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finalgirlminamurray · 4 months ago

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the other movie i watched this weekend was strange darling, which i thought was a fun watch. as much as i normally don't care about spoilers it did remind me of how nice it can be to genuinely go into something completely blind once in a while. i would have to get into spoilers for this film to talk about it in more detail, so:

the typical erotic thriller plot of "what if you hooked up with a woman...but she was CRAZY and wanted to KILL you" is, to say the least, not the most progressive or feminist genre of storytelling but i can't lie, there's something i kind of enjoy about seeing a film where a woman is the unrepentant serial killer villain and a man is the victim for most of it. goes back to what i was saying that more horror films should give their most violent and gruesome deaths to male characters. it just feels interesting every time to see those dynamics flipped on screen given how much we already see and hear about men's violence against women in the news (often in sensationalized true crime contexts that seem designed to encourage [cis, straight, white, wealthy, etc.] women's paranoia) and in fiction. obviously in real life this shit is bad no matter who's doing it to whom but in fiction we should let more women be killers and more men be victims. as a treat

the way the film plays on our expectations is obviously a big part of its concept, and i hope what it's trying to say isn't something like "aha, you thought she was the victim just because she's a woman! you fool! women can be evil manipulative lying bitches sometimes!" because in every situation it's perfectly reasonable for outsiders to assume that "the lady" is in fact a victim of some kind of violence who needs help. it's why the chapters are presented out of order, because when the first thing you see is a bloody terrified woman running for her life and a man stalking her with a gun, you think you know what kind of story this is. the twist might be kind of simplistic when you look at it that way but it's fun to go in without knowing anything.

(cannot believe the producers tried to make the filmmakers re-edit this into chronological order, which would be completely missing the point of what it's trying to do. i guess even after the ousting of their genuinely evil ceo, miramax still wanted to keep their reputation as executive meddlers everyone hates working with)

you'll notice how it's mostly other women who immediately try to help the lady when she comes to them, no matter what the circumstances. at the end when the demon/rc's policeman friend comes with his female partner and she prioritizes getting the lady to a hospital before anything else...keep in mind that they're here because rc made a phone call saying he did something bad and he was expecting they'd show up to find him with a dead woman locked in a freezer. something something men (especially in positions like law enforcement) will always be willing to cover up for their buddies when a woman or other vulnerable person is hurt by them? plus the whole "i'm not being sexist, i'm just more experienced than you and i know what i'm doing" to immediately calling her a stupid bitch when the lady turns on them. but then again...i guess he was "right".

in the book maeve fly which i recently read the title character says that men (at least in fiction) are allowed to just be evil murderers without any explanation or motive behind it, while women have to have a reason. in the book i noted that maeve herself still does have more motive for what she does than most inexplicably evil male characters, so it's kind of fun to see a female character who really is just like that for no real reason. all we know about the lady's motives is that she sometimes just sees people as demons and doesn't know why except that she has to kill them. fandoms will be like "friendly reminder that just because this character is a woman that does NOT make her actions okay, women can be bad people too!" when they would absolutely not hesitate to sympathize with a male character who did the same things, regardless of if they have a sad backstory or not. i think we should give more evil fictional women both the "yes she did all that but she went through a lot in her past so it's okay <3" treatment and the "yes she did all that but she's my fucked up little meow meow and i love her <3" treatment. i think this post is getting a bit beyond the scope of my thoughts on the film by now. it might be the kind of movie that gives me more to think about than is really actually in the film itself, but i enjoyed thinking about it so there it is.

#strange darling #my thoughts #catching up on 2024 horror continued #two movies with kyle gallner in them this weekend. didn't even plan that #i wasn't sure if he was going to be in smile 2 at all until i watched it and i kind of love that they immediately killed him #(sorry spoilers for that too. but it's in the cold open)#anyway i don't think a lot about hypothetical casting when i read books but #i actually think willa fitzgerald from this would be a good maeve fly

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immaturityofthomasastruc · 4 years ago

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IOTA Reviews: Hack-San

You know, it's honestly amazing how creative this show can get. After four seasons and almost one hundred episodes, the writers are still finding new ways to make Adrien an incredibly unlikable character, and they don't even know how much of an asshole they're making him out to be at times. It's kind of like the opposite of The Producers.

Yeah, this review's going to be a little more ranty than usual, in case you can't tell.

Let's get into the fifteenth (chronologically the sixteenth) episode of Miraculous Ladybug's fourth season: Hack-San

We start off with Marinette pretending to be sick so she doesn't have to go to visit her aunt in London and stay to protect Paris in case an Akuma attacks and also because the animators haven't had time to render the city of London yet for the next Miraculous World special. Like all of her other excuses, it fails, and Tikki, as always, fails to actually give any meaningful advice.

And it's not like there's a Miraculous with the power of teleportation that can help Marinette get back to Paris if she needs to, much like how she planned to do that in an earlier episode, right?

Seriously, Kaalki doesn't appear or isn't even mentioned in this episode because the writers are fully aware she would make things a lot easier.

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And of course, Astruc had to play dumb on Twitter while explaining why Marinette couldn't use the Horse Miraculous by answering the question as if the only reason Marinette couldn't grab it was because she didn't have an excuse not to.

Cut to Gabriel in his lair as he contemplates akumatizing Markov, a robot created the civilian identity of Pegasus, Max Kante, once again, even though the last time he did so, he almost got killed when he went all HAL 9000 on his ass. Nooroo explains this to Duusu, and the two actually get excited at the prospect of their master getting killed.

I mean, it's true, but he shouldn't say it...

But I don't even get why Gabriel is even thinking about this when it's a no-brainer. Markov's akumatized form, Robustus was to this day, the only Akuma to come close to physically harming him (not counting the timeline where he was killed by Cat Blanc), so it makes no sense to try doing it again, especially when there are already several other Akumas he can reuse this season.

I think you all know Gabriel isn't the smartest villain, which is why he thinks it's a brilliant idea to akumatize Markov again. I don't really get what makes Robustus so special when there are other Akumas who are more loyal and came far closer to getting Ladybug and Cat Noir's Miraculous than Robustus did, like the Dark Owl or Troublemaker. In fact, why not simply create a new Akuma with similar powers to Robustus, or better yet, just create a Sentimonster copy of Robustus? You know, like what Nathalie did in the New York Special? We're not even two minutes in, and this premise is already filled with plotholes.

So Gabriel transforms into Shadowmoth and creates a Sentimonster using his own cane instead of relying on someone else having a bad day (once again showing how the Peacock Miraculous is better than the Butterfly), the titular Hack-San. And let's just say he has a very familiar design reminiscent of something from a much better French cartoon.

Remember when the writers for Code Lyoko gave an in-universe explanation as to why the heroes couldn’t always rely on the almost literal Deus ex Machina that allowed them to return to the past and fix the damage XANA caused? Why couldn’t this show have ripped that off instead?

Hack-San is just an okay looking flash drive on its own, but I'll talk more about this guy in a little bit.

After a brief scene in the park where the audience is reminded that Markov is a character who exists, Alya gets a text from Marinette telling her to meet her at the train station. Right before she leaves, Marinette gives the Ladybug Miraculous to Alya. Now a lot people have said that Alya doesn't really deserve the Ladybug for various reasons, but I feel like this was the point. Marinette outright says this was a last resort, and we see both her and Alya are nervous about the situation. Marinette worries Alya will do something so she keeps sending multiple tips to her via text while Alya worries she can't fight an Akuma on her own, so she tries to make sure none of her friends get upset and attract an Akuma in the process. The writers do a pretty good job showing how both Marinette and Alya are uncomfortable with their temporary roles.

Back to Gabriel and Nathalie, they use Hack-San to find Markov through the internet and hack into him to get him angry enough that he's vulnerable to Shadowmoth's influence. Hey, uh... Gabriel? Quick question: Wouldn't it be more efficient if you used this on humans? I mean, you basically just created Skynet and guaranteed yourself an Akuma, so why not modify Hack-San to travel through the internet and brainwash potential victims to follow your orders? Better yet, why don't you just use Hack-San to hack into Ladybug and Cat Noir's gear and figure out who they really are? This is basically like using an advanced particle accelerator just to crack a couple walnuts. There are a lot more important things you could use this for instead of an incredibly specific situation.

So this incredibly stupid plan gets under way as Markov keeps rampaging through the streets before Shadowmoth akumatizes him and then stupidly tells him that he infected him with a virus.

DUDE! You just gave away your one piece of leverage against him! What the hell were you thinking?! Now what's stopping Markov from hacking into Shadowmoth's security system and putting the fear of God in his eyes unless he destroys Hack-San? Why didn't he design Hack-San so it could make Markov completely loyal to him instead of just making him angry enough to get akumatized?

There was a recent episode of Power Rangers: Dino Fury with a very similar premise that was done far better than this. A necromancer called Reaghoul breaks into the headquarters of Void Knight's faction while accompanied by Lord Zedd, a villain from the original Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers who was cleansed of his evil by Zordon's sacrifice before Reaghoul resurrected him back when he was still evil. Of course, being the Emperor of Evil, Lord Zedd would normally never take orders from anyone, but because he doesn't have his magic staff and is also being forced to wear a special collar that makes him loyal to Reaghoul, he has no choice but to do what he says. Instead of taking Zedd head-on after he captures the other Rangers, Ollie, the Blue Ranger, breaks the collar so Zedd turns against the other Sporix while Reaghoul retreats, allowing Ollie to save the other Rangers.

I think that this premise works more because 1) Reaghoul clearly had a way to make sure Zedd wouldn't betray him, and Ollie took advantage of that, and 2) Zedd is a villain who is powerful and notorious enough to bring back to your side, not a random monster of the week like Robostus.

So Robostus uses his new powers to brainwash any human who answers his call to give up their most precious possession, clearly meant to do the same with Ladybug and Cat Noir. When Marinette's parents answer the call, they chase after Marinette because they say she's their most important possession. Okay... kind of strange for a set of parents to call their child a possession, but maybe they like how they can claim Marinette as a dependent when they file their taxes. In her very next scene later on, she still gets captured, so the suspense for a potential subplot is killed almost immediately.

