#i need to find a way to insert dialogue in the Quote section but without screwing up the format

[inspector-montoya-fox]

#8 - A Starry Eyed Encounter

Setting: this is our second outing in Asia but it’s extremely different. whereas Fire in the Sky was set in rural China and had sprinkles of Chinese culture on top, A Starry Eyed Encounter basks in prestige and elegance. i might as well start by saying that this is my favourite episode in the game. i love everything about this episode, its subtle orientalism and its storyline. the missions are fun, the sky is beautiful, there are enough twists, turns, balconies and tunnels to get lost in. everything feels authentic and charming, and there’s excitement because it’s a ball and everything coincides with it (meaning, everything has to be perfect and we destroy every last bit). also, there’s a nice balance and blend of nature and “man”-made structure. unlike the Canada levels where nature dominates the landscapes, here there’s a mixture. and i know this type of analysis belongs in the Themes section, but sweetie, lemme just lay this down right here, right quick for y’all: the walls keeping the jungle outside represent Rajan and his mental state, his need to present himself in a certain way. the lush palace is Rajan’s friendly image he projects, one of a great host, but his low temper and roots keep growing like the jungle outside. he’s made a fortune and built this amazing palace as a global entrepreneur and social elitist, but he can’t shed his past, how said fortune came from filth, growing up on the streets, how he belongs in the wild. this theory is further proven by the fact that the next level is full-on jungle and vines and rain and mud, etc. which represents Rajan when all hell breaks loose and he reaches his boiling point. this squeaky clean, pristine state of both Rajan and the palace mask his true nature, and set up the stage for his second level. in many ways, A Starry Eyed Encounter is a prequel because it plays out as too easy, and that kind of optimism is put into perspective as the narrative progresses forward.

Characters: basically a clusterfuck because it’s a party and literally everyone shows up. i’ve mentioned before how introducing every single character in the very first part of the game’s second level was a brilliant idea. SP managed to subvert expectations by supposedly revealing all the villains during the ball, just to then keep pulling off reveal after reveal. Neyla as the alternative romantic interest, the Contessa as an Interpol connection, Arpeggio as the petite bird that would 100% be the final boss. but let’s focus on Rajan. as i’ve already said, the palace is a mere illusion, its grandeur and glory representing what the tiger wants to be seen as. i love how A Starry Eyed Encounter and The Predator Awakes both pose as a test to see how angry Rajan can get - and he can get pretty mad (to the point where he summons lightning). but for now, Rajan isn’t shown. there’s the recon mission, and then some cutscenes of him talking with Bison but that’s just it, we don’t get any Rajan in this episode. no, this episode is dedicated to Carmelita, i think. i’ll go into detail in the Themes section but the dominant theme in this episode is romance. there are two dance sequences in A Starry Eyed Encounter and they both focus on getting with Carmelita, the theme of romance also giving this episode a softer edge. the game’s first two episodes are actually very vanilla: a quiet Paris night, and a prestigious ball in India. sure there’s climax within those episodes, but there’s no aggression or character development (brought on by high stakes). it’s like a honeymoon period before shit hits the fan. A Starry Eyed Encounter and The Predator Awakes might be a pair because of Rajan, but it’s actually the latter in combination with the two Contessa levels that are the game’s best. you’ll notice a fluctuation in narrative: everything goes as planned in the first two episodes (good) but Neyla’s betrayal throws the gang off their game in the next three episodes (bad) until Canada during which the gang manages to gather all Clockwerk parts (good) just to face complete chaos by the end (bad). and surprisingly (and to SP’s credit) the game doesn’t end on a good note. they actually had the balls to cripple Bentley and leave it at that, but also manage to not make it seem like they were just setting up the sequel. Sly 2 is very well a game on its own, even though it ends on a cliffhanger. amazing, but i digress. every character in the game minus Dimitri is in this episode but actually there’s not a lot of character development as seen by the analysis above.

Themes: uh, romance theme !!!!!!! outstandingly so, considering we’re on the brink of losing everything as 2/3 of the gang is about to get arrested in the next episode. but a first-time player isn’t aware so it’s all fun and games as far as they’re concerned. yes, this is pretty much a romance episode, complete with an erotic episode title card of Sly and Carmelita dancing intimately. even the fact that they’re drenched in soft blue and their characteristics/outline don’t have a 100% opacity shows how it’s a good time, time to forget about the spice shipments, the Clockwerk parts, let’s have fun whilst on the job, no need to worry, things certainly won’t go to shit, right? the narration hits its absolute rock-bottom in terms of love triangle storytelling by steeping to the most basic of tropes, having Sly use Neyla to get to Carmelita (something that will later come to bite him in the ass, when Neyla uses Sly to get Carmelita arrested). other than that, the romance theme doesn’t necessarily mean kissy-kissy, but can also mean romantic backdrops, items, etc. for example, the sky being violet and lilac, a mission to acquire a tuxedo, the ball, y’know what i’m talking about. it’s all very humble, pure and simple, but enhanced by Rajan’s wealth and the palace’s elegance. let’s talk about the masks theme (i call it that instead of deception or appearance v reality, because those themes are predominantly connected to Flight of Fancy in my head and i don’t want to do that theme-heavy episode dirty because its themes are its strongest asset). lots and lots of “masks” here. we have Sly dressing up as a tuxedoed cavalier in disguise, we have Rajan acting as a gentlemanly host, Contessa as a proper prison warden and Interpol agent, Neyla as the cryptic connection - nothing i haven’t already mentioned. what truly enhances the deception and the “masks” is the ball. a fancy dance, the opulence making it all fuzzy and blurry, very Florence + the Machine circa Ceremonials sans the gothic aspects, if you catch my drift. basically, it’s called the masks theme because it also includes the party aspect, this aura of pleasure and leisure which is also seen in The Black Chateau. there’s also the class theme, or class distinction. we often overlook the fact that the guards represent a hoard of employees, working mercilessly under the big bad. there’s something to be said about when one dies a replacement is easily found, but it’s just a game. well, in A Starry Eyed Encounter, this distinction is a bit more noticeable. there’s a ball going on, where all the elites and socialites are gathered, protected by the palace walls and the palace itself, surrounded by pleasures and artifice. at the same time, there are guards stationed within the guests’ rooms, patrolling rooftops and making sure everything is perfect for the ball. in other levels, they ensure the security of their employer’s operation, but here they’re responsible for the party, something way less important and dire. what really made me notice it is the moment you complete Elephant Rampage and a flashlight rhino guard escorts the prized elephants back into their room, it seemed like such a downgrading job, moving elephants, probably stepping into their shit as well because Sly frightened them, in comparison to Rajan and his guests drinking and dancing inside. i don’t know, maybe i’m exaggerating, but it definitely reminds me of that Rick and Morty episode where they spoof The Purge, when the villagers fight each other and the elitists are dining inside, maybe it’s just me.

What I Like: this is my favorite episode as an overall entity, so i’ll mention what i like most about it. the sky’s colour, the rapid tanpura music when you get spotted by guards, dancing with Carmelita, that turquoise 3D globe projection in the boardroom, the goofy voice of that guy that doesn’t allow you to enter the ball with the bulged-out eyes, the destroyed bridge next to the safehouse that leads you to a clue bottle and a treasure, and most importantly Steal A Tuxedo. i think Steal A Tuxedo and Spice in the Sky are my favorite missions from the entire game. ugh, idk, this episode is just so perfect. i sent a confession to @slycooperconfessions​ a while back saying how when i was a kid i always wanted to be invited to the ball, and that still stands today. i wish i was there...

What I Don’t Like: nothing. maybe Battle the Chopper, but other than that, nothing.

