#Episode: Collision Course

[toa-archive]

With twitter gestures been scrambling to try and save as many things as possible before they disappear or could potentially be lost. One of these is the fight of Varvatos vs. the Zeron Brotherhood in 3Below's Collision Course by Sahle Robinson!

Source

Will slowly been adding them to previously posted sequences as get a minute. A lot are lurking in the downloads folder and haven't been moved to the relevant folder yet making it tricky to find them when the thumbnails are often black.

[bl-bam-beyond]

MY GOLDEN BLOOD (2025, THAILAND)

Episode 5

Tonkla (TRAI NIMTAWAT aka NEO) has been mistaken for The Golden Blood (since Tong stole his identity temporarily in Episode 1 to work as a waiter)

And Nakan (TANUTCHAI WIJITVONGTONG aka MOND) wants that blood. So he plays on Tonkla's naivete to get it.

But as he hypnotizes Tonkla and takes a taste of his blood he realizes quickly Tonkla is not his man. Tong is...

@pose4photoml @just-another-boyslove-blog @wanderlust-in-my-soul

[mattoidmeerkat]

1x08 Karma's a Bitch: Healing

[whysamwhy123]

You know how I always bitch/point out that the commentators on Collision always immediately start talking about men during the women's matches? Well, this week they outdid themselves and started talking about men during the women's ENTRANCES 🙂🙂🙂

[theredlanternavenger]

now that disney owns marvel and ice age and independence day...

now seems like an appropriate time to make the three-way crossover of my dreams where the events of captain america: civil war get interrupted by an alien invasion and an oncoming deadly asteroid AT THE SAME TIME! as soon as the wga and sag-aftra strike is resolved

so pay your actors and writers, you airheads, i want my three-way crossover

[threeacttragedy]

Entry 19: The One Where I Perform Mis-Directed as a Three Act Comedy, Act I

The main characters star in a television series adapted from bestselling romance novels…

…called Leicester Square.

Hattie Murton plays Iris Pinkerton, “[a] living ghost of a person, so unimportant that she could walk amongst them tonight… She was simply beneath their notice, which made her to all intents and purposes invisible. It was terribly convenient.”

“Anthony [Rafe] was six feet tall and had a swimmer’s build. All lean elegant muscle.”

Anthony plays bad boy, Victor Del Vayo [sp], whose signature look includes – don’t say “pirate coat!” – no, a long cape.

Anthony also has a crazed fan...

"She’d turned up uninvited at his old flat a week later and bribed the security guard to let her in. He’d made it extremely clear to both of them that if the occurrence was repeated, they’d each be departing in a police car or a body bag."

Oh, and there’s a character named “Jake,” whose sexual chemistry with Hattie is described as “sparks in a damp firework,” a point that is driven into the reader repeatedly. The Jakolas “would have probably preferred it if this was a euphemism.” Alas, it is not.

Actual sparks fly between Hattie and Anthony during their scripted love scenes – although, based on the text, they are both drawn to each other before the filming of their season even starts.

“The fans have got you to where you are. We’ve been listening to what the audience is asking.”

“Lady Iris was getting a proper romance arc. Not just a series of mad sexual exploits and single episode infatuations with passing guest stars. A full on – and sweet Christ – a long-running affair beginning with a surprise kiss scene on Monday. Iris was about to fall madly and reluctantly in love with Victor Del Vayo.”

Oh, and did I mention Anthony had “grown up in Mayfair?”

Let’s not forget Anthony is also a writer…

And that Hattie’s loves some “[g]ood ol’ Irish tradition…” because her dad is from Galway.

Then there's this: “’The very sweet Sergeant Llewellyn,’ [Hattie] reminisced. ‘My personal favorite of Iris’s lovers…’”

And, of course, every single mention of Pride and Prejudice...

“[Hattie had] accidently seen [Anthony] in a production of Julius Caesar at The Old Vic last year during their summer break…He’d been arresting, engrossing, heart wrenching.”

Anthony’s character, Victor, wears a signet ring: “The ring was heavy silver. A human skull in profile with a ruby eye that could be spun in its socket.”

Okay, enough about the main characters.

Let's move on to those intimacy scenes…

“Everything felt off today.”

“If Stevie had thought they’d been lacking chemistry in round one, perhaps she’d decided to gift them with a bonding experience. A shared case of fake snogging and induced lockjaw.”

“And now suddenly… you’re touching for the first time in all these years. Lo and behold, caught off guard by the explosion of chemistry.”

“A nerve twitched under Anthony’s firm mouth. He’d well and truly lost the air of bored idleness now and when he put his hands on Hattie’s corseted waist and slammed his body up against hers, pressing her into the wall, there was nothing disjointed and indolent about the maneuver or the way her breath left her in a rush. The actual mechanics behind the lift and spin were controlled and almost shockingly gentle. He concealed one palm behind her back and took the full force of the collision with his own body."

“Hattie found herself treating that drop of perspiration as an almost spotting point, like a ballet dancer keeping their balance during a fouette.”

“A muscle in her neck was starting to cramp, as they paused there artfully for the cameras. She adjusted arching her back in an unscripted gesture that pressed their bodies closer. As her belly rubbed up over his and his sheltering arms flexed, a coiling full-bodied zing shivered through her like the subtlest flooding of spice and warmth and then a jolt of pure fizzing adrenaline… As Hattie watched, still oddly transfixed, his pupils dilated, just a bit."

“For once, or maybe the first time ever, [Hattie] wasn’t excruciatingly conscious of everyone’s watching eye. She felt frozen, distant from the surrounding scene yet conversely hyper aware of every angle and shiver and prickle of her own body…"

“The hallway, the cameras, the rest of the world, it all ceased to exist. Seconds were slipping into minutes.”

[secriden]

Genuinely, from the bottom of my heart, I'm so grateful for the journey Fadel is forced to take in episode 9. In previous meta posts, I shared my thoughts on how the show chose to tackle previous discussions about 'love': for eg Episode 4 was really a promise of safety (which tragically becomes unfounded) and Episode 5 was really an exploration of trust and trust betrayed -- but I think Episode 9 is finally when we are dealing with love in a head-on collision between Style's unflinching commitment to stay by Fadel's side and Fadel's anger and fear of loving; a conflict which utterly demolished the last of Fadel's crumbling walls.

Because, while Episode 8 did give us this beautifully tender moment of shared camaraderie -- one where they were both filled with wonder at witnessing the way love can overcome hurt and anger, the way forgiveness can make a pathway to happiness; and a moment they were both aware of and wordlessly acknowledged to each other -- it was, unfortunately, also almost immediately tainted by this:

You can see the resignation and cynicism in the way Fadel is holding himself. This wasn't a betrayal from Style, but it was a harsh reminder for Fadel that love can be deceptive and harmful no matter the guise. Even when it (love) isn't aimed at him, he winds up betrayed (deceived) and in danger, and literally hurting (it's the first time Fadel overtly shows how much pain his broken arm is causing him), and it makes sense why we see Fadel harden once again after this point.

