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spacetimewithstuartgary · 4 months ago

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Flickers and flares: Milky Way’s central black hole constantly bubbles with light

James Webb Space Telescope reveals ongoing, rapid-fire light show

The supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way appears to be having a party — and it is weird, wild and wonderful.

Using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), a Northwestern University-led team of astrophysicists has gained the longest, most detailed glimpse yet of the void that lurks in middle of our galaxy.

The swirling disk of gas and dust (or accretion disk) orbiting the central supermassive black hole, called Sagittarius A*, is emitting a constant stream of flares with no periods of rest, the researchers found. While some flares are faint flickers, lasting mere seconds, other flares are blindingly bright eruptions, which spew daily. There also are even fainter flickers that surge for months at a time. The level of activity occurs over a wide range of time — from short interludes to long stretches.

The new findings could help physicists better understand the fundamental nature of black holes, how they interact with their surrounding environments and the dynamics and evolution of our own galactic home.

The study will be published on Tuesday (Feb. 18) in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.

“Flares are expected to happen in essentially all supermassive black holes, but our black hole is unique,” said Northwestern’s Farhad Yusef-Zadeh, who led the study. “It is always bubbling with activity and never seems to reach a steady state. We observed the black hole multiple times throughout 2023 and 2024, and we noticed changes in every observation. We saw something different each time, which is really remarkable. Nothing ever stayed the same.”

An expert on the Milky Way’s center, Yusef-Zadeh is a professor of physics and astronomy at Northwestern’s Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences. The international team of coauthors includes Howard Bushouse of the Space Telescope Science Institute, Richard G. Arendt of NASA, Mark Wardle of Macquarie University in Australia, Joseph Michail of Harvard & Smithsonian and Claire Chandler of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory.

Random fireworks

To conduct the study, Yusef-Zadeh and his team used the JWST’s near infrared camera (NIRCam), which can simultaneously observe two infrared colors for long stretches of time. With the imaging tool, the researchers observed Sagittarius A* for a total of 48 hours — in 8-to-10-hour increments across one year. This enabled scientists to track how the black hole changed over time.

While Yusef-Zadeh expected to see flares, Sagittarius A* was more active than he anticipated. Simply put: the observations revealed ongoing fireworks of various brightness and durations. The accretion disk surrounding the black hole generated five to six big flares per day and several small sub-flares in between.

“In our data, we saw constantly changing, bubbling brightness,” Yusef-Zadeh said. “And then boom! A big burst of brightness suddenly popped up. Then, it calmed down again. We couldn’t find a pattern in this activity. It appears to be random. The activity profile of the black hole was new and exciting every time that we looked at it.”

Two separate processes at play

Although astrophysicists do not yet fully understand the processes at play, Yusef-Zadeh suspects two separate processes are responsible for the short bursts and longer flares. If the accretion disk is a river, then the short, faint flickers are like small ripples that fluctuate randomly on the river’s surface. The longer, brighter flares, however, are more like tidal waves, caused by more significant events.

Yusef-Zadeh posits that minor disturbances within the accretion disk likely generate the faint flickers. Specifically, turbulent fluctuations within the disk can compress plasma (a hot, electrically charged gas) to cause a temporary burst of radiation. Yusef-Zadeh likens the event to a solar flare.

“It’s similar to how the sun’s magnetic field gathers together, compresses and then erupts a solar flare,” he explained. “Of course, the processes are more dramatic because the environment around a black hole is much more energetic and much more extreme. But the sun’s surface also bubbles with activity.”

Yusef-Zadeh attributes the big, bright flares to magnetic reconnection events — a process where two magnetic fields collide, releasing energy in the form of accelerated particles. Traveling at velocities near the speed of light, these particles emit bright bursts of radiation.

“A magnetic reconnection event is like a spark of static electricity, which, in a sense, also is an ‘electric reconnection,’” Yusef-Zadeh said.

Double vision

Because the JWST’s NIRCam can observe two separate wavelengths (2.1 and 4.8 microns) at the same time, Yusef-Zadeh and his collaborators were able to compare how the flares’ brightness changed with each wavelength. Yusef-Zadeh said capturing light at two wavelengths is like “seeing in color instead of black and white.” By observing Sagittarius A* at multiple wavelengths, he captured a more complete and nuanced picture of its behavior.

Yet again, the researchers were met with a surprise. Unexpectedly, they discovered events observed at the shorter wavelength changed brightness slightly before the longer-wavelength events.

“This is the first time we have seen a time delay in measurements at these wavelengths,” Yusef-Zadeh said. “We observed these wavelengths simultaneously with NIRCam and noticed the longer wavelength lags behind the shorter one by a very small amount — maybe a few seconds to 40 seconds.”

This time delay provided more clues about the physical processes occurring around the black hole. One explanation is that the particles lose energy over the course of the flare — losing energy quicker at shorter wavelengths than at longer wavelengths. Such changes are expected for particles spiraling around magnetic field lines.

Aiming for an uninterrupted look

To further explore these questions, Yusef-Zadeh hopes to use the JWST to observe Sagittarius A* for a longer period of time. He recently submitted a proposal to observe the black hole for an uninterrupted 24 hours. The longer observation run will help reduce noise, enabling the researchers to see even finer details.

“When you are looking at such weak flaring events, you have to compete with noise,” Yusef-Zadeh said. “If we can observe for 24 hours, then we can reduce the noise to see features that we were unable to see before. That would be amazing. We also can see if these flares show periodicity (or repeat themselves) or if they are truly random.”

The study, “Non-stop variability of Sgr A* using JWST at 2.1 and 4.8 micron wavelengths: Evidence for distinct populations of faint and bright variable emission,” was supported by NASA and the National Science Foundation.

IMAGE: Using NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, Northwestern astrophysicists gained the longest, most detailed glimpse yet of the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way. They found the black hole's accretion disk emits a constant stream of flares with no periods of rest. Credit Farhad Yusef-Zadeh/Northwestern University

#science #space #astronomy #physics #news #nasa #astrophysics #esa

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beardedmrbean · 1 year ago

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Newly released body camera footage contradicts claims made by New York City Councilman Yusef Salaam, one of the infamous Central Park Five, regarding a recent traffic stop.

The incident, which occurred Friday night, prompted Salaam to accuse the police of racial bias and lack of transparency.