Quote: when Carmelita says You look familiar to me, are you in law enforcement? and Sly answers I often deal with police while on the job.

[sunlightwoo]

Going High

☀︎ pairing: sunwoo x reader

☀︎ genre: summer fling au,  fluff, some angst, theme is kinda like the one that got away type of thing?

☀︎ wc: 1.7k

☀︎ plot: summer flings are meant to be flings, nothing more than what it should’ve been known for. however you somehow found yourself reminiscing all those times that you have encountered the red headed boy that always took your breath away at the beach house you find yourself going to whenever you wanted a breather from the hard life you endured.

☀︎ a/n: before i say anything else and forget, there is a section between the breaks that is all italicized and in quotes!! that’s just a long dialogue of sunwoo’s pov of their relationship from the cassette tape. secondly: i hope that you guys liked this piece even though i feel as though it wasn’t my best HOGSJNGshuo it was really fun writing this though and would like to thank @atbzkingdom​​ for hosting the lovely collab with the other amazing writers in it!! be sure to check out everyone’s works as well in the link to the collab masterlist!!

collab masterlist | my tbz masterlist

The smell of the salty beach air fills your nose as the sun is slowly setting in the scenery in front of your eyes, your own body slightly leaning against the railing that was underneath your arms on the balcony at your beach house. You think that this might be the one place that you could call your comfort space.

Memories of being in the exact spot over the years come to mind as you reminisced all of them, wondering how long it has been since you had last been here. Was it a year? Maybe three?

You decide to head back into your room when you notice something sticking out from the floorboard that you didn’t notice earlier. Walking over towards it, you looked to see that there was a box that was visibly hidden underneath the floorboard, making you lean down to take it out from the loose wood and bring it out to your lap.

Opening it up while sitting on the floor, you noticed the various polaroids and notes that were in there along with a cassette tape that was taped against the box. You looked at it in confusion, not knowing where it had originated from or what it could’ve contained but you assumed it had once belonged to you in the past.

Getting up to play it on the cassette player that was on your desk, you carefully inserted it and plugged in your headphones before pressing play, waiting for whatever audio to appear as you flipped through the familiar polaroids. Brinks of red paint your eyes as you wonder who the red headed male in the photos with you were, your mind looking for the answers that you had needed when suddenly a deep voice interrupts you from your thoughts.

“Hey sweetheart, did you miss me?”

Your eyes widened as it finally clicked in your head who it was, hearing the evident smirk in his voice mirroring the one that you were staring at in one of the polaroids. Kim Sunwoo, better known to be your first love, as you can recall clearly from your past memories. He was the one person that happened to be your escapist from the real world after the many times you sought out this house as your getaway from your family and school.

“By the time that you’re listening to this, it must’ve been a while then since I never told you about this tape.”

He was right.

The last time that you saw him was back in 2017, which was roughly four years from how much you could remember. That was your last year of college, and you could remember all of the days that you had spent with him, endless mornings and starry nights that you stayed up for and got away from the reality that you had faced when you left him.

You wonder if he was doing well without you, knowing that you were the one that left him first.

“I don’t think I’m doing okay without you, sweetheart,” His voice vibrates from a pitied chuckle that left his chest as you could feel your heart clench in your chest at how sad his smile must’ve been while recording this.

“You were asking a lot when you told me to wait for you when you’ve finally answered my question from that night. Do you still remember it?”

“Of course I do,” You say out loud as if he were with you right now to hear your response, and you were brought back to the last memories of him that year before you left him once again.

“I hated myself for it because of how much I had hurt you, Sunwoo.”

“I remember the first time that we had met at the beach house. You thought that I was an intruder, when I had only come over to welcome you into the area knowing that the previous owners of it happened to be your distant family members.

There were tales that they used to tell me before you had arrived, different praises and stories that made you seem as though you were a cold person that only kept their nose into a book for fun. However, I think it was that first night where you had proven me wrong by being the complete opposite of what I had assumed of you.

And I think that’s when I might’ve fallen in love with you.

From all the nights that we spent stargazing, to all the times we messed around in the early mornings of sunrise by slashing water at the shorelines, to the campfires with the boys that we’d whisper our secrets to… I think I knew that I had fallen in love with you that night when we kissed under the moonlight of a full moon… until you had asked me about playing a game.

The long game, sweetheart… I think that was one of the dumbest things I’ve ever heard from your mouth, considering you were, ya know, the smarter one. You knew that I loved you in that moment, and I think that was the reason why you pushed me away from getting even closer to you by wanting to keep in touch with you after you leave this time around.

Was it something that I shouldn’t have done?

You haven’t been here in over a year now, and I miss you, sweetheart. Maybe I should’ve just let you go and keep whatever we had a summer fling, but I can’t help but wonder if you ever felt the same sparks that I felt every time we came close with one another.

That’s my question to you, in which I just want to know the simple answer to.

I don’t care how long it may take to get your answer, whether it be months after hearing this, or a couple years. Hell you can be married already, and I’d rather just let it be told that it was just me that had felt all the highs and the warm feelings of being free whenever we were together.

You already know where to find me, Y/N… and I’ll be waiting there whenever you figure it out on your own terms.

The moment that you hear the sound of a click of the cassette player finally stopping, you realized that your cheeks were wet as you moved your hand back up to wipe the tears away from your face. You couldn’t tell when you started to cry, but you sat in your chair while staring at the sunset that was setting outside of your balcony, thinking about the available choices that you were given in the moment that you were in.

For one part of your heart, there was the fear of him just being a fling that scared you; the fact that he was the one person that you had always relied on every summer when you came to get relief and happened to be available at the time. However, you also pondered about how much love you had felt with him, knowing that you had never been able to find someone like him in the reality of your world that had loved you the way that he did, made you feel as though you were high on cloud nine the way that he had.

Getting up from your chair almost abruptly, you grabbed your phone and made your way out to the familiar cliffs that weren’t too far away from the beach house.  The entire time that you had speed walked over to them had been filled with nervous thoughts and many ways to come up with the right words to say if he were to be there.

You weren’t even sure if he was still going to be there in the first place, cause you felt as though you had waited for too long in order to find the answer to the question.

You make it to the cliffs and get a better view of the sunset that was behind the horizons of the ocean, eyes darting across the waters when footsteps are made from behind you. Your heart is pounding in your chest as you hoped that maybe you weren’t just hearing things; if the person that was close was actually him, you weren’t sure what to say to him because of the lump that was caught in your throat.

“It took you long enough to find your answer.” You hear the person say and turn around slowly to see him once again, this time a coat of black painting his hair as it was no longer the bright red you were used to.

There’s a breath that escapes from your lips as you stare at him in a feeling that was similar to relief with the way that he stood in front of you with his hands in his jean pockets. Clad in a simple white tee like you remember seeing before in your polaroids, the small smirk that was so familiar to your heart and eyes was still painted across his lips as he raises an eyebrow at your somewhat disheveled figure.

“Am I too late?” You whisper, watching as he walks over towards you with an amused look and takes your hands into his before placing a chaste kiss on them and then on your lips slightly, making you relish in the memories of you kissing him all those years ago.

He pulls away slightly, eyes bored right into yours as the loud pounding in your chest was evident from how fast your heart was beating, and you had a feeling that he was able to feel it too. However, you were somewhat elated that he was here in front of you again, ready to hear your answer after years of waiting and you wonder if he’d still keep those same feelings just as you did for him.

“Not one second later,” He grins as he held a pinky up in front of you both with a teasing grin on his face just seconds before looping it with your own, “Are we finally done playing the long game?”

“Yeah… We’re finished playing, and my answer is that I love you too.”