And as frustrating as it was for us to watch, I'm also glad that the show made room for Fadel's retreat behind the last of his walls. Because at the core of Fadel's fear is the experience he’s had that love, and more importantly loving, has always brought him pain: the traumatic and sudden loss of his parents and the cruelty of a lover who (maybe? I have my suspicions...) chose not to stay with him were both lessons Fadel has deeply rooted in his heart; a fear which his desire and now love for Style is constantly at war with.

Which is why we see Fadel so firmly choosing resistance at this point. Everything about his demeanour and the harshness of his words depicts a cornered animal with his hackles raised in self-defence. You can almost see the bared teeth behind his words. He doubles down on the assurance that he will see this decision through, that Style is destined for death by his hands. It's interesting because in Episode 9, Fadel seems to have mostly given up on denying that he has any feelings for Style whenever it's brought up (partly because Style has already made it clear he doesn't believe Fadel when he does), but has instead decided to claim that those feelings aren't strong enough to save Style from Fadel's decision to kill him.

So I kind of love that the narrative immediately forces Fadel face the reality of his claims. For what better retribution could there be than Style dying by becoming tangled up in the very thing he was supposed to put Fadel in jail for? What could be more fitting then to see Style destroyed by the very aspect of Fadel's life that caused Style's betrayal?

And even more, I love that the writers chose to have Style become injured like this. Because of course the boyfriend of a hitman who is on the run from the law was going to be shot -- the trope practically demands it -- but it is just deliciously dramatic that Style gets injured precisely dressed in the clothes he'd picked out so he could "at least die in something that's actually my style" and in the place Fadel said Style would haunt only minutes prior. It forces Fadel to face not only the thought of losing Style, but puts front and centre what it means for Fadel to be the cause of that loss.

Because the thing is, Style only needs to be bait at all because Fadel forgot to bring the extra bullets for his gun; because he does not have a plan when Style asks what they should do. I love that all of Fadel's training, and even his fastidious and careful nature, is being fundamentally compromised because his mind has been too preoccupied with his complicated feelings for Style. Fadel is being forced to face the consequences of choosing to fight against his heart about Style, and that directly puts both their lives in peril. And all Fadel can do is look at Style with a wordless plea to stay safe, even as he watches Style run directly towards danger.

And I love that Style's immediate instinct is to throw himself into the situation to help. There's no hesitation, no momentary pause where Style considers running away and leaving Fadel to handle the gunman alone. Style fully embodies the promise he made to stay by Fadel's side and moreover it shows that, on an instinctive level, Style trusts his life in Fadel's hands (even though we get verbal confirmation later in the episode that Style actually was only about 50% sure that Fadel wasn't actually going to kill him in the end!! That's! Fucking incredible!?!).

Which is also why I think Fadel's anger redirects itself once they get to the island. He's at the end of his rope, a mess of emotions, arm probably still aching and then he sees Kant: the source of not only the very real threat of Fadel and Bison being caught by the police, but also the reason why Style became entangled with Fadel in the first place. Fadel cannot help but lash out at him despite it making no sense to deny Style an additional pair of helping hands and, moreover, the comfort of a true friend that he trusts and who cares about him. Fadel is not thinking clearly, but it's also a sign that the choices he is making are still fuelled more by his anger and hurt then his love.

And again, this makes a certain amount of sense. For Fadel, anger is a familiar friend; something almost comforting, that gives him a sense of control, because he understands what to do with his anger. He understands how to direct his rage in ways that are productive and help to keep the things he cares about safe.

Until, that is, Style puts his life on the line next to Kant's and suddenly the gun in his hand becomes a danger to someone he has already been forced to acknowledge (in the conversation with Bison) that he cannot kill. I adore Style so much for immediately bringing this point up, because it means that Fadel has to actually consider why he didn't just let Style die. If Style had bled out and died from the wound, it wouldn't have technically been Fadel's fault; Style was simply caught in the crossfire. It was, in some ways, a relatively guilt-free way of getting rid of Style. But everything in Fadel rebelled at the thought of letting Style die and Fadel is once again forced to confront why he held Style's hand so tightly in both of his own, why he told Bison to be gentle and careful with Style, why hearing Style yell in pain was agony to Fadel too.

And this beautiful moment of friendship also gives both us, the audience, and Fadel this incredible understanding of Style's loyalty. To Style, the thought of dying next to Kant is not something he resents, but something that merely makes him wistful. And for Fadel, this puts into perspective what it meant for Style to promise to stay by his side; the full weight of Style's devotion is laid out for him to witness, and it's enough to shake Fadel lose from the hold his anger has on him.

But even then, even now, there's still something holding Fadel back and I think it boils down to the fact that Fadel has gone down this path with someone else before, and found only betrayal at the end of the road. He has loved and thought he was loved in return; he was ready to give up his job (his security, his sense of control, his “family”) for someone who he thought he could hide his darkness from and live in happiness whilst keeping the lie between them. It's so interesting to me that Fadel was about to do the exact same thing to Style (try to get out of the hitman life without ever telling Style about it), without knowing that the possibility of it was never on the table for him.

Because Style is the very antithesis of Fadel's ex: not only does Style find out his secret well before love truly blossomed between them, Style has no fear in him (anymore) of it. This gesture is legitimately insane, but it also illustrates how thoroughly Style embraces this aspect of Fadel's past and character. Fadel has just learned a very tangible lesson about Style's loyalty to the people he cares about, so this gesture carries the weight of knowing this matters to Style, despite the carefree manner of his expression. Style gives Fadel the security of knowing that he is making his commitment to Fadel whilst also giving Fadel permission to stay the way he is. Style's love isn't for what Fadel could someday become, but for who he already is, and that encompasses a level of acceptance that is as crazy as one would expect from a person who is in love with a hitman.

And it's just so great that they actually addressed the whole "dated me for a car" thing, because Style is right. Fadel is grasping at the last embers of his anger but all of it is directed at a Style who doesn't even exist anymore. I don't even think Style was avoiding telling Fadel about this; it just genuinely was a non-issue to Style because getting to know Fadel changed so much about Style's motivations (he said as much as early as episode three), that this wasn't even a factor that Style was aware needed to be addressed. But I also appreciate why Fadel insisted on coming back to this -- because I've said before that I think the biggest part of Fadel's hurt and betrayal comes from the thought that Style's interest in him was a lie, so this was important for Fadel to vocalise, especially because it took a certain amount of vulnerability to even admit that this bothered him that much. So as silly as I personally found this plot point to be, I'm glad the show actually decided to have our boys talk explicitly about it.