Salaam, who was on his way to dinner with his wife and four children, was pulled over for having overly tinted windows. The brief encounter, captured on the officer’s body cam, lasted less than a minute and concluded with Salaam being released after identifying himself as a councilman.

Despite the video evidence indicating a routine traffic stop, Salaam criticized the officer for not explicitly stating the reason for the stop.

“This experience only amplified the importance of transparency for all police investigative stops, because the lack of transparency allows racial profiling and unconstitutional stops of all types to occur and often go underreported,” Salaam, a Democrat, said in a statement.

NYC Mayor Eric Adams commended the officers involved, emphasizing the professionalism, courtesy and effective communication displayed during the incident. The New York Police Department later confirmed that Salaam was also in violation of state law for driving a vehicle with out-of-state plates and excessively tinted windows.

The police stop in New York City on Friday casts a renewed light on a police transparency bill, called the How Many Stops Act, a proposal Salaam supports that City Council members are set to vote on Tuesday to override Mayor Eric Adams’ veto.

It would require officers to publicly report on all investigative stops, including relatively low-level encounters with civilians. Despite being invited for a ride-along by Adams to showcase the bill’s potential negative impact, Salaam declined, citing the recent traffic stop as a reason.

Officers are not required to give a reason for a stop, but Salaam said the police should have done so voluntarily.

City Council Member Sandy Nurse said she was on a video call with Salaam and other people when he was pulled over. Nurse said she heard Salaam ask the officer for the reason for the stop, and none was given.

Marc Claxton, a former NYPD detective and director of the Black Law Enforcement Alliance, echoed the mayor’s sentiments, praising the professionalism exhibited by both the officer and Salaam during the encounter. Claxton emphasized that in the absence of the ongoing legislative context, the incident would likely have gone unnoticed, resembling routine stops that occur regularly in the city.

The New York City Benevolent Association president, Patrick Hender, called for an apology from Salaam and other elected officials who had criticized the police officers involved. Claxton, however, expressed doubt that an apology would be forthcoming, stating that the incident was a routine and professional interaction with no grounds for personal grievances.

In an interview, Salaam denied using his title to evade a ticket. He explained that he was in the process of transferring the registration of his vehicle from Georgia to New York. Despite moving back to New York in December 2022, Salaam still maintains ownership of a home in Georgia and has family residing there.

He expressed unawareness that his tinted windows, permissible in Georgia, violated regulations in New York City. Salaam asserted that had he received a ticket or warning, he would have promptly addressed the issue and had the tinted windows replaced.

#nunyas news

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freezegirl · 5 months ago

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4. Has your character ever witnessed something that fundamentally changed them? If so, does anyone else know?

character development questions: hard mode / @wantdead

i'm gonna break this up in a few segments because kie has witnessed multiple things that fundamentally changed her and/or shaped her as a person. most of these are common knowledge by virtue of the world she lives in and who she interacts most with.

first kiss

for most people, their first kiss is just that. their first. neither too bad, nor amazing. it just is. kie's first kiss, however, was a disaster. she can still recall, with startling clarity, what it looked like when yusef abbas' face turned blue and what it felt like when she siphoned his body heat. she'd closed the door on any kind of closeness and intimacy after that, choosing instead to approach any and all situations from a "how do i protect others from myself?" point of view that holds up to this day.

high school

during kie's sophomore year of high school, gwen grayson revealed herself to be sue tenny / royal pain and tried to make it so that skybourne high plummeted right out of the sky. if it hadn't been for will stronghold and his friends, kie thinks they all would have died (and a great amount of civilians would have died with them).

she, along with many others, had been stuck - trapped - in the gym. while will and the others fought royal pain and tried to keep the school from crashing down onto the town, kie went around with her friends, proverbially cooling people down, despite her own panic. this whole experience ended up giving her a severe case of claustrophobia that she doesn't think will ever go away.

college kidnapping

kie gets kidnapped shortly after her second year at skybourne university starts. the culprit? katherine 'katie' baxter. she and her twin - michael 'mike' baxter - both have acoustikinesis or sound based powers and mike has been locked up in the same maximum security prison that holds barron battle. katie also takes care of mike's only daughter, cindy, filling her head with tales of the father she never knew.

together with cindy, katie kidnaps kie and holds her captive at maxwellness, the beauty and wellness center in town where katie worked as a certified sound healer and where cindy interned. katie thinks that if she presses the right buttons, kie's friend group (or, rather, their parents) will pull some strings to get mike released. kie is gone for about a week and the friend group gets video updates. as do farzana and jawaharel, which distresses them greatly. kie's parents are informed as well and they fly back from europe immediately (though whether they are truly concerned for their daughter’s wellbeing or for everything they’ve invested in her so far is truly anyone’s guess).

when katie figures out that sound attacks - while extremely painful to kie - do not get her the desired result, she sticks kie into a sauna booth with the settings way up high; the heat and the claustrophobia break kie.

after kie gets rescued and her core temperature gets lowered enough, she is angry. angry at herself and her perceived flaws and shortcomings as well as angry at her body. it takes her a good long while to give herself some grace. it takes her even longer to get back where she was before it happened, powers-wise, but she's never quite the same again. she likes to think, however, that she came out stronger for it on the other end (because if she didn't, then what on earth was all this suffering for?!).

bonus: training

most people know the story: before the commander took down barron battle for good, permafrost was sent in. alas, fire melts ice. and so permafrost was forced to hang up the cape for good. his wife followed suit, ever in solidarity with her husband.

it's not something that evander tries to bury - he's uncertain if such things can be buried at all, but it's not something he pays attention to anymore and if someone brings it up, he's quick to change the subject.

barred from doing actual hero work out in the field he may be, but that didn't mean he couldn't train his own kid. so he did, together with his wife (who often used her hydrokinesis to bend the blood in her daughter's body, effectively turning her into a puppet on a string, and teaching her how to do the same to others if she pleased), evander crafted a training regimen that had a little bit of everything. it was horrible and terrible and grueling but it made kie a well-rounded and very efficient fighter.

in the eyes if kie's parents and especially in evander's eyes, pyrokinetics raze and destroy everything they touch. they burn it all down to the ground. and he'll be damned before they do that to his daughter because he has invested a lot in her.

as has his wife.

they will see the future they've planned out for their daughter come to fruition!

and speaking of his wife: that weird quirk of their daughter - that heat siphoning thing she does - almost killed saraswati, the love of his life, during the nine months she had been carrying khione.