Alya thankfully isn't stupid enough to answer Markov's call like every other citizen in this episode, and using the Ladybug Miraculous, transforms into Scarabella. While I don't normally talk about transformation sequences, I really like the movements Alya makes here. She makes the same motions creating her mask as she does when transforming into Rena Rouge, while the rest of the suit forms similarly to the way it does when Marinette transforms into Ladybug. She even makes almost the same pose Ladybug does after she finishes transforming. It's a good visual showing Alya is still more used to being Rena Rouge while doing her best to emulate what Ladybug does.

As for the actual suit? It's hard to say. There's a nice balance of red and black, and I like how Alya places the yo-yo on her waist like a belt buckle, but there's just something... off about the suit that a lot of fans don't like about it, and I think I realized it. It's the headband. With how it's positioned, it looks like it's merged with the mask to cover her head while leaving a slight gap in her forehead. So yeah, we actually have a superhero design that's like of like a butterface.

So Scarabella takes to the rooftops of Paris and struggles to come up with a hero name for herself before she runs into Cat Noir, and... ugh... oh boy, this is dumb. Cat Noir, being just as intelligent as his father, assumes Scarabella is either and Akuma or a Sentimonster, starts fighting her, AND THEN ACTIVATES HIS CATACLYSM, CLEARLY TRYING TO KILL HER.

WHAT. THE. FUCK???

Okay, to be fair, it has been shown that Cataclysm won't necessarily kill a Miraculous user or Sentimonster. In the episode “Miraculer”, the titular Akuma stole Cat Noir's Cataclysm and used it against him, and while it didn't kill Cat Noir, it still hurt like hell and crippled him for the rest of the fight until Miraculous Ladybug healed him. We also saw in “Reflekdoll” that Cataclysm drove the titular Sentimonster out of control rather than simply destroying it. So yes, it could be interpreted that Cat Noir wasn't exactly trying to kill Scarabella, just incapacitate her the best he can without Ladybug's help.

Here's the thing: What if he was facing an Akuma instead and decided to try and Cataclysm her? He still could have killed her, or (assuming Akumas have the same protection as Miraculous heroes do) at best, seriously hurt her. I understand that he has the right to be upset at seeing some stranger instead of his partner considering Shadowmoth has a history of using evil doppelgangers, and both Marinette and Alya still had options to explain it to him (Marinette could have quickly transformed into Ladybug and sent Cat Noir a quick text saying she was being forced to leave town for a few days and temporarily trusted someone else with the Ladybug Miraculous until she got back, while Scarabella could have said she was Rena Rouge and explained the same thing while showing Cat Noir she had the Fox Miraculous to prove herself), but that doesn't even come close to justifying him attempting to harm someone who isn't even trying to fight. It's even worse when you remember the whole reason Adrien gave up his Miraculous and bailed on Ladybug in the New York Special was because he was overcome with grief from accidentally killing Aeon, so it's good to know he learned absolutely nothing from that experience.

So Scarabella thankfully summons her Lucky Charm, a trash can lid, to shield herself from Cat Noir's Cataclysm, and then despite having absolutely no experience with this new set of powers, manages to do the one thing almost every Akuma or Sentimonster in this show has failed to do and incapacitates Cat Noir so he's vulnerable to losing his Miraculous. At least when Marinette masters every other Miraculous she uses, it can be theorized that she trained to use them offscreen. Alya literally just got the Ladybug Miraculous (and struggled to get up to the rooftop with her yo-yo to show her inexperience earlier), and now she easily manages to pin down the more experienced hero of the two?

Here's an idea: Instead of having Scarabella overpower Cat Noir, have her be in a position where Cat Noir, non-lethally, mind you, manages to almost take her Miraculous away, but she uses the quick wit she's developed from her extensive time as Rena Rouge to convince Cat Noir she's the real deal by saying something only he and Ladybug know. It would have easily resolved the conflict and doesn't make one of the characters look like a homicidal idiot.

So because both heroes used their powers, Scarabella and Cat Noir detransform so Tikki and Plagg can recharge, though Adrien still gives Alya attitude because Ladybug didn't tell him she had to leave.

Hey, Adrien? Here's the thing...

YOU DID THE EXACT SAME FUCKING THING IN THE NEW YORK SPECIAL, YOU SHIT FOR BRAINS!

You have absolutely NO RIGHT to claim you're always honest when you went behind Ladybug's back and endangered Paris while you had the balls to run away like a coward and only helped fix the consequences of your actions once your ego was validated by a recording of Ladybug. It's honestly even worse because while Marinette had no choice but to leave and trust Alya with the Ladybug, Adrien willingly left Paris alone and we were supposed to sympathize with him after he killed someone, and now as soon as he's in the opposite situation, we're still supposed to feel bad for him?! BULLSHIT! And you better believe I'm going to talk about the way Adrien views his partnership with Ladybug later on.

And of course, even though lives are on the line, Cat Noir just has to continue to bitch and moan about how (and this is best read in Linkara's whiny Superboy Prime voice) “sCaRaBeLlA iSn'T tHe ReAl LaDyBuG”, showing how just like in so many episodes, Astruc and his team believes Cat Noir's feelings are more important than saving the day.

Scarabella goes to rescue some civilians, but they were actually brainwashed by Robustus, once again showing her inexperience as Ladybug which doesn't go well with her effortlessly defeating Cat Noir earlier at all. Cat Noir helps Scarabella escape and the two hide out at the city's wax statue museum previously featured in “The Puppeteer 2”, because I guess the writers only want to reference bad episodes today. Cat Noir, not getting the importance of secret identities, asks Scarabella how she knows Ladybug, and Cat Noir somehow finds out she knows Ladybug's identity from her response.

Before the two can talk more, it turns out that the wax statues of celebrities in the museum are real people who attack the two heroes, leading to an awkward fight scene where Scarabella and Cat Noir fight a bunch of brainwashed civilians with no weapons beyond their cellphones. Our heroes, ladies and gentlemen!

Scarabella summons her Lucky Charm again, creating a frying pan, but when she looks around, she can't see how to properly use it. And despite spending the entire episode complaining about how much he hates her, it's Cat Noir that tells Scarabella to get her head back in the game because “That's what Ladybug would do”. Funny, I can think of a few situations where Cat Noir could have taken his own advice, but I digress. Also, he's now just cool with Scarabella because there's only a few minutes left in the episode and we need to wrap up the conflict.

Scarabella figures out an idea that involves freeing Marinette, so she negotiates with Robostus to free everything and everyone under his control or else Cat Noir will use his Cataclysm to destroy the Ladybug Miraculous. Robostus agrees and empties his hard drive, and to show them holding up her end of the bargain, Scarabella gives him the frying pan before she and Cat Noir let themselves be captured... while Marinette simply hits Robostus with the frying pan, freeing the Akuma and the two heroes. All in all, it's a really creative climax that shows both Scarabella and Marinette in perfect sync with each other even though they never discussed their plan. Though of course, because Astruc hates writing any scene with Ladynoir, Cat Noir gets a bucket stuck on his head so he doesn't see Marinette saving the day.

Scarabella de-evilizes Robostus, uses Miraculous Scarabella to fix everything and send Marinette back to the train, and because Hack-San already failed once, Shadowmoth can't use it for a different plan so he destroys the Sentimonster.

We cut to a few days after the trip (I guess Shadowmoth decided to take a vacation himself), and Alya tells Marinette to talk with Cat Noir about what happened.

This scene was so close to ending this episode off on a positive note. There was a good atmosphere and the body language of Ladybug and Cat Noir does a good job at telling us how uncomfortable they both feel while talking. It's just that instead of getting a heart to heart between the two about the lack of trust in their relationship, we get an Angstdrien Depreste scene. Or would a more accurate term be Cat Dour?

First off, while I don't have a problem with Ladybug apologizing for not telling Cat Noir, the episode never has him bring up what happened with Scarabella. As usual, both of them were partially at fault, but only Ladybug had to apologize for leaving her “Kitty” alone.

Second, Cat Noir’s feelings weren’t hurt? You’re telling me that in scenes like this...

And this...

Didn’t show Adrien acting irrationally because of how emotional he was? Is he really telling the truth around Ladybug or is he just trying to sweep that under the rug so Scarabella’s testimony doesn’t screw up his chances with Ladybug?

Third, this was an obvious chance to Cat Noir to finally be honest and tell Ladybug how he feels about her leaving him in the dark about so many things, but the entire conversation is just about how sad he would be if he never sees Ladybug again. Even though the whole reason he was so pissy to Scarabella at first was because of some lingering resentment for Ladybug ignoring him in favor of other heroes, why is this what the two talk about? I get it's not the season finale, but it's kind of hypocritical for Cat Noir to whine about how Ladybug doesn't trust him while never being honest about his own feelings? Sure, he's all soft and vulnerable around Ladybug, but we've seen all season how angry he gets about her not trusting him whenever she isn't around, so ironically, it's hard to tell if this is him being honest or not.

And I think now's a good time to finally talk about the way Ladybug and Cat Noir's partnership has been portrayed all season, especially since the main themes of the episodes relate to it. Buckle up, Adrien stans, because this isn't going to be pretty.

All season, we have been supposed to sympathize with Adrien as Marinette starts to trust Alya with more things than him. Marinette revealed her identity to her, trusted her to have her Miraculous permanently, and even let her keep her Miraculous even though someone else knew her identity. While some of it is hypocritical, the idea is that Adrien feels like he can be trusted with this kind of knowledge too, when really, he hasn't earned that responsibility.

Adrien has rarely, if ever, taken his job as a superhero seriously.

Not only is he known to flirt with Ladybug in the middle of a fight, he has defied her orders and recklessly sacrificed himself because he thinks Ladybug can do all the work without him.

He has also lashed out emotionally and once threatened to quit being Cat Noir in the middle of a crisis and was willing to let innocent people suffer for personal reasons, and later on actually quit being Cat Noir temporarily while Hawkmoth was about to start World War III because he was wallowing in self-pity.

He once said he isn't cut out for the responsibility that comes with being Ladybug and never learned anything from temporarily using the Ladybug Miraculous.

He has generally refused to respect Ladybug's boundaries and doesn't understand that she doesn't like him that way while he insists they should be a couple.

He outright fell for an evil doppelganger of Ladybug because she said she loved him and turned against the real Ladybug.

And I should also mention that despite hating how Ladybug keeps secrets from him, a lot of Adrien's worst moments have been when Ladybug wasn't around and he never told her about them.

He never told Ladybug that he was the reason Copycat really got akumatized while saying he never lies to her.