But my absolutely favourite part is that the final hurdle, the thing that ultimately makes Fadel completely let go of his anger and resentment is Style threatening to drown himself (or at least make his wound become infected). Partly because it was the exact kind of hilariously overdramatic gesture that feels fitting for Style, but mostly because this gesture opens the door for Fadel to finally (literally) take steps towards Style. Fadel's previous actions in this episode -- making sure Style was stitched up after he was shot and letting Kant live after he threatened to kill him --- were both incredibly significant, but largely leaves the relationship between them at a stalemate because for the most part Fadel is reacting to the circumstances whilst still maintaining the emotional distance between them. But what Style wants, ultimately, is not just to survive this very lethal roadtrip but to actually bring about a mending of their relationship and for Fadel show that it's what he wants too.

And I've seen some call this manipulative, but I think Style actually does understand Fadel well enough to be accurate in this claim. I've mentioned before that Style seems to have an almost instinctive understanding of when to push Fadel and when to back off (in this meta post on ep 5), and I think we're finally seeing a moment when Style could tell Fadel needed a little nudge. And the reality is that Style wasn't in any real danger, but it shows us just how much of Fadel's walls have been dismantled that Fadel's concern for Style overwrote his logic and reason.

And I just find it so lovely how it cumulates in Fadel kissing Style because it's an expression of his own desire. If Fadel had kissed Style at any point between the confrontation by the empty pool and before this moment, I think it would have, at least somewhat, felt like Fadel was giving into Style's demands (for his attention, for his affection, for his forgiveness). But this moment is different because it's Fadel giving into himself -- because Fadel doesn't truly want to hold on to his anger anymore.

And this journey was so important, so necessary because it's the reason why Fadel is able to be so completely transformed by the end of episode 9. We see him become almost carefree in his affection, everything about it is open and honest and loud in a way Fadel has never been able to be before this point, and it was only possible -- only realistic from a narrative standpoint -- because the show took the time and made space in the story for Fadel to have to face the truth of his love for Style over and over again.

Because this vulnerability, this clear comfort he feels around Style, this ability to rest in Style's arms, was only possible because Fadel was forced to grapple with the full depth of his love for Style and found forgiveness and happiness and peace in letting go of the last of his fear of being in love — and in doing so, proved the truth of Styles words in episode 4: “It’s okay to (be in) love”.

[just-tryina-live]

AOS Master List of Which Episode to Watch When

please give me more suggestions in the comments, I would like the list to be as comprehensive as possible. Open to all suggestions and criticisms.

Episode Types:

Comfort Episodes: 1x1-1x16, 6x6, 7x9

Sad Episodes: 1x19, 2x17, 3x5, 3x9, 3x10, 3x13, 3x21, 4x15, 4x18, 4x21, 5x11, 5x22, 6x10, 7x7, 7x9, 7x12

Happy Episodes: 1x1, 6x3, 7x13

Scary Episodes: 4x11, 5x14

Unique Episodes: 1x13, 4x12, 5x5, 5x14, 6x3, 6x6

‘Monster of the Week’ Episodes: 1x1, 1x2, 1x3, 1x4, 1x5, 1x6, 1x7, 1x8, 1x12, 1x13, 1x15

‘Who Can You Trust’ Episodes: 3x17, 4x15, 5x14, 6x10, 7x9

Time Loop Episodes: 1x13, 7x9

Two Parters: 2x21 / 2x22 (S.O.S), 5x1 / 5x2 (Orientation), 6x8 / 6x9 (Collision Course)

Ships:

FitzSimmons: 1x6, 1x9, 1x12, 1x20-22, 2x9, 2x10, 2x16, 2x19, 2x21, 2x22, 3x1-3, 3x5, 3x7-11, 3x15, 3x17-19, 4x1, 4x7, 4x12, 4x14, 4x15, 4x17, 4x20, 4x21, 5x5-10, 5x12, 5x13, 5x17, 6x5-9, 7x12, 7x13

Philinda: 1x3, 1x13, 1x17, 2x4, 3x18, 4x12, 4x14, 4x20, 5x12, 5x17, 5x21, 5x22, 7x13

Mackelena: 3x11, 3x20, 4x8, 4x9, 4x22, 5x9, 5x22, 6x11, 6x13, 7x6, 7x7

Static Quake: 2x16, 2x18, 3x6, 3x16, 3x22, (5x20)

Dousa: 7x6, 7x8-13

HuntingBird: 2x14, 2x21, 2x22, 3x13

SkyWard: 1x3, 1x8, 1x16, 1x17, 2x3, 2x19

Melina / Andrew: 2x17

Phil / Rosalind: 3x4-10

Character-centric Episodes: (will not include ship-centric episodes, those are above ex. Fitzsimmons)

Coulson: 1x11, 1x14, 1x19, 3x9, 3x10, 5x12, 7x9

May: 1x9, 1x13, 2x17, 3x2, 3x7, 3x15, 4x11, 5x8, 6x1, 6x13, 7x2, 7x5, 7x8, 7x13

Daisy: 1x3, 1x11, 1x20, 2x10, 2x11, 2x19, 3x15, 3x17, 4x1, 4x15, 4x16, 5x21, 6x8/9, 7x9, 7x11

Fitz: 1x6, 1x7, 1x12, 1x18, 2x1-5, 2x11, 3x1, 3x2, 3x8, 3x9, 3x10, 4x1, 4x7, 4x15-22, 5x5-7, 5x14, 5x17, 5x22, 6x3, 6x5-7, 7x12, 7x13

Jemma: 1x6, 1x7, 1x16, 2x5, 3x5, 3x9, 4x7, 4x15-22, 5x3, 6x3, 7x12

Mack: 2x9, 2x14, 2x15, 3x11, 3x14, 3x21, 4x7, 4x20, 4x22, 5x2, 6x1, 6x10-13, 7x6, 7x7, 7x11

Yo-Yo: 3x11, 3x17, 5x1, 5x2, 5x8, 5x10, 5x11, 5x17, 5x18, 6x1, 6x10-13, 7x3, 7x8

Bobby: 2x5, 2x14, 2x15, 2x21, 2x22, 3x13

Hunter: 2x1, 2x5, 2x14, 2x21, 2x22, 3x9, 3x13, 5x5

Deke: 5x6, 5x10, 5x11, 5x14, 5x17, 6x2, 6x10, 7x4, 7x7, 7x12

Sousa: 7x3-13

Ward: 1x1, 1x3, 1x5, 1x7, 1x8, 1x13, 1x15-18, 1x20, 2x3, 2x4, 2x18, 2x19, 2x21, 2x22, 3x9, 3x10

Enoch: 5x5, 5x6, 5x10, 6x3, 6x5, 7x9

Episodes a Character has Appeared in:

(Not including MCs, mostly in order of appearance)

Secondary Characters:

Piper: 3x19, 4x1, 4x2, 4x15, 4x20, 5x11, 5x14, 5x17, 5x19, 5x20, 5x22, 6x3, 6x5, 6x9-13, 7x13

Davis: 1x9, 4x1, 4x5-7, 4x10, 4x12-15, 5x20, 5x12, 5x13, 5x16, 5x19-22, 6x1, 6x3, 6x5, 6x8-10, 7x13