(there might be some residual resentment about that inside his heart, still. it was too close. the doctors saved saraswati, sure, and she lived, but they cut it too close and he almost lost her---)

(---and yes, kie is trying to atone for her mother's arduous pregnancy to this day, even if it really wasn't her fault; even so, her mother reminds her that it happened more often than not and it's why kie's trying to be perfect at everything she says and does, if she's the perfect daughter with perfect powers and the perfect grades and perfect art and the perfect figure skating routines, then maybe her parents will look at her again with something other than ice in their eyes, maybe they will love her again [if they ever did at all].)

in any case: in the goossens household, poise and perfection was expected in all things for "a goossens is a goossens inside and outside the house." therefore, going above and beyond was necessary. and praise, positive reinforcement and touch had to be earned, not handed out like candy.

evander and saraswati 'sara' goossens aren't around a lot nowadays due to their respective jobs, and most people know that they went hard on kie's training but the only ones who know the extent of it are principal powers, farzana and jawaharel.

the friend group aka the stronghold seven knows too but kie would rather keep their knowledge of these things as surface level as possible so they won't get upset (even more) at the way she's been raised.

#wantdead #headcanons; metas; world building.#kidnapping mention /#abuse implied /#death mention /#queue.

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sheetmusiclibrarypdf · 5 months ago

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Remembering Dizzy Gillespie (1917-1993)

Remembering Dizzy Gillespie (1917-1993)John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie (short biography)Please, subscribe to our Library.Best Sheet Music download from our Library.Selected DiscographyThe Best of Dizzy Gillespie - Dizzy Gillespie Greatest Hits Full AlbumBrowse in the Library:

Remembering Dizzy Gillespie (1917-1993)

John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie (short biography)

1982 NEA Jazz Master Cheraw, South Carolina Date of birth: Oct 21, 1917 Date of death: Jan 06, 1993 Trumpeter, Composer, Bandleader The effect of John Birks 'Dizzy' Gillespie on jazz cannot be underestimated: his trumpet playing influenced all the musicians who came after him, his compositions have become part of the jazz canon, and his bands have included some of the biggest names in the business. He was also, along with Charlie Parker, one of the main leaders of the bebop movement. Gillespie's father was an amateur conductor who, although he died when Gillespie was ten, had given his son some of his early musical foundations. Gillespie began playing trumpet at age 14 after briefly trying the trombone, and his first formal musical training came at the Laurinburg Institute in North Carolina. Gillespie's first professional jobs were with the band Frankie Fairfax, where he reportedly adopted the nickname Dizzy due to his outlandish antics. His first influence was Roy Eldridge, whom he later replaced in Teddy Hill's band. From 1939 to 1941, Gillespie was one of the principal soloists in Cab Calloway's band, until he was fired for a notorious bandstand prank. While with Calloway he met the Cuban trumpeter Mario Bauza, from whom he acquired a great interest in Afro-Cuban rhythms. Around this time he also became friends with Charlie Parker, with whom he would begin to develop some of the ideas behind bebop while sitting at Minton's Playhouse in Harlem. From 1941 to 1943, Gillespie freelanced with several big bands, including Earl 'Fatha' Hines. Hines' band contained several musicians with whom Gillespie would interact in the development of bebop, such as singer Billy Eckstine, who formed his own band with Gillespie on trumpet in 1944. The year 1945 was decisive for both bebop and Gillespie. He recorded with Parker many of his small hits, such as 'Salt Peanuts', and formed his own bebop big band. Despite financial problems, he was able to keep this band together for four years. His trumpet playing was at its peak, with rapid attacks of notes and an astonishing harmonic range.

Several future greats performed with Gillespie's big band, including saxophonists Gene Ammons, Yusef Lateef, Paul Gonsalves, Jimmy Heath, James Moody and John Coltrane. The rhythm section of John Lewis, Milt Jackson, Kenny Clarke and Ray Brown became the original Modern Jazz Quartet. He took several bands on State Department tours around the world beginning in 1956, the first time the U.S. government provided financial aid and recognition to jazz. Those excursions not only kept Gillespie working, but also stimulated his musical interests as he began to incorporate different ethnic elements into his music, such as the Afro-Cuban rhythms that he wove into his big band arrangements. Never losing his thirst for collaboration, Gillespie worked with a variety of jazz stars and led his own small groups into the 1980s. Selected Discography The Complete RCA Victor Recordings 1937-1949, Bluebird, 1937-49 Dizzy's Diamonds, Verve, 1954-64 Birk's Works: Verve Big Band Sessions, Verve, 1956-57 Gillespiana/Carnegie Hall Concert, Verve, 1960-61 Max + Dizzy, Paris 1989, A&M, 1989

The Best of Dizzy Gillespie - Dizzy Gillespie Greatest Hits Full Album

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pden8LSWMkY Read the full article

#SMLPDF #noten #partitura #sheetmusicdownload #sheetmusicscoredownloadpartiturapartitionspartitinoten楽譜망할음악ноты #spartiti

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jpriest85-blog · 3 years ago

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With chapter 11 of @itlivesproject coming out soon I decided to draw height comparisons of my trio of It Lives MCs, as well as sharing various Headcanons of each of them.

Cassandra Xi

After Jane's death Cassandra tried explaining what happened but since no one believed her because they were just traumatized kids. She just stopped talking all together and went mute for several years. She didn't start talking to people again until about middle school after years of therapy, but she did learn to use sign language during the years she was non verbal. She even taught some sign language to Noah to help keep him grounded in his humanity.

As an only child Cassandra was always a bit jealous that Jane and Stacy both had brothers. It's also part of the reason she's so determined to help Noah, Jane was her best friend and when she was little she considered Noah her brother too. It also added to her guilt that she lost touch with Noah until their last year of high school.

After high school Cassandra eventually became a veterinarian and specializes in training service and therapy animals.

