#support viewer -> [leif]

[chryssaetos]

[ ADRESTIA ] 

The Ethereal Ball is no stranger to dances, and furthermore it is no stranger to pushing complete stranger together through the trading off of partners at specific musical cues. In the end, this places Leif in the path of a man he's never seen before with a distinct style of dress. That on its own piques his interest, but when he takes a closer look...

“ Did you make that other necklace yourself? The one without the pearls, ”  Leif asks.  “ It looks well-made. I'm not much for handicrafts myself, but I make my own fishing lures from feathers and scales or horsehair when I can. ”

The music starts up, however.

“ Oh, right! We're supposed to be dancing. I got so interested, I almost forgot. ”  Falling in line with social pressures, Leif extends his hand to join with the other man's.  “ While we dance, I'd like to learn more about your necklace. I can give you my own pearl charm if you need it too afterwards if you want something in exchange for it. ”

When someone compliments something you're wearing, your first instinct probably shouldn't be to hide it away, if not leave entirely.

But that's just the kind of person he's become, Sin supposes, someone who wants to stay away from peering eyes and the avarice of the settled. Let none say that Sin of the Kutolah is ashamed of his blood, but... Bern's war had changed things. Changed how he feels the gaze of others on his back.

It is only at his Lord's command that he had thought differently of his old way of living, letting himself be curious about the world outside Sacae instead of retreating back into that steppe his heart knows best, and it hasn't gone... Terribly, he supposes?

"...Thank you." Sin is always a bit terse, but tonight there's a devastating shyness somewhere deep in there, too — People don't tend to regard him like this; take him by the hand, tell him he's more than just a good soldier. "I did."

He remembers the feeling well, horsehair and wool coming together to make something stronger than both their parts... It makes Sin wonder: Is that what the point of these dances are? Even as he's cajoled into steps he doesn't know by a man he's never met, it's hard to feel nervous.

"...That's fine. Your favor for mine."

Above all, Sin finds himself magnetized by this man's eyes. What dreams he must have, to make them shine so... Perhaps, one day, he'll have a dream of his own to stare ahead towards, to guide him like his Lord has.

[milkywaydrinker]

Normally I'm someone who really tries to see things positively when engaging with media, who prefers to give it the benefit of the doubt, understand what the creators were going for, and appreciate the angle they actually intended.

And that's the thing with Amphibia; I've tried all that. I'd be a lot less critical of how Amphibia handled its worldbuilding (or didn't) if it was because they were busy focusing on the interpersonal relationships of the characters. I wouldn't really complain if it felt like the writers were at least doing something, even if it wasn't the specific thing/direction I personally preferred.

But Amphibia's problem is that it feels like the writers weren't doing anything; The show is neither plot nor character-driven, it feels as if the writers are actively wasting time with formulaic sitcom plots in which the characters 'learn a lesson' that they never really apply afterwards, with said episode not impacting their overall character. It's like a supposed flaw is introduced and resolved within eleven minutes, there's no buildup and thus no satisfaction to characters, particularly the Plantars, conquering an issue they've had for a while.

That isn't to say the Plantars haven't changed at all, but given Amphibia was given three whole seasons and how much focus the Plantars take up, it's actually disheartening to realize how little they develop with all that in mind (and in Hop Pop's case, he becomes flanderized and worsens, and not in a good way). At first I tried to give Amphibia the benefit of the doubt, reasoning that the Plantars are overlooked because anthropocentrism leads the viewers to prioritize human characters...

But now that the show is finished and I have hindsight, I really can't blame fans for making it all about Sashannarcy, because they're the only characters who are treated with consistent emotional depth and change. The Plantars are just meant to be goofy sitcom characters and are supposedly Anne's true friends and emotional support, but they do nothing to help her cope over True Colors' betrayals in season 3, and that's because the show decided there is nothing for Anne to cope over, thus weakening her story.

It's apparent that the Plantars are just kind of sort of there during the plot-driven moments of the show, and the writers struggled to shoehorn in a last-minute thing for them to do; Like Sprig finding Leif's note, even though he has no connection to her whatsoever beyond as a distant ancestor, or the Plantars referencing a 2A episode to defeat the herons that, while relevant, are re-introduced without any buildup and had already played their part.

The Plantars are just notably stagnant and flat, which is ironic since Matt chose to write about Amphibians because they're animals who represent change; But in practice, it's the human girls who feel fleshed out and developed (to an extent at least) while the Plantars, who are mainstays and supposed to be Anne's true friends, remain largely the same. Only Polly changes for the better, but she has the least focus out of the three, and the other Amphibian side-characters don't fare any better. It's no wonder people associate the Plantars with the frustrating, limiting sitcom aspect of the show because that's what they represent in the end.

Again, if the writers actually did anything meaningful with the Plantars and were consistent about their development, I wouldn't complain as much if at all. But it feels like they were given all of this potential and all of this runtime and just wasted it on repetitive slice-of-life antics that I can find in other shows like Big City Greens or TGAMM, which do that better because they actually know what they're about. It feels so inefficient, like most of an episode will be goofy antics but I guess a brief detail occurs that contributes to the larger plot, so technically you can't write off the whole thing as filler! I'm sorry but Matt insisting "There is no filler in Amphibia" was an invitation for people to evaluate the show and see if it lives up to that claim.

I have mixed feelings about this personally.

When it comes to writing, Amphibia falls apart similarly to the last seasons of Star Vs. The statement that "There's no filler in Amphibia" isn't necessarily false. I dislike the idea that only the episodes that push the plot forward have any value. You could make an argument that s1 especially had no filler because of all of the new and unfamiliar things that needed introducing. Season 3 doesn't get a pass though. The prevailing opinion about s3a is that it was a waste of time. Earth doesn't need much introduction at all and all of the townie episodes fall flat (maybe except the ones that focus on Anne's parents or Polly) and I'm not going to get into the Mr.X thing for the sake of my sanity.

The Earth episodes don't accomplish anything at all because despite the abundance of time, what has happened in True Colors casts a long, dark shadow over any feel-good slice-of-life silliness the show might try to push. Episodes like Spider-Sprig, just with the title alone made many people groan. The only reason episodes like that work are likable characters. That's why many Ronaldo focused episodes of SU were met with exasperation, he was easily the most unlikable townie in the whole show.

That's also why shows like OK KO were able to both create and engaging plot and great slice of life, sitcom episodes. The plot hinges on those fun, colorful characters growing and changing, often due to shenanigans, not despite them. People cared about the characters and their relationships. The characters grew and learned despite the show's largely episodic nature and the grand finale felt earned.

It's the backpedaling I've mentioned before. They probably felt like they pushed the dark tone too far in True Colors and wanted to counter it. They failed. The only thing the audience could think about during those episodes was the aftermath of the s2 finale. I remember people reading into the most improbable slivers of subtext to connect all of that back to Marcy or Sasha. I remember people going crazy for anything that could hint at Anne coping with trauma or something, anything. S3a feels weightless and inconsequential and is the greatest sin the show has ever committed.

It's hard to judge the writers. We don't know what was happening behind the scenes. Maybe they were pushed into making more lighthearted episodes for reruns? The only thing we can judge is the end result and let's not beat around the bush, it was underwhelming at best, frustrating at worst. We knew they were capable of more but for some reason that didn't happen. Matt acted in an almost condescending manner towards the critics, it didn't pay off and riled up many of the former and current fans.

In the end, it's just a shame, really. At its best, the show was captivating, with hard hitting emotional peaks and nice slice-of-life episodes. At its worst it was tedious, cagey about the lore and darker parts of the story and apathetic to its own characters. I still enjoy parts of it, but the bad outweighs the good in my personal opinion.

[lorewarden]

Why I love Mariam (a drunken ramble)

Throughout Vikings Valhalla, we get 5 major female characters - Freydis and Jarl Haakon, the warriors, and Emma and Aelgifu, the politicians. While these 4 have their layers, are far from simplified archetypes (well, mostly), are deserving of and have probably gotten detailed essays dedicated to them, we're here to talk about the scholar - Mariam.

Her first scene takes place in Novgorod at Yaroslav's table, when Leif is being prodded by the monarch. We know nothing of her - our first impressions of her are the way she reacts to Leif's speech. How she emotes. And from the get-go, there is a warmth to her, a tenderness, a poetic, dreamer spirit (to match Leif's own), I would venture to say.

Then the window scene happens, to showcase just how educated and ahead of her time she is. When she explains the comet, we the modern viewer are inclined to say "wow, they understood these things as far back as the 11th century?" In this, she firmly establishes her role in the story moving forward - and stays true to it. But she also in no way belittles Leif's interpretation of the comet. Though she does offer a scientific point of view, her facial expressions and overall demeanor towards him in no way belittle anything he'd said.

And this is it. Curiosity and kindness. That is Mariam in a nutshell.

Throughout the season, she retains that spirit of fascination with all things in the world around her - and that warmth.

You see, while it was enjoyable to see her continue to tutor Leif and to just witness her brilliant mind at work, what truly moved me about her character - and continues to move me on my 6th rewatch - is her warmth.

It's in her eyes anytime she interacts with anyone in the crew. It's in the soft touches, the comfort and the moral support that she offers when most needed. It was never just Leif, she would unapologetically, shamelessly, offer a shoulder touch, a hug, a gentle stroke on the face to ANY ONE of the crew.

She is also allowed two things that we don't often see in modern storytelling in regards to female characters. Though she is disgusted by Gestr and his treatment of slaves, she never actually does anything about it. And when under attack from Varangians and Pechenegs, she clearly shows fear. Never once does she take up arms.

It might be easy to call her weak, passive, a hypocrite even - but let's not forget that, at the end of the day, physical strength is not the only way to be strong even if she is a woman in a man's world. Yes, she relies on the men around her to do the heavy lifting - so what? She is a scholar and an inherently gentle soul. It would be vastly out of character for her to act otherwise. And she is surrounded by people who possess that other sort of strength. She retains her empathy and curiosity in such a world, and that is the greatest strength of character we've seen on this show.

Don't even get me started on Hayat Kamille's acting. She conveys so much through subtle facial expressions, through the silence, as most British theatre-trained actresses do. Why isn't she a bigger name? Anyway, I digress. In a world which encourages violence and skepticism, let's all try to focus a bit more on empathy, open displays of kindness - however small, the joy of learning, the unironic passion... In a world full of Freydis' and Emmas, let's strive to be a Mariam.

[professorneolith]

please show the rest of the gay ways neo sits!!!!! thats the original image right

[ID: An image of 12 different bugs sitting on a sofa in various “incorrect” ways. From left to right, top to bottom. 1. Eetl sitting on the sofa with his back leaning in the corner between the back and left armrest, his left leg cross over the right knee, and his hands almost folded together on his belly. Below is the text “The Normal Sidelean”. 2. Leif sitting on the left, sitting so the armrest is supporting his back a little over halfway up. He has his head buried into his neck fluff up to just below his eyes. The rest of his body is on the sofa, taking all the space, and one stick-limb foot crosses the other. The text under: Selfish Prick. 3. Neo sitting on the sofa leaning on the left armrest, his knees brought up his chest, arm folded in front of him, and he’s smiling. Text below: The Comfy Sidelean. 4. Wasp King in a similar position to Leif, but his head is resting on his left hand with his elbow on the sofa cushion for support. He looks mildly pissed off and takes up about three fourths of the space. Text below: Ranch you prick move over. 5. Kabbu sitting on the left with his left arm on the armrest, his other arm across his right leg, and legs spread a bit. Text below: That’s better. 6. King Hector IV sitting right in the middle of the sofa with his legs crossed. Text below: Hector your fucking dick. 7. Artis also sitting in the middle. His upper arms rest across the top of the back of the sofa, his forearms dangling down the back cushion. His legs are as far as possible, taking up all the space. Text below: Artis NO. STOP THAT. 8. Fuff isn’t even on the sofa. Instead, he’s sitting on the floor in front of it. Both legs are bent, one against the floor and the other with the bottom of his “foot” against the floor so his knee is in front of his chest. He’s looking up to the right looking like he’s about to cry. Text below: Fuff. Sit on the fucking sofa. 9. Kina is sitting on the left armrest with her feet nubs on the cushion and her elbows resting on her legs. Text below: KINA. WHAT. THE. FUCK. 10. Vi lying down on the top of the back cushions, her chest and stomach touching the cushions and her arms and legs on either side. Text below: VI. 11. Moth Yin lying on her back in the middle of the sofa, facing the viewer. Her arms lie across her chest. Text below: Yin. I believed in you. 12. Maki sitting similarly to Kina, but turned the other way so his feet nubs are on the floor. His elbows rest on his legs with hands held together. Text below: Maki have you ever been on a fucking sofa. End ID]

hi heres the rest of the pic i was allowed to post it :)

[mothfishing]

[image description: vi walking toward the viewer, surrounded by flames. in the distance behind her, leif and kabbu wave their support. her expression is confident and determined. circling her are three medals - poison attacker, eternal venom, and reverse toxin. end image description.]

putting the vi in violence! art by me, animation by fuade!

[aspiestvmusings]

ZEP PARALLELS: S2 vs S1

POSSIBLE SPOILERS?

WARNING: Super long post. 

Parallels & Similarities (and differences) between S1 & S2

Includes episodes 2x01, 2x02, 2x03: 

2x01 Zoeys Extraordinary Return

Wake-up songs/Zoey & Mo: Opening the season with Zoey being woken up by Mo singing "in real life" & waking her up. "Rise up" in 2x01 AND "Angel of the Morning/Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" in 1x01. We first see Zoey in her bedroom. And the first two characters we meet are Zoey & Mo.

Zoey + baby: In both premieres Zoey has an encounter with a baby. In 2x01 we see her interact with her brother's son (the new baby, Miles) VS in 1x01 she encounters  new mom with a baby on the cable car during the first ever big musical number she experiences (Help!) #whenwillshestarttohearthebabysheartsongs 

Clarkeman & Coffee: The first Zoey/Max scene/interactions happens over "coffee break before work". In 2x01 we see them meting up for a coffee on a park bench before she heads over to work VS in 1x01 we see them getting coffee at the cofee bar on their way to work. In both scenes Max, her best friend, encourages/supports her (you will get the promotion VS it's a shield...to shield you from the world when you need it").