Trip: 1x14, 1x16-22, 2x1-2x10, 4x18

Mike Peterson: 1x1, 1x10, 1x11, 1x13, 1x16, 1x20-22, 2x16, 2x18, 2x19, 5x12

Calvin Johnson: 2x2, 2x5, 2x8, 2x10, 2x11, 2x13, 2x16-22

Jaiying: 2x8, 2x11, 2x16-22, 7x8, 7x10

Rosalind Price: 3x1, 3x3, 3x4, 3x6-10

Joey Gutierrez: 3x1, 3x7, 3x9-11, 3x17

Holdon Radcliffe: 3x18-22, 4x1, 4x3, 4x4, 4x7-15, 4x17-20, 4x22

Robbie Reyes: 4x1-8, 4x22

Jeffrey Mace: 4x2, 4x3, 4x5-11, 4x13-15, 4x17, 4x18

Tess: 5x2, 5x3, 5x6, 5x9, 5x10

Flint: 5x3, 5x7-10, 6x11, 6x12, 7x13

Recurring Characters:

Victoria Hand: 1x7, 1x11, 1x16, 1x17, 7x12

Glenn Talbot: 1x18, 1x20, 2x1, 2x2, 2x4, 2x6, 2x11, 2x14, 3x12, 3x18, 3x20, 3x21, 4x10, 4x11, 4x21, 4x22, 5x15-22

The Koenigs: 1x18, 1x19, 1x22, 2x1, 2x9, 2x10, 2x20, 4x12, 7x1, 7x2

Carl Creel: 2x1, 2x2, 3x12, 5x11, 5x13, 5x14, 5x16, 5x18, 5x21

Gordon: 2x10, 2x11, 2x13, 2x15-22

Andrew Garner / Lash: 2x13, 2x17, 2x22, 3x2, 3x4, 3x6-8, 3x10, 3x15

Gonzales: 2x14-16, 2x19, 2x20

Polly Hinton: 3x15, 3x22, 5x5, 5x16, 5x18, 5x21, 5x22

Robin Hinton: 5x5, 5x8, 5x16, 5x18, 5x21, 5x22

Hope Mackenzie: 4x17-20, 4x22

Marcus Benson: 6x1, 6x2, 6x4, 6x5, 6x11

Villains:

Raina: 1x5, 1x10, 1x11, 1x18, 1x21, 1x22, 2x2, 2x4, 2x5, 2x9-11, 2x16, 2x17, 2x19-21, 5x16

John Garrett: 1x14, 1x16, 1x17, 1x21, 1x22

Werner Reinhardt / Daniel Whitehall: 2x1, 2x3-5, 2x8-10, 3x16, 5x15

Sunil Bakshi: 2x1-5, 2x7, 2x8, 2x11, 2x14, 2x18, 2x19, 4x19

Agent 33 / Kara: 2x3, 2x4, 2x9, 2x10, 2x14, 2x18-22

Gideon Malick: 3x6-13, 3x15-17

Werner von Strucker: 3x2, 3x4, 3x6, 3x11, 5x13, 5x16-18

Nathaniel Malick: 3x16, 7x5-13

Aida / Ophelia: 3x22, 4x1, 4x3, 4x4, 4x7-22

Anton Ivanov: 4x12-15, 4x19, 4x21, 4x22, 5x14, 5x17

Kasius: 5x2-4, 5x6-10

Sinara: 5x2-4, 5x6-10

Hale: 5x5, 5x11-18, 5x20

Ruby: 5x11, 5x13, 5x15-18

Jaco: 6x1-4, 6x7-9

Snowflake: 6x1, 6x2, 6x4-9

Pax: 6x1, 6x2, 6x4, 6x8, 6x9

Izel: 6x7-13

Wilfred “Freddy” Malick: 7x1, 7x2, 7x4, 7x5

Sibyl: 7x3, 7x6, 7x7, 7x12, 7x13

Kora: 7x8-13

Guest Characters:

Maria Hill: 1x1, 1x20, 2x19

Nick Fury: 1x2, 1x22

Jasper Sitwell: 1x7, 1x15, 1x16

Lady Sif: 1x15, 2x12

Franklin Hall: 1x3

Elliot Randolph: 1x8, 3x2

Thomas Ward: 3x9

Christian Ward: 2x6, 2x8

Donnie Gill: 1x12, 2x3

Isabelle Hartley: 2x1

Katya Belakov: 2x17

Will Daniels: 3x5

Ruben Mackenzie: 3x14

Vijay Nadeer: 4x7, 4x9, 4x16

Alistair Fitz: 4x18-20

Rick Stoner: 5x11, 5x19, 7x5, 7x6

Atarah: 6x5, 6x6, 6x11

Alya Fitz-Simmons: 7x13

Master Episode List:

1x1: Pilot

1x2: 0-8-4

1x3: The Asset

1x4: Eye-Spy

1x5: Girl in the Flower Dress

1x6: FZZT

1x7: The Hub

1x8: The Well

1x9: Repairs

1x10: The Bridge

1x11: The Magical Place

1x12: Seeds

1x13: T.R.A.C.K.S.

1x14: T.A.H.I.T.I 

1x15: Yes Men

1x16: End of the Beginning

1x17: Turn, Turn, Turn

1x18: Providence

1x19: The Only Light in the Darkness

1x20: Nothing Personal

1x21: Ragtag

1x22: Beginning of the End 

2x1: Shadows

2x2: Heavy is the Head

2x3: Making Friends and Influencing People

2x4: Face my Enemy

2x5: A Hen in the Wolf House

2x6: A Fractured House

2x7: The Writing on the Wall

2x8: The Things We Bury

2x9: …Ye Who Enter Here

2x10: What They Become

2x11: Aftershocks

2x12: Who You Really Are

2x13: One of Us

2x14: Love in the Time of Hydra

2x15: One Door Closes

2x16: Afterlife

2x17: Melinda

2x18: Frenemy of my Enemy

2x19: The Dirty Half Dozen

2x20: Scars

2x21: S.O.S. (Part One)

2x22: S.O.S. (Part Two)

3x1: Laws of Nature

3x2: Purpose in the Machine

3x3: A Wanted Inhu(Man)