Part of the reason Cody targeted her so much with bullying is during freshman year he used to have a crush on her but Cassandra rejected and insulted him when he tried to ask her out, because he was a jerk to her other friends, particularly Andy. Cody never got over the fact she turned him down and humiliated him, especially by a girl who was so low on the popular social standing, so he would be extra cruel and physical when bullying Cassandra. It also added to Cassandra's guilt when he died, because as much as she despised Cody, maybe if she turned him down more gently back then he might still be alive.

Definitely one of the more fashionable of the It Lives MCs, tends to mix sporty with alternative or rocker fashion.

Keeps one of Andy's old basketball jerseys and wears it to bed like pjs

While she's the same height as Andy she often appears taller than him if she's wearing heels or boots with thick soles. Andy doesn't mind because 1 she looks hot 2 it's easier to kiss Cassandra's neck if she's a few inches taller than him when they make out and 3 Cassandra really likes it when Andy kisses her neck.

Cassandra and Andy would definitely be one of those Tik Tok couples that do adorable kisses while working out together.

Yusef Vance

Other than his height, which he inherited from his father, Yusef takes after his mother more in his physical features. Which is probably why Arthur was stricter with him, besides being the eldest Yusef looks more like Marie than his brother Elliott.

Yusef used to have a lot of anger issues when he was a kid after his birth father left. His stepfather Todd helped him learn to channel it constructively with boxing and teaching him to never hit people out of anger. Self defense or protecting someone else is another story, especially since it seems Yusef has a bit of his grandmother Josephine's temper too.

After discovering his parents' bodies Yusef developed a case of erythrophobia that triggers an anxiety attack if he sees a lot of red because it reminds him of the blood. As a result he no longer wears any red clothes, and stopped eating or drinking red foods and beverages like red wine, pasta sauce, ketchup, ect.

Yusef and Tom eventually develop a poly relationship with Imogen. It started out as both of them regularly checking in on her and helping her funeral planning and dealing with legal business after her parents deaths. Tom and Yusef often wound up spending the night at Imogen's place because she's still scared to sleep in that big house all by herself. Eventually they all just started sharing a bed together because all three off them would suffer nightmares. Tom often jokes that Imogen is their sugar mama, although Yusef often has to be the one to put his foot down and remind both Imogen and Tom not to overspend.

Phillipa "Pippa " Delphi

As a child Pippa once dressed up as Velma from Scooby-Doo together with Amelia as Daphne, and three other friends as the Mystery Inc gang for Halloween. Anne was still a toddler so she was dressed as a baby ghost. Her stroller was converted into the Mystery Machine van with some cardboard and paint. It was their best trick or treating candy haul.

Phillipa "developed " at a young age and is forever disappointed that genetics wouldn't let her grow taller, because if she could she'd definitely trade in her D cup bust line to be at least 5ft5.

Pippa's petite build and genuine personality seems to have an oddly calming effect on people. Especially Jocelyn despite her initial hostility, Phillipa has been very effective at keeping Jocelyn nerves steady. Cassandra believes Pippa has a calming effect on Jocelyn like a human version of an emotional support pet.

Despite her small stature and not being as physically strong or intimidating as Amelia and Jocelyn, Philippa is a deadly sharpshooter.

Part of the reason Pippa is so familiar with firearms is she used to go duck hunting with her parents when she was young. She even won some youth clay shooting competitions as a kid and several of her relatives used to call her their very own "Annie Oakley."

Often wears mismatched socks, started as a good luck habit before she did target companions.

Since Abel only wears pj bottoms when Philippa's relationship with him gets serious enough to spend the night, Abel lends her the tops for his pj sets. They are adorably oversized on her.

#it lives series #it lives project #haunted trio #Cassandra Xi #Yusef Vance #height comparison #character headcanons #i know it's not cannon but I gave Yusef a poly relationship #because i love both Tom and Imogen #as well as their interactions together #apparently Yusef's type are cute dorks with glasses and good hair #can u imagine Tom introducing them both to Andy #cue Tom showing up holding both Yusef and Imogen's hands #Tom: Andy this is my boyfriend Yusef and our girlfriend Imogen #Philippa Pippa Delphi #just Andy and Cassandra meeting Tom for a double date #more narrative parallels between Cassandra and her namesake the tragic oracle #not only did folks not believe Cassandra #but she was also targeted for bullying by Cody because she rejected him in 9th grade #like how the oracle Cassandra became a target for ridicule because she turned down Apollo

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probablydaydreaming · 4 years ago

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i picture nicky and joe getting married as that will and elizabeth wedding scene from pirates of the carribean (which i still at 22 think is one of the most romantic scenes ever lol)

#the old guard #nicky di genova #nicolo di genova #yusef al kaysani #joe al kaysani #joenicky #dont really interact with fandoms much but though this was important lol #im bi and they cuteeee #that representation was great #it's sad how little representation we get outside of films specificallt about lgbtqi+ characters #like i swear they think they need a reason for the character to be lgbtqi+#instead of just like they exist just like straight and cis people do #looking at you marvel #this has derailed but it's 2:30 in the morning and i can't stop

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ausetkmt · 1 year ago

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Walking into Mama Akua’s Community House for the first time is jarring but in a good way.

On the outside, it doesn’t look like much. In fact, if it wasn’t for the large pan-African sign in the front, most people would assume that it was just another old building slowly decaying in Z8ne (a local nickname for the 48208-zip code pronounced “Zone 8”). But once you step through the front door into the gathering space, your vision is bombarded with images of Black power and intellectualism.

Everywhere your eyes can fall, there are depictions of Black leaders, thinkers, and culture. Yet, the home still finds a way to feel extremely inviting. Seats and tables are readily available throughout the home, Black music fills the place from open till close, and the smell of home-cooked meals invites all who visit to stay for a while. Even without ever hearing about the house or its founder, it’s automatically evident to anyone who walks in that this is a safe space for Black people and a resource for the surrounding community.

Dr. Yusef “Bunchy” Shakur is the founder of Mama Akua’s Community House. Born and raised in Z8ne, he found himself engulfed in street life during his teen years and ultimately was thrown in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. However, it was there in that prison where he would meet his father for the very first time and where he would slowly rewrite his mental, intellectual, and spiritual state of being. By the time he was finally released, Shakur had transformed into a full-blown Black revolutionary with a burning desire to help his people.

