#batch process icons

[boltmoonvic]

i love your bfdi gjinka/robot designs so much and i'm so excited to see more of them as the comic progresses (and i'm a sucker for murder mysteries so it's really playing to my interests)! how do you come up with your designs, by the way? they're so fun and unique :D

Thank you so much !! I'd be more than happy to talk about my process :D

While I was watching the show for the first time last October, I sketched out my first batch of characters by following the question: "What associations do I make with their object that could make them feel more mechanical?"

This could be another object, like Leafy's terrarium, a concept, like Coiny's stocks, or a simple shape, like the hexagon form of a pencil.

The process hasn’t changed much since then. It’s mostly brainstorming, which can be summed up as:

What do I know about the character? (Personality, Role in the world and story, Any details, Any design changes)

What other objects/ideas do I associate with their object?

How can I combine those ideas visually?

There's also two general "rules":

Most of the time, the character's head resembles the silhouette of their object, to be easier to recognize (though there's exceptions, like Pencil)

All contestants with arms have humanoid hands, while armless contestants have alternative ways of grabbing things (like GB's claws, PB's paws, Black Hole’s little planets, etc.)

To give an example, here’s the simplified process for Nickel:

First, for the core idea:

Randomness/Playfulness (Personality) + Money (Object) -> Casino -> Coin Pusher (but doesn't have a very recognizable shape) -> Slot machines ! And then using the shape of his holes (Design Changes) for the slot icons.

Then, for the body:

Similar to GB "I have the same shape and limbs as her" -> He has a similar silhouette/size and a claw like hers. But he's got arcade claw machine claws, instead of her Doc Ock inspired ones.

Counterpart to Coiny "I'm going to be the new coiny !" -> Head is more or less the negative space/opposite of Coiny's.

There's also a vague idea of puppet boy/pinnochio mixed in there, with the way his mouth and articulations look.

It's a lot of fun to play around and test things out ! I usually sketch multiple ideas from brainstorming until something clicks. Hope it was helpful, thank you again for your kind words ! ❤️

[saexy]

YCH CHOODLES

Hello everyone! a new ych chibi !! slots are currently limited. i may take more later.

batch I: closed / batch II: closed

slots are on first come first serve. comms will be queued as one per day.

payments via kofi or paypal (unfront) / same day or 1-2 days delivery after payment.

no refund / cancellation after payment is done.

all fandoms are okay.

expressions are customizable! these are simple sketches so please do not expect excessively detailed outfits.

solo icons are customizable for expressions. (its a profile icon sized)

more cats? done. bunnies? okay.

incase you want a different pose, i'm open to a discussion but no promises if it will be accepted.

feel free to dm / comment / leave an ask for quesries or to reserve a slot.

note: since my disk broke down. these will be done on my phone but will be fully rendered. I just ask you to be patient w the process <3 thankyou.

[ruvviks]

// COMMISSIONS!

opening up general commissions so i thought i'd make a new post, most info is already in the slides but i require a document with information and references before we can get started, list below!

// WHAT YOU'LL PUT IN THE DOC.

which type of commission you want (head/bust/half body + lines/color)

short description / introduction of your oc

at least one visual reference but preferably more; face claim, art, picrew (if the maker allows it), NO a/i art!

additional visual references such as pose, clothing, tattoos, and color scheme; if you don't have any preferences, you can skip this!

additional details that i need to keep in mind (freckles, scars, stuff like that)

what kind of background you'd like (solid color, gradient, dual color)

// NOTES.

DM me before paying! i would like to see references first before receiving payment, so i'll know what i'll be working on!

if there's no open slots left, i can put you on the waiting list and i'll reach out to you as soon as i've worked through my queue :D i work in batches as to not overwork myself, so i cannot give you an indication on how long you'll be on the waiting list

i'll keep you updated throughout the entire process, please keep an eye on your tumblr dms when commissioning me for smooth communication! i'm willing to move to discord for communication too, but if i don't know you well please keep it professional

i might charge extra for complicated background pattern requests, complicated armor or complicated tattoos, but feel free to request anything because we can always discuss details about stuff!

the end result is a digital artwork of your oc, you will not receive any physical goods!

you’re allowed to post the art wherever and use it for icons and such, as long as you don’t take credits for the art yourself. you are not allowed to sell it or use it for n/f/t or a/i purposes

ko-fi: ko-fi.com/nuclearvessel

[yunvind]

was gonna post my redesigns in batches but ehh so heres amber

my inspo pinboard. my process has been to read the character stories and associated stuff nd kinda figure out what vibes i wanna include. so obviously i kept her iconic rabbit thing going, and another interesting thing is her connection to birds. the fairy tale she gives us abt like the birds flying or whatever is i THINK iirc what helps her get her vision? + the feathers on her waist are mentioned in her stories that she obtained from a big ass bird. and given she is our resident gliding queen i went for an aviator type vibe soooo. amelia earhart! inclusion of phoenixes is once again the aforementioned bird thing as well as her liyue heritage since her grandpa impacted her so much.it might be canon that he gave her her goggles ?? but if it isnt then its canon to me now. another thing i believe it was her alt outfit story is that her og uniform got torn up easily out in the field and she would have to sew them up, so i added some cute patches here and there. i ended up not having a lot of bird stuff in the design aside from the feathers but i didnt want it too cluttered. i also had a sketch where she had a rabbit buddy whos ears spun around like helicopter blades to fly everywhere he did not make the cut sadly. she has a pompom charm on her belt on the back that looks like a bunny tail but i dont want to draw back views sorry so just know it exists

^first draft

[echonidae]

✦ COMMISSIONS REOPENING on monday, December 2nd!! ✦

hello there!! i'm a good deal late again (i miscalculated how much time it'd take to get everything ready for this new batch orz), but, i bring news of a new commission batch, scheduled for monday, December 2nd!!

i have a bunch of things to report, which you can read under the read-more (or over on [deviantArt!]) but yes, the important bits:

all commission types available!! regular orders: 12 slots total (3 active, 9 in queue) doodle orders: no limit so long as it's open!! (6 active slots!) pagedoll orders: also no limit!! (2 active slots!) the queue(s) will remain open indefinitely the waitlist for the next batch is unavailable until further notice ✦ digital medium only! the commissioned pieces are all .png files; no physical items will be shipped. ✦ for regular orders, max of 2 SLOTS per person; i'll be working on multiple orders one at a time (the second order will be moved into the queue) ✦ waiting period is 2 months at most! i tend to work fairly fast, and i'll keep you updated throughout the whole process!

here's a link to the commission info website!!

more info on the upcoming commissions + new stuff under the read-more!!

so!! >:3c

a new commission option!! we'ge got pagedolls now!! :"D

they're lil' stylized full-body portraits with transparent backgrounds, clean lineart and flatcolors :'3c i just posted the examples separately, you can check them out [here]!! they have their own queue, like doodles, but function the same as regular orders in terms of feedback and client updates– the different queue is just because pagedolls are faster to complete, and therefore it'd be nice if they didn't take regular-order-slots instead :')c no limit of orders per person, but i will be working on those 2 at a time c':

speaking of full-body, from here on all commission options offer full-body portraits, replacing knee-up!! i feel more confident with my art now to tackle full-body stuff :') with this, i went and changed the nomenclature of shoulder/waist/knee-up to just bust/half-body/full-body, which i reckon better suits how i tend to go about where to cut off portraits (uh... ribcage/mid-thigh/mid-calf-up x"Dc)

portraits can now have up to two characters!! slooowly climbing towards just having multiple extra characters x'Dc but for now, just the two!! prices vary depending on how much of the second character is visible (plus an extra fee if the 2nd character is Very Very Intricate design-wise). more on this below, and on the [website] too :')c

that said, familiars / pets / companions don't count as extra characters!! they have their own stipulations, also described below!!

