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Here’s my family’s traditional charcuterie board for LDS General Conference! Show me your Gen Con snacks! (no seriously, please, I need more ideas)

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It’s Analysis Friday, Eagles of Middle Earth edition!

Ar-Pharazôn stealing the show at Miriel’s coronation was irritatingly perfect. I didn’t expect the use of an eagle to start an overt takeover!

Eagles serve Manwë, King of the Valar. They were originally sent from Valinor to watch the traitorous Noldor as well as Morgoth. They watch, mark great events, and warn people. They have fought alongside Valar, Elves, and others in many wars. Shortly after the War of the Ring concludes, they depart from Middle Earth.

At first, the magnificent eagle who arrives in Númenor seems to come to magnify Queen Miriel’s coronation. But as the spotlight is stolen from her, and the crowd chants for Ar-Pharazôn, the eagle becomes more agitated and loud, just as real eagles will get when upset. It leaves, having transformed into a warning for Númenor.

Ar-Pharazôn has been chosen as their final leader. The rest of the show, we will see Gondor rise and Númenor drown.

Hint - watch the clouds!

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It’s Analysis Friday, Middle Earth Music Edition!

If you’re up-to-date on adaptions of Tolkien’s work, there is not an adaptation that goes without presenting a song or 10. The scholar, writer, and linguist loved music! But he didn’t include songs for the sake of it. Tolkien loved songs so much that he made music carry themes, story, and his world itself.

At the start of the Silmarillion, it reads like the Bible’s creation account. Eru Iluvatar sang the Ainur(gods and spirits), Eä(universe), and Arda (earth) into existence. Likewise, Melkor disrupts the song with his own strange one, corrupting other Ainur and introducing darkness to the world.

Words carry great power in Arda, and songs are often powerful prayers. Many of Sauron’s schemes hinge on manipulating others’ desires and insecurities. Finrod defeated Sauron through song. And Disa’s failed attempt to get the mountains to bring back the sunlight was very poignant to me last week because of the relevance song has in Middle Earth.

Tolkien’s Songs on the Screen

Hobbit (Rankin-Bass) - 7

Lord of the Rings (Bakshi) - 1

Return of the King (Rankin-Bass) - 3

Lord of the Rings (Jackson) - 6, 2, 2

Hobbit (Jackson) - 2, 0, 0

Rings of Power (up to S2E4) - 5?

For more Tolkien music:

BBC Radio Dramatization of LotR

LotR Musical (apparently quite bad (jk, it’s officially on my to-watch list now thanks to the comments!) mixes Tolkien’s songs with original ones)

Andy Serkis’ LotR audiobook readings

Clamavi de Profundis - family music group that adapts fantasy songs, lots of Tolkien!

For a universe that doesn’t act as a musical, there’s rich lore hidden inside its music!

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Get yourself a dark Maiar that can do both 💅

Spaghetti form

God form

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Galadriel, no!

Galadriel, yes.

I KNEW she was going to take Nenya instead of having it given!

But, a very good, important choice to force Sauron’s hand, really.

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The Stranger is a Blue Wizard

or, why the Stranger isn’t Gandalf

Spoilers up to Rings of Power S2E3

He didn’t come on a boat, and Cirdan hasn’t given Narya away yet

Gandalf doesn’t arrive in the Second Age

Gandalf doesn’t go to Rhun, but the blue wizards do

There’s a wizard in Rhun already, running a cult

This series is for fans of Middle Earth, not just Peter Jackson’s movie adaptions

If he’s Olorin, I’ll be disappointed

If he’s Gandalf, I may flip tables and stop watching.

Bonus Round - This Wizard is Also a Blue Wizard

or, why this wizard isn’t Saruman or Khamul

There was blue all over while we saw the cult in their clubhouse, including markings, paint, and even on clothing.

We know the blue wizards failed in some form, depending on the version

Saruman also doesn’t arrive in the Second Age

Saruman isn’t corrupted until the Hunt for the Ring

This season’s focus is about the dwarves so far - we probably won’t get man’s rings this season.

Khamul gained power when he got a ring

Khamul was a king, not a cult leader

I may flip tables and stop watching if he’s Saruman or Khamul

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Rings of Power Season 2 is out, and I have predictions!

I’m so excited for this new season. While I’m not 100% for all the choice the show has made, it’s done pretty well so far. I’m interested in how it interprets upcoming events. And more scenes with Durin!