He never told Ladybug he contemplated letting thousands of people die because he didn't like not knowing stuff Ladybug knew.

He never told Ladybug he briefly used the Snake Miraculous to get brownie points with her.

He never told Ladybug he figured out her identity and asked her out as soon as he did so.

He never told Ladybug he abandoned Paris to go on a field trip.

He never told Ladybug he was screwing around on patrol and was excited to see someone get akuamtized if it meant spending time with her.

He never told Ladybug how he ignored Rena Rouge's orders because “ShE wAsN't LaDyBuG” and almost screwed up the mission because of it, and also never told her how he smashed a chimney in anger at Rena Rouge being in on the plan.

And he never told Ladybug he gave her replacement attitude after trying to harm her without letting her explain herself.

Why exactly should I support the idea of Ladybug trusting Cat Noir more when Cat Noir himself has kept his own secrets from Ladybug?

Adrien has done absolutely nothing to show he is trustworthy because more often than not, he views the battle with Shadowmoth as a game. He has screwed around when lives were on the line, and we're supposed to see him as responsible? It's kind of funny that Astruc compared Ladybug to Spider-Man, yet he seems to have forgotten that with great power, there must also come great responsibility. If this was a character flaw or a sign he needed to grow up, I'd be more accepting, but the fact that the writers think Adrien is a great superhero is laughable with how much evidence has proved the contrary.

In contrast, Alya, despite only being Marinette's confidant for a few episodes, has shown to take being a hero more seriously. She's helped her escape to transform, analyze the Guardian texts, and has been shown to work well on her own as Rena Rouge while helping out Marinette. I'm not trying to say she's an amazing character (“Rocketear” in particular has shown she still has problems with keeping secrets), but compared to Adrien, she seems to be more capable of handling top-secret information with Marinette, and more importantly, doesn't view being Rena Rouge as a way to have fun like Adrien does being Cat Noir. I'll go more into detail with that next time.

But yeah, this scene is how the episode ends, and what did I think of it?

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I'm honestly not sure which episode I think is worse, this one or “Queen Banana”. On the one hand, every frame of “Queen Banana” could easily be replaced by an image of Astruc flipping the bird and the overall message of the episode would remain unchanged, but the fact that all of the writers think that everything Adrien does in this episode is okay and that we should feel sorry for him in this episode is just as bad, if not worse.

As awful as Chloe was portrayed in “Queen Banana”, it was clear it was intentional on the writers' part, but Adrien doesn't get that excuse once much like he has all season. As far as Astruc's team thinks, Adrien is an incredible superhero even when he honestly attempted to harm someone with a superpower that can cause grievous harm at best. Yet again this season, in the show's attempt to make me feel sorry for Adrien, it made him look even worse. In any other show, he would obviously be called out for his incredibly unheroic actions.

Even putting him aside, the writing in this episode is still AWFUL. The whole reason Ladybug was benched had several plotholes and poor communication with Cat Noir that only made the fight with Robostus even harder, Shadowmoth's plan to waste a potentially useful Sentimonster to reuse a single Akuma was one of the dumbest plans he's ever had, and barring the ending, the action was just forgettable.

There were a few okay moments sprinkled throughout the episode (more than I can say for “Queen Banana”), so I'm still not sure if I should call this the worst episode of the show or still give that honor to “Queen Banana”. I guess I'll leave that choice up to you and let you pick your poison for now.

I mean, it's not like there's going to be an even worse episode down the line this season, right?

RIGHT???

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perpetual-stories · 4 years ago

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How To Fight Writers Block

hello, hello. hope everyone is doing well. as you can all tell, this post will be about how to fight writers block.

it’s really annoying to me when I hear people say “oh you don’t have writers block, you’re just lazy.”

first of all, yes, I am naturally lazy. second of all, how dare you. writing isn’t as easy as many think. granted, all you have to do is write down words on paper, but it’s not always easy to find the right words to express what you are feeling, or what you wish to say.

I have had terrible writer’s block for the last few days and it’s horrible! as a business owner or a small writing store, I have to be ready to write and fulfill my clients’ ideas and orders.

it’s not easy. It takes a heavy toll on my imagination, and digs me a deep pit of blockage, drowning in the lack of originality because of the constant writing and repetition or certain phrases and sentences in different projects.

i am making this post in the hopes to remind myself about over coming the dreaded and sometimes skeptically believed writer’s block.

What is writer’s block?

Yeah, I know. We all know what that is, but let me define it.

is the state of being unable to proceed with writing, and/or the inability to start writing something new

some people believe it to be a real problem, others believe it's “all in your head”

What Causes Writer’s Block?

in the 1970s, clinical psychologists Jerome Singer and Michael Barrios decided to find out

they concluded that there are four broad causes of writer's block:

Excessively harsh self-criticism

Fear of comparison to other writers

Lack of external motivation, like attention and praise

Lack of internal motivation, like the desire to tell one's story

How to overcome writer's block: 20 tips

1. Develop a writing routine:

Author and artist Twyla Tharp once wrote: “Creativity is a habit, and the best creativity is a result of good work habits.”

it might seem counterintuitive

if you only write when you “feel creative,” you're bound to get stuck in a tar pit of writer's block

The only way to push through is by disciplining yourself to write on a regular schedule. It might be every day, every other day, or just on weekends — but whatever it is, stick to it!

2. Use "imperfect" words:

A writer can spend hours looking for the perfect word or phrase to illustrate a concept

You can avoid this fruitless endeavor by putting, “In other words…” and simply writing what you’re thinking, whether it’s eloquent or not

You can then come back and refine it later by doing a CTRL+F search for “in other words.”

3. Do non-writing activities:

one of the best ways to climb out of a writing funk is to take yourself out of your own work and into someone else’s

Go to an exhibition, to the cinema, to a play, a gig, eat a delicious meal

immerse yourself in great STUFF and get your synapses crackling in a different way

Snippets of conversations, sounds, colors, sensations will creep into the space that once felt empty

4. Freewrite through it:

free-writing involves writing for a pre-set amount of time without pause — and without regard for grammar, spelling, or topic. You just write.

The goal of freewriting is to write without second-guessing yourself — free from doubt, apathy, or self-consciousness, all of which contribute to writer's block. Here’s how:

Find the right surroundings. Go somewhere you won't be disturbed.

Pick your writing utensils. Will you type at your computer, or write with pen and paper? (Tip: if you're prone to hitting the backspace button, you should freewrite the old-fashioned way!)

Settle on a time-limit. Your first time around, set your timer for just 10 minutes to get the feel for it. You can gradually increase this interval as you grow more comfortable with freewriting.

5. Relax on your first draft:

Many writers suffer form perfectionism, which is especially debilitating during a first draft

“Blocks often occur because writers put a lot of pressure on themselves to sound ‘right’ the first time. A good way to loosen up and have fun again in a draft is to give yourself permission to write imperfectly.” — editor Lauren Hughes

perfect is the enemy of good,” so don't agonize about getting it exactly right! You can always go back and edit, maybe even get a second pair of eyes on the manuscript

6. Don’t start at the beginning:

the most intimidating part of writing is the start, when you have a whole empty book to fill with coherent words

instead of starting with the chronological beginning of whatever it is you’re trying to write, dive into middle, or wherever you feel confident

7. Take a shower:

Have you ever noticed that the best ideas tend to arrive while in the shower, or while doing other “mindless” tasks?

research shows that when you’re doing something monotonous (such as showering, walking, or cleaning), your brain goes on autopilot, leaving your unconscious free to wander without logic-driven restrictions

showering is my favourite thing to do if I may add

8. Balance your inner critic:

successful writers have in common is the ability to hear their inner critic, respectfully acknowledge its points, and move forward

You don't need to completely ignore that critical voice, nor should you cower before it

you must establish a respectful, balanced relationship, so you can address what's necessary and skip over what's insecure and irrelevant

9. Switch up your tool:

a change of scenery can really help with writer's block. However, that scenery doesn't have to be your physical location — changing up your writing tool can be just as big a help!

if you’ve been typing on your word processor of choice, try switching to pen and paper. Or if you're just sick of Google Docs, consider using specialized novel writing software.

10. Change your POV:

great advice from editor Lauren Hughes: “When blocked, try to see your story from another perspective ‘in the room’ to help yourself move beyond the block. How might a minor character narrate the scene if they were witnessing it? A ‘fly on the wall’ or another inanimate object?

11. Exercise your creative muscles:

Any skill requires practice if you want to improve, and writing is no different! So if you’re feeling stuck, perhaps it’s time for a strengthening scribble-session to bolster your abilities

12. Map out your story:

If your story has stopped chugging along, help it pick up steam by taking a more structured approach — specifically, by writing an outline

13. Write something else:

Though it's important to try and push through writer's block with what you're actually working on, sometimes it's simply impossible

feel free to push your current piece to the side for now and write something new

14. Work on your characters:

It follows that if your characters are not clearly defined, you’re more likely to run into writer’s block

15. Stop writing for readers:

write for yourself, not your potential readers

this will help you reclaim the joy of being creative and get you back in touch with what matters: the story.

this is something I really need to do. because of my etsy business i don't write for fun anymore, but instead as a business and a deadline. i'm going to have to pull out my old crappy wattled fanfics or write some new ones.

16. Try a more visual process:

when words fail you, forget them and get visual. Create mind maps, drawings, Lego structures — ideally related to your story, but whatever unblocks your mind!

17. Look for the root of it:

writer’s block often comes from a problem deeper than simple “lack of inspiration.” So let's dig deep: why are you really blocked? Ask yourself the following questions:

Do I feel pressure to succeed and/or competition with other writers?

Have I lost sight of what my story is about, or interest in where it's going?

Do I lack confidence in my own abilities, even if I've written plenty before?

Have I not written for so long that I feel intimidated by the mere act?

Am I simply feeling tired and run-down?

once you identify what's wrong, it'll be so much easier to fix.

18. Quit the Internet:

If willpower isn’t your strong suit and your biggest challenge is staying focused, try a site blocker like Freedom or an app like Cold Turkey

19. Let the words find you:

meditate, go for a walk, take that shower

Word Palette is a great app that features a keyboard of random words, allowing you to simply click your way to your next masterpiece.

You can also try AI auto-completers like Talk to Transformer, where you can enter a phrase and let the app “guess what comes next.”

even though they often produce nonsense, it's a great way to help that writer's block.