this time i'll be (once again) working on a reduced amount of slots for regular orders (doodles and pagedolls exempt!), in an effort to finish things up in a more timely manner by focusing on a smaller amount of orders, and to then open new batches more often (since the last one was over a year ago). this time around, there will be a total of 12 slots for regular orders: 3 active slots that i'll be getting started on right away on monday, and then another 9 waiting in queue c: again, no deadline for those!!

since it's a small number of slots, regular orders slots are limited to two per person!! so that folks have a good chance of getting a slot :')c and given how it's just 3 active slots, i'll be working on multiple orders one at a time c':

doodles and pagedolls do not have those limits, and i'll just go about finishing them up as i can c: six doodles at a time, and two pagedolls at a time as well, but their respective queues have no slot limit, and folks can order as many as they want at once :3c

in a different note, over the course of the year, i've gone from using Paint Tool SAI to drawing and painting on Rebelle 7 instead, and have since acclimated well enough to continue commission work with no issue– i can now send the finalized files at better resolution too :"Dc yey nanopixel :3c

which reminds me, icons are now sized 1000px square insted of 800px!! minor change but still noteworthy x')c

lastly, cases in which no sketch presented is suitable, and no amount of editing said sketch can help its approval and the client would rather a new sketch be made, i can do so for a flat fee of 35% of the original order's price– this does not impact choosing between sketches and such, or my tendency towards working on more than one sketch for orders, or if the client has presented multiple sketch ideas for the same order :')c the modifications, big and small, of the sketch phase remain entirely part of the process and free of charge!! this is just in case an entirely new sketch is necessary, since the sketch portion of the process is usually the more complicated and time-consuming bit of the commission c': so, edge case, but it's a new thing added in and i want to make mention of it!!

other than that, prices have been updated, and there's been minor edits in wording for the sake of clarity in the terms on the [website], on the forms, and the descriptions of the options and extras c': i've also, as you may have noticed, updated all the examples on the info sheet and on the website to be past commissions!! some of which i have yet to post (orz on my way!!! ᕦ(ò_óˇ)ᕤ), but that you can see as well over on the commission-info-place :')c

and that's it for all the new stuff!! :'D

thank you so much again to everyone who ordered last batch (i'm so happy folks like the doodles so much, for one!! they've been a heckin' blast to work on, thank you all again!!), and everyone who reached out and sent messages and stopped by the commission-info-website for orders or to just say hi, i appreciate it tons :')c i'm looking forward to this new batch!! (´▽`ʃ♡ƪ)

thank you again, and i wish everyone a dang nice day!! :"D i'll be posting until then, but cya monday!!

[54prowl]

!!! SPOOKY SCARY COSTUME PARTY !!! [CLOSED]

Get dressed for the creepiest and crawliest event of the season! Do you wish to attend? Just answer the google form HERE and DM to reserve a slot. Payments will only be accepted via ko-fi. Have any questions or clarifications? Send them my way!

—

Other notes:

Organized and sufficient references make an artist happy.

Styles are templates; only gestures and designs can change.

Other details in the Gform!

—

!! please follow and reblog !!

twt | ig | ko-fi | past comms

—

image texts below the cut

—

YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO A

SPOOKY SCARY COSTUME PARTY

54prowl's Halloween Event 2023 September 13th - October 31st

Reserve slots via Gform and DM Payments accepted through Ko-fi

ASK GAME: Join the Haunt! rb + follow + send a ghost + fav emoji

—

ATTEND THE FESTIVITIES

Arrive in a pair (30USD) or trio (45USD)...

Cauldron

Broomstick

Ghost Hunt

...or go solo (15USD)

Trick-or-Treat (Mural 1)

Potion Bottle (Mural 2)

Batch orders of 4 get a solo icon for free!

—

EXPLORE THE VENUE

Gallery (100USD) - Solo

Ballroom (180USD) - Pair

Study (250USD) - Trio

A4 illustration | full color, bg, and props | character insert template | pose adjustments OK | complexity fee may apply to outfits/design

PROCESS

Answer the form and DM for a slot

Clarify details and send proof of payment

Wait around 2+ days for icons; 2+ weeks for illustrations

Receive your artwork! Post and tag me <3

[ramblingguy54]

Nine’s Betrayal: A Predictable Route, But Important Execution.

     To no surprise, the idea of Nine becoming more antagonistic in Prime came to pass, but I’d like to breakdown why it just works so well in execution. Prime from the get go had set up Nine was a super vulnerable kid. Obviously, a kid with a high IQ in having great mechanical talent, although still a hurt and highly jaded child, nonetheless. Nine has easily been one of my favorite parts of Sonic Prime. Taking such a simple concept of reverse good guy doing something more interesting with it. He isn’t just a run of the mill polar opposite, rather one whom has been dealt a bad hand in turn lashing out at everyone and everything. Nine hasn’t ever taken chances in opening himself up after countless times being abused for his two tails. It wasn’t until Sonic arrived in his dimension, Nine began slightly letting his guard down.

     This moment between them in Prime’s very first episode is extremely crucial because it sets up the real solitude of Nine’s characterization. Immediately I felt sympathy for Tails’ polar opposite, given his unfortunate circumstances. Nine had to fend for himself with no real mentor figure to guide him, other than his own experiences. Nine buried away any sense of identity, or happiness, in favor of going full on coldly detached. Hiding those two tails in shame because it made Nine feel like a freak of nature. Suddenly, a happy go lucky guy, like Sonic, comes crashing into his reality. Boldly stating they’re close companions praising his natural gifts and calling those other mechanical tails seriously amazing.

     Nine has become desensitized to being seen as some disfigured individual, yet here someone is not mocking or assaulting him just because of his appearance. He didn’t know what to do in emotionally processing the fact someone is saying, “Embrace who you are! It doesn’t matter anyone else thinks!”, in a world where fears rules with an iron fist as their status quo. Perhaps, Nine reluctantly saw someone he could call a friend at long last, even if the kid didn’t want to fully admit to himself. As I had hoped, Sonic & Nine’s dynamic in Prime is a big aspect of the story getting explored. Honestly, with the way things have been handled thus far, I’d arguably say Sonic & Nine’s dysfunctional bond may pan out to be my favorite iterations Sonic & Tails iconic brotherly concept. There’s more going on underneath in their friendship.

     Shadow had warned Sonic from the start about being weary of Nine, to which he severely opposes him on said notion. Sonic’s optimism of seeing the best in others completely 180′d on him in the worst fashion. Nine’s highly self-conscious, jaded nature, and intelligence brought him to the same conclusion Shadow previously reached. If he returns all the Shatter pieces to normal, then there’s a likely chance he’ll disappear in exchange for restoring Sonic’s home world. He realized this after seeing the other Tails’ counterparts. Especially looking directly at the original Tails whom started it all scoffing at him. Any affection, or respect for that matter, Nine had toward Sonic began to fade away.

“You just assumed I’d go along with you, no matter what! Did you ever consider what I wanted!?”

     Nine was putting the pieces together in his mind realizing, “Sonic only likes me because he believes I’m just like his Tails. That I’ll agree to what he says and thinks.”, feeling very hurt by this revelation. He always had different intentions of what his “happy ending” was going to be. Seeing someone disregard his beliefs in favor of comparison to what is supposed to be an original counterpart did more to Nine than just sting. It felt like he been stabbed in the back after opening up his heart to someone. Something this poor kid hasn’t done in a very long time. Who’s to say Nine wasn’t questioning his place in all of this, as well?

