#mike ross core

[butdaddyilovehimmm]

[ethicallmurder]

quick sketch of my headcanon where mike always had piercings but just didn't wear jewelry at work

I promise I'll get better at drawing harvey 😭

(btw this is a wip of a bigger mike/marvey fanart that I'm doing yayyy)

[natsgirl222]

guys omg i’m gonna sound like such a nerd but i just stalked patrick j adams’ photography website that he just posted abt and… i’m afraid i’m gonna need a 3-hour-AppleTV-Zane-Lowe style interview explaining every single photograph oh my god??

They’re all so gorgeous and idk deep?? like a lot of them were B+W portraits that first of all - skill was obvious - but also they were framed so well!! And i kind of love that a lot of them (esp in the recognition section) weren’t like “candids” (oh i definitely can’t see that giant camera pointing straight at me from a foot away!!) but it’s obvious that the camera’s there yk? AND everyone he shot looks comfortable in front of the camera - there’s no awkwardness like “haha why are you taking a picture of me right now i don’t look good or wtv” - instead it’s raw and real.

AND to the point of them looking real: i think it’s incredible that he did that with people, eliminating both the awkwardness feeling that would make the photos look amateur but also the staged feeling that’s way too dramatic for anything other than idk a New York Times article.

I loved the color grading of the color photos as well. Also, in a couple of the B+W portraits, they’re really focused on the face and you can tell that the lighting is edited to highlight the eyes - i want to learn how to do this!!

Okay rant over (some guy in the audience yelling “we get it you go to art school shut up already!”) you guys should go check it out!!

I think it’s super cool, as you can tell.

Also, for the fandom that people actually look at this blog for:

The Suits BTS pics?? Chef’s kiss, gorgeous, fandom is fed until next Tuesday thank you very much Patrick J Adams!!

OKAY GREAT NOW IM ACTUALLY DONE.

[teambyler]

The strong likelihood we'll see Will "die"

Why? Most people think he will:

Will dying DOES make sense in a number of ways:

Vecna, the Mind Flayer, and the Upside Down are connected to Will, so his dying might be key to getting rid of them (or is the inevitable consequence)

Will is selfless and is willing to give up his life

The show would respond to the criticism that it's unwilling to kill off main characters in the most shocking way: killing off the person they're building up as Season 5's "main character"

For the Duffers, having Will SEEM to die is GREAT from a writing standpoint because (1) it would be one of the most emotional "deaths" in the show and (2) people will believe it's NOT a fake-out.

And what showrunner would NOT try to torture their audience as much as possible? =D Surely, the Duffers will plant "death flags" in season 5 hinting that Will's going to die! Some people are already speculating he's about to die in this part of the teaser trailer:

But this also means that Will would be the most predictable "unpredictable" death. (Much of the General Audience likes to think they're clever. =) )

More importantly, what they don't think about are two huge problems with a Will death: it would perpetuate the "Bury Your Gays" trope, and having WILL of all people die would drive a stake through the heart of the very Mission Statement of this show.

The creators have said this show is an "anthem for the marginalized and the imperfect." Will is arguably the show's ultimate main protagonist: a closeted gay boy who puts others before himself, who's been forced to endure enormous pain and trauma, and who might be bullied and ostracized in small-town 80s Indiana for being gay. The audience has been made to sympathize with him every season: his journey is arguably the emotional core of the show. Ross Duffer has literally said that his "emotional arc... will tie the whole series together."

What message would it send to gay people (and others society looks down on) to say that your suffering and sacrifice are the way straight, conventional people can be safe and happy?

While it's not out of the question for this show to kill off a main character in its last season, throughout its run it has been loath to do so. That's because, at its core, it is an optimistic show that sides with the outcasts. it doesn't see much value -- and there isn't much ARC -- in, well, casting any of them out. Least of all WILL. This is a show about darkness being overcome by light.

The apparent impossibility that Will ever finds love at the end of season 4, and the likelihood of more "death flags" for Will, are there to prepare a TWIST. The show is setting up expectations to subvert them.

Things will inevitably get more dire for Will in s5. So we Bylers will need to brace ourselves and remain steadfast that Will is being set up for a happy ending. We'll need to keep faith that the Duffers are telling a story of heroes overcoming adversity, perhaps even one where the very qualities society looks down on in Will -- his empathy, his "gay" love for Mike, his selflessness and willingness to give his life -- are what helps him save the world.

So Bylers! Let's brace ourselves for:

More pain and angst that Will is NOT "gonna fall in love" (perhaps an early-season Mike rejection?)

Will "dying"! (and Mike reacting to losing him)

Have your tissues ready!