3x4: Devils You Know

3x5: 4,722 Hours

3x6: Among Us Hide…

3x7: Chaos Theory

3x8: Many Heads, One Tale

3x9: Closure

3x10: Maveth

3x11: Bouncing Back

3x12: The Inside Man

3x13: Parting Shot

3x14: Watchdogs

3x15: Spacetime

3x16: Paradise Lost

3x17: The Team

3x18: The Singularity

3x19: Failed Experiments

3x20: Emancipation

3x21: Absolution

3x22: Ascension

4x1: The Ghost

4x2: Meet the New Boss

4x3: Uprising

4x4: Let Me Stand Next to Your Fire

4x5: Lockup

4x6: The Good Samaritan 

4x7: Deals With Our Devils

4x8: The Laws of Inferno Dynamics

4x9: Broken Promises

4x10: The Patriot

4x11: Wake Up

4x12: Hot Potato Soup

4x13: Boom

4x14: The Man Behind the Shield

4x15: Self Control

4x16: What if…

4x17: Identity and Change

4x18: No Regrets

4x19: All the Madam’s Men

4x20: Farewell, Cruel World

4x21: The Return

4x22: World’s End

5x1: Orientation Part One

5x2: Orientation Part Two

5x3: A Life Spent

5x4: A Life Earned

5x5: Rewind

5x6: Fun & Games

5x7: Together or Not At All

5x8: The Last Day

5x9: Best Laid Plans

5x10: Past Life

5x11: All the Comforts of Home

5x12: The Real Deal

5x13: Principia

5x14: The Devil Complex

5x15: Rise and Shine

5x16: Inside Voices

5x17: The Honeymoon

5x18: All Roads Lead…

5x19: Option Two

5x20: The One Who Will Save Us All

5x21: The Force of Gravity

5x22: The End

6x1: Missing Pieces

6x2: Window of Opportunity 

6x3: Fear and Loathing on the Planet Kitson 

6x4: Code Yellow

6x5: The Other Thing

6x6: Inescapable 

6x7: Toldja

6x8: Collision Course (Part I)

6x9: Collision Course (Part II)

6x10: Leap

6x11: From the Ashes

6x12: The Sign

6x13: New Life

7x1: The New Deal

7x2: Know Your Onions

7x3: Alien Commies From the Future!

7x4: Out of the Past

7x5: A Trout in the Milk

7x6: Adapt or Die

7x7: The Totally Excellent Adventures of Mack and the D

7x8: After, Before

7x9: As I Have Always Been

7x10: Stolen

7x11: Brand New Day

7x12: The End is At Hand

7x13: What We’re Fighting For

Credits: Wikipedia, DeepPoet117 on Reddit, the twelve hour flight I was on while I made this, in-flight wifi, MCU wiki, Fandom Wiki, my very tired fingers, tvmaze.com, my notes app, the cast of Hidden Figures for being so phenomenal and keeping me company on the plane, @marvelsaos, lovemycaptain on Reddit, GetInHere on Reddit, the airplane bathroom, my ADHD, the lovely flight attendant who got me a drink

AI was not used in the making of this list, because AI sucks. 

started at 12:30, finished at 6:45. I have six more hours on this plane. G-d should save me.

[mortalscience]

top 5 garvez episodes! (or moments if you'd prefer)

oooh this was actually SO hard to decide. there's so many good moments and episodes.

first off honorable mention:

the Night Lights housewarming party flirting scene, god damnnn, it's just hot the way they're looking at each other, like GET A ROOM.

(5) Collision Course - I talk about this episode so much, I can't help it, they're just so fucking cute in this episode. Luke being charmed by Penelope the whole episode and he helps Penelope down off a curb and calls her hotshot and tells her nobody else is as good as her and he supports her when Spencer gets denied bail. !!!!! We get lots of good Garvez scenes throughout the show but this is one of the consistently Garvez episodes from beginning to end.

(4) Saturday - A classic!! Luke sacrifices his whole day for Penelope just because she asked him to because she wanted to help this rando and Luke is like I will do whatever you ask me to because I love you and acts of service are my love language. So Luke spends his whole Saturday being Penelope's Emotional Support Crimefighter and he fucking loves every minute of it and then he swears his sword to her when he finds out about her stalker. Luke worrying over Penelope is catnip to me ;_; And they manage to get some cute flirting in too even though it's kind of a more serious angle for their story in this episode because it's personal for Penelope.

(3) In the Dark - Luke finds Penelope crying and refuses to walk away when she tells him to and he is like I WILL BE YOUR SUPPORT SYSTEM AND THAT IS A THREAT and decides then and there he has to fix whatever is making her cry and it's Spencer being in jail and then he's like okay protecting Spencer in jail is now my whole personality because it will make Penelope feel better and he calls in favors and acts all hot and threatening just to make it happen all the while in the back of his mind he's like THIS IS FOR PENELOPEEE. And then at the end he gives her a present of a squeaky kitty because he's specifically thinking about her when he's away from her and wanted to get her something just to see a smile on her face because she's been so sad and he HATES IT WHEN PENELOPE IS SAD. *takes breath* OH this episode. SO GOOD.

(2) Swimmer's Calculus - This one is so fresh so maybe I'm grading on a curve here but I honestly love the Garvez scene in this soooo much, even when I objectively think about it, it's just SO GOOD. Luke hearing Penelope out about her empathetic streak towards Voit, and supporting her, and through the whole time they're talking they're just touching each other, so casually and intimately and it's CRAZY WORK. LIKE??? Luke just has his hand on Penelope's knee for like their entire conversation ajskldjskflds. It's so small and simple but gesture like that is so crazy intimate. Knees knocking and hands on each other's legs like, damn. It really did something to me and I love it because it also shows just how far their relationship has progressed, how close they are to one another now. My heart's melting talking about it. And of course the heartburn crack and the fact that Luke can't walk away from such a heavy conversation with Penelope without touching her one more time and making her smile so he knows she's good because her emotional wellbeing is like his number one priority. D:

(1) Dead End - Luke is Once Again acting as Penelope's emotional support in this episode (something of a theme going on here) and the main scene between them fucking kills me. Penelope is panicking about Tyler and Rossi maybe both dying and Luke fucking throws his whole self into being there for her. MAYBE IF WE LEAN ON EACH OTHER WE'LL HAVE THE STRENGTH TO GET THROUGH THIS TOGETHER. excuse me luke????? *faints and dies* And they are literally physically ONCE AGAIN hanging on to each other through that scene while Luke wipes away her tears and they make that "ME AND YOU" dedication to each other like WHAT THE HELLY. It's WILD. Characters declaring allegiance to each other mind body and soul are just. holy shit. It's definitely my favorite scene between them because it just shows the level of attachment and dedication to each other (especially Luke to Penelope lbr) and it KILLS MEEEEEE.

[gamerbeta]

Hey guys! I’m working on the next episode for Dimension Collision and while working on it, I wanted to look at the XY anime to see some more interpretations of Lumiose tower! HOWEVER- I did not expect to find this the first episode:

Serena happens to have a Joltik plush! And that was actually one of the only plushies visible in her room! After seeing that, I gotta wonder, ‘Did she ever go to the Subway station in Unova?’ ‘Does she know Ingo and Emmet?’ ‘If so, did those two ever consider Mega Evolution in the subway trains?’

Now that I know, guess that changes a bit of the course for my fan comic now lol XD

[dasenergi]

I wanted to share the Author’s Notes from the end of Lost Among the Stars. They explore why I felt called to write about Fred Noonan, the history that shaped the book, and the spiritual practices that guided its creation.

Author's Notes:

A book about Fred Noonan has lingered in the back of my mind for most of my life. I have memories from my 1970s childhood of watching an episode of "In Search Of," hosted by Leonard Nimoy, about the disappearance of Amelia Earhart. But her navigator, Fred Noonan, was barely mentioned, overshadowed by Amelia’s immense publicity machine. (Her husband and public relations manager was the publisher G.P. Putnam.)