    Throughout these new batch of episodes, Nine has been trying his best to give Sonic a helping hand. Putting his life on the line, so he can get a chance to return the favor of helping Sonic. Sonic had made Nine reconsider maybe there’s more to a life than simply a preference of being just another loner in a world where everyone fends for themselves. Only to have it thrown to the way side because Nine came to that same conclusion as Shadow did before. If Green Hill is to be restored, then himself, the Shatter-verse, and all other realities must apparently cease to exist. It not only terrifies him, but also makes Nine view himself as just another small cog in the system. A means to an end.

“Look’s like I can’t ever be happy.”

“Sonic doesn’t see me for who I truly am.”

“My very existence is irrelevant.”

“I don’t matter.”

     Wouldn’t surprise me if these thoughts were bubbling around in his mind before this heated confrontation happened. Nine doubles back down on his loner attitude because ultimately it has been what kept him getting hurt for so long. Getting dealt yet another hard dose of truth that Sonic stuck to his guns on Nine because he thought they would see eye to eye, like his own Tails. However, Shadow was completely right about Nine being different from who they know. Nine has been through a ton of emotional torment, even though there is still good in him. Any kindness is buried underneath a mountain of insecurities. Hence, the whole outcry of, “I AM REAL! Just not your real friend...”, is Nine hardly reaffirming his value as a person. That he isn’t defined by anything.  

    It’s what makes their dynamic so refreshing to watch between Sonic & Nine because he can’t just simply give an uplifting speech to make Tails feel better about himself. He’s gonna have to show some strong actions to Nine about his existence having significance. Breaking through those mental barriers of his isn’t gonna be easy after this falling out they’ve had. Nine has assumed Sonic didn’t genuinely ever care about him, despite standing up for him against Shadow earlier. To say I’m excited for Prime’s third season would be an understatement.

     Prime’s central conflict being centered around Sonic & Nine’s dynamic was a terrific idea, instead of simply going against different incarnations of Eggman. This makes matters a lot more dramatically complex. It isn’t simply about Sonic fixing his serious mistakes, but having to battle someone he never wanted to hurt. Sonic is gonna have to acknowledge his major oversight in not treating Nine for who he actually is. Nine isn’t Tails. He’ll never be Miles Tails Prower. Nine is a child molded by a world that was cruelly unfair to him and told he could never been proclaimed as an equal, ever. He had to do growing up on his own.

    This shot hurts to look at because you can see every ounce Nine’s remorse written all over his face thinking, “I should’ve known better than to ever put faith in someone other than myself. Why did I get my hopes up for thinking anything good would come of it?”. All the aspirations of wanting a clean slate with someone he deeply valued only to find out it was based on an empty comparison shattered Nine’s own hopes and dreams in the process.

“The only person I can ever trust is myself...”

     Sonic Prime Season 2 ends with our iconic protagonist hurting someone he never intended to, turning him into the next bigger hurdle to overcome. The writers took such a basic straight forward idea on paper making into an emotionally charged story testing Sonic’s resolve in facing down a friend.

     Taking well known tropes in stories should never be viewed as a bad thing. It’s what you go about doing with these ideas that truly matters. Sonic Prime is simply another reminder of that with Sonic & Nine’s contrasting personalities.

[iconic-albums-tournament]

WELCOME TO THE ICONIC ALBUMS TOURNAMENT!

This event is a single elimination, bracket-style tournament with 256 competitors! The polls are uploaded in batches of 16 per day, every half an hour from 2 to 10 pm EST, beginning on June 28th. Each poll will be reblogged once the day after it was uploaded, between the hours of 6 am to 2 pm EST.

What makes an album iconic? It's up to interpretation! Factors like critical acclaim, awards won, sales, effect on the artists career, and influence on other artists/the music industry as a whole - hell, even the commercial impact of the album art are all valid considerations. If it comes down to it, which one you just plain like better is also a 100% valid factor.

Feel free to send propaganda, either on a reblog, comment, or ask. Propaganda sent in during round 1 will be added below a cut on round 2 polls!

With that out of the way, there's a few important things to keep in mind!

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS:

1. This tournament will, by its nature, be very US-centric. Every single country has a unique set of albums considered to be iconic, and considering all these factors would cause the project to spiral to an unmanageable size. Additionally, the mods of this project are American, and thus have the most familiarity with music popular in the US. As such, American sales figures, Grammy wins, and inclusion on the National Recording Registry were used as part of the selection process.

2. Try to avoid anger over certain albums not being included. 256 is a very large tournament size, but the pool of albums that could be considered iconic is much larger (the Rolling Stone Greatest Albums list alone is 500 albums long!). Although the list was put together with an attempt to avoid bias, no one person can be familiar with all music, and thus there will unavoidably be blind spots and accidental omissions with such a subjective topic as this. Do feel free to submit asks sharing un-included albums that you consider iconic! Discovering new music is always a good time.

3. To continue the above point: if certain genres seem under- or over-represented, that's because the importance placed on the album varies by genre. As an example, rock and hip-hop tend to be more album-focused, while country and disco are more singles-focused. Iconic singles do not necessarily an iconic album make!

4. Only one album was allowed for an individual artists, with exceptions for artists who released work both individually and as a part of a band/group; for those instances, two albums by the artist were allowed. Examples include MF DOOM and Madvillain, or Neil Young and CSNY.

5. "Greatest hits" compilations and movie/video game soundtracks were also excluded for the most part. Greatest hits/compliation albums were excluded due to their success drawing more from the star power of individual singles rather than their merits as cohesive wholes; several exceptions were made for extraordinary circumstances. Soundtracks were excluded since their success is more tied to the impact of the movie/video game that they were featured in than the artistic merits of the music itself; exceptions were made for soundtracks that outperformed their movies in sales and cultural impact.

6. Every single album included in this tournament is considered to be very good, whether that be by critical, commercial, or cult status. Nevertheless, first round match-ups were seeded to avoid obvious titan vs. titan clashes. If a match-up seems to be poorly seeded to you, keep in mind that that might just be because *every* album included in this tournament is considered iconic by some standard.

7. While naturally a tournament of this nature will provoke debate, there are limits. Good spirited discourse and debate are encouraged, and light-hearted slap-fighting is totally fine. However, it's important to remember that, at the end of the day, this is about *music*, an incredibly personal preference-based subject. Death threats or suicide baiting will result in an automatic reply removal and block.

Now that that's out of the way, you can find the current list of matchups under the cut (or wait until the polls release, if you're into that):

Guns N' Roses - Appetite for Deconstruction vs. Tame Impala - Currents

Mary J. Blige - My Life vs. Beastie Boys - Licensed to Ill

Kendrick Lamar - good kid, m.A.A.d city vs. American Football - American Football

Run-D.M.C. - Raising Hell vs. Lil Wayne - Tha Carter III

Queen Latifah - Black Reign vs. Jay-Z - The Blueprint

MF DOOM - Mm…Food vs. Arcade Fire - Funeral

Nicki Minaj - Pink Friday vs. Sly and the Family Stone - There's a Riot Goin' On

Wu-Tang Clan - Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) vs. Lil' Kim - Hard Core

Eminem - The Marshall Mathers LP vs. Queen - A Night at the Opera

Tyler, The Creator - Scum Fuck Flower Boy vs. The Grateful Dead - American Beauty

Nas - Illmatic vs. N.W.A - Straight Outta Compton

David Bowie - The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars vs. Van Halen - Van Halen

The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground & Nico vs. No Doubt - Tragic Kingdom

Dr. Dre - The Chronic vs. J. Cole - 2014 Forest Hills Drive

Slick Rick - The Great Adventures of Slick Rick vs. Outkast - Speakerboxxx/The Love Below