Jumping to conclusions: In 2x01 Zoey assumes that Max giving her the small jewelry box means he's proposing ("Relax, I'm not proposing") VS In 1x02 Zoey assumes that Max is asking her on a romantic dinner date, when he tells her he won the lottery to the restaurant they both love. ("Thursday night. Is it a date?" / "Is it a date?" "No! I just mean like can you go?")

Legs up!: Peoples legs getting close to Zoey's face during big musicals numbers: Leif's & Simon's during "Hello Dolly" in 2x01 at the 4th floor bullpen VS Joan's during "Satisfaction" in the elevator in 1x03. 

Promotion: In 1x01 Zoey wants the promotion & has an "interview" with Joan to get it VS in 2x01 she does not want the new job (added responsibility, when she jsut wants to "lay low") but Joan just asks her to take it. And by the end of the episode she gets the promotion/accepts the promotion, and we see her "first day at work on the new job". And in both episodes she has a competitor - Leif, who is also interested in a promotion. 

Interesting: In 2x01 Mo tells Zoey "So the powers are back - you're interesting again!" VS 1x01 when she tells him about her new superpower Mo tells Zoey: "This is the 1st thing I find remotely interesting about you". 

Mo is the honest friend: In 2x01 Mo speaks the honest truth... which is what Zoey actually needs to hear JUST LIKE he has been doing throughout S1. He might not always say the nicest things, but he's alwyas honest. And its what Zoey's character needs. (eg. Mo knows that she just lost her dad & it's a hard time for her, but her problems are still not bigger than everyone elses. Or like he calls her out on her chase/hesitation over the two teams in S1)

Tech-savvy Zoey to the rescue: In 2x01 Zoey uses her tech skills to "hack into Mitch's e-mail account" when her mom can't find the password & access it for info she needs (that dad left them) VS in1x03 Zoey comes up with a way to communicate with Mitch... (after David comes up with the Yes/No buzzer) & creates a computer program which allows him to type his answers using a mouse. 

Etsy: In 2x01 Joan tells Zoey "I like your sweater, its cute that you shop at Etsy" VS in 1x01 Tobin tells Zoey: "I thought you would be doing each others nails & buying matching tote-bags off Etsy in there."

Blessing or curse? In 1x12 Zoey told her dad that she has chosen to look at her musical power more like a "gift/blessing" (it allowed her to communicate with dad, helped her form bonds with others, help people...) and she said she's not minding the big musical numbers the way she used to. She even considers they're helpin g her instead. VS in 2x01 she tells Mo that she hopes the power won't return & when it does, she finds it "overwhelming" & cannot deal with any of it. 

Bottling it up: In 2x01 George sings "Don't cry out loud. Just keep it inside. And learn how to hide your feelings."  That song is as much about George's feelings about being the new guy, as it is another reference to Zoey's state of mind VS in 1x01 we learn that both Zoey & Simon keep their grief emotions bottled up (and they should not). As the dilogue from the Pilot already told us: Zoey: "Are you talking to anyone about this?" Simon: "Other than you? No. I've become a real expert of bottling my shame & pain, and hiding it from the world." Zoey: "I'm not an expert on this or anything, but you cant just keep it in."

Family & Grief: The Clarke family all singing "Carry on" & sitting down the table to eat dinner together at the end of 2x01... with a happy note about the future in their minds VS The Clarke family all singing "American Pie" on the funeral day at the end of 1x12, and all sitting at the living room (on the coach, chairs)...with a sad note about the present in their minds. 

The premiere episodes end with a "surprise" Max (and Zoey) "twist": ep 1x01 ends with a surprise heart song from Max which makes Zoey & the viewers aware of his feelings for her VS 2x01 ends with a surprise decision from Zoey where she "chooses Max". Also parallels to 1x12: in both 2x01 & 1x12 Zoey comes onto/kisses Max as he's telling her about his new outlook on life & business ideas. In both cases she's (partly) trying to forget grieving her dad, and needs him for the distraction. Both endings were "sudden" & "unexpected"

Family picture wall: In 2x01 Maggie is holding baby Miles (her grandson) & "showing him" the family photos on the wall VS in 1x01 Zoey sees her & dad's reflection on the picture on the wall...as Mitch first communictes with her... by singing his first heart song to her.  

Move forward: Zoey's words to Max about the business plans & their relationship actually apply as much to herself and her grief as they do for this situation: "You should absolutely move forward with it" & "You always have to move forward" 

2x02 Zoeys Extraordinary Distraction [+ (base)balls]

Hooking up: In 2x02 Zoey says to Max "we have been hooking up for the last 5 minutes" VS in 1x12 she tells her dad "I just hooked up with my best friend". In both cases Zoey makes the first move & kisses Max. In both hooking up scenes the popcorn is forgotten...

She/They both want to believe she's feeling the moment & is ready, but it is mostly just one coping mechanism... her way of distracting herself from the grief. Cause in no way has she shown signs of actually choosing him. [what dawned on the characters only 2 weeks later was obvious to viewers before they "got together" aka the moment she "chose him"] 

We saw her pick a team, but there have been no actual reasons or feelings expressed  by her why she chose him (the reasons she gave in "act five"  were about her needing him at the moment, not about why or how she really feels about him). The writing has still not included her POV & her sharing her feelings (cause she’s not ready for that...yet) They gave small glimpses during few scenes, but no real look into it. 

Get out!: Tobin being kicked out of the meeting by DMD/Zoey - "Get out, Tobin"/"Would you like to get out, Tobin?" AND Zoey getting kicked out from the makeover night by Mo - "Get out!" / "Girl, I don't care that you look like Rafiki. Get out!"

That came out wrong: Zoey told Simon in 2x02 about making his job not so easy "I am gonna ride you so...hard... Nope, that came out wrong"...She adds the last part as she hears herself say the words. VS Tobin was talking about being commited to work in 1x08 by saying "Hardworking, committed, serious. Watch how fast I nail this. Speaking of nailing... Nope, not gonna make the joke.." He adds the last part as he hears himself say the words

Food stealer: Zoey "I steal food from my best friends plate/bowl" Clarke. She ate from his plate during their dinner date at her place. And then she ate from his cereal bowl during the Clarke family breakfast "the morning after".

Older siblings: Jenna's is the less successful older sibling/sister (2x02) just like Leif is the less successful older sibling/brother (1x05). They both feel like "not enough" compared to their younger sibling(s), who they feel are more "perfect". 

Cardigan buddies: Leif & Zoey: cardigan buddies! Interestingly these two are the two 4th Floor Team members, who are most similar: both have a bike/like cycling (Leif often hs his bicyle helmet on his desk, so he rides a bike to work & Zoey has a bike in her apartment). Both love to wear cardigans, and the wardrobe department often has them in matching outfits/colours...Same this week. Both were/are the team members, who are in many ways "biggest messes" (most awkward), but both had/have the most ambition...they wanted and got the promotions. Both struggled in their new manager position..at first (and got help and good advice from their boss).

Team Leaders: Leif doing all the work alone (and exhausting himself...because he wants to be liked & hasn't yet settled into his new role as team leader... He has to learn to be their boss,  ot just their buddy...to get the team listen & for there to be teamwork) VS Zoey doing all the work alone (pre-S1 when she wanted the promotion +) during S1 when she had just become the boss: sending everyone home, cause they "didn't try hard enough", and fixing all the issues alone... VS Mo wanting to do it all alone in his early 20s (when he took over the project he had been working on with his best friend, cause "he's too good at goobyes") Both struggled with the new job, both got help/advice from their boss (Zoey from Joan & Leif from Zoey)

Sleeping at work:  Lief  being woken up by Zoey in 2x03 after he falls asleep when pulling an all-night at work (working  all night) VS Simon waking up Zoey in 1x02 after she falls asleep at work (behind her desk) after pulling an all-nighter alone. 

Leif's pants: In 2x02 Zoey tells Leif "Dust off your slim-fitting chinos" VS in S1 Joan makes a comment on Leif's pants. [I cannot remember the ep number right now] 

Go big or go home!: We found out Mitch's/Zoey’s dads motto in S1. It's "bigger moments, bigger memories" AND In 2x02 Zoey goes for the "bigger moment" - she tailors their first time together to suit Max's wishes (it should be special: the swan & rose petals are more for him than her) VS In 1x07 Max organizes a flash mob to confess his love for Zoey (something she as her dad's daughter secretly appreciates). She calls it unexpected & amazing & while she runs, its not cause she does not appreciate the "big gesture". The only reason she is overwhelmed & runs is because she is doing everything in her power to bottle up her feelings towards Max (1x06 ending proved she has feelings for him) & she did not want to deal with them at the moment. (the flashmob is more his style, but she is not opposed to it)

Come here: Max saying "Come here" to Zoey in the 2x02 dinner date scene at her place & during act five bedroom scene AND Max saying the same line "Come here" to Zoey in 1x12 during the "All of me/Pitbull" scene. 

Mix of songs: In 2x02 during the Z/M bedroom scene the scene switched between different songs & tones (romantic/ballad vs comic/neutral baseball song VS romantic mutual duet) VS in 1x12 during the Z/M movie night turned more scene the scene switched between different songs & tones (romantic/ballad vs comic/fast song) 

Dueting: In 2x02 Zoey joins Max for "A Moment Like This" during Act 5. She chooses to duet with him, becuase she feels the same way as he does. VS in 1x08 Max joins Zoey for "Pressure" at the CHIRP meeting... salvaging the presentation, when she involuntarely sings the songs (cause of the "glitch"). 

Opera songs + Sex: In 2x02 Zoey & Max are distracted by Mo singing opera & it's ruining the specialness of them trying to "do the nasty" VS in 1x04 Max sings opera the morning after he & Autumn "make their first love"

It’s a very not next-level move: In 2x02 during the morning after Max & Zoey are "caught" by her mom/family, and though it is awkward for a moment (because they seem to be surprised by the sudden change), meeting the family/parents does not seem such a next-level move, because Max has been kind-of part of the family for a while already. VS 1x05 where Max tells Zoey that meeting Autum's parents (he was dating her at the time) seems like such a next-level move, and she was not ready for any of it. VS all the times we saw Max interact with Zoeys family... in 1x02 with Mitch, in 1x06 helping the family with Mitch, in 1x12 with Maggie...

2x03 Zoeys Extraordinary Dreams [+ eggs]

NASA/Space theme: Zoey's NASA/space themed PJs and Tees + all the space references in both her childhood bedroom and her current apartment (telescope, posters, etc) 

Musical nightmares/Dreams: In 2x03 Zoey is having a recurring nightmare where in the end she faces herself while the song "Nowhere to Run" plays #allbymyself VS in 1x02 Zoey was having a much happier weird dream...with a twist ending while the song "I've Got the Music in Me" plays

A sad Emma Stone Halloween costume: Black PJs Zoey wears in the nightmare in 2x03 are the same ones she wears in 2x01 on the last day of her time off. The look Mo calls "a sad Emma Stone Halloween costume" (as he suggests she put on some colours instead)

Coach & Photo on the wall: Basically the only items in the empty Clarke house during Zoeys nightmare are the coach (where Mitch used to sit all the time & where Zoey/the family sat in S1 finale...the day the music died) & the picture on the wall (where she saw Mitch reflection the first time he sang to her/communicated with her). Her nightmare/dance are directed at those objects. 

Breaking glass: In 2x03 George breaks the glass wall/window of Zoey's/The bosses office when the team plays baseball at the office VS in 1x02 Zoey breaks the glass award/throphy in Simons office when she throws the american football ball. George & Zoey aka "I'm terrible around glass" people 

On repeat: Zoey being hunted by the same nightmare/dream throughout the episode in 2x03... until she stopped trying to avoid them and talked about them/did something about it VS Zoey being haunted by the same song "(I Can't get no) Satisfaction" thoughtout episode 1x03... until she  stopped avoiding it and helped Joan. 

I can't get no sleep: Zoey not sleeping because of the nigtmares she's having VS David/Emily not getting any sleep because of the baby (most new parents are sleep-deprived, because babies don't always have the same sleep-schedule as adults do) 

Mitch's/Zoey's spot on the coach: Zoey sitting on the coach with a blank look on her face at the end of "Nowhere to Run" nightmare VS Zoey sitting on the coach with a sad look on her face at the end of "American Pie" in 1x12 [in the nightmare shes sitting at MItch's spot, in s1 finale she's looking at the empty spot next to her] 

Red dress: The red dress the OTHER Zoey is wearing in her nightmare as she opens her door VS The (same) red dress Zoey is wearing as she & her dad dance as instrumental version of "True Colours" is playing in 1x12 (as he's dying). Same dress. 

Too much on her plate: Zoey taking on too many responsibilities and not being able to handle it. In S2 she is living the post-loss stage of grief + she's taken the new promotion and added jobs and responsibilities + she is avoiding dealing with her issues + she has started a new relationship (she is not ready for, actually) + she keeps hearing heart songs which kinda help her with knowing what others feel, but it's also distracting and overwhelming to her "reducing stress is a little tricky since I've taken over the 4th floor & have 10-times the respnsibility now"]  VS in S1 she is dealing with losing her father soon + she's taken the new promotion and added job responsibilities + she is avoiding dealing with her own issues ("face her father") + she is helping people whose heart songs she hears. In S2 it kinda culminates in ep 3, in S1 it kinda culminated  in ep 8. when she says "How do I do that? Because helping myself would mean taking a vacation from Sprk Point, or curing my father's disease."

Manager advice: In 2x03 Zoey asks Simon advice about how to manage all the extra work & he tells her about delegating work (sharing responsibiities) VS in 1x02  Zoey asks/gets help from Simon on how to manage the team (and still get to go home on time/get all the work done on time) 

Not the right person to help: In 2x03 Zoey wants to hep her mom, but she feels like she's not the right person to do that, because she has no insight into the topic (does not know anything about landscaping & art) + she would probbly not have the time or energy right now, cause she has so much other things going on... VS in 1x11 she wants to help her mom, but feels since she has no personal experience (has not lost a husband of 4-years), she is not the right person to help her. Both times a heart-song heps her find the right person (in her opinion) for the job. In 2x03 it's Jenna, in 1x11 it was Deb. 