[narkinafive]

more essay updates, not much new content but filling out the structure a little bit. i can’t believe it’s only 1500 words right now. it feels simultaneously way too long and way too short

Few franchises can match the breadth of Star Wars, and fewer still can claim to be as iconic. Not only have the characters, dialogues, settings, and aesthetics been directly referenced and lovingly parodied across all genres, so too has John Williams’ music. Yet Williams’ music is perhaps most referenced, riffed on, and remixed within the franchise itself; it is difficult to find a piece of Star Wars media which does not contain any number of Williams’ leitmotifs, such as the bombastic “Main Title” fanfare, the sweeping majesty of the Force theme, or the foreboding, villainous “Imperial March.” Within the many, many Star Wars related properties, composers for the franchise’s “lower tier” [properties], i.e. any property outside of the nine-film “Skywalker Saga,” are presented with a difficult challenge: how does one emulate and reference Williams’ original, titanic score, keeping a coherent sonic aesthetic, without copying him directly, and allowing space for the composer’s own musical language?

The larger Star Wars chronology can be broken into three general eras: the Original Trilogy era (OT), which focuses on the time represented by the films A New Hope, Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, and Rogue One, the Sequel Trilogy era (ST), which is comprised of the films The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, and The Rise of Skywalker, as well as the TV series Star Wars: Resistance, and the Prequel Trilogy era (PT), as represented by the films The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, Revenge of the Sith, and Solo, as well as the TV series The Clone Wars. Of these properties, Williams has obviously scored the lion’s share of the films; Rogue One’s soundtrack was composed by Michael Giacchino, Resistance by Michael Tavera, Solo by John Powell, and The Clone Wars by Kevin Kiner.

Kiner’s other work for Star Wars was the score of another TV series, Star Wars Rebels. Rebels occupies an interesting place within the greater Star Wars chronology, qualifying as a prequel due to taking place before the events of A New Hope, yet both aesthetically and narratively more aligned with the OT, rather than the PT. [Though Rebels is nominally a prequel, Kiner’s musical language sets it firmly within the OT era, with frequent sonic callbacks to Williams’ score, with each aesthetic connection serving not only to link the viewer to the OT era, but highlight the narrative differences between Rebels and the original films. This is particularly exemplified in the parallels and contrasts between the heroes of Rebels and the OT, Ezra Bridger, and Luke Skywalker.] -fixxx

From the outset, several parallels can be drawn between Ezra Bridger and Luke Skywalker: both are orphans from provincial areas of the galaxy, both are accidentally caught up in insurrectionist rebel activity against the Empire, and both discover that they can wield the powers of the Force. They are even roughly the same age, born within days of each other. Contrasts do abound, however. Ezra receives several years of Jedi training from a former Jedi, while Luke receives very little; Ezra is actively involved with the Rebel Alliance from the very beginning, while Luke has to be drawn into it due to personal tragedy; Ezra’s primary motif is connected to the twin moons of his home planet of Lothal - this, in contrast to the famous scene of Luke Skywalker gazing into the twin sunset of his planet of Tatooine; and so on. [more parallels]

Set five years before the events of A New Hope, the backdrop of Rebels depicts the formal declaration of the Galactic Alliance, the establishment of the famous rebel base on the planet of Yavin IV, and numerous references to the secret construction of the Death Star, alongside several integral character cameos, including Lando Calrissian, Princess Leia, and Obi-wan Kenobi, while the main thrust of the story centers on the crew of the Ghost, an early cell of the as-yet-undeclared Rebel Alliance, and the journey of its newest crew member, Ezra Bridger. Described by Dave Filoni, [title] and creator of Rebels, as a con artist, and Taylor Gray, the character’s actor, as a [street smart thief], Ezra happens upon the crew of the Ghost as they commit a minor act of terrorism against the Galactic Empire, stealing several crates of supplies. Rather than pick a side in the conflict, Ezra elects to steal a crate of the same supplies for himself, outrunning the comedically incompetent Imperial police force, and dodging the members of the Ghost crew as they try to get the supplies back, until Ezra is forced to seek refuge on the Ghost to escape the marginally more competent TIE figher pilots. After helping the crew in distributing the supplies - namely, food - to a nearby refugee camp, Ezra is convinced by the Ghost’s pilot and leader, Hera Syndulla, to assist in a rescue mission. Despite his initial capture and subsequent escape from Imperial custody, Ezra chooses to see the rescue mission through to the end, and witnesses the Ghost’s second-in-command, Kanan Jarrus, wield a lightsaber, revealing himself as a survivor of the presumed-distinct and quasi-legendary Jedi Order. Recognizing that Ezra has the same gift, Kanan offers to train him to wield the Force in order to continue fighting against the Empire, dispelling any notion that the Jedi are gone with a triumphant declaration, “Not all of us.” Filoni states [need src] that Ezra decides to join the Ghost not only to learn how to use a lightsaber, but because he is in need of a family, having lost his own parents at the age of seven, when they were arrested for their underground, anti-establishment radio broadcasts. Initially, Ezra joins the Rebellion not because it is the right thing to do, but because it is convenient to him at the time; the Ghost functions as a roof over his head, its crew members as a new set of parents and siblings, and its missions as a source of food and income, along with the added bonus of learning how to use an incredibly powerful, specialized weapon, despite the target it paints on his back. Part of Ezra’s journey over the course of Rebels is re-learning how to think beyond himself, and sacrificing himself for the greater good of everyone, and not just the good of his family and friends, but, as one would expect, at the very beginning of this story, he is far more selfish than selfless. It is halfway into the first season before Ezra begins to grok the Jedi lessons Kanan has attempted to teach him, beyond lifting rocks with his mind, as he [tearfully] admits his fears while in the middle of a vision quest (presided over by the disembodied voice of Master Yoda). Over the course of the show, Ezra has frequent, deep brushes with the “Dark Side” of the Force, becoming more inclined to hurt, [something], or even kill in the name of pragmatism and getting victories for the Rebel Alliance.

Luke’s introduction to the Rebel Alliance is equally accidental, though arguably far more heroic. When his uncle and adoptive father Owen purchases a pair of droids for the farm, Luke discovers a secret message hidden within one of them: Princess Leia’s plea to a mysterious Obi-wan Kenobi for aid. Luke’s first instinct is to help her. [more]

These parallels are further underscored by their respective musical motifs. Consider Luke’s theme, the “Main Title” fanfare. [GL quote, SWO 2, 20 min in]. Comprised primarily of perfect intervals, the theme begins with an ascending major fifth, an opening salvo so famous that music students everywhere, yours truly included, use it to identify perfect fifths in other contexts. As Lucas notes, the principal instrumentation is in the brass section, immediately conferring an old-world heroic air to Luke. [SWO hero’s journey quote]. [insert sheet music here, recap] As a theme, it is punchy, energetic, deliberately and intrinsically tied up in the “Rebel Fanfare,” and generally underscores moments of onscreen heroism and valiant derring-do [explain] [example] [example] [example]

By contrast, while Ezra’s theme is also played by the horns, they are muted, thinner, ringing out more softly over shimmering, sustained strings. [insert sheet music here, recap] Ezra’s theme mostly serves to underscore the character’s moments of emotional reflection, rather than his superhuman action. [example] [example] [example]

[lextenou]

Mirandy Fic Rec Reviews 2017-07-11

I had a couple friends ask for some fic recs for Mirandy. I will be posting more as time allows. Fics are not rated by me - if they’re listed and I’ve written about them, I recommend you read them. I have also included my own thoughts on these stories and my favorite quotes from them. As these are reviews, there are spoilers ahead. Also, heads up - assume that all fics have happy endings unless I specifically say otherwise. 