J Dilla - Donuts vs. Jimi Hendrix Experience - Are You Experienced

Donna Summer - Bad Girls vs. Violent Femmes - Violent Femmes

ABBA - Arrival vs. blink-182 - Enema of the State

Babatunde Olatunji - Drums of Passion vs. Morton Subotnick - Silver Apples of the Moon

Three Days Grace - One-X vs. Charlie xcx - BRAT

Kraftwerk - Trans-Europe Express vs. Aphex Twin - Selected Ambient Works 85-92

Rage Against the Machine - Rage Against the Machine vs. Against Me! - Transgender Dysphoria Blues

John Lennon and Yoko Ono - Double Fantasy vs. Bad Bunny - Un Verano Sin Ti

Bob Marley and the Wailers - Exodus vs. Counting Crows - August and Everything After

Enya - Watermark vs. Coldplay - A Rush a Blood to the Head

Britney Spears - In the Zone vs. Justice - †

Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath vs. My Chemical Romance - The Black Parade

Brian Eno - Ambient 1: Music for Airports vs. Lady Gaga - The Fame Monster

Blondie - Parallel Lines vs. Madonna - Like a Virgin

Tears for Fears - Songs from the Big Chair vs. Nirvana - Nevermind

System of a Down - Toxicity vs. Paramore - Riot!

Sade - Diamond Life vs. Porter Robinson - Worlds

Dusty Springfield - Dusty in Memphis vs. Fleetwood Mac - Rumours

Thelonius Monk - Brilliant Corners vs. Björk - Vespertine

Tina Turner - Private Dancer vs. Janet Jackson - Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814

Florence and the Machine - Lungs vs. Lana Del Ray - Born To Die

The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds vs. Boyz II Men - II

Amy Winehouse - Back to Black vs. Olivia Rodrigo - SOUR

Fiona Apple - Tidal vs. Glass Animals - How to Be a Human Being

D'Angelo - Voodoo vs. Frank Ocean - channel ORANGE

Halsey - Badlands vs. Mitski - Be the Cowboy

Lorde - Pure Heroine vs. Billie Eilish - When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?

Harry Belafonte - Calypso vs. Katy Perry - Teenage Dream

Willie Colón and Rubén Blades - Siembra vs. Celtic Woman - Celtic Woman

Miles Davis - Kind of Blue vs. Otis Redding - Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul

Junior Wells - Hoodoo Man Blues vs. Aretha Franklin - I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You

Robert Johnson - The Complete Recordings vs. Sublime - Sublime

John Coltrane - A Love Supreme vs. Stevie Wonder - Songs in the Key of Life

The Mothers of Invention - We're Only in It for the Money vs. Cap'n Jazz - Shmap'n Shmazz

Weezer - Weezer vs. The Beatles - Abbey Road

Jeff Buckley - Grace vs. Dave Matthews Band - Crash

Pearl Jam - Ten vs. U2 - The Joshua Tree

Linkin Park - Hybrid Theory vs. Ramones - Ramones

The Smiths - The Smiths vs. The Pixies - Surfer Rosa

Red Hot Chili Peppers - Californiacation vs. Death Cab for Cutie - Plans

Alice in Chains - Dirt vs. Dio - Holy Diver

Bon Jovi - Slippery When Wet vs. AC/DC - Back in Black

MGMT - Oracular Spectacular vs. The Rolling Stones - Exile on Main St.

Chicago - Chicago Transit Authority vs. Carole King - Tapestry

Audioslave - Audioslave vs. Pink Floyd - The Dark Side of the Moon

Arctic Monkeys - AM vs. Panic! at the Disco - A Fever You Can't Sweat Out

Sleep - Dopesmoker vs. Patti Smith - Horses

Tool - Lateralus vs. Santana - Supernatural

Car Seat Headrest - Twin Fantasy vs. Bruce Springsteen - Born to Run

Vince Guaraldi - A Charlie Brown Christmas vs. Dave Brubeck Quartet - Time Out

The Mountain Goats - Tallahassee vs. Sufjan Stevens - Illinois

The Weeknd - House of Balloons vs. Nick Drake - Pink Moon

Israel Kamakawiwoʻole - Facing Future vs. Mississippi John Hurt - Today!

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band - Will the Circle be Unbroken vs. Van Morrison - Moondance

Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago vs. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes

B.B. King - Live at the Regal vs. Marvin Gaye - What's Going On

Frank Sinatra - In the Wee Small Hours vs. Joni Mitchell - Blue

The Band - The Band vs. Hozier - Hozier

Shania Twain - Come On Over vs. Alicia Keys - Songs in A Minor

Curtis Mayfield - Super Fly vs. Earth, Wind & Fire - All 'n All

The Chicks - Wide Open Space vs. Carrie Underwood - Some Hearts

Marty Robbins - Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs vs. Jim Croce - You Don't Mess Around with Jim

Herbie Hancock - Head Hunters vs. FKA Twigs - LP1

Johnny Cash - At Folsom Prison vs. Etta James - At Last!

TLC - CrazySexyCool vs. Ms. Lauryn Hill - The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill

Roger Payne - Songs of the Humpback Whale vs. Drake - Take Care

Carly Rae Jepson - E•MO•TION vs. BTS - Love Yourself: Tear

The Police - Synchronicity vs. Jamiroquai - Travelling Without Moving

50 Cent - Get Rich or Die Tryin' vs. Ariana Grande - Thank U, Next

Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliot - Supa Dupa Fly vs. Nelly Furtado - Loose

Wendy Carlos - Switched-On Bach vs. Talking Heads - Remain in Light

Madvillain - Madvillainy vs. Nero - Welcome Reality

Janelle Monáe - Dirty Computer vs. Chappell Roan - The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess

Elton John - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road vs. Norah Jones - Come Away with Me

Prince - Purple Rain vs. Lil Nas X - Montero

One Direction - Take Me Home vs. Death Grips - Exmilitary

Daft Punk - Discovery vs. LCD Soundsystem - This is Happening

Grace Jones - Nightclubbing vs. Beyoncé - Lemonade

Kid Cudi - Man on the Moon: The End of Day vs. Adele - 21

Public Enemy - It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back vs. The Notorious B.I.G. - Ready to Die

De La Soul - 3 Feet High and Rising vs. Pete rock & CL Smooth - Mecca and the Soul Brother

Justin Timberlake - FutureSex/LoveSounds vs. Bee Gees (+ Various Artists - Saturday Night Fever

The Clash - London Calling vs. The White Stripes - The White Stripes

Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy vs. Chance the Rapper - Acid Rap

Willie Nelson - Red Headed Stranger vs. Tracy Chapman - Tracy Chapman

2Pac - All Eyez on Me vs Travis Scott - Astroworld

A Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory vs. Flying Lotus - Cosmogramma

Bob Dylan - Highway 61 Revisited vs. Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Aeroplane Over the Sea

Radiohead - OK Computer vs. Father John Misty - I Love You, Honeybear

Depeche Mode - Violater vs. SOPHIE - OIL OF EVERY PEARL'S UN-INSIDES

Marina and the Diamonds - Electra Heart vs. Megan Thee Stallion - Suga

Yusuf / Cat Stevens - Tea for the Tillerman vs. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - Déjà Vu

Snoop Dogg - Doggystyle vs. Doechii - Alligator Bites Never Heal

Michael Jackson - Thriller vs. Rihanna - Anti

Nelly - Country Grammar vs Steely Dan - Aja

Simon & Garfunkel - Bridge Over Troubled Water vs. Neil Young - Harvest

Lupe Fiasco - Lupe Fiasco's Food and Liquor vs. The Spice Girls - Spice

100 gecs - 1000 gecs vs. Beck - Mellow Gold

Lemon Demon - Spirit Phone vs. Taylor Swift - 1989

T. Rex - Electric Warrior vs. Meat Loaf - Bat Out of Hell

Foo Fighters - The Colour and the Shape vs. Fall Out Boy - Infinity on High

Eagles - Hotel California vs. Midnight Oil - Diesel and Dust

Deftones - White Pony vs. The Strokes - Is This It

The Killers - Hot Fuss vs. Vampires Weekend - Vampire Weekend

R.E.M. - Murmur vs. Alanis Morissette - Jagged Little Pill

Nine Inch Nails - The Downward Spiral vs. Muse - Black Holes and Revelations

Slipknot - Slipknot vs. Evanescence - Fallen

Paul Simon - Graceland vs. Billy Joel - The Stranger

Hole - Live Through This vs. Green Day - American Idiot

Metallica - Master of Puppets vs. Led Zeppelin - Untitled

Funkadelic - Maggot Brain vs. Childish Gambino - "Awaken, My Love!"

