#2A Must be protected

[beansprean]

Queening The Pawn - Act 2 Part 1

QTP has returned!!! Now back to our regularly scheduled charged conversations in the crypt.

Read from the beginning

Act 2: Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 - Part 6 - Part 7 - Part 8 - Part 9 - Part 10

(ID in alt and under cut)

ID: 1a. Close up on Guillermos eye, swollen red from crying himself to sleep, as it flutters open. 1b. Guillermo sits up in his bed under the stairs, wide-eyed and rumpled, still wearing his collared shirt from the night before. He has a cube bookshelf as a nightstand, which has a lamp, a yoo-hoo with a pink sticky note, and his glasses on top. In the shelves below: the interview with the vampire series, a few notebooks, a buffy vampire Funko pop, various unlit candles, and the vest he had been wearing crumpled up and half on the floor. 1c. Close up on his glasses, laid out neatly, and the yoo-hoo, likely now warm, on the nightstand. We can now read the sticky note on the bottle, on which someone had clearly had trouble spelling Guillermos name. It says: "for Gee (crossed out) Jui (crossed out) you". In the background, Guillermo clutches his blankets and turns his head toward the doorway offscreen, looking a bit lost as memories from the previous night flash behind him in grayscale (Nandor dropping to his knees, threatening Nandor with a stake, Nandor's desperate expression, the words "but it didn't work").

2a. Later, now dressed in a patterned sweater and hair still messy but hastily combed, Guillermo stands in the hall in front of the door to Nandor's crypt. He frowns and pauses, hand held out uncertainly toward the handle. In the background is a small table with half melted candles and a small painting that looks like a vampiric version of "Saturn devouring his son". 2b. Close up as Guillermo looks to the left, eyes still tired and red-rimmed. 2c. Shot from over Guillermo's shoulder as he stares down the hall towards the front door, which stands like a bright red beacon luring him forward. Behind Guillermo's head, another memory flashes in greyscale: himself collapsing into Nandor's embrace as Nandor begs, "Right now, I am afraid. So you must stay. My dear Guillermo..." 2d. Shot facing Guillermo again as he pulls his fist to his chest and exhales a bracing breath, eyes closed and brow furrowed in determination. 2e. Without opening his eyes, Guillermo screws up his face as if bracing for a blow and reaches forward to open the door before he can change his mind.

3a. Shot from inside the room as Guillermo cracks the door halfway and leans in slightly, looking apprehensive. He calls out, "Mas- Nandor? It's nightfall..." 3b. Reverse shot of Nandor, awake and standing in front of an open wardrobe as he ties a leather belt around his waist. He is dressed a bit more plainly in only two layers, his usual cloak or jacket either lain aside or not yet put on. His hair is pulled back in it's normal style, but a bit sloppily, some hairs escaping the bun and tangles left behind. He whips his head up in shock as Guillermo enters the room, locking their gazes, and Guillermo lets out a surprised little "Oh!" 3c. Shot over Nandor's shoulder as Guillermo opens the door fully and begins to step into the room, noting, "You're...up already." with wide eyes. Nandor, haughty expression in profile, spits back "Yes. I am perfectly capable of getting myself out of my own coffin, you know!" Guillermo immediately replies, "I know." 3d. Repeat of previous panel, both of them now silent and looking awkwardly away from each other. Guillermo is in the room now, but has one hand still on the doorknob and the other pulled protectively to his chest. Nandor has dropped his performative anger and looks very nervous.

4a. Close up on Guillermo, looking nervous but determined as he turns his gaze to the ground, starting, "Um...so..." Offscreen, Nandor interrupts, "Very well!" 4b. Matching Guillermos expression, Nandor continues, "We can commence with the yelling. I am ready." He steps forward and gestures Guillermo towards the loveseat, having dragged a cushioned wooden chair over for himself. 4c. Close up on Guillermo trying to mask his surprise, responding woodenly, "Oh. Okay." He thinks to himself, "He...actually wants to talk about it?" /end ID

[cwseriesshowdown]

Round 2A: Gossip Girl vs Supergirl

Gossip Girl: The series begins with the return of Upper East Side teenage "it girl" Serena van der Woodsen from a mysterious absence. She is reunited with her popular frenemy Blair Waldorf and her mother Lily, and she also meets Dan Humphrey —an aspiring writer from Brooklyn who is one of Serena's main love interests throughout the show.