-teambyler

[harveyscrinklytie]

Mike Ross core

[itsillyakuryakin]

NEAL AND HARV WOULD BE BESTIES AND WOULD BE SO CLOSE THAT MIKE WILL BE JEALOUS BECAUSE HE'LL THINK THEY LIKE EACH OTHER ROMANTICALLY AND THEN EVERYTIME HARV WOULD COME TO MIKE FOR SOMETHING, MIKE WOULD BE LIKE "YEAH? WHY DON'T YOU GO TO THAT PRETTY BOY OF YOURS? YOU SEEM TO LIKE HIM BETTER THAN ME, ANYWAY. YOU LAUGH WITH HIM LIKE THERE'S NO TOMORROW. YOU GO TO LUNCH WITH HIM. I BARELY EXISTS FOR YOU NOWADAYS!!"

harvey wud make an excellent con artist

[flowercrowngods]

hey!! first of all, love your writing so much!

i was just curious, where is the quote on your tumblr profile "but i have become human for you now" from?

oh sweet nonnie i am cradling you gently hhh hi 🥹

i love that you asked!!! it’s from nowhere actually, it’s an ✨original thought✨ that came upon me as i rambled to those who would listen about harvey specter (from suits. i don’t know which of my stories you’re reading soo)

in canon, harvey is portrayed as this untouchable giant and especially in his dynamic with mike ross, hero worship plays a huge role in the beginning. harvey is above everything, he’s very aloof and exists in his ivory tower a bit before mike brings him town to earth a bit and teaches him that caring isn’t always bad and certainly not always unrequited. it’s implied that harvey is untouchable because he has this huge fear of abandonment.

naturally, i had to think up a scenario where all of this gets stripped from him as the people he loves most actually do leave him due to complicated and entirely too human reasons. mike, his lover, and donna, his (their) best friend leave him. and harvey realises he’s not untouchable because god does it rip out his heart. except he doesn’t get time to grieve because i’m nice like that.

the reason behind the marvey breakup (and the quote!) lies within the very core of who they each are, and who they’ve grown up to become.

michael james ross who’s never in his LIFE had someone mean “you tell me everything” the way harvey does. the way it’s yelled at him from a place of frustrated desperation because can’t you see? you’re not alone anymore you dumb fucking ass, i will protect you, i have to protect you, because if i can’t do that, what am i good for anymore?

harvey reginald specter who was so brutally acquainted with blame and guilt and betrayal and helplessness as a teenager, who went into the law because he never wanted to be so powerless again, because he wants to dominate people and with win after win build a castle for his younger self so that kid can’t be hurt again. harvey reginald specter whose castle falls just like mike’s house of cards in that lobby, whose voice almost breaks but he powers through. harvey reginald specter who can’t seem to make mike understand the lengths he would go for him

harvey reginald specter who lives to dominate, to win, to be the victor. but who caves to a scrawny little kid he picked up off the street, suitcase of weed sprawled on the expensive hotel floor. and mike, who doesn’t seem to get it

and then everything blows up right in their faces and in the fallout they find each other and they find what’s always been there and turn it into something good. mike gets a second chance and he swears he’ll make it right, get it right, do right by everyone who stood by him.

even when that costs him harvey.

and harvey will realise that mike, who said he wanted to use this second chance he’s been given to go about life the right way now and not hurt anyone again, not risk their lives, their jobs, their careers or their reputation, cares more about the world at large than about the actual people in it. and he doesn’t have to care about harvey because harvey has proven and has reiterated time and time again that it doesn’t go this way; that mike doesn’t need to protect him.

donna used to call it hero worship, way back when. and maybe she was right. harvey was always more his hero than his boyfriend, his partner, his lover. mike never really managed to shake that. it was all too sudden for that anyway, too chaotic. and you don’t ask your heroes if they’re okay after they take the fall, because of course they take the fall, because of course they’re okay. they’re supposed to be okay. they’re your hero after all.

and harvey’s not at all prepared to face the reality of just how not okay he is now that mike decided that he can’t do this if it means that donna’s getting hurt with it, as years of unrequited love overcome her and she finally steps away from the situation — and, in consequence, from harvey

mike’s steadfast belief that harvey is some unstoppable, unbreakable force in the universe that cannot be held down by anything it anyone. there was a time when they were “broken up” as a team after mike betrayed harvey — during that time, harvey only seemed even more unstoppable, even more powerful, even more untouchable and godlike because he was vicious and ruthless and victorious. he’s convinced that harvey will get through it quickly and efficiently, doesn’t believe that the breakup will have much of an effect — doesn’t believe that harvey will allow it to have any.

meanwhile harvey’s like “but i have become human for you now. don’t you see? it’s you who holds the power now.”

because he wants mike on eye level. he’s seen mike on eye level for years now it’s not even in question anymore but it doesn’t seem to go into mike’s head. mike still doesn’t get it. he holds so much power over harvey and his heart and his sanity, and he doesn’t even seem to realise it. and that’s the real imbalance to their relationship

so you see nonnie!!! it’s a self-rambled thing i said because i just get way too intense about the little guys in my head! and i’m so happy you asked because now i’m in my feels again even though this whole thing is vastly incoherent and probably only makes sense to me hdhdhd

i sure hope you know what suits is and who these guys are because if not, well 👀

[wanderingmind867]