The Doors - The Doors vs. Two Door Cinema Club - Tourist History

The Who - Tommy vs. Gorillaz - Demon Days

[greenerteacups]

Hello dear, first I want to say how happy I am that you are back and I am ecstatic that you are prioritizing your health first. You are a treasure to the fandom and I know I'm not the only one who would wait happily for decades to read even a scrap of your writing. I feel like I take up 20% of your inbox with my random questions but what is your hogwarts house? Do you think it changes as we age? I am of the opinion that we all have qualities from each house and it’s hard to define us to one.

Thank you, my friend! I wish the Tumblr search function wasn't fucked because I feel like I wrote a long essay about this some time ago, but basically, I think each House is a culture that shapes those who are Sorted into it, and that people are given a House that either challenges or reassures them in whatever way the Hat deems best for their development. For the kids with strong personalities, that means giving them somewhere they can meet other like-minded kids and develop their virtues together. For the kids who are still figuring themselves out, that means a place they can fit in and grow, or possibly somewhere that helps them find themselves, even if they don't fit in at first. That means House might not necessarily reflect one's personality, especially early-on, but that it will usually reflect something about you by the time you graduate.

My personal, un-evidenced, un-peer-reviewed, blind-speculation conspiracy theory is that the Hogwarts Houses were never meant to be as significant or divisive as they came to be by 1991. I think they would have started out as literal dormitories stewarded by the respective founders, for ease of labor distribution — "houses" being the usual way you divide space in British boarding school — and not much more than that. I don't even know if I buy that Gryffindors would have been sorted because they were per se brave, originally. Like, the whole story of them going "how do we chop up this batch of kids into four parts?" and Gryffindor going "I've got it! my hat will decide!" is, in my opinion, a pretty solid metaphor for pulling names out of a literal hat, which you could back when you only had a few students in any given year. The Sorting Hat, in this view, would be an invention created later on to make the process easier in large numbers, and to give the impression of order in the Sorting process. 

[Sidebar: I've always been eager to know where the Sorting Hat comes from, and what kind of enchantments are on it. The answer that we get in the books is that the Founders made it, but in no other part of the series is there any other kind of magic that has the ability to fully read a human mind and make sentient deductions based on its findings. (I'm reminded of the iconic Arthur Weasley line: "Never trust something if you can't see where it keeps its brain.") Maybe that's just early installment weirdness; maybe it's just magic, and I shouldn't think too hard about it. But if I were the author, I would want readers to pick up on how obviously and chillingly well Arthur's line applies to the object that is responsible for a vast majority of things that happen to Harry after Chapter 7 of The Sorcerer's Stone. End sidebar.]

This raises the question of how the Houses became associated with characteristics in the first place, if the first cohorts were really random selection. I think it's more that the first batches of students in Gryffindor's house naturally followed and emulated him as a model, and over the years, that developed into Gryffindor having a culture of bravery/recklessness, after Godric himself. Same with Ravenclaw and Slytherin — though there's a sticky wicket in that Slytherin seems to be on record from Day 1 as being against muggle-born students in his hosue. The line "We teach those whose ancestry is purest" comes from the Hat's song — but like, that couldn't have possibly been an original stipulation for Slytherin house, right? Because they were having disagreements about whether to admit muggle-borns well after the school was opened, implying that either there weren't really enough muggle-borns for that to be an issue beforehand, or that Slytherin tolerated it up to a point, reached his limit, went "well, I'M not fucking teaching them," and banned them from his house in a pissy gesture of so-there-ism. If that's the case, it could be that the blood ban was the first institutional requirement to be admitted to a certain house. (There's still an open question of whether there are any, or have ever been, muggle-born Slytherins. If I'm an administrator, I see absolutely no reason to respect some asshole's wishes to have a literal Blood Segregation House after he's resigned and/or died; but that's also assuming a progressivism that we can't fairly assign to wizarding administrators from the 1600s, say). There's Rowling ephemera about all of this, but in my view, the books are inconclusive.

Hufflepuff makes even more sense in this light, because then you don't have to wrestle out the inconsistent characterizations it gets in the series — is their House virtue "loyal?" or "hardworking"? or "determined"? or "free-spirited"? — and don't have to square Helga Hufflepuff going "I'll take the rest" in the Hat's song, because then it's just like: oh, yeah, Helga was a really easygoing lady, she didn't cultivate a cult of personality among her students, and that means Hufflepuff House never developed a really clear identity based on her profile. Things like the House Cup, the point system, the quidditch teams, and the various reputations/rivalries (like Slytherin being the "Dark wizard" house in some circles) are all traditions that could have developed over the centuries.

None of this is necessarily supported by canon. I just think that it would be a neat way to explain some facets of the Sorting Hat and the House system without having to resort to "because it's magic" as an answer.

[insecateur]

i fell back hard into making 100x100 icons in the process of hosting a prompt meme and i'm making a batch of petscop icons rn. but one of my visions ended up being kind of not as good in that format, so i also saved a bigger version ifever someone wants to use it as an icon:

it's 400x400 and free to use obviously. no need to credit me but i won't stop you if you do

[probadbatch]

Ok Bad Batch fans

I really don't want to be the person who squashes your theories and dreams but there is one thing I just keep seeing and I can't let you get your hopes up and wind up heartbroken over it.

Remember this?

Project Necromancer is the 'somehow' in "somehow, Palpatine returned."

I'm very sorry but this isn't about bringing back Tech. It's about bringing back Palpatine's wrinkly old ass.

Hemlock & Co are trying to clone Palpatine so that his spirit can move from his current body to a clone body and essentially live forever. The trouble they're having is with reproducing Palpatine's force abilities. That's why they're after Omega - something about her blood allows them to transfer force abilities during the cloning process.

The shadow council in Mando season 3 talks about it by name:

I get it, we were all distraught after TBB season 2 ended so Mando season 3 wasn't something we could commit to memory. I feel ya.

To sum it up - the Imperial Remnant has no real leaders among them so they're still trying to clone and resurrect their dead-Emperor in order to take over the galaxy again. But they still don't know how to do it so they're trying to buy themselves time until Hux's dad can figure it out.

That's why they were after Baby Yoda btw - Dr. Pershing needed a sample with his m-count to study so they could get a Palpatine clone that still had force abilities.

They do eventually manage to clone the old bastard but they can't get any force abilities to transfer. That's how Rey came to be - her dad was once of those force-null clones.

And then later they finally cram some amount of force abilities into the clones but as we see in TROS, those clones aren't quite up to snuff and had a tendency to fall apart once he tried to inhabit them with all of his dark side energy. That's why he eventually decided to Sith-lineage his way into inhabiting Rey or whatever the fuck that was at the end of the movie.