No communication: In S2 & 2x03 Zoey is not really opening up to Max, but she is communicating her feelings to him...somewhat. Telling him about her nightmares/dreams, and that they're affecting her. Though not really going too much into the experience (because she hopes they will magically disappear if she wishes they will...) VS In S1 Zoey avoided opening up to Max & sharing her feelings with him more. Though she still uses the same tactics - trying to keep it all inside, and avoid dealing with her feelings and grief and everything related to it (hoping that if she avoids it then it doesn't exist...even if she probably knows that this is not how any of it works). She's trying to share a bit more with him, her best friend, but at the same time she is still bottling it all up inside...

My heart song does not mean what you think it means: In 2x03 Max says to Zoey after she hears a heart song from him (which he assumes might be that he is "jealous" that she talks to Simon, her grief-buddy at work about her personal life & nightmares) that "People can have a lot of thoughts in their heads without meaning them. / You can't read into it." VS Zoey's quote: "I don't know what that song is saying exactly what we think its saying" & "You can't be mad at me for singing a song I didn't mean to sing" in 1x08. 

Dinner Date gone wrong: In 2x03 Max tries to cook a home-made dinner for Zoey (at her mom's place), but when she hears him singing a heart song it leads to an "argument" between the two and he leaves VS in 1x10 Simon tries to cook a home-made dinner for Zoey (at his new place), but when she hears him singing a heart song it leads to an "argument" and her leaving. 

PS. Based on Zoey's reaction the song is either "Say Something" (because a person sings theei song until Zoey responds/helps..and she only did at the end of the episode) OR it's a reprise of a certain song fro S1 (but if I'm right not a song you'd expect) OR ... it's a completely different song... that we would not expect. And based on Zoeys reaction & the shows choice not to show/tell us the song... it has to be a "surprise", and if it would be simply "he's feeling jealous over Z/S grief connection" or if it was "Say Something"...that would  not be a twist, but since I expect this to be setting up a future story, it'd be not very creative writing if it was one of these options. Which is why I have a theory... (I'm not sure about the song... I'm not even sure the showrunner/writer has decided yet... but I have a guess on the "theme/feelings")

Timing is off: In 2x03 Zoey & Max decide to put their new relationship on hold until she is ready...to give her time to grieve and work through the emotions VS in 1x10 Zoey & Simon decide to put breaks on their relationshop-to-be until he is ready... to give him time to work through his emotions.

Say Something/Happier: In S2/2x03 Zoey & Max are in a relationhip, but they do  not communicate well. Because she does not open up to him about her grief & "he does  not know how to help cause he has not had the same experience" VS in S1/1x05-1x09 Simon & Jessica are in a relationship, but they do not communicate well. Because he does not open up to her about his grief & she does not know how to help cause she has not had the same experience. 

While there are similarieties in the storylines, there are also differences. S/J let the third party in the relationship, grief, get between them and it drove them apart, cause they stayed together until it broke them apart. Z/M came to a mature decision to not let the third party in the relationship defy them, they took a break so the grief would not end up breaking them apart. 

PS. While we've ony seen the start of this storyline, I do believe that this is where it's going. They're not gonna repeat S/Js mistake, but instead they will "learn from it", and by deciding to take some time now they will be ready to continue where they left off once she's ready. Cause they both made the false assumption in 2x01 that she was ready. They were heading toward S/J, but theyre kinda trying to avoid that by the decisoon in 2x03.

Grief therapist: In S2 Simon is Zoey's grief councelor/therapist... he gives solid advice to her about her grief and how to deal with her feelings/emotions VS In S1 Zoey was Simon's grief councelor/therapist...she gave him often pretty solid advice about grief and how to deal with the situations. The roles have reversed.

   Mind-reader: In 2x03 Max brings up the topic that he is unconfortable how Zoey can just "read his mind" and know everything he thinks & feels (have insight into how he feels...also about her), while he has no idea what she thinks/how she feels...because she won't really share. VS 2x02 When in Act 5 he says he'd like to know what she's thinking/feeling & she tells him what she's feeling VS 1x07 when Max bring up the fact that he is uncomfortable with her knowing how he thinks while he has no insight into her mind (after which she promises 100% honesty to him.... that she'll be open with him... which to this day she has not been able to really do) VS 1x04 when Mo expresses concern that she can read other people thoughts & he's not okay with her having insight into his private thoughts & feelings. 

Time apart: In 2x03 Zoey puts some space between herself & Max, when they agree to take a break, cause she's not done grieving/not ready for a relationship VS In 1x02 Zoey puts space between her & Max when she sets him up with their barista in the previous episode (because she is not ready to let herself even consider  romantic path between them, so she "fixes it")

THE END...for now

[markoftheasphodel]

The Blue Lions and the Burden of Tradition

Note: spoilers related to multiple Fire Emblem games including FE1/11, FE2/15, FE3/12, FE5, and FE8 follow.

The classic Fire Emblem plot line is the one sketched out by its first installment, Dark Dragons and the Sword of Light, all the way back in ’90. Young Prince Marth loses homeland in surprise betrayal, mopes in exile, gathers allies, retakes homeland, unites continent, defeats dragon, settles down to become virtuous ruler with love interest at his side. Then Fire Emblem Gaiden offered a counterpoint narrative in which a scrappier hero, village boy Alm, unites half a continent through military prowess before he even finds out he’s the prince, whereupon he too can defeat a big bad monster and settle down with his childhood companion/love interest as his consort. Marth restores order to The Way Things Were, But Better. Alm sweeps away a corrupt order entirely and puts something else in its place. One can be viewed as fundamentally conservative, looking back to an idealized past and trying to recreate it without the old mistakes. The other is revolutionary, but the way the revolution plays out the New Boss has an awful lot in common with the Old Boss (kings, nobles, churches). Any way you slice it the best outcome is a Just Ruler with the blessings of heaven and democracy ain’t in the cards. These two basic narratives have shaped every single installment of Fire Emblem to date. Some lean more heavily on the Marth narrative (Binding Blade), some on the Alm narrative (Path of Radiance), and others combine elements of both— Thracia 776, Sacred Stones, and Awakening all take some of Column A and some of Column B and and achieve strikingly difference outcomes.

The Blue Lions route of Three Houses offers the latest iteration of that classic Marth narrative, and it proves the deepest, richest, most nuanced look at that storyline to date even if it’s ultimately constrained by its own tropes.

 Its protagonist, Prince Dimitri, is introduced as a polite and courtly young man, the image of a Fire Emblem princeling, and as Part I of Three Houses unfolds the viewer is let into just how much of a Fire Emblem Prince Dimitri is. He’s the last hope of his house and kingdom, an orphan who lost his family under traumatic circumstances, and he’s struggling to maintain his peaceful ideals in the face of his lingering trauma and suppressed rage. As Dimitri receives both character revelation and character development through Part I, he echoes not just Marth but Thracia 776’s Leif and Ephraim from Sacred Stones, and those echoes carry over strongly to Part II of this route.

Likewise, Dimitri’s fellow Blue Lions, initially just another lot of fresh-faced schoolchildren, reveal themselves to be the Three Houses iterations of some classic “archetypes” of Fire Emblem. We have the “steady” traditionalist knight in Ingrid, the more unruly “rowdy” knight in Sylvain, the sullen swordmaster in Felix, the bright-eyed archer in Ashe, the bright-eyed mage in Annette, the demure healer with the convoluted backstory in Mercedes, and the battered old retainer in Gilbert. If you expect your “Christmas Knights” and “Navarre” and “Lena” and whatnot out of a Fire Emblem game, Blue Lions offers the entire set; they’re just a little harder to detect thanks to the open class system and lack of convenient color-coding.

Where the Blue Lions breaks with three-decades-old expectations is in its handling of the resident heavy; Dedue fills a slot on the starting team usually given short shrift (see: Draug, Bors), but in terms of plot and character and— critically— personal value to Dimitri he transcends both the stale Armor Knight niche that his character design nudges him to be and the Devoted Retainer trope that’s gotten a bit weird in recent years. Some recent games presented “devotion” in ways that were kind of twisted yet the games didn’t seem to really acknowledge how off-key it all was; Three Houses takes a full dive into what Dedue’s devotion to Dimitri (and vice-versa!) can encompass, how it’s a double-edged blade that can uplift or utterly destroy. That Dedue manages this while also being saddled with the role of being The Stigmatized Other to the Blue Lions cast is nothing short of remarkable.

Your core Blue Lions party is essentially the conservative wing of the Officers’ Academy. Ingrid may be the most orthodox knight of your house, but ultimately the entire core party is royalist and traditionalist, even when the system they’re holding up has hurt them personally. Annette, Sylvain, and most especially Felix offer some degree of dissent, but ultimately all of them fall in line behind King Dimitri and his unified continent— and in supporting Dimitri, by default they support the Church of Seiros under its new archbishop. This unswerving support of the Church structure on the Blue Lions route is hardly happenstance, as the game is basically waving a flag at the audience to let them know yes, this is indeed the conservative Restorationist faction— un roi une loi une foi. Still, the inner tensions of these loyalists as they play out through supports and in-game chatter— Felix against Ingrid and Dedue and Dimitri, Annette against Gilbert, Sylvain in his asides to Byleth— provide a multifaceted critique of the very concepts of Knighthood and Faith that the franchise has been trying to pull off since at least Thracia 776, whose beats the Lions’ plot structure samples more than once.

The game takes some risks; New Mystery of the Emblem supplied Avatar Kris as a mechanism to keep Marth’s fingerless gloves from getting dirtied by the grunt work of conquering an continent; Three Houses lets Dimitri’s hands get so filthy that his knights and vassals are appalled by it. He regains his moral compass and everyone’s respect after a tragedy that is one of the clearest call-backs to Thracia 776, but in Leif’s case the shock he received was a spur for a naive youth to grow up and look at the larger picture instead of his narrow goals. In Dimitri’s case, he’s got about five years of atrocities to atone for. That said, Thracia 776 arguably had a more realistic resolution to the Lord’s character development, as endgame Leif STILL has some growing-up to do, whereas Dimitri gets markedly better after a couple of conversations despite spending five years in the abyss.

And then we get to the Childhood Friend, one of the moments of the Blue Lions route that strongly evokes Sacred Stones. On this route we learn that Dimitri and antagonist Edelgard shared a fleeting but precious bond in childhood— but whereas antagonist Lyon uses a similar bond to his repeated advantage against the Sacred Stones Lords Eirika and Ephraim, Edelgard doesn’t even make the connection between Dimitri and her own lost childhood friend until he confronts her with the memory. It’s a one-sided bond that fuels Dimitri’s rage and regrets but is essentially irrelevant to Edelgard’s ambitions. The final wordless confrontation between them finally has Edelgard use Dimitri’s nostalgia as a literal weapon against him… and he silently runs her through with his lance for it— far cry from Lyon whispering “C’mon Ephraim, smile like you used to” as he dies in Ephraim’s arms. For a series that has leaned heavily on the trope of “Friendship is Magic” in recent years, it’s interesting to have the idea of the sepia-tinted childhood memory rendered impotent— but then again, the developers were supposedly inspired by Genealogy of the Holy War and the way that events pitted sworn friends and allies against one another.

The grand scope of Genealogy may be more apparent on other routes of Three Houses, but the Blue Lions route is fundamentally more narrow in scope, with this Thracia-like focus on Dimitri’s traumas, Dimitri’s loves and losses, Dimitri’s redemption, Dimitri’s ability to spare enemies and kill former friends. This in turn hobbles the ending of the route, much as Thracia 776 was hobbled by its status as a midquel, a singular if vivid chapter in the overall saga of Jugdral. Alliance and Empire totter, everything falls into Dimitri’s lap, the church is bolstered without any significant onscreen reforms or even onscreen questions on what the hell was going on under Rhea, and everything becomes as it was, but better— one king, one law, one faith (or one major faith with ecumenical tolerance for the rest, per Seteth’s ending), and apparently some reforms for the sake of The People. Dimitri’s going to be fine, and we all just have to have faith in the rest of it.

All in all, it brings to mind that Marth’s most successful game (Mystery of the Emblem), and the GBA game that hewed most strongly to the Marth Narrative (Binding Blade) both had Bad Endings in which the real answers, the true resolution, was never achieved. The Blue Lions route feels at once like a beautiful love letter to the Marth plot-line in all its iterations, in which the elements of its predecessors are revisited to grand effect— and a Bad Ending, a dead-end, an eternity of the curtain abruptly coming down once Marth defeats Hardin or even the hollow “is that all there is” moment of Leif besting Veld. It almost feels like a rebuke to the player for choosing to spend eighty, ninety, one-hundred hours in the company of Dimitri and his traditionalists, for choosing to glory in the multi-layered nostalgia offered by the Blue Lions. Perhaps it’s simply a cue that this is the route to play first, that it’s best to be guided into Fodlan by a familiar set of faces before choosing to open the doors of perception that the Golden Deer or Black Eagles offer. Given how heavily the pre-game marketing hyped the Black Eagles, that seems a bit weird.

I suppose the only way to get answers is to play another 200+ hours of Three Houses….

[loveintthetimeofbpd]

A brief rundown:

Chris (TRS) started out on Youtube as a mental health (hereafter referred to as MH) channel. He had several pay-to-take MH courses available on other sites prior to this (which are now free). It has been speculated that he created the channel to assist in his courses and make more money, but I cannot confirm that.

After a while, he started making video with click-baiting titles. This isn’t really that big of a deal on it’s own; after all, many big Youtubers do this. Even name-dropping isn’t so bad.

Until it is.

Chris started speculating on the mental health and lives of popular Youtubers for his videos. In a podcast episode, he said this was to help get his message out, as his non-click-baity videos didn’t get many views. His position was that his information was so important to spread that it was necessary to use tactics like this to get heard.

Of course, a lot of people were offended that he was making assumptions or implications about their mental health and lives.

Several Youtubers made videos defending TRS.

Repzilla made a video defending TRS and openly admitted that he had not watched TRS’s content (due to mental health issues). Now, he is under no obligation to watch TRS’s videos, but it’s irresponsible to draw conclusions about TRS and his content if Rep cannot and does not watch it. You simply can’t report on something if you don’t research it. That’s that.

INabber did a similar thing. He defended TRS against Trish Paytas. In that video, he repeatedly said that he personally liked TRS and encouraged people to sub to TRS. And, regardless of how one feels about TP, the video was clearly biased and glossed over a lot*.

