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phoenixfeathersinfall · 4 years ago

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The Dax Debacle: Re-Imagining S7 of “Star Trek Deep Space Nine”

*This post came about after a few discussions with Lee @creativilee on how the stories of Jadzia and Ezri could have been adapted to better serve both of those characters and respect the work of both actresses! Thanks to them for all their help, encouragement, and serving as a springboard! Anything in italics is theirs!

For all of us DS9 fans, the finale season can be rather fraught for several reasons, many of the biggest revolving around the transition from Jadzia Dax to Ezri Dax, henceforth called “The Dax Debacle.” Many folks seem to love one and hate the other, which is a huge shame because both characters brought amazing potential and storylines to the table, but the writers really fumbled in some key aspects. This sure-to-be-long-winded meta is an attempt between myself and Lee to fix some of those fumbles and give both characters the storylines they deserved. So, let’s get to it!

First, a little behind-the scenes context.

Why Two Dax-es?

To begin with, it’s important to acknowledge that the Dax Debacle was largely unplanned, and the writing often reflects the ways in which Nicole de Boer was shoehorned in as Terry Ferrell’s replacement, just as the character of Ezri was deliberately put forward as Jadzia’s replacement as the next host of Dax. What happened?

It is widely believed, based on various interviews Terry gave during the show’s run, that the set of DS9 was inhospitable to her, placing her in situations of harassment and abuse. By the time of S7, due to this as well as the sheer grueling schedule of the show, she wanted to be moved from a permanent member of the cast into a reoccurring role like that of Andrew Robinson. When it proved fruitless to negotiate this, Terry decided to leave the show, though she explicitly stated she had not wanted Jadzia’s character to be killed on her departure.

Though the writers went through with the decision to kill Jadzia, they still wanted the character of Dax to remain on the crew, and due to the way Trill physiology was designed, they decided to do this with another host, similar to how Jadzia was initially seen as the continuation of Sisko’s old friend Curzon.

Enter Nicole de Boer as Ezri Dax, a young unjoined Trill who had never intended to be a host at all, and the story of her adjustment to carrying on the Dax legacy.

The Story’s Seed

It’s definitely worth noting that the initial conception of Ezri’s story, the young suddenly-joined Trill joined under trying circumstances who has to re-discover herself has a lot of potential! It could have been extremely poignant and moving, in something of the same vein as Seven of Nine rediscovering herself on “Voyager.” Unfortunately, the choices made regarding how she became the next Dax make it hard to appreciate Ezri on her own merits. Both we as the audience and the other characters are constantly seeing Jadzia in her place. It stymied who she was able to be as a character and how the audience was able to receive her. The way she was written invites constant comparisons, often to Ezri’s detriment in her initial interactions with the crew.

Lee said some things extremely well here: “Ezri as a character was hindered a lot by being made ‘Jadzia's replacement’ instead of ‘the next Dax,’ a Dax in her own right. While Jadzia definitely had Curzon's legacy to live with, it was absolutely not all she was, and she interacted with it as such, but Ezri wasn’t written with the same care. She isn't ‘Ezri Dax’ she's ‘Ezri, the one who replaced Jadzia.’ She was entirely written as a replacement, and it shows.”

Fumbles, Fumbles, Fumbles

Let’s review some things that went sideways in Ezri’s arc, so we can see it for the purposes of our rewrite.

The “I'm the new host of your dead friends symbiont" aspect is very difficult to watch. It’s hard to say if the writers wanted to lean into this aspect deliberately, but even if they did, I don’t think they ended up hitting the emotional notes they wanted to.

Ezri doesn’t seem to get much training from what we can tell, and being joined is a huge change! We learned from Jadzia’s arc that initiates often train for years. It’s wartime, but she still really did get thrown into the deep end!

The audience can’t approach Ezri on her own merits, but quite often, the crew isn’t doing that, either. There’s the caveat that they’re grieving and it’s an odd situation to be in, but! Sisko initially tries to interact with her in the same way he would Jadzia (calling her old man, which upsets her a great deal,) Julian flirts with her with the same intensity he did Jadzia in early seasons, Worf seems to only be seeing his dead wife any time he looks at her.

Ezri is given a role as ship’s counselor when she is in no way emotionally able to handle the psychological difficulties of others when she’s going through so much herself.

Her return to Deep Space 9 (the station) seems to contradict what we know about Trill culture. Joining is meant to give the symbiont as many life experiences as possible, and re-association (to various degrees) is anything from strongly discouraged to forbidden. Ezri goes right back to living Jadzia’s life in some ways, in the same place with the same people. Jadzia wasn’t able to resume her relationship with Lenara Khan, but Ezri finds herself being intimate with Jadzia’s widower.

Our alternatives and fixes for the arcs of Jadzia and Ezri fall into three broad categories, which we’ll break down here:

1. Ezri Not-Dax? (Ezri is still joined unexpectedly, but rather than the Dax symbiont, she is host to another symbiont which needed her.)

2. Where in the World is Jadzia Dax? (If Ezri isn’t a Dax, we have to figure out what to do with the Dax we know!)

3. The Legacy Question (The age-old Trill questions of new hosts, old hosts, and interpersonal relationships.)

Ezri Who? Ezri Not-Dax!

The best solution Lee and I were able to find was the idea that Ezri was joined under similar circumstances to canon, but not to Dax itself.

This is still largely workable for the story we want to tell, because, as Lee explains: “The Dax symbiont isn't key to her character, except to affect her relationships with the crew. Her main personal conflicts are about being joined before she was ready, not about being joined to Dax. She still would have worked without the Dax symbiont.”

For the sake of convenience, let’s call this hypothetical new symbiont Nal. So, Ezri Tigan —> Ezri Nal.

Where in the World is Jadzia Dax?

Theres 3 different paths we could take with Jadzia!

If Terry was made a reoccurring member of the cast, the writers could easily have put Jadzia into the position of being given a transfer assignment. Though Jadzia might initially struggle to accept this because of her loyalty to her friends, “with things picking up in wartime, it's believable that Starfleet would want the people more familiar with what dangers are on the other side of the wormhole to be spread around and maximize the number of ships and stations that are prepared for it. Maybe Jadzia acts as a representative and goes around giving lectures/debriefings on that stuff. This situation puts us in a position to get frequent updates about Jadzia, even if we don't see her again!"

If Terry did not stay on at all, Jadzia as a character could still have died, but the Dax symbiont finds a new host back on Trill, away from the station. Maybe we get updates about this Dax because Ezri trained with them for a bit, or the new Dax reaches out to Sisko from time to time, since he was well-acquainted with two previous Dax-es.

The option I like best for purely self-indulgent reasons would be if Terry stayed on for one more season and was present on the station when Ezri arrived, serving as a mentor to her.

The Legacy Question

Since the “TNG” days, Star Trek likes to experiment with Trill, and what happens in relationships between joined Trill and non-Trill, particularly in the case of a symbiont with a new host. We might assume this was part of the writer’s intent with the Dax Debacle, but it went over much better in the move from Curzon to Jadzia then it did in the move from Jadzia to Ezri.

Other options for exploring “the legacy question:”

“If they wanted to explore the whole ‘new host when the previous host was close to you’ thing, they could have had an episode that went into detail about Sisko meeting Jadzia for the first time after the death of Curzon.” Or, just having Sisko reflect more on the changes and developments in their relationship as time passes. They did this quite well initially when Jadzia first came aboard, but dropped it soon after the first season for the most part and left it to our amazing fic writers to pick it back up.

The character of Curzon is often used as a vehicle for explaining Jadzia’s connection to Klingon culture, but he also gives us access to a wealth of relationships which could be used to explore the legacy question. “Curzon had so many friends, and we see a variety of reactions from them, particularly with his Klingon friends. Some of them immediately fall back into that friendship, some of them struggle to recognize that Jadzia may not be Curzon, but she is still Dax, and has a lot of Curzon in her.” Keeping that thread going would have been intriguing also.

The Life of Ezri Nal

Here’s how some elements of Ezri’s story might look with the “Nal” symbiont.

Ezri is joined rather unprepared when a medical emergency puts the life of a symbiont at risk and the host is unable to be saved. For convenience, let’s call this symbiont Nal.

Ezri was always interested in Starfleet Service, especially in working as a counselor (which she studied on her own rather than gaining the knowledge through the memories of past hosts.) She assigned to the station by the Trill Symbiosis Commission largely because there are people there who will know how to help a newly-joined Trill; namely Sisko, Julian, and Jadzia.

Jadzia+ Ezri

Being the only other Trill on the station that we know about, Jadzia puts herself in a mentor role to Ezri, helping her adjust to her new life and consciousness. Her personality and experiences make her perfect for the job!

As a bonus, we get to see how the mentor and mentee relarionships between joined Trill and initiates work.

We also set up some fun parallels! Take Jadzia, who had to try so hard to be joined, and it was a huge goal in her life (to the point where she applied again to the Symbiosis Comission after being rejected once, which is played as something that basically never happens,) versus Ezri who was perfectly happy to be just herself and ended up taking on this responsibility without being ready and without feeling like she had much choice because of how Trill culture regards symbionts.

From the little we know about Jadzia before she was joined, she was somewhat like Ezri-bookish, shy, anxious-and she initially struggled to adjust to the likes of Curzon. But now, she’s gown so confident in who she is, for the most part, and she’d be the perfect person to guide Ezri and help her find joy in her new life.

But, she also understands having difficulties with aspects of being joined, for example, her conflict in whether she should rejoin with Lenara Khan, or how she struggled in the aftermath of the discovery of the cover-up regarding Joran.

In short, Jadzia helps keep Ezri as mentally and emotionally healthy as she can be.

Julian+Ezri

Being CMO, Julian helps look after Ezri and ensure she’s physically well; after all, it’s what he does best! “Having Julian as the Chief Medical Officer on board would be a big draw for the Trill. He's even performed a symbiont joining and removal procedure. He had to be very familiar with Trill biology, meaning a newly joined host would be relatively safe and well-cared-for on board. And, I’m sure that there's a big chemical change in Trill when the get joined, and adjusting to that would be hard!”

Julian can also sympathize having something done you didn’t want or weren’t ready for, and can help her process those feelings. “ They both have complicated relationships with their parents regarding their parents’ expectations and their own desires and feelings, which would be interesting!”

In some ways, Julian can serve as another mentor to Ezri. It would be an interesting shift to watch Julian, who is often portrayed as the the youngest or most “green” be able to mentor and guide someone else. “This is also a good way to show Julian has grown and matured, without having to have other characters just say it.”

If we still followed their romance route, having Ezri as Ezri Nal rather than Dax could have make the relationship between her and Julian sit a lot better with audiences. With a rewrite, Julian is not chasing the “ghost” of Jadzia; rather he’s meeting Ezri for the person she is, on her own terms. This also prevents a regression of his character back to the way he chased Jadzia in the early seasons, and instead honors the relationship of treasured friendship that Julian and Jadzia built.

Sisko+Ezri

As he is with many of his younger crew, Sisko takes naturally to the role of a mentor and father figure with Ezri, again meeting her for the person she is, on her own terms. He serves as a valuable guide to ship life and helps her get acquainted with station staff and residents.

Like with Jake, Sisko encourages Ezri to find herself by being her own person.

Ezri tries to take up cooking as a hobby with Sisko, but the experiences of past hosts mean her skills vary wildly depending on what they are making.

Other Relationships

Garak helps Ezri figure out how she wants to dress, often integrating different styles from past hosts. (He rather jumps at the chance.) Ezri still has her difficulties helping him as a counselor, but her additional training and the lack of complications from the Dax symbiont make things easier. They also get to know each other through Julian.

In this Ideal Timeline, Ziyal survives and meets Ezri. They relate well to each other, both of them not really knowing where they fit and grappling with someone else’s legacy, but they have each other for support. Ziyal has given her portraits as gifts.

She has a similar dynamic with Jake, who is trying to figure out how to honor his parents while being his own man. Ezri starts writing memoirs of sorts about her past lives on his suggestion.

Surprisingly, she gets on with Nog, too. They’re both doing things unexpected and feeling like they’re going to be the first in something big.

She isn’t especially close to Worf, but he assures her that the sacrifices she made for Nal are ones to be honored, and becomes rather fond of Ezri due to Jadzia’s influence.

Thanks for reading this super-long meta! Please tell Lee and I your thoughts on this rewrite!

#meta #i should start a tag for my star trek thoughts #star trek #star trek deep space 9 #star trek ds9 #fan treks #star trek crit #star trek headcanons #favorite characters #jadzia dax #ezri dax #mine

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morningsound15 · 5 years ago

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hi! i’m a major fan of yours across several fandoms (bechloe, fuffy, hermione/anyone 👀) and i’m always really impressed with your ability to jump around fandoms while telling these very complete stories with awesome characterizations. any chance you’d be willing to share what your process is like for preparing to write a story? thank you for sharing your work! really enjoy it.

asks like this are so so sweet! compliments AND writing process questions at the same time is just *chef’s kiss*

i got a similar question to this in a comment on one of my stories a few weeks back, i hope you don’t mind that i’ve lifted some of this from that answer!

when i’m starting a new fic, these are the 3 basic things i focus on (not always consciously, this is just how my brain works):

characterization (who is the story about/why is the story being told)

plot (what story is being told)

and form (how is the story being told)

(this is long! more under the cut)

CHARACTERIZATION: the first thing i do is try to get a feel for how the characters think and speak. so the first thing i’ll write is usually something light and banter-y between two main characters. i find that story beats, reactions, emotions, etc. (all important parts of scenes) flow from me much more easily if i have a good feel for the characters and how they interact with each other. for example, the first scene i record in a voice note on my phone or dump in a word document might be: character A and B are eating breakfast the morning after sleeping together for the first time. they haven’t talked about it yet. they are trying to hide what they did from the other people in the room while trying to subtly see how the other one is acting

writing a scene like this would help me figure out a few important things about my characters, like how they interact with each other when they need to be covert (are they embarrassed? flirty? ashamed? cold? nervous? blushing?), how their friends might or might not pick up on their dynamic, and most importantly it lets me practice the pace of how the characters speak and the basic nature of their conversation styles with each other (do they crack jokes, are they unnecessarily cruel, do they openly flirt, is there a competitive undertone, exasperated fondness, etc.?).

people should be able to understand everything important about your characters from the way they speak and hold themselves in a scene. having the characters’ voices, rhythms, and interpersonal banter down is really important in making sure that whatever is happening in your story is compelling. if the characters feel real, the plot will feel real, and you can hook people into reading stories for fandoms they otherwise wouldn’t.

PLOT: this is kind of cheating, since i GUESS technically ‘plot’ is the first step to preparing to write a story, but to me, the most fundamental thing you need to have down to write fic is an understanding of the characters. you can use whatever tried-and-true soulmate/fake dating/bed sharing/alternate universe tropes you want, but the thing that makes or breaks a story is its characters, so that’s why i put that part first.

but okay, talking about plot. for me what comes first is less ‘plot’ than ‘situation’.

here’s an example: i decided a while back that i desperately want to write a sansa x margaery hogwarts au. has it been done before? yes. does it sound fun? yes, and also, i love writing hp universe, and i love sansa stark. but the idea’s been done before, so what am i hoping to write that contributes to the genre/trope? what’s my hook? what’s my angle? what’s my read of the characters and how do i want to get them together?

i settled on this: Sansa is the first Stark in five generations to not be sorted into Gryffindor.

suddenly bam, i’m off and running. i’ve got a story universe, i’ve got a couple of characters whose voices i’m starting to settle into, i’ve got a whole cast of characters i have to suddenly squash into this alternate universe, think about what roles they should play, how THEY should speak and interact. suddenly i’m drafting scene ideas to make sure that i highlight the sibling dynamics i want between the starks, the tension between sansa and arya, sansa’s alienation and the family’s pride.

the next step is thinking about story beats. what are good tropes in hp universe stories (spell casting scenes, hogsmede scenes, quidditch scenes) -- how can i write some of these with a new fun twist? similarly, what are good tropes in romantic stories (jealousy/pining, being forced to work together when you don’t want to, romantic rivals) and how can i use these characters to pull off these tropes in a way that feels natural and novel? and of course, hugely important — when should the characters kiss for the first time? (every story’s gotta have a good first-kiss scene.)

i like my stories, generally, to have 2 main plots going: the romance plot between the two main characters, and the maintext plot/situational hijinx they’ve gotten themselves into. figuring out how to weave those storylines together (and ideally to have the Big Climax Scenes Converge Somehow) is tough. so i write in bursts, jumping around between chapters and paragraphs and scenes, cutting whole sections and shuffling them around constantly.