A Chance Encounter by smhfiction

Summary: Takes places five months after Paris.

When Andy is unexpectedly thrown headfirst into Miranda's life, none of them will ever be the same again.

Words: 46490

Ah, classic hurt/comfort. Andy witnesses the horrifying accident that almost claims Caroline's life, and manages to record what could easily be her last words on her cell phone, in addition to capturing footage of the accident itself. She drops everything to be with the Priestly family in their time of need, despite not having had any contact since that fateful day in Paris. Through ups and downs, including Andy's unexpected pregnancy after her one night stand with Christian, quitting her job instead of handing over the video of Caroline, and Miranda, the two of them come to a greater understanding of each other.

Though it begins as hurt/comfort rather dramatically, there are immediately strong domestic fluff elements. Touches of angst sprinkle through, with robust communication helping to pave the way to a happy ending. Anyone would have drama after being in a fatal rollover car crash, and Caroline is no exception. It comes out all good in the end, and the journey there is entertaining. There is strong dialogue throughout, which can be off putting if you're expecting more prose or examination of what is inside their heads.

The prose is tight and enthralling. Each revelation comes naturally and explains further their personalities and decisions. Characterization is dependent on if you believe that Andy had grown up after leaving Runway. If you do, its spot on. If you don't, it will be difficult. The difficulties that Andy has with her family over the pregnancy and her coming out are deftly handled. The movie that plays in my head as I read this one is incredible. Plus there are great fluffy scenes sprinkled throughout between moments of angst and terror. There are a couple of minor typos - "luck girl" instead of "lucky girl" for instance - that do not detract from the story. Some words are misused but their meaning is clear - alluded instead of eluded - with contextual clues giving more than enough understanding. These minor issues are easily overlooked if you don't get tweaked by them. If you do, steer clear.

Favorite part of the story: Andy's shiny steel spine. She stands up for herself and her child, she remains firm regarding her relationship with Miranda, and states clearly who and what she wants. It's delightful.

Favorite quote: “Look, Miranda. I am sorry for Paris and everything that you’re going through. I won’t pretend to know how that feels.” Miranda arched her eyebrow, but didn’t say anything. “I would like to be your friend, see where this takes us, and I will be there for you and both of your daughters.” She nodded satisfied with where this was going and clutched her yogurt to her chest. She could feel the tears beginning and fought them back. She seemed to cry over the stupidest things. “But, this is the last vanilla yogurt, and I’m sorry, but you can’t have it.”

How to Become a DragonMaster by dhamphir 

Summary: After walking away from Miranda in Paris, Andy decides to make her way on her own terms and finds professional success in an unexpected way. This is her story. Question is, will it end the way she wants it to?

Words: 10960

Documenting Andy's determined personal growth after leaving Miranda in Paris, we see the ways in which Andy forcefully navigates the course of her own life. Eschewing anything from the world she knew, Andy is bound and determined to NOT owe Miranda a damned thing. Granted, this is hard since she wants to be in publishing. She makes friendships, and reaches great personal success because of the friends she makes along the way.

A bit dramatic, definitely slice of life, this one has strong character growth as the driving factor of its plot. If you want to see the way that someone can go from former second assistant to successful, this can show you the way. Lighthearted, but with a touch of gravitas, it does a lot in a compact story.

What I really enjoy about this is that it shows a natural progression of character growth. Andy's journey reads quickly, but is highly enjoyable. No real issues with this one - its well written and edited.

Favorite part of the story: That they come together as equals. Its something that is missing from a lot of stories, but is captured very well in this one.

Favorite quote: “I’m 53 years old.”

Andy’s smile widened into a grin. “Did I mention I like older women?”

Dogs? Really? by jehc

Summary: Miranda discovers that Andrea writes fan fiction.

Words: 23883

A sequel of sorts to "Cats? Really?", this story treats the first one as a fanfic that Andy writes during her downtime. For context, I do recommend reading the first. It gives much additional depth to this story.

Definitely comedic, with some of the best utilized crack elements I've ever seen, this story treats its subject matter with tongue firmly in cheek. It is almost as though we're part of a great big in-joke with the characters throughout, especially if you've read other Mirandy fics. It reads like a long form love letter to the fandom that still achieves its main accomplishment of allowing Andy and Miranda to realize they're head over heels for each other. I definitely recommend reading some other fics before delving into this one - it will make the experience all the more enjoyable. Don't let the humorous nature of this one fool you - there's still sprinkling of angst and idiots in love in these pages, up until the point that they properly communicate.

Switching back and forth in perspective between Andy and Miranda, this story does a lot to expand on their relationship in a fun way. The rollicking romp does a masterful job at keeping them in character and allowing them to explore further. Emily is wonderful in this as well; the little snippets of her are a riot.

The way that Miranda is presented is fascinating. Andy figures it out in a great line. "Most of the shit she does is a total goof on all of us. It’s like she is so smart that she is bored and she amuses herself by scaring people." The guessing at what jehc stands for is similarly riotous. It's fun, downright fluffy, and it just plain works.

Favorite part: the exploration of the Devil Wears Prada fanfic world. It is absolutely hilarious to read Miranda's responses to fanfic. Runner up: that Cassidy and Caroline write fanfic. It's delicious.

Favorite quote: When Emily realized what she had said all color drained from her face. Andy had been sure the Brit was about to pass out. Miranda had then silently locked eyes with the younger woman and after letting her stew for a moment reached out and patted her on the cheek.

“Well, Emily you have finally found the women’s section of the La Perla catalogue.” Miranda’s voice was low and silky. After another short stare down she said, “So pull up your new big girl panties and find me a new assistant!”

Like Andrea, Like Family, Like Life, Like Love by GinStan

Summary: Andy realizes Miranda is acting oddly and is determined to help her ex-boss.

Words: 30786, 48748, 99444, 295898

This series is one of the longest in my collection. Its epic length is outmatched by only a few in my entire library. It is definitely worth the investment.

Starting with Andy realizing there's something wrong - namely that Miranda has put out an all brunette issue of Runway - she inserts herself back into Miranda's world to find out what's wrong. Problem is, the thing that's wrong goes deeper than one might initially suspect. Angst and laughter inhabit this world, as does a memorable duet dance to Madonna's "Vogue" and a regrettable devotion to Cincinnati chili. The full fledged exploration of not just Andy's family, but Miranda's as well, is something I didn't know I wanted until I read this. The twins are threaded throughout with great effect, and the subplots are great.

Featuring some fantastic cameos by everyone's favorite beleaguered Detective Jo Polniaczek and her socialite/CEO wife Blair Warner (originally from “The Facts of Life”), the progression in this series is natural and enthralling. I've re-read it multiple times, and each time its a wonderful journey.

This is a story about family, love, and taking or making life as we want it. There are all sorts of things included in the mix - drama, comedy, angst, thrills, romance. From the start, it's clear that this journey isn't one that will take long to get them together - it is the domesticity and journey forward that drives this one. Family action and reaction is a major point of this story as well, with a cast as broad as is presented, there are numerous subplots that are able to be explored.

There are fabulous delvings into realistic responses. The biggest "gimme" in this fic, as in the thing you accept without question to make the story work, is that Miranda is so open from the start. The drugging makes it clear why this would be, and as the story continues, we’re given further explanation of just how devoted Miranda has been to Andy since before the start of the story. Miranda normally is so controlled with her displays that Andy wouldn't trust what she sees until she gets hit with a clue-by-four. In this case, that starts with the all brunette issue of Runway and gathers steam from there, so Andy gets on board quickly enough.