Heck, most of the comment sections for these videos and other videos regarding TRS were supporting Chris.

Now what changed? Well, a few more videos came out against Chris. Leif E. Greenz, Bipolar Corner, Dr1ven Industries and a few other (smaller) MH youtubers made videos about the issue.

As people started really talking about it, bigger Drama Youtubers were drawn in. The Viewers Voice, Ashley Kyle, Petty Paige, and Primink were among the largest channels to add their voices to the mix. And, as well seasoned Drama channels are wont to do, they did their homework and pulled no punches.

Primink actually got a lot of flack for his video being ‘poorly researched’, even though most of what he said turned out ot be true, or at least supported by other channels.

More and more information came out at more videos were dissected, including information about his mother’s credentials, unflattering videos (such as Chris’ podcast), and conflicting information about Chris’ work/rehab history. 

At some point during the time that these videos were published, Chris made a video originally claiming to be an apology to TP. Then the title was changed to be regarding the threats. In it, he briefly and flimsily apologized to TP because he now knew what it felt like... then spent the rest of the video ranting about people coming after him and how serious an issue it was.

So not an apology so much as a threat.

Now a few people have walked back their support, and a few channels have come out against him. Leif I believe had a wellness check called on her, Bipolar Corner was attacked online, and Dr1ven Industries was swatted. None of these have been connected to Chris himself, but all of these people were involved in the situation and it has been suggested that the incidents are somehow tied to the drama. 

[easybury]

Vinland Saga Season 2: Release Schedule, Cast, And More Details

How many of you are fans of anime? Or Vinland Saga? I bet a lot of you are. Why wouldn’t you be? There’s no other art form that so seamlessly blends elements of animation and realism together. Taking its root in the old Manga comic books, anime is now the bread and butter of every other teen with an obsession for Japan. And we support it with all our heart and soul. If you don’t watch anime, you really are missing out on a lot. We highly recommend that you give this amazing and tasteful art form a go. You’re bound to love it.

How many of you are fans of the popular anime Vinland Saga? If so, you’re part of an elite group. And to be honest, we would get along quite well. Vinland Saga first came out in 2019 and was met with high critical acclaim. Yet, fans of the show were left in the blue about whether the show was going to be renewed for another exciting season. Now we finally know that the show has in fact been renewed for a second season and fans just can’t wait. So when does Vinland Saga Season 2 come out? Read on to find out.

Vinland Saga: What’s The Show About

A brutal anime, Vinland Saga is a show about anger. It’s a revenge story, one with a lot of rage and vengeance driving it. The story revolves around the main character Thorfinn who pursues a journey; not just any regular journey, but one with his father’s killer. His main intent? To take his life in an honorable duel and avenge his father, putting a rest to the fire that rages inside his heart, and paying a much overdue homage to his dead father.

As you can understand from the description, the show follows Thorfinn on his journey to achieve his much needed peace of mind and quench his thirst for vengeance. The show is one full of suspense and thrill and keeps the viewer on their toes throughout the entirety of the show.

The Cast of the Anime

The show is credited with a number of excellent voice actors. The voice acting for the show is superb and it can be credited to the voice actors themselves who manage to bring about an atmosphere of vengeance, urgency, and aggression. The cast of Vinland Saga is as follows:

Yûto Uemura as Thorfinn

Hiroki Yasumoto as Bjorn

Naoya Uchida as Askellad

Kenshô Ono as Canute

Akio Ôtsuka as Thorkell

Atsushi Ono as Floki

Satoshi Hino as Willibald

Takayuki Sugô as Sweyn

and Yôji Ueda as Leif Erikson

With such a talented voice cast, the anime slays and gives tough competition to others in the same genre. So we have to say that the showrunners have done a really great job with the cast and it shows. The effort shows, and so does the creativity.

Season 2: What to Expect

With the second season right around the corner and following the success of the first season. expectations are certainly high for the second season. And that might just be its downfall if it fails to deliver on those expectations.

The Vinland Saga series takes place during the era of Vikings, the era of raiders, the 11th century. As such, the series is based on a number of true events and is inspired by the true lives of the Vikings.

This is especially great news for fans of the Netflix series Vikings. If you’re a fan of Vikings, Vinland Saga is one you must not miss. It’s a must watch and we recommend you catch it at the earliest. Both the series take true inspiration from the real lives of Vikings and make for an amazing watch and we would recommend that you watch both of them if you’re into that sorta thing.

If you’re a fan of Viking based content, you might be interested in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla| All we Know about the game

From what we’ve seen from the first season of Vinland Saga, the series is full of drama, thrill, and suspense. Suspense plays a strong role in carrying the vibe of the show as you never know what is going to happen next.

Vinland Saga: Release Schedule

The first season for Vinland came out in 2019. It was an almost instant hit among anime fans. The season 1 of the show received very favourable reviews. The show also currently holds a rating of 8.8 on IMDb. That is a pretty high bar for a show that has only been on for one season. So it’s understandable that fans are really excited to watch the second season of the show. The initial tentative date for the release of the second season of Vinland Saga was set to be 2020. But due to the COVID pandemic and the worldwide, the date was then pushed to April 2021. However, earlier this year, the showrunners yet again postponed the second season of the show, owing to the deadly pandemic.

[loadingreward822]

Firefox 56

Mozilla Firefox 56.0.2

Firefox 56 Npapi

Web scraper chrome extension. Το Firefox είναι κάτι περισσότερο από ένα πρόγραμμα περιήγησης. Μάθετε περισσότερα σχετικά με τα προϊόντα Firefox που χειρίζονται τα δεδομένα σας με σεβασμό και έχουν δημιουργηθεί για το απόρρητο οπουδήποτε κι αν. Platform 17.1.1 (Sep 09, 2020).

PasswordFox v1.70 - Extract the user names / passwords stored in Firefox Copyright (c) 2008 - 2020 Nir Sofer

Related Links

IE PassView - Password management utility for Internet Explorer.

Description

PasswordFox is a small password recovery tool that allows you to view the user names and passwords stored by Mozilla Firefox Web browser.By default, PasswordFox displays the passwords stored in your current profile, but you can easily select to watch the passwordsof any other Firefox profile.For each password entry, the following information is displayed: Record Index, Web Site, User Name, Password, User Name Field, Password Field, and the Signons filename.

System Requirements

This utility works under Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10.Firefox should also be installed on your system in order to use this utility. Be aware that for Firefox 64-bit, you must use the 64-bit version of this tool and for Firefox 32-bit, you must use the 32-bit version of this tool.

Known Problems

False Alert Problems: Some Antivirus programs detect PasswordFox utility as infected with Trojan/Virus.Click here to read more about false alerts in Antivirus programs

Versions History

Version 1.70

Added new file type to save the passwords list: 'Firefox import/export csv file'. When you save the passwords in this file type, you can use the import feature of Firefox to import the saved passwords into Firefox: Import login data from a file

In order to save the passwords as 'Firefox import/export csv file', simply select the items you want to save (or press Ctrl+A to select all passwords), press Ctrl+S (Save Selected Items), choose 'Firefox import/export csv file'from the file type combo-box, type the filename to save and then click the 'Save' button to save the file.

Version 1.66

Fixed to decrypt passwords of Firefox profile that uses both 3DES and AES-256.

Version 1.65

Added support for decrypting the encryption key of new Firefox profiles (AES-256 instead of 3DES).

Version 1.60

PasswordFox doesn't need anymore the installation of Firefox to decrypt the passwords.

If you still want from some reason to use previous decryption method, simply go to the 'Select Folders' window and type the installation folder of Firefox.

Version 1.58

Fixed PasswordFox 64-bit to automatically detect the installation of Firefox 64-bit (In previous versions it only detected Waterfox).

Version 1.57

On 64-bit systems, PasswordFox now displays a note about using the correct 32-bit/64-bit version if it fails to load the decryption library of Firefox.

Version 1.56

PasswordFox now automatically detects the portable version of Firefox that is currently running in the background, if it cannot find any other installation of Firefox.

Version 1.55

Added 'Show Old Passwords' option. When it's turned on, PasswordFox displays passwords stored by old versions of Firefox.

Version 1.50

Added new columns: Created Time, Last Time Used, Password Change Time, Password Use Count.

Removed the export command-line options from the official release, in order to decrease the rate of false Virus alerts.

Version 1.40

Added support for Firefox 32 (logins.json).

Version 1.37

Added PasswordFox 64-bit to work with Waterfox Web browser. (For Firefox Web browser, you should continue using the 32-bit version of PasswordFox, even if your system is 64-bit)

Version 1.36

Fixed to work with Firefox 22.

Version 1.35

Fixed bug: PasswordFox failed to work with master password containing non-English characters.

Added 'Mark Odd/Even Rows' option, under the View menu. When it's turned on, the odd and even rows are displayed in different color, to make it easier to read a single line.

Fixed issue: Dialog-boxes opened in the wrong monitor, on multi-monitors system.

Version 1.32

Fixed the tab order in the 'Select Folders' dialog-box.

Version 1.31

Fixed bug: PasswordFox failed to get the passwords if the profile path of Firefox contained non-English characters.

Removed the UPX compression to avoid from false positives of Windows Defender and other Antivirus programs.

Version 1.30

Fixed memory leak that occurred on every refresh.

Added support for Firefox 4 (Beta).

Fixed a problem with /installfolder command-line parameter.

Added 'Firefox Version' column.

Version 1.26

Added an option to export the passwords into KeePass csv file (In 'Save Selected Items').You can use the created csv file to easily import your Web site passwords into KeePass password manager.

Fixed issue: removed the wrong encoding from the xml string, which caused problems to some xml viewers.

Version 1.25

Added 'Password Strength' column, which calculates the strength of the password and displays it as Very Weak, Weak, Medium, Strong, or Very Strong.

Added 'Add Header Line To CSV/Tab-Delimited File' option. When this option is turned on, the column names are added as the first line when you export to csv or tab-delimited file.

Removed the error messages when using PasswordFox from command-line

Version 1.20

Fixed bug: PasswordFox failed to display properly non-English characters in user name/password data.

Added 'HTTP Realm' column. (Displayed only for some HTTP password-protected Web sites and only on Firefox 3.x or greater)

Version 1.15

Added support for reading the signons.sqlite in new versions of Firefox.

Version 1.12:

Added accelerator key for 'Select Folder' option.

Added sorting from command-line.

Version 1.11:

Added new option in 'Select Folders' dialog-box: Remember the folder settings in the next time that you use PasswordFox.

Version 1.10:

Added support for specifying the master password (in the 'Select Folders' dialog-box or from command-line).

Version 1.05:

Added support for selecting the right Firefox installation folder.

Added /installfolder command-line option.

Added AutoComplete feature in Select Folders dialog-box.

Version 1.00 - First release.

Mozilla Firefox 56.0.2

Using PasswordFox

PasswordFox doesn't require any installation process or additional DLL files.However, Firefox browser must be installed on your computer in order allow PasswordFox to grab the passwords list. In order to start using PasswordFox, simply run the executable file - PasswordFox.exe After running it, the main window will display all your passwords list for the last profile that you used.If PasswordFox chose the wrong profile folder, you can use the 'Select Profile Folder' option to choose the right one.

Command-Line Options

Notice: The save command-line options (/scomma , /stab , /shtml, and others) are disabled on the build you download from this Web page. You can find a package of password-recovery tools with full command-line support on thefollowing Web page: Windows Password Recovery Tools

/installfolder <Folder>Choose the desired Firefox installation folder.

After you finish the translation, Run PasswordFox, and all translated strings will be loaded from the language file. If you want to run PasswordFox without the translation, simply rename the language file, or move it to another folder.

Firefox 56 Npapi

License

This utility is released as freeware. You are allowed to freely distribute this utility via floppy disk, CD-ROM, Internet, or in any other way, as long as you don't charge anything for this. If you distribute this utility, you must include all files inthe distribution package, without any modification !

Disclaimer

The software is provided 'AS IS' without any warranty, either expressed or implied,including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and fitnessfor a particular purpose. The author will not be liable for any special, incidental,consequential or indirect damages due to loss of data or any other reason.

Feedback

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LanguageTranslated ByDateVersionArabicMajed Khaznadar21/03/20091.11Brazilian PortuguesePaulo Guzman30/08/20181.58CzechPetr Chuchvalec17/10/20181.58DutchJan Verheijen22/12/20201.70FrenchPasswordOne27/09/20141.40FrenchPasswordOne22/02/20111.30German«Latino» auf WinTotal.de17/12/20201.70Greekgeogeo.gr21/05/20191.58Hebrewpeterg01/04/20111.30HungarianHevesi János02/08/20081.00ItalianDengel31/10/2008JapaneseSABAdmin15/08/2008KoreanUBless09/11/2013PersianAmirreza Nasiri15/02/20141.37PersianAmirreza Nasiri04/12/20131.36PolishHightower21/12/20201.70PortugueseAntónio PT11/11/20081.10Portuguese BrazilPaulo Guzman07/04/20121.30RomanianJaff (Oprea Nicolae)22/01/20161.56RussianQuarQ19/11/20201.66Simplified ChineseDickMoore18/05/20201.65Simplified ChineseLewen-博雅宇轩18/10/20091.15SlovakFrantišek Fico11/01/20211.70SlovenianSooftware25/03/20191.58SlovenianJadran Rudec, jrudec@gmail.com06/01/20211.70SpanishRicardo A. Rivas18/12/20201.70SwedishLeif Larsson15/11/20091.15Traditional Chinese發夢 King27/10/2008Traditional ChineseDanfong Hsieh18/12/20201.70ThaiE b o k ก บ05/10/20081.05TurkishTundra27/01/20091.0TurkishHARUN 'HARBEE' ARI18/03/20111.30Valencianvjatv12/08/20081.0

< Release Management(Redirected from RapidRelease/Calendar)

This schedule is based on the current RapidRelease plan. Future dates may change if the process changes. Code is not always released to users on the same day as the branch migration. The release to users may be a few days later, to allow for manual testing and sign-off. Thunderbird tracks the ESR schedule column per Thunderbird release info.

Thunderbird is now part of MZLA Technologies Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Mozilla Foundation. Portions of this content are ©1998–2021 by individual contributors. Portions of this content are ©1998–2021 by individual contributors. https://loadingreward822.tumblr.com/post/656923654680117248/mozilla-firebird.