Supergirl: At 12 years old, Kara Zor-El escapes doom on planet Krypton to find protection on Earth with the Danver family, where she grows up in the shadow of her foster sister, Alex, and learns to hide the extraordinary powers she shares with her cousin, Superman. Now an adult living in National City and working for media mogul Cat Grant, Kara finds her days of keeping her abilities a secret are over when super-secret agency head Hank Henshaw enlists her to help protect the city's citizens from threats. Finally coming into her own, Kara must juggle her new responsibilities with her very human relationships.

[fumiyami]

my GENUINE, UNBIASED opinion on class 2A’s hero costumes!! (MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS FOR THE NEWEST MANGA CHAPTERS AND STUFF. DONT WATCH IF NOT FULLY CAUGHT UP!)

Momo Yaoyorozu

•the colours are cute!

•but I imagine it’d b VERY easy for villains to like find vital organs and whatnot considering how revealing it is..

•I get that she needs that space for her quirk but I think a zipper would work fine as well??

•also why is there random books on the back😦I don’t think shes gonna have time to read those while fighting!!

•overall: 3/10

Tenya Iida

•how does he move in that😨wouldn’t it be heavy??

•I mean at least it’s protecting all the areas a villain can easily attack and/or kill you at!! (MOMO.)

•I just think it’s super boring i’m so sorry tenya my son

•overall: 6/10 (for practicality!!)

Katsuki Bakugo

•I don’t want to rate bakugo’s costume honestly because I HATE HIM SO SO SO SO SO MUCH. but I promised to be unbiased so😁😁

•I think it goes well with him and like I love the decorations/characteristics of the costume (like the gauntlets and weird um the weird black and orange thingies next to his head

•and also!! practical!! like no villains can get to your organs there!!

•but it’s also not really my style🙁🙁

•overall: 7/10

Izuku Midoriya

•practical!!

•this is actually such a cool costume like I love how the colours go together and match with all of it and stuff!

•not much to say really☹️

•overall: 8.5/10

Shoto Todoroki

•I also DISLIKE. Todoroki’s character for like reasons I can’t even remember but they’re there!!

•practicality! yes!

•idk much about any of the costumes but I imagine his would be like fire proof or whatevs

•but like also kinda boring!! (not my style :(()

•I DONT HAVE MUCH TO SAY ABOUT ANY OF THESE COSTUMES😖😖

•overall: 4/10

Tsuyu Asui

•I like the um the head bit..

•and it fits with her!!

•and it’s practical!!

•but like..not my style at all :((

•also I don’t know if the um feet parts are supposed to look like a frogs or not idk but they look a bit weird

•I love you tho tsu!!

•overall: 6/10

Kyoka Jirou

•oh.

•I disliked jirou’s character for a bit but I can’t remember why at all?? :(

•maybe it’s because she once called dark shadow “stupid bird” or something like that while fighting😡😡😡😡

•but yeah why’s it so like..casual??

•I’d rather it be more like alt or like punk or something

•and what are the things on her hand for??

•I like the jacket tho!!

•overall: 4.5/10

Mashirao Ojiro

•I mean it fits him definitely!!

•in the costume pic that i’m looking at he’s showing a bit of chest so villains could probably get to his organs or something?? idk :(

•it’s SO boring..

•overall: 3/10

Minoru Mineta.

•I feel so sorry to those poor civilians who’ve gotta be saved by IT.

•”i’ll be a hero to get girls!!” then shows up with THAT

•literally what am I looking at here??

•WHY does he have like a UFO looking thing

•and what is with the purple and yellow combo..

•I physically can’t keep looking at this thing

•overall: 1/10 (for practicality)

Mezo Shoji

•okay shoji I love you like such a gentleman and stuff and such a good friend (needs more screen time!!)

•but what is TAHT.

•the mask kinda looks cool…😕

•someone compared it to a clown and I wholeheartedly agree!!

•does it even have any functions besides making me want to dip my eyes in bleach??

•overall: 2/10 (MILES better then Mineta’s though.)

Koji Koda

•oh. like in the most flabbergasted way ever. oh.

•HE LOOKS LIKE HE’S GONNA START SERVING THE VILLAINS MCDONALDS

“oh hey all for one!! what can I get for you today :))”

•HE MUST BE LIKE NEEDING GLASSES OR SOMETHING CUZ HOW THE HELL DO YOU THINK “I need a costume that’s practical and hero like!!” AND COME UP WITH THAT.

•THE MASK ISNT DOING ANYTHING FOR YOU.