FORM: the first drafts of my chapters are mostly dialogue; i go back in and add actions and internal monologue as some of the last things that i do. scene transitions are also some of the last things i write, or beginnings/endings to scenes. that’s just a personal preference.

i don't tend to write linearly. i guess you could say i write in a vignette style; that’s why most of my fics are organized with individual scenes divided by a textual break, rather than long continuous stream of consciousness/linear time. this allows me a lot of freedom in my writing; if something isn’t working at the end of a scene, or if i can’t figure out a way to transition between moments/times of day, i can just add a text break in. easy as pie. it keeps my stories tighter (lol i know they’re so long who am i kidding) and lets me move things along.

while i jump around a lot, writing scenes that strike me when they strike me, filling in the gaps here and there as i go along, i do like to make some important decisions early on. i think about tracing the arc of the main relationship — are they interested in each other right away, what are the obstacles to them being together, is there going to be an issue with sexuality/queerness or is that a non-issue in this universe? — stuff like that. i think really important scene ideas to have early on (if i’m writing fic, obviously this applies strictly to writing fanfiction romance stories, which are already pretty trope-filled (that’s not a read i love tropes)) are the scenes that Change the direction of the story: the get-together scene and the plot climax. having an understanding of how those crucial scenes are going to play out means that i can make sure that all the writing before those scenes is building in the correct direction.

that doesn’t mean i stick to my outline, or that i’m afraid to change things up! on the contrary. i like to have an idea of where my story is going to end up as i'm writing, because then i can shape the characters and let them grow in a way that naturally arrives at the conclusion. but of course the conclusion is usually just an idea, a vague notion (‘they break out of the curse dimension’ or ‘they’re going off to college uncertain but hopeful’). i avoid writing the end of the story until the very end because the natural conclusion changes as my story goes through more drafts and i get a better feel for the characters. i also like to see how the readers are reacting to the story, what they're noticing, what questions they still have that i need to answer, if there are any scenes that aren't coming across the way i want them to, that sort of thing.

and one last note for fic writers -- this is what i always think about as i’m writing/about to write a story: why am i writing this story? what am i trying to say, how am i trying to better understand the characters or deepen my understanding of canon with this? am i adding to canon or just repeating it? is this personal catharsis, meaningless smut, a bittersweet fix-it?

readers are smart, and most importantly, they’re fans! they’re coming to fic from consuming the original product! they don’t want what they’ve just seen regurgitated to them. take risks in your stories! know the characters, dig deep into their relationships and get inside their heads. if you’ve got the characters down you’ve got everything you need to write a good fic.

mostly i just hope people come away from my stories satisfied by what they've read.

you all know me, i write for any fandom i want to with no rhyme or reason. i have a lot of ideas and varied interests. but i don’t speak a TON about my role as fanfic consumer, so i wanna do that.

fanfiction, for me, is a way of better understanding these things that i love. i come to fanfiction after i finish a show or video game, if i’m revisiting childhood movies or books. ao3 is one of the first places i go after i finish watching something, because i am enchanted by the way fans take characters that exist and with just a few twists of a word or a look, they change the meaning completely, elevate canon, or flesh out side characters that basically had nothing going for them. and because when i finish something i love i don’t want it to be over. sometimes that means i write, sometimes that means i read, but i always go to fic. i love it, it’s comforting and beautiful.

phew! that was long-winded. thanks for the ask!! sorry for the word vomit

(also yes hermione/anyone aka hermione/happiness)

#anonymous #asks #my writing #fanfiction writing things #long post

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jalebi-weds-bluetooth · 5 years ago

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10 Times Arnav Singh Raizada Was Absolutely Right

We see so much of his legendary aggression and silence that we miss out on the fact that Arnav has actually been pretty right. This is an appreciation post as well as a deep look at what his being right meant.

Coincidences Are Never Just Coincidences

Not Introducing Lavanya to His Family

Reprimanding Khushi for Spilling the Beans About Lavanya

Not Getting Married Because He’s Not Ready

Fury on Lavanya’s Push to Getting Married

Knowing Mami Won’t Believe in the “Akash-Payal Made Forever”

Never Trusting Shyam, Again

Rebutting With Dadi

Bringing Sheetal in the House Would Spell Disaster

Khushi Would Not Fit into the Fashion World

#1 Coincidences Are Never Just Coincidences

Yes, it’s destiny and he and Khushi are star crossed lovers. But you have to hand it to Arnav Singh Raizada on believing less in fate and more in motives.

Khushi happens to be the most magical part of his life - naturally it leaves him confused, bothered and curious. She is everything he does not believe in. But her existence counters his belief.

But if we remove Khushi from the equation - Arnav’s disbelief in coincidence makes him an astute observer of his surroundings. He tracks people’s behavior, becomes aware of what people mean when they say something and knows when someone has other motivations.

If Arnav was in Khushi’s shoes, he would have never stopped thinking that Shyam is around a lot. And Shyam’s slip ups that only made sense to Khushi at the end would’ve been unavoidable in Arnav’s eyes from the very start.

Scene Example: On the night of their wedding, it does not take Arnav even a minute to understand that personal surveillance, purchase of cameras, and Shyam’s sudden quietness and agreement to their remarriage isn’t a coincidence. He immediately connects it to Shyam while Khushi is, still, surprised.

I think Arnav is judged very harshly for not believing in fate, but we all know that Shyam was able to dupe Khushi and her family only because they were not as pragmatic as Arnav. Arnav’s only blind spot was Anjali - otherwise he wouldn’t have missed Shyam’s activities.

An opposite character: Khushi Kumari Gupta. Everything is fated and she is appalled at the thought that anyone could even deviously plan to fake goodness. A reason why she might be so - I feel it’s a coping mechanism for her to justify her parents’ death. It was fated and in God’s will and there was no way Khushi could have prevented it. Arnav, on the other hand, saw his parents’ commit suicide, so of course there was no God’s will and the very next day his uncle kicks them out of their house. Not so surprising that they form different opinions on fate, right?

A character who understands: Shashi Gupta is a good balance of believing in fate but also not believing in coincidences. Which makes me think that the two of them share the most tender bond as Shashi is an astute businessman and Arnav has never had a great paternal figure.

#2 Not Introducing Lavanya to His Family

Great idea. This is for everyone - if you’re not ready to make a relationship serious then you’re not ready! You’re not a villain for that, rather you are being mature. If there’s anything I appreciate about Arnav Singh Raizada is the fact that he knows where his relationships are heading.

Barring Khushi, she’s a perfect anomaly in his life. Arnav probably hated how she fit right into his house and heart as a family member.

Arnav and Lavanya’s relationship in the beginning, is around 5 (?) months old. So they’ve really just started dating and considering the family that Arnav has, introducing Lavanya to them means that the very next day he needs to pronounce his vows to her. Now we might feel the relationship is very serious because Lavanya treats it seriously, she continues to test the boundaries of their relationship and tries to celebrate anniversaries (even when it’s not been a year).

Of course people marry much quicker than that. But this is Arnav, who doesn’t have the best relationship with the ideology of marriage and stuff. So he’s not the guy to marry someone after five months.

Scene Example: Arnav, carefully, lets Lavanya know that he does consider her his girlfriend - and let’s note that he’s outside his office - and lets her celebrate the ‘anniversary’. He’s humoring her, not celebrating it himself. And I think it’s the same day / or the next, when he clearly let’s her know she’s his girlfriend outside the doors of his office and she shouldn’t try blurring those lines.

Also, Nani is legit intolerable and creepy by pushing a woman of her choice on Arnav at this point. No wonder Arnav didn’t bring Lavanya home.

An opposite character: Akash Singh Raizada. He looks at his lady love and immediately knows he must learn to speak up in order to incorporate her into his life forever. In a way he’s already planning a wedding and he doesn’t know Payal’s name yet!

A character who understands: Anjali Raizada. She knows before Arnav can accept that Arnav does not hesitate marrying, he just doesn’t think Lavanya is the woman in the first place that he wants to bring home (not, he’s not having internal fantasies of a woman like Khushi either at this point) - and by that Anjali knows that their relationship is not serious. But she also knows no one would get that. She is the only one who does not question the length of Arnav’s relationship. So why does she pressurise Arnav to tell Nani about Lavanya? Well it’s to stop Nani from bringing one family after another.

#3 Reprimanding Khushi for Spilling the Beans About Lavanya

Ok, Arnav going to her class and status has always been a bitter blow - so for that, two imaginary swats on his head.

But everything else he yells at Khushi for? Perfectly fine reasoning. With Arnav Singh Raizada we also learn that people have boundaries and spaces in life. Unlike the ideology that if you live with your family you share everything with them, Arnav teaches us that everyone has privacy.

And Khushi was heck judgemental in assuming Arnav shouldn’t be too upset with Nani getting to know the truth because if he has nothing to ‘hide’ then there’s no concern. It’s the upbringing given to most that no secrets should be kept because elders make the best decisions?

*Cough* Bua ji *Cough* Forcing her niece to marry a man she technically has no idea about.

She does not know Nani, the interpersonal relationship of Arnav-Nani-Lavanya, nor Arnav Singh Raizada himself.

Arnav only shares everything with the people who understand him the most - Anjali and Akash. They are the only ones who know about Lavanya.

He only starts hiding from them when it gets about Khushi… perhaps for the fear that they will realise something he does not want to confront.

Arnav yelling to Khushi that there’s a line between his office and personal life struck a chord with me. People should know and respect somebody else’s lines. It’s not just decency, but you never know how and when people want to say something. Now it’s a different thing that Khushi really didn’t know that Nani didn’t know and Arnav should’ve tried to understand that it was a case of misunderstanding and miscommunication.

Scene Example: Anjali is only worried and immediately informs Arnav that Nani knows about Lavanya. Her guilt in this episode, in failing to protect the secret her brother entrusted her with motivates her to do anything to make her brother’s relationship work. Under no circumstances will she allow Nani to manipulate him into a marriage with a woman he does not want.

An opposite character: Devyani Raizada. Her failure to protect her daughter makes her obsessive over Arnav (who probably shows a lot more traits of his father). She is traditional, does not respect privacy - given by the way she controls Manohar & Manorama’s marriage - and does not see that her grandson is different but not disrespectful.

Characters who understand: Anjali & Akash. Akash is as silent as a grave, does not question Arnav. For him it doesn't matter who Arnav dates as long as Arnav is happy (we see that Akash is the only one who gets positively upset at the upheaval that happens and is always on Arnav’s side - asking if his brother is alright). Anjali always supports Arnav but more than often acts as his conscience. In several instances we see Arnav relaying his days to Anjali and depending on her feedback to know if he has done something right or not.

#4 Not Getting Married Because He’s Not Ready

SOMEBODY GET ME A LOUDSPEAKER. Whoever you are - don’t get married unless you want to. Really, even if we remove Khushi from this scenario we can see how disastrous it became because Arnav, clearly, was not ready to marry.

Lavanya’s proposal infuriated him - distancing him away from her and diminishing all his affection he had for her. His engagement came out of spite and a response to society as opposed to his own decision. He was bullied into making Lavanya a wife and post that there’s little to no romantic interaction between Arnav and Lavanya.

This needs to be heard, relationships are like a butterfly. If you crack open a cocoon for a butterfly, the butterfly never flies. The cocoon needs to crack at it’s own time and pace. Relationships need time. Forcing a relationship ahead can break it, not make it.

Arnav was so right when he said he was not ready for marriage. He wasn’t being ‘immoral’, he was being honest.

Scene example: The scene after Lavanya’s proposal. First of all it was infuriating that the proposal reeked of Khushi Kumari Gupta because Arnav was already in two minds as to where his own heart was headed, and secondly Lavanya did this in public without discussing with him if he wanted to get married.

Live in does not equal marriage, not unless both the partners think so. Lavanya’s affection supersedes Arnav by a huge extent. We are made to see that scene as if Arnav is a villain but remember Khushi’s reaction when Shyam “proposes” her (basically getting Bua ji to do the proposal)? Khushi said no, and we all agreed with it because Shyam is not Arnav, and also Khushi tells them she is not ready. Similarly, Arnav too tells Lavanya the same!

An opposite character: Anjali Raizada. Upon being left at the altar, I think it’s understandable why Anjali feels that marriage, that restored her honor in society’s eyes, is a sign of permanence and the end goal of any relationship. Anjali is constantly praised or belittled by the people around her based on the situation of her marriage.

Marriage means everything to Anjali. So of course, she cannot understand why Arnav can’t marry if he can bring Lavanya to the same house. Because then what’ll happen to Lavanya’s honor? (she clearly associates marriage with honor).

A character who understands: Payal Gupta. Post being left at the altar she does not see marriage as an ultimate, unlike Anjali who shared a similar fate. She has seen the evil side of the ‘fairytale’. It’s no longer about prince charming on horses, it’s about ugly reality. She really does not want to marry Akash, a man she loves, until he can reassure her of everything.

She craves permanence from character and strength of the relationship as opposed to just being married - something I believe Arnav also feels. Unlike Khushi, she does not immediately demonize Arnav for his broken engagement. Rather she’s just confused and only wonders why things happened the way it did.

#5 Fury on Lavanya’s Push to Getting Married

Arnav is so right… he is so right. Arnav and Lavanya are really suffering from a bad phase in their relationship because Lavanya, slowly and gradually, is becoming a woman he had never imagined.

To put everything in context - let’s imagine Kabir from Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (if you haven’t watched the film then please do). He loved his free spirited/independent/ambitious girlfriend Natasha. Later, she becomes obsessed with marriage and turns into a woman who’s a far cry from the woman he loved in the first place. So much so that he’s unable to marry her - even though he began seriously dating her in the idea that perhaps one day they would.

The same thing happens to Arnav. He tries to explain to Khushi that he understands that she has a different upbringing. An upbringing that reinforces marriage as ideal. Khushi also points out, accurately, that a part of him chooses to stay away from marriage because he’s afraid and that it’s his weakness. But it’s not the right time to tell him so, especially if she’s saying so to defend her actions. This is one of the few times that he does not regret getting upset on Khushi.

Even I was upset with Khushi and the whole “let’s force Lavanya to be a bride”.

Arnav is completely right to lash out (NOT the pitch or with that aggression) on Lavanya. For me this scene has me feeling sad for Arnav because really it’s just communicating that two people, in a relationship, have really different expectations from each other.

Scene example: Arnav retaliates to Lavanya’s accusation of not ‘loving’ her enough by stating that he brought her to his house, even though it was too early. And he’s surprised by Lavanya because this was the same woman who would understand that he apologised by sending a bag. Somewhere between then and now Arnav & Lavanya drifted from understanding each other to becoming strangers.

An opposite character: Lavanya Kashyap. If one day Arnav was in her courtyard, suddenly, on a horse and in a sherwani asking her to marry her out of bluemoon - Lavanya would say yes, irrespective of the length of their relationship. It’s not evident in the beginning but Lavanya’s sudden eagerness to marry shows that she hoped for that - only didn’t know when, where and how to go about it. It’s also why she turns a blind eye to Arnav’s problematic behavior during the brief time when they were about to be engaged.

A similar character: Payal Gupta. She gets furious at Akash, twice, for proposing her. Just because Akash is someone she likes and presents himself as a suitor does not mean that she will marry him then and there. Alright, her reasonings are different from Arnav’s, but Payal - unlike Akash, Lavanya and like Arnav - does not immediately dream of marrying Akash the minute she sees him. Akash did literally just say “Will you marry me” out of blue-moon!

#6 Knowing Mami Won’t Believe in the “Akash-Payal Made Forever”

One of the best things about Arnav Singh Raizada is that he knows individuals differ. What applies to one does NOT apply to another. Not a surprise considering how he’s built a fashion empire for himself by the age of 26.

Of course his logic and pragmatism escapes him when it comes to Khushi. She’s the only person he puts massive generalizations on! Apart from his uncle and the pricey dude he slaps in the beginning few episodes. He really never generalises anyone else. But Khushi does. She even thinks the “rab ne banadi jodi” will work on Arnav’s aunt.

This is Arnav’s aunt. The woman who has the weirdest but most solid friendship with Arnav. The woman who is obsessed about her own son but will sell her entire, precious jewelry for her orphaned nephew.

If anyone will get her, it will be Arnav. It might be portrayed that Arnav was crass with his own aunt, but really nothing would have stopped Manorama until and unless she saw that she had to be made indispensable to Akash’s marriage with Payal. Hence getting power and dominance in her son’s marriage - a thing she was, anyways, aiming at.

Khushi’s dialogue was hilarious and Arnav really didn’t need to gloat his victory in her face but once again, if anyone understands Manorama Mami the best then it’s her Arnav bitwa and let’s keep it to that.

He’s right when he says his aunt won’t understand.

Scene example: Arnav telling “what crap” to Khushi’s plan to convince Mami. Really, it’s his aunt and he knows the best. Always has and always will. It’s a nice change to see that sometimes Arnav’s brains work over Khushi’s heart.

An opposite character: Khushi Kumari Gupta. Really, she thinks Manorama Mami cares about couples made in heaven theory? Now just because you believe so, does not mean everyone else does.

A character who understands: Manohar Singh Raizada. That man truly understands his wife and although he never brings up the past, this time he does. He realises Manorama’s fury does not just arise with Akash’s love for a middle classed person, it’s that Devyani is entirely accepting of it. And this infuriates Manohar because in a way Manorama can’t accuse Devyani of being mean if she’s following her footsteps. And Manohar yells at his wife because her shortsightedness has put their son’s happiness at stake.

#7 Never Trusting Shyam, Again

YES! I literally blew air kisses to Arnav when he said he can’t trust Shyam again. Like literally Shyam was first Khushi’s enemy. But to project Arnav as a ‘hero’ who fights the ‘villain’, I am forever pissed that they make the whole house against Arnav, even Khushi (mind you women are not forgiving of their molesters but Khushi is [?!?!?]).