20. Write like Hemingway:

And if your biggest block is your own self-doubt about your prose, Hemingway offers suggestions to improve your writing as you go

it's a pretty cool app if you ask me.

it highlights your sentences (if need be) and makes suggestions on how to improve them!

well, there you have it! a lengthy post on how to fight writer's block. now i just hope i can combat my own soon.

like, comment and reblog if you find this useful! feel free to reblog in instagram and tag me perpetualstories

Follow me on instagram and tumblr for more writing and grammar tips and more!

#writing #writing advice #writing tips #original writing #writers on tumblr #writerscommunity #writersconnection #writersofig #writersofinstagram #writings

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nikkastans · 3 years ago

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⫸ to be read: NAMJOON

strikethrough means it's read | main menu

➥ Unbroken

Idol!Namjoon x Female Bonsai Grower!Reader, ROMANCE, SMUT, fluffiest FLUFF, emotional PAIN, ANGST, strangers to lovers, from one-night stand to forever. Rating: Explicit.

➥ the moment pleasantly frightful

introduction: namjoon is a pleasant devil, you are an inexperienced witch

➥ friends shouldn't

namjoon x female reader, smut

➥ pronoia

namjoon x reader, zombie apocalypse au, college au

➥ begin again

Summary: It’s been three months since Namjoon broke up with you, so what happens when you’re at a mutual friend’s wedding and he wants you back? Post Breakup AU

➥ there was a bug

you and joon have been best friends for years, unexpectedly his feelings start to grow more than platonic. deciding to keep this to him, joon stays as your best friend and roommate. things are going fine, until one night you’re forced to sleep in his room.

➥ after rain

patient!namjoon x patient!reader, romance, fluff, angst, smut

➥ cute

here is the masterlist for my long term Namjoon couple. drabbles are listed in chronological order. (ongoing).

➥ nice guys finish last

husband!ceo!namjoon x doctor!reader x ex-fiance!producer!yoongi, arranged marriage au, angst, fluff, smut

➥ cruise control

summary: Clumsy by nature, Namjoon often comes into your hospital for the smallest of injuries; results from his foolish driving as he races in the streets or from his job at the auto body shop. You remind him often enough to be careful, but never — not even in your worst nightmares — could you imagine that the limp and bloodied figure lying on the operating table is the same one that had just asked you out on a date.

➥ glasses-clad boy

𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲 | You weren’t sure how Hoseok had persuaded you into actually letting Namjoon tutor you but there you were, waiting for a certain glasses-clad boy to show up.

➥ the rich man's crochet club

Synopsis: When they were freshmen in college, Namjoon began a club with his six closest friends. The one thing they all had in common? V i r g i n s as fuck. Obviously, they couldn’t call the club the Virgins Club and so, the Rich Man’s Crochet Club was born. Until time passes and Namjoon is the only one left. Now, the Club has one, final mission: to get Namjoon laid.

➥ roommates with benefits

You and Namjoon are roommates. You're both really horny one morning. So you come to an understanding:

1. It's not a regular thing. 2. It happens on the couch. 3. Kissing is allowed. 4. Condoms, always.

And just like that, you're roommates with benefits.

➥ bewitched, body & soul

pairing: darcy!joon x reader(f) rating/genre: pg16+ ; angst , implied smut ; p&p au , historical au

#nikka's tbr #tbr list #tbr #bts #bts fanfiction #bts x reader #ot7 x reader #ot7 #kim namjoon #namjoon #RM

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earthstellar · 4 years ago

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Transformers Tracks: Some of the Objectively Best Transformers Theme Songs

Because I’m a playlist nerd, you can find all of these tracks below compiled into a YouTube playlist here.

(Please do note that the playlist is arranged in the order they are in below, and not in chronological order!)

I have also included the album art for each track/OST so that you can find the right album if you would like!

TRANSFORMER (トランスフォーマー) Scramble City Intro by Satoko Shimonari for G1 is extremely and wonderfully 80s, and would absolutely make an amazing Future Funk remix. Reminds me somewhat of Sailor Moon theme tracks! Pro Tip, this one is also great for karaoke.

1986 Movie Theme by Lion - We all know this one’s obligatory.

Transformer V: Victory Opening Theme ( Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Victory (戦え!超ロボット生命体トランスフォーマーVビクトリー) by Koji Kaya is so completely slept on by the entire fandom, but it has the perfect mix of 80s vocals and 70s big band flavour which makes it a definite all-time great. Has a very 80s Voltron feel to it, almost.

TRANSFORMERS EVO. by JAM Project for Transformers Animated isn’t particularly my style, but I know it’s extremely popular amongst the wider fanbase so I’m including it here. It’s very high energy!

The Headmasters (トランスフォーマーザ★ヘッドマスターズ ) by Hironobu Kageyama is another delightfully 80s track, with a touch of 70s big band but with the addition of power guitar which gives it an extra dramatic, powerful flair. This also has an 80s Voltron vibe.

Tamashii no Evolution (魂のエヴォリューション, "Evolution of the Soul") from Beast Wars Metals is interestingly also by Hironobu Kageyama and evokes early 2000s rock, which reminds me of early Fullmetal Alchemist theme songs. That’s a good thing. (It was released as one of the several Beast Wars albums; Please check the track lists, as the above album cover may not be 100% correct.)

Transformers Prime Theme by Brian Tyler does a lot to establish the mood of the series right out the gate, and matches the tone of the series. Love a good orchestral opening in a Western series.

Arrival to Earth by Steve Jablonsky for the first live action Transformers film is probably the best thing to come out of the Bayverse live action Transformers films. (If you like the movies, I’m not hating on them or you, I’m just saying the soundtrack is great and I’m still personally mad about the rest of it.)

Q-Transformers: Mystery of Convoy Returns (キュートランスフォーマー帰ってきたコンボイの謎 Theme - Physical by OLDCODEX is so wildly funny, mostly because it is a heavy metal track for a series that is essentially about little chibi versions of the characters. It rocks though, so if you’re into metal, here’s the track for you. I have no idea if this ever got released as a single anywhere, because I can’t seem to find it if it was, but above is the series logo.

TRANSFORMER -Dream Again- by Psychic Lover for Transformers Armada is another metal track that manages to also feel like early 2000s rock music, and it’s pretty solid. If the Q-Transformers track is too much for you, this one is the perfect medium. The album this track is on includes a bunch of the other Japanese theme songs across all shows, which is also pretty cool and is probably why they went with the G1 Autobot/logo design here.

Back to Life (80s Remix) · Hailee Steinfeld for the Bumblebee live action movie is an interesting combo of current 2020s pop music with a replica-retro vibe, which makes it fit in nicely with a lot of the classic Transformers tracks.

Honō no Overdrive ~Car Robot Cybertron~ (炎のオーバードライブ～カーロボットサイバトロン～, "Blazing Overdrive ~Car Robot Autobots~) by Koji Wada is the opening for RID. It’s another high energy rock theme, very late 90s/early 2000s as was the trend. It’s a good track though, and I feel like it should be included primarily because the vocal performance is great.

CALL YOU... 君と僕の未来, "CALL YOU... The Future of You and Me" by Shinji Kakijima for Galaxy Force is yet another rock/metal track, but a little softer than some of the other Transformers metal tracks and very much an early 2000s metal revival type rock song. (Lots of these in modern Transformers.)

Taiyō no transform!! 太陽のtransform!!, "Solar transform!!" by Hiroshi Kitadani for Super Link is great because it evokes the 80s power guitar and keyboard with very 90s (and almost cheesy feeling) vocals and beats. It’s refreshing after all the metal and rock music to get a little bit of a throwback theme.

The above is not a fully comprehensive list, but they are the tracks that first come to mind when I think of pretty solid Transformers jams!

Here’s the link to the playlist again so you don’t have to scroll through this whole mess lmao.

BONUS: Album Recommendation!

Transformers History of Music 1984-1990 produced by Colombia Music Entertainment contains what is as far as I can tell every single piece of Japanese Transformers music created between those dates. It is an absolutely fantastic album, and if you can find it, I would recommend you get it, because every track is a banger. 10/10

What are your favourite Transformers theme songs? I will add any below a cut if you feel I have left out a theme that you particularly like!

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cheri-translates · 4 years ago

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[CN] Traveling with you - Kiro

🍒 Warning: This post contains detailed spoilers for an event, 与你同游, which has not been released in English servers! 🍒

This is an event for Chinese New Year, where you get to visit a Spring Festival Temple Fair with the love interests :>

Players are able to select the order in which they visit various locations, so they aren’t meant to be in chronological order!

Prologue: here

More: Gavin l Lucien l Shaw l Victor

🌟 TEXT 🌟

MC: Ding dong--

MC: You’ve received a new invitation. Do you wish to open it immediately?

Kiro: Nope.

MC: Why can’t you cooperate with me?

Kiro: I’m waiting for Miss Chips to invite me personally, and not some automated system.

Kiro: However, since Miss Chips has appeared, where are you inviting me out to?

MC: Will you be really busy these days?

MC: I just saw a pamphlet for this year’s Loveland Temple Fair, so I immediately wanted to ask if you wanted to go.

Kiro: A temple fair! What a lively place!

Kiro: Yes yes yes, we’ll go tomorrow.

MC: But you’re still quite eye-catching... will anyone notice you?

Kiro: The temple fair will be really crowded, so no one will pay me any mind.

Kiro: Also, I can put on a disguise. With a wig, hat, and spectacles, I can guarantee that no one will recognise me!

MC: Along with your excellent acting skills, mm... perfect!

MC: In that case, let’s rest early tonight, and rush there together tomorrow.

Kiro: Sure. Goodnight, Miss Chips. I’ll look for you in my dreams~

🌟 Location: Traditional Snacks Stall 🌟

MC: I notified Savin beforehand. Today, you’re allowed to have food that’s “not so healthy”.

Kiro: Yay, long live Miss Chips!

MC: Don’t celebrate too early. Next week, he’s going to supervise your workout sessions.

Kiro: Things belonging to next week shall be left to next week. Let’s hurry and see what delicious foods there are.

Standing next to the snacks stall, the both of us involuntarily glance at the same spot-

Golden-bright tornado potatoes are lined up neatly behind the glistening glass shelf. The strong scent of fried potatoes awaken the hungry bug in my belly.

Three minutes later, we carry three sticks of tornado potatoes, walking along the street of the temple fair.

