score for Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)) are forced to placate the appetites of voracious fans instead of going in bold, new directions. I dislike the music. You might like it. And you’re free to do so. Music, I find, is a far more divisive medium concerning tastes than film. So go nuts and go crazy for all I care. Yo Yo Ma spoke about music that sounded good to him. The music in the Blade Runner universe doesn’t sound good to me. For more perspective on how the original film’s sound and soundtrack are layered and the like, you can see Nerdwriter1’s video on the matter.

The cinematography is so darn good. When used right, the visuals in a film can heighten the action, improve the pacing and make meaning of everything. The locked camera of Jackie Chan and Hong Kong directors make the action far more interesting than in Hollywood blockbusters with people flailing around in darkness (See EFAP’s video on Jackie Chan). Blade Runner 2049 reunites director Denis V. and cinematographer Roger Deakins. I’m just going to state for the record that I’m a fan. A big fan. I want to watch every film Deakins has ever done because seeing his work in this century’s films, I’m truly blown away. Directors need to work with a bunch of people to block and all, but a cinematographer like Deakins makes the final product that much better. Everything moves with purpose. The camera work is streamlined and masterful. I can’t really express in words how he does what he does besides a few interviews Deakins has done himself and a video by Tony Zhou (Every Frame A Painting, a truly artful man with a way with words. And a quick message to Zhou, if he somehow stumbles across my writing: Please come back to your channel and continue to do video essays. Please. We all miss you. Come back. Please.). The visual artistry of this film is profound. Denis and Roger should continue to work together for as long as possible.

The story of Blade Runner 2049 has a similar progression to its predecessor, in certain aspects. Its broad narrative is an investigation with mystery in a sci-fi setting. Whereas the previous film meanders, wastes time with its groundbreaking visual effects (there are shots of the iconic buildings that are just viewed from different angles with synth music blasting) and overall the plot devolves in its final act (turning into a slasher film, as noted by CinemaSins, I’m not calling CS good or critic-worthy but they occasionally do make some valid points)—this film is much more focused. This film finds a solid story progression but it too finds ways to slow down its story. There are lulls in between the acting, the spectacle, the visuals and the narrative. Although the argument can be made that the lulls are necessary, how you react to them can be a large indicator of what kind of moviegoer you are. If you perceive The Revenant (2015), Memento (2000), No Country For Old Men (2007) or Gravity (2013) as niche, indie, weird, dumb or boring, Blade Runner and its sequel are definitely not for you. Of note: all the previous films I mentioned in that sentence are ones I enjoy. Note: I enjoy them. You don’t have to. You can have your own dang opinion. You’re free to express that... For the most part. Anyways, on the bright side the film finds philosophic ideas to explore, interesting sci-fi settings to discover and the like… but I found it to be more of a specifically satisfying affair. Like the original Blade Runner, Rogue One, Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015), Captain America: Civil War (2016), The Avengers (2012) and Terminator (1984), I understand why people like this film. But it doesn’t mean that I have to. I respect the craft and artistry. I do. But it’s not something that connects with me. It’s not that it falls flat. It’s just that the sum of its parts do not add up to a greater whole. I shouldn’t be analyzing a film based on math but I’m just trying to make a point. BR 2049 is exceptional filmmaking… but it’s rare in its appeal. It’s finely tuned, for the right group.

TL;DR: Not for me, but I respect the craft. 3/5 stars

#Blade Runner #Blade Runner 2049 #Review #Film #Cinema #Movie #Discussion #2017 #October #Movie references #Text #Long #80%#B-#3 stars #3/5 #Sci fi #Blockbuster #denis villeneuve #Thoughts

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hermanwatts · 6 years ago

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Sensor Sweep: E. C. Tubb, Bernie Wrightson, The Professionals

Horror (Skulls in the Stars): I would draw some attention to my friends at Valancourt Books, who have been doing such an amazing job reprinting classic works of horror. In particular, I thought I would mention the great job they’ve done in bringing some of the best haunted house books back into circulation! When I first started blogging about horror, I wondered why there seemed to be so few “classic” haunted house books around.