Everyone forgets that this guy explains what happened just a few seconds after Oscar Isaac's iconic line:

Also, cloning yourself so you can come back from the dead definitely falls under the category of 'abilities some consider to be unnatural.' That's what he's talking about when he tells Hemlock that many in the Empire would consider his work to be an 'abomination.'

I guess the good news is that since ol' Palps is still having trouble getting a clone body to work for him sixty years later in TROS, that probably means they don't get what they want from Omega.

So again. Very sorry. I really would like to tell you that they're resurrecting Tech. I still think Tech will come back but Project Necromancer won't be how he does it.

[half-truths-and-hyperbole-louk]

Louk's Bad Batch rewatch part 29 !!!

we're in the second half of season 2 batchersss (was gonna say were in the end game now but I'll save that for tomorrow 😫)

The Bad Batch 2x09

her voice 🥲 she sounds so down it hurts

"sounds dangerous" *giggles* ilysm Wrecker 💕

Hunter sniffing dirt again hehe

Tech says "without Echo" and Omega immediately droops her head 😫

creeper peekin 👀

I love how Wrecker was carrying the case with one hand and Hunter needs two and keeps adjusting it 💪

Wrecker checking in on Omega 🤲

oop Omega dramatic sigh count 👀

Hunter lifting Omega up 🥺

"chain reaction, explosion got it 🙄" tbb dealing with teenage fett mood swings now

gentle hands 🤲

that is not your ship kid 👀

Hunter slams the highly dangerous explosives into the ground lmaooo

Hunter hearing the ship power up !!! his turns so fast and jumps over the stairs 🙌

the bickering batch

they're literally all so feral at each other rn 😮

Wrecker giving Omega water first 🥺

she's calling Echo for help 😭

Tech knows he disabled his comms... have they been chattin 👀

Hunter's senses on fire this ep 👌

Hunter pushing Omega in front of him and steering her out of the way 🙌

the Lion King ???

Tech: "protect the ipsium!" Wrecker: bruh 😑

the ipsium survived Hunter slamming it on the ground I'm sure it'll be fine

Wrecker: "why don't you carry it 😠" Tech: "fine" lolol

Tech is so strong omg he carried it like Wrecker 👀

Omega needs something to cover her face in this sandstorm 🥲 give her a helmet

THEY'RE SO SHITTY BOYS CALM DOWN !!!

Omega bby someone hug her !!!!! 😫😭

"what is your issue" 💔

how soft Hunter said her name ���🤲

Tech doesnt understand the emotional connection she has to everything but they probably all struggle to see that being soldiers, they're taught to let go of things, stay in the moment to be able to be the best they can, she's just a kid who wants her brother and her home back after just losing everything, I can completely understand both sides of this 🥲 I'm blabbing and it's not making sense anymore 🙃

"thats not the only mistake you need to fix" Hunter's dad mode applies to Tech now too

Tech: "but she said she wanted to be alone" 🥺

they're getting so much better at the whole dad/big brother thing 💕

Tech said her name so gently 😭

Omega and Tech having the same ideas 🥰

"I am fully aware you are capable of the task" 🥺

TECH BLINDLY FOLLOWING OMEGA WHEN SHE FALLS MY HEART

oop I forgot the 😫 Tech falls count: we're on 5 now

THE WAY HE GRABS HER IN THE WATER OML 😭 he was so desperate to save her

Hunter sensing they're in trouble 👀

Not only do I love Hunter's senses but I also love how aware they all are of him, like they all question him every time he pauses or looks off at something, they're all just so aware of each other 💕

Tech and Omega lying down out of the water 🤲

Tech emptying the water from his glasses !! 🥺

"we are alive" ~ bro I love how often he responds like this I can't wait to hear it again hehehe

Omega's wet droopy hair is getting so long 🥺

"the narrow crevasse" i love the way he talks he's so fancy 💅

Putting a bunch of quotes in bc they're iconic 💕

Omega: "everything is changing and you don't even care"

Tech: "I am not sure how I should care about change, it is a fundamental part of life"

Tech: "I am aware that you miss him, but we have to adapt and move on. That's what soldiers do."

Omega: "we're more than that. We're a family aren't we?"

Tech: "yes of course we are"

Omega: "why don't you act like it?"

Tech: "Echo chose a different path, as did Crosshair. I have to respect their decision. Even though it can be difficult to understand, we must carry on. I may process moments and thoughts differently, but it does not mean that I feel any less than you"

I have to put it all in bc this scene means so much to me 🥺🤲💕

Wrecker's scream and the big *fwosshhh* landing in the water vs Hunter's tiny *bloop*

Omega's wave 🫶

the way Hunter just tosses Tech's stuff out of the water and he's still holding Omega's bow is the difference between brother and dad

wet hair Hunter when 👀

Omega "see that wasn't so bad" Wrecker: 👍

Tech being almost as precise as Crosshair 💕

Tech and Omega looking at each other 👀🤲

Hunter noticing somethings different with Omega now after talking with Tech 🥺

CID 🔫 I want to hunt her for sport fr 😈

Omega quoting Tech 💕💕💕💕

oooohhhh this ep holds a special place in my heart fr

[rebelsofshield]

Updated Canon Star Wars Shows Ranking

The Bad Batch's third and final season begins tomorrow! What better time to take stock of how the series is currently stacking up against the nine other canon series' in the Star Wars sag.

(As always, please feel free to sound off in the replies or reblogs with how wrong I am. I love hearing your thoughts.)

10. Star Wars: The Book of Boba Fett

Oscillating between dull and distracted, the original iconic bucket headed bounty hunter’s show displays Star Wars at its most shallow and routine. Despite claiming to be a Godfather-esque crime saga, The Book of Boba Fett feels oddly toothless and impersonal. In the process, the series does the ultimate disservice of making its title character less interesting at its conclusion than its outset. A great leading duo in Temuera Morrison and Ming-na Wen can’t really save a series that rarely if ever rises above being passable.

9. Star Wars Resistance

A fun, atypical series that aims for a younger audience with a lighter, more comedic tone. Some fans may not gel with its sometimes zany energy, but it boasts some impressively nuanced character arcs and standout aerial combat set pieces. It ends though on an awkward rushed note that may be as much a fault of the shambling structure of the sequel trilogy as the show itself.

8. Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi

Ewan McGregor’s big return to the role of Obi-Wan Kenobi somehow feels like less than the sum of its parts. McGregor is wonderful as the title character and there are some truly emotional moments to be found in watching this old Jedi Master find his purpose and make peace with the trauma that came with the end of the Clone Wars, but overall Kenobi rarely manages to hit the highs it should. Messy production design and some clunky mid-season narrative choices end up cutting the series down in moments when the drama should be at its highest. For a series that may have been the most demanded Star Wars project of the last decade, Obi-Wan Kenobi never manages to fully reach the hype of its fanbase or the potential of its character.

7. Star Wars The Mandalorian

After an uneven but mostly promising first season, The Mandalorian has had trouble finding its footing. Despite being the flagship series for not only Star Wars live action television but also the Disney+ streaming platform, Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni’s space western has seemed unsure of itself after two seasons that pushed back its main characters in favor of a parade of cameos and clunky franchise focused world building. Luckily, it still has an eye for spectacle and flash. The Mandalorian looks like a blockbuster action-adventure movie and even when the story fails to live up to its potential, you can still count on the series’ consistently strong directing talent to deliver on some fantastic moments of Star Wars spectacle and creatively designed characters and locales.