A series of shows about each different era of DC comics with the main three characters (Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman) would be really fun. I fully expect the shows would take some creative liberties, but I don't mind as long as the core principles are kept together. For example, here's some bulleted notes of what i'd expect from each era's show:

Golden Age Superman: An artstyle modelled after Joe Shuster's designs. Stories in the vein of the all the stuff written before Siegel and Shuster were fired in the time period of 1947-1949. So ten or eleven years worth of stuff to adapt. Stories with Superman fighting for social justice causes. Stories of Superman fighting the Ultra-Humanite, The Toyman, The Prankster, Lex Luthor and Mister Mxyzptlk. We'd need to have Superman working at the Daily Star under editor George Taylor (although Perry White can be one of Clark's colleagues). We need to nail that Golden Age feeling.

Silver Age Superman: The stories involving all the super pets (like Krypto, Comet, Beppo and Streaky), the stories introducing kryptonite, Superboy, Supergirl, the Legion of Superheroes, etc. The Silver Age was when things were fun and nothing had to be super realistic. So everything is fantastical and wondrous. Also, I want stories of Superbaby somewhere in here too.

Bronze Age Superman: All the stuff from the 70s to the mid 80s. The Daily Planet is bought out by Galaxy Communications, Clark Kent becomes a tv newsman, all this sort of stuff. It's very much an extension of the Silver Age comics, just with some of the fantastical elements toned down a bit.

And this would continue with Batman and Wonder Woman too. Golden Age Wonder Woman is all the old William Moulton Marston and/or H.G. Peter stories. So the stuff with Steve Trevor, Paula von Gunther and Etta Candy. Silver Age Wonder Woman was the era of Ross Andru and Robert Kanigher. Stuff like Wonder Girl, Wonder Tot, Ronno the Merboy/Merman, and all the other fantasy stuff that helped to flesh out Themyscira.

Then the Bronze Age starts with Wonder Woman losing all her powers and becoming a martial artist in NYC, as written and drawn by Mike Sekowsky. It then seamlessly leads into the later 70s and 80s stuff; which involved Nubia, Silver Swan, Circe and more. The era of Jose Delbo, Gene Colan and Don Heck. And everyone pretty much already knows about the different eras of Batman, so i'm not going to get into that here.

But imagine if we got 4-5 season tv shows depicting each of these eras with these heroes. I really, really think it's a good idea, and so I keep thinking about it. I don't have any real casting ideas in mind, but i'm open to hearing other people's suggestions on that front. Who do you think could be the voice actor for Golden Age Superman? Golden Age Wonder Woman? Silver and Bronze Ages Batman and Wonder Woman? I'm curious to hear other people's thoughts here.

[musicalcastingideas]

Dropout Does The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals

So my theory about overlap of Dropout and Team Starkid seems to be accurate, and people seemed to like my Dropout does Nerdy Prudes Must Die post, so I'm back for another. Same method and criteria as my previous post, you can go see that if you want to know what they are. Also, I have previously done a similar list with Internet Personalities that included a handful of Dropout people, but I'm gonna try to make this one different.

Also spoilers for potentially anything in the Hatchetfield verse

Paul: Ross Bryant

Ross is a great straight man (in the comedy sense, I don't know his sexuality) while being very funny in his own right, and I think, while Paul has a lot of his own funny moments, it's very important that his character is also the more normal guy reacting to the madness around him. Also, he would slay the Jekyll and Hyde homage that is Let it Out.

Emma : Siobhan Thompson

I think one of the essential parts of Emma's character is an underlying exhaustion with the world, and that is very Adaine Abernant and Ruby Rocks, so I think Siobhan would embody that very well.

Charlotte: Vic Michaelis

I don't think I've ever heard them do a transatlantic accent before, but I just have this gut feeling they'd be so good at it.

Ted: Ify Nwadiwe

While I do genuinely think Ify would be great in the part, if I'm being fully honest, this casting is because I (despite my better judgment) find Ted Spankoffski hot, so casting arguably the hottest man in Dropout in this part makes me seem less damaged for being attracted to the self-proclaimed sleazeball. Also him and Vic seem like they would be great playing off each other.

Bill: Brian "Murph" Murphy

He just has "refuses to drink during the apocalypse so he can be the DD" energy.

Mr Davidson: Brian David Gilbert

Since I'm splitting up all the parts, this basically turns Mr Davidson into a Princess Track where the actor just shows up, sings about desire and being choked while he jerks off, but laments how he can never achieve his dreams, and then pretty much leaves, and I don't know why, but that seems right up BDG's alley.