His intuition is correct and his mistrust in Shyam is validated because we get Shyam’s epic Dhoom 3 makeovers and Crime Master Gogo level plans of ruining Raizadas’ lives.

Arnav Singh Raizada had never been more right. You don’t trust a man who cheated his wife, planned to murder you and molested a woman.

You never trust them.

Scene example: Arnav punching Shyam the minute he opens his mouth in the hospital - yeah, give him those punches and I’m so glad you don’t trust his tears!!!

An opposite character: Snake Manohar Jha himself! *Daiya Ho!* This man actually thinks he can regain the trust of everyone. What he doesn’t get is that even though Khushi brought him in… everybody hates him, Khushi included. He thinks he has succeeded because he managed to bring a rift between Arnav & Khushi! Literally apart from Dadi, Anjali and even Garima - everyone hates him on a unified front. *Loved his EPIC MOUSTACHE! WHATTA DISGUISE GUYZ*

A character who understands: NK & Shashi Gupta. Okay, none of the Raizadas are happy that Shyam is back but they pretend for Anjali’s happiness. Except NK & Shashi, they both call out the bullshit the minute they see it. The stink eye both of them give to Shyam on Haldi is one of my most favorite scenes. No dialogue, just one stare! NK & Shashi are fiercely protective of Khushi and it was nice to see someone remembering what atrocities Shyam committed against Khushi. A friend and a father - two people who would never forget.

#8. Rebutting With Dadi

Elders get respect because they’re old. No. Respect begets respect. Arnav’s love and childlike attachment to Dadi dies a quick death the minute he realizes that he never misinterpreted the older woman’s actions. She was as conniving, traditional, conservative, orhtodox and tenacious as he had remembered.

Really this needs to be spread out, don’t respect and obey people because of their age - respect them because of their deeds. While everyone in the house was running around like headless chickens in a way to appease Dadi, Arnav was as cool as a cucumber as he preserved his manners but delivered a scathing word or two.

Automatically giving people of age/authority some power, irrespective of whether or not they are capable of handling it, enables them to abuse further.

Arnav was incredibly right to be impervious of his grandmother’s wishes.

Scene example: Arnav telling off his grandmother during his wedding. In his calm demeanour he explains the truth of his father because he sees through her manipulation. He realises he has seen the ‘truth’ through her narration of events. And his marriage would happen, irrespective of the absence of an elder like her in his family. For Arnav, only the people that matter are his family.

An opposite character: Anjali Raizada. She immediately falls into Dadi’s arms and shares all her griefs in the hope that as an elder, Dadi can soothe her pain and wake her up from her nightmare. Her reassurance of Dadi actually pushes her to continue believing in Shyam because an elder has reassured her.

Until that moment Anjali was in two minds, not knowing if she was doing the right thing by meeting Shyam behind everyone’s back. She does not question Dadi again for her disappearance because elders always know what they’re doing.

A character who understands: NK. One can say it’s because he’s brought up abroad, another can say he shares his cousin’s intellect - I say both. Sometimes when you’re raised abroad you see a larger understanding of the world and you get the opportunity to see people the way according to your culture/tradition (by your parents) but also according to the country you’re raised in.

It’s advantageous because you have a wider horizon. So while NK understands that Dadi should be respected, he also knows that nothing gives the authority to Dadi to insult Khushi the way she does. He dislikes Dadi from the day he meets her and is happy when she’s gone.

#9 Bringing Sheetal in the House Would Be Disastrous

At this point probably the CVs had given up because Khushi is beyond my recognition and I feel the age gap between Arnav & Khushi increased! Khushi has to be sixteen to have the reasoning that she has, definitely not twenty three/four/five.

He was right. To have his ex-girlfriend live in the same house was hell awkward and a terrible experience. I feel there would have been a protest against Arnav if he manipulated the situation to get Khushi’s ex to live in their house so as to know if Khushi’s ex and Khushi slept together.

My only problem with Arnav here is that Arnav is not bothered by how much Aarav, his ex’s son, copies him.

When Arnav genuinely and actively deals with this situation, things and conversations are immediately mature, understanding and serious.

Scene example: I won’t recommend anyone to watch any episode of this track (barring a few), but Arnav literally has to spell out he was jealous of NK to make Khushi realise how awkward it was for Arnav to be in the same house, years later, with someone he dated. And Khushi still does not get it until a roof falls on her head.

An opposite character: I don’t even want to analyse because everyone was off character.

A character who understands: Arnav is left alone in the woods of logic and pragmatism. They are all attached to Aarav as if he is Simba who returned home. Aarav, individually, had potential but the rest I give up. I really wish Shashi Gupta was around to knock some sense - he was the most sensible character of all.

#10 Khushi Would Not Fit into the Fashion World

Yes Khushi, you don’t fit. Saying bhaiya, exercising in georgette/chiffon salwar suits when your husband could buy out athleisure companies, using mimicry for the ‘talent’ round, not realising rivalry in one of the most politically charged and competitive industries, and not really pulling off any makeup/clothing out of your comfort zone (barring a wonderful blue gown) only shows that Arnav Singh Raizada pulled strings.

Enough strings to build a freaking saree.

Her not speaking English was really not a problem, her lack of passion for fashion is. Models work really hard. From intensive exercise, makeup/fashion routines, educating themselves about the world they’re in and a true dedication to the modeling world.

It’s a pity that there’s zero respect for the fashion world in this track. Check out the reality show MTV Supermodel of the Year with Malaika Arora, Milind Soman, Masaba Gupta, Ujjwala Raut and Anusha Dandekar - even though it’s a reality show it at least gives us a glimpse of how models are!

Arnav could easily be sitting on the panel - his character has been built so. Khushi, she could’ve designed clothes because of her passion for chikankari, gota, Lucknowi karigari - that was established!

I don’t know where this track went because fashion is Arnav’s forte. There’s no way Khushi could succeed without his backing because that just undermines the fact that he’s right about the industry he mastered!

To succeed Khushi required passion, that Arnav has for business. She’s really like a five year old going ‘ha, I’m gonna beat him in his own stuff’. Imagine Arnav fighting with Khushi and then teaching her how to make jalebis, opening a sweet store and doing better despite not following anything Khushi advises!!! Sounds crazy, right?

When it’s about business and fashion, Arnav Singh Raizada is always right. He has been, otherwise no one can easily build an empire, afford the living expenses of his entire joint family, buy back their palatial childhood mansion and buy a massive house in Delhi’s most expensive location.

At the age of 26.

Not going to talk about the scene, or the opposite character.

But a character who understands: Payal Gupta. She knows, from the first day, who Arnav Singh Raizada is. So much so that when Khushi is swept in the emotions of the office challenge Payal reminds Khushi that the job and office is his to begin with. The only time she’s furious with Arnav is when he crosses his boundaries of being ‘right’ but apart from that she probably would also advise Khushi against going into fashion like Arnav. Not because Khushi can’t do it, it’s just not her world. It’s not what Khushi is passionate about!

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The end, thank you to anyone who stuck around and read it!

#ipkknd #thought #iss pyaar ko kya naam doon #arnav singh raizada #khushi kumari gupta #analysis

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rosecorcoranwrites · 5 years ago

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Writing Inside the Lines

There is a certain type of poem called a sestina. I've written two of them, and let me tell you, they are tough. Rather than relying on rhyme and meter, they employ a pattern of six words that end each line in the first six stanzas, and then end or are contained in the final three lines. The six words also change which line they appear in in each stanza. If that sounds complicated, that's because it is. However, sestinas are a great form because they force you to write a good poem. You have to end the lines on those words, which means you must construct your sentences carefully. Also, if you don't want it to sound repetitive, you had better play with the meaning and connotation of those six words. You can't noodle around. You can't slack off. If you're going to write a sestina, you really have to care about it.

I think this idea of writing with certain rules can improve most stories. Especially in a world oversaturated with shock-value, twist endings, and an anyone-can-die mentality, writing inside the lines, so to speak, forces writers to be careful. When writers must practice restraint, their stories are prevented from going over the top, flying off the rails, and all that other awful stuff that our media is so glutted with recently. They have to care, and their stories will be better for it.

One example of this is the storytelling in traditionally animated films or those that use practical effects versus that in CGI. While some CGI films do have heartfelt storytelling, there are hundreds more that are a waste of the data used to make them. And while there are some weird or awkward 2-D films, I feel like the ratio of good to bad is far higher than in CGI. As for practical effects, they almost always work better in their tone and feeling than slapping up a bunch of ritzy computer graphics because you can. Why this discrepancy? Because traditional animation and practical effects are more expensive and time consuming than CGI. Thus, the creators have to be darned sure that their movie really needs a specific scene or character or monster. These elements can't just be thrown in with CGI. The creators have to self-edit, which leads to a tighter story with less fluff and kibble crammed on.

Another example is in scary stories made for children instead of adults. Because there are certain expectations--like you can't have gore, or killers running around murdering extras left and right--writers are forced to come up with more detailed monsters and worlds, which leads to creepier or more in-depth stories. Compare, say, Coraline, to 90% of monster movie for adults. The Bel-Dame is similar to a classic folklore monster, in that she seems to have limitation--she has to actually lure children and coax them in, rather than just grabbing them and sewing buttons into their eyes. She isn't your typical semi-omnipotent adult movie ghost who can go anywhere and kill anyone for no reason, but that makes her scarier. We know what she's capable of, and it's way worse than just killing someone in the bloodiest way possible.

Knowing how a story ends is also something that's been on my mind lately, due to two shows in particular: Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Tangled: The Series. Both of these shows are part of larger franchises. Not only must they use the previously established characters and settings of those worlds, but both have a previously established ending. So how does that affect what the writers are allowed to do in these stories?

We all know how the Clone Wars end: Order 66, the fall of the Jedi Order, and the establishment of the Empire. This knowledge, however, adds to the tension of the series rather than detracting from it. Every time there is a scene of the clone troopers bonding with their Jedi generals, in the back of your mind you can't help but think of the Order 66 scene in Revenge of the Sith. It adds a nice, thick layer of angst to what would otherwise be a normal military adventure show. We also know that Anakin goes to the Dark Side and why he does, but now (unlike in the movie), we get to see that slow progression toward it. We really get to like him as a character, but every so often, he'll be a little too ready to force choke someone, or flip out about slavery, or freak when those close to him are in mortal danger. It's fascinating getting to see his gradual growth into a more Vader-like personality. And, finally, there is Anakin's apprentice, the fan-favorite Ahsoka Tano. She's in the show from its pilot episode, but she's not in the movie. So the question of what happens to her, and where is she when Order 66 goes down, is always present just offscreen. That's suspense! That's drama!

You also have Tangled: the Series, aka Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure, which is sandwiched between the movie and the short film "Tangled Ever After", where we see Eugene and Rapunzel get married. Thus, we know that her hair is going to get cut short again (it regrows magically in the pilot); so we can wonder and speculate as to how that's going to happen, now that her golden hair is back and unbreakable. We know that the main cast all lives, so the drama comes not from anyone-can-die, but from interpersonal relationships: Can this person be trusted? Will these people remain friends? Could any of these fallouts have been prevented? Perhaps the best part of this show's being a spin-off is what it does for the romance. Eugene and Rapunzel are in love at the beginning of the show, and they're in love at the end. We know this. Thus, we don't have any stupid "will they or won't they" or love triangles or anything. The drama comes from Rapunzel not feeling ready for the responsibilities of marriage (or princessing, for that matter), and Eugene wanting to settle down but still being patient and supporting her. It's one of the best romances ever written, and it's in a show for children. Maybe it's one of the best romances because it's in a show for children.

So the next time you are strapped for how to make your story more compelling, maybe impose a rule on yourself. How can you evoke horror without showing violence? How can you create a tense situation if you're not allowed to kill characters? How might showing the ending of a story first change how the audience experiences the rest of it? It might be a fun exercise, and it will almost certainly produce something better than mere shock value or twist endings could.

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ckret2 · 5 years ago

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Perhaps it's a little unorthodox, but now I'm genuinely curious after reading A Cold Day in Hell - what would have happened if Alastor stayed with Sir Pentious? What if Sir Pentious actually took over Hell (or at least staked a large enough claim in it)? Would their dynamic have changed at all?

They probably would have remained much the same in terms of the basic dynamic—Sir Pentious as the one with the ambitions, and therefore the one who makes the Evil Plots And Schemes, and Alastor as the one serving gleefully as his attack dog. (... Attack deer?)

The main change would be in the intensity/solidity of their relationship. Up until the point where everything went to hell (... so to speak) in CDIH, Sir Pent had viewed Alastor as an ally. An ally he would very much like to be something more with, but still just an ally. There’s only so far you can trust an ally and so much you can do with an ally. If things hadn’t broken down right then, though, they would have shifted in Sir Pent’s mind from being allies to being partners—the difference in the dynamic between two allies versus two partners like the difference in the dynamic between Queen of England & King of France versus Queen Regnant of England & Prince Consort of England. A partner, you can trust many more things to—both professional tasks and personal secrets—and you can bring into the heart of your operation rather than just bringing along on one-off tasks and activities.

So that would have marked the beginning of Alastor shifting from working with Sir Pent being Alastor’s occasional side gig to being like a full-time job.

Because, without someone else giving him something to do, I don’t see Alastor as a terribly ambitious person—at least not ambitious in a way that easily shapes life goals for him.

When Sir Pent was alive, his long term to-do list looked like “take over the county; take over the country; take over the world,” whereas Alastor’s long term to-do list looked like “make trip up to Harlem to check out music & dance scene; finally wheedle Ma into sharing the secret ingredient in her remoulade; make time for another murder.” Alastor’s got more private/personal activities than high career-shaping ambitions. That remains true of his life in hell; except that, unlike when he was alive, he doesn’t have the must get a job to make money to buy food to stay alive pressure on him to sculpt his day-to-day existence, so in the end he’s just... got too much time on his hands to fill, because he’s got very few ambitions he can’t fulfill within two weeks of picking them up.

So in essence, serving as Sir Pent’s right hand monster becomes his day job and Sir Pent’s ambitions are sort of adopted as Alastor’s ambitions.

And besides that closer tie in their partnership, they’d also have an increase in personal intimacy. Sir Pent might tell Alastor about his childhood and more family members than just his estranged ex-wife & child. Alastor might actually share his last name—hold your applause. Sir Pent would certainly be the first person Alastor tells that he’s the mysterious never-identified serial killer that plagued Louisiana in the 20s/30s, which he still keeps secret at this point not because he needs to but because he enjoys the mystique and mystery surrounding the whole thing. (Sir Pent’s like “literally never heard of this serial killer but rest assured that if I had, you would have been my first and only suspect.”) They might even start talking about their fears and insecurities. Imagine that.

That’s all, like, generally how things would go between them during the lead up to successfully taking over hell. If/when they actually manage it, that’d prompt another shift in their dynamic, since “conquering a gigantic nation” and “governing a gigantic nation” are two very different activities.

Up to now Sir Pent’s priorities/developed skillsets have pretty much been weaponry, engineering, and military strategy, while Alastor’s been combat/field tactics with a smattering of diplomacy mixed in (somebody has to help woo more allies over to the cause, and Alastor’s got the kind of charisma Sir Pent can only dream of). Now they’re in charge and suddenly they’ve gotta figure out politics, Sir Pent especially. Politics and, like, managing tax rates and infrastructure and shit.

(Are there taxes in Hell? I don’t know what’s more hellish, “you still have to pay taxes even though you’re dead” or “there are no government-funded programs or institutions in place at all.” Maybe the most hellish is “you have to pay taxes but like the government doesn’t spend them on anything, it just keeps all the taxes. just sets the money on fire.” That seems like a thing Hell would do.)

So while Sir Pent’s dealing with figuring out how to rule, Alastor’s more or less got to take over the military side of things (because of course there’s gonna be a ton of attempted uprisings—there’s new fragile leadership in place and Hell is full of assholes), and he’d also probably serve more or less as the public face of the new regime, issuing proclamations and announcements and stuff. (Sir Pent gifts Alastor a shiny new radio station set up in a wing of the palace. Alastor swoons.) And, of course, once things settle down and their rule here is secure, they’ve got to set sights on the next goal: conquering Heaven.

So their interpersonal/relationship dynamic would prob be about the same; but, their business dynamic would shift—although you’d still have Sir Pent as the one in charge.

Overall, I feel like the relationship would have a bigger effect on who Alastor is than on who Sir Pent is. Like, it’s very possible that Sir Pent wouldn’t be able to conquer hell without Alastor’s assistance—but at the end of the process Sir Pent is basically the same dude with the same goals and ideals. The main difference is he’s reached those goals, and like, also learned to appreciate jazz music.

Alastor, on the other hand, is picking up a new job in a new field that’s never really interested him before—conquest and politics—and getting all involved in as much of Sir Pent’s operation as he’s asked to be, which means learning a whole load of new skills and information; and in the process he more or less leaves behind the sometimes-helpful sometimes-treacherous wandering massacre vagabond thing he’s currently got going on. He’s focused. He’s got a job. He’s got commitments. He’s got life goals, and like the life goals are “help out this other dude’s life goals” but like that’s more than he had before. He actually cares about another person. It’s a BIG life shift for him.