Calendars

This wiki page may not always have the most current information. Please refer to one of the following calendars for up-to-date scheduling:

Firefox Merge/Release Dates (ICS for Thunderbird/Lightning or your calendar app) (low noise)

Firefox Merge/Release Full Scheduling Calendar (ICS) (highly detailed - 99.99% up to date)

Future branch dates

Quarter Soft Freeze Merge Date Nightly Beta Release Date Release ESRQ2 20212021-05-272021-05-31Firefox 91Firefox 902021-06-01Firefox 89Firefox 78.112021-06-242021-06-28Firefox 92Firefox 912021-06-29Firefox 90Firefox 78.12Q3 20212021-07-222021-07-26Firefox 93Firefox 922021-07-27Firefox 91Firefox 78.13; 91.02021-08-192021-08-23Firefox 94Firefox 932021-08-24Firefox 92Firefox 78.14; 91.12021-09-162021-09-20Firefox 95Firefox 942021-09-21Firefox 93Firefox 78.15; 91.2Q4 20212021-10-142021-10-18Firefox 96Firefox 952021-10-19Firefox 94Firefox 91.32021-11-112021-11-15Firefox 97Firefox 962021-11-16Firefox 95Firefox 91.42021-12-092021-12-13Firefox 98Firefox 972021-12-14Firefox 96Firefox 91.5Q1 20222022-01-202022-01-24Firefox 99Firefox 982022-01-25Firefox 97Firefox 91.6

The Nightly soft freeze is typically during the week prior to merge day. During this period high-risk patches should avoid landing until after the Nightly version bump lands on mozilla-central on merge day.

Past branch dates

More details on contents of releases can be found in the release notes archive or Wikipedia: Firefox version history.

Soft FreezeMerge DateCentralBetaRelease DateReleaseESR2021-04-152021-04-19Firefox 90Firefox 892021-04-19Firefox 88Firefox 78.102021-03-182021-03-22Firefox 89Firefox 882021-03-23Firefox 87Firefox 78.92021-02-182021-02-22Firefox 88Firefox 872021-02-23Firefox 86Firefox 78.82021-01-212021-01-25Firefox 87Firefox 862021-01-26Firefox 85Firefox 78.72020-12-102020-12-14Firefox 86Firefox 852020-12-15Firefox 84Firefox 78.62020-11-122020-11-16Firefox 85Firefox 842020-11-17Firefox 83Firefox 78.52020-10-152020-10-19Firefox 84Firefox 832020-10-20Firefox 82Firefox 78.42020-09-172020-09-21Firefox 83Firefox 822020-09-22Firefox 81Firefox 78.32020-08-202020-08-24Firefox 82Firefox 812020-08-25Firefox 80Firefox 68.12; 78.22020-07-232020-07-27Firefox 81Firefox 802020-07-28Firefox 79Firefox 68.11; 78.12020-06-262020-06-29Firefox 80Firefox 792020-06-30Firefox 78Firefox 68.10; 78.02020-05-282020-06-01Firefox 79Firefox 782020-06-02Firefox 77Firefox 68.92020-04-302020-05-04Firefox 78Firefox 772020-05-05Firefox 76Firefox 68.82020-04-022020-04-06Firefox 77Firefox 762020-04-07Firefox 75Firefox 68.72020-03-052020-03-09Firefox 76Firefox 752020-03-10Firefox 74Firefox 68.62020-02-062020-02-10Firefox 75Firefox 742020-02-11Firefox 73Firefox 68.52020-01-022020-01-06Firefox 74Firefox 732020-01-07Firefox 72Firefox 68.42019-11-252019-12-02Firefox 73Firefox 722019-12-03Firefox 71Firefox 68.32019-10-142019-10-21Firefox 72Firefox 712019-10-22Firefox 70Firefox 68.22019-08-262019-09-02Firefox 71Firefox 702019-09-03Firefox 69Firefox 60.9; 68.12019-07-012019-07-08Firefox 70Firefox 692019-07-09Firefox 68Firefox 60.8; 68.02019-05-132019-05-20Firefox 69Firefox 682019-05-21Firefox 67Firefox 60.72019-03-112019-03-18Firefox 68Firefox 672019-03-19Firefox 66Firefox 60.62019-01-212019-01-28Firefox 67Firefox 662019-01-29Firefox 65Firefox 60.52018-12-032018-12-10Firefox 66Firefox 652018-12-11Firefox 64Firefox 60.42018-10-152018-10-22Firefox 65Firefox 642018-10-23Firefox 63Firefox 60.3

Merge DateCentralBetaRelease DateReleaseESR2018-09-04Firefox 64Firefox 632018-09-05Firefox 62Firefox 60.22018-06-25Firefox 63Firefox 622018-06-26Firefox 61Firefox 52.9; 60.12018-05-07Firefox 62Firefox 612018-05-09Firefox 60Firefox 52.8; 60.02018-03-12Firefox 61Firefox 602018-03-13Firefox 59Firefox 52.72018-01-22Firefox 60Firefox 592018-01-23Firefox 58Firefox 52.62017-11-13Firefox 59Firefox 582017-11-14Firefox 57Firefox 52.52017-09-21Firefox 58Firefox 572017-09-28Firefox 56Firefox 52.42017-08-02Firefox 57Firefox 562017-08-08Firefox 55Firefox 52.32017-06-12Firefox 56Firefox 552017-06-13Firefox 54Firefox 52.22017-04-18Firefox 55Firefox 542017-04-19Firefox 53Firefox 45.9; 52.1

Merge DateCentralAuroraBetaRelease DateReleaseESR2017-03-06Firefox 55Firefox 54Firefox 532017-03-07Firefox 52Firefox 45.8; 52.02017-01-23Firefox 54Firefox 53Firefox 522017-01-24Firefox 51Firefox 45.72016-12-13Firefox 50.1.0Firefox 45.62016-11-14Firefox 53Firefox 52Firefox 512016-11-15Firefox 50Firefox 45.52016-09-19Firefox 52Firefox 51Firefox 502016-09-20Firefox 49Firefox 45.42016-08-01Firefox 51Firefox 50Firefox 492016-08-02Firefox 48Firefox 45.32016-06-06Firefox 50Firefox 49Firefox 482016-06-07Firefox 47Firefox 45.22016-04-25Firefox 49Firefox 48Firefox 472016-04-26Firefox 46Firefox 38.8; 45.12016-03-07Firefox 48Firefox 47Firefox 462016-03-08Firefox 45Firefox 38.7; 45.02016-01-25Firefox 47Firefox 46Firefox 452016-01-26Firefox 44Firefox 38.62015-12-14Firefox 46Firefox 45Firefox 442015-12-15Firefox 43Firefox 38.52015-10-29Firefox 45Firefox 44Firefox 432015-11-03Firefox 42Firefox 38.42015-09-21Firefox 44Firefox 43Firefox 422015-09-22Firefox 41Firefox 38.32015-08-10Firefox 43Firefox 42Firefox 412015-08-11Firefox 40Firefox 38.22015-06-29Firefox 42Firefox 41Firefox 402015-06-30Firefox 39Firefox 31.8; 38.12015-06-02Firefox 38.0.52015-05-11*Firefox 41Firefox 40Firefox 392015-05-12*Firefox 38Firefox 31.7; 38.02015-03-30*Firefox 40Firefox 39Firefox 382015-03-31*Firefox 37Firefox 31.62015-02-23Firefox 39Firefox 38Firefox 372015-02-24Firefox 36Firefox 31.52015-01-12*Firefox 38Firefox 37Firefox 362015-01-13*Firefox 35Firefox 31.42014-11-28*Firefox 37Firefox 36Firefox 352014-12-01*Firefox 34Firefox 31.32014-10-13Firefox 36Firefox 35Firefox 342014-10-14Firefox 33Firefox 31.22014-09-02*Firefox 35Firefox 34Firefox 332014-09-02Firefox 32Firefox 24.8; 31.12014-07-21Firefox 34Firefox 33Firefox 322014-07-22Firefox 31Firefox 24.7; 31.02014-06-09Firefox 33Firefox 32Firefox 312014-06-10Firefox 30Firefox 24.62014-04-28Firefox 32Firefox 31Firefox 302014-04-29Firefox 29Firefox 24.52014-03-17Firefox 31Firefox 30Firefox 292014-03-18Firefox 28Firefox 24.42014-02-03*Firefox 30Firefox 29Firefox 282014-02-04*Firefox 27Firefox 24.32013-12-09Firefox 29Firefox 28Firefox 272013-12-10Firefox 26Firefox 24.22013-10-28Firefox 28Firefox 27Firefox 262013-10-29Firefox 25Firefox 17.0.10; 24.12013-09-16Firefox 27Firefox 26Firefox 252013-09-17Firefox 24Firefox 17.0.9; 24.02013-08-05Firefox 26Firefox 25Firefox 242013-08-06Firefox 23Firefox 17.0.82013-06-24Firefox 25Firefox 24Firefox 232013-06-25Firefox 22Firefox 17.0.72013-05-13Firefox 24Firefox 23Firefox 222013-05-14Firefox 21Firefox 17.0.62013-04-01Firefox 23Firefox 22Firefox 212013-04-02Firefox 20Firefox 17.0.52013-02-19*Firefox 22Firefox 21Firefox 202013-02-19Firefox 19Firefox 17.0.32013-01-07*Firefox 21Firefox 20Firefox 192013-01-08*Firefox 18Firefox 10.0.12; 17.0.22012-11-19Firefox 20Firefox 19Firefox 182012-11-20Firefox 17Firefox 10.0.11; 17.02012-10-08Firefox 19Firefox 18Firefox 172012-10-09Firefox 16Firefox 10.0.82012-08-27Firefox 18Firefox 17Firefox 162012-08-28Firefox 15Firefox 10.0.72012-07-16Firefox 17Firefox 16Firefox 152012-07-17Firefox 14Firefox 10.0.62012-06-05Firefox 16Firefox 15Firefox 142012-06-05Firefox 13Firefox 10.0.52012-04-24Firefox 15Firefox 14Firefox 132012-04-24Firefox 12Firefox 10.0.42012-03-13Firefox 14Firefox 13Firefox 122012-03-13Firefox 11Firefox 10.0.32012-01-31Firefox 13Firefox 12Firefox 112012-01-31Firefox 10Firefox 10.02011-12-20Firefox 12Firefox 11Firefox 102011-12-20Firefox 92011-11-08Firefox 11Firefox 10Firefox 92011-11-08Firefox 82011-09-27Firefox 10Firefox 9Firefox 82011-09-27Firefox 72011-08-16Firefox 9Firefox 8Firefox 72011-08-16Firefox 62011-07-05Firefox 8Firefox 7Firefox 62011-06-21Firefox 52011-05-24Firefox 7Firefox 62011-05-17Firefox 52011-04-12Firefox 6Firefox 5

Audacity cosmetics. *Some release dates and merge dates are rescheduled to avoid conflicts with holidays.

Notes:

Four week schedule starting late 2019.

Irregular schedule targeting six to eight week intervals, adjusting for holidays, starting 2016.

Six week schedule from 2011 to 2015 (with some dates delayed to avoid conflicts with holidays).

Firefox 5 was on a slightly different schedule. It spent five weeks each on Aurora and Beta while later releases spent six weeks on each branch.

Retrieved from 'https://wiki.mozilla.org/index.php?title=Release_Management/Calendar&oldid=1235109'

[comicteaparty]

April 24th-April 30th, 2019 Reader Favorites Archive

The archive for the Reader Favorites chat that occurred from April 24th, 2019 to April 30th, 2019.  The chat focused on the following question:

From any webcomic, who is your favorite child and parent set?  What do you like about them?

€heshire777

Define "child"

RebelVampire

Gonna have to be more specific on that request, cause outside of giving you the dictionary definition i dont know what response youre expecting.

though i will add the cavaet that age doesnt matter and child doesnt have to be the young human being definition of the word. it can be an adult child and parent.

€heshire777

That's what I was asking

The family dynamics from Narbonic are really intresting, it's eventually revealed that Helen (one of the main characters) is a clone of her mother, and will literally turn into her, which leads to... tensions...

She eventually wants to have kids, but doesn't want clones (freaky, right) but she also doesn't want to carry the baby, so she does a gender swap...

Mad Scientists, if you couldn't figure out

RebelVampire

http://narbonic.com/

€heshire777

Oh yeah thx

mathtans

Is "My Dad Is A Magical Girl" too obvious? Because I think I'm going with that anyway. Great parental dynamics and takes protection to a new level.

http://mdiamg.shinavar.com/

RebelVampire

yeah im gonna second with Math on this one and go with My Dad is a Magical Girl. Specifically I'd pick Thea and Victor. I find their relationship so utterly intriguing just cause Victor is gruff and mellow and Thea is a hyper ball of activity. And yet seeing him give into his daughter sometimes is super cute. So overall the contrasts between them just really get my mind pumping on how their relationship dynamic would have to work and the potential past interactions they might have had. http://mdiamg.shinavar.com/

keii4ii

I'm gonna name two, one from a non-indie webcomic (on Naver/WT) and one from an indie one!

Naver/WT has a featured comic titled Tales of the Unusual, a series consisting of many horror shorts. One of my favorite TotU stories is Kiveiru's Library, which starts here: https://www.webtoons.com/en/thriller/tales-of-the-unusual/ep-119-kiveirus-library-part-1/viewer?title_no=68&episode_no=120 It centers around a father who's trying to save his son from a magically induced coma. Turns out this father has had a major abusive streak prior to the coma. See, corporal punishment to encourage studying/ discourage slacking is very common and honestly acceptable in Korean culture -- to a degree. But this father crossed the line even by their standard. He was extremely harsh, and you get the sense that he was projecting his own past failure. What I loved about the portrayal of this relationship is, there comes a moment where the father realizes he'd gone too far, he fucked up. I mean he always kind of knew, but at that moment, it hits him like a thousand trucks. This is not a relationship I love for its wholesomeness. It's one I love for its raw power.