Melissa: Lisa Gilroy

Lisa Gilroy seems nice, but also kinda scares me, and those are the correct vibes for Melissa (#heymelissacore)

Sam: Jacob Wysoki

My only concern about this casting is that he'd go SO HARD in You Tied Up My Heart that he would keep breaking the handcuffs and/or chair, but that's fine, it would be worth it.

Nora: Katie Marovitch

The "Decaf?" parts of Cup of Roasted Coffee already sounds a bit like her TBH.

Zoey: Rehka Shankar

I feel like Zoey is such an underrated, funny side character in the show (I know she's a very small part, but like every line she has is a banger) and I feel like Rehka is a very underrated performer, so this is a good match.

Greenpeace Girl: Persephone Valentine

Making up the Save the Sea Turtles campaign is such a Sam Nightengale move, and also she would eat up Lah Dee Dah Dah Day.

Alice: Surena Marie

She's got a bit of a baby face (I thought she was like 25) and I think she would handle the change from Alice to Hivemind Alice really well.

Deb: Emily Axford

I'm definitely not just casting this because I want Emily to be my protective and caring girlfriend...

Professor Hidgens: Josh Ruben

I don't have an explanation for this one, this is vibes alone.

General MacNamara: Brennan Lee Mulligan

"Wear a Watch" and a song highlighting how the hivemind is essentially fascist and using the military to destroy any resistance to their regime is so Brennan core.

Homeless Man: Ally Beardlsey

I just feel like this is the part they'd want.

Dan Reynolds: Lou Wilson

Icons play Icons.

Donna: Aabria Iyengar

Icons play Icons

Hard Cuts:

Jacob Wysoki as Ted

Mike Trapp as Paul

Emily Axford as Emma

Jess Ross as Charlotte

Lily Du as Zoey

Grant O'Brien as Professor Hidgens

Grant O'Brien as Ted

Ally Beardlsey as Ted

[nm244lionsfan]

My favorite fictional best friend groups (That I Can Think Of)

The Losers Club-Bill, Richie, Eddie, Stanley, Mike, Ben, and Beverly (IT)

The Party-Mike, Will, Dustin, Lucas, Max, and El (Stranger Things)

The Golden Trio-Harry, Hermione, and Ron (Harry Potter)

Team Hunt-Ethan, Benji, Luther, and Ilsa (Mission Impossible)

Ghostbusters-Egon, Winston, Ray, and Venkmen (Ghostbusters)

Maverick and Goose, Tom and Maverick, Maverick and Roster, Payback and Fanboy, Bob and Phoenix, Penny and Maverick (Top Gun)

The Outsiders-Johnny, Ponyboy, Derry, Sodapop, Two-Bit, and Dally (The Outsiders)

Sam and Dean (Supernatural)

Johnny and Daniel, Sam and Tory, Miguel and Robby, Hawk and Demetri, Nate and Bert (Cobra Kai)

Chandler, Joey, Monica, Pheobe, Rachel, and Ross (Friends)

The Core Four-Sam, Tara, Chad, and Mindy (Scream)

Chris, Gordie, Teddy, and Vern (Stand By Me)

Sheldon, Leonard, Penny, Amy, Howard, and Bernadette (The Big Bang Theory)

Clay, Justin, Jess, Alex, Tyler, Zack, Tony, Jeff, and Charlie St. George (13 Reasons Why)

Rogue One, Luke and Leia, Solo and Chewie, Rey and Finn, Obi-Wan and Anakin, Anakin and Ashoka, C-3PO, and R2, BB-8, and D-O (Star Wars)

The Ducks-Charlie, Adam, Carp, Goldberg, Julie, Avermen, Fulton, Dean, Luise, Connie, Guy, Jeese, Tommy, Russ, Tammy, Ken, and Dwayne (The Mighty Ducks)

The iCarly Gang-Carly, Sam, and Freddie (iCarly)

Henry, Shawas, Jasper, Charlotte, Rey, and Piper (Henry Danger)

Choppa, Boes, Miles, and Myka (Danger Force)

Phoebe and Max (The Thundermens)

The Band-Kendell, Logan, James, and Carlos (All Time Rush)

Tony, Steve, Nat, Clint, Bruce, Thor, Loki, and Peter (MCU)

Patrick and Spongebob (Spongebob Squarepants)

The Goonies-Mikey, Data, Mouth, Chunk, and Andy (Goonies)

Buzz and Woody (Toy Story)

The Midnight Society-Gary, David, Kitti, Betty, Ann, Eric, and Tucker, Rachel, Akiko, Adam, Gavin, Graham, and Louise, Luke, Hanna, Seth, Gabby, Jai, and Conner, Max, Leo, Feris, Kayla, and Summer (Are You Afraid Of The Dark?)