#anonymous #ask #radiosnake #hazbin hotel #about my writing #alastor #sir pentious

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keepyourpantsongohan · 5 years ago

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Ayesha Liveblogs Cardcaptor Sakura S2-S3

“If you had called me, I would have fixed it for you” Get u a man who wants to fix ur bike’s flat tires

“I wonder which teacher will be in charge of us this year” I’m going to hazard a guess that it’s the one that you keep having prophetic dreams about battling in the moonlight

“Ms. Mizuki is kind, is pretty and she makes me all dreamy” lmao @ this criteria for justifying whether ur sensei is up to no good

U know, Sakura melting like 10 feet of snow bc she lost a present from her crush is exactly the type of emotions I expect from these preteens

Syaoran liking Sakura is also very funny because she’s very observant of other people so it’s like [Syaoran blushing and glancing at Sakura] [Sakura glancing back in befuddlement]

“But when you do, it means you’ll see him as well” WILL U STOP THIS OMINOUS MOONSHADOWING

Does EVERYTHING Mizuki says have to be some kind of prophecy

Syaoran is really just becoming progressively more infatuated and embarrassed with every scene

“You’re always watching over Sakura, aren’t you?” Tomoyo doesn’t need a voice to call people out LOL

You see this is exactly my point what is the reason for having a voice card if you have a song card or vice versa what’s your logic Clow

LMAO I SHOULD’VE KNOWN:

Sakura: Why r u both here

Toya: It’s Take Your Boyfriend to Work Day

“Sakura is cheerful as usual today” “That’s all she has going for her” Very older brother kind of statement

That shot of Syaoran showing his strawberries to Yukito (and Sakura, by extension) cutting to Toya, cutting to Ms. Mizuki.... the interpersonal dynamics at play here

“You know her from before, right?” THAT’S ONE WAY TO PUT IT

**Go to jail Mizuki

“I’ll tell you in a little while” Toya is not prepared to have discussion about his Relationship History at this time

I mean I’m not an expert but isn’t Sakura’s main magical item a key wouldn’t that help with this Lock situation

YFDHSKHFKJSHFK Mizuki could you be more threatening

I assume the wind will cover up the noise of this loud magical chant

“Don’t tell dad I have a fever” 😭😭😭😭😭 Sakura you’re so little someone needs to take care of you

“If I do [stay home], I’ll trouble everyone else” SAKURAAAA 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

“It was about Sakura” TOYA’S BIG BROTHER MODE ACTIVATED

LOL TOYA’S SUSPICIOUS GLANCES ARE EVERYTHING JHDJKHFKJ HE CAN SENSE THE “GHOST” IN KERO

Well if the living plush toy didn’t give it away, the fact that Toya has already met and identified Mirror as a ghost will

Ddfhjkdhfkj Toya didn’t even pause he was just like [Sigh] ‘Guess I’m gonna feed a ghost now’

“I have a vague idea of what she’s up to” OH MY GOD TOYAAAAAA

Awww Meilin holding Sakura up to capture the Clow Card you know what that is? Growth

This kind of domestic shopping nonsense is the shenanigans I NEED

Syaoran is physically winded from running away from his feelings

OMG STOP THESE PRE-TEEN DREAMS ARE SO CORNY AND GREAT LMAO @ SYAORAN FANTASIZING ABOUT HIM AND SAKURA BEING THE LEADS IN A MOVIE TOGETHER WITH HIM GIVING THE CLOW CARDS AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR A WEDDING RING

Gljlgkdjlkgjlkf I still cannot believe they let 11-year-olds roam this freely they don’t need an adult to BOARD A TRAIN??

“They’re foretelling dreams” So if we believe this, here are the future facts:

1. Sakura’s gonna do a fashion show for Tomoyo

2. Syaoran is going to give Sakura all the Clow Cards and maybe propose

3. Yukito and Toya will definitely know Kero is a living creature and they’re gonna be chill with it

4. Normal battle prophecy stuff

“Seeing Ms. Mizuki... it makes me all dreamy”

*Sakura really only crushes on people that her older brother had feelings for first this is like when I was into Yugioh and Beyblade bc my brother was into them first

**Go to jail Mizuki

“I don’t want to be the prince” Will u want to if it’s u and Sakura tho

This was pointed foreshadowing I could not have predicted

[Chanting] ALL DRAG FAIRSTYLES ALWAYS

“I just woke up” u LIAR Toya you wanted to make your baby sister breakfast

SYAORAN WHERE WERE YOU EVEN KEEPING THAT BIG OLE MAGICAL SWORD TASSLE

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSS TEAMWORK COMBO ATTACK WE LOVE A PARTNERSHIP OF POWERS

“Isn’t that a guy playing the Queen” are you in any place to make a judgment Toya

“Please, seal us together” Light and Dark confirmed as Lesbian Icons

“The final decision rests with Yue, but please do your best” LMAO IS THE REASON THAT YUKITO IS ALWAYS CHILL HANGING OUT WITH HIS FIFTH GRADE BEST FRIENDS IS THAT HE IS SCOUTING THEM OUT FOR YUKITO’S NEXT DRAG SUPERHERO

U know if I did not have very hazy memories of who Yue is I could be tricked into thinking it was Mizuki lol (but then again TSUKIshiro soooooo maybe it’s obvious always lol)

“That bath sponge” “Kero is at Tomoyo’s house” ‘BATHSPONGE’ MEILIN PLS

AW rescuing lost birds turns out Syaoran has always been a sweetheart

Meilin finally gets to use her martial arts skills and help again!! Good for her

“I’m your fiancee until you find the girl you like the most” Not to put a damper on ur cousin marriage dream (stop) but that ship has sailed twice over Meilin

“There’s another person” WELL WELL WELL HOW THE TURN TABLES MOON MAN

“Being with you is rather useful when capturing Clow Cards” is Syaoran’s way of saying “<3 <3 <3″

Syaoran is really conflicted bc he likes Yukito and he likes Sakura but when Sakura likes Yukito he wants her to like him instead this is truly a broad range of emotions for Fifth Grade Romance

Ddfjhdskfhk Kero looks so serious scouting out the intentions of the Toya’s Magical Exes Club but his face is like “>:[”

“You’re the one that uses the powers of the moon” What does this MEAN that’s supposed to be Yukito???? I am confused

“There’s no such thing as a coincidence...” “...There’s only inevitability” So now Toya’s joining the prophecy game? This is A Lot

Omg I do love the big lion version of Kero I forgot what he looked like

OHHHHHHHHHHHHHH BIIIIIIIIIIIITCCCCHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

“Too lenient as always” “And your personality is as bad as always” I don’t think I care for Magical Yukito he’s being a little harsh

“He completely cuts all ties between his disguise and his consciousness, so that the candidate doesn’t sense him until the Last Judgment” so his subconscious just happened to feel like being a 17-year-old boy who wanted to date Sakura’s brother LOL

DON’T BE A BITCH YUE YOU’RE FIGHTING AN ELEVEN-YEAR-OLD WHO PERCEIVES YOU AS SOMEONE SHE CARES ABOUT

Oh my god NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO I DON’T WANT ANYONE TO FORGET WHO THEY LOVE

This is so fucked up kjhgkfhdg Sakura’s family forgetting her mother, Sakura and Toya forgetting Yukito, Tomoyo forgetting about caring about Sakura, Syaoran forgetting about caring about Sakura ahhhhhhhhhhh

WELL WELL WELL MS. MIZUKI CAME THRU THANKS WEIRDO

**Still jail tho

OH SHIT NEW MAGICAL STAFF I LOVE THIS AHHHHHHHHH

“I want you to be friends with me, nothing like Masters or stuff like that” SAKURAAAAAA

“You knew that Mr. Tsukishiro wasn’t a human” “Yeah” TOYA WHAT!!!

The fact that Yukito doesn’t know his other half is kind of a bitch has very Yami Bakura energy I can’t believe what I needed in my life was Yugioh but less Heterosexual

iii

“If you leave that early, Yuki won’t be there yet” So... is Toya just chill with the fact his boyfriend is the moon

I don’t want Syaoran to leave!!! He is a sweetheart and I love him

“He seems like a nice boy” is thiiis the rude boy I remember from watching this when I was a kid bc ngl I was confused when Syaoran was nice bc I remember someone being a little shit

“I didn’t mean to surprise you” said Eriol, after popping out suddenly from behind a tree

Syaoran said ‘I will only share Sakura’s affection with one (1) boy and that is Yukito’

“I’m not going back. I’ll be here for a while.” I can’t tell if this is a New Magical Person thing or a ‘I love my friends and don’t want them to forget me’ thing

DHJKGHKJHG this random girl just clinging to Toya’s back and eyeing Yukito like “WHATCHA GONNA DO ABOUT IT MISTER”

I guess since Meilin’s gone Nakuru’s going to fulfill the role of Unrequited Crush Gal Who Cannot Read The Emotional Room

Clow Reed really appearing to just throw Sakura’s entire life in disarray

“This is the first chance to film you in a while!” Tomoyo you have filmed Sakura going strawberry-picking and playing whack-a-mole since when do u need an excuse lmao

“I don’t think we made plans like that” again Toya since when do u and Yukito need plans aren’t you together like 22/7

Syaoran refuses to show Sakura that he’s feeling anything beyond blushing and yet he gets mad when other people are more forthright with their emotions and honestly what a teen mood

“I.. you” rude I can’t tell if Nakuru interrupted a love confession or a I Know You’re the Moon confession but either way rude

“You don’t know? Then I’ll take him” WHAT DO U MEAANNN THAT’S NOT HOW IT WORKS

“Eriol is a kind person” [Thor meme voice] Is he though?

As much as the jury is still out on Yue I really do love these magical girl transformations

These group meet ups have gotten even less subtle you might be able to hide some cosplay and a plush toy but a full grown man and a lion with wings??? Gjkghkjdhgk how did they get to Penguin Park with no one noticing

There is some satisfaction in there finally being an adult (or at least a kind-of-18-year-old) on their team

Oh my god??? OH MY GOD? WHAT A POWER-UP I LOVE IT SAKURA GETTING HER OWN CHANTS AND CARDS GOOD FOR HERRRR

Poor Toya it’s worrisome when ur baby sis is a magical superhero

It’s interesting and hilarious that Yukito’s appetite is proportional to his alter ego’s use of magic

“Because she’s like you” Toya IS trying to tell Yuki that he’s a moon person awwwwwwww

If we’ve learned anything from Tomoyo’s choir recitals it’s just that perhaps singing is more dangerous than any of these kids would prefer it to be

Nakuru aside from the fact I’m pretty sure you’re a new Big Bad leave Toya alone he doesn’t want to be touched and he’s with someone already

I like that no matter how many times Yamazaki lies, Sakura always takes it in good faith

I have given up on this show having anyone have a normal relationship with their teacher (except Wei who has done nothing wrong ever in his life)

“I’m sure that the person you like is happy” shout-out to Tomoyo for being semi-well-adjusted I guess

“The kid is being controlled by something” GUESS WHO JUST BOUGHT STRINGS FOR PUPPETS IT’S SUSPICIOUS NEW KID

If I know my shojo manga tropes it seems like this Friend vs. Friend battle is going to lead to a Hug of Passionate Restraint

Psych it was a Hug of We Are Tired From Magical Force

Who are you British Bitch Boy with your Bitch Cat haven’t they been through enough

“I’m surprised you’ve held out this long without a single bite” do NOT eat TOYA

“And I’m not a human in the first place, so gender doesn’t really matter” I am so tired of anime creating non-binary characters only to make them evil and/or inhuman blah

I DON’T CARE FOR ANY OF THIS WE DON’T NEEEED AN EVIL ELEVEN-YEAR-OLD AND AN EVIL KERO AND AN EVIL YUE NOBODY ASKED

“Why did I buy this thing anyway” u know why Syaoran

LMAO YUKITO DRINKING OUT OF A FULL SIZE MILK CARTON KILLS ME

“The only times I turn red or feel like my heart will explode is when I see him” Incredible it has taken Syaoran like... 18 episodes to realize his feelings for Sakura. Bisexuality be like that sometimes

SCREAMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM DID YUE COME OUT JUST TO GIVE SYAORAN BACK HIS TEDDY BEAR

“The reason why you are confused when you see Yukito is because of the magic powers from the Moon that you feel from Yukito” did Yue just say ‘ur not bi ur just confused’ kjhkjdhdgkj Yue confirmed for biphobic

Really how many things does Eriol have to ruin before Sakura realizes he’s evil? The piano.... thread... a teddy bear

OMGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG SAKURA HAS WINGS IT’S A REAL MAGICAL GIRL TRANSFORMATION AFTER ALL

You know if Elementary School Clow is NOT evil this is a really fucked up way to be teaching a lesson

Toya come help ur boy Yukito is exhausted and he doesn’t know why :(

Ahhhhhhhh this tree leaning scene is the exact and only thing I remembered about the interactions between these two before watching this now

“I don’t want you to disappear” THE ROMANCE RETURNS

“Are you doing this on purpose” Toya has had it up to here with his confessions being interrupted

BOOO Toya was right I don’t want Yue-kito to disappear either

“There is someone suited to this, but Yukito...” KJHGKJDHGJHDKJ IS TOYA GONNA BECOME THE SOURCE OF YUE’S MAGICAL POWER I’D DIE

“You knew this would happen if you called Tomoyo” I mean... Kero’s right

I don’t know that Erase in particular was necessary for the sheep but it does make me giggle to see Sakura lift playground structures

I was gonna say I’d wager ten dollars something happens to that bike after Eriol touches it but then I remembered this episode is called “Sakura and the Panicky Bike” so it’s not really even worth betting

Of course your family members are going to worry if you suddenly develop magical narcolepsy Sakura

I LOVE that Toya’s magical powers seem to be developing more as well

I feel like not enough people are giving Sakura credit for the fact she is like 11? She hasn’t had a lot of time to work on this stuff

“I can’t let [the cards becoming ordinary] happen! I finally got to be friends with all of them” 😭😭😭😭😭 Sakura’s good heart always gets me

“What are you going to do?” SHE’S GONNA PUT HERSELF IN A MAGICAL COMA

Cell phones are a hilarious addition to the plot and I love that they are like top of the line bc it’s the 90s lmao and that Li is include in the phone tree

“If you collapse, I’ll catch you” KERO NO. 1 SAKURA STAN (tied with Tomoyo and Syaoran)

Lmao these siblings would be born on a Leap Day and April Fool’s respectively

SCREAM at least it’s on brand for Eriol to be a pathological liar (also RIP Sakura and Syaoran for their gullibility still)

TOYA PLAYING HIS MOTHER’S SONG REST IN PIECES MY HEART

Sdkhkhkjdhkd Toya failed confession count: 4 this time feat emotional piano ballad

Also also I will say it’s not like Yuki doesn’t come to your house VERY frequently Toya couldn’t you just tell him what you need to say the numerous times he is visiting or going with you to school

Oh hey! I share a birthday with Sakura’s great-grandfather that’s funny

“Nadeshiko was only 16 years old” YEAH SO WHY ARE YOU APOLOGIZING GRANDPA UR NOT THE ONE TRYING TO DATE TEENS U R TEACHING

I know Kero being seen on the TV is for giggles but the implication that magic makes you playable on VCR... incredible

I want to know what Toya’s gift was!!!

Hahaha I guess that the Alice and Wonderland size-shifting would have more of an impact on Sakura’s empathy than most people

“Two-thirds of all cats on earth right now are aliens” I mean... if we go by the cats we have met in this show.... Yamazaki’s right

“Actually, I have a rather mischievous personality” NO KIDDING ERIOL

“Where are you going” “To where the queen is” I will DIE if the Queen is Toya but I assume the Queen of Hearts will be Sakura’s mother actually since that’s the kind of anime trope that u should expect

Yue dropping Sakura like a hot potato is a little funny he can stay

What is more ridiculous Syaoran hiding the sword behind his back or the fact it worked

“Then... it’s not Yukito?” that was one whole crush ago keep up Sakura

“I am the Queen” WELL THAT’S NOT WHAT I WAS EXPECTING AT ALL KJFHGKJHGJHGJKFHG

Current list of things that Eriol has ruined: Pianos, threads, teddy bears, sheep plushies, bikes, leaves,

The transition to Eriol’s deep adult voice always trips me up

“Don’t hug me” “I’m going to hug you” Respect! Toya’s! Boundaries! Nakuru!!!!!!!!!!!