•WHAT THE HELLS THOSE WHITE STRAP THINGS AROUND HIS ARMS, WHATS THAT DESIGN ON THE CHEST, WJY ARE YOU WEARING SHORTS AND LITERALLY EVERYTHING THAT CAN BE WRONG IS WRONG

•overall: 1/10 cuz i’m nice!

Rikido Sato

•genuinely who let these kids come up with hero costumes themselves cuz I need to have a word

•it’s so like??? I dont even know :(

•atlwast it has practicality!!

overall: 3/10

Ochaco Uraraka

•BEST. HERO. COSTUME.

•the colours go together!! the little characteristics of it go together!!

•it fits her quirk and personality!!

•it’s practical from what I can see!

•genuinely no more words. AUTOMATIC 10/10

•overall: 10/10

Fumikage Tokoyami (MY SON🤩🤩)

•I really wish I can be biased I really do

•I’ll go through the positives first!!

•I LOVE LOVE LOVE the wristbands and the utitlity belt!!

•and the fact that you can’t really see where his body parts are like arms and stuff cuz of the cloak!!

•AND the cloak helps shade dark shadow so they can recharge energy!!

•ALSO very gothic I think!!🤯

•now…fumi my son I get that it’s like good to be practical but my omigosh

•why’s it ALL black. like maybe the boots could have had some coloured laces or something or the cloak could’ve had like cool bat or bird or whatver design on it just to give SOME colour

•without the cloak though it’s so so so pretty!!

•and it fits his character A LOT

overall: 5/10

Eijiro Kirishima

•I LOVE LOVE LOVE this one!!

•the colours all go well together!!

•the sleeves are super cool!!

•I like the “R” and like the little cape around the waist thingy!

•but..kiri my boy is the revealingness with the chest like for your quirk😕villains are gonna get to your heart and stuff!

•but actually one of the best costumes in class 2A!

•overall: 8/10

Toru Hagakure

•I always get confused on how to spell hagakure :((

•but what do I even say about this costume??????????????

•if I were her I would’ve just went full naked 24/7 tbh cuz like no villains are getting me then!!

•but genuinely what’s the reasoning behind having gloves and shoes?? making sure class A can see you? :(

•I don’t even know what to rate this one cuz can I even??

•overall: I DONT EVEN KNOW?😰

Hanta Sero

•okay I mean like I like the mask and stuff!

•and the colours do go well together unlike some of the other costumes (KODA. MINETA.)

•not much else to say really??

•overall: 8/10

Yuga Aoyama

•AOYAMA MY BOY!!

•honestly i’ve seen some people dislike his costume and I get it cuz why is it like armour?? how does he move!?

•but like nice shiny cape!! and purple!! and like super cool glasses that remind me of hawk’s wings (I have a personal grudge against hawks for multiple reasons but you know!!)

•overall: 6/10

Mina Ashido (MY 2ND FAVOURITE IN CLASS A!!)

•i’ve seen people hating on her costume and like I get it there are stuff that can be changed but it goes so well with her!!

•like the purple and turquoise go surprisingly well together and are like acid stuff!

•and the beige yellow colour of the jacket and boots goes with her horns!!

•I do think the jacket and boots (mostly boots) could be changed but you know!!

•overall: 8/10

Denki Kaminari

•I LOVE his hero costume!!

•like it’s cool AND casual (sort of)

•and the lightning strikes goes so well with his quirk!!

•and the glasses despite being blue also goes amazingly!!

•overall: 9/10 (not really my style!)

Hitoshi Shinso

•I LOVE. LOVE. LOVE his hero costume!!

•it’s like purple and black and white and goes so well with everything!!

•and he has the mask for his quirk and he has the capture tape like mr aizawa!!

•honestly not much else to say I LOVE IT

•overall: A WHOPPING 10/10

•doesn’t change the fact that I hate him..

[gooperts-gunk]

"why does the event date say 2Ath" mayhaps i have an idea, nerd emoji

possibly in reference to egg A1 and the A1 indicator was partly a label by timeline/reset not just a label to keep track of how many eggs there are, the number is for the eggs but the letter was for the universe. 2A would be the second of the individual A. that being if there are any other creatures created by the federation, they would be labeled like 2A1, 2A2, 2A3 and so on, while previously it would have been A1, A2, A3. or alternatively, the amount of timelines has already cycled through the whole alphabet, and so it has wrapped back around to A, therefore 2A.

or idk im just saying things based on facts we already know (island will likely reset, feds must be familiar with the creation of these eggs if they can expertly abduct eggs no matter the protection levels and can give them lives back whenever even dead ones, the eggs are unnaturally made according to sofia's analysis)

[prolifeproliberty]

I saw some discourse about it floating by, so I was wondering

Are there any examples of self-defense God approved of in the bible? (I thought you'd be a good person to ask, as you're both Christian and pro-2a.)