Auggie, Jack, Summer, Violet, Via, and Justin (Wonder)

Dick, Donna, Kori, Hank, Jason, Rachal, Logan, Connor, Bernard, Rose, Krypto, Jericho, and Dawn (Titans)

ClinkonMcCloud-Lincon and Clide (The Loud House)

The Harpers-Nicky, Ricky, Dicky, and Dawn (NRDD)

The Umbrella Academy-Luther, Diego, Allison, Klaus, Five, Ben, Viktor, and Lila

I know I missed some, and the list is in no particular order either

[lucystark12]

tbh i think the reason i have so much byler doubt even when i know in my soul for a fact that it's real is because i am so deeply traumatized from game of thrones. literally i was able to comprehend at age eleven that the game of thrones ending was bad just because everyone was talking about it, from my parents friends to them, then i watched it for the first time a few years ago and fell deeply in love with it just to have my heart inevitably torn out from my chest and to be laughed at in the face by david benioff and d.b. weiss. i was literally gutted. it hurt me to the core of my being because other than stranger things i have NEVER put close to that much stock in characters. stranger things is the only show i have ever loved in the same way as i did game of thrones and also the only show whose characters i have literally depended on having the right endings. game of thrones has taught me not to trust writers and has made me EXTREMELY apprehensive about the ending of stranger things (specifically mike's arc, who i see so much of jaime lannister in that it literally makes me physically ill)

what i always forget about game of thrones though is that there was a clear reason for it being bad- it's because game of thrones is based off of a book series that isn't finished yet, and when the show runners ran out of genius george r. r. martin plots to adapt, they were given the reigns. and they clearly didn't understand their characters.

david and dan weren't given enough time and source material to give the characters the endings they deserved. they simply didn't know how to do it right, essentially "marvelifying" game of thrones into just a box office hit with expensive fight scenes and dull characters. they never got to set up the VERY important things that have to happen to finally get the characters to where they need to be.

matt and ross ARE. NOT. THE. SAME. these two wrote the original concept for the show and have been the ones in charge the whole time. shows like this don't become famous for being big and loud and dramatic, they become famous for having compelling characters, which is quite literally at the heart (haha) of every story. unless you are literally telling a natural disaster story, your plot is determined by the people who are a part of it. this is why you can't write a fulfilling story by just making something random happen, you have to make your ending coincide with the endings that make sense for your unique characters and what will help finish their arcs. dan and david didn't have the proper set up yet, but matt and ross do.

at the current moment, all signs point to byler. i mean, we know this. there is literally no reason that it shouldn't happen now, that all of this incredible writing and symbolism would come to a head with a rejection at the end. matt and ross haven't run out of source material, they are award winning writers who know what they're doing. there is no reason for them to waste time on plot lines that will essentially just hit a wall with no conclusive ending in the way game of thrones did. dan and david heard "subvert expectations" and took it the wrong way, subverting the character arcs that had been build up for literally decades instead of doing what is george's real plan, to subvert the tropes and commonalities that we see all across fantasy writing and even at most times in the real world. stranger things is also in part about subverting expectations, but matt and ross understand what it actually means to take on that title. subvert expectations- subvert REAL and CONCRETE societal norms, not the way the human brain and heart function.

[butdaddyilovehimmm]

[lettingthoughtsflow]

at it's core, chase's bionic intelligence is essentially due to an extremely advanced sense of cognitive processing and access to the internet. do we think he has an eidetic or photographic etc memory? and when we consider all of this, could his character have been portrayed as a young spencer reid or mike ross?

[0aurelion-sol0]

What do you want or expect Will's arc to be?

Well, again I'm sorry but this is something I cannot go over too extensively as I will talk about it in future posts at some point but regardless I will try to give an answer to your ask.

I am going to elaborate on what I think The Duffers will do first and what I want/think should happen after that.

We know from that Variety article that released back in August 2023 that Will is going to take center stage again in season 5 and that I quote “This emotional arc for him is what we feel is going to hopefully tie the whole series together. Will is used to being the young one, the introverted one, the one that’s being protected. So part of his journey, it’s not just sexuality — it’s Will coming into his own as a young man.” says Ross Duffer.

Now what I think is important to take from that quote and that part of the article is the part where they say that they hope his emotional arc is what is going to tie the whole story together which means they value, in some way, that Will's story as a whole, not just his sexuality, is going to be what gives the conclusion to the story of Stranger Things. They did not say [one of the things], they said [the thing] *wink wink*. Now between what The Duffers say and what they actually do, there is a gap but I do think that is a bold statement when you're about to enter your final season.

Because sure, I do think Will is more important than the series has led us to think but at it's core, it remains an ensemble type of show and is what was really happening during Season 1 & Season 2. Yes, there are stronger characters driving the story (and become way too present over others as the story progresses) & was first sold as the Winona Ryder show and after that the El show but it remained at it's core an ensemble show.