LOL @ Spinel’s drunken tirades I won’t lie I love this erratic behaviour

Guess Syaoran is over his Yukito crush for real but boy cannot stop running away from his feelings for Sakura poor guy

AWWWW THIS TEDDY BEAR MONTAGE OF SYAORAN BEING AT PEACE WITH HOW HE FEELS NOW

LMAO DID ERIOL JUST TRAP THESE TWO IN AN ELEVATOR TO WORK OUT THEIR INTERPERSONAL PROBLEMS THIS SHOW IS IN SUCH A WEIRD EMOTIONAL PLACE

“I’m glad for you,” said Eriol/Clow, who has repeatedly mildly traumatized these kids but seems to be like ‘it all evens out if I do some preteen matchmaking’

“Hey, can I call you Syaoran too?” Awwwwwwwwwwww that’s cute also it’s wild that in the pacing of this show despite like probably at least thirty episodes of them being friends THIS is the first ep (Ep 57!!!) that they address each other by first name

HJGJHGDHGFHJG AMAZING HOW IS SAKURA GOING TO HIDE A FULL GROWN MAN (WHO SHARES A BODY WITH THE PERSONALITY HER BROTHER LIKES!) AND A WINGED LION IN HER BEDROOM

OHJFKJSDHFKJSHDKJFHKJHFKJHKJHDKJHF I CANNOT CONVEY THE COMEDY OF THIS MOMENT IN WORDS SO:

“So that even if [my dad] was reincarnated, he would still fall in love with [my mom]” Interesting reveal that Yue was actually in love with Clow (makes sense; he’s the ‘I’m gay I’m homophobic we exist’ meme) but the only romance I will accept for Yue is if he ends up in a Greedlingfan-esque triad with Yukito and Toya and that’s that on that

Poor Yukito he must think he’s going nuts he just appears places with no memories

Well this is hardly a fair match up Syaoran can’t be expected compete with a reincarnated ancient wizard

GOOOOOD WHY DOES ERIOL DELIVER HIS CRYPTIC MESSAGES OF ADVICE THROUGH SPORTS GAMES

“It feels more like [Eriol] is watching over someone very dear to him” Tomoyo correctly discerns that Eriol is the bearer of fucked up magic lessons

Wow Tomoyo is really here to talk Syaoran through a whole journey of emotions

“I.. you...” OH MY GOD SYAORAN AND TOYA START THEIR CONFESSIONS IN THE SAME WAY JHHJSGFDSGJH WOW

It’s okay Syaoran you did your best no one in your immediate social group can finish a confession it seems

“You were trying so hard so hard to confess your love for Sakura last night” Tomoyo really doesn’t pull any punches when it comes to her romantic pep talks huh

Awww Syaoran wants to tell Meilin how he feels about Sakura first

Uh oh post-battle Meilin has taken note of Syaoran and Sakura’s use of each other’s first names

“If something happens, please think of me” AWWW Tomoyo looking out for Meilin’s feelings that’s my girl

“What makes me even madder is that I still can’t grow to hate Ms. Kinomoto” awww Meilin

“You’re a tardy little monster” suspicious Toya is one of the best parts of this show

The fact that Sakura doesn’t think Toya knows because he’s not making fun of her... tru sibling energy

Failed confession count:

Toya: 5...6

Syaoran: 2

TOYA IS SUCH A SWEETHEART BUYING PRESENTS FOR THE CARD THAT PROTECTS SAKURA AHHHHHHHHH AND OMG HOW DOES HE KNOW WHAT MIRROR LOOKS LIKE

Sakura loves the cards and the cards love her I love one (1) Cardcaptor

“But now, he helps me out a lot” “That’s why I don’t like him” AWWW TOYA

“I will see you again in your dreams tonight” could you be a bit less creepy Eriol

OH NO CURSE OF THE DISAPPEARING BOYFRIEND TOYA YOU GOTTA HUG THE MAGIC BACK INTO YUKI

Tomoyo is an impeccable wingman for Syaoran she has had his back at every step

WE LOVE A POOL PARTY EP YEEHAW

"I don’t ever want you to disappear” Toya’s declarations are getting more passionate with each failed confession (also I see that when he grabs Yuki’s wrist he stops fading)

“If you use magic in here, you don’t know who might see you” so they’ll notice her hiding behind a half rock wall but somehow a glowing waterslide will escape their notice???

“If Sakura had used her card any later than when she did, you were going to stop your magic” I feel like that is the LEAST Eriol could do

“Do you dislike swimming now” OH HOW NICE TO CHECK IN WITH RIKA AFTER YOU ALMOST DROWN HER

“You’re just lacking experience now. I’m sure that you will be able to do it. Skiing... and other things.” “You said that before! What does that MEAN” Syaoran is tired of Eriol’s Cryptic Sports Advice too

Dghgfjdgfjhg Sakura crossing herself in preparation for hearing a scary story lmao

Current failed confession counts:

Toya: 7

Syaoran: 3

Eriol confirms he will not kill preteens in an avalanche just to teach them magic I guess they had to draw the line somewhere

“I know the truth... that in reality you are...” Does it count as a failed confession if it’s for a scene?? Also are they the leads of this student film bc if so wow

“I know what’s really going on. That you are...” Well we’re definitely up to 8 now

:(((((((((((( It really hurts Toya to see Yukito like this SAVE HIIIIIIIIM

“At this rate, Toya’s important thing will be taken away” like what his love virginity LMAO

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH IT’S HAPPENING THE FACE TOUCHING THE REVEAL HFDUHFKJHFJDHFKJHDJGHJKHGJHG

“If I don’t see you, I can’t give you what I want to give you” a kiss?? LOL

“I want you to protect Sakura, and also protect yourself” OH OH OH

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH TOYA YOU’RE SO SELF-SACRIFICING THIS IS SO SWEET U WANT TO PROTECT UR SISTER AND THE LOVE OF UR LIFE SO UR GIVING UP SOMETHING THAT’S A PART OF YOU THE MELANCHOLY THE INTIMACY I’M WEEPING

“It’s obvious that you, a child, can’t support all of it” Ahhhhhhhhhh so many reveals at once poor Sakura, Toya was only helping

In truth I did not think the power exchange would happen all at once I thought it would be like recurring boyfriend whack-a-mole:

Yukito, sleepy: I’m off to battle

Toya: K bye Yuki [intimate embrace]

Yue: [Catches sleepy Toya]

“I want Yukito to know my true feelings” I mean I’m gonna tell you right now Sakura I think he’s in love with your brother and also you’re like 11 but u do u I guess

“It doesn’t matter what you are. As long as you don’t disappear and are at my side, I don’t care about anything else” Toya ur so romantic

“I’m all right. Just a little sleepy.” Oh how the narcolepsy turntables.....

I know all I want to talk about is Toya right now but he is so PATIENT and GENTLE with his sister’s feelings god

“But the person that you like the most isn’t me, Sakura” why do both halves of Yukito feel the need to moonsplain people’s feelings to them jkhfgkjjhfjhfjkh

HAHAHAH I was wondering how Yuki was going to handle this preteen love confession and he just went ‘No. Family-zoned.’

“You realized this because you have someone you like the most as well, Yukito?” 👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀

“Is it my big brother?” “Yeah, it is” AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

“Though I think that Toya is my number one, I’m not sure of his feelings” HE GAVE UP HIS MAGICAL POWERS FOR YOU TO BE AROUND HIM FOREVER YUKITO HOW MUCH MORE REASSURANCE DO YOU NEED

Omg the vowing to yell at each other’s future boyfriends khkdhfkdhfs I love this friendship good for them

Eriol really DOES trap people in enclosed spaces to work out their interpersonal problems this reincarnated 11-year-old relationship therapist my god

“But if I cry or make a sad face, I’m sure Yukito would be troubled” poor sad Sakura but also I’m kind of glad she didn’t abide by Yukito like... telling her how she felt? It would’ve felt a little insincere to walk ALL of it back but I think she was mostly doing it so Yukito and Toya could be together in peace

“It’s all right. I’m sure you will find him” SYAORAAAAAAAAAAANNN

Awww Syaoran is so happy about this Grand Gesture scarf <33333333

“I knew that Sakura’s feelings for me weren’t completely the same as her feelings for her father... But I can’t delay her finding her true number one because of her feelings towards me” no shit Yuki but also maybe it was an okay call it gave Sakura a simple out

Toya’s gentle head touch as he gives Yukito reassurance aaaaaah

“He’s going to steal away something that I’ve been cherishing all this time” this is Toya’s weird way of saying he gives Syaoran and Sakura his blessing lol (lot of these blessing going around lately)

Toya’s love language is touching Yuki somewhere from the shoulders up

“I feel like he’s still alive and he’ll come to make fun of us at any moment” ur not wrong Kero

“But I’m still not you, Mr. Clow” U JUST BE URSELF SAKURA!!

What we have learned from this trip to the past so far is that Mr. Clow has always loved to give people cryptic messages and then disappear

I DID NOT EXPECT A MONTAGE OF BLOOMING FLOWERS TO BE WHAT MADE ME SHED A TEAR IN THIS ANIME BUT THE SYMBOLISM - CLOW’S WORDS - SAKURA UR SO GOOD THIS IS A NICE SHOW

“It’s Clow Reed’s fault,” said Clow Reed, eleven years old, about himself

“Why did he have to trouble Sakura so much?!” Kero said FRIENDSHIP ENDED WITH CLOW REED SAKURA IS MY NEW BEST FRIEND

I appreciate that Yue was like, ‘Gotta bring Toya with me to the battle I can’t just leave him in the street’

Sidenote: What made them start running in the first place was it the loss of light or was it just Yukito/Yue going ‘MY SAKURA SENSES ARE TINGLING’

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH FINAL BATTLE KERO VS. SPINNEL, YUE VS. RUBY MOON, SAKURA VS. CLOW???

OH SHIT TRANSFORMING EIGHT CARDS AT ONCE WHAT A POWER UP

Make that six cards but STILL

“Light and Dark are the first cards under our jurisdiction” I AM RIVETED 👀👀👀👀👀👀👀

SCREAM THE TEAM SUN MOON STARS GROUP HUG MY CHEST WILL BURST

OH FINAL WAND!!!!!!!!! MAGICAL FRIENDS EDITION

SYAORAN HELPING HER TRANSFORM THE CARDS TEAMWORK MAKES THE DREAMWORK

“We are friends with you, right Sakura?” KEROOOOOOOO YUEEEEEEEEE 💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖

“I like you” [Cut to classroom] Oh awkward seems like Sakura kind of verbally left Syaoran on read for that one

“Wouldn’t conversation be more pleasant when there are tasty sweets around” Sdfhkjshfkjshfkj unbelievable Eriol-Clow wants to have his final words of wisdom delivered via tea party

“There were a couple of things that happened that weren’t expected by myself or Clow Reed” LOL he means Syaoran and Sakura and also probably Yukito and Toya jhjhdfjkh fair it’s just the never-ending charisma of these siblings

Oh hey Ms. Mizuki what are you doing at this weird tea party (go to jail)

If Mizuki was in college when she met him he was what???? A baby??? How old ARE you Eriol

“You’re not going inside, Yue?” I was WONDERING why Yue wasn’t part of this ridiculous gathering lmao

“But I can talk of old memories... If it suits your fancy, I will talk whenever you want me to” Ahh Eriol trying to provide Yue some closure 😬

WOW ERIOL EXPLICITLY EXPLAINING THAT HE DID NOT EXPECT THE ROMANTIC DYNAMICS AT PLAY JDHJHFDGHKDHGKHDKFJ

Omggg Sakura created a new card for Syaoran ahhhh they’re really very cute

“That bear... Can I have it?” The way these confessions were written is really VERY GOOD

What a WEIRD SHOW but u know it did something to my heart

#ayesha talks anime #ayesha liveblog ccs #might as well post this one too #i did not watch this in a day but i did watch it in a week so what does that say #liveblogging #long post

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nestofstraightlines · 6 years ago

Text

The Dæmon-Cages

I went to a preview screening of episode six of His Dark Materials,’ The Daemon Cages’, followed by a Q&A with the senior creative last night.

I’m not even going to give broad expectation spoilers for the episode above the cut (I’ll include a bit right at the end under the cut just giving a broad overview of whether I liked it or not).

As for the Q&A, it was very interesting.

The team were asked several questions (by a very positive audience) about themes and research; things like ‘how did you decide which of the many themes to focus on? Did you go back to the inspirational material of the books such as Milton and Blake?’ and I would characterise the answers as a slightly defensive ‘we just went back to the book’.

Call it confirmation bias, but for me that tallies with what I’ve perceived of the writing/creating flaws of the series.

Because what does that mean?

I’ve been going back to the book for 22 years now and unpacking more depths and more angles. It really did feel like there was a rejection from Thorne and series Exec Producer Jane Trantor that adaptation would involve unpacking something and repacking it into your own storytelling form.

Their tone was much more enthusiastic when it came to discussing detail: they talked about wanting to know exactly what every moment of Lyra’s day at Jordan would be, what she would do for breakfast etc. And that’s got merits; it can suggest nice images (I’m guessing this is where the idea of Roger bringing Lyra breakfast every morning comes from).

But for me, in general, it’s an approach that fits badly with Pullman as a source material. Pullman writes intuitively, discovering the story as he writes is.

At one point in Northern Lights he uses the metaphor for reading the Alethiometer that it is like climbing down a ladder in the dark, and trusting that, though you can’t see the next step, it is there. I believe that he was describing his writing process there too.

He writes indirectly, using negative space to let the reader infer a fact or an idea. For example, with daemons. We are told a little and shown a lot. Pullman is showing himself the story too.

I don’t believe Pullman knew when he was writing Northern Lights what Lyra would do for her breakfast every morning. But if the story had wanted to contain a scene set during her breakfast, he would have known.

And okay, different writing processes, whatever. But actually it is fundamental to the text and I think where the problems have crept in.

Genre storytelling can be broken up into two rough camps: character-led and ideas-led. The senior creatives of this programme, almost inevitably coming from a British TV background, fall into the wrong one - character-led.

Now both camps contain both things: if I call a story idea/s-led it’s not saying its characters aren’t important and good or vice versa. It’s about which is the ultimate point o fthe story.

For instance, Harry Potter is, for me, character-led. Its fantasy trappings are rather unpacked or picturesque dressing used to heighten basically mundane human interpersonal drama. Yeah, it’s good versus evil, acceptance versus discrimination, but those topics aren’t explored, they’re not a priority, they’re a situation to throw the characters into.

Where Thorne has worked in genre shows before, the same can be said. There is a specific situation, even a mission statement, but these are not shows constructed around telling an idea as story, but rather focusing on interpersonal drama. The premises are settings, real or imagined, which are already neatly packaged for the audience. They’re not about inventing fantasy, they are about using it to tell small-scale human dramas. Events serve nothing larger than character and relationship drama.

In Pullman’s His Dark Materials, character and relationship drama are a but not the greatest priority of the series, they are in service to broader ideas and themes.

That’s the other camp of genre fiction, where the fantasy is not a static setting used to heighten charater stuff, but an active agent used to tell a particular story.

Calling this camp ideas-led sounds like its an inherently grand sort of a category, and His Dark Materials is of course an example that is grand and important and epic and so on. But for a show to be ideas-focused, it doesn’t have to be a Big Important Theme with Big Important Execution.

Some ideas are ‘what is it to be human?’, some ideas are simply ‘whodunnit?’ or ‘what if a monster got into your house?’

Anyway.

Pullman’s HDM is ideas-led. He creates a world (and later worlds) of things we need to pay attention to. This is not Harry Potter – school, castle, wizards, you pretty much got it – this is unconstructed fantasy. And it’s not constructed for picturesque ends either. Pullman isn’t inventing this stuff because it’s independently cool or pleasing or whatever, or at least not only that. He is creating it to express a set of ideas through the medium of a story.

So story and world are perfectly bound together. And he understands the difference between convincing a reader and making your world CinemaSins-proof. It’s a story, not a world.

The series is over-invested in the details; over-invested in the tools, and misses what they are used to build in the book/s. Sometimes it even breaks what they are meant to build.

I think the failure of daemons is the biggest casualty of this.

At the screening the creatives talked about the challenge there, the unprecedented challenge of making a show in which every human character is accompanied by a unique CGI creation. They mentioned the impossible budget challenge this presented as well as the challenges in visual storytelling and presentation. I.e. even if one can afford to put a whole crowds of daemons in every wide shot it looks impossibly cluttered and like Doctor Doolittle.

And yes, of course, but it baffles – and frankly annoys – me that the imagination seemed to stop there. Or rather, the understanding of storytelling stopped there.

They talked about having spitballed pragmatic adjustments to daemons, such as making them be semi-invisible, flicking in and out of visibility. But in the end they ‘wanted to stay true to the book/s’. Again, I think we’re looking at a profound lack of understanding of what ‘true to the book’ even means.

Creatives more suited to the material would have found creativity borne of limitation. They would have had a deep and confident enough understanding of the idea they were dealing with to find the solutions from within their own storytelling field, to create daemons for screen in a way which worked.

It feels like this teams’ reaction to the challenge has been ‘to do our best and tell people they don’t understaaand it’s haaard when they complain we haven’t got it right’.

I’m sorry if that sounds harsh. But they took on this challenge and there’s a little hubris in that. I’m not sure what made them feel they were the people for the job here, but they’ve failed to convince me of that fact.

People have been telling fantastical and profound stories on screen for a long time before CGI became so photorealistic. And I think CGI has both a limiting effect on the imagination, and it encourages directors and writers with a limited sense of visual storytelling to imagine that they are equipped to deal with stories that they perhaps aren’t, because they can unthinkingly assign fantasy ideas to the ‘literalist CGI’ box.

I just get the feeling that none of the head creatives, as a mix of character-focused storytellers and details-people, really get what daemons are in a storytelling sense.

They mentioned that when they had conversations with Pullman, he advised them not to focus on daemons, that he novel included them only when they were important. And that’s true, and I can’t put words in Pullman’s mouth, but it’s my belief the TV series team misunderstood what he was getting at, and I’m basing that on stuff Pullman has said elsewhere (such as in his essays and speeches collected in Daemon voices) as well as my own reading of the book/s.

Daemons don’t appear important but the story is carefully constructed, without ever seeming to be on the surface, to explore the idea of the daemon.