The idea of creating a space for his community wasn’t new to Shakur. He had done something similar with a cybercafe that he ran a decade prior. What was different about this project was that he planned to renovate an old house in the area and turn it into a small-scale community center. The house would then serve two purposes, as a resource to the people of Z8ne, and as a form of resistance against the gentrification sweeping the city.

The name is a kind of social rebellion as well. Inspired by the Ghanaian culture of matriarchy and the philosophy of “giving people their flowers while they can still smell them,” Shakur decided to name the house after the still-living Detroit activist as opposed to naming it after some long-gone Black thinker.

Shakur further explained this decision in an interview a few months before the house’s completion. “As a Black man that had been influenced and raised by Black women, and overstanding that relationship, and part of our struggle is against patriarchy and we tend to, whether we realize it or not, especially as a man, uphold patriarchy in many ways. So I’m doing my part in deconstructing that in naming it after a Black woman who exemplifies liberation and exemplifies the values that we want to have to achieve it through transformation.”

The mission of the house is simple: provide resources to the neighborhood and cultivate Afrocentric thought amongst its visitors. According to Shakur himself, the best way to accomplish this is by being whatever the community needs.

“[We fulfill our mission] by being a multi-purpose space. We have the Amy Jo’s Gathering Space for folks to come in interact and engage. he Abigail kitchen where we cook a meal once a month and distribute it to the community. We do movie nights. There’s an after-school program that runs out of here. There’s outdoor events. There’s just a multitude of things that we do. And keep in mind that we’re in a neighborhood that has been under siege by high-level gentrification that’s taken away from the quality of the community and we’re continuing to fight for the quality of the community.”

With the help of other like-minded individuals they call “community partners,” the house is able to offer things like free daycare on Thursdays, F.A.T (Fresh And Tasty) Burger Fridays, where they offer fast and healthy food at a low price, and free community dinners every last Saturday of the month. Wednesdays through Fridays, Mama Akua’s operates like a workspace where anyone can sit down and enjoy a cup of coffee or juice while getting some work done.

Mama Akua’s does much more than feed the hungry, however. In addition to their normal services, the house hosts several classes and seminars put on by community partners monthly. Everything from courses on personal finance to group talks about romantic relationships is hosted in their classroom. Small businesses can set up a table at their “Circulate the Black Dollar” pop-ups and sell they’re products. Several donation drives and giveaways are held throughout the year. Local artist can use their indoor or outdoor stage for their performances.

In many ways, the community partners of Mama Akua’s are just as important as the building itself. The house may have been Shakur’s dream, but it fully belongs to the neighborhood. Not only do the residents of Z8ne benefit from the house, but they contribute to it. From the classes to the donations, Mama Akua’s is for the people, by the people. What they put in they get back both monetarily, and timewise.

“If there’s 10 programs operating out of here, seven of them are with our community partners, and three of them are in-house,” Shakur said. “We truly believe that circulating the dollar, particularly the Black dollar, is not about improving our bottom line. So if you come buy a burger here, there’s a percentage of those funds are going directly back into our community initiatives and our community programs.”

Despite being small, Mama Akua’s Community House is having a big impact on the community it serves. As the threat of gentrification looms larger with every passing day, the house also grows stronger with every person who comes through their doors looking to contribute.

In fact, Shakur and his collaborators are already working on creating a second community house right next to the first and are considering combining the two backyards so that they can host larger outdoor events. Only time will tell if Shakur’s plan to fight gentrification will succeed, and only he knows how many houses he plans to buy and repurpose. Whatever the case may be, two things are for certain: Dr. Yusef Shakur doesn’t plan on going anywhere anytime soon, and the people of Z8ne have his back.

Mama Akua’s Community House is a Place for Hope in Zone 8 | The Michigan Chronicle

#Mama Akua’s Community House is a Place for Hope in Zone 8 #Detroit #Detroit Michigan #Mama Akua #Zone 8 #community spots #Dr. Yusef “Bunchy” Shakur #Black Revolutionary Action #community #Circulate the Black Dollar #giving people their flowers while they can still smell them #black lives matter #black history #black power

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kirammanapologist · 3 years ago

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killing eve more like hurting villanelle jfc

#shes a baby and i love her #killing eve #the emotional whiplash #the angst #the soft villanelle #the bad bitch eve #season 4 is really serving me #also eves interaction with helene im still shaking in my boots #and just eve being kind of free #i mean shes still obsessed with the 12 and suppresing her emotions but idk she seems like the happiest shes been since the first season #probs cause she just said fuck it #like ima die taking the 12 down so i might as well have a little fun while i do it #also ik we were all against yusef originally...#but i kinda love him #anyway im done now

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mindblowingscience · 2 years ago

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An investigation into the mystery filaments hanging in space around the heart of the Milky Way has turned up an entirely new population of them, aligned along the galactic plane and pointing in the direction of the galactic center.

The magnetized strands are likely the remnants of an outflow from the supermassive black hole Sagittarius A* interacting with the surrounding gas a few million years ago, says astrophysicist Farhad Yusef-Zadeh of Northwestern University.

Although Sgr A* is pretty quiet now, these remnants suggest that our galaxy's center has been active recently – on cosmic timescales, that is. And their discovery also means that our galaxy's center, as wild and wooly as we already knew it to be, has more fascinating secrets lurking within.

"It was a surprise to suddenly find a new population of structures that seem to be pointing in the direction of the black hole," Yusef-Zadeh says.

#science #stem #astronomy #space #milky way

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paperstorm · 2 years ago

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It hasn't even been a week and I already have so many thoughts for what I'd like to see next season lol.

1. I think the search for Gabriel's killer should be left until the second half bc it would be way more satisfying to end the season with that.

2. I'd like to see Tarlos just being married. I'm not saying that there can't be some kind of drama but have them face it together. They've had so much growth this season I would like to see that continue rather than just more miscommunication now that they're actually married.

3. Have the first few episodes focus on Judd and the Ryders and how the 126 is affected by Judd not being there. Have some focus on Wyatt's recovery and how that affects his and Judd's relationship. Maybe have some scenes with TK and Judd. I think this would be a good opportunity for that.

4. This would also be a good opportunity to explore dual-certified TK more. Have him filling in for Judd on some cases.

5. Actually more of the usual rescues. I feel like we didn't get a lot of those this season.

6. More light-hearted episodes. This season was darker than any of the others and I think next season should return to having more light-hearted episodes.