So for the Duffers to use Will, the character with the most inconsistent spotlight of the entire show apart from his brother, as the thing that ties the whole series together, that is bold cause as I said theories and biases aside, this is going to be a challenge and it is still a show that relies heavily on it's cast & characters to tell it's story. Now the way they do it and how well they do it is definitely up for debate but still.

There are for me, 4 main important parts of Will's character that are essential to his arc and for it to conclude well.

His homosexuality, what happened to him on November 6th, 1983, his connection to the Upside Down and his past.

Out of the 4 that I see The Duffers be very focused on for this final season, it's the two that are connected, his disappearance & his spider-sense because they have become very plot-focused as the series went on; they are going to have to explore his homosexuality, I don't see them doing something surprising or extremely developped with it anymore but they have kept that around and they are probably going to give a conclusion to it that's going to benefit the first two.

His past isn't going to be that explored much apart things linked to the first two and homosexuality but even then probably more in terms of vague mentions than anything really concrete. And it's because The Duffers, unless they pull something magnificent, have as of now and after everything they showed for the past two seasons have other priorities for want they want to explore which I don't think is the best choice for again, an ensemble show but it is what it is, and we need to be prepared for it.

I AM EAGER to be proven absolutely wrong but so far nothing has changed my mind about it, nothing has really alarmed me either which there's that at least.

So now what I want or think should happen...

About his homosexuality, his gayness, his rainbow-colored-emotional-state, his reddit is always scared of this debate, it's been there forever, it's obvious, I think if you're still in doubt about it, you need to go take a media literacy class, that boy is gay, that boy loves Mike Wheeler, let's end the debate. I'm sick of this fandom always turning endlessly on this subject, let's move on.

Now what do with it now, well the coming out, it's on everybody's lips these days, obviously, it's going to go to Joyce, Jonathan and the Party (mostly Mike, Dustin and Lucas). We are not going to talk about Byler, that's not the subject of today's post. I think overall, I don't see, for me, anything about Will's relationship with his sexuality that stops him from being out, at least to his close ones if not the world. The events that he went through outside and because of it, already ostracizes him from everyone else, including the ones he loves, that is just a fact and I think Will knows this & I don't think it's him being gay that is problematic for him, it's his very strong feelings for Mike that will probably be understood now by everyone and that will change the "nature" of them now but also acknowledging the lost innocence and naivity he experienced very very young even before the Upside Down stuff.

Because when Will comes out, it is not just him being gay that will come out, it's everything he went through because of it & he's going to start, in a way, healing from all it & that is sometimes just as tough as going through the trauma. And in a way, he kinda already started that process back in Season 4 so I think it would make sense for him to continue that path. It's going to be emotional, it would make sense and needs to be that way but to me the coming out definitely needs to be Joyce, Jonathan and as I said, Mike, Dustin & Lucas.

And I would like to be very clear, though I don't think it will be that much because ST & The Duffers have lost that touch for me, but I would like it to be very clear for him & the others and us, that he is gay, he likes boys and doesn't like girls, don't have to say it that direct but in a similar way because that's what a lot of queer people have to go through I think & it's actually verbalizing the fact that they are queer. Because we are going to have too much dumbasses still telling us he is not & it's important again for the representation be properly done in a satisfying way.

Next, his past, I think it would be essential to explore Will's trauma again because of his sexuality but also other elements of his character like the love he has for the arts, D&D, relationship he has with Lonnie & also violence because that is also important but I'll discuss that in another post. Because it would help us understand more about he & The Byers function as a whole but give us more depth & element to feel a satisfying conclusion to characters that have been left on the bench for quite some time now because if you talk about Will's past and issues, you will need to talk about Joyce's and Jonathan's past & issues and all the abuse they went through, which has become quite an important element to the plot now that hasn't been that well developed for all the characters and it would be nice if it starts being well developed.

Plus it leads to one of the reasons why he was taken AND not killed in 1983 which leads us to what is his connection to the UD now... and before. 👀

Because if the emotional arc of Will is important to tie the whole series together, it's important for the supernatural arc too & that opens interesting threads that I can't get into this post now.

After that, I think the climate of Season 5 needs to show us a more hardened Will, one that'll force Will to get his hands dirty to survive and to protect the group as well, while also fighting against things from his past that may be quite important for him with how he perceives and react to violence or danger. I would like to see a Will that's not always and has wants & needs that don't align for everyone & goes against the bigger geopolitical groups that are fighting including the supernatural ones. OH YES! I am going there!

Him being a villain would not make sense and would be a no no for me, but sometimes falling on the grey sides of things would make sense and would be so enjoyable for me. Especially against the threat that's looming on everyone in Season 5.

Also possibly drawing a parallel to what he experienced in 1983, because he survived in some way and we're going to need to explore that in the present. Will might likely be the most useful person to have in a UD infested environment. And him realising that he is useful is going to force him to go back to what happened and why that happened to help the best way he can, because if there's anything that boy knows how to do better than anyone else on this, it's self-sabotaging for the greater good.