Kiro: It’s horrible that there aren’t smaller versions of this. Otherwise, we’d be able to try all sixteen flavours!

MC: Exactly! If we weren’t leaving room for snacks later, we’d have definitely gotten them all!

We nibble on the carefully selected spicy river snail noodles, smoked salmon and honey flavoured tornado potatoes. Fragrance and crispiness mark the start of the Spring Festival’s delicacy journey.

🌟 Location: Game Stall 🌟

Kiro: Scissors, paper...

MC: Stone!

Kiro: I also did ‘paper’!

At a tie yet again, the level of chemistry we have is really pretty high.

MC: Why don’t we state the game we want to try at the same time? Three, two, one!

Kiro: Pitch-pot!

MC: Pitch-pot!

Kiro: Great minds think alike.

[Note] Pitch-pot is a traditional East Asian game that requires players to throw sticks, arrows, darts, etc. from a distance into a large canister!

Without another word, I quickly pull him over to the destination.

When we arrive at the pitch-pot stall, there aren’t many people there. A few participants even wear Hanfu while playing.

Kiro: So cool. Next time, we've got to dress like that too.

MC: It’s more practical for you to think about how to throw the arrows into the canister first.

Kiro: No problem. Leave it to me!

The so-called “leave it to me” is basically Kiro borrowing the flexibility from years of dancing experience, and leaning forward.

Instead of saying that he’s “throwing” the arrows, it’s more accurate to say that he’s “dropping” the arrows. But it’s actually really effective.

Fan A: Look at that guy over there. His profile resembles Kiro.

Fan B: Yes, yes, the way he stretched his arm out - doesn’t it look like the signature move from his recent title track?

Kiro stiffens. Hand trembling, the final arrow falls outside the canister.

Our eyes meet, and we hurriedly take the prize from the store owner, fleeing the scene quickly.

🌟 Location: Firecracker Stall 🌟

Kiro: “Tiny Magic Firecrackers”? Why does that sound like a secret weapon belonging to a superhero?

Kiro and I are squatting in front of a stall selling firecrackers, and he’s looking at the rope-like firecrackers in my hand.

MC: In that case, I’ll give you a proper look at the broad and profound world of firecrackers. Here. Hold this end, then light the other end.

Kiro follows what I say, and my words are drowned out amid the loud sounds of the firecrackers.

Even though it’s daytime, the flames from the tiny firecrackers remain spectacular.

The fireworks extinguish very quickly, and Kiro’s blue eyes sparkle.

Kiro: Turns out there are firecrackers I can hold in my hand! It reminds me of a French cartoon with a mystical dragon with the ability to produce fireworks! I wonder if I’d look dashing in pictures if I were to swing them around at night?

Despite my repeated reminders telling him to take care of his safety, he continues setting off a box of tiny firecrackers.

Seeing his face blackening from the smoke, I chuckle while buying him another stick.

🌟 Location: Auspicious Stall 🌟

Kiro: So? Can you see it?

MC: Mm... I think I see the word “Middle”.

This year’s Auspicious Stall involves pulling slips of paper which have been tied onto red strings at quite a height, and they aren’t easy to retrieve.

We’re currently looking through two binoculars that Kiro conjured out of nowhere, carefully inspecting the thin slips of paper to see if we can spot the words on them.

MC: I think I see one with the word “Great” - it’s over there.

Kiro quickly brings over a ladder and steps onto it. With my guidance, he selects a slip.

Unfolding it, the red “Small Blessings” rests on the paper quietly. At the bottom, there’s a random line written it: “Men of great wisdom often seem slow-witted”.

I can’t help but burst into laughter.

Kiro: Ooh, why do I feel as though the words are implying something about me?

MC: So why were you so determined to draw “Great Blessings”?

Kiro: It’s all because I want everything in life to go smoothly for you...

Kiro sighs, and it seems he’s genuinely upset about this. My heart grows warm.

MC: With Kiro by my side, I’m already lucky enough!

🌟 Location: New Year Handmade Items Stall 🌟

Next to the table, Kiro is facing the sample “ushering in wealth and prosperity” ideogram.

Kiro: You know that I’m not really good at drawing. This is far too difficult to write.

MC: But earlier, you very clearly promised that you’d write a word for me.

Kiro looks aggrieved.

Kiro: Could you pick an easier word? I can’t write it if it’s too difficult. If it looks ugly, the blessings won’t come true.

MC: I’ll lower the difficulty for you then. Just write the word “blessing”.

Kiro nods happily, copying the word incredibly earnestly.

Since he isn’t used to writing with a brush, every stroke is extremely meticulous.

Even after he’s done with the final stroke, Kiro’s brush doesn’t stop.

Kiro: In order to make up for the strokes I couldn’t write, I’ve specially drawn a few more...

Two teddy bears are leaning their heads against each other. The teddy bear on the right even has an adorable tiny flower on its head.

Kiro: This is a out-of-print, limited-edition Kiro calligraphy, and it’s given to the only Miss Chips in the world. Don’t worry, I’ll continue creating things for you wholeheartedly in the year ahead.

#mlqc #mlqc cn #mlqc spoilers #mlqc kiro

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thevampirearcher-md · 4 years ago

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something med school did not cover - adorable (#2) 🩺

short and sweet is the mood for this AU ✨

also on ao3

She’s the first one in. As a general rule, Rosé is always there when Denali walks out of the nurse’s locker room, studying the overnight updates on her patients’ charts, always the first one to start on her pre-rounds. She carries around her Oxford Handbook of Paediatrics stuffed in one pocket, alongside all of her funky pens, her pink stethoscope stuffed in her other pocket and her notepad in hand, filled with various case notes. “Good morning, doctor,” Denali greets, pinning her badge to her scrubs. Rosé almost drops the chart she’s holding as her head snaps up. Her face lights up with a smile. “Good morning, nurse Foxx,” she greets, her smile only extending out wider. Her eyes meet Denali’s and she stops whatever she’s doing - which from the looks of it is piling up charts into a makeshift tower which slides dangerously as the intern is distracted. “Careful,” Denali giggles from across the central desk. “Oh, shit,” Rosé mutters, stopping the papers with her hip, right as they’re about to spill over the edge of the counter and scatter across the linoleum. “Oh, shit,” she repeats, eyes widening, realising that she’s let a forbidden word slip out. Denali’s giggling intensifies, making her face flush bright red. “Need any help?” “Please,” Rosé’s tone reminds Denali of a child, pleading and endearing, and she approaches to help. The intern’s hands are full and her eyes are almost desperate. Denali can feel the fear of rearranging the medical files of various different patients in chronological order. She sneaks her arm around Rosé’s body, making her freeze. “Got ‘em,” she announces, trying not to get caught up in how close they are to each other. She can feel it when Rosé releases a breath she’d been holding and steps away. “Thank you,” she says on a sigh, righting herself. “Can I ask what’s with the leaning tower of cases?” Denali gathers them to her chest. “Those are all my patients,” the intern explains. “I was gathering their files to pre-round before Professor Visage gets here.” Denali counts them quickly - seven, including the one clutched in Rosé’s hand, more patients than Denali has ever seen assigned to an intern with only a month of experience under her belt. She’s been working here since she was a rookie, since before she had even graduated from nursing school, and she has gotten to know how Professor Visage operates: she’s seen her pick out someone from every generation and slowly start to lean on them, to give them more responsibility. But this is overload, especially this early on. “Need assistance?” she offers benevolently. Rosé’s eyes light up at that. “Would you?” Denali’s dimpled smile is answer enough. She wouldn’t normally do this. Every nurse is a rookie at first and every doctor is an intern in the beginning. Every intern pre-rounds their patients, gets pimped by their supervisors during actual rounds then spends the rest of their days on scut - filling out charts, printing out labs and acting like secretaries in scrubs. She’s been a rookie herself - filling out treatment plans and handing out supplies to her overseers - and none of the interns have helped her. Rosé knocks softly on door 612, then pushes it open. “Good morning, Mrs Gardner,” she greets softly. “It’s Dr McCorkell,” she looks to the one year old boy, propped against the low bed, frantically drawing on an Etch-A-Sketch. “And nurse Foxx,” Denali pipes up. “Hi, Arthur,” she winks, handing his file over to Rosé. “How are we doing today?” Rosé asks, crouching down next to the bed. Arthur looks to her and smiles. While his mommy answers Rosé’s questions, giving her all of the needed updates, Denali can’t help but notice the intern. She’s steadily leaning closer to the boy, grabbing one of his stuffed animals to lure him to her. He points to his Etch-A-Sketch, to his masterpiece of violent swirls, which Rosé studies thoughtfully. “You’re a very talented artist,” she praises, smiling at him. The boy extends his chubby hand towards her, the Etch-A-Sketch pen gripped into his fleshy palm. “Should I draw something, too?” He nods and Denali’s