It’s a practical issue too. You employ people to write and direct this stuff who are used to stories made up of human characters interacting in rooms, and they’re going to lack experience in showing stuff which is vital to this story, which includes the relationship between the human heroine and her shape-shifting animal-shaped companion, a giant talking polar bear, a city in the Aurora Boreales, fights with demons during a hot-air balloon fight and so on.

A lot of the stuff that matter in HDM isn’t just mundane drama in fantastical settings. The most vital emotional scenes include a girl interaction with a giant talking solar bear; the threat tot he bond between a person and their shape-shifting soul-manifestation etc

The human/daemon relationship is like a lot of things at different times and in different ways: human/animal, siblings, friends, parent/child etc. But it’s not a mundane human relationship clothed in light fantasy disguise. It's an idea and thus needs careful building for screen just as it did on the page.

Russell Dodgson, the head of VFX on behalf of Framestore for the series, talked about how fans always focus on daemons while there are so many more ideas in the book. ‘People love talking animals, I guess.’ He joked.

And OK, he was being off-the-cuff and deliberately glib, and in any case he’s not the writer and thereby not responsible for getting the overall imagining of daemons for this series right. But he’s so off the mark here in a way which helpfully sums up the misses of this team.

Daemons are not talking animals in the book and that is what the series has rendered them as through this lack of understanding that they amount to more than an emptily whimsical note.

EXPECTATION SPOILERS FOR THE DAEMON-CAGES:

... Having said all that; a really great episode! Best episode of the series yet.

It benefits from coming from a part of the book which is perfect for an episode of TV: it is very dramatic and climactic, while also being something of a great self-contained story in form. Lyra goes into a situation with very clear parameters of tension, fears, goals and a ticking clock. The production plays on all of those very strongly.

The weakest element of the episode is predictable given what the weakness element of the adaptation has been all along: daemons of course. As with last week my feeling is that while the show is so far from doing justice to certain ideas and moments it might as well be on a different continent, it finds enough strengths in other areas to stop the bottom dropping out of the episode.

The production design is absolutely incredible. It’s the boldest imaginative leap from the book so far. The staging of some of the events plays out differently due to a differently imagined Bolvangar and I adore the new approach. Again, I’ll have more to say when the episode has aired. I can’t wait to get into the detail of this!

#His Dark Materials #The Daemon-Cages #crit

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larkfox · 5 years ago

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( SAOIRSE RONAN, FEMALE, SHE/HER ) ⌇ have you seen LARKSPUR FOX around icaria? they are the TWENTY-SEVEN year old child of ZELUS. they remind me of HOMEMADE PROTEST SIGNS, SING-SCREAMING ALONG TO THE RADIO, and A HEAVY STACK OF HISTORY BOOKS. They’ve been on the island for 4 years.

Lark comes in two volumes: Loud and VERY LOUD. An intellectually brilliant radical anarchist, she is prone to protesting against Icaria’s government and for a different cause every week. Although she’s certainly spread awareness for some significant issue, not every cause Lark champions is noteworthy… or even logical. Whoever is within her radar will inevitably hear an earful. She’s also a gigantic nerd- particularly history- so she knows a lot of stuff but lacks in common sense.

She has a very weird, codependent friendship with Steffi, whom is probably her best friend at this point because fate keeps shoving them in the same place. They are both very annoying for different reasons, and the two together can get chaotic. Important: Lark likes Steffi more than Steffi likes Lark, but Lark is more fond of people as a whole than Steffi.

You may be thinking: Lisa! Why do you have two bumbling, good-intentioned loud characters that can be irritating to others? Is Lark going to just be Chloe 2: Electric Boogaloo? Fair question. Lark and Chloe are self-aware in completely opposite ways. Chloe would never indulge in this kind of reckless behavior or be anything close to this argumentative. Anyway, I’ve basically written an essay about Lark below, so you can see for yourself.

Further information/bio:

Basics

A PhD candidate in History at Icaria’s University, she is keen on finishing her dissertation soon and trying to get a job at The Icaria Museum. If that doesn’t work, she supposes she will just have to see about becoming a professor or something. She’s so close to finishing, though, it’s palpable.

On the side, she does some copyediting and tutoring because living isn’t cheap. Sometimes she also does some music production, but that’s not a big thing.

Lark is a bit immature, and an absolute disaster at interpersonal relationships. She is heavily opinionated, and rarely keeps anything close to her chest. A gay mess, she didn’t have her first relationship until her early twenties. She has very mixed feelings about her demigod status (and her dad, whom she didn’t meet until he swung by to tell her about the disappearances and urge her to move).

Early Life

Her conception kicked off in a dramatic fashion. Diana Fox was a sixteen year old teenager in Canada when she attended her first protests (various feminist ones, mostly). After one of them, she met up with a strange guy who just seemed to get it (also he seemed to like debating for fun). He (the god Zelus) was definitely too old for her, but she lied about her age, and ended up pregnant after a few trysts. Diana decided to keep the kid, but she most definitely wasn’t ready to be a mother. She named the child Larkspur because she thought it sounded cool, the flowers were pretty, and also she was kind of a punk who got a kick out of her kid being named after something poisonous. And that was about as much contribution as little Larkspur’s parents offered up in terms of upbringing for those early years. Gods weren’t about that sort of child-raising life, and Diana wanted to enjoy what remained of her adolescence.

Cecilia and Dale Fox stepped up, and raised their granddaughter. Larkspur adored her grandparents, even if they did not quite expect to have to raise a baby at their age. They were only in their late forties, but a grandchild to take care of had not exactly been in their plans while they were both still working. Cecilia’s job didn’t pay as well, so she took a few years off to be the primary caretaker for the little girl. When Lark was four, she was able to go to preschool, which helped everyone.

Larkspur frankly thought her name was embarrassing. What kind of mother named her kid after a poisonous plant? She was much happier to go by Lark in school, or even just Fox.

Even though her mother could have cared less about books and learning, Lark took to school rather well. She rarely had to study, and knocked out essays and reports without thinking too hard about it. Marks didn’t mean much to her, but she still skipped grade two. Even after that, she continued to excel in school.

A Turn for the Worse

When Lark was nine, Dale started to get sick, which inspired Diana to head back home. She moved back in, and tried to be more than a parent when it was convenient. Lark didn’t like that very much, so she clung to her grandmother, or shut herself up in her room for a while. The only time that Lark felt really close to her mom was when she took her along to protests.

Lark has absolutely been arrested for protesting before, but it’s never resulted in any real convictions. Her mom is the one who’s actually seen prison time. Lark actually thinks that’s very cool. Diana and Dale did not agree with the coolness level of any criminal activity, but did their best to point the kids (i.e. Diana and Lark) in the right direction.

Zelus

Lark thinks her dad sucks even if he’s supposedly one of the good guys. It doesn’t even matter that Zelus seemed to be the god of nothing good. She didn’t find out who her dad really was until Diana came back home and sat the family down. I will now present you with an excerpt of the conversation:

Diana: So I’m sure that you’re all wondering a few things.

Dale: Yes, I’m always wondering things, Annie.

Diana: About Larkspur’s dad!

Dale: Ohh. Yes, we’ve all been wondering about that.

Lark: I haven’t!

Diana: You haven’t?

Lark: Not really!

Cecilia: Grandpa and I have been wondering. Diana, where were you going with this?

Diana: Oh. Right. So it turns out he’s a god… Here, let me show you…

Lark: Is this a print-out from a Google search?

Cecilia: Her father is Zeus? Like the greek god Zeus?

Diana: No!! Zelus! There’s an entire extra letter in there. He’s like Zeus’ pal. Or at least that’s what I’ve read about on Google.

Lark: So he’s still a greek god. But like a discount greek god. Eh. Zeus is probably just as good of a dad as this one is.

Cecilia: Zelus. Like zealots. Oh. Oh no. Let’s just… Make sure nothing happens with that.

Dale passed away when Lark was twelve, which especially devastated his wife. Cecilia had gone back to work a while back, and she took the opportunity when it came up to transfer into a slightly better paying opportunity in the UK. It helped that she was born there, and still had aunts and cousins around. It was about time to move back. Diana wanted to stay in Calgary, but Lark wanted to go with her grandmother. Making her first mature decision in a long time, Diana conceded, and applied for jobs overseas.

Steffi

Lark had been poor at making friends in Canada, and this did not improve thousands of miles away. The person that she got on best with was Steffi, a recent transplant from Germany that did not seem to be fitting in well either. Since Steffi did not seem to have any friends either, Lark latched on immediately. The mean comments didn’t exactly phase her (especially because the older girl didn’t seem to outright hate the idea of being friends).

Her friendship with Steffi is… weird. Here are some helpful references: the entire main character group from Friends as two people. All of the characters from Derry Girls (including side characters) as two people. Rosie and Tanya from the MMCU (Mamma Mia Cinematic Universe). The Odd Couple. You get the picture.

Anyway, while they were very good friends, it still did not come up in conversation where they both settled on schools until acceptance time came. Heidelberg University’s History program was amazing, and Lark couldn’t turn down how reasonably priced German schools were. She casually-but-not-casually suggested that she and Steffi room together, and was pleasantly surprised to start the next year with a roommate that wanted to be friends.

After graduation, Lark and Steffi went to separate universities for graduate school, and conversation was not quite as frequent as Lark would have liked. She did start to make more like-minded friends in her Musicology masters program. The professors seemed not to hate her either; she was “a pleasure to have in class” but not the student with the highest grades. Oddly enough, she and Steffi just kept running into each other without planning on trips and the like.

Poorly thought through things that Lark has suggested to Steffi (list is not exhaustive):

Protesting for squirrel rights on their university campus at 2 AM (nobody else agreed to join her)

That they should have split custody of a shiny beetle that Lark found on the ground. She stopped trying to persuade her friend after the beetle started flying around the room

Marriage pact if they are both still single by age 42

Reenacting various historical scenes while sober

Road trip across Europe on a beercycle (with only two people)

It had never seemed like a good idea to mention her demigod status until Lark and Steffi bumped into each other… on Icaria. Overjoyed to have her friend back, Lark suggested rooming together again, but this was unfortunately shot down. She still spends quite a lot of time at Steffi’s apartment and vice-versa.

Powers

Power-wise, she has some control over the human voice, which she finds easiest to use for controlling the volume of her own voice. Lark can’t change the concepts of the sound, but she can alter the volume or “throw” the sound so it comes like it originates somewhere else. If Lark were actually interested in starting a cult or being a politician or something, she could use her superior control over the voice to make herself heard without distortion, and deafen the voices of those that opposed her. A loud enough voice could even cause real damage. Fortunately(?), Lark has little interest in all of that, and isn’t especially charismatic to begin with. She only really uses it to force people to listen to her when she’s trying to tell people something deemed important. Or to secretly help shy friends that don’t know how to project. Or to make annoying mansplainers stop talking over her. Or to make Steffi go shhh when she shows up in her apartment in the morning

#icaria: intro #//this is grotesquely long i'm sorry #lemme know if you want highlights

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jeanjauthor · 5 years ago

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Another case of eloquence and truth in unexpected places. This webcomic can get pretty gross and gory at times, and the humor is most decidedly noir/black humor/sardonic/sarcastic. It is not for younger audience members...but sometimes its creator, R.K. Milholland, has some profound truths to share with others.

...

Descriptions & transcripts for the visually impaired:

Something * Positive, a four-panel webcomic dealing with noir humor, life, and weirdness.

The characters for today are PamJee, a young Asian girl with sarcastic/sardonic tendencies who was adopted by PeeJee, an Asian woman who runs an online telephone/video service for computer repairs and other things, and Jason, her blond husband who directs stage plays for small theater companies, among other things.

PeeJee and Jason have always raised their daughter with a mixture of genuine love and a blunt acknowledgement of the awful things in life, plus plenty of mock-teasing. “Uncle Davan” is the best friend of PeeJee and Jason who is an honorary uncle to PamJee, and is the main character of the webcomic most days.

Here is the comic for March 24th, 2020:

[First panel is the young character of PamJee, peeking through a doorway into her mother PeeJee’s at-home office.]

PamJee: Ugh, why are you still here? Don’t you have an office?

PeeJee: You know I’m working from home for the same reason you’re not in school. We’ve gotta stay put during all this pandemic stuff.

[Next panel, still in the office; a tallish potted plant can be seen in the background. PamJee is eyeing her mother in disgruntlement, while PeeJee has her attention more on the papers in her hand than on her daughter.]

PamJee: Mom, nothing personal, but I’m tired of your face.

PeeJee: That’s okay, I’m kinda sick of yours.

[Third panel, PamJee is holding up her hands, eyes wide in shock, while PeeJee rolls her eyes at her daughter.]

PamJee: What the hell, Mom?! You’re not allowed to say that

PeeJee: Sweetheart, I think you need to learn this now. You can absolutely love someone with all your heart, and sometimes be kind of tired of their bullshit.

[Last panel, PamJee has gone to a different room in the house, a storage, laundry, or pantry room, to complain to her father Jason, who glances back over his shoulder to give his reply.]

PamJee: Dad! Mom says she doesn’t like me!

Jason: You go and tell her it’s my turn to not like you!

PamJee: This must be that “building character” crap Uncle Davan talks about, ‘cuz it’s really pissing me off.

...

Now that most of us are doing our part to prevent the spread of COVID-19, it often means being stuck in quarantine, having to live with our housemates for longer than the hours before & after work, school, whatever.

In this case, this is a profound piece of wisdom which really strikes hard at the way we need to understand interpersonal relationships with family members, friends, spouses, and so forth.

PeeJee: Sweetheart, I think you need to learn this now.

This is a very polite way for PeeJee to call her daughter on her attitude. Politeness, courtesy, patience, these are the watchwords for when you’re stuck in a situation that, for the good of many many others, you cannot change. It is a life-lesson that many people don’t actually learn. Not consciously.

In this case, the comic shows how--yet again--PeeJee and Jason are raising their kid to be more consciously aware of what is going on in life, both within herself and in the greater world around her. Sometimes these lessons are taught young, and sometimes they are self-taught. Sometimes they’re only subconsciously learned, but PamJee’s parents love her enough to give her straight talk about life lessons.

We are not being taught to think critically (as in critiquing, not criticizing) about our lives, by our society/culture. But it is a valuable thing to learn how to be self-aware of certain things. For instance, when I was going to college and having to wait up to an hour between busses to get there and back home again (if a class ran too late to catch the right one in the late afternoon), I eventually realized there was a difference between being patient, and being patient when you don’t want to be patient.

Why is this important? Because these are different life skills. Being patient when you want to be patient is, well, easy. You know it’ll be worthwhile. But being patient when you don’t want to be patient, that’s much more difficult. I could not change the bus schedule. I could not change how late the teacher would hold our classes. I could not change how far away from the bus stop my last class of the day might be, that quarter. I could not change anything when a bus driver coming early and choosing to leave early.

And since this was an era (early 1990s) when smart phones were still nothing more than a scifi fantasy, aka the tablet PADD thingies carried around by the actors on Star Trek: The Next Generation (aka they did not exist in real life!)...I had to learn how to accept having to wait, whether or not I wanted to wait. A lot of people subconsciously learn this lesson, but there was this one day that--I don’t know how or why--I woke to it consciously, and figured out that, being utterly bored, with nothing external to occupy my attention...I should entertain myself in my head by focusing on world-building and storytelling.

(This is the era in which the beginnings of the IaVerse got started, btw, so this little story is relevant to my author’s blog thing.)

PeeJee’s next speech-bubble in that scene, however, speaks to a subconscious side-effect of life in quarantine, trying to prevent the spread of COVID-19:

You can absolutely love someone with all your heart, and sometimes be kind of tired of their bullshit.

This is a truth. We may have to put up with each other for far longer spans of time than usual while in quarantine, and we may subconsciously be aware of the need for practicing politeness, courtesy, common sense, and so forth...but frictions will arise.

And you know what? That’s okay.

You can still love someone, and be tired of their bullshit at the same time.

You are allowed to have complex emotions.

You don’t have to be happy all the time!

However...you are still responsible for how you react, based on those feelings.

And it’s okay for others (or you if you’re the target of their reaction) to refuse to let that bullshit slide uncommented upon.

In this case, PeeJee does tell her daughter the absolute truth. Her daughter is giving her a rude comment, spurred by the restlessness of extra exposure to her parents due to quarantine, rather than having the respite of being at school away from them for several hours out of the day. So PeeJee gives right back to PamJee what PamJee gave her.

When PamJee is shocked by this...yes, parents aren’t normally supposed to say things like that to their kids. But there does come a point where this particular lesson does have to be learned.

Life is complex. Emotions are complex. Bullshit can only be tolerated so much before it must be called out for what it is: Bull. Shit.

And when PamJee goes to her father to complain, Jason is delivering a punchline, yes, and it may seem cruel, yes...but it also in a back-handed-compliment way implies that they take turns being Good Loving Parent-Cop and Bad Sarcastic Parent-Cop. It implies that both of them are always there to support her, even if they “take turns” while one or the other is calling her out on her growing-pains bullshit.

...Is it a normal family dynamic? No. But it is remarkably healthy all the same, in a similar vein to the Addams Family’s values. Because even while PamJee calls out her daughter’s rudeness, she reassures PamJee that she is absolutely loved.