Since I don’t watch trailers or series news, here’s my predictions for this season before I start watching tonight:

Sauron will try to gain forgiveness or control before returning as Annatar.

Galadriel will steal the rings, or give at least 1 away, and end up wearing Nenya to prevent usurping their collective power.

The Stranger is a blue wizard, and we’ll watch him fail.

OR the Stranger is Olorin, and he’ll meet the blue wizards who have already failed.

The Balrog will emerge and kill King Durin, becoming Durin’s Bane.

Celeborn appears!

Here’s to a new season!

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Cool account!!! Do you know Helluva Boss too?

Thanks!

Unfortunately, I don’t like Helluva Boss. I was right there, first hour when it launched, ready to be amazed. But I just can’t.

I got really bad vicarious embarrassment while watching. That doesn’t happen too often.

And it gave me chaotic sitcom energy? I have enjoyed 3 sitcoms in my entire life so…

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

But, I always defend Helluva Boss’ accomplishments! Since Helluva Boss’ start, we’ve started to see a nice handful of quality animated series on YouTube. It’s terrific, and I have no issue seeing beyond my subjectivity into the objective wins Helluva Boss has!

I bet I am also missing out on some cute Easter eggs, and possible hints to Hazbin Hotel that are just begging to be noticed!

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Sometimes the truth is downright terrifying, Deer Troll Daddy

I found a thing

What if

Karens become susans.

THE "i want to speak to the manager!" PEOPLE. WHEN THEY DIE. BECOME SOMEWHAT LIKE SUSAN.

(I found the headcannon (from what I saw) on @dungeons-and-dictions page somewhere on a post-)

“I have no idea what you’re talking about but the thought of more Susans is…unsettling.”

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Charlie, are you okay? Vaggie? Angel? Alastor?

What in the Chinese-ripoff-sweatshop-product world happened to you four??

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@amtrak-official, I’m so sorry no one has told you yet.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons should already be your favorite game! Not only can you dress up your own character, and buy, decorate, and TARDIS a house, but…

There’s no travel by cars!

Only boats and water planes!

Make paths all over your island!

Get the DLC and you can design homes for over 500 characters not on your island! (And eventually you can remodel your neighbors’ houses too)

You can do custom designs to make all sorts of things, including…

TRAINS

Also, I will be your friend and grace you with money and fruit and recipes if you do manage to get ACNH. I stan hard for public transit and having a carless world. 😘

They should make a game where you design characters and then decorate houses for them

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For the record, unless you were in a classroom for a club or team project, you definitely ate outside at my middle and high school. My main group hung out by a dugout and played Twister most days!

i feel like high school/middle school sitcoms set the unrealistic expectation of being able to have lunch time outside

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Destroy the myth that libraries are no longer relevant. If you use your library, please reblog.

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It’s Analysis Friday about precisely why Hazbin Hotel is such a stand out.

But first - this is probably my last Hazbin Hotel-related analysis until the next season; give me asks during this long dry spell!

Why on this specific topic? Because I’m tired.

Y’all.

Listen.

I’m all for subjectivity. People can just like or dislike things regardless of quality. Heck, I know Helluva Boss is part of the Hazbin world, but it gives me too much cringe and vicarious embarrassment to handle.

(Yeah, I’m weird. I know)

But I keep hearing people say Hazbin Hotel is mid or just relying on hype.

Those are fighting words!

We are getting quality on par with Disney movies for a tv series!

That’s crazy! Let’s break it down.

Musical numbers

Talented singers play the main crew. Stephanie Beatrix plays Mirabel Madrigal, Kimiko plays Izzy, etc.

There were 2 songs per episode! And because it is truly perfect for a musical, we even get thematic reprises and callbacks!

Does anyone recall when similar things have happened in animation? MLP:FiM had a glorious episode that was ALL musical with a reprise. That’s all I have at this scale outside of Disney.

Characters

I’ve always known Vivzie to put thought into her work, and this shines through so well in Hazbin.

Lucifer’s depression is similar to my own

Angel’s gradual changes and struggles are realistic

Charlie’s breed of passion is the same as mine in my career

Alastor’s extremely manipulative yet we all love him

Velvette had one of the best formal character intros I’ve seen in a long time

Hazbin Hotel works really hard to get away from stereotypes, and dives in past superficial traits.

Also, we get things like Valentino sounding like he’s squeaking because moths squeak. We don’t need these things!