This series is one of those that is bandied about as a classic. It truly is. Not just for the length - that makes it epic. The story itself, the buildup of their relationship and how it grows and deepens...THAT is what makes this a classic.

Favorite part: Its hard to pick just one thing. Its so well built upon what comes before, but I'd have to say probably Andy and Miranda's families. The subplots with them make what is already real into so much more. Tante Louise is a hoot and a half.

Favorite quote: "Oh, Jo… When you tell your wife that you met Miranda… tell her, you wore the Armani, and that Miranda gave you a nod. You got that? A Nod. It's very important."

"What's so important about it?"

Andy grinned. "It's going to get you so laid." She laughed at the look on Jo's face. "Trust me."

It’s All Relative by Hawkbehere

Summary: Andy Sachs revisits her Runway past and finds the landscape changed.

Words: 214720

Ambushed outside of work by her fellow journalists, Andy is surprised to be told that Miranda has been shot. So begins this broad, riveting tale that spans everything from a hideous belt buckle, Dalton scholarships all the way to a moose head named Charles. 

Miranda’s motivations are clearly elucidated in this one. It’s clear to us as intelligent readers exactly why Miranda is so insistent that Andy not leave - and when it’s discussed in the text, Andy sees it too. The mutual respect and uncertainty between them is explored, as is the need for them to find their own balance. Throughout, we’re given glimpses of a truly wicked sense of humor in Miranda. I about die laughing every time I read the following: Miranda lowered her voice and said in an accent straight out of Brooklyn,  “You go big and you pay de tab—it’s de kissa death to guys like dat.”

This is one of those stories that leaves you with deep impressions and that you think about for years afterward. Between the varied cast and the incredible pacing, we’re introduced to characters that feel like family. It is a sadness to reach the end and no longer be able to spend time with them. 

Hurt/comfort, drama, touches of comedy, domesticity, angst, family, altruism, the Dragon in full force - this story has it all. Subplots of other characters coming together and embracing what it means to fall in love are threaded through this, to great effect. This has one of my favorite Serena/Emily subplots. It also has fantastic medical research done for it, and it shows. Terminology and protocols are well portrayed. It also has a curious thread throughout - Miranda is the matriarch of an ever growing family, because Andy is there. It is downright heart-warming.

There are so many great parts in this story that it’s hard to winnow down which ones to discuss. This is one of those stories that you run across right before you want to pass out at 1am and spend the rest of the night reading. It remains one of the best novels I’ve ever read.

Favorite part: Miranda’s vast and varied accents are definitely up there. Jesus. So are all the characters. But my favorite part of all of my favorite parts is Emily’s wedding speech. To delight in the improbable is a gift.

Favorite quote: Caroline looked up into Dr. Allen’s eyes and saw something she hadn’t seen yet in this jovial tough-talking stranger. She realized it looked something like anger.

The woman leaned down and whispered, “I live emergency medicine. Unless you go into my field or off to war, you will never, ever see a fraction of the brutality or horror or sadness or bravery or goodness or sheer fucking grace of God that I do every day. That’s great for you but you know what?”

Caroline’s eyes began to sting but she jerked her chin so the doctor continued, “Sometimes? Sometimes God is really damned kind and a 30-ton truck doesn’t hit you or you don’t fall off the 10th story of a building. Sometimes, He sends exactly the right size enemy—something or someone you can beat if you’re willing and brave. He gives you a choice and a chance. When God’s feeling real generous? He sends someone like Andy a rat but sends someone like your mama that piece of shit who shot her.”

She lowered her voice another notch, “They both stood up and bled for the people they loved, you hear me girl? I have seen way too many people die who met something too big for them. Don’t you dare disrespect them. Not if you love them. You should thank God, Caroline. If they had to bleed and suffer, and evidently they did, you should thank God they met something they survived.”

[arthurbooth-blog]

Ricochet

24/03/2019

The first draft of Ricochet sent by camera operator Dominika Zieba (discussed below in the first) was posted before this blog entry. The second Ricochet draft featuring my work since receiving the first edit will be posted after this.

On the 21/03/2019 I received the first edit of Ricochet from Dominika Zieba, who asked for feedback on her progress so far. She had done an excellent job, cutting the film to the rough soundtrack I provided, and the project looked great for a first edit. After watching the short film multiple times I decided the main point of feedback was to change the order of the last two camera shots, so that the 8 ball went in before the handshake, a vital element in the conclusion of Ricochet. I was excited to get to work on the dialogue element of the Ricochet soundtrack and had been drawing information from a number of sources in anticipation of receiving the first edit. One technique outlined by Messitte that could be undertaken prior to receiving the first edit was to organise and edit location recordings from the day of the shoot. Messitte says “When editing dialogue takes, you’ll want to frame each region so it only contains the necessary audio. That way, no unwanted audio crops into the scene” (Messitte, 2019). Cleaning up all the recorded audio so that no unwanted sounds were included in the content meant I was ready to get to work when the first Ricochet arrived. Editing location sound recordings to the right length was a straightforward process as I was able to find the peak in the waveform of the audio file, created by the “clap” of the clapperboard used by Ben Parsons in his behind the scenes work on the day of filming. This saved considerable time as there were cues to guide me in editing the audio into the relevant takes. I also colour coded and organised tracks in groups in Ableton Live under three themes; dialogue, pool game sounds, and wild track.

When the first edit of Ricochet arrived, I was able to see the footage that was used and as a result I could see which sounds I needed to gather from my location recording files. I created a sound spotting list encompassing all the location sound, Foley, sound effects, dialogue, and automated dialogue replacement (ADR) required in the entire short film along with their timecodes. This process is an adaptation of the Foley spotting list created for the Aperol Spritz video described in the previous entry, but a broader version covering all necessary sounds. The spotting list is shown in the screenshot below:

Spotting list

Next I gathered all sounds identified in the spotting list from the location sound recordings, narrowing down takes and playing them alongside visual content to clarify which recordings were appropriate for each sound event. I created a library with all edited location sound recordings needed so I could drag and drop files into Logic Pro X and align sounds at the exact timecode listed in the above spotting sheet. A location sound library image is below:

Location sound library pic

I retrieved the files from the location sound library in Logic Pro X, and made each begin at its exact timecode so I had the correct audio in place for each sound event - apart from some Foley, sound effects and ADR I still needed to obtain. I placed the sounds at the very end roughly as I knew the visual content was likely to change at this point, and did not want to waste time synchronising them. Next it was time to apply fades to audio files using the Logic Pro X fade tool to create crossfade edits between recordings, a tip offered by Messitte: “Do remember to slap fades at the beginning and end of each region, and generally use a crossfade when stitching two regions together” (Messitte, 2019). This process really helped glue audio clips together - as one fades out, another fades in, leaving no silent spaces or sounds entering or ending abruptly. I also made crossfade edits on wild track recordings of room tone, the bar area, and other games in progress downstairs. I layered these beneath location sound recordings like dialogue and pool sounds to fill any gaps and increase the film’s realism.

Logic Pro X crossfade edits 

Logic Pro X project location sound and wild track

After laying the foundation for other soundtrack elements (dialogue and location sounds) it was clear changes in the music needed to be made, such as the first scene composition (128 BPM), the psychoacoustic Shepard's tone would now come later than originally planned as it was more suited to the final long shot. This meant rearranging the music and creating new content to fill the space the Shepard Tone had occupied. In this section the melodic and atmospheric soundtrack content could now be developed as I was satisfied the rhythm suited the visual content. However, other sections like the 140 BPM music did not match the visual content, so I dropped it and created new music.