“Unconditionally loved” in this case doesn’t mean “we’re going to ignore every bad thing you do around us.”

I’ll let you in on the secret as to why: Hatred (or even just calling someone out on their bullshit) isn’t the opposite of Love, folks. Apathy is the opposite. If her parents didn’t love her this much, they wouldn’t want to teach her to be conscious of having to remember to treat her family & friends with better courtesy, etc. Of having to be polite even when you don’t want to be polite, due to the irritation-raising frictions of having to spend excessive, extra amounts of time together.

Anyway, that’s it for the webcomic page analysis!

Stay as safe as you can, be as compassionate as you can, and try to be consciously courteous, folks! It’s a skill that most of us aren’t used to utilizing in such large amounts, but as in everything, it’ll get easier with practice.

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so-shiny-so-chrome · 7 years ago

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Witness: Weirdness_Unlimited

Creator name (AO3): Weirdness_Unlimited

Creator name (Tumblr): Burn-your-face-upon-the-chrome

Link to creator works: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Weirdness_Unlimited/works

Q: Why the Mad Max Fandom?

A: In the Mad Max universe, anything that is completely absurd and outrageous is represented as the norm. Leather fetish gear? Oh, that's just the security guard uniform at Bartertown. Those guys over there are wearing black and white face paint? No, you're not at an ICP concert, those are War Boys, also run. Whoa, there are acrobats being flung through the air on poles attached to moving vehicles! No worries, that's just any Tuesday in Gas Town. I love this fandom because pretty much any nonsense my skull meat can come up with, as long as the mechanics of it work, I can throw it into my fics and not a single person will bat an eye. As a matter of fact, the weirder, the better.

Q: What do you think are some defining aspects of your work? Do you have a style? Recurrent themes?

A: Life is gross, humans do gross things, and the environment around you could not care less about any of your moral dilemmas. I suppose you can say my style is a lack of it. I like things straight forward and I know this characteristic often weakens any aesthetic appeal to my writing. “To Love Reptiles” reads from Slit's perspective the same way a radio manual does but with a lot more cursing. I try not to make it too complicated to digest. I'd like for people to be able to fill in any blanks with their own interpretation of the situation and then move on to the next.

Themes though, I go heavy on themes. The main theme is interpersonal relationships, coping with failure within them, and personal growth. Other themes include coping with mental illness, codependency, hunger, greed, warfare, trauma, etc.

Q: Which of your works was the most fun to create? The most difficult? Which is your most popular? Most successful? Your favourite overall?

A: The most fun work of my own, by far, has been “To Love Reptiles.” It has also been the most popular, most successful, and my most favourite. The most difficult has been an original work with no working title. I can't give away much about this original piece but it has to do with local myths and survival in the wilderness. I quit working on the rough manuscript when my grandmother passed away several years ago. I'll be picking it up again soon. It may turn up on AO3 in the next three or four years.

Q: How do you like your wasteland? Gritty? Hopeful? Campy? Soft? Why?/

A: Gritty but hopeful, I think. The wasteland is nasty but humans need hope, right?

Q: Walk us through your creative process from idea to finished product. What's your prefered environment for creating? How do you get through rough patches?

A: Alright, so that's an interesting question with a pretty messy answer but I'll try to make it brisk. Step 1: I start with a summary of the story as a whole with a point A (the beginning) and a point B (the end). Step 2: I break that summary down and and fill it out with events that can ferry the characters from the start of the story to the finish on a drawn timeline to keep things in chronological order. I also have note cards. I break this down further into named chapters. This can take a while. Step 3: I summarize each of those chapters to figure out if this story needs more than one installment. It depends out how the series of events land and how many minor arcs are included with the main arc/objective. Sprinkle some drama in there, scrap some unnecessary things, narrow an installment down to thirty (30) chapters at maximum. Step 4: I summarize individual scenes within the chapters and hack out important dialog. This takes weeks. There's typically between four and ten scenes per chapter. Also more note cards. Step 5: I try to flesh out one scene per day. (key word: Try)

I get the most writing done in the morning over coffee and before work. I usually sit at the breakfast table with my phone and spit out about 500-ish words before my husband wakes up. I'll write intermittently throughout the day. Lately I haven't been writing much because of holiday junk and winter being kind of a bummer.

If I'm in a rough patch, I can break though it by sitting in a room with no internet access and forcing myself to scratch out a scene or two in a notepad. Usually these notepad scribbles are so awful that they get torn out and chucked in the waste bin but the next day I'm keen to do the job right.

Q: What (if any) music do you listen to for help getting those creative juices flowing?

A: Ambient sound, white noise, or nothing. I do listen to music and there's a lot of songs I associate with stories, fics, characters. Tove Lo is a big one for Dune. Most of the time I find that music with lyrics or a high tempo is distracting if I'm in the act of writing something but it can be a source of inspiration separately.

Q: How do you keep track of all the details as you're writing? How do you keep details consistent in your works? How do you fact-check your writing?

A: I have a little memo pad with numbered facts that do not change at any point through the story. These are kinda the cardinal rules. I can't tell you the rules because they contain spoilers. After the “RULES” there are miscellaneous details that I'd like to remember in case they come up later. Things like birthmarks, scar placement, mannerisms, things I've hinted at without exposition that will need to be revealed later.

I fact check by googling stuff and falling down research holes for several hours until I forget what I was doing. EVENTUALLY I'll come back to writing and realize that's why there are things in my search history that probably have me on some kind of government watch list.

Q: What motivates your writing?

A: My motivation. Real talk? For AAL it's to get to a particular scene in the planned third installment. Scene thirteen in chapter seven. I know that answers exactly nothing and is weirdly specific but... yes. Other works of mine, I'm motivated by the idea that some of my ideas might entertain someone out there, even if it's just one someone then I've succeeded.

Q: What is your biggest challenge as a creator?

A: Time management. I have a lot of hobbies and finding time for individual projects is... Hard. I made a boredom jar that lets me pick an unfinished task/project/piece at random to do whenever I'm bored so that I can stop myself from starting anything new when my apartment is already full of unfinished junk.

Q: How have you grown as a creator through your participation in the Mad Max Fandom? How has your work changed? Have you learned anything about yourself?

A: Yes. My organizational skills have improved by miles and my attention span is better focused. Grammatically my work has undergone general improvement.

Learned anything about myself? Hmm, I learned that my opinion of what is canon and what makes good fan fiction are two completely different things. If you ask me anything specific about the Mad Max franchise you will probably get both opinions. As an example: Does Maxosa make for good fan fiction? Heck Yeah! Will canon Max Rockatansky or Furiosa ever be mentally and emotionally healed enough to actually be in a relationship? Probably not and that's okay. I can happily read Max and Furi getting cuddly and domestic and enjoy the heck out of another writer's interpretation of these two overcoming the hurdles of their respective traumas. I can do this knowing full well that Max and Furiosa probably never canonically saw each other again after the closing scene of Fury Road. I'm okay with this because that's the magic of fandom and why I love it.

Q: Which character do you relate to the most, and how does that affect your approach to that character? Is someone else your favourite to portray? How has your understanding of these characters grown through portraying them?

A: I relate to Max the most, and I think the reason I haven't yet published anything written from his perspective is because he'd be the most difficult to write without touching on my own fears and inadequacies too much. Max is not interested in being involved with the dramas of anyone else's life. He's already seen too much turmoil and had a hand in it too many times to actively seek people and their inherent problems, however, when presented with zero alternative he'll do what needs to be done and suffer though forming new attachments to very mortal people who may drop dead at any minute. He isn't comfortable with the process of forming attachments and he'd rather avoid it. He doesn't want another ghost. At least that's my interpretation of him.

Slit, remarkably, is my favorite to write for in spite of the fact that I don't relate to him in any way and my interpretation of his portrayal in the film is, simply put, a blunt edged euphemism for abusive relationships. He's just... a guilty pleasure to examine and write. I blame my fondness on the stunning character design and Josh Helman's energy on screen. The character says and does ridiculous things and it's just hilarious to watch Slit dig his own grave and humiliate himself. Case and point: I've got his boot! My understanding of Slit has grown through writing about him. He's probably (canonically) deeply insecure and his way of thinking very toxic and self focused. There's gotta be trauma there (I took massive creative license in that area) and a whole host of personal issues that explain his behavior, but will never excuse it. Does that make good fan fiction??? Parts of it do, the rest has to be that very human ability to grow and improve, although I don't think he'd have that opportunity in canon or accept any form of assistance... If he'd lived.

Q: Do you ever self-insert, even accidentally?

A: I think you kind of have to self-insert to a point. Writing tends to involve exaggerating your own experiences and the imagined interactions in your own head in order to make the experiences of the characters relatable. I'd rather not examine every individual facet of the issue but yes, I think Dune is an unintentional self-insert to cope with health problems before I was consciously aware of what I was coping with and since that realization, lately, she's a lot harder to write.

Q: Do you have any favourite relationships to portray? What interests you about them?Honestly? Close platonic friendship. Emotional intimacy is interesting. I draw a lot of inspiration for friendship in fiction from Mulder and Scully in early seasons of The X-files.

Q: How does your work for the fandom change how you look at the source material?

A: I see more minor details and the context of silent interactions. Some of these details are unsettling, some of them are so subtle and subliminal that they're easily missed when you watch the films, especially Fury Road. Oddly enough, I'm a lot more- Ah whats the word? Not quite critical of but unnerved by my own observations of Capable's relationship with Nux. I'm not sure why. It could be that I'm misinterpreting the actress's tone or George Miller vision/direction, but I watch the movie now and find that the way Capable looks at and talks about Nux so intensely makes me uneasy. The previous is just an example among many that I've spat out so far, it's not important.

Q: Do you prefer to create in one defined chronology or do your works stand alone? Why or why not?

A: Everything I write within the Mad Max fandom with the exception of collaborative works will probably be linked together and consistent with one another because that means less to remember and fewer mix-ups.

Q: To break or not to break canon? Why?

A: If you have to, break it. I'll read it. I like my fandom unlimited, baby. In my own works I try to keep with canon somewhat but I resurrect a lot of characters who almost certainly died because if I didn't, it would really only leave seven (I think) named characters with dialog who did not die in Fury Road. (The surviving women of the Many Mothers weren't named.)

Q: Share some headcanons:

A: 1) Max has intestinal parasites. He ate a live (two headed) lizard in the first thirty seconds of Fury Road. You really really really should not do that.

2) Furiosa didn't want to kill Ace. She could have just blown his head off instead of punching him in the face with a pistol. She didn't shoot him.

3) Ace did not go under the wheels. Foxy Grandpa lives.

4) Miss Giddy is also alive somewhere

5) Actually, most people in the wasteland probably have intestinal parasites.

Q: If you work with OCs walk us through your process for creating them. Who are some of your favourites?

A: My original characters tend to create themselves. I don't know how they do it, they kinda just decide for themselves for better or worse what they'll look like and how they'll behave. Dune was an accident and the “About a Lizard” series wasn't supposed to happen at all. It was supposed to be a one-shot word dump of what Slit's final moments might have looked like. Slit was supposed to die in a fleeting but intense two seconds of delusions about Valkyries and Valhalla... And then be eaten by a scavenger cannibal. The whole thing kind of just happened on the fly. Ardith, Phil/Crank, Featherknife, Bones, and the kids were also accidental. I had no idea where I was going with the encounter with Crow Fishermen. They just popped into existence of their own will and the rest is history. The only original characters that have been planned and designed well beforehand have been villains. This probably says something about me as a writer though I'm not sure what.

Q: When creating a new character for the AAL series, how do you approach their first interactions with your main characters?

A: The first thing I ask is “What does this scene need” and sometimes it needs a new character for villainy or friendly acquaintance reasons or for a skill-set the main characters do not posses. New characters have a habit of changing a chapter or making it much longer than intended. First interactions with Slit probably won't surprise anyone. He phases through distrust to dislike to begrudged cooperation and from there he's either on his way back to dislike or entering the tolerance phase. Beyond the tolerance phase is... The Complicated Zone. The Complicated Zone is where Nux and Dune are situated. Dune has two basic instincts with people: Should I shoot you? Or should I befriend you? Bizarrely, being friendly is the weirder option in the wastes. Shooting is almost always a consideration if she's taken by surprise.

Q: If you create original works, how do those compare to your fan works?

A: My original works are probably darker and deal more with modern problems. I turn to fan fiction for fun and to indirectly work through things.

Q: Who are some works by other creators inside and outside of the fandom that have influenced your work?

A: A lot of the fandom, too many names to name but one stands out and I can't remember their name or the title of their work. It was about Ace growing up and there was a dingo and a young Miss Giddy. If anyone knows what I'm talking about, please help. I've been looking for this fic for ages.

Q: Is there a specific author(s) that inspired your work when you began writing TLR?

A: I don't think any specific author inspired me while I began TLR but The Dark Half by Stephen King is one of my favorites and I recall re-reading it shortly before getting deep into fan writing. I may even have unconsciously plagiarized a few lines off that book. In my latest attempt to re-read that novel I'm feeling like there's a lot of Thad Beaumont in my portrayal of Slit.

Q: What advice can you give someone who is struggling to make their own works more interesting, compelling, cohesive, etc.?

A: Don't be afraid to write things that are too soft or too dark or too this or too that. Sometimes readers crave that stuff that makes us feel warm and safe and sometimes we're also here for things that make us wonder how the @!#$% the characters will ever recover or IF they will ever recover. The real world is full of all sorts of feelings, situations, serendipitous coincidences. Take us down whatever funky road you got! You're the driver, you decide. Your fic is your world. Write WILD things sometimes because it's fun.

Q: Have you visited or do you plan to visit Australia, Wasteland Weekend, or other Mad Max place?

A: I would love to take a trip to Australia one day to paint scenery in oils but that predates my time in MM fandom. I really want to go to Wasteland Weekend in the next two years but finances, necessities, costumes, etc need to be sorted out first.

Q: Tell us about a current WIP or planned project.

A: Well, I'm buying up model car kits to make little Mad Max cars for nerd purposes.

Thank you @burn-your-face-upon-the-chrome

#mad max fanfic #Mad Max Fandom Creator Spotlight #Mad Max Fandom Spotlight #fury road fanfic #fanfic author spotlight #fury road fandom #mad max fandom #weirdness unlimited

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eddycurrents · 6 years ago

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For the week of 15 April 2019

Quick Bits:

Amazing Spider-Man #19.HU is worth it for the amazing artwork from Chris Bachalo, Wayne Faucher, Livesay, Jaime Mendoza, Victor Olazaba, Tim Townsend, Al Vey, and Erick Arciniega alone. Bachalo’s Lizard is one of my favourite takes on the character and the art in this issue is fantastic.

| Published by Marvel

Aquaman #47 concludes “Unspoken Water” from Kelly Sue DeConnick, Robson Rocha, Daniel Henriques, Sunny Gho, and Clayton Cowles. There are some interesting beats regarding sacrifice as “Andy” and the old gods confront Namma. There are still questions remaining, but it looks like we’re going to get answers next issue.

| Published by DC Comics

Assassin Nation #2 is as exciting and action packed as the first issue, with more balls out action and violence from Kyle Starks, Erica Henderson, and Deron Bennett, even as it takes a bit of a breather as the assassins share tales of their first kills. Henderson’s art here is spectacular.

| Published by Image / Skybound

Avengers: No Road Home #10 gets very meta for the conclusion from Mark Waid, Jim Zub, Al Ewing, Sean Izaakse, Marcio Menyz, Erick Arciniega, and Joe Sabino as the Vision confronts Nyx in “The House of Ideas”. Seems like this was a stealth 80th anniversary of Marvel celebration after all, even with a nod to Vision’s roots as being constructed out of the original Human Torch. Phenomenal artwork from Izaakse, Menyz, and Arciniega. This issue is packed with characters, unique designs, and layouts, and it’s just gorgeous. Also, some interesting set ups for things to come and possibly a last drink with Rocket Raccoon. This comic is just pure joy.

| Published by Marvel

Batman #69 brings “Knightmares” to an end as Bats figures out what’s been going on in this tale from Tom King, Yanick Paquette, Nathan Fairbairn, and Clayton Cowles. It’s interesting, but you’ve kind of got to wonder about a Batman that potentially can’t love. Also, Thomas Wayne has a fight with a naked Bane. So, that’s a thing that happened.

| Published by DC Comics

Black Badge #9 starts out with a daring rescue attempt out of East Germany from an old Black Badge team, then picks up in the present with the current scouts being held at some kind of day camp by way of The Prisoner. Matt Kindt, Tyler Jenkins, Hilary Jenkins, and Jim Campbell are doing some very interesting things here.

| Published by BOOM! Studios

Bloodborne #11 is an almost completely silent issue, as Eileen the Crow experiences...something. It’s trippy with astounding artwork from Piotr Kowalski and Brad Simpson.

| Published by Titan

Buffy the Vampire Slayer #4 continues to develop Xander’s fears and issues as the Scooby gang takes a night off from patrolling. Jordie Bellaire, Dan Mora, Raúl Angulo, and Ed Dukeshire are continuing to produce one hell of a compelling story.

| Published by BOOM! Studios

Calamity Kate #2 brings the rivalry between Kate and Javelin to the fore, as the latter monster hunter looks to be stealing Kate’s limelight and monster kills. Interesting character development from Magdalene Visaggio and the art from Corin Howell and Valentina Pinto is wonderful, great action and monster designs.