6. Star Wars Ahsoka

One of the most ambitious and complicated offerings from Star Wars’ live action television offerings, Ahsoka is the culmination of not only fifteen years of storytelling but an important evolution of both its central character and her creator, Dave Filoni. Unfortunately, it does frequently buckle under the weight of its own mythology and continuity. Trying to create a coherent identity out of a show that functionally serves as a spin off to three separate series, two of which are animated, often proves difficult and clunky. There are, however, moments of wonder and grandeur when Ahsoka really does shine. Whether its in the phenomenal performance of Ray Stevenson as the series’ enigmatic villain, Baylan Skoll, or how enthusiastically Ahsoka embraces the franchise’s more fantastical and weird story elements, Dave Filoni demonstrates that he does still have a sense for how to tell worthy stories in this galaxy.

5. Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi

Recently confirmed to be more than a one-time special set of animated short films, Tales of the Jedi now looks to be a regular animated anthology that fleshes out the unexplored angles of some of the most famous members of the Order. While the three installments focusing on Ahsoka offer little more than a reunion for fans of The Clone Wars, the miniature trilogy that Tales of the Jedi tells about the fall of Count Dooku to the Dark Side are masterfully written and directed editions to the animated Star Wars canon. Not only do they finally add emotional and philosophical clarity to one of the most famous villains from the Prequel Trilogy, but they provide a murky exploration into some of the Jedi Order’s failings and why exactly members of its ranks would be tempted to leave it behind.

4. Star Wars: The Bad Batch

While it suffers from some of the same pacing issues that abound in almost all Star Wars television, The Bad Batch has evolved into a fun ensemble action series with some truly stellar character moments scattered throughout. In particular, this Clone Wars spinoff excels in diving into the uncertain fate of the Grand Army of the Republic. At its core is the question of what happens to a people bred for wartime when that wartime ends? The results are often tragic and occasionally disturbing, but almost always make for standout television. Throw in some gripping action set pieces and you have a more than worthy follow up to one of the most beloved pieces of Star Wars canon.

3. Star Wars: The Clone Wars

A very rough start and scattered snooze worthy story arcs aside, The Clone Wars is an ambitious as hell show that pretty much launched Star Wars as we currently know it. Its anthology style format allowed for its creators to tell a wide variety of stories that not only deepened a previously maligned era of the series but also played tribute to many of George Lucas’s creative influences. Great swing for the fences storytelling risks and gorgeous animation elevate this series into blockbuster level entertainment that balances incredible spectacle with powerful moments of character development and franchise redefining mythology.

2. Star Wars Rebels

A wonderful achievement in character and inventive storytelling, Star Wars Rebels reaches heights that are among the best moments the franchise has ever produced. Through its endearing and refreshingly complex ensemble cast and a tight four-season arc, Rebels feels like a complete, unique package that isn’t afraid to take risks and knows when and how to challenge its audience. Even occasional filler episodes aren’t enough to detract from what is overall a charming, suspenseful, and ultimately moving series of family and the fight against tyranny.

1. Star Wars Andor

Star Wars at its most human and political, Andor is thoughtful and meticulously crafted drama about the early days of a rebellion. Taking its title character from the ashes of Rogue One and spinning off into the story of a complicated man living in the shadow of fascism, Andor offers up intrigue, emotion, and a stirring critique of systems of oppression whether they be from the galaxy far, far away or own humble little world. Even outside of its heady political allegory, Andor is simply fantastically directed and acted television scattering a marathon of all-time-classic Star Wars moments throughout its first season. It’s that rare gem that only seems to come around only once or twice a decade: Star Wars that is not only great within the context of its universe but a truly essential work of pop cultural art.

[54prowl]

!!!A ROMANTIC(-COMEDY) HOLIDAY AFFAIR!!! [CLOSED]

Savor the last moments of 2023 and celebrate with a bang (and new art!). Don't miss out on the festivities at the final commission event of the year! Ready to go? Just answer the Google form HERE and DM to RSVP. Payments will only be accepted via ko-fi. Have any questions or clarifications? Send them my way!

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Other details in the Gform!

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!! please follow and reblog !!

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A ROMANTIC(-COMEDY) HOLIDAY AFFAIR

54prowl’s End of Year Event

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Reserve slots via Gform and DM

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[warsamongthestars]

Honestly you are so right. I never thought about it like that.

Having recently rewatch TBB from their introduction episode in TCW, i kept going "what the hell".

Admittingly, i did NOT like them at first. I enjoyed the other clones, but i just.. couldn't care until after s1 of TBB and even then, only S2 made me fall in love and S3 made me dwell deeper.

But rewatching TCW episodes... i can see why. Its not just that its different writing, that whole episode was INCREDIBLY cheesy, they were cheesy. And whats funny is i don't think they're too bad after their introduction episode.. but its like. They all fit into their sterotypes first episode, but TBB actually gave them personalities i feel, so when rewatching their introduction... it feels.. Not super iconic, sorry if that is an unpopular opinion.

Like their poses and first fight is really cool, but the whole conversation they have not only implies what you said, but also comes off as "edgelord 10 y/o boy who has watched way too many adventure movies". Which i get they were trying to be show offs as well as show the audience they are extreme.

But it just.. comes across as goofy to me.

and to be clear, i know star wars in general can be seen as cheesy, I'm not knocking down cheesy-ness, and i love most TCW episodes new and old, but i think thats why it bothers me ? I don't remember feeling "oh thats cheesy" in a negative light in any other episode, even with other series.

Sorry that this got long !!!!!

Damn, first ask. XD

Thank you for that! But uh...

... The irony here is that I have to disagree. I liked them in TCWs over TBB, and I wanted to see more of what the TCWshow's BBs had to offer.

I went the old fashioned way of watching TCWs (For the clones, I don't care that much about Jedi stories), and by the time I reached S7, they were announcing TBBshow. I had the build up from that, to reach the momentum and when I made it to the Bad Batch Arc, it was like falling in love with clones all over again.

Cliche in function, yes, by all viewing they fullfill their cliches.

But let me point out something that occurs in character writing--How the character acts to their friends, will be different with how the character acts to their coworkers, and how they act to their own families, to how they act to strangers. This is part of how you create a 3-Dimensional Character.

So my interpretation is different. Here's how my thought process went.

What we saw in TCWs, was merely how the BBs act when acting under officers (Coworkers) they didn't know (Strangers).

( Wrecker starts enthusiastic but "dumb" muscle, but as the Arc went on, he actually mellowed out. Showing that while he's excitable, he's not actually as excitable as what he introduced himself as. He's clever not "dumb muscle", he's multi-capable (he's the second pilot of the Marauder), he's in more control of himself than anyone on the team (hence that when he lifts Jesse up, Jesse is fine afterwards, when by that point we've seen that he lifts ships--he could've easily hurt Jesse but he didn't))

Given they don't look or act like clones, and looking and acting like clones is expected in their position or risk removal, they were effectively playing themselves up as their "cliches" in order to sell their skills and avoid unnecessary or even dangerous questions.

( Hunter is constantly snarky and never directly answers anything about "who you report to" or "how many missions you were on". But at the start, he was promoting the hell out of his unit's capabilities. )

The Bad Batch were a series of characters that bounced off each other beautifully. Its something everyone noticed about them.

(From Crosshair using Tech's shoulder as a mount, to Wrecker tossing Hunter up, to Hunter and Crosshair's subtle backing each other up, to Wrecker quoting Tech. )

Their group dynamics are part of their greatest strength as a set of characters.

With the introduction of Echo, who unlike in TBB, Echo was enthusiastic and clever and crafty, with a playful sense of humor (not unlike how he started as a character in TCWs).