Opening the first scene’s musical composition in Ableton Live, I exported the Shepard Tone and saved the file for later in the piece and deleted the 140 BPM music, allowing more time to develop the 128 BPM composition, which I duplicated to replace the 140 BPM section. Then I created a sub-bass patch in Native Instruments Massive by shifting the oscillators pitch down an octave (-12.00) to put the note into the low-end frequency range and using a ‘Sin-Square’ wave with maximum intensity and a ‘Lowpass 4’ filter. I added to this sound using ‘Sine Shaper’ on the first insert and ‘Parabolic Shaper’ on the second as well as ‘Tele Tube’ and ‘Dimension Expander’ on the effects section to process and shape the sound further with distortion and other effects. After sculpting the sounds’ attack, decay, sustain and release settings in the master envelope (‘Envelope 4’), I went into the ‘Voicing’ section and changed the number of voices from one to three to increase the presence and volume of the sub bass. The settings used in the Massive patch are displayed in the screenshot below:

Massive screenshot

Satisfied the sub bass was playing appropriate notes to match the visual content, I developed a new lead synth (heard at 0:41 Ricochet soundtrack second draft) to layer with the sub bass. This worked by duplicating the sub bass patch and changing Massive settings. Changes included moving the ‘Lowpass 4’ filter to a ‘Highpass 2’, changing the frequency content of the synth from the low-end frequency range to the upper-midrange - a key step in making the sub-bass and lead synth parts layer together well. Another change was the addition of a second oscillator playing a ‘Square-Saw II’ wave in an octave higher than the first oscillator, the ‘Wavetable’ and ‘Intensity’ parameters inside this oscillator are affected by the low-frequency oscillator (‘LFO 5’) which holds a saw wave at a controlled rate and internal envelope for attack and saw wave release. This added synth movement and excitement, which perfectly suited this section’s narrative. When in place I edited the content arrangement, balancing newly added track levels. Parameters discussed in this paragraph are shown in the software screenshot below:

Massive screenshot

I applied sidechain compression to the grain delay texture sound (starting at 0:41 in the Ricochet second draft soundtrack) to make the sound duck in volume when kick drum and snare drums occurred. This altered the sound’s rhythm and filled spaces around main drum elements without playing at the same time as them, making the mix sound clearer. I also added the Ableton Live stock Flanger to add interesting variations. See the parameters used for this process below: 

Sidechain compression and Flanger

 Another compositional strategy I employed was consolidating all tracks and applying transposition modulation automation to make all sounds decrease in pitch simultaneously, helping create a melting effect that worked well as a bridge between scenes and musical genres, as the tempo changes from 128 BPM to 90 BPM. The screenshot below shows the  technique: 

Transposition Modulation Automation

Satisfied with new musical developments, I exported the new section and opened Logic Pro X to update this aspect. When listening to the music with the location sound recording playing at the same time, it became apparent that tweaking would be required to balance soundtrack levels between dialogue, location sound and music so that dialogue and quieter location sound details would definitely be heard and not lost under the music. In the following quote, Yu describes a technique used by a practitioner who kept “music in focus and loud in the foreground, but, during a scene transition... sent the music into the background and threw it “out of focus” so that people could talk in the foreground and not drive the audience mad trying to distinguish the dialogue from the music” (Yu, 2003, p.95). This research shaped my decision to use volume automation, pushing the music “out of focus” as described in the quote, drawing attention to other soundtrack elements like dialogue. I automated music volume with dialogue present to place the music in the “background” and bring the dialogue to the front, as Yu explains above. I did this by ticking the Automation Mode box in group settings so I could automate all music tracks together. A screenshot providing the volume automation process documentation is below: 

Volume automation

Similarly, in the following quote Holman explains another technique used to balance dialogue and music, explaining a key theory applied by sound editors involving understanding speech frequencies:

“There are many films in which the dialog sounds honky or nasal because the midfrequency range has been overemphasized to promote intelligibility, given the competition from music and sound effects. Listening to these films sometimes sounds as though we are hearing two different movies simultaneously, because the dialog seems to have a narrow frequency range and an emphasis within the narrow range of midrange frequencies, and yet the music and sound effects sound wide and well balanced. The compromise that has been reached in these cases comes from the observation that understanding speech is little interfered with by such tactics, and in fact this emphasis may promote intelligibility when the film is heard under suboptimal conditions. Sound editors and composers know intuitively about this effect and avoid putting content in the frequency range of the primary components of speech in important dialogue regions. Although speech occupies a moderately wide region, the range of the greatest intelligibility is from about 500Hz to 3kHz, so this is the region that sound editors and composers keep a little clear in the dialog scene” (Holman, 2010, p.33).

This seemed a great technique, and lead to me experimenting with the Logic Linear Phase EQ to carve out human speech range frequencies from the music in sections with dialogue. I sent the music group (holding compositions for each scene) to a bus track (‘Aux 1’)  containing the Linear Phase EQ cutting out human speech frequency ranges (500 Hz - 3000 Hz) with bell filters. An EQ screenshot is shown below:

Linear Phase EQ

Next, I created an auxiliary track and automated the bypass function (learned from the Automating Auxiliary Tracks - Creating Tracks Youtube video, which is in the filmography at the end of this post) of the EQ device on the auxiliary track so the EQ was only active at times when dialogue was present. Although the soundtrack was playing along with the dialogue, both could be heard coherently and there was greater emphasis on dialogue, resulting in clearer speech for the actors. The process is documented below, showing the auxiliary track’s EQ bypass automation making room for dialogue:

Auxiliary track automation

References

Holman, T. (2010) Sound for film and television, 1st ed, Boston, Mass: Focal Press, p.33.

Messitte, N. (2019) 8 Quick Tips for Cleaning Dialogue in Short Films [Online]. B&H Explora. Available at: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/video/tips-and-solutions/8-quick-tips-for-cleaning-dialogue-in-short-films (Accessed 7 March 2019).

Yu, E. (2003) Perspectives: Sounds of Cinema: What Do We Really Hear?, Journal of Popular Film and Television, vol. 31, (2), pp.95-96.

Filmography

Automating Auxiliary Tracks - Creating Tracks (2019) YouTube video, added by Creating Tracks [Online]. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRTFyy15GYk (Accessed 22 March 2019).

[chickswithrecords-blog1]

ABCs of Fiction Writing - Dialogue: Who Said What?

Dialogue can be one of the most difficult parts of writing fiction, and a sure sign of an amateur writer is dialogue that is not properly punctuated. Punctuation can be the most confusing part about writing dialogue (and we'll be dealing with US standards in this article), but writing believable dialogue is the most challenging. When you have multiple characters in a story, a unique voice must be developed for each one as well, or else the dialogue is boring and repetitive.

Punctuation and Dialogue Tags

No matter how good your actual dialogue may be, it is going to be unreadable if it is not properly punctuated or tagged. Punctuation and tags offer the clues that the reader needs to be able to 'hear' the conversation that is happening. Since the scene is happening in the reader's imagination, it must be described in such a way that they can properly ascertain who is saying what.

Reading a story that does not have proper punctuation or tags would be like listening to a conversation that was spoken by the same voice, entirely in monotone, without pauses for breath between words or sentences or speakers. It would be incredibly confusing.

If someone is speaking out loud, use quotation marks ( " ") at the beginning and end. Not single quotation marks/apostrophes.

If someone is thinking, and you are writing their actual thoughts, use italics without quotation marks. Italics can also signify emphasis within spoken dialogue. Italics are also helpful for differentiating between flashbacks and present tense, but we'll deal more that in a later article.

When a different character speaks, the dialogue should begin on a new line (see the example in the action tag section).