RPG (Walker’s Retreat): Wizards of the Coast wants to turn D&D–and, by extension, all tabletop RPGs–into lifestyle brand extensions. To that end, they have to change how D&D is perceived, and that’s what all the changes with 5th Edition is about. The rule changes correspond to changes in the game’s brand narrative; Critical Role and other well-publicized Let’s Play series such as every single one on the Official D&D Channel are as much a part of this scheme as the rules changes themselves.

RPG (Empire Must Fall): This small corporation has had an outsized influence on both gaming and fantasy fiction since it acquired TSR Inc. in the late 1990s. Because its fiction publishing and its games publishing, Wizards of the Coast has had a massive influence on what is considered “fantasy” in most of the world- and especially so in gaming. Tropes that it, or TSR, originated are memes that both employees and customers spread globally and are now prominent in properties such as World of Warcraft and Final Fantasy.

Fiction (Pulp Rev): There was nothing routine about Goshawks over Babylon. Fast, stealthy, armored, each dropship could ferry a platoon of troops. It was the military’s heavy-lift aircraft of choice. The STS used them for long-range deployments, or to transport vehicles and armor. BPD most assuredly did not have any in their inventory. These specimens had to be here for the Black Watch. The only question was which organization they belonged to: the military, the STS, or the New Gods. Regardless of the answer, Fox did not want to fight them.

Games (Niche Gamer): Following the pro-Hong Kong protest statements from professional Hearthstone player Chung “blitzchung” Ng Wai and Blizzard Entertainment’s suspension of the player, many have wondered how much influence Chinese investors or profits from the region have influenced such a decision. The truth is, very little. According to both The Daily Beast and PC Gamer cite that Chinese tech giant Tencent own a mere 5% of shares. As stated on PC Gamer.

Games (Jon Mollison): The game so nice, it’s already been banned by OrcaCon despite not being funded, printed, or on the market. Thus proving the point of the game in the first place. What can I say? As I type this, the campaign is just over $30K at the post. The world is hangry for this kind of satirical take at the scolds and schoolmarms who patrol our thought places for badthink. My guess is that the “Alt Right” expansion set will be received by its targets with the opposite reaction as the core game.

Pulp (DMR Books): Such tales are characterized by sword-swinging action focused on personal battles rather than world-shaking events, with an element of magic or the supernatural and sometimes one of romance as well. Tros of Samothrace has all those ingredients and was serialized a number of years before REH’s work; doesn’t that mean that it is Sword & Sorcery too? Well, not quite but the distance that separates the two is much shorter that you might think.

Horror (Thomas McNulty): Joseph Payne Brennan fans will be pleased to learn that Dover Publications have reprinted Brennan’s quintessential anthology, The Shapes of Midnight, originally published by Berkley in October 1980. That Berkley paperback, with Stephen King’s introduction, is a now a highly sought-after collector’s item. However, there is a caveat to this Dover edition. This edition does not faithfully reproduce all of the stories from the Berkley edition.

Fiction (Karavansara): In the recent evenings, I’ve had a lot of fun with Heroes of Atlantis & Lemuria, recently published by DMR Books. The volume collects the five stories of Kardios of Atlantis, originally written by Manly Wade Wellman in the 1970s, and that we meet at the opening of the book as he’s washed ashore after Atlantis sank. Kardios, lone (maybe) survivor of the lost continent, is actually the one that caused the sinking of Atlantis (or so he says), and he takes it from there, exploring the world beyond and generally getting into a whole lot of trouble.

Science Fiction (DMR Books): Earl Dumarest is one, grim, deadly space-traveller. He’s seen a lot of hard light-years as he’s followed the star-roads and he’s been burned by many an outworld sun. According to Michael Moorcock—who knew Tubb and described the Dumarest series as “excellent”—Earl Dumarest was a “conscious and acknowledged imitation” of Leigh Brackett’s Eric John Stark.