You've got an excellent addition to a group that already has strong character dynamics.

Echo, having been an Audience Surrogate Character for Clones in TCWs, would've easily been the main POV of whatever BB show came out of TCWs. Because he can ask the questions the audience would ask, and Echo is a familiar character with years of backing that the audience would be familiar with.

So you're right, in my book, about TCWshow. Though how I view how right you are is different because of my subtext.

The Bad Batch Arc of TCWs was a Good, if a bit trippy, Start, and not a finisher for the team. After all, all introductions tend to be rather clumsy (just ask TCWs' pilot film).

Which laid in the implication that we're going to Get that Finisher. And the journey.

But when we hit TBB... Then turned the nuance surface of TCWs Bad Batch, and either cut it out, or dumbed it down, or in two cases, changed it entirely.

( TCWs Hunter was a snarky worrywort who let his brothers do the actions while he stays in the corner, but he's dragged out because he's the "Sergeant". TBB Hunter is a stoic quiet type who wants order and control. TCWs Hunter and TBB Hunter are two entirely different characters. In fact, if I may speculate fan wise, TBB Hunter would be the kind of person that would cause TCWs Hunter to Shutdown... and we have evidence of this from TCWs; where Rex gets into Hunter's face, and Hunter shutsdown entirely until after the scene change. )

( Wrecker got dumbed down. That Explosive Enthusiasm he played up, became his defining feature (They effectively pulled a misfandom on their own original creation). While they did show he does have vulnerabilities and some of that TCWs cleverness... it often got overshadowed. )

( They removed Crosshair and broke the group dynamic, destroying the strongest part of their characters, which was their interactions with each other. )

( Echo went from Enthusiastic, Clever and Humor, to Just Bitchy. They didn't bring back his other facet at all. And mid way through TBB, they removed his character--effectively making anything about him a moot point. It nullified his introduction into the BBs )

( And I'm not going to go into a tyraid here about Omega. )

And suddenly, there wasn't any nuance anymore, because the BBs acted the same everywhere they went. There wasn't any developments, because the BBs didn't discuss anything for the audience to know.

Maybe a dramatic glance in the distance--but that's more Cliche than their character archetypes. Character Archetypes, no matter how obvious, can shift and change as they Develop.

But there's no character developing in TBB that doesn't involve how the show broke what made them strong characters to begin with.

Its like trying to make a house, but the foundation is the ceiling and attic, and the "ceiling" is the 3000 tons of solid fucking concrete.

The story, which was about how the Empire rose from the Republic, was literally elsewhere, so there was nothing that spurred the characters to do anything that involved the plot.

Now as you can prolly guess by this point, I'm very very keen on Character Driven stories, and I pay attention to character. While I treat all things as a "fan-fiction" (Given that fan-fiction shows the effort it takes to create a story or create anything), when it comes to officially published stuffed--so with teams, and a budget, and hired people to do the work--I expect the "fan-fiction" to go up in quality, to follow the format and standard set up and simply either stick to it or surpass it.

I think TBBshow was too clumsy, too fragmented, and far too shiny, for what it had. Having a small part of the metaphorical quilt work, doesn't subtract from the fact that the rest of the quilt is full of holes.

Have small good points, I'm afraid, doesn't make up for the fact that it was overall, a poorly written show that bites its prior series' hand.

It just means that, now, you have to steal the good points to add to whatever BBsquad exists in one's mind.

You take the part of the quilt that works... and make your own Quilt, and damn whoever fucked up the first job.

[digitaldetoxworld]

Building Your Own Operating System: A Beginner’s Guide

An operating system (OS) is an essential component of computer systems, serving as an interface between hardware and software. It manages system resources, provides services to users and applications, and ensures efficient execution of processes. Without an OS, users would have to manually manage hardware resources, making computing impractical for everyday use.

Lightweight operating system for old laptops

Functions of an Operating System

Operating systems perform several crucial functions to maintain system stability and usability. These functions include:

1. Process Management

 The OS allocates resources to processes and ensures fair execution while preventing conflicts. It employs algorithms like First-Come-First-Serve (FCFS), Round Robin, and Shortest Job Next (SJN) to optimize CPU utilization and maintain system responsiveness.

2. Memory Management

The OS tracks memory usage and prevents memory leaks by implementing techniques such as paging, segmentation, and virtual memory. These mechanisms enable multitasking and improve overall system performance.

3. File System Management

It provides mechanisms for reading, writing, and deleting files while maintaining security through permissions and access control. File systems such as NTFS, FAT32, and ext4 are widely used across different operating systems.

4. Device Management

 The OS provides device drivers to facilitate interaction with hardware components like printers, keyboards, and network adapters. It ensures smooth data exchange and resource allocation for input/output (I/O) operations.

5. Security and Access Control

 It enforces authentication, authorization, and encryption mechanisms to protect user data and system integrity. Modern OSs incorporate features like firewalls, anti-malware tools, and secure boot processes to prevent unauthorized access and cyber threats.

6. User Interface

 CLI-based systems, such as Linux terminals, provide direct access to system commands, while GUI-based systems, such as Windows and macOS, offer intuitive navigation through icons and menus.

Types of Operating Systems

Operating systems come in various forms, each designed to cater to specific computing needs. Some common types include:

1. Batch Operating System

These systems were widely used in early computing environments for tasks like payroll processing and scientific computations.

2. Multi-User Operating System

 It ensures fair resource allocation and prevents conflicts between users. Examples include UNIX and Windows Server.

3. Real-Time Operating System (RTOS)

RTOS is designed for time-sensitive applications, where processing must occur within strict deadlines. It is used in embedded systems, medical devices, and industrial automation. Examples include VxWorks and FreeRTOS.

4  Mobile Operating System

Mobile OSs are tailored for smartphones and tablets, offering touchscreen interfaces and app ecosystems. 

5  Distributed Operating System

Distributed OS manages multiple computers as a single system, enabling resource sharing and parallel processing. It is used in cloud computing and supercomputing environments. Examples include Google’s Fuchsia and Amoeba.

Popular Operating Systems

Several operating systems dominate the computing landscape, each catering to specific user needs and hardware platforms.

1. Microsoft Windows

 It is popular among home users, businesses, and gamers. Windows 10 and 11 are the latest versions, offering improved performance, security, and compatibility.

2. macOS

macOS is Apple’s proprietary OS designed for Mac computers. It provides a seamless experience with Apple hardware and software, featuring robust security and high-end multimedia capabilities.

3. Linux

Linux is an open-source OS favored by developers, system administrators, and security professionals. It offers various distributions, including Ubuntu, Fedora, and Debian, each catering to different user preferences.

4. Android

It is based on the Linux kernel and supports a vast ecosystem of applications.

5. iOS

iOS is Apple’s mobile OS, known for its smooth performance, security, and exclusive app ecosystem. It powers iPhones and iPads, offering seamless integration with other Apple devices.

Future of Operating Systems

The future of operating systems is shaped by emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, and edge computing. Some key trends include:

1. AI-Driven OS Enhancements

AI-powered features, such as voice assistants and predictive automation, are becoming integral to modern OSs. AI helps optimize performance, enhance security, and personalize user experiences.

2. Cloud-Based Operating Systems

Cloud OSs enable users to access applications and data remotely. Chrome OS is an example of a cloud-centric OS that relies on internet connectivity for most functions.

3. Edge Computing Integration

With the rise of IoT devices, edge computing is gaining importance. Future OSs will focus on decentralized computing, reducing latency and improving real-time processing.

4. Increased Focus on Security

Cyber threats continue to evolve, prompting OS developers to implement advanced security measures such as zero-trust architectures, multi-factor authentication, and blockchain-based security.