Dialogue tags denote who is speaking and/or thinking. Examples are: John spoke, she said/he said, Sally shouted, his wife asked, etc. Write your tag carefully, don't detract from the dialogue. It is only meant to signify who is saying what, and other than that should be invisible. Readers will notice, though, if you're only using 'he said/she said' for your dialogue tags, so find other ways to clue them in to who is speaking. You might insert a dialogue tag at a point where the character might pause as they are speaking.

The basics of punctuating dialogue are the same whether it is thoughts or spoken words, you simply place the entire 'thought' in italics (except for the tag), without quotation marks.

Periods, commas, question marks, exclamation points, etc. are contained inside the quotation marks - "That hurt!"

Always use commas when you break up a line of dialogue with a tag - "Honey," John spoke, "I have to work late every night this week." (Note the comma at the end of the broken dialogue 'honey', and the comma at the end of the tag 'John spoke'. Both commas need to be there.)

Use single quotation marks for quoting within dialogue - "He said and I quote, 'you're a miserable excuse for a human being'! Can you believe it?" Also note the exclamation point is outside of the quote, because it refers to the voice of the character talking, not the one being quoted.

Action Tags/Beats

Beyond the basic dialogue tag, you can use action tags (also called beats) to make dialogue flow. This is when, rather than using 'he said/she said', you use action to denote who is speaking.

Example (from my 2010 NaNoWriMo* Novel): "I miss her, especially today," she welcomed his embrace. "I know, I do too," he pressed a kiss to her forehead, "She would be very proud of you, just as I am." "Thank you," Isabel smiled. "It is so hard to believe that sixteen years ago today," her father's mouth twitched at the corners, and Isabel wasn't sure if he was going to smile or weep, "I held you in my arms for the first time. You were so very small. So very frail . . ."

Action tags can be used to convey emotion and scenery, but the tags must always go along with the dialogue of the corresponding character. Also note, as mentioned above, how each new line of dialogue is on a separate line. Otherwise, it would read like this and be confusing:

"I miss her, especially today," she welcomed his embrace. "I know, I do too," he pressed a kiss to her forehead, "She would be very proud of you, just as I am." "Thank you," Isabel smiled. "It is so hard to believe that sixteen years ago today," her father's mouth twitched at the corners, and Isabel wasn't sure if he was going to smile or weep, "I held you in my arms for the first time. You were so very small. So very frail . . ."

It's not impossible to follow but it looks much neater and is easier to tell who is speaking when it is on separate lines.

Indirect Dialogue

Indirect dialogue is summarizing dialogue rather than writing out what the character has said. If the dialogue example from above were to be written as indirect dialogue, it might read like this:

Isabel mentioned how much she missed her mother as she welcomed his embrace. Her father agreed, but her mother would be proud of her. Isabel thanked him as she smiled, and her father began to reminisce about her birth sixteen years before, and the first time he held her. She had been so small and frail . . .

This can be used if you need to get through a lot of dialogue very quickly, but it is not as personal or emotional as the original dialogue was. Don't use this as your main style of writing dialogue, but do know that it exists and can be used for certain purposes. You want to still use some of the words that character would be using if they were speaking out loud, but is a summary, so you don't write word for word what they would have said. Absolutely do not use it for pivotal scenes where you need the emotional impact of what is happening, you'll only the damage the plot.

Voice

The voice of each character must be unique. Just as each person around you has a certain way of saying things, your characters must as well. Avoid writing in accents. Simply mentioning the nationality of a character should be enough, or if they have a lisp, etc. Nobody enjoys reading a story where the dialogue has been written in the literal pronunciation of words/letters.

The best way to do voice is to listen to the people around you and see if you can recognize their speech patterns. Perhaps someone likes to use sarcasm, or they are always very thoughtful in what they say. Listen to people around you everywhere you go (in addition to being people-watchers, writers must also be eavesdroppers), and see if you can pick out speech patterns. Practice by attempting to imitate the speech of the people in your life - a spouse, sibling, parent, close friends.

Punctuation marks also help, use them for their purpose. Exclamation marks (but never more than one) can show excitement, anger, etc. Ellipses ( . . . ) can indicated a pause for thought. Hyphens should be used when a word is started but interrupted; the interruption can be a cough, or made by another character.

Do not continuously use dialogue tags to convey tone, set the tone of the conversation through the scene as well by showing what is happening with the characters. Writing emotion is an important part of this as well, which will be dealt with in the next article.

*National Novel Writing Month

Sources: Punctuation Dialogue: How to Punctuate Dialogue Correctly by Ginny Wiehardt Writing Dialogue: The Music of Speech by Donna Ippolito Writing Fiction for Dummies by Randy Ingermanson and Peter Economy Writing Fiction: A Guide to Narrative Craft, Seventh Edition by Janet Burroway and Elizabeth Stuckey-French

[narkinafive]

more essay updates

what’s currently most interesting/annoying is how much context i give for each example. at what point am i just summarizing events? how much is too much or too little? is any of this even... relevant

anyhoot, under a cut, read and critique at your leisure my bros ❤❤❤❤❤❤🤟🤟🤟🤟💯💯💯

Few franchises can match the breadth of Star Wars, and fewer still can claim to be as iconic. Not only have the characters, dialogues, settings, and aesthetics been directly referenced and lovingly parodied across all genres, so too has John Williams’ music. Yet Williams’ music is perhaps most referenced, riffed on, and remixed within the franchise itself; it is difficult to find a piece of Star Wars media which does not contain any number of Williams’ leitmotifs, such as the bombastic “Main Title” fanfare, the sweeping majesty of the Force theme, or the foreboding, villainous “Imperial March.” Within the many, many Star Wars related properties, composers for the franchise’s “lower tier” [properties], i.e. any property outside of the nine-film “Skywalker Saga,” are presented with a difficult challenge: how does one emulate and reference Williams’ original, titanic score, keeping a coherent sonic aesthetic, without copying him directly, and allowing space for the composer’s own musical language? 

The larger Star Wars chronology can be broken into three general eras: the Original Trilogy era (OT), which focuses on the time represented by the films A New Hope, Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, and Rogue One, the Sequel Trilogy era (ST), which is comprised of the films The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, and The Rise of Skywalker, as well as the TV series Star Wars: Resistance, and the Prequel Trilogy era (PT), as represented by the films The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, Revenge of the Sith, and Solo, as well as the TV series The Clone Wars. Of these properties, Williams has obviously scored the lion’s share of the films; Rogue One’s soundtrack was composed by Michael Giacchino, Resistance by Michael Tavera, Solo by John Powell, and The Clone Wars by Kevin Kiner. 

Kiner’s other work for Star Wars was the score of another TV series, Star Wars Rebels. Rebels occupies an interesting place within the greater Star Wars chronology, qualifying as a prequel due to taking place before the events of A New Hope, yet both aesthetically and narratively more aligned with the OT, rather than the PT. Though Rebels is nominally a prequel, Kiner’s musical language sets it firmly within the OT era, with frequent sonic callbacks to Williams’ score, with each aesthetic connection serving not only to link the viewer to the OT era, but also, through its absences and deviations, highlight the narrative differences between Rebels and the original films. This is particularly exemplified in the parallels and contrasts between the heroes of Rebels and the OT, Ezra Bridger, and Luke Skywalker.