The second one is from Serpents of Old: http://serpentsofold.thecomicseries.com/ ...Specifically, Keymen and his grandfather (hey grandparents count, right?). This is another one that's err, not quite wholesome. But it's interesting, it's got a big intrigue going on, and I can't wait to see what the two have up their sleeves! tl;dr They're both scheming types, their goals seem to directly conflict, and they seem almost too happy (though in different ways) to go against each other. Relevant scene here. http://serpentsofold.thecomicseries.com/comics/245/

ErinPtah (Leif & Thorn | BICP)

Seconding the rec for Narbonic -- the dynamic between Helen and Alpha Helen is complex and delightful. O Human Star has a guy who tries to build a robot version of his boyfriend, and ends up with a robot daughter instead. We get some really heartwarming flashbacks about him figuring out how to be a parent. http://ohumanstar.com/comic/chapter-1-title-page/ Order of the Stick recently has a reveal that one of the characters (from a D&D-style adventuring party in a world of magic and medieval-type tech) calls their parents every week. http://www.giantitp.com/index.html Gloomverse has some hilarious sequences with the two main magicians getting intimidated by their mother. http://gloomverse.smackjeeves.com/ And I can't pick a favorite Cute Animal Baby from Kevin & Kell. But I like how all the different parents showcase different ways for a family to be loving and supportive. https://www.kevinandkell.com/(edited)

Jabbage

Thanks to this recommendation I spent a solid few hours binging the entirety of O Human Star, I found it so captivating!

[aspiestvmusings]

ZEP: S1 - TEAM MAX

This is part of my ZEP: S1 Thoughts Master Post

Here’s the new & updated long analysis post for ZEP S1. This one features the whole season, all 12 episodes.

Just me...dissecting & analyzing the storyline...with focus on Zoey & Team Max. But since the stories are so intertwined, there’s Zoey/dad & Zoey/Simon talk, too. Among other things...relevant to it all...

ZEP: MAX & ZOEY -  THOUGHTS 1 [LINK HERE]  

TEAM MAX

Translating Max’s behaviour:

If we pay attention to what Max says, then they have informed us via his lines what it is that he’s not okay with. And it’s not what some seem to think - that Zoey dosn’t love him back/return his feelings & won’t want to start dating now. It’s not that he chose to take the 6th Floor job as a “punishment” cause she didn’t plead him to stay and tell him he loves him. It’s not that he was mad at her & in his anger sang “Bye Bye Bye”. It’s not that he was unnecessarily cold & rude towards her…after 1x08..when he moved to 6th Floor… only because what some fans think …that he’s an example of “good guy trope”

What Max has an issue with is Zoey changing & changing their friendship. It’s that she’s dishonest with him, her best friend. It’s that he doesn’t like that she can read his mind…both because he prefers to keep his private thoughts & feelings private, and because he doesn’t want to “push” her with a sudden heart song…which he now knows he could do unintentionally. Before she got her power, he could just keep his feelings towards her a secret & not push her, but now he has to watch himself…and avoid feeling feels around her. Because he knows she can hear his deep feelings.

He’s not comfortable with her knowing how he feels about her (1x07/1x08). He’s not comcortable with everyone knowing how he feels about her (1x11).

After 1x08 he knows the details of her secret power. And…interestingly… he does not sing any love songs to her anymore…for a while. The tone of the songs changes. We only ever hear him since twice after he learns her secret. First a “duet” of the song “Here I go again” in 1x10 as he moves to the 6th floor, and second is “Bye Bye Bye” in 1x11. He doesn’t really mind her hearing the song in 1x10…as it’s just what decribing what he’s doing. And then there’s the karaoke bar, where his inner song & outer song don’t really match. He might sing “Bye Bye Bye” as a response to Zoey asking her to stop Leif singing that sad song, but you can see that he’s not really feeling it.

This is supported by his comment to Leif that he’s not (sure he’s) over Zoey. And by his “mood” and the way he “secretly” glances over at leaving Zoey. Which means that in her presence he’s trying to  disguise his real feelings…. so that she would not be able to read his real thoughts. He migth sing a song to her that makes her think he’s mad at her & moved on, but we, the viewers, are let in on the truth, cause his real feelings shine through during the scene. Yes he’s heartbroken and a bit “mad at her”, but he really let’s those feels shine on this moment..to “fool her”. And this is confirmed at the end of the episode, when all it takes for him to stop pretending to be upset with her is for her to take the first step. And re-confirmed in the Finale, when we see that he can make himself think & feel…what he wants her to hear…

Yes, of course he was ALSO heartbroken & a bit disappointed, because he had hoped she would return his feeling…now, but that’s what he hoped, not expected/demanded to be the only option. He even said it several times - he needed some sort of response, some sort of answer from her. And though a part of his decision to keep his distance was cause he felt hurt and heartbroken (she did brake his heart a bit…cause from his POV he chose the other man… cause it was not as she said - she can’t choose cause she’s got so much on her plate cause of her dad & her superpower…so it’s understandable he was a bit sad) most of his post-superpower-reveal behaviour was fueled by her unclarity & her dishonesty. She’d promised him honesty & truth, and she revealed the truth…via her heart song, but then she tried to claim the truth is not the truth (not say that perhaps there are more possibilities than his interpretation of the song, but claiming it’s not at all what the song meant, when they both know what the song meant.) That’s what upset him.

And that’s why he needed to put some distance between them. And again, they’ve explained his motivation & reasons via dialogue in other scenes. And… interestingly enough…what started as him trying to experience things outside their tiny two-person-bubble-world ended up becoming so much more. When he started the season with no desire to climb the career ladder or get out of the “best friend zone” then by the end of the season things had changed… and he actually liked the opportunity he got via his promotion, and he even learned he’s good at it (even Leif complimented his leadership skills). And the distance did both them good…as we all predicted… cause they really needed to grow individually & figure things out…separately… before there could ever be a possibility of them as a duo.

I’ve touched this in my past posts. And will again in future posts.

A closer look at 1x09:

Though there was not much Max or Z/M in this episode, there were a few scenes. The elevator scene & the “what do you think I should do?” scene. And we could see Max is practicing social distancing from Zoey. Because no matter how much he cares about her, and proved he’s a good friend by checking up on her & giving her great advice regarding her dad in last weeks episode, he really was hurt by her.

Also…one way he can minimize Zoey “reading his mind” is by removing himself from the same room. And since he doesn’t consider her knowing his secret thoughts fair if he can’t hear/know hers, then one effective way to prevent that from happening is not being around her. Maybe he doesn’t want her to hear that despite acting “hurt” he can’t “hate” her. Maybe he doesn’t want her to hear him sing about being hearbroken. Maybe…. In short: minimizing their contact might be related to something as simple as just trying to avoid her knowing his secret feelings… (the outer expressions & inner thoughts not matching)

As to Max saying that she didn’t give him the right answer might’ve been about something else. And though we saw his facial expression change as she was saying that “The Zoey who sang a love song to him will miss sitting across him at the office, but would never stop him going after what he wants”, I think his answer might’ve been about her asking “Was this the right answer?” Cause that seemed to be the thing that made him make his choice.

Because that implies she was not being 100% honest with him, and instead giving him the answer she thought he wanted to hear. (we saw her do the same with Simon. First asking for his thoughts on the kiss, before revealing her thoughts…so she could base her choise on the other persons choice) It kinda does imply that she still doesnt know how she feels, and isn’t doing what she herself wants. Instead trying to guess what he think she wants her to say. Which is not what Max wants her to do. He wants her to be sure of her choice. Make her own choices. (and unlike many viewers seem to think… I don’t think he’s actually pressuring  her, or demanding a love confession as a response to his own. I see it as him listing the “facts” (options), and asking her for her take on it all.

I kinda think he made his decision because she asked “was this the answer you wanted?” more than anything else. Because this tells him that she doesn’t know what she wants. Though her answer “as the Zoey who sang that she is his…romantically” being so “not personal” might’ve also played a part.   And there’s another plot in this episode that actually gives us a hint what the whole “Max promoted to 6th floor” thing is about.

< Edited for clarity: As said, I think her adding “was that the answer you wanted to hear” sealed the deal. But… if we look at what Ava told him on the 6th floor on that Saturday, then he was also looking for a different answer in general. An honest answer, and that she’s had some clarity about her feelings (and them) and all that. And also… some indication of a possible future possibility of them.

But… she gave him no such answer (or hope), she included her answers as her boss, and friend, but left out the answer as “a romantic possibility”. (cause based on those 1x08 songs all Max knows is that she has feelings for 2 men & he’s one of the possibilities…yet she’s not showing any indication that she’s leaning towards the possibility of them M/Z.) And I think the order of her answer matters, too. She first replies as his boss, then his friend (and completely leaving out the third pole…which they both know based on the heart song is a role she has, because the songs reveal the persons secret inner feelings). And they’ve been friends for so long, but she’s been his boss for just a short time. So to prioritize that role over friends…gotta hurt, too. And in general her reply was centered around work and work hours - she’ll miss sitting across from him in the office, not that she’ll miss their friends movie nights…

So he’s gotta make a move… instead of just waiting for something that’s never gonna happen.  Cause we might know/see more, but all he knows is the little she’s shared with him. So to his knowledge the heart song is the ONLY indication she’s even considering “them”. He is a romantic at heart, and he “put himself out there”, yet she’s not given him any real answers (all the things she said in 1x07 that he then understood as “she just needs time because of her dad thing, and everything else” and accepted as we saw based on the 1x07 end elevator scene, and was willing to wait and give her space, became “untruths” in his eyes in next episode. So even if she spoke the truth then, he doesn’t believe those words anymore, so for him she has no clarity on the whole thing, and she’s not given him any “hope” or “answers”.)  Edited for clarity />

Unless my other hunch is correct… That Ava is on a spy mission, and the whole recruiting thing is a plan related to the competition for a piece of code between 4th Floor & 6th Floor that is happening in the next episode.  Cause there are just to many coincidences: she approaches him on a day when the 4th Floor boss is gone (on a tech conference…which she might know because of the glitch in the watch software that shared everyones calendar events with everyone else…). And it was just luck that this followed an even where Max showed that he’s good at thinking on his feet (he actually did save the pitch by joining Zoey) And we learned his past good work has also been noticed: the escape room.  This job offer also happens just before the company is about to get an important “job”. Too many coincidences.

And maybe Zoey/we are all wrong, and Joan & Leif both taking that same day off doesn’t mean they’re together, but that Leif is working on another side-project. We’ve seen his sketchy moves with Joan. We know he wanted the job Zoey got. So how do you “hurt” your competitor? You tear her team apart. It could be that Leif is behind this transfer. Cause last episode also told us that everyone in the office are actually very aware of what’s going on between Max & Zoey (interrupting them, hearing their talks & noticing that they’re not hanging out as much lately…which even Simon noticed. So he might’ve overheard them OR he saw S/Z kiss.). So the timing was also good cause IF there would be truth in this then Leif would know the best frends are going through a rough patch, so it was worth to take the gamble (he maybe couldn’t be 100% sure Max wold take the offer, but he might’ve been quite certain)

So much for wild theories…. (This one is topped only by Simon being behind the transfer…to eliminate his competition… when it comes to Zoey. Which I don’t think is true, but oh….what drama it would allow to be written…where he’s not aware that she can hear his secret thoughts & hence will find out. I would want this to be true ONLY for that scene) And though it’s 95% certain that both J & L “missing from the office” at the same day/time is no coincidence (read: they were together…which only makes me want to know more…is Leif playing her because he knows she wrote the peer review or …not), and everything implies that Joan could not just “end it”, I sometimes enjoy coming up with wild/fun theories…

One thing that maybe supports this theory of mine is the actors (Skyler Astin, who playes Max) comment that he started to call the 6th floor DRK POINT… which if we follow the SPRQ POINT logic gives us “DARK POINT” instead of “SPARK POINT”…meaning there is something sketchy going on.

And obviously he’s not gonna stay on the 6th floor, so something has to happen for him to return/be returned. Either it’s a scham, or someone (Joan, The Team, Zoey) “fight for him” & get him to return to the 4th Floor.  

Also..the whole Max/Aca convo in the dark 6th floor parallels his “romantic storyline with Zoey”:

Max: I hadn’t really planned on making a move. Things are pretty fine for me on the 4th Floor.

Ava: Are they? Or are you stuck treading water? Waiting for something to happen that maybe never will?

Again…if we apply these words to the M/Z situation, then it fits, too. He’s “fine” with how things are going with them. And then the scary boss lady makes him question if he really is OK with it. Or is he stuck…waiting for something to happen between them… (for Z. to admit her feelings..etc) …that may never happen… and as a romantic at heart… he needs to know if there’s a future possibility…

The whole 1x09 Z & S plot was a shortened version of what’s been happening between Z & M in several past episodes. Zoey was reacting to Simon not giving her a clear answer. It actually tells us a lot about Z&M, and parallels that story.

Z: We have a chemistry & a bond that is undeniable. I guess I was hoping that after the kiss you’d have some clarity about all of it.  Clarity you still don’t have, and maybe never will. So… I have to make a change instead of just sitting around and waiting & hoping for something to happen. So this is me saying to you..officially… I can’t, and I won’t do this anymore.

If we apply this to the other duo, then the parallrels are obvious. What Zoey was feeling (about Simon’s answers) is exactly what/how Max has been feeling  about her answers to him. And the whole quote/dialogue by Zoey summarizes the other pairings story perfectly: Instead of clear answers Max has gotten vague half-truths from Zoey. If we change a few words/details (”after the kiss” = “after the flash-mob”, then this fits them, too).

And just like Zoey claims she can’t just wait for Simon to have clarity (which he can’t cause he’s not letting himself go through the stages of grief propely..etc) about his feelings,  while hoping something to happen, same applies to Max decision in this episode. His talk with the 6th floor boss tells us that this could’ve been a speech given from Max to Zoey. Cause this is exactly what he’s done by taking the job offer. He can’t just sit around waiting for her to catch up/for something to happen. This is him saying “no mo’”

Both for his & her’s sake. Cause he really needs her to be true to her words, and be 100% honest with him. Tell him how she feels. And he really does “deserve” an answer, not sort-of-answers (avoiding giving him a clear answer…no matter what it is). And she needs to make up her mind on her own, and do what she wants, not what she thinks she should do in his opinion. He wants her to choose on her own…without telling her what she has to do. He has shown her his cards (love confession via flash mob, saying that he’d choose love over lust…but she needs to make her own choice), and now it’s her turn.