7. Bring Iris back. We could see more of her friendship with Carlos. Also, have her and TK interact. Iris obviously sees a kinship with TK and I think it would be cool to explore that. Plus it would be great comedy to have two of them getting up to shenanigans and driving Carlos crazy.

7. Bring TK into the Robert storyline and see him and Owen interact. Along with that, see how it affects their relationship with Robert's family since Owen helped Robert die is likely going to be revealed. Explore Owen's grief and how it triggers his trauma over Tyler and have him and TK talk about that. And explore TK's feelings since he was so excited to get to know his cousins.

8. More of the other couples. I want to see more of Paul and Asha and learn more about Paul's background through that. And see Marjan and Yusef develop. And Nancy and Mateo. Maybe they have some conflict and we get to actually see them being a real couple beyond a few cute moments.

8. Maybe see TK thinking about his faith more. Maybe a rescue makes him think about it and he contemplates returning to temple. And with that, have Marjan exploring her faith more now that she's with a Muslim partner that she chose for herself. All respect but I think it's time that the non-Christian characters got a little more focus.

9. Have Carlos and Andrea talk about how Carlos’s relationship with Gabriel hurt him and have her actually listen instead of invalidating it. Have him tell her how much it hurts that Gabriel was so distant with him for most of his life and how he died before they could actually have a better relationship. Maybe have him talk to his sisters too. It's possible that they just don't get how hard it was for Carlos bc they have different memories of Gabriel and they weren't there when Carlos came out so they don't know just how bad it was.

10. Have the season end with them catching Gabriel's killer. Maybe Carlos decides to become a detective. He's obviously going to be involved in the search somehow but have him do it right instead of him getting obsessed and going off on his own which would also show the growth he had this season.

I know this is a lot lol. But these are just some thoughts I had. I just hope that the strike can end soon so we won't have to wait too long

Look at you with so many coherent thoughts!!!! I am still reeling and can’t even begin to have ideas like this yet but I would be into every one of these. Maybe Tim is lurking 👀👀👀

#911ls asks

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please-return-to-villanelle · 3 years ago

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S4E1: Just Dunk Me Recap and Analysis

We’re back for the final season! And much to our disappointment we are NOT picking up where we left off on the London Bridge, but instead we are fast forwarding 8 months (according to Laura Neal) and heading back Russia.

EVE

Dark Eve has risen and with her new form comes new skills: motorcycle riding, sharp shooting, and a total lack of fucks.

“She can kill the shit out of me.” - Every queer that watched this scene, probably

Dark Eve took her deadly skills to pay a visit to Konstantin. At this point I’m convinced Konstantin made a deal with the actual devil because he has escaped death more times than anyone else on this show AND somehow is not on the lamb or being tortured in a secret prison for stealing a small fortune from the Twelve (you know, one of the major plot points of season 3), but instead he is living out in the open as the mayor of unknown town in Russia. Not entirely clear what this is all about, but I assume the Twelve installed him as the head of this town for their own political gain, but that has yet to be confirmed. At any rate, Eve tracked him down, demanding for the whereabouts of Hélène.

Konstantin is of course Konstantin and doesn’t tell Eve until… Eve shoots him in the hand and when he whines in pain, Eve promptly tells him to “get over it” (prior season parallel – in 2x05 when Villanelle shouts at Konstantin to get over the fact that she shot him at the end of season 1).

Eve and Villanelle are sharing the braincell this season and I love to see it.

Through this interaction between Eve and Konstantin we learn more about the Twelve.

“They keep everyone separate.” – Konstantin

Clever tactic for a shadow organization. Keeping information scattered means one member of the Twelve falling into the enemy hands (like a very pissed off Eve) can’t divulge all the secrets of the Twelve, making it very difficult to take down the organization. Eve knows about Hélène somehow? We assume not from Villanelle otherwise Villanelle would have told her how to find Hélène, so we are left to assume Eve find Hélène through her independent investigation into the Twelve.

Konstantin tells Eve part of Hélène’s role is scouting future assassins (put a pin in this, I will revisit this in a later scene), and he gives her the name of Hélène’s last recruit: Rhian Bevan.

Remember Rhian? The woman that crashed the Villaneve ballroom scene and Villanelle rightfully pushed in front of a bus. That’s Rhian. Not so talented in the assassin skills department if you ask me.

Why is Eve so hellbent on doing all of this? That has yet to be revealed, but what we do know is that she will stop at nothing to complete her mission.

“Whatever this is, you won’t come out of this [alive].” - Konstantin

“Thank God.” - Eve

Eve is living out of hotels working for a private security firm, this seems to be her side hustle given her co-worker “covers” for her when she is working on her primary mission: hunting down the Twelve.

“She’s not giving up.” – Yusef

It seems after the parting at the bridge, Villanelle knows exactly where Eve is. Yusef’s comment indicates that Villanelle has been reaching out to Eve the entire time but Eve refuses to engage and is likely the one that is the one keeping them apart.

After seeing the photo of Villanelle and talking about how it felt to shoot Konstantin, Eve uses this co-worker in the same way she used Hugo for proxy sex (prior season parallels: in the van she called his job BORING and the music that started playing right before they got to the sex was Anything to be cool by Unloved which was the same song that played in 2x07 when she used Hugo as proxy sex with Villanelle, and if I had to bet, I’d say her motivations were the same here).

Later on, Eve wrestles in the park with Yusef. What I like about this scene is at the end of it Eve is laughing and genuinely having fun. She is enjoying being herself. She is living as Eve, the woman who shoots mayors and rides motorcycles. She is living the life she wants all on her own. I think this is part of her motivation to keep physical distance from Villanelle- to explore who she is without Villanelle’s influence. In prior seasons, Eve was under the impression Villanelle was manipulating her into being bad- let us all remember Rome.

“This is what you wanted.” – Eve

“This is what YOU wanted.” – Villanelle

The irony is Villanelle can (and always could) see Eve for who she is and knows what Eve really wants. Eve just need space to fully explore that on her own terms and come to her own conclusion (Eve is a control freak, always was, but there is an element of avoidance here I will get into with the episode 2 analysis).

More on Villaneve at the end of this, I couldn’t help but get into it here because I MISSED THEM SO MUCH!

Back to Eve.