Again, it's a snowball effect, if you do one thing you're going to have to do and explore another, to me, they are linked. Are the Duffers going to do that ? I'm unsure. But that's what makes sense to me.

So here's your answer, sorry if it's a bit vague but I will be exploring this in many different posts in the future.

[batmannotes]

‘Batman: Mask of the Phantasm' 4K Blu-Ray

Celebrate the 30th anniversary of the most universally acclaimed film in the Dark Knight’s legendary cinematic history when the newly-remastered animated movie Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, comes to 4K Ultra HD for the very first time. From Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment, the film will be available to purchase on 4K Ultra HD on September 12, 2023.

The release will also include an all-new featurette Kevin Conroy: I Am The Knight, which takes a look at the legacy of Kevin Conroy, who voiced Batman for 30 years in film, television, video games and more.

Rooted in DC’s acclaimed Batman: The Animated Series and released theatrically on Christmas Day 1993, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm has not only been ranked by Time magazine as one of the 10 best Super Hero movies ever, but is also arguably the core fans’ all-time favorite Batman film. The movie has been rated at the top of the Dark Knight film franchise by such popular entertainment media as Empire, Screenrant and Paste. And in the ultimate mainstream salute for its time, Gene Siskel & Robert Ebert didn’t initially review the film during its theatrical release, but later dedicated a portion of their At The Movies weekly TV series to pay compliment to the film – and voice their regret for not giving it the attention it deserved during its original run – when Batman: Mask of the Phantasm was distributed for home entertainment.

The 4K HDR/SDR remaster of Batman: Mask of the Phantasm was sourced from the 1993 Original Cut Camera Negative and was scanned at 4K resolution. Digital restoration was applied to the 4K scans to remove dirt, scratches and additional anomalies, but special care was given to not touch the film grain or the animation cel dirt that was part of the original artwork. This is the first time since its theatrical release that it is presented in its 1.85 aspect ratio. The original 2.0 mix and the 5.1 tracks were remastered to remove or improve defects such as pops, ticks, dropouts and distortion.

The animated film features an all-star cast headed by the quintessential voice of Batman, Kevin Conroy, alongside Dana Delany (Desperate Housewives, China Beach) as Bruce Wayne’s love interest, Andrea Beaumont, Mark Hamill (Star Wars franchise) as the Joker, Stacy Keach (Nebraska, Prison Break, Mike Hammer) as Phantasm/Carl Beaumont, Abe Vigoda (Barney Miller, The Godfather) as Salvatore Valestra, Efrem Zimbalist Jr. (The F.B.I.) as Alfred, Hart Bochner (Die Hard) as Arthur Reeves, Bob Hastings (McHale’s Navy, The Poseidon Adventure) as Commissioner Gordon, Robert Costanzo (Forget Paris, City Slickers) as Detective Bullock, Dick Miller (Gremlins, The Terminator) as Chuckie Sol, and John P. Ryan (The Right Stuff) as Buzz Bronski. Additional voices included Pat Musick, Marilu Henner, Neil Ross, Ed Gilbert, Jeff Bennett, Jane Downs, Vernee Watson, Charles Howerton, Thom Pinto and Peter Renaday.

The Batman: Mask of the Phantasm filmmaking team is composed of the award-winning core group behind Batman: The Animated Series. Eric Radomski and Bruce Timm directed the film from a screenplay by Alan Burnett, Paul Dini, Martin Pasko and Michael Reaves, based on a story by Burnett.

Batman: Mask of the Phantasm will be available on September 12, 2023 to purchase Digitally from Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV, Google Play, Vudu and more. 4K Ultra HD Discs will be available to purchase online and in-store at major retailers. Pre-order your copy now.

SYNOPSIS:

Batman: Mask of the Phantasm opens with the city's most feared gangsters being systematically eliminated, and assumed blame falling on the Caped Crusader. But prowling the Gotham night is a shadowy new villain, the Phantasm, a sinister figure with some link to Batman's past. Can the Dark Knight elude the police, capture the Phantasm and clear his own name? Unmasking the Phantasm is just one of the twists in this dazzling animated feature, which provides new revelations about Batman's past, his archrival the Joker, and Batman's most grueling battle ever - the choice between his love for a beautiful woman and his vow to be the defender of right.

SPECIAL FEATURES INCLUDE*:

Kevin Conroy: I Am The Knight (New Featurette) – For 30 years, Kevin Conroy defined Batman for multiple generations using only his voice, best exemplified in the landmark film Batman: Mask of the Phantasm. Conroy passed away in November 2022, but his legacy lives on in 15 films, nearly 400 episodes of animated television series, a dozen video games, and as a live-action Bruce Wayne in the Arrowverse’s 2019-2020 “Crisis on Infinite Earths” crossover event. Several of Conroy’s contemporaries – including animation legend Bruce Timm, Batman producer Michael Uslan and revered voice actress Tara Strong – pay tribute to the star who remains the Dark Knight for millions of Batfans.