smile widens as she watches the ginger absentmindedly write his name on the board in her loopy calligraphy. The one-year-old watches mesmerised as her hand moves. She takes her opportunity to sneak her stethoscope out of her pocket and start listening to his breathing sounds. “That’s not a drawing, Dr McCorkell,” Denali hears herself say and the intern turns to narrow her eyes at her. Teasing is unprofessional, Denali starkly reminds herself, especially in the presence of a patient. “I’m not as talented as Arthur,” she winks as he bats her stethoscope away, his small face contorting up into a scowl. Giggling at a doctor’s wink is also highly unprofessional. “I’m sorry, I know I’m annoying,” Rosé admits, swinging Arthur up into her arms and laying him on the bed. The toddler scrunches his face at her, just about ready to burst into angry tears. Denali steps closer, automatically reaching for her badge. “Hey, champ, look what I got,” she dangles it above his face. His wide eyes snap to the white rectangle, his hands straining up to reach it. “Has he eaten today?” Rosé asks the mother, ready to palpate his tummy. “Just the yogurt,” she sighs. “Everything else contains something he’s allergic to,” the mother looks despaired. Denali’s eyes scan over the breakfast tray - cornflakes, a small slice of bread, butter and some kind of jam. All fairly harmless. She’s checking the exhaustive list of food allergies Arthur has been diagnosed with, when he starts screaming. Rosé huffs in agreement. “Good God, this is the worst part, I promise,” she reassures the child as she presses her palm into his abdomen. “After this you get a reward for being the bravest boy of them all, ok?” She winks and his sobs subside into whimpers. “Could that be sensitivity?” Denali narrows her eyes down at his chart - third day inpatient for a rather nasty bout of diarrhoea with a great evolution since being admitted. “Nah,” the intern dismisses her. “I’m just bothering him with all this examining,” she pulls him up to sitting, “when he’d rather be playing. Right, Arthur?” She smiles, producing a pen from one of her pockets. It’s wildly and brightly coloured and Arthur is mesmerised instantly. “He seems to be doing marvellously,” Rosé informs the mother. “I’ll bring up his discharge today at rounds,” she explains. “What I also want to touch up on are his allergies. With all due respect for his doctor, I’ll talk to Professor Visage about finding him a great allergologist, who can help you tell which ones are actual allergies and which ones are just harmless blood reactions.” Denali laughs, breaking the solemn moment. Arthur had found how to uncap Rosé’s pen and is now proudly shoving the two parts into his mom’s face. Rosé joins in Denali’s laughter. “Such a bright young boy can’t only eat three aliments for the rest of his life,” Rosé quirks an eyebrow, making the little boy giggle. “Thank you so much, doctor McCorkell,” Arthur’s mother clutches her baby close to her body, even as he’s struggling to extend his arms out to Rosé as she puts the cap back onto her pen and hands it to him again. Very few children ever warm up to their doctors so fast. Even Professor Visage, who children adore, doesn’t have this much patience to bring the child to her. “There’s no need to thank me,” Rosé catches the cap that Arthur has just dropped. “Professor Visage is the person in charge,” she smiles. “And I’ll bet he’s spent much more time with Nurse Foxx here than he has with me,” she winks as the boy tries to shove the pen into its cap, filling Rosé’s hand with blue wobbly lines. “So close,” she encourages as another line crosses past her wrist. “He’s only this friendly with you,” the mommy assures and Denali nods. “And you’ve taken the greatest care of him, so thank you. Honey, it’s time to give Doctor McCorkell her pen back,” she urges her son, who clutches it more tightly, drawing it away from his mom’s expecting hand. “Arthur,” Denali says softly, “Doctor McCorkell might cry if you don’t give her pen back to her,” she tells him and his eyes widen. “We don’t want to

see her cry, do we?” Rosé’s eyes snap to hers. The boy fervently shakes his head no, extending the pen out to Rosé. “Thank you, Arthur,” she stuffs it back into her pocket. “Bye,” she calls, beckoning Denali out of the room. The last picture she sees in room 612 is Arthur waving from his mommy’s arms. “That little boy loves you,” Denali says, noticing a slight blush start to creep up into her cheeks. “Oh, stop that,” the ginger tries to hide her face away, but covering her cheeks while her hair is pinned back proves difficult. “And with good reason,” Denali hums under her breath and the only clue that Rosé had heard her is the deepening red colour of her cheeks as she reaches for the next chart she needs from the pile balanced in Denali’s arms.

#rosenali #rosenali ff #omgheyrose #denali foxx #hospital AU

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blastoisemonster · 4 years ago

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Pokèmon World Magazine: Porygon Net (Various Issues)

We’ve had a very long streak of Photoset posts lately, didn’t we? Let’s have a little break from anime and tie-in games and let’s go back to oldschool Pokèmon and my favourite childhood magazine, Pokèmon World!

This summer I'm working on my own portfolio site: it's getting built from scratch and, due to the kind of art it's going to showcase, I'm designing its layout to look like one of those old personal pages a lot of Internet users used to have back in the first 2000s. This choice was also influenced by one of my childhood dreams, which was, infact, owning a corner of the Net all for myself; without the right equipment or spare money to purchase a domain, though, the idea of having my page online was only hypotetical, so all I could do was designing some cute layouts on Microsoft Frontpage and admiring what others were doing. Of course, as Pokèmon was my main interest at the time, I found the Porygon Net section of Pokèmon World mag to be extra inspirational.

Porygon Net was a very small section with just a double page: every month, the magazine's staff would choose and review an italian site dedicated to everyone's favourite monsters. These online corners were, most of the times, built by fellow readers and fans who sometimes even wrote back either by mailing the staff or boasting about it on their site's news section, thanking for the feature and the subsequent wave of new visitors. As these places were built by teens or even kids (I may have seen some online pages managed by 10 year olds at the time o.o), their quality varied greatly depending on their web-making skills: some were very simplistic, other more orderly and neat, and some... showed potential, but needed more work. Pokèmon World's staff, though, never mocked these attempts, and instead also published suggestions to make certain parts of the site more functional and pleasing to the eye. I found this very encouraging, and I wonder if many of these people have continued with a career in the online world.

I went and browsed among my mag issues to find some sites to showcase: I mostly picked the ones that stuck in my mind since reading about them, or that I actually used to visit back in the day. Wayback Machine may have not been kind to the italian community, and I fear the majority of these sites are now lost; however, I'll post links if, surprisingly, I find them still alive!

Issue 4: Pokemon Mania

The pictures have been displayed in chronological order, but I still would've chosen to display this site first as I used to actually visit it before it was featured on Pokèmon World. Due to its easy and straightforward name, Pokèmon Mania was one of the first fansites to show up on the search engine if you ever looked for more Pokèmon content. It was managed by a guy with the alias of Professor Kao, and the whole feeling of the site was that of a Pokemon lab at the start of your monster journey. Though it wasn't exactly a marvel in terms of layout esthetic, the site aimed to amaze with content: it had simple browser fangames, a section dedicated to drawing tutorials (with pictures taken from japanese sources- which at the time were very scarce and hard to get!), many sections dedicated to the Cardgame (apparently, the main focus of Kao's Pokèmon interests) and its live tournaments, and one centered on the monsters' trivia. One very interactive section even proposed quizzes given by the webmaster himself that visitors could answer via mail: Kao would then contact winners and even send out special official merch like Pokèmon Center plushies or other branded toys. Generous! This site has been preserved in the Wayback Machine with a lot of snapshots, though unfortunately without many graphics. We can still navigate and read most of the sections!

Issue 20: Pokemon Museum

My second site of choice striked me with its very homely layout: even looking at the snapshot in its article feels like I'm viewing a cozy corner of the Net, in which the webmaster poured its personal thoughts and passions more than providing a service like PokèmonMania did. The issue is number 20 and quite some months have passed: online trends regarding these kind of pages had changed a bit and now people preferred to offer their own content instead of copy-pasting what Nintendo produced. Pokèmon Museum's graphics have all been drawn by the owner, Kabutops: the background texture, banner, and a lot of the graphics all around the sections! Kudos for being to prolific and precise during a period in which digital art still hadn't reached its peak popularity, and drawing tablets were only restricted to professionals. Going past the many sections dedicated to the anime, games and lore, one interesting aspect was the beginning of affiliates: fellow webmasters were starting communicating with eachother and sharing their visits by dedicating a little button to other sites. I loved the affiliates section because, once finished looking through a site, I could click on the cute little rectangle banners and find myself in another home without passing from Google searches! But webmasters wouldn't affiliate with everyone, and for the purpose of only interacting with other best Pokèsites, awards had become popular as well: graphics that people would exchange after rating a site and feeling impressed with their content, presentation, or popularity. Pokèmon Museum's magazine review focused on its affiliates and the awards, inviting fellow readers to have their site reviewed by Kabutops. Unfortunately, the site is not present on Wayback Machine. I'll never know if Kabutops came back updating its museum after summer vacations :(

Issue 35: TBPS

Let's have another jump of several months; issue 35 featured a page under the bigger domain Pokevalley and named itself The Best Pokèmon Page, rather narcissistic! This was one of those rare times Pokèmon World featured an english-speaking site. The layout doesn't impress me too much, yet the fact that the header reads "Crystal Water Version" conveys that the webmaster(s) used to periodically change aspect and palette of their site, an activity that proved to be very prolific for many page owners at the time: sites were often in construction, and people were experimenting with different colours or HTML code tricks to impress viewers and reviewers, have as many affiliates as possible and collect positive awards from other sites. Such was popularity, back in the day! The site has a long menu with many sections dedicated to the main games and movies; although, none of those pages were catching anyone’s attention anymore as everyone had the same copypasted guides and info; instead, what’s interesting is the hefty section dedicated to browser games, the big menu with pages concerning the site and staff themselves, and the oekaki board! Oekakis were very popular in that period, as it allowed fellow aspiring artists to meet eachother and show off their own skills by drawing live! If a site hosted one, they could quickly become a melting pot of creativity. Wayback Machine, sadly, doesn’t have anything concerning this site as well.

Issue 36: Arcywof

We’re back on italian sites with a page that definitely impressed even Pokèmon World’s staff for its pleasing graphics. When I first saw this among the magazine’s pages... my eyes lit up! I can’t hide that after seeing its beautiful palette, checkered background and condensed menu, teen me adopted Arcy & The Fire Pkmn as design guru: many of my subsequent mockup pages had exactly this layout, or variations of it. It’s too bad, though, that aside from the beautiful presentation, the site’s contents aren’t exactly interesting: the Pokèmon images are ripped straight from Nintendo’s official archives, and most sections are concerning the anime’s characters, episode plots, and broadcasting dates. However, Arcywof also offers a forum and a live chat, which definitely helped the staff build an interactive and affectionate community around it. Among all reviewed here, I’m most bitter that Wayback Machine hasn’t archived this site, because seriously, it’s a little jewel ;w; its pastel colours and checkered texture remind me of candy shops!

Issue 38: Pokemon Super Site

I wanted to finish this little jump in the past with a positive note and show at least one more saved address from Wayback Machine. Although not in its updated version originally featured in Pokèmon World Issue 38, Pokèmon Super Site has been archived and it’s more or less complete to explore. It’s too bad a lot of the graphics haven’t survived but hey it’s something! It’s 2003, and the trend has changed once again: forums are as popular as ever and considered one of the most successful ways to build a solid audience for one’s own page, which are now treated more like portals or an extension to the forum itself. Super Site’s sections are centered on game guides, nothing too special, but I do love the grey and white grid background on menus and header, as if we’re viewing a notebook page; reminds me of school days. I also really like the gifs section as featured in the review, all those old graphics bring back so much memories of scouting the net to save them all on hard drive!

If you stumble upon one of these sites in Wayback Machine, chances are the ever present affiliates buttons will still be working, allowing you to visit even more fansites. It’s a true trip to the past, and a never ending source of inspiration for me!