Eve is very much fascinated by death, like she has been this whole time, and makes the comment later that the woman she meets in this scene, Pam (one of Hélène’s new assassins), also has a death fascination and a certain look in her eyes that Eve has seen before but can’t place. Perhaps it’s the same look you see in the mirror Eve, come on now.

“Do you know Hélène?” – Eve

(Prior season parallel - when Eve was leaving Anna’s and asked her if she and Villanelle had a physical relationship)

Eve eventually follows Pam (getting her ass handed to her in the process) all the way to Hélène.

“Found her.” – Eve

Nice try Eve, but I’m pretty sure it’s the other way around.

Hélène knows all about Eve and her turtlenecks. Hélène is Pam’s handler and scouts for future assassins. I think Pam reported the school teacher looking for Rhian to Hélène and Hélène quickly figured out it was Eve, and then Hélène set up this scene where Eve “tracks” Pam straight to her. I think Hélène has been scouting Eve for a while now and used Pam to get her next asset.

CAROLYN

Carolyn has fallen hard down the ranks of MI6 all the way to cultural attaché.

“Humankind cannot bare very much reality.” – Carolyn, and also TS Eliot

It seems Carolyn is still seeking out information on the Twelve despite her pledge to quit cold turkey at the end of season 3. Only this time, she is doing it all on her own.

“Tortured?” - Carolyn

She meets with Mr. Smith from Czech intelligence (according to Hugo) but the dialogue here seems to suggest otherwise.

“Cultural attaché? We both know that’s code for kicked out on your ass.” – Mr. Smith

“I could say the same for you.” – Carolyn

It seems more likely these two are in the same position. They have fallen down the intelligence work ladder. Coincidence? I think not, as Mr. Smith reveals his daughter “also died just like-” but Carolyn cuts him off from saying, “just like Kenny.”

“Greif makes us strangers. Even to ourselves.” – Mr. Smith

At the end of last season, Carolyn no doubt underwent an existential crisis after Kenny was killed and it seems being lost is something that continues now. She’s been replaced by Hugo as head of the Russia desk. She tries to warn Hugo about the dangers of the Twelve, and when she does so, she seems paranoid and afraid which is very atypical Carolyn behavior.

“Maybe you’re desperate.” – Hugo

Why? Why the sudden change from we need to quit the Twelve cold turkey?

“There has been a string of murders. All of them tortured and none of them solved. The first victim was in Paul’s phone book, the second was linked to the first (ie Paul’s phone book friend) and the third I suspect is something similar. Someone has been hunting down members of the Twelve.” - Carolyn

Carolyn plays the curiosity card. Whoever is tracking down and torturing the Twelve knows more than she does and that makes her want to know them. Since she isn’t a spy anymore, she passes the case off to Eve (who protests but takes the case anyway because she’s Eve).

“I want to watch those little woodland critters burn.” - Eve

“You may want to know the critters before you incinerate them.” – Carolyn

Carolyn’s desperation culminates in the last scene when she seeks asylum (look at how she is dressed?!) from someone she threw under the bus to save Konstantin (a member of the Twelve).

“Hello Traitor.” – Vlad

I have a theory about what’s up with Carolyn that could be dead wrong, but it’s the last season and we only have so much time left to muse, so I’m going to throw it out there now.

Possible spoilers in the next paragraph skip if you want to.

I believe Carolyn is high up in the Twelve (call back to “you’re the real boss” in season 2) and she is upset that someone in the Twelve went rogue and ordered a hit on her son. Someone is trying to play a power game (of chess) in order to get to Carolyn. I think that conversation she has with Mr. Smith hinted at that because they briefly talk about the fact that his daughter was tortured and killed just like the unspoken Kenny (Carolyn’s son). That would mean someone is after Carolyn from inside her own organization. Someone that is supposed to be an underling to her. With all these members of the Twelve being tortured to death all of a sudden, Carolyn is freaking out and desperate to find out who before they come after her. In comes Eve, a third party who is looking into this for her own reasons and Carolyn feeds Eve bait to help her out again. But I have a feeling Eve and Villanelle are going to figure out Carolyn works for the Twelve later on in the season (S4E5: Don’t get attached- description: Eve seeks out information about the Twelve’s origin, but uncovers more than she bargained for). Finding out about who Carolyn really works for could motivate them (Villanelle specifically judging by the S4E6 description) to kidnap Carolyn mid-season, but I have a feeling Carolyn will talk her way out of it and survive until the finale when she teams up with Eve and Villanelle again.

VILLANELLE

“I don’t know how you can be so good all the time.” - May

“I don’t have any choice.” – Villanelle

Villanelle has been spending her time apart from Eve living in a parish, working hard on becoming baptized into a new Christian community. A misguided quest to be born again as someone good.

But there is a lot of dialogue that gives her true intention away. She doesn’t want to be good necessarily, she just wants to be perceived as good by people she thinks are perceived as good themselves.

“You sound like an angel.” - May

“Only sound like?” – Villanelle fishing for confirmation she IS an angel (aka good)

“For what we are about to receive, the Lord may you thank me. Amen.” – Villanelle saying Grace, puts herself in the place of the deity (major God complex)

“If you get baptized in a forest and no one sees you get baptized, are you really baptized.” - Villanelle wants people to see she is good

“It’s better for me to have a road map.” – Villanelle

She is in a place where she doesn’t trust her own instincts since those instincts got her in the mess of feelings (literally) in the first place. The same unresolved feelings from season 3 she hasn’t properly processed (avoidance, you bet!). So, she turned to a community that has a playbook for walking the good path so to speak. And is singularly focused on being perceived as good by these people.

“Wow. So Holy.” – Villanelle (parallel to the pilot ‘Wow. So beautiful.’)

Villanelle says the hymns in church, grace at dinner with the vicar, wears the gold cross on the outside of her clothes where everyone can see it, does chores around the church in plain sight and lives with the vicar and his daughter. She surrounded herself with people she thinks are the goodest of the good by societal standards. If she can convince them she is a good person, then surely, she can convince Eve. If these good people baptize her, then she will be reborn as someone new and good. Something Villanelle seems to want but has no idea how to do on her own.

“It’s very much in your interest for me to believe in you.” – Villanelle to Jesus

When she can’t get what she wants, she threatens Jesus. Threats are something she knows. Something that has become instinctual over time. This was part of the playbook she knows. The one that has kept her alive over the years. It’s difficult to quit that cold turkey, especially when you have little guidance on how to live any other way and you can’t have the one person thing you want.