Bonus episode of Justice League: Unlimited featuring a cameo from Phantasm.

*Special features are not available in 4K Ultra HD.

The Batman legend continues in this story that tells of Batman's most difficult battle, as well as his confrontation with a mysterious killer, who holds the key to Batman's secret past.

MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)

Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 3.52 Ounces

Director ‏ : ‎ Bruce Timm, Eric Radomski

Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 16 minutes

Release date ‏ : ‎ September 12, 2023

Actors ‏ : ‎ Kevin Conroy, Dana Delany

Subtitles: ‏ : ‎ English

Studio ‏ : ‎ Studio Distribution Services

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CBQPHLG9

Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ USA

Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1

Preorder now.

[striddy]

Astrid Rygg.

𝒜𝓈𝓉𝓇𝒾𝒹 𝑅𝓎𝑔𝑔.

𝙰𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚒𝚍 𝚁𝚢𝚐𝚐.

Name: Astrid "Stop calling me Mike "Mike Ross" Ross" Rygg Age: 34 Species: Human Education: Mathematical Physics PhD, Sacred Orost University Occupation: Duskham Tower Floor Vassal, Floor 12,000

Please refer to @caligoascendant's blog and his brief post about her for more information about what that occupation of hers means.

Astrid was born to extremely wealthy parents in the nation of Aldia, a corporate hellhole where blood sport is the national pastime. Her father was an award-winning chemist, while her mother was an artist and museum curator. She was groomed for genius and success from childhood, given the best education possible within Aldia. ⠀

From childhood, Astrid had extreme 'talent' in dynamics (effectively a semi-grounded system of magic). Dangerous amounts of talent, the sort that made her liable to kill herself and everyone around her. While most people struggled to use dynamics to any noticeable effect even with dedicated amplifying cores that resonate with dynamic catalysts naturally found in human blood, Astrid's natural dynamics were potentially catastrophic and difficult to contain. Researching and treating this phenomenon, keeping her alive, and replacing destroyed furniture, machinery, and occasionally houses was an extremely expensive process. Over time, Astrid learned how to control her dynamics to some extent. ⠀

Astrid suffers from narcolepsy. This made consistently controlling her dynamics much more difficult than it otherwise would have been. ⠀

Astrid, a prodigy mathematician from her youth, decided to become a physicist and study thermodynamics so that she could understand the ways that her dynamics expressed itself, and learn how to better control it. ⠀

Her brother, Erling, became a world-famous artist and a competition knight in the Rallying Cry, the aforementioned blood sport tournament (where he finished as the runner-up; this was the subject of a TTRPG campaign I ran using a custom system called...the Rallying Cry). Astrid was also present at the same tourney, but as a terrorist instead of as a competitor—something she decided to do on a whim, as a favor for an old friend named Diana. Her actions against the Society of Knights and the government of Aldia branded her as a criminal, though her value as a scientist was recognized by neighboring countries that offered her asylum. ⠀

At some point, she and Diana were offered positions within Duskham by Caligo. Diana became an administrative executor, while Astrid made the decision to participate in the endless ladder match that is the Floor Vassal system. ⠀

Astrid, unlike most Floor Vassals, is not interested in power or proving herself. She's motivated purely by natural curiosity and a desire to understand the world—especially now that she's been exposed to facets of reality that deny rational explanation. She does not buy that anything, even the 'eldritch truth,' is actually beyond the grasp of human understanding. Motivated by a drive for discovering these secrets herself, she's determined the most effective way she can learn is by continually refining her knowledge of the laws of reality by facing and conquering foes that increasingly bend it to their whims. She's honestly not very thrilled by the fighting thing, much less about how many times she has to die in order to accomplish it, but there's little better way to test your theories than in the field. ⠀

At Floor 12,000, Astrid is phenomenally powerful. This is purely in offensive capability, and not in physical might. She's still basically a human being, just one that can revive upon death thanks to the Tower's power. As a glass cannon, Astrid's fighting style is motivated by a necessity to end combat before it starts. She works smarter, not harder; even if she manages to overcome her current limitations and climb higher in the Tower, she likely won't actually get any physically stronger. ⠀

Astrid is an insufferable dork. She's extremely smart, and knows it, and that hubris is her downfall. She has the same problem that many brilliant physicists have, where she assumes that her intelligence in one area makes her qualified to be an expert in anything she talks about. She is very often wrong, because it's hard to actually learn when you're very sure you're already right. ⠀

Astrid is gay. She has a girlfriend named Billy, a Kamina cosplayer who's also a Floor Vassal. Her best friend, Diana/Ascalon, is also gay. They are not gay together. They are very close, but they are just oil and water romantically.