| Published by Dark Horse

Daredevil #4 pits Matt against Frank in a war of philosophy as the Punisher debates the mathematics of murder. Chip Zdarsky, Marco Checchetto, Sunny Gho, and Clayton Cowles continue to deliver on what is shaping up to be one of the best Daredevil stories ever.

| Published by Marvel

Electric Warriors #6 is the end to what has been an excellent series bridging the time between the current age of heroes with the Legion of Super-Heroes from Steve Orlando, Travel Foreman, Hi-Fi, and Travis Lanham. Interesting bits regarding camaraderie and sacrifice.

| Published by DC Comics

Gideon Falls #12 begins a new arc in “The Laughing Man” as we find out that the alternate realities are much broader than we thought. There isn’t just two and “Norton” appears to be cutting a swath across them. Gorgeous artwork from Andrea Sorrentino and Dave Stewart, especially as it goes across the old American West and a steampunk Gideon Falls.

| Published by Image

Guardians of the Galaxy #4 hints at something pretty big going on with Rocket Raccoon, but the major part of this issue is getting Gamora back into the fold as they’re confronted by the Dark Guardians. Geoff Shaw and David Curiel deliver some incredible action sequences.

| Published by Marvel

Incursion #3 gives us the origin of Scyntilla and Imperatrix Virago as things are looking particularly bleak for Gilad and the Geomancer. Great character work from Alex Paknadel here, especially as the set up for the finale is looking pretty grim.

| Published by Valiant

Justice League #22 rewrites the history of the multiverse, as James Tynion IV, Francis Manapul, and Tom Napolitano reveal the origins of Perpetua and her children, the creation of the multiverse, and the conflict that created the Source Wall. Very interesting stuff with gorgeous artwork from Manapul.

| Published by DC Comics

Little Bird #2 delivers on the promise of the first issue, as Darcy Van Poelgeest, Ian Bertram, Matt Hollingsworth, and Aditya Bidikar tell one hell of a captivating story of loss, rebirth, and resistance against crushing oppression. The artwork from Bertram and Hollingsworth is incredible.

| Published by Image

Magnificent Ms. Marvel #2 investigates Kamala’s parents melting into the ground. Saladin Ahmed, Minkyu Jung, Juan Vlasco, Ian Herring, and Joe Caramagna are continuing to do a wonderful job here, making their own take different from what came before, but not drastically so, capturing the heart and interpersonal relationships that were a hallmark of the previous series.

| Published by Marvel

Mary Shelley: Monster Hunter #1 begins with an interesting twist on the known tale of the genesis of Frankenstein as a secret memoir is discovered in Mary Shelley’s home detailing what “actually” happened. It’s a good start from Adam Glass, Olivia Cuartero-Briggs, Hayden Sherman, and Sal Cipriano. The art from Sherman also transcends his own usual great work with some very interesting approaches, particularly the grey washes of the opening scene.

| Published by AfterShock

Middlewest #6 gives us a look inside Abel’s memories, seeing a bit of his parents and the brief period of time that he was able to calm his father’s rages. Gorgeous artwork from Jorge Corona and Jean-Francois Beaulieu continue to make this unmissable.

| Published by Image

Naomi #4 is another amazing issue from Brian Michael Bendis, David F. Walker, Jamal Campbell, and Wes Abbott. The artwork from Campbell is incredible, densely packed with information and beauty on every page.

| Published by DC Comics / Wonder Comics

Outpost Zero #9 sees Sam and Alea uncover a secret during their exploration of an anomaly under the dome. The story from Sean McKeever, Alexandre Tefenkgi, Jean-Francois Beaulieu, and Ariana Maher is still being carefully and deliberately parcelled out in a very compelling manner.

| Published by Image / Skybound

Peter Cannon: Thunderbolt #4 takes off in a different direction as “our” Peter Cannon is knocked into a reality that looks like Eddie Campbell’s Alec. Kieron Gillen, Caspar Wijngaard, Mary Safro, and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou are doing something very interesting with this series as they continue to play with form and structure.

| Published by Dynamite

Rumble #11 returns from the trade break with “First Knight” that looks like a single issue story that will be seeding what’s coming through this next arc. Phenomenal artwork as always from David Rubín and Dave Stewart.

| Published by Image

Spider-Man: Life Story #2 moves on to the 70s and it becomes apparent that this series isn’t just looking at Peter’s history through the lens of natural progression from the 60s, but crafting a tale that reinterprets events and how they played out in new and interesting ways. It’s really quite good. Chip Zdarsky, Mark Bagley, Andrew Hennessy, Frank D’Armata, and Travis Lanham are all at the top of their game. Especially delivering a Clone Saga that cuts a lot deeper than original.

| Published by Marvel

Stronghold #3 again turns everything on its ear as we’re left wondering further whether or not there actually is any “good guy” in this series. Phil Hester, Ryan Kelly, Dee Cunniffe, and Simon Bowland are telling one hell of a great story here, with some interesting twists and a few “holy crap” moments, with some incredible artwork. Damn good stuff.

| Published by AfterShock

Transformers #3 has this series growing on me. I’m still not seeing anything radically different from previous incarnations to warrant “Bold New Era”, but this is entertaining as the mystery deepens and we get a hint of how Cybertron has been operating. Also, a nice bit of humour. Great art from Angel Hernandez, Cachét Whitman, and Joana Lafuente.

| Published by IDW

West Coast Avengers #10 concludes what has been one of the most fun series from Marvel in years with a story from Kelly Thompson, Moy R., Tríona Farrell, and Joe Caramagna. Upbeat and full of action and humour, this series has been a breath of fresh air in a world populated by so much darkness. It’s a shame to see it end, but it has been wonderful to have it while it’s been here.

| Published by Marvel

Witchblade #13 begins a new arc as Alex, Majil, and Johnny are tossed into a rather nasty future where demons have burst through and everything has pretty much gone to hell. Caitlin Kittredge, Roberta Ingranata, Bryan Valenza, Beyond Colorlab, and Troy Peteri continue to tell a compelling, entertaining story here with this excellent jumping on point.

| Published by Image / Top Cow

Xena: Warrior Princess #1 kicks off this new volume from Vita Ayala, Olympia Sweetman, Rebecca Nalty, and Ariana Maher nicely with the set-up of a village forced to give up their kids to their patron Discord. Gabrielle telling other myths to the kids is a great bit of storytelling.

| Published by Dynamite

X-O Manowar #26 concludes the series, with a bit of housekeeping for a couple of hanging threads, but otherwise a great bit of character reflection from Matt Kindt, Tomás Giorello, Isaac Goodheart, Diego Rodriguez, Andrew Dalhouse, and Dave Sharpe. This has been a great series, building greatly on Aric’s character and delivering some amazing stories.

| Published by Valiant

Other Highlights: American Carnage #6, Animosity #20, Auntie Agatha’s Home for Wayward Rabbits #6, Blossoms 666 #3, BPRD: The Devil You Know #15, East of West #42, Evolution #16, Farmhand #7, Ghostbusters 35th Anniversary Special: Answer the Call #1, GI Joe: A Real American Hero #261, High Level #3, Infinity 8 #11, James Bond 007 #6, Kick-Ass #13, Lucifer #7, Lumberjanes #61, Meet the Skrulls #3, Miles Morales: Spider-Man #5, Morning in America #2, Old Man Quill #4, Oliver #3, Pearl #8, Port of Earth #9, Relay #5, Shuri #7, Star Trek: The Q Conflict #3, Star Wars: Age of Rebellion Special #1, Star Wars: Tie Fighter #1, Star Wars Adventures #20, Teen Titans #29, Thor #12, Tony Stark: Iron Man #10, War of the Realms #2, War of the Realms: Punisher #1, War of the Realms: War Scrolls #1

Recommended Collections: Gideon Falls - Volume 2: Original Sins, Go Go Power Rangers - Volume 3, Invader Zim - Volume 7, Mage - Volume 6: The Hero Denied Book Three - Part Two, The Magic Order - Volume 1, Moth & Whisper - Volume 1, SHIELD: Human Machine, Spawn: Dark Horror, Star Wars Adventures: Tales from Vader’s Castle

d. emerson eddy does not have hoppy little legs or a twitchy little nose.

#This Week in Comics

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thezodiaczone · 7 years ago

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July Forecast for Gemini

Which end is up? Normally, you’re happy to let that question go unanswered, Gemini. A little bit of pandemonium keeps life interesting for you! But as the Sun makes its annual visit to Cancer and your second house of work, money and daily routines until July 22, you’re ready for some post-birthday stability. Grab it while you can this month. Amidst your attempts to be practical and grounded, the stars serve up two topsy-turvy eclipses AND your ruling planet Mercury turns retrograde. The only constant seems to be change! Our advice: Roll with it. Now’s the time to root into your sign’s “mutable” nature, which helps you stay flexible and adaptable.

So, what’s going on upstairs exactly? For starters, July kicks off eclipse season, with two of this summer’s three scene-shifting lunar events sparking radical change. Eclipses sweep in four to six times a year and shakes up the status quo, removing anything that’s past its expiration date and flinging open the doors for a fresh start.

The first, a partial solar (new moon) eclipse, lands in Cancer on July 12, activating your second house of finances and security. Is it time for a new source of income, a different working style or some affirming habits? Solar eclipses mark bold beginnings and can set us on a whole new (and unexpected) path. Efforts you undertake now could really pay off in the coming six months.

This is the inaugural eclipse in a series that will fall on the Cancer/Capricorn axis between now and July 2020, initiating a wave of changes around the way you spend, save, invest and share both money and power. If you’re living check to check, prepare for an eye-opening (and unavoidable) education on how to make your money work harder for you. The second house also rules self-worth, and you could get a crash course in confidence, learning how to advocate for what you truly deserve.

This is the only eclipse from this series in 2018—a “sneak preview” of the changes that will take flight in 2019—but it will still be an intense start! On July 12, the Sun and new moon are exactly opposite power-tripping Pluto in Capricorn and your eighth house of joint ventures, shared finances and intimacy. The annual Sun-Pluto opposition is a time when domineering behaviors can manifest, along with abuses of authority. Pluto rules the unconscious, and this transit can draw out the “shadow” sides of people driven by fear and scarcity. Watch your own jealous or undercutting thoughts, which can be intensified by an eclipse. Fights around sex, money or the division of power could erupt, and with these two ego-driven planets at loggerheads, it will take extra effort not to sink into low-vibe behavior.

Some of this angst is spurred by magnifier Jupiter, which will end a four-month retrograde two days before the eclipse, on July 10. Jupiter will go direct (forward) in Scorpio and your sixth house of health, fitness and organization. That will be a boon for your wellbeing but could also bring up dormant control issues and anxiety, especially around money.

Keep calm and Gemini on: Jupiter will remain in Scorpio until November 8, giving you ample time to get back on the wellness wagon and straighten out your finances. Start with an epic decluttering and purge stuff that’s been taking up psychic and physical space. With stressful Mars now retrograde until August 27—and in Aquarius and your ninth house of excess until August 12—there IS such a thing as “too much,” even for you. Prioritize. Streamline. Focus. If you tend to the handful of projects that are most aligned with your values, you’ll get the right return on investment. The sixth house rules helpful people, so refresh Team Gemini with some savvy service providers and delegate duties to them.

On July 22, the Sun swings into Leo and your social third house, helping you get out of your head and talk things through. With el Sol in your communication and kindred-spirits zone, synergies can spark up quickly. But don’t rush to sign someone on as a partner too quickly! From July 26 until August 19, expressive Mercury will be retrograde in Leo, scrambling signals and causing chaos with technology, transportation and interpersonal affairs.

Explore small (and low-risk) joint undertakings where you can test your chemistry rather than incorporating an LLC together. Hold off on inking contracts if possible, and if you need to have a “difficult” conversation, make sure you’re prepared to listen as much as you talk—if not more. Since the third house and Mercury both rule anything with wheels (and electronics), think twice before getting a new car, bike, scooter, laptop, phone or gadget. Research now, then make an informed purchase after August 19.

Mercury will join Mars, Saturn, Neptune AND Pluto in powered-down retrograde as July ends, and it may feel like a lot of things are stuck in a holding pattern. Once again: roll with it. Retrogrades are ideal times to revisit the past, reunite, reflect and redo. Surely you have some unfinished business or back-burnered projects that could use your attention while you wait?

Retrogrades aside, there’s one day that things WILL happen, come hell or high water. That’s June 27, when the Aquarius full moon total lunar eclipse commands the cosmos, sweeping through to radically move the needle. This game changer of a full moon will blast into your outspoken and expansive ninth house, prompting you to completely ignore every Mercury retrograde “rule” and address an issue head-on.

The ninth house also rules travel, study, entrepreneurship and long-distance connections. Out of the blue, you could hop on a plane for a big opportunity, see your work published or get an exciting indie business opportunity. A person or situation that’s no longer aligned with your vibe could be “eclipsed” out of your life. This eclipse will conjunct fiery Mars, which is retrograde in Aquarius for the next couple weeks. If you’ve been biting your tongue, a LOT could come out in a heated way. Watch that temper—and that famous Gemini sarcasm!

This is the final Aquarius eclipse in a series that’s been touching down on the Leo/Aquarius axis since February 2017, shaking up your mindset, beliefs and communication style. Reflect on the past couple years: You could now live in a different neighborhood, acquire an entirely new set of friends or have a platform to share your ideas. Look back to the prior two Aquarius eclipses on August 7, 2017, and February 15, 2018, for clues of what might fully come together now. And if you DO have something to get off your chest, remember all that you’ve learned from these eclipses—make your point in a kind way that brings people together rather than dividing and alienating them.

Love & Romance

With relentless Mars off-course in Aquarius and your excessive ninth house all month (June 26 to August 27), you might be feeling overwhelmed or like things have moved too fast and now you need to pull back. Some Geminis may contract a case of “grass is greener” syndrome, having gotten a bit too hopeful about someone only to discover that their “adorable quirks” are possible deal breakers. Action planet Mars spinning retrograde can help you go back a few squares and reassess things before making any major decisions.

Whether with a new love interest or your longtime sweetie, you’ll be able to talk things through while diplomatic Venus is in Leo and your third house of communication until July 9. But she’s opposing Mars in your larger-than-life ninth house, so watch out for overthinking or forcing conversations before you’re both ready.

On July 9, Venus darts into Virgo and your nurturing fourth house until August 6. Take time to relax at home, feather your nest, focus on self-care and strengthen bonds of unconditional love with family and intimate friends. If you’re in a new relationship, this is a perfect time to meet each other’s parents or siblings or to exchange keys. Longtime couples will enjoy this homey vibe and hosting some lovely gatherings or revisiting a nostalgic spot. Bring on the misty-eyed moments!

Venus will form flowing trines to innovative Uranus in your twelfth house of fantasy (July 11), then structured Saturn (July 14) and transformational Pluto (on July 27), which are both in Capricorn and your erotic, soulful eighth house. These could be powerful moments for pulling out all the romantic stops and having some unforgettable encounters in the boudoir, however many shades of gray you fancy!

Key Dates

July 11: Venus-Uranus Trine You could drop your emotional guard spontaneously, perhaps even sharing a deep, dark secret. Seeking love? You might meet a fantasy-sparking soulmate type out of the blue.

Money & Career

Easy does it, Gemini. You’re percolating with big ideas, but it might be too soon to unleash them fully on the public. Mars, the planet of drive and ambition, is retrograde in Aquarius and your expansive ninth house until August 12 (the retrograde lasts until August 27). Rushing into anything is not advised, especially ventures that involve the media, education or a startup business. In your eagerness to “make this happen!”, you may have overlooked a few small but crucial details. Don’t worry about upsetting anyone, Gemini—if a deal’s not working in your favor, it’s okay to hit pause or renegotiate.

Besides, the month’s two eclipses may bring opportunities you couldn’t have imagined. On July 12, a partial solar eclipse in Cancer activates your second house of work and money. An intriguing job offer or a new client could appear out of the blue. You might have an epiphany about the kind of work that best suits your soul, and home in on that. Take methodical steps to build that over the next six months, and you’ll have some awesome progress to celebrate in early 2019 (or sooner).

A total lunar eclipse in Aquarius arrives on July 27, electrifying your visionary ninth house. You’ll be glad you didn’t rush into anything because this could take your passion projects in a whole new direction. This powerful surge of purpose and optimism can bring one of your world-changing ideas to a global audience or push you to leap far outside your comfort zone. (Since this eclipse will sync up with Mars retrograde, be sure to pack a parachute for backup.) An opportunity to travel, teach or publish your work could appear out of the blue. Look back to mid-February, when an Aquarius solar eclipse planted the seeds for what will come to a bold turning point now. Stay open to opportunities and input from afar—you never know where it will come from.

Key Dates

July 5: Mercury-Mars Opposition You can get sucked into some petty (or significant) squabbles over expenses or the division of time and resources. It might not be possible to precisely balance everything, but find a way to make it work for everyone on a grander scale and people will be happy.

Love Days: 18, 23 Money Days: 30, 12 Luck Days: 10, 27 Off Days: 8, 19, 25

#gemini #monthly forecast #horoscope #horoscopes #astrology #gemini monthly

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