Yet Amelia didn’t make the journey alone. Fred Noonan was by her side every step of the way. As her navigator, he charted the course for their attempt to circumnavigate the globe. In many ways, I believe his job was even more difficult.

Working in the cramped rear cabin of the Lockheed Electra 10E, stripped down for extra fuel, Fred’s station was uncomfortable and loud. Verbal communication with Earhart was nearly impossible. They passed handwritten notes and relied on hand signals.

To my knowledge, no biography has ever been written about Fred Noonan. His lack of recognition is, in my opinion, a disservice to his legacy. I cannot claim this book does him justice, but perhaps it is a first step toward shining a light on an aviation pioneer whose skill and bravery deserve to be remembered.

Fred’s early life, marked by the death of his mother and a childhood of instability, is drawn from historical record. His time aboard the Crompton, his service during World War I, and his pioneering aviation work are all grounded in fact. His two marriages are also part of the historical record, and I have aimed to portray both wives with care and respect. Although I have taken some fictional liberties, such as the creation of Captain Henshaw, these were included to help illuminate Fred’s story while remaining true to the essence of his life.

Even Amelia and Fred’s final flight follows the known facts. The U.S. Navy did search Gardner Island (now called Nikumaroro), but found no trace of wreckage. While I depicted the island as small, it is actually 3.7 miles long and 1.2 miles wide. The lagoon entrances are narrow and blocked by a reef at low tide.

Later, the island was briefly colonized by the British. Skeletal remains were discovered but never conclusively linked to Earhart or Noonan. In 2019, ocean explorer Robert Ballard (who found the Titanic) led an expedition to the island. But no wreckage was found.

Coconut crabs are very real. Weighing up to 9 pounds and spanning over 3 feet. They are the largest land crabs on Earth. They are opportunistic, powerful, and likely a vivid presence for anyone stranded on that island. Also, the island's lagoon serves as a nursery for blacktip reef sharks. There are currently even more sharks around Nikumaroro than I depicted.

Water’s arrival on Earth is one of the great mysteries of science, but the leading theory suggests much of it came from space. Around four billion years ago, during the Late Heavy Bombardment, Earth was struck by countless asteroids, many carrying water and organic molecules. These cosmic collisions may have delivered the water that now fills our oceans and with it, the seeds of life.

Between September 2023 and May 2024, I was honored to be one of the founding students in Rebecca Campbell’s Inner Temple Mystery School. Over nine transformative months, I learned to deepen my relationship with the unseen world. One of the practices I found most profound was Kything, from the Scottish word kythe, meaning “to make visible.” It is the art of entering into a conscious connection with the soul of another, such as a rose, a tree, or a drop of water.

Parts of this book were received through Kything with water, flowers, trees, and other living presences. This practice has forever changed how I see the world. It is alive with voice and presence, if we are willing to listen.

David Scott Coleman June 21, 2025

More information can be found at: https://about.me/dasenergi

[deviantly-inspired]

Dreamling concept

I absolutely love the 600 year slow burn to friendship and then wildfire romance that's in dreamling fics (it's IMMENSELY satisfying) but also, please consider:

after they finally (finally) become friends after 600 years they just... take their time, with romance. They spend years getting to know each other, genuinely, as friends. They don't know eachother, not really, until Dream has held Hob while he sobs over a loved one dying AND when he's seen Hob in his PJs eating ice cream out the pint because his students have stressed him out to the point of needing either ice cream or violence and Hob likes to think he chooses violence less often these days. And Hob doesn't really know Dream until he's heard that awful laugh, some unholy mix between braying donkey and the sound of magma shifting beneath the earth's crust OR until he's watched Dream scowl at the tele because they got to the last episode of "Game of Thrones" and Dream isn't any happier then anyone else is about a lot of those decisions.

And they spend days and weeks and years of being in one another's pockets. Choosing to come together again and again for a pint or a season binge or a silent supporting friend when the weight of living is a little harder. They earn each other's trust, and because they're both a little dense and maybe a lot more walking-wounded, the moment that each of them realizes that the other trusts them is, well, it's something that makes life worth living, for both of them.

Hob realizes Dream trusts him first, something small, something like Hob going to guide Dream out of the way and Dream just goes without any sort of hesitation. Not mountains or meteors could move Dream if he didn't want to, but he just goes to where Hob guides him out of the way so Hob can take the carrots out of the oven. It's enough to humble a man, and Hob might have a little cry over it later, in private, but for now he grins and tells Dream he has to try the carrots with the lamb, he hasn't lived until he's done so.

And Dream is a little slower to realize, I think. Because Hob is pretty open and friendly, it's a bit harder for Dream who's not so good with interacting with people face-to-face, to tell that Hob doesn't really get close to very many people for all that plenty seem to like him. There's a few exceptions, but even they are kept at a distinct distance. And it's maybe something small, like a small party or gathering of some of Hob's friends and it's late and folks are tipsy and Hob just kinda... dozes off against Dream. And Dream doesn't think anything of it, Hob does this quite often but Hob's other friends are immediately very surprised: Hob doesn't sleep in front of others, they explain. A relic from the war/traumatic past/whatever Hob's used to tell them. No matter how late or how tired or even how drunk he is, Hob would rather drive/bus/walk home then sleep where others can see him. You must be pretty special, one of them says. He even fell asleep on you like that: I've never seen him look so relaxed.

And I think that there's something beautiful about the slow, inescapable draw of it. It's like two meteors from opposite ends of the galaxy that have been on a collision course for eons. They both have moments of realizing that they're falling in love. They know it's going to happen, and the tension is slow and sweet and lovely. And there's no need to rush, because there's trust there too. Sometimes they'll meet gazes and they'll know, both of them, in that moment that they're in love. That, someday, what's growing between them is going to be a bloom unlike anything the universe has ever seen before. And they'll smile together and continue watching bad tv dramas or swapping gossip or sharing their pints and maybe their shoulders brush and their touches linger a bit longer that night but it's okay. There's no need to rush. They have forever after all.

And I think also that Dream is just a dramatic romantic enough of a bastard to confess to Hob on June 7, 2089 and i think Hob is just enough of a dramatic romantic to tell Dream that he certainly took his time.

I'm not late, am I, Dream will ask.

Of course not, Hob will laugh, you're exactly on time. We've plenty of it.

And in the Dreaming there will be a quiet warm breeze and gentle sunshowers as in the deepest heart of the dreaming a flower never before seen blooms awake. And in the waking two friends close the gap between them and talk about how Sally next door really needs to stop over watering her flowers she's going to drown the poor things, really.

And then they'll have the absolute longest courtship and engagement of anyone in the universe. There will be entire religions that will rise and fall before they get married. Pantheons will come into existence and be utterly dumbfounded when they're invited to Dream of the Endless and Hob Gadling weddings because weren't they already married? They've been together since the beginning of it all.

It's be great.