This show is known for doing parallel stories. The work related story paralllels the personal storyline of the episode. In 1x08 there was a “glitch” in the watch program & a “glitch” in Zoey’s powers. And trying to fix them led to new issues arising. In 1x08 we heard about Tobin & Leifs SPELLaversary tradition..and in the end Leif sang “I put a SPELL on you” to Joan. And so on…

This all leads me to a theory I’ve had about a coming song/dance number, and this weeks episode told me what the song has to be…IMO. To “solve” all this Zoey has to do a surprise flash-mob performance for Max. To Christina Aguilera’s “What a girl wants”, because if I look at the story so far, then those lyrics summarize the situation (whole s1 arc) almost perfectly. And since there have been kind-of spoilery rumours about another “heart song with a twist” happening later in S1, it matches. Just like the 1x06 flash-mob was real., so will be this one. And this time its not Zoey thinking that Max is just singing her his heart-song (it’s not real), now Max will think that Zoey’s “glitching” again… until he realizes that its real. ETA: DID NOT HAPPEN

A closer look at 1x11: 

In 1x11 Max tells Leif that he's (not sure he's) over Zoey. That his crush/live for her is still there, and to get over her he must pretend/show her that he's doing fine. Then a few moments later we see Zoey signaling him to stop Leif's karaoke singing, and then we see/hear him sing "Bye Bye Bye" to Zoey. And we know he's not really feeling it. He's trying to make her see as if he's over her. 

But even the lines he sings tell us that it's an act. He sings "I loved you endlessly, but you weren't there for me". Even when he is singing "bye bye bye" to her, he is singing a heart song to her, singing about loving her. It is made cldear to the adudience, but not Zoey, that the feelings she hears are not his real feelings, but ones he makes himself feel...because he knows she can rwad his mind, and he has no intention of letting her knwo that he is heartbroken (like Leif), hence he makes himself feel "mad"...and it works... she hears the song he wants her to hear. But he betrayes himself already when he secretly looks at her leaving. 

Then in the end of the episode he "forgives" her...so fast, so easily...and we can see his demeanour change in seconds. He goes from looking unhappy/mad at her...to all smiles. ALl it takes is for her to take the first step..in repairing their "argument". It's made clear that he was hiding his real feelings, and "pretended" to be mad at her. (we know hes uncomfortable with her reading his inner thoughts, and about singing herat songs to her) 

Then all our doubts are gone in the finale, when it is confirmed to everyone that Max can make her hear what he wants her to hear. He can change his thoughts by her request. This is shown when he changes a love song to a sexy song by her request. And then stops singing, and clears his mind of all thoughts...by request. This confirms it to anyone still in doubt. (it's also an interesting piece of info we got. We now have confirmation that he'll do anything she request. And that he can change his heart song, and since he knows she can read his feelings at any moment, he can make himself feel the feels he wants her to "hear" at the moment. He slips at times, when he forgets to check his thoughts, but when he concentrates he's able to choose the tunes his heart sings...)

MY PERSONAL TAKE/THOUGHTS:

As human as her feelings for Simon are (you can’t control who you find attractive…), and as much as this can happen IRL then Zoey/Simon is a no-no… simply because of his relationship status. Cheating storylines are not cool. Hence I cannot stand behind that “ship” or the possibility of accepting them as a viable possibility. IF he didnt have a fiancee, he’d be a candidate, but that’s not the case…he has a SO. Hence Team Simon cannot even be an option. No matter how much they try to promote it all as a love triangle & no matter how much they make Simon make bad decisions and wrong moves (going to her place & talking to her about his feelings, kissing her) seem “nothing serious”…. it’s wrong. It’s just as her best friend decribed it in 1x08. If things were different, yeah, but we’re not talking hypotheticals.

So IMO there’s one clearly wrong choice netween these two. I mean… I would not care if they would have her stay single, or develop new interest (Tobin)…as long as it’s not “morally questionable”. Z/S would be like Joan/Leif started… sketchy, and wrong. And hopefully having seen those two helps Zoey understand that…. see the parallels (she has a hint that one is playing the other)

As for “Max is being too pushy”… here’s how that goes: he’s been in love with his best friend…for some time…and not said a thing. She accidentally finds out after she gets her superpower. And all the while his feelings seem to grow deeper. And now that she’s aware of his feelings, it seems she’s become more aware of her own (similar) feelings and/or she’s developed them. And sure…after his peer reviews (that “he doesn’t show initiative”) & seeing that his best friend is interested in someone else…who would be just another “not good option” similar to her past bad relationship decisions, …and after getting mixed signals from her, he made more direct steps.

He sang her his heart songs, but he didnt push her (no, “Hand picked” is not like a date, just “are you free to go and eat”). She only felt pushed because she could “read his mind”. Also… he didn’t sing to her while being in a relationship with someone else…he kept his distance. And at the same time she seems to have become more and more aware about her feelings for him, and she was giving him “wrong signals”. His response - the flash mob was a response to that. And he was just upset that she ran…without any real response (not interested, can’t right now…cause I’m too occupied with  dad thing). All he wanted was some sort of respose, and he told her so. She avoided telling him how she really feels (as Mo put it… he’ll understand if you say you don’t know, but you owe your friend an answer)...delaying it…as long as she could.  

Also… any rational person would be confused about hearing that someone has superpowers. Again…she avoided giving him an explanation, instead telling him “fairytales of superpowers”. And in the end he was okay with her answer - that she can’t give him an answer at the moment. Even though he was upset, we saw he was still gonna be her friend (even if keeping some distrance, and not doing the movie nights), and that he was sure that one day she’ll be ready (the 1x07 elevator end scene, where both men think she’ll choose them…in the end..when she’s ready)

And in the latest episode we saw that no matter how hurt his feelings were, he did not stop being her friend. As he said “he’ll be there…always…and be the shoulder to lean on”. And you could tell that a huge weight was lifted off his shoulder when he knew her real feelings. When she did what she promised in last episode…be 100% honest with him. Sure… it only happened because of the glitch, when she sang him the heart song, but nonetheless it made things more equal. As he said - it’s unfair that she knows how he feels & can see into his heart but he cannot see into hers. The glitch changed that. Gave him the opportunity to get the answers she “owed him”

So… it’s undertandable that he felt hurt and confused when he saw her sing a heart song to someone else… right after finally giving him some answers. But…during he same conversation he processed it all, and also explained it to her - one song about love, the other about attraction. And he didn’t say “choose me”, he just explained the meanings to her (cause it was obvious she didn’t understand it herself), and told what his choice would be, while saying that he knows she’ll make her decision on her own….cause that ’s what she’s like.

As a friend he doesn’t want her to make the same mistakes she has in the past..hence him being “upset” with her. Cause to him it looks like she wasn’t completely honest (something she promised to be) with him - singing her heart feelings to him, and then to someone else. Claiming that she can’t lose him as a friend and that’s why she’s not ready to try being more than friends, when to an outsider it looks like the real reason is, as he put it - cause she’s confused about her feelings… for two people. All she’d have to tell him…from start… would just be honest and simply just say (more clearly) that she has to focus on her family & dad at this time, and ask for time. She kinda did at the end of 1x07, but because she’s not good with emotions and feelings…and she delayed her answer, she didn’t really let him in…and be the friend she needs at the time, it wasnt as clear as it could’ve been.

So far all his “pushy” behaviour can be seen as being a good friend -  he’s trying to help her not start another overly complicated relationship…which she told him (in Pilot) is not what she wants anymore. He points out to her why Simon is not a good option - he’s taken. Yes, part of his “pushiness” seems to come from trying to be less what his peer reviews decribed him like & competitiveness (knowing Simon is kinda his competition). But from his POV… (before she told him about her superpowers& sang him her heart song)… she’d been shown more interest in him (checking him out, giving mixed signals) & at the same time he’s in a bit of hurry because if he doesn’t act soon she may make a move on the new guy/the new guy may make a move on her. So it makes sense that with all of that happening at the same time he seems…to some… to "push” her towards being more than friends… Cause unconciously he may realize that if he doesn’t make a move …now… he may be too late.

And though it all… he’s still there for her. He might be “mad at her… just a bit”, but he still goes to check on her, still gives her advice, and space… after he knows what’s really going on. (he “pushes” her to confont her feelings about her dad, and deal with it instead of running). He’s not looking for something in return. We saw that over and over in several episodes. He verbalized it in 1x06, and his face/look told it in the end of 1x07 elevator scene.

Also… “Mr Nice Guy” is better than “Mr. Cheater”…any day… in my book. And it surprises me that there are those who think that “nice guy who goes after his best friend” is worse option & worse clichee than the “hot new guy, who is willing to cheat”. For me one is clearly wrong behaviour the other just depends on your preferences.

To quote Mo : Max is funny, and funny always wins. Hence… being Team Max.

So… while up until things got overly complicated, both men could’ve been options, by now the show (writing etc) has made it pretty clear that they’re going for Z/M endgame.

Though the showrunner/writers at times love to focus on the “love triangle” (I still don’t see it in the writing…I only hear it being described so by the showrunner etc), and how they want to continue with that…for a while… which makes it seem a bit like they’re seriously pro “cheating plots” and “human feelings are messy…hence we let the main character continue making bad choices” because “we love the love- triangle drama”, there’s still more evidence in them not really taking it further than the kiss. But yeah… at times the showrunners comments make it sound like he thinks more like the HIMYM creator did and less like Dawson’s Creek creator did. Too fixed in loving the “triangle drama” & not going for character growth… But… I truly hope that all that has just been misleading…and the storytelling is what tells us how it goes.

They already let Simon make a bad move - the kiss. That should be the line over the line that they won’t cross again. He may continue pursuing her by singing songs to her, because he read her heartsong in the wrong way (because he doesn’t know why she did it, and what’s behind it), but if they follow the character growth path, and their current direction… they won’t let him/her go into the “cheating plot” territory again.

Why I’m Team Max

I’m Team Max. Have been since ep 1x01, confirmed in 1x02 (he bought her dad soft food) & I had no doubt by ep 1x06.

I love Z/M friendship (BFF for life), but I also see the romantic potential. I do think they should’ve focused more on their friendship bond during the season, and less on the “triangle”, but I guess I’m also a SUCKER for “best friends to romance” trope? (Mondler, Peraltiago…). He is her support system (now that her dad’s almost gone) & she needs to lean on him & be his support system [she can’t, reeally, right now, cause she’s a mess because of her dad’s health]

Why I’m not Team Simon: see Zoey’s reaction when she goes to buy more Cheesequake & runs into S & J.  One simple, single & clear reason: He has/had a SO/fiancee. That disqualifies him immediately for me. IF he wasn’t, I might consider it as an option, but since he is/was… it’s not an option for me. He might not be any more after 1x09, but all that had happened/he did…happened while he still was. And he/they can’t take it back. But what Simon need right now (after ep 1x09 end) is time alone & processing his grief & everything.

Also… for me personally, S & Z bond is over grief experience. His songs (mostly) have been about needing her help with grief and what it has done to him & his relationships, so what she needs to help him with is that… dealing with the grief. But being a mess & grieving does not excuse any of his behaviour (kissing other women while being engaged…etc). So I support Mo’s speech to him during the brunch & I support Max’s take - S’s totally engaged, morally questionable guy…

The whole S. thing is exactly what the show said Z’s not looking for in relationships in the future: unnecessarily complicated (messy), exhausting for everyone, not good.

I’m Team “good guy BFF wanting more than friendship” over Team “cheating on his fiancee because he’s a mess” any day.

I don’t think she should’ve been actively pursuing anyone during S1 (the time she’s losing her dad), but since the writers decided her focus would be on two men…a lot… then out of those two options only one would work - Max. But not before she’s done some soul searching, and grieving, and character growth. (Hopefully his advice to her at the end of 1x08 finally got through, and she’ll be dealing with her grief actively & hopefully this time with her 1x09 speech she means it that she’s no longer continuing the emotional affair with the engaged-til-now-man (she played a big part in breaking them up…even if the roots of S&J’s problems were from long ago…) and focuses her time & energy on the #1 man in her life..her dad.

...even though “right now” (up to ep 1x09) , being the messes they are & having no clarity, and not leaning on their suppor system, and instead trying to “cheat” on their best friend/fiancee… S. & Z. “deserve” each other. They both are avoiding dealing with their grief, and both are not taking advice from loved ones, instead doing what they say they won’t do anymore… the next moment.

One step forward two steps back - it has made me kinda dislike both characters (and its never a good sign, when I start disliking the main character because of the writing…which tries so hard to create drama where there is none), cause as “human” as it is for them to be like this because of their grief, they are both “voluntarily” making the wrong choices… even if they keep getting good advice on how to deal with things…they ignore it & say it’s cause of “grief”… yet neither was actually dealing with the emotions regarding their dads.

And both “blame” it on their grief. When it all could be easily “fixed” if they just talked to their loved ones (she to family & best friends M&M) & he to his fiancee and therapist (if he doesn’t have any other family)… then they would’t be constantly doing the opposite of character growth.

But sadly… IF the show would go there with S&Z  then since there is nothing besides the grief bond [and physical attraction] there, then after they satisfy that… it’s over after that one night [I still cant believe that the cheating kiss did not give them both clarity…without question…but TV writers love their love triangle + “cheating” drama…even if it feels completely unorganic & non appealing] because all of it was built on a big “lie” - she didn’t “get” him, she used her superpower to connect with him, and you can’t build a lasting relationship on such foundation.

So I have no idea why the show is focusing so much time on trying to claim these two are an option…instead of showing them both grow as characters, and actually deal with their grief… with the help of people, who actually can help. (So yes, I am dealing with it all by ignoring the “love triangle” claims and the two characters acting stupid & only focusing on the “one step forward” grief support bits…not the “2 steps back…emotional chating” bits..during my re-watch of the eps aired so far.)

[aspiestvmusings]

ZEP 109 ANALYSIS

SOME THOUGHTS on 

ZOEY’S EXTRAORDINARY PLAYLIST episode 1x09: 

SPOILERS, BELOW: 

There is a lot that I don’t understand 100% about what the show is trying to do... with Max “pushing* Zoey for answers to his confession of love” & his reaction to her answer about whether he should take the job offer...or even why they keep saying there’s a deep bond between Z & S, when all they’ve established is that they talked to each other about losing their dads & are physically attracted to each other. Or even why Zoey says that they kissed, when in reality he kissed her. Or Simon’s behaviour...which I don’t think is ONLY just about not dealing with his grief...and all that. 