Animation

You know what else we don’t need?

Airplane arms!

Complicated dance moves!

Cute leg swishies with cuter sound effects?

Every second you see is 10+ frames traditionally. (Idk the studio’s technical details). That’s wild to add in these complicated extra details! And they flow so nicely! This level of quality for 2D (and honestly 3D too most of the time) is unheard of in the West nowadays.

And on that, western adult animated shows typically are so poorly made, especially in the art. Even the few I have seen that have okay stories to tell absolutely stink in terms of visuals and movement.

Story

Yeah, this is the biggest weakness Hazbin Hotel has, no doubt. The story is actually an incredible premise, and truly done pretty well within the awful time constraints. I think everyone is valid in saying it was far too fast! Hopefully we get more (or longer) episodes in upcoming seasons.

But at the same time, this is also the nature of musicals. If you think this is fast, don’t watch the Les Miserables musical where everyone only sings. Idk why, but singing the entire time makes everything seem like you’re in a race car on autopilot.

Don’t forget; the symbolism just drips out of the screen in this show. The fact that I could still do more analyses even now is a testament to that with all the content I have done since it aired. Vivienne goes hard on the details.

But put yourself in Vivzie’s shoes. You do the impossible, shot for the moon while hoping for maybe the top of a 5-story building, and you were offered the stars. Your project has been a part of who you are before you even went to university, and a major company gives you a way to bring it to life? Why wouldn’t you settle for this good of a deal?

Innovation

People do not bring up often enough that Vivienne broke a glass ceiling separate from that of gender. She showed that YouTube animations can be taken seriously, and even be aired.

In this age, the Saturday morning cartoon blocks I grew up with no longer exist. There were tons of great shows, and I could talk with other kids about it. Nestled within these weekends were shows that ran short pilot episodes for potential series. The last time I saw one was Adventure Time’s pilot.

It’s been a whiiiiiiile.

So having a cutesy little indie pilot animation amongst thousands on YouTube be such high quality and get a mainstream platform? Spindlehorse made history!

Moreso, Helluva Boss is also demonstrating the capacity of indie studios like never before - and what may pave the way for the future of animation too.

Out of all the animated series running on YouTube, Glitch is the only creator who does 3D that I am aware of. Even Glitch’s work has only started within the past few years, ie after Vivienne managed the impossible.

So please, stop complaining about subjective parts so much. Hazbin Hotel objectively has some of the highest craftsmanship in western animation.

We are blessed that Vivienne’s dream has come true in such a glorious manner. When I discovered her back in 2012, I couldn’t have guessed the pilot would be so successful, nor that it would change what was possible for animation!

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Literally so glad I am not alone! I love The Good Place and Hazbin Hotel so much for honestly questioning the binary of traditional Christian heaven and hell.

Is it a little raunchy? Yes. But if other members can unabashedly watch mindless, crude adult animations like Family Guy, I can watch one that has story, theme, Broadway tunes, smooth animation, and character development.

(also, HH is so meme-y and my ADHD gets a lot of dopamine from making and finding HH memes!)

as a mormon, i love hazbin hotel so much bc it just epitomizes why the traditional idea of heaven an hell makes no sense.

my byu religion teacher asked us, if its possible to improve to higher kingdoms of glory (levels of heaven), does that mean that it's possible to go backwards, too? all i could think of was adam and laughed

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I went through the code and saved the images for the boop paws.

Save and share to boop your people later.

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A Home Where the Spirit of the Lord Dwells - President Eyring, April 2019 General Conference

Love this talk! The full, contextualized quote:

You will find some of your greatest joys in your efforts to make your home a place of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and a place that is permeated with love, the pure love of Christ. The Restoration of the gospel started with a humble question pondered in a humble home, and it can continue in each of our homes as we continue to establish and practice gospel principles there. This has been my hope and my deepest desire since I was a little boy. You have all had glimpses of such homes. Many of you have, with the Lord’s help, created them.

Some have tried with full heart for that blessing, yet it has not been granted. My promise to you is one that a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles once made to me. I had said to him that because of choices some in our extended family had made, I doubted that we could be together in the world to come. He said, as well as I can remember, “You are worrying about the wrong problem. You just live worthy of the celestial kingdom, and the family arrangements will be more wonderful than you can imagine.”

does anyone have that quote that was like "family arrangements in the celestial kingdom may surprise us"? I can't find it for the life of me