From the outset, several parallels can be drawn between Ezra Bridger and Luke Skywalker: both are orphans from provincial areas of the galaxy, both are accidentally caught up in insurrectionist rebel activity against the Empire, and both discover that they can wield the powers of the Force. They are even roughly the same age, born within days of each other. Contrasts do abound, however. Ezra receives several years of Jedi training from a former Jedi, while Luke receives very little; Ezra is actively involved with the Rebel Alliance from the very beginning, while Luke has to be drawn into it due to personal tragedy; Ezra’s primary motif is connected to the twin moons of his home planet of Lothal - this, in contrast to the famous scene of Luke Skywalker gazing into the twin sunset of his planet of Tatooine; and so on. [more parallels]

Set five years before the events of A New Hope, the backdrop of Rebels depicts the formal declaration of the Galactic Alliance, the establishment of the famous rebel base on the planet of Yavin IV, and numerous references to the secret construction of the Death Star, alongside several integral character cameos, including Lando Calrissian, Princess Leia, and Obi-wan Kenobi, while the main thrust of the story centers on the crew of the Ghost, an early rebel cell, and the journey of its newest crew member, Ezra Bridger. Described by Dave Filoni, Executive Producer and creator of Rebels, as a con artist, and Taylor Gray, the character’s actor, as a [street smart thief], Ezra happens upon the crew of the Ghost as they commit a minor act of terrorism against the Galactic Empire, stealing several crates of supplies. Rather than pick a side in the conflict, Ezra elects to steal a crate of the same supplies for himself, outrunning the comedically incompetent Imperial police force, and dodging the members of the Ghost crew as they try to get the supplies back, until Ezra is forced to seek refuge on the Ghost to escape the marginally more competent TIE figher pilots. After helping the crew in distributing the supplies - namely, food - to a nearby refugee camp, Ezra is convinced by the Ghost’s pilot and leader, Hera Syndulla, to assist in a rescue mission. Despite his initial capture and subsequent escape from Imperial custody, Ezra chooses to see the rescue mission through to the end, and witnesses the Ghost’s second-in-command, Kanan Jarrus, wield a lightsaber, revealing himself as a survivor of the presumed-extinct and quasi-legendary Jedi Order. Recognizing that Ezra has the same gift as him, Kanan offers to train him to wield the Force in order to continue fighting against the Empire, dispelling any notion that the Jedi are gone with a triumphant declaration, “Not all of us.” 

Initially, Ezra joins the Rebellion not because it is the right thing to do, but because it is convenient to him at the time; the Ghost functions as a roof over his head, its crew members as a new set of parents and siblings, and its missions as a source of food and income, along with the added bonus of learning how to use an incredibly powerful, specialized weapon, despite the target it paints on his back. Filoni himself states [need src] that Ezra decides to join the Ghost not only to learn how to use a lightsaber, but because he is in need of a family, having lost his own parents at the age of seven, when they were arrested for their underground, anti-establishment radio broadcasts. Part of Ezra’s journey over the course of Rebels is re-learning how to think beyond himself, and sacrificing himself for the greater good of everyone, and not just the good of his family and friends--but, as one would expect, at the very beginning of his story, he is far more selfish than selfless. It is more than halfway into the first season before Ezra begins to truly comprehend the Jedi lessons Kanan has attempted to teach him, beyond lifting rocks with his mind, as he finally admits and begins to face his fears while in the middle of a vision quest (presided over by the disembodied voice of Master Yoda). 

Over the course of the series, Ezra has frequent, deep brushes with the “Dark Side” of the Force, becoming more inclined to fight, hurt, or even kill in the name of pragmatism and gaining victories for the Rebel Alliance. 

Luke’s introduction to the Rebel Alliance is equally accidental, though arguably far more heroic. When his uncle and adoptive father Owen purchases a pair of droids for the farm, Luke discovers a secret message hidden within one of them: Princess Leia’s plea to a mysterious Obi-wan Kenobi for aid. Luke’s first instinct is to help her, seeking out the reclusive loner Ben Kenobi for more information.  [more]

These parallels are further underscored by their respective musical motifs. Consider Luke’s theme, the “Main Title” fanfare. [GL quote, SWO 2, 20 min in]. Comprised primarily of perfect intervals, the theme begins with an ascending fifth, an opening salvo so famous that music students everywhere, yours truly included, use it to identify perfect fifths in other contexts. As Lucas notes, the principal instrumentation is in the brass section, immediately conferring an old-world heroic air to Luke. [SWO hero’s journey quote]. [insert sheet music here, recap] As a theme, it is punchy, energetic, deliberately and intrinsically tied up in the “Rebel Fanfare,” and generally underscores moments of onscreen heroism and valiant derring-do. [explain] [example] [example] [example]

By contrast, while Ezra’s theme is also played by the horns, they are muted, thinner, ringing out more softly over shimmering, sustained strings. [insert sheet music here, recap] Ezra’s theme mostly serves to underscore the character’s moments of emotional reflection, rather than his superhuman action. The first iteration of Ezra’s theme, in contrast to the above, plays as Ezra observes the crew of the Ghost handing food supplies from afar. His whole worldview has clearly been shaken; rather than abscond with the supplies stolen from Imperials--supplies that, Ezra’s presence notwithstanding, were difficult to steal--the crew of the Ghost chooses to give most of them away (though a crate of weapons is sold to a shady businessman for income). Ezra’s first instinct had been to sell them himself, to any number of the black market dealers with which he has become familiar growing up. Of the many confusing aspects of this situation, one thing which must be puzzling him is why the crew had even offered him refuge on their ship. Surely if they were like any other thief or smuggler, they would have left him behind to be killed by the TIE Fighter pilot, either as a punishment for stealing the crates in the first place, or simply to get him out of the way. (Later, he will be even more shocked that they turn around to rescue him from an Imperial Star Destroyer, one of the Empire’s largest and most heavily guarded space vessels, despite having accidentally left him behind earlier in their haste to escape.) Now, however, this emotional confusion, coupled with a handy tug from the Force, compels him to sneak aboard the Ghost and snoop, where he stumbles on Kanan’s lightsaber and holocron, a treasure trove of Jedi information that only Jedi can open, which he promptly steals. 

Ezra was born on “Empire Day,” the day that the Clone Wars were ended and the Galactic Empire was declared by Palpatine, formerly Senator, then Chancellor, and now Emperor. (It was that same day that the Emperor launched his assault on the Jedi Order, wiping nearly all of them out in one overwhelming blow. It has been theorized that this mass slaughter resonated throughout the Force, causing unborn Force sensitive children to panic and induce early labor in the mother. Incidentally, Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa were born two days later.) For Ezra, Empire Day comes with its own baggage--this day is also the anniversary of his parents’ arrest for treason, which left him homeless and alone. This Empire Day, however, Ezra is not alone, but instead has joined up with a rebel cell determined to cause some mayhem and headaches for the Imperial occupiers. With Imperials distracted by preparations for a local parade, and their search for a particular Imperial data-worker named Tseebo, Ezra and the rebels happily ruin the parade, and, while hiding in the abandoned apartment which used to be Ezra’s childhood home, discover Tseebo already there. Tseebo was, by Ezra’s admission, a friend of his parents, though Ezra himself wants nothing to do with Tseebo now, who “went to work for the Empire, after they took my parents away.” (While it is left intentionally vague, there is a distinct possibility that Tseebo had a hand in his parents’ arrest and imprisonment.) In the years since, Tseebo had allowed himself to be implanted with cybernetic enhancements in order to increase his productivity, before downloading several caches of Imperial secrets, and attempting to flee. With all of the information in his head, Tseebo is little more than catatonic, able to walk and spout random information, but not truly understanding what is going on around him--until some turbulence aboard the Ghost appears to knock him back into consciousness. Seeing and recognizing Ezra, and perhaps knowing that he has a limited amount of time, Tseebo frantically tries to tell Ezra that he knows what happened to his parents, who had been presumed dead all this time.

Unfortunately, Tseebo cannot remain lucid for long, and Ezra must go and lure the pursuing Imperials off of their tail, in order to get Tseebo to Hera’s rebel operative, the mysterious Fulcrum.