#Fandom

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afishlearningpoetry · 4 years ago

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if we theorize that s5 will open with some sort of reveal of john's fake death, do you think the entirety of the series will be a non-linear narrative? or could it be that just the cold open of the first episode will make that revelation and afterwards the narrative will follow the chronological order of events?

Well thinking back to all the other openings, I don’t know if it will be a cold open to his death. Even when TRF opens with a blue John mourning against a window battering with rain we as the audience know he isn’t dead, the opening scene should be about starting the action of the episode. It would be weird to see Sherlock seeing John’s body only for the adventurous opening music to kick in lol — like imagine his grieving face and then the drums start pounding. I mean maybe they could do that with some differences, it would set the tone in a really startling way.

I think it would be really cool if the opening both established how the general public perceived series 4 through John’s blog like the opening of TEH and also had John kicking off the action in some way, trying to find Mary/Moriarty or someone who’s connected to them. No matter what, we shouldn’t see that it’s him doing it though, even if he’s obscured or in disguise, but we should know in retrospect (or right away for us lol) it’s him.

I think the episode will be mostly chronological but feature brief glimpses into the real events of series 4. The show almost never does proper flashbacks like in other shows, but there are exceptions, like the ending of THOB where we see the lab experiment from Sherlock’s perspective. There’s also Mary leaning over Sherlock’s bed where his perspective is very distorted, even though it’s happening chronologically. I think we’ll see the two distinct guns from series 4 again and the same shots but more, like maybe the camera will pan or change the focus to reveal John being the one who shot Mary in TST, and John pointing the gun at his head before breaking free of Mary’s control, something like that, glimpses of Mary controlling John in his house, making sure he doesn’t answer Sherlock’s calls, maybe a glimpse of drugging him, causing him to go into that hypnotic trance.

I also think we’ll get a kind of throwaway explanation of Redbeard, when Mycroft of Sherlock talks about the fake final problem story John invented. The point of the Redbeard thing is that no one made Sherlock, he made himself, especially now I’m seeing that theme a lot in the doctor who seasons I’m watching, but it will have some kind of payoff. Sherlock does hear his bark in the lamp scene in TAB.

“The hybrid” prophecy in series 9, for example, is never explained explicitly, but the audience does get one possible answer that’s more probable than the others without it being THE answer, and it allows ambiguity and emotional resolution to the main relationship of the story (12 and Clara) while still being open to interpretation by the audience. The point of the prophecy is that the doctor pretends to know what the answer is to get what he wants. It doesn’t serve any other plot purpose. I think someone will suggest that Redbeard was put down and Mycroft made fun of him for it and that will be the end of it. It fits everything we know about Redbeard, Sherlock’s mind palace, Mycroft teasing him about it before the wedding, having it written down in his notebook because he’s reminding himself he did that to Sherlock. Gatiss has said as much before when talking about where the final problem twist came from:

“I remember being in Beryl’s [Vertue’s] flat [Sherlock’s executive producer] and we were talking about something else and I said, ‘What if Redbeard is not a dog?’ And then everything clicked from there.” “Redbeard began as a joke. It was a little reference to the fact that Sherlock had been convinced that his pet dog had gone to live on a farm and we sort of took out the cruelty of Mycroft tormenting him and then it became this thing.”

It will have an answer but it won’t be treated as a rubber ducky moment in a dramatic narrative that progresses to the next thing they have to do. My guess is it will be in the resolution of the episode after the plot is resolved to emphasize that it’s not that important. Probably when talking about John’s blog. So I think it will be mostly chronological with brief flashbacks and maybe a marginal jump forward in the opening.

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dansnaturepictures · 4 years ago

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19/03/2021-Home and Lakeside: Brimstone, Great Crested Grebes and more: 10 different photos in this photoset to those I tweeted tonight

I took the first picture in this photoset of a sky scene at home not long after getting up this morning, and it was a much anticipated photo as in taking it I ensured I had made it 365 days in a row that I have taken at least one photo on, what with a year ago today being the last time I worked a full day in the office so ever since in week days I have been working at home so have on most of the days taken a camera with me on my walks and when I didn’t on rainy days for example I took some at home of garden birds, something else in the garden, sunsets etc. This has been such a remarkable and for me unprecedented run. Its included many photos, I produced more in 2020 than ever and in 2021 I have already produced more photos than I did in the whole of 2019 and that figure was in the 1000s! This has included so many brilliant views and sensational wildlife moments, all of which has acted as such an escape in my at times intense working days. Thank you for all your support on this incredible ride for me in these times. We’ll see what happens now, I don’t know whether that day I draw a blank whilst working from home will ever come I fully envisage it may be a day when we finally go back to the office that I won’t be able to take any pictures. I went on to take the second, third and fourth pictures in this photoset of rosehip in the garden, forsythia out the front and a sky dominated scene at Lakeside.

I arrived at Lakeside and was enthused to find two Greylag Geese wallowing about on a small piece of greenery beside the lake, I think they must have been starting to nest as they gave me a little hiss not something I’d often seen from geese before as I walked by the other side of the fence. I tweeted a picture of one on Dans_Pictures tonight with the green complimenting the orange of the bird well I thought. I saw one of the Great Crested Grebes near a nest on this the westernmost lake as I walked on with probably its mate further on.

Back to the point I saw the greylag and I was thrilled to spot a bright Brimstone butterfly gently flitter along the tree line. Another year tick this week as my butterfly year just starts ticking along nicely after a great start to end February before something of a retreat back into winter. I saw one probably this one as it was covering a lot of group flying beside beach lake before I left towards the end of the walk. I always love seeing my first Brimstone of spring its a great moment, adding a good bit of colour variety to my butterflies of 2021 so far. Whilst others are hit and miss year on year and I do well for a different one in different years Brimstone is consistent, in every year that I’ve kept a chronologically ordered butterfly year list Brimstone has only once not been one of my first three butterfly species seen in a year and that was 2013, with two instances of it being my first butterfly seen in a year. I took the fifth and sixth pictures in this photoset of the lakes on that smashing sunny day.

On Concordge lake the southermost one joined to the westernmost there was a pair of Great Crested Grebes the ones I saw yesterday and I believe the inspirational pair that raised the three chicks last year. I took the seventh picture in this photoset of one. They were swimming around near to each other and they were also warming up to do their iconic courtship dance (here is what it is if you don’t know, very romantic and Torvill and Dean’s bolero ice skating performance reminds me of this I wonder if the start of the routine took inspiration from this at all. Topical with ITV’s ‘Dancing on Ice’ finishing the other day one of my favourite TV porgrammes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98ceB5SPRXI). This is something that it pains me to say having watched them for years at Lakeside and right from the beginning of my birdwatching that I have never seen them do this courtship in full. With the two pairs seen today and some other birds around its a goal for me to try to achieve. So with a huge buzz around these two birds, some other photographers and birdwatchers present too, I watched hopefully for the few minutes left of my lunch break that I could devote as the birds dived, they didn’t quite do the full courtship dance in all its glory but I did get to see them face each other, titling heads and getting their bodies upright and mirroring each other. So the very first bits of the dance and I was over the moon to see it as I know other people who I saw bar one person at a safe social distance telling me the grebes were on this lake were. A rush of excitement and a fantastic bit of connection to the spring that is springing. I felt so in tune with these birds I couldn’t wait to see what they did next.

As I walked on I liked seeing Canada and Greylag geese on the grass west of the southernmost lake I did get nice and close to these beautiful birds, taking a unique Canada Goose photo which I tweeted. As I rounded the lakes in this brilliant sunshine I enjoyed seeing a par of Tufted Ducks on Concorde lake. I also loved noticing the periwinkle in a flower bed near the visitor centre which I tweeted a picture of tonight a great colour.

As I walked up the path between the two fenced off area photos from this the eighth and ninth in this photoset the well and truly sunny day become a day that was a lot more like a butterfly day than yesterday, I was very excited to spot another Peacock butterfly after yesterday. I was also thrilled to see in the sunshine again even if not looking right at me one of the regular Roe Deers when walking here too. Always such a pretty sight. especially close to home. When home I took the tenth and final picture in this photoset of Woodpigeons out the back similar to one I took last April. I had a quite close encounter with a grey silverfish that I’ve had in my room over the past year or so tonight. Another really packed spring day to take us into the weekend, even though I only had three days at work this week due to leave it was a packed one for Lakeside walks and photos and the week as a whole was such a wild and special one for me with so much seen and captured. Thanks so much for all your support and I hope you have a nice weekend.

Wildlife Sightings Summary: My first Brimstone of the year, one of my favourite birds the Great Crested Grebe, Mallard, Coot, Moorhen, Canada Goose, Greylag Goose, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull on beach lake again a juvenile that isn’t there always, Lesser-black Backed Gull, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, quite a nice close view of Jackdaws, Goldfinch, House Sparrow, Great Tit, Robin, Peacock butterfly, Grey Silverfish and Roe Deer.

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dorovahkiin · 5 years ago

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SnK Chapter 130: My personal thoughts (SPOILERS)

This chapter was wild - and not surprising at the same time 👀.

- As expected, Annie would break down when finding out about Odiha plan and her father's possible death. It was nice seeing this desperate, emotional side of her since she barely shows it

- Snk-polls' judgement "Annie becoming human" is trash. Annie has been human before

- Annie says she wants to leave, but I'm sure she won't, would be a waste of character after being gone for so long. I think she is either gonna change her mind or (more probable) someone is gonna convince her to stay

- Seems like we won't get Annie vs. Mikasa fight

- Now let's switch to Eren POV. I don't even know where to start... I understood it as almost all (future) flashbacks in this chapter happened when Eren kissed Historia's hand

- All the memories on page 6 are very significant. I think Grisha looking wtf on page 6 is pretty much the moment of the final panel. Dude has the same hair and shirt

- Page 7 could be a tumblr post alone... Eren implies he all wanted this, which is really important to keep in mind!

- Almost all memories on page 7 are future memories in S3 Eren's POV. I don't know how Eren saw Falco. However, I want to focus on the tiny Bertholdt panel on the right which seems to be a past memory:

- It's Bert from Dina's POV as she ignores him to enter Shiganshina immediately (Chapter 96). Why the heck does Eren see this memory?