[crooked-wasteland]

Sir Pentious and the Importance of Narrative Structure

There are some aspects of Hazbin Hotel that leave me genuinely blind-sided. Like standing on the sidewalk when you suddenly witness a catastrophic car crash only for someone on the other side of the road to get distracted from rubbernecking and cause a second collision . That is the only way I can describe the feeling I get whenever I think about how the series handled Sir Pentious.

I have never seen a show fumble such a big plot point, not once, but twice and in the same exact way. First in the episode where the characters are engaging in “trust exercises”; the narrative entirely neglects the cast of Husk, Pentious, Angel, and Nifty for a very rudimentary plot that feels straight out of season one Steven Universe for Vaggie and Charlie. Instead it skips to them returning to the roof as a group and Angel Dust carrying Pentious and that is the end of the series attempting to show this bond until the second to last episode. Which also just does nothing with the first opportunity to watch that assumed relationship actually come together.

We never saw them actually help each other during the Turf War, but there was an opportunity that would have worked even with zero changes to the rest of the series to rectify that fact and it would have only cost at most 90 seconds of screen time:

Just have these characters talk to each other and treat it like it means something.

And it’s not hard to figure the reasoning of the writers was to have the reveal that the side characters didn’t leave be the big cherry on top this episode’s happily ever after. Instead, it's a completely forgotten plot point that only keeps the audience from ever believing these characters cared about each other enough to mourn one of them being killed off in the most abrupt way.

Sir Pentious’ death was pathetic. The heroic buildup to him buying the others time is undercut by his actual uselessness. And that compounds the problem with the fact his death is an intentional joke, but simultaneously supposed to be an impactful character moment? That isn’t how you get an audience to laugh while crying.

The art of achieving that dram-ody effect is fundamentally based on two grounded principles: familiarity to the character and pacing. Building up to sadness is a process, and trying to achieve something as primal as sadness requires some surprisingly complicated setup. In an undeveloped prefrontal cortex, the brain is still hardwired to mirror as a form of empathy. It’s why so many young fans can say without irony that Pentious dying is “Sad”, because they are caught off guard by his sudden passing to then be inundated with the named characters crying and being sad. They are sad because the characters are sad, but there was no one crying for Pentious like the characters are, not without a psychologically concerning degree of parasocial attachment. It’s “Sad” as in its “disappointing”, but the animators intentionally attempt to highjack the wave of disappointment to convince a child audience that they are feeling a different kind of grief.

And it didn’t need to be anything special, even a cookie cutter “Power of friendship” scene would have still fixed that gap enough to at least allow for a course correction later on and presenting the characters as more fleshed out. If time constraints were really that large of an issue, setting yourself up to succeed by laying the foundation to fix these narrative gaps is the only way to rectify it. Especially with announcing an already pre-approved second season that the crew would have been parallel planning for and thus had knowledge on where to save certain aspects for later.

To be frank, this is why people remember Helluva Boss’ first season so favorably, but it ultimately suffered the opposite issue. Season 1 of HB had a better grasp of setting up plot points early and giving themselves enough space to keep people theorizing and allowing them the opportunity to adapt the characters and narrative dynamically. The whole allure of the series originally was anticipating the payoff for these “mysteries”. It is just that the series had no intention of utilizing those mysteries for any meaningful narrative and quickly killed them off to focus on a predictable and uninteresting ship.

And I am sorry to snatch those rose-tinted glasses, but the first season wasn’t good, we just had clear narrative gaps that felt intentional and anticipated a story/arc/effort where there was no intention behind the scenes to really dedicate any resources to it. And alternatively HH is being handled far less skillfully from the jump, so it attracts the audience that will dedicate themselves to it (children) without any expectations in regards to quality.

[cornyonmains]

Buck and Eddie are not beating these allegations in the back half of season 3. The well episode was crazy. Buck wailing like a fisherman's wife watching her husbands ship sink on the rocks, Buck being the first thing Eddie thought of on the edge of death.

I'm also getting a much clearer picture of Eddie too. I've been mentioning these last three seasons I found an almost Stepfordian quality to him. Like he was too wholesome. Now I know it's because he's trying to show up his parents. This man is repressed. Also kind of hard to miss that all his relationships are based around what he thinks is best for Chris. Even this new lady is Chris's teacher. That's not telling at all...

The storylines of these two characters are on a collision course for gay awakenings. This is why writers are important kids. This show is laying groundwork and the network executives don't expect shit. Or maybe they did and that's why this show seems to have gotten punted to ABC. Or it could be high production costs. Some of these episodes seem pricey for broadcast TV these days. Their median viewership age is around 65. Catheter commercials aren't going to pay for that.

I hope Michael recovers from his brain tumor, but I'm not feeling optimistic. But if this is the last we see of him, his actor fucking ate with his final performance. You 100% believe this is a man coping with the idea his family might have to move on without him in every scene. He doesn't overact an inch of it.

I can't figure out how I feel about Athena's character. The extent to which I simp for Angela Bassett makes me too biased, but I really feel like her character can often be blind to the realities of the system thanks to the idea of the job she has in her head. I like that May has been inserted into the narrative to push back against this and give her character some growth. It's Angela Bassett, and it's what she deserves.

In summation, I'm glad Chimney hasn't been stabbed by anything in the last half of season 3 but I've still got two more episodes.

If anyone wants to know what it's like binging nine seasons of this show as a first time viewer, it's a lot, is what it is.

[redr0sewrites]

Hi Rose! I hope you're still writing for Hazbin because I have a Vox request! I enjoyed your Vox fluff/comfort hcs from a while ago and it made me need more soft!Vox if that's something you're comfortable with writing. Specifically I've been going through a pretty major depressive episode lately (not in a dangerous way, just in the sense that something happened where I feel like I've failed one too many times and it's past the point where I can just pick myself up and try something new), so maybe something with Vox comforting the reader through that? I feel like he might be able to relate given that he's such a perfectionist and clearly doesn't handle rejection well, so I can see him having practical advice and guiding me through concrete solutions, but also I just want him to hug me and let me cry on his shoulder for a long time😭 Thank you!!! I appreciate your writing so much!

🥀A/n: i've had this in my inbox for a WHILE (sorryyyy <\3) so i hope ur feeling better now nonnie!!! i totally get the feeling, and i loved writing this request <33

🥀Cw: fluff, angst w comfort, negative self views, mental health themes

🥀Character(s): Vox x reader

your breath came out in hiccuping gasps as you struggled to maintain any sense of control. you sat hunched over on your bed, shaking uncontrollably as tears stream down your face. it had been another long day, and god, you just felt like a screw up. it seemed no matter how hard you tried, every day always left you with that same feeling of emptiness, just as it had been every other day for the past few months. you were so, so tired of everything, of getting no satisfaction from things you usually enjoyed, and of having to fight just to remain somewhat sane. it was truly and utterly exhausting. you lean back against the headboard, a soft thump accompanying your heads' collision with the sturdy wood. as your tears continue.

the slam of your bedroom door causes you to pause, and you flinch from the sudden illumination of your hunched figure.