At the end of the day, Villanelle’s motivation is corrupt. She is doing all this for Eve’s benefit and not her own. She admitted she no longer wants to kill and doesn’t want to be a part of the MI6 vs the Twelve games anymore. But aside from that and putting aside her want for Eve, what does Villanelle want? Does she want to change? Or is she trying to change because she thinks that’s what Eve wants her to do?

But Eve rejects this “changed” version of Villanelle. Eve is the one person in her life that really knows her. Who knows she’s killed people and accepts that about her. May triggers her on this when she claims to know Nelle and knows she would never hurt anyone.

Villanelle gives in and attacks. It seems instinctual and not like Villanelle is fully enjoying this. It’s feral. She seems conflicted by the angel watching over her. Who is watching her do something bad, murder is a Christian sin after all.

When she pulls May out and brings her back with CPR (which she does incorrectly btw), it’s only then that she smiles.

“I didn’t kill you.” – Villanelle

Because not killing someone is a change for Villanelle. She went against her instincts and decided not to go through with it, and this is proof to her that she is capable of changing even if no one is around to see it.

VILLANEVE

Finally, what we have all been waiting for, their reunion, but it doesn’t go the way we would have liked. When they meet, Eve isn’t surprised to see Villanelle. She seems more annoyed to see her.

“Maybe I’ve changed. Did you ever think of that?” – Eve

Have you changed Eve? Or are you finally being who you were all along?

Before Villanelle shows up, Eve is drawn to the fish tank. Animals trapped in an aquatic cage against their will. She taps on the glass with an amused smile on her face, later feeds them with an even bigger smile of satisfaction. So, it seems that Eve is ok, even enjoys, being in a position of power over animals that are disempowered, disenfranchised, disposable, and disadvantaged. You know, the same way she described Pam, a poor girl that fell prey to the powers of the Twelve.

Oksana fit this profile as well. Does Eve want to protect Villanelle and women like her from falling victim to this organization? Maybe, but that seems a little too “seeking justice” for Eve and Eve has never once been motivated by justice. She is motivated by her wants and desires.

“If you really changed, then you wouldn’t have come here.” – Eve

This is the most emotionally charged sentence she says to Villanelle and I have to imagine that this line is coming from whatever happened on the bridge.

She must have asked Villanelle to stay away until she was ready, but Villanelle is impatient, and needs to see that Eve still cares. Distance and silence are detrimental to her. She blossoms with attention. While Eve thrives in the dark away from the spotlight.

“If you really changed, you wouldn’t have let me.” – Villanelle

This is confirmation that Eve does care. She wants Villanelle to know where she is. She does care, but not in the way Villanelle wants to see that Eve cares.

Villanelle and Eve have been trapped in an ever-evolving power dynamic. It started in series 1 with Villanelle holding power over Eve, acting as the cat in their predator vs prey dynamic, while Eve was the mouse scurrying to stay alive. By the end of series 1 moving into series 2, that dynamic shifted. Eve realized she holds power over Villanelle too (please see the cheek cup in the kitchen from 2x05).

“Do you still think about it?” - Eve

“All the time.” - Villanelle

In series 3, their intense connection was severed for most of the season. Eve flayed while recovering from her gun shot wound and Villanelle spiraled from her mommy drama. When they came together again there was a power shift. It seemed they were finally on equal footing.

Eve wants to keep her power and Villanelle is losing it (over Eve).

I think what we are seeing early on is how they are handling this new power dynamic established when they parted ways on the bridge. This was a change for them and one Eve wants to maintain. Villanelle seems impatient and uncomfortable without her power over Eve, but a part of her is trying to accept it (to accept it is to give Eve what she wants), but it’s very hard for her to do. It goes against her instincts, her nature, if you will.

Now in season 4 we are witnessing the aftermath as two egotistical, obsessive, stubborn people try to navigate what an equal partnership looks like for them.

For Villanelle, that means being the best version of herself. Or what she thinks Eve other people perceive as a good person (ie Holy) because deep down Villanelle wants to be loved and cared for.

“What do you want?” – Eve

“Normal things.” - Villanelle

While Villanelle is stepping towards the light, Eve is indulging fully in her darker urges. The ones that have always been inside her (see S1E1 when Eve rattled off the step-by-step plan of how she would kill Niko without a seconds hesitation), but Eve repressed them for most of her life. Until she met Villanelle, someone who sees Eve for who she really is, and Eve can’t deny what she wants anymore.

Why they parted on the bridge is a mystery but based on what we know so far it was Eve that put the distance between then by setting an emotional boundary with Villanelle.

Why?

“Help me make it stop.” - Eve

I wonder if it has something to do with this new power shift. Both of them have the opportunity to live as they please. Villanelle is no longer an assassin bound to live under false personas (granted she is a woman that is legally dead so there is some fakeness for sure), but for the most part she can choose the life she wants to live since she is no longer bound to a handler. Similarly, Eve is not bound to her boring husband or old life working for British intelligence. She is free to be the Eve she always wanted to be.

Villanelle initially offered Eve the solution to cut ties on the bridge and Eve hesitated, like leaving Villanelle isn’t what she wanted. And I believe that is still the case. But I also think Eve took Villanelle up on her offer to place distance between them in order to explore their new equilibrium.

Eve is a control freak, and I wonder if she is correlating the timing of her dark urges emerging with Villanelle and thinks that Villanelle is the one provoking this descent into darkness. Maybe Eve wants a bit of space far enough away from Villanelle’s power over her to figure out if she, Eve, loves the murder and the mayhem for what it is or if she only loves it because she loved chasing Villanelle which allowed her to explore this new side of her. And as a control freak, I think Eve is getting very comfortable with being her own boss and perhaps her arrangement for time apart to figure things out is taking too long for Villanelle’s liking. Villanelle, after all, is not a patient person and this distance from Eve is fracturing the possessive choke hold she once held over Eve. It’s a loss of control for her too.

#killing eve analysis #killing eve #killing eve spoilers #killing eve season 4 #villanelle #villaneve #villanelle x eve #eve x villanelle #konstantin vasiliev #eve polastri #carolyn martens #helene

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