- There is the theory Eren controlled Dina to ignore Bert and to head directly to his house to kill Carla. To trigger his motivation and the whole plot ("I wanted this all"). By that, it would be a future memory again because he'd manipulate it in the future

- I believe this is absolutely possible. Eren forced Grisha to kill innocent children after all. And even if he loves his mom, I think he is definitely capable of killing her if it serves his grand goal. I wouldn't be surprised if he also manipulated more events

- Imo the story would already be great without this plot twist (if it's true), but if people need it to understand Eren's character I support the theory

- Eren's toxic understanding of freedom is the most important thing to him. He cares about his friends, yes, but freedom is more important. That's why I think he mainly does the rumbling for his philosophy, not for his friends ("I wanted all this")

- This whole chapter was about Eren dehumanising which supports the last point. Calling his enemies "animals" was a peak (No, it was NOT a mistranslation)

- The last pages of kid Eren wanting to destroy titans and adult Eren wanting to destroy the "animals" was a nice parallel which also supports Eren dehumanising. Is dehumanising the right word after all? He was like this all along, "born this way" 🤔

- Since he first claimed to sympathise with his enemies and now calling them animals, I wouldn't be surprised if he'll change his mind about his friends and Eldians either. It would be wtf af if he wanted to eventually kill them either in order to end the cycle of hatred (because Eldians still fight each other). That would be a total peak of Eren dehumanising and I would love that plot twist. Just a wild guess

- Now let's turn to the Hisu flashbacks. I made a whole post about that alone. To summarise it:

- Imo the arrangement of Hisu flashbacks are not in the right chronological order, they are also interrupted by other flashbacks

- I think the last Hisu flashback of the chapter (which fitted perfectly to the Zeke scene THEME-WISE) is chronologically the first moment of the EH scene. So it would be like:

1) Well Eren, what do you think about me having a baby? (follow up of 107 when Kiyomi presented the 50 years plan)

2) This leads to the 50 years plan and MPs talk between Eren and Historia

3) Eren says he doesn't like it and tells her his alternative plan and it stops at Hisu's reaction after "You're the worst"

- This makes much more sense imo, Hisu wouldn't suggest a baby right after this manipulating line of Eren (Yes, I think it's disgusting manipulation, he twisted her words she said back in the cave scene) she first has to emotionally collect herself before proposing something like that out of nowhere

- E + H = Y is still the biggest bs this fandom has ever produced imo

- Hisu is obviously manipulated by Eren, it reminds me of Ymir being manipulated by the first King and her environment. Hisu not exposing Eren's genocide plan has the same reason why Ymir never rebelled against her trash husband, although it destroyed her. This kind of manipulation happens a lot in real life too

- Yes, I still think Historia is against genocide. And I believe she HAS a good heart, she is NOT an evil bitch. Her official stats say Altruism 10/10 after all

- However, even if Eren manipulated her, he still cares for her (though his freedom philosophy is more important again)

- We learn this when love Guru Zeke tells him Mikasa's protectiveness is the result of love, not nonexistent Ackerbond (112 You fcking liar Eren!) and Eren thinks about Historia while Zeke talks about Mikasa

- He notices he is also protective of Historia and might like her in whatever way (He didn't notice before, Zeke just made it clear to him, so another reason why Eren is not the father, especially not in a romantic way)

- Adding the baby flashback during Zeke talk about protecting was perfect theme-wise because Eren wants to protect Historia especially FROM getting pregnant by force as he stated it many times before

- Eren says he has only 4 more years to live, implying he is not interested in a relationship or family. This is another big point why Eren is not the father and I already mentioned that point in November

- Everyone says this chapter confirmed Eren is the hooded figure, but for me it was the confirmation he was not. I don't understand how people constantly miss those points:

- Eren's jacket is FULLY inked, the HF's jacket is not. It's a completely different jacket

- Why would Eren hood himself in the first place at Hisu's farm? He's been there many times before, was never hooded, nor is he hooded in 130

- Furthermore they are outside where everyone can spot them and Eren was not even hooded. It doesn't make fcking sense!

- People literally call me "high" for this take and of course I might be wrong but yes, I still think the hodded figure is Levi

- Yes, I also still believe in fake pregnancy and the hooded figure scene plays a huge part in that. I made a super long post about it in November

- Even if I am wrong and Farmer-kun is the dad (it's definitely NOT Eren), it won't play any importance in the story, the "who's the father" shit distract people too much from the real relevant questions regarding the plot

- Character of this month: Eren and him being more obvious about his true nature

- My rating: 10/10

- Predictions for next chapter: Alliance again, full talking chapter, maybe also a POV switch to Zeke, Floch, Annie's dad or even Historia if we're lucky

- I know a lot of people will hate me for my thoughts on 130, but I'm fine with that

#snk 130 #snk chapter 130 #eren #eren yeager #historia #historia reiss #zeke #zeke yeager #annie #annie leonhardt #snk #snk manga #shingeki no kyojin #bertholdt hoover #rumbling

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overlord-diaries · 5 years ago

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Castlevania Season 3: One really specific fan review.

So now that we’re under shelter in place I’m back on this tumblr bruha again, wildin. [Missed all that good shit of tumblr crashing and burning on itself lmao] Anyway I threw this up a while back after I finished because I had to get it out so YEAH HERE WE GO.

OKAY SO CASTLEVANIA SEASON 3, IN MANY PARTS.

Trevor and Sypha, aka Belnades and Belmont Funtime Adventures: -The best paced of the "routes", but still little dragging. -St. Germain. [and he kept reminding me of FGO Shakespeare] -Kept waiting for the Judge to be Zead. Aka Death, in continuing the nods to Curse of Darkness, the next chronological order game. -NICE FIGHTS. NICE NICE NICE NICE. Animation got a little weird at the last fight but it was still good, looked good. Infinite Corridor, okay. Hell, blase, but whatever that wasn't the point. Satisfying magic blasts, whip GRANDO CROSSSSSSSS. -Excellent final boss music. -I added this part after I got to the end because it's clear this route was the best overall as I had the least to commentate on. -Just this part. 4 outta 5.

Isaac also Has an Adventure: -Netflix Animated Isaac, henceforth Animated!Isaac, has become a decent enough character, though I still think he needs work [from the season 2 which I'll just leave alone], and should've been a separate character if he wasn't going to be Curse of Darkness Isaac [henceforth CoD!Isaac]. -This kind of world-building solo Walking the Earth trope could work, but the pacing wasn't great. -LEGION HOLY SHIT. -In direct comparison to Belnades and Belmont funtimes, he somehow didn't have a good enough ending fight either. EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS LEGION, A CASTLEVANIA MAINSTAY BOSS. -He needs someone else to wax philosophical with but the odds aren't great of anyone else surviving. -Just this part: 2.5 outta 5.

Alucard Experiencing Time at a Troublesome Pace, aka He Should've Gone to Sleep: -Man he should've gone to sleep. As long as there is a Belmont, a Belnades, a Renard, a Morris, Shanoa, etc. around, he goes to sleep. -Fun fact, Taka and Sumi are not siblings. -Fun fact, the Japanese dub of the show, Okiayu Ryoutarou, the original voice of Alucard is in the cast. He voices Trevor though; Shinichiro Miki voices Alucard. I'm never gonna get over that because I'm a fucking seiyuu nerd. -Alucard's arc is a summary of the beautiful landscape and scenery the studios gave us this time, and details on his eyelashes. -Alucard's arc is also a summary of the really awful pacing that resulted from the diverging routes. Very little happened, and a very arbitrary leap of logic has now potentially made a drastic character shift for no real reason. -Better ending: Taka and Sumi, though humans, were actually very loyal to Cho [similar to Hector and Isaac's role to Dracula] and came to hunt down whomever brought about her demise. Or enslave them, upon learning that Alucard played a hand in that. And bring him back to their domain that is thrown in chaos with Cho's absence. Way better. Potential to continue because if they just wanted to capture him, the episode could've ended on that. AND THEN THE FUCKING CASTLE COULD DEMONSTRATE IT'S ELDRITCH ABOMINATION POWERS BY EATING THEM. Or something. -Just this part. 3.5 outta 5. Bonus not-there point because Alucard.

Hector Has a Bad Time, aka It Got Worse: -I cannot fucking believe they decided of anyone, to shaft Hector like this. -You like my stealth pun there? -CURSE OF DARKNESS HECTOR [henceforth CoD!Hector] COULD PUNCH DRACULA IN THE FACE AND HAD THE POWER OF CRISPIN FREEMAN TO VOICE HIM, THIS NETFLIX ANIMATION HECTOR [henceforth Animated!Hector] MAKES ME DEATH METAL GROWL INTO INFINITY. -Fun Fact, in the Japanese dub he is voiced by Takahiro Sakurai. So of course the only joy I got out of this was listening to him whimper. -I DIDN'T SAY THAT. [yesIdid *slurp*] -This entire route was a demonstration of gaslighting at work, but in the most low effort way that it's nearly comical that it still worked. -Design wise, I mentioned this in my live watching posts, Striga looks like she was lifted from Vampire Hunter D, and Morana gave me Natsume Ono [ACCA] vibes. Nice nice nice. -I'm so incensed by what happened with Hector that I can't even comment on the Council of Sisters aside from the fact that I want to stab Carmilla and Lenore. That perma-blush for moe points, get that shit outta here. -AAAAAAAAAAARAARRRRARARHARUAHRUHGHGH-- -Just this part: FUCKING, DAMNIT--1.5 OUTTA 5 AAAAHH

Other, aka The Complaints of a Castlevania Fan: -BOOOOOOO NO JOACHIM, 0 OUTTA 10. -I will write a separate "This is what I wanted out of a cameo from Joachim". -No ost tho? -What even was this pacing? -Was hoping also for more interactions of Castlevania itself with Alucard [the young master~], since he's there by himself. I was actually thinking that would come through because he had the dolls of Trevor and Sypha. -Where is Death? I'm a tad concerned [he also would be the one to call out to the young master~] -I've heard pray tell that the producer wants to make a Devil May Cry animated series as well, and join them into a shared universe [with other future works they do] and that has me apprehensive. When a) Devil May Cry already has an anime, and b) there's still improvements to be made for Castlevania. -Listen new characters and taking advantage of the expanse of lore and open-ended story that presents itself with the absence of Dracula is great. But it has to be good. Like anything else.

Overall, 8 outta 10.

Twas a horrible night to have a curse.

#overlord: if #rantble #review #castlevania #Castlevania Netflix #season 3 #[it was a thing]#[BOOOO NO JOACHIM]

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