 * I don’t see it as him pushing her or demanding answers or anything like that. But this is the sense many get, hence I used this word 

I hear the showrunner & the characters talk about a “love triangle”, yet I don’t see one (just confused, grieving people). I hear them talk about a deep emotional bond between Z&S, and yet I don’t see it on screen. I see a pretty shallow connection due to their dads - “grief bond” with no actual deeper connection. And though I personally don’t “feel” that they actually feel attraction to the other, I’m willing to admit that perhaps each truly thinks they do...and actually find the other attractive. But nonetheless the story, to me, has clearly been told in a way that showcases the differences of the two men in her life. 

One thing that kinda supports my theories is that while we & Zoey have heard Max sing her actual “love songs” (revealing that the connection they have is love, friendship, romance), then Simon’s “heart songs” have been mostly related to his grief (”Should I stay or should I go” is kinda an exception here). Meaning their connection is based on that, and his grief is what she’s supposed to help him with. All S’s songs have been about his inability to deal with the loss of his dad, and the problems in his life & relationship that have come from this. Which is why I’m still a bit confused why the show is calling it a love triangle, when it doesn’t really seem to be. 

Since they all sing their innermost thoughts, and the songs are related to the feelings they have, and connected to the “problem” Zoey is supposed to help them with, then for Simon that seems to be “everything grief related” (he’s still not dealing with the loss, and it affected his relationship with Jessica..etc)...and I don’t understand why Zoey isn’t more actively helping him with that...instead focusing on “do I possibly have romantic feelings for the man?”, when she & Mo established that if she doesn’t help the person who she hears sing with their problem... that’s not good. I think THIS is the thing that has “confused” me. (but we all know network shows love their love triangles and such drama, so they have to play it like that..). So I really hope that in the coming eps we will see Z. help S. deal with his grief (she has her family, Mo & Max...who help her, but S. doesn’t seem to have any support system...) and “fix him”.

Though there was not much Max or Z/M in this episode, there were a few scenes. The elevator scene & the “what do you think I should do?” scene. And we could see Max is practicing social distancing from Zoey. Because no matter how much he cares about her, and proved he’s a good friend by checking up on her & giving her great advice regarding her dad in last weeks episode, he really was hurt by her. 

Also...one way he can minimize Zoey “reading his mind” is by removing himself from the same room. And since he doesn’t consider her knowing his secret thoughts fair if he can’t hear/know hers, then one effective way to prevent that from happening is not being around her. Maybe he doesn’t want her to hear that despite acting “hurt” he can’t “hate” her. Maybe he doesn’t want her to hear him sing about being hearbroken. Maybe.... In short: minimizing their contact might be related to something as simple as just trying to avoid her knowing his secret feelings... (the outer expressions & inner thoughts not matching)

As to Max saying that she didn’t give him the right answer might’ve been about something else. And though we saw his facial expression change as she was saying that “The Zoey who sang a love song to him will miss sitting across him at the office, but would never stop him going after what he wants”, I think his answer might’ve been about her asking “Was this the right answer?” Cause that seemed to be the thing that made him make his choice. 

Because that implies she was not being 100% honest with him, and instead giving him the answer she thought he wanted to hear. (we saw her do the same with Simon. First asking for his thoughts on the kiss, before revealing her thoughts...so she could base her choise on the other persons choice) It kinda does imply that she still doesnt know how she feels, and isn’t doing what she herself wants. Instead trying to guess what he think she wants her to say. Which is not what Max wants her to do. He wants her to be sure of her choice. Make her own choices. (and unlike many viewers seem to think... I don’t think he’s actually pressuring  her, or demanding a love confession as a response to his own. I see it as him listing the “facts” (options), and asking her for her take on it all.

I kinda think he made his decision because she asked “was this the answer you wanted?” more than anything else. Because this tells him that she doesn’t know what she wants. Though her answer “as the Zoey who sang that she is his...romantically” being so “not personal” might’ve also played a part.   And there’s another plot in this episode that actually gives us a hint what the whole “Max promoted to 6th floor” thing is about. 

                     < Edited for clarity: As said, I think her adding “was that the answer you wanted to hear” sealed the deal. But... if we look at what Ava told him on the 6th floor on that Saturday, then he was also looking for a different answer in general. An honest answer, and that she’s had some clarity about her feelings (and them) and all that. And also... some indication of a possible future possibility of them. 

But... she have him no such answer (or hope), she included her answers as her boss, and friend, but left out the answer as “a romantic possibility”. (cause based on those 1x08 songs all Max knows is that she has feelings for 2 men & he’s one of the possibilities...yet she’s not showing any indication that she’s leaning towards the possibility of them M/Z.) And I think the order of her answer matters, too. She first replies as his boss, then his friend (and completely leaving out the third pole...which they both know based on the heart song is a role she has, because the songs reveal the persons secret inner feelings). And they’ve been friends for so long, but she’s been his boss for just a short time. So to prioritize that role over friends...gotta hurt, too. And in general her reply was centered around work and work hours - she’ll miss sitting across from him in the office, not that she’ll miss their friends movie nights...

So he’s gotta make a move... instead of just waiting for something that’s never gonna happen.  Cause we might know/see more, but all he knows is the little she’s shared with him. So to his knowledge the heart song is the ONLY indication she’s even considering “them”. He is a romantic at heart, and he “put himself out there”, yet she’s not given him any real answers (all the things she said in 1x07 that he then understood as “she just needs time because of her dad thing, and everything else” and accepted as we saw based on the 1x07 end elevator scene, and was willing to wait and give her space, became “untruths” in his eyes in next episode. So even if she spoke the truth then, he doesn’t believe those words anymore, so for him she has no clarity on the whole thing, and she’s not given him any “hope” or “answers”.)  Edited for clarity />

Unless my other hunch is correct... That Ava is on a spy mission, and the whole recruiting thing is a plan related to the competition for a piece of code between 4th Floor & 6th Floor that is happening in the next episode.  Cause there are just to many coincidences: she approaches him on a day when the 4th Floor boss is gone (on a tech conference...which she might know because of the glitch in the watch software that shared everyones calendar events with everyone else...). And it was just luck that this followed an even where Max showed that he’s good at thinking on his feet (he actually did save the pitch by joining Zoey)  And we learned his past good work has also been noticed: the escape room.  This job offer also happens just before the company is about to get an important “job”. Too many coincidences. 

And maybe Zoey/we are all wrong, and Joan & Leif both taking that same day off doesn’t mean they’re together, but that Leif is working on another side-project. We’ve seen his sketchy moves with Joan. We know he wanted the job Zoey got. So how do you “hurt” your competitor? You tear her team apart. It could be that Leif is behind this transfer. Cause last episode also told us that everyone in the office are actually very aware of what’s going on between Max & Zoey (interrupting them, hearing their talks & noticing that they’re not hanging out as much lately...which even Simon noticed. So he might’ve overheard them OR he saw S/Z kiss.). So the timing was also good cause IF there would be truth in this then Leif would know the best frends are going through a rough patch, so it was worth to take the gamble (he maybe couldn’t be 100% sure Max wold take the offer, but he might’ve been quite certain)

So much for wild theories.... (This one is topped only by Simon being behind the transfer...to eliminate his competition... when it comes to Zoey. Which I don’t think is true, but oh....what drama it would allow to be written...where he’s not aware that she can hear his secret thoughts & hence will find out. I would want this to be true ONLY for that scene) And though it’s 95% certain that both J & L “missing from the office” at the same day/time is no coincidence (read: they were together...which only makes me want to know more...is Leif playing her because he knows she wrote the peer review or ...not), and everything implies that Joan could not just “end it”, I sometimes enjoy coming up with wild/fun theories...

One thing that maybe supports this theory of mine is the actors (Skyler Astin, who playes Max) comment that he started to call the 6th floor DRK POINT... which if we follow the SPRQ POINT logic gives us “DARK POINT” instead of “SPARK POINT”...meaning there is something sketchy going on. 

And obviously he’s not gonna stay on the 6th floor, so something has to happen for him to return/be returned. Either it’s a scham, or someone (Joan, The Team, Zoey) “fight for him” & get him to return to the 4th Floor.  

Also..the whole Max/Aca convo in the dark 6th floor parallels his “romantic storyline with Zoey”: 

Max: I hadn’t really planned on making a move. Things are pretty fine for me on the 4th Floor.

Ava: Are they? Or are you stuck treading water? Waiting for something to happen that maybe never will? 

Again...if we apply these words to the M/Z situation, then it fits, too. He’s “fine” with how things are going with them. And then the scary boss lady makes him question if he really is OK with it. Or is he stuck...waiting for something to happen between them... (for Z. to admit her feelings..etc) ...that may never happen... and as a romantic at heart... he needs to know if there’s a future possibility...

The whole 1x09 Z & S plot was a shortened version of what’s been happening between Z & M in several past episodes. Zoey was reacting to Simon not giving her a clear answer. It actually tells us a lot about Z&M, and parallels that story. 

Z: We have a chemistry & a bond that is undeniable. I guess I was hoping that after the kiss you’d have some clarity about all of it.  Clarity you still don’t have, and maybe never will. So... I have to make a change instead of just sitting around and waiting & hoping for something to happen. So this is me saying to you..officially... I can’t, and I won’t do this anymore. 

If we apply this to the other duo, then the parallrels are obvious. What Zoey was feeling (about Simon’s answers) is exactly what/how Max has been feeling  about her answers to him. And the whole quote/dialogue by Zoey summarizes the other pairings story perfectly: Instead of clear answers Max has gotten vague half-truths from Zoey. If we change a few words/details (”after the kiss” = “after the flash-mob”, then this fits them, too). 

And just like Zoey claims she can’t just wait for Simon to have clarity (which he can’t cause he’s not letting himself go through the stages of grief propely..etc) about his feelings,  while hoping something to happen, same applies to Max decision in this episode. His talk with the 6th floor boss tells us that this could’ve been a speech given from Max to Zoey. Cause this is exactly what he’s done by taking the job offer. He can’t just sit around waiting for her to catch up/for something to happen. This is him saying “no mo’” 

Both for his & her’s sake. Cause he really needs her to be true to her words, and be 100% honest with him. Tell him how she feels. And he really does “deserve” an answer, not sort-of-answers (avoiding giving him a clear answer...no matter what it is). And she needs to make up her mind on her own, and do what she wants, not what she thinks she should do in his opinion. He wants her to choose on her own...without telling her what she has to do. He has shown her his cards (love confession via flash mob, saying that he’d choose love over lust...but she needs to make her own choice), and now it’s her turn. 

This show is known for doing parallel stories. The work related story paralllels the personal storyline of the episode. In 1x08 there was a “glitch” in the watch program & a “glitch” in Zoey’s powers. And trying to fix them led to new issues arising. In 1x08 we heard about Tobin & Leifs SPELLaversary tradition..and in the end Leif sang "I put a SPELL on you” to Joan. And so on... 

This all leads me to a theory I've had about a coming song/dance number, and this weeks episode told me what the song has to be...IMO. To “solve” all this Zoey has to do a surprise flash-mob performance for Max. To Christina Aguilera’s “What a girl wants”, because if I look at the story so far, then those lyrics summarize the situation (whole s1 arc) almost perfectly. And since there have been kind-of spoilery rumours about another “heart song with a twist” happening later in S1, it matches. Just like the 1x06 flash-mob was real., so will be this one. And this time its not Zoey thinking that Max is just singing her his heart-song (it’s not real), now Max will think that Zoey’s “glitching” again... until he realizes that its real. 

As for Simon... I hope the show is not gonna go with the message: “Since he didn’t mean to do it then that makes it ok that he hurt his fiancee, and his grief-buddy" Even IF it really was all unintentional & he’s behaviour is all due to grief, that doesn’t make it OK to go to her house late at night without telling your life partner, it doesn’t make it OK to kiss her (when you’re still engaged)  just because she gave you signals that she’s into you... Nope... he can’t take that back. And him being a “good guy, who is just a mess” doesn’t make it  OK. 

But... I am not so sure Simon’s not sketchy. I mean... he & Jessica clearly had problems before he ever got to SPRQ POINT. She seemed to want to help him, but didn’t really get him. He didn’t really confide in her, and really let her in on his feelings. Also... Jessica’s jealousy (the whole Zoey) thing could very well have roots somewhere... so perhaps this isn’t the first time he’s pursued other women, while being in a relationship? Of course it’s possible Jessica simply is/was jealous by nature, but maybe she has a reason/experience from past?  

As for S & Z: their whole connection in built on a lie. He thinks she actually gets him, when that’s not true - she knows about his “grief” only thanks to her superpower. And you can’t really build a lasting relationship on “lies”... even if there is a connection (shared grief experience) that came AFTER the initial lie. Just think about when/if Simon finds out how/why it all began... that’s not gonna go as well as Max finding out about the games she played with him (that unnecessarily hurt Autumn in the end)...

So there are two big things they can play with in the future that will help create the big drama they love - S. finding out that it all started because of Z’s superpower (she cheated in the game) and not because she could emotionally connect on her own. And in a nearer future Max finding out about the 1x08 Z/S kiss. Which has to come from her, directly, if she plans to stay true to her promise to be completely honest with him. And third could be S. finding out about the powers. (part of me thinks it should happen, part of me thinks it shouldn’t happen in S1)

Either way... we know that there are going to be scenes/moments (heart songs) from/with both of the men. Whether these are “love songs” or “heartbreak songs” or “angry songs” or... something other... we don’t know for sure..yet. 

But we do know that there are ONLY THREE EPISODES left of this  season. 1x10 on April 19th, 1x11 on April 26th & 1x12 Finale on May 3rd. And the finale brings us a very special “heart song” from/with one of the two men. So there are clear sings that by/in the S1 finale the show will “commit” to one of the ships. And since we have small bits & pieces about the coming eps & finale, we can put together a part of the puzzle already. And though it seems that the Finale will sadly be when Zoey says goodbye to her dad, there seems to be lot more going on. Work stuff/Team song, guest appearances by some past characters, Zoey revealing her truths and... more....

THE END