No examples come to my mind, but that could just be because I'm not very well-read on it.

This is a pretty well-done exploration of Biblical passages regarding self-defense and killing.

The most common cited one is:

“And He said to them, “When I sent you out without money belt and bag and sandals, you did not lack anything, did you?” They said, “No, nothing.” And He said to them, “But now, whoever has a money belt is to take it along, likewise also a bag, and whoever has no sword is to sell his coat and buy one. For I tell you that this which is written must be fulfilled in Me, ‘And He was numbered with transgressors’; for that which refers to Me has its fulfillment.” They said, “Lord, look, here are two swords.” And He said to them, “It is enough.””

‭‭Luke‬ ‭22‬:‭35‬-‭38‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

This comes right before they go to the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus is arrested. The disciples ask if they should strike with the sword - and don’t wait for an answer before cutting off the servant’s right ear, which Jesus then heals after calling them off.

In this moment, Jesus was willingly laying down His life, so He didn’t need them to defend Him. But He was also about to leave them to go be put to death - so He made sure they had protection before sending them out, as verse 36 implies.

There are of course other passages that generally talk about rescuing those being led to death and defending the innocent, which is difficult to do if you aren’t able to use force! The implication being that it is ok to use force, even lethal force, in defending the lives of the helpless. That means not only is self-defense biblical, but so is the defense of others!

But as the article above points out, taking human life, even the lives of criminals and evil people, is not to be done lightly or when there are alternatives.

Christians who want to own firearms for self-defense should absolutely do so responsibly - take classes, practice at the range, and store your firearms in a way they can’t be accessed by anyone who shouldn’t have them. This ensures that you will be ready to defend yourself and others if the time comes, and you will be less likely to unintentionally harm an innocent bystander.

(Note: Stopbox makes some cool products that protect firearms from being accessed by small children while still allowing quick and easy access for adults - no batteries, no keys, no biometrics. I highly recommend these if you have small children!)

[beardedmrbean]

That must be one of those "NOT SCARY" rifles he has, ohhh she got a little thingy there too.

Houston Socialist Movement out there taking advantage of their 2a protected rights, good for them for that, less good for them for being dirty commies.

[foxlored]

Hunter & The Binary of Abuse Victims in Fandom

Warned you all I would be turning this into a full-length essay. I find the way that fandom culture treats fictionalized abuse victims endlessly fascinating, as it's such an interesting microcosm of societal views about abuse at large. The Owl House's fandom has been especially interesting in how its treated the topic, given the fact we have multiple characters that have histories of being abused, or in some way dealing with conflicting parental relationships, lending for definitely a wider array of nuance in discussion. Out of every fandom, this isn't the worst by far.

However, Hunter is definitely the more 'by the numbers' character in that realm of discussion, and one people seem more likely to latch onto and mischaracterize. So, I suppose this is just me trying to examine how exactly this is reflective of larger fandom patterns and so on.

As a quick heads up, this is going to be an essay obviously discussing abuse, but along with that specifically victimblaming, negative views towards abuse victims, etc. Just like, y'know, proceed with caution.

The dichotomy of the 'good' versus 'bad' victim

I'm sure there's a better way to succinctly describe it, but I do not have buzzwords on my side right now, so that's the short of it. A common pattern that seems to be present when discussing abuse is to rationalize why a victim was abused. If no "reason" can be found, then they are a "good victim" who's deserving of respect and sympathy. If something can be found to rationalize it, then the victim is branded as somehow deserving of their abuse. Obviously this isn't true, and the standards are oftentimes very arbitray. Whether a victim "fought back", or "left when they should've", or any number of things they "should've" done are thrown as reasons to blame a victim for their abuse.

But sometimes, miraculously, a victim manages to "win" the sympathy of onlookers (this being much more common for fictional characters than for real people, hooray for double standards and phony activism) and is branded a "good victim". You'd think that this would make things easier, that their trauma will actually be approached from a nuanced lens.... ha, no.