Sword & Sorcery (Adventures Fantastic): Wagner considered himself more of a horror writer than a writer of fantasy or sword-and-sorcery (a term he hated). As a fiction writer, he was all of that and more. His work, if you can find it, and if you can afford it, is worth reading. He’s out of print and getting harder to find (and more expensive) all the time. He was also an editor to the top rank. He edited DAW’s Year’s Best Horror anthologies for years. They are worth seeking out for the introductions and essays alone, never mind the great stories.

Comic Books (Tentaclii): I’m pleased to see that Marvel are producing beautiful crisp reprint print-books of their black-and-white Savage Sword of Conan magazines and its precursors. The first 1000-page volume is out now, with Vol. 2 due in mid November, and Vol. 3 in January 2020. According to the reviews Marvel have done an excellent job here, apparently marred only by some copyright trolls who are preventing the reprinting of stories featuring certain of R.E. Howard’s supporting characters.

H. P. Lovecraft (The Westerly Sun): The life and work of Howard Phillips Lovecraft, Providence’s best-known fantasy and horror author, will again be at the center of a popular walking tour and film series conducted by the Rhode Island Historical Society and presented as part of the Flickers’ Vortex Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Horror Film Festival known as “Vortex.” The festival continues this year from October 19-27, with the Lovecraft Tour returning for four very special days.

Arthur Machen (Wormwoodiana): In Arthur Machen’s 1915 wonder-tale “The Great Return” we hear of marvelous lights, odors, bell-sounds, Welsh saints, the Rich Fisherman, and healings, as the Holy Graal is manifest, briefly, in Wales in the 20th century. The story needs no detection of “sources” to be reasonably well understood and enjoyed. However, our enjoyment of it may be enhanced if we see it – or recognize it – as a “sequel” to one of the great medieval Arthurian works.

Comic Books (Broadswords and Blasters): I first encountered the works of Bernie Wrightson as a kid decades ago in the 1980’s. Back in those days, before I had access to a proper comic shop, my local supermarket carried shrink wrapped bundles of comics, usually (if I remember correctly) four to a pack. There was no rhyme or reason to the packaging of these bundles, it was purely luck of the draw; you could just as easily land an issue of Simonson’s Thor as you could Moench’s Aztec Ace.

History (The Lost Fort): Archbishopric, seat of the Teutonic Knighs, and member of the Hanseatic League – Riga’s Old Town has plenty of churches, a castle, and lanes and squares with pretty old houses. I spent a day there and managed to snatch a nice collection of photos to go with a post about Riga’s Mediaeval history. Settlement at a natural harbour 15 kilometres upriver from the mouth of the Daugava river (also known as Dvina; in Old Norse as Dúna ) dates back to the 2nd century AD.

Science Fiction (M. Porcius): In his essay in praise of Leigh Brackett, “Queen of the Martian Mysteries,” Michael Moorcock tells us that E.C. Tubb’s Dumarest books are “excellent,” and were inspired by Brackett’s own planetary romances about Eric John Stark. So when I saw Tubb’s Derai at a used bookstore (the 1968 Ace Double, combined with Juanita Coulson’s The Singing Stones) I picked it up.

Science Fiction (Matthew Constantine): Way, way, way back when I was first scoping out tabletop role-playing games at a local shop, I remember flipping through some Tekumel book or another. Along with Skyrealms of Jorune and a few others, it really stuck in the back of my brain. As I went on to create my Conquest of the Sphere setting, elements of those games (mixed with countless other things) informed me.

Westerns (Paul Bishop): The Professionals is second only to The Magnificent Seven as my favorite Western film. Watching Lee Marvin and Burt Lancaster relish chewing the scenery together while trying to out macho each other in The Professionals is sheer late night viewing entertainment. The movie led me to the book, and to the discovery of the sheer Western storytelling power of Frank O’Rourke.

Sensor Sweep: E. C. Tubb, Bernie Wrightson, The Professionals published first on https://sixchexus.weebly.com/

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