"where were you? i called you twice, what-" Vox storms in, hands waving about, only for him to pause at the sight of you. his harsh tone only makes you cry harder, pulling your knees up to your chest.

"i'm- sorry, i-i turned my phone off-" you force out your words, fighting to keep yourself from bursting into tears again, but its no use. your shoulders shake in silent sobs as you cover your face with your hands, embarrassment overcoming you.

"oh, oh its okay, its fine-" Vox struggles with his words. for all of his blustering confidence in public, when it came to genuinely comforting someone, he was clueless.

"i'll be right back, i promise!" he practically shouts, racing out of the door. in the few seconds he's gone, you can't help but spiral deeper. why couldn't you just try harder, be better than this? you're so fucking stupid, god, of course he was angry at you. you don't hear Vox when he returns, and you jump when the mattress dips and a clawed hand begins gently rubbing your back. you sniffle softly, and the only sound in the room is your heavy sobs.

"shh, i brought you some water," Vox murmurs, voice uncharacteristically low. "did someone hurt you? because i swear, if someone even laid a finger in you im going to fucking-"

"no one hurt me, Vox," you swallow hard. "m fine, really, i just- its fine."

Vox is silent for a few more moments, and even though you can't see him as your face is still buried in your hands, you can practically feel his gaze on you.

"was it.. me? did i do something?"

this startles you, and you raise your head to look at him.

"w-what? no, of course not, 'm just- i had a long day, is all. i just feel so... stuck."

you blink at his screen, tears settling on your lashes. he stares back, studying you with a concerned gaze. he doesn't offer any words of encouragement, you know that's not his strong suit anyway. instead, he gently takes both of your hands in his, handing you the glass of water and slowly guiding it to your mouth. he watches as you take a sip before placing it on your night stand, before opening his arms and motioning for you to come closer. you happily oblige, melting into his side and wrapping your arms around his waist. he leans back against the headboard and you stay like that for a while, softly crying into his shoulder as he rubs your back and holds you steady. as your sobs begin to subside, you pull away to look at him again.

"i'm just so.. tired. tired of this, tired of feeling weak and overwhelmed. fuck, i just wish..." you trail off, melting back into his embrace again. Vox is silent for a few moments, contemplating what to say.

"i think your great, y'know that?"

"what..?"

"i think your great, wonderful, and so talented. you're the best partner i could ever ask for, and im so lucky to have you. you know that, right?"

"mhm..?" you hum questioningly, unsure of his objective.

"now, i know i'm not good at this sort of thing, and i know its tough, but i want you to know that, i'm, i'm here, y'know? and if you're ever, like, having a moment like this, you don't need to hide. i'm here, and i understand." Vox waves his hands as he talks, and you reposition to lean against his chest.

"i know, and its okay. 'm lucky to have you too," you mumble, and he chuckles lowly.

"is that so? you're going to give me a complex if you keep this up, baby."

"good. 'cause your the best."

"only for you."

you giggle at that, knowing that its true, and Vox smiles. he'd do anything for that sound, for your happiness. and, as you slowly drift off to sleep, you know that you'll be okay for that exact reason. you may not feel okay now, but you will, because he'll be right there beside you, on both good and bad days.

erm. hello hazbin hotel community. im slinking back like a toxic ex rn...... ANYWAYS !!! HOPE U ENJOYED !!!! its been a hot minute since i wrote for HH in general, esp for vox, so apologies if the characterization is ehhhh. PSLPSLSPSLSPSL SEND IN REQUESTS IVE BEEN DYING RECENTLY MY INBOX IS BONE DRY IT COULD BE FOR THE 2K EVENT OR JUST SOMETHING RANDOMMM (also especially some vox, lucifer, adam, or lute requests plspslsps)

[dangermousie]

Confession time - I find Miles Wei’s character more interesting that Li Xian’s.

It’s honestly The Double again for me - a female centric narrative about a driven woman with a terrible weak ex and a powerful new dude - and I find myself much more interested in the bad dude than the good one.

OK, before people come for my head, this doesn’t mean I find Peony husband a better person than the Envoy or that I ship him with FL (no thank you!), I just find him more interesting as a character for the same reason that I found Shen Yurong more interesting in The Double (tho in The Double, it was exacerbated by the fact that SYR and Princess Wanning actors gave the best performances in the drama - the mains were great but those two were another level. Here I don’t think Husband is giving a better performance than Envoy.)

You never truly know how Husband would act and which way he’d jump. He’s not the noble main character bound by the narrative restrictions (and censorship restrictions) within a certain path. And that is what makes him interesting to me - the complexity but also the uncertainty. I mean both actual MLs of The Double and Peony have a bit of an edge - Duke Su is dramatic and ruthless and starts out using FL and Envoy is dramatic, standoffish from FL and seemingly corrupt. But it’s a cdrama in this era, not a decade plus ago, we all know every minute they are actually good guys - no, Envoy is not actually corrupt and Duke Su is not actually murder happy - the former is saving the bribes for the people of treasury or w/e, Duke Su only kills death penalty people and both are super super duper loyal to the crown and of course would save the FL if she really needed it.

That makes them great husband material but it removes a lot of the tension I find interesting. No, a character does not need to be dark and/or unhinged for me to find them interesting - I loved 17 in LYF and am loving XXC in The Blossoming Love and those two are utter Boy Scouts - but it is hard to do in such a way they grab me.

Meanwhile secondaries are out there running free of confines of the moral messages which gives them an edge.

In the olden days, you could have MLs which were like this (I am thinking of Glamorous Imperial Concubine - the deliciousness of it was that Kevin Yan started ready willing and able to harm FL for his goals, not to mention all the “proper” historicals - think of Three Kingdoms or Advisors’ Alliance - those were not romantic heroes in traditional sense or a more recent example of Goodbye My Princess or Siege in Fog - except their inability to let FL go it was anything goes for those MLs) but for obvious reasons, this doesn’t happen much any more - the closest we’ve come recently is Kunning and Blossom and I adored both - there a lot of tension was that even after we realized MLs would die for FL, you often had no idea how they’d jump for other reasons and it gave us tension.

(Interesting side note is something like Eternal Brotherhood where even until the last episode, in terms of romance, I could not tell how Xiu would react to Ning - he was a very good person but the tension in the narrative came from his immense damage - every scene between them crackled with whether his feelings would win or his issues - it was constantly his issues but in every scene I kept going…but what if? That’s good acting and writing! But then there was the other tension because what Xiu was dedicated to was brotherhood and his platonic ideal of what a just society should be - which put him on a collision course with the wishes of his heart, and his friends and even the ruler - it gave uncertainty also. That’s a hard balancing act.)

Anyway this is a ramble so I will finish this failed attempt at an essay by saying - if cdrama rules allowed mains more edge and uncertainty, I’d probably be (even) more interested but as is, much as I love the mains, I often end up more drawn to secondaries in terms of interest.