The role of the "good victim" is often one that characterizes them as hyperemotional, defenseless, helpless, essentially painting a caricature of someone who "couldn't defend themselves against their abuser" and is therefore pitiable. In fandom, this came in the form of the "smol bean that must be protected" (sorry to evoke 2016 onto you all), the "sad boi", or as TVtropes puts it: The Woobie. (And whaddya know, Hunter's actually on The Owl House subpage for the trope).

Hunter as a 'Good Victim'

To preface this section, I wouldn't say Hunter's place in this role has always been stable. In the same way that the way its given to real victims is conditional and subject to change, the same occurred in fandom response to Hunter. This was especially prevalent, IMO, around the time of Eclipse Lake's release and the hiatus that followed the end of Season 2A. I'll touch on that more later, but for now we'll be discussing the times in which he IS given fandom sympathy, and what that sympathy really means.

If there's one thing Owl House fans love discoursing about, its the way Hunter is treated in the fandom. I've seen this often played off as "hating neurodivergent* coded characters", but this is by far a bigger issue with the way we discuss abuse victims in fandom, as illustrated in the previous section.

( *People use the label interchangably with Autism & ADHD despite the fact Neurodivergency is a vast umbrella that includes PTSD/C-PTSD which Hunter would undoubtedly qualify for. People using the idea of ND-coding, from my experience, typically argue from the angle of Hunter being in some way autistic-coded, I'm not arguing he's not neurodivergent).

The core issue of this discussion is the way that Hunter is denied agency and autonomy from fans because of his abuse. The Huntlow discourse particularly comes to mind, whether or not a person can be ""too traumatized"' to engage in a romantic relationship. I'm not arguing for or against in either capacity, I think both sides did have good intentions and merit to arguments that got strawmanned in order to push ship discourse, but I digress. The point is that Hunter is a character that is reduced to his trauma, and whether intentionally or not, is seen as needing protection.

A healthy support network is good. Having people protect you from an abuser is good. But the way people take this borders on infantalization, often forgetting who they're talking about. Hunter is an extremely competent character, and within the show does as much "protecting" for his friends as he does in needing help. But because his identity is, to fans, intrinsically tied to the abuse he faces, he is in a way forever seen as a permavictim, feeding into this idea of needing to be protected.

When the idea of a 'Good Victim' falls apart

I'd like to take a quick detour here to also focus on that previously mentioned point in time where a lot of nasty victim-blaming sentiment came up, and how people really tend to hate victims of abuse... acting like victims of abuse.

Eclipse Lake was definitely one of Hunter's more noteworthy episodes, giving a better look as to his relationship with Belos, how it impacted his self esteem, and the fact that he really wasn't willing to let go of that. And whew, boy, did that make a LOT of people upset.

Because here was Amity, this character who'd gone through similar struggles, had similar negative thoughts, offering him help and a way to heal. And Hunter rejected that pretty blatantly in favor of pleasing his abuser. I won't explain why people were in the wrong for hating Hunter in that moment, its pretty obvious that of course the traumatized 16 year old wasn't just going to immediately abandoned everything he'd ever known in favor of people that have been, atleast from his POV, pretty fucking mean. (All love to our protagonists though!)

What I'm more interested in talking about is what exactly this means as a reflection of the way we talk about abuse. Because I think a lot of abuse "awareness" is contingent on playing up abusers as these cold, calculating monsters that plan each nice thing they do for their abuse victims as a way to ensnare them further under their control (And okay, in Belos' case that... actually isn't that far off, this is NOT going to be me going on about how "maybe belos wasn't that bad", jesus no). But that rhetoric harms both victims and outsiders.

For victims, it makes it harder to recognize they're being abused, because they don't think their abuser is this overtly manipulative person. Whether that is actually what's going on or not is case-by-case, but either way it makes it a lot harder to recognize when abuse is occurring because they see a human side to their abuser. They know their abuser has good moments that feel genuine to THEM. Meanwhile, to onlookers, and this is what's happening here in the fandom, if an abuser is an irredeemable monster that's lying about everything, then an abuse victim who apologizes for their abuser seems ridiculous.

We as the audience know Belos is a horrible person with no intention to do good. But Hunter DOESN'T know that. And every person who's telling him that's the case are people he has no reason to trust. That period of time where he was villified was based on our complete misunderstanding of what abuse can look like. Which plays into what the "bad victim" is.

Because while a "good victim" must be helpless and lacks any agency, for why else could they be abused, a "bad victim" CHOOSES to be abused. They're "bringing it onto themselves". Because if there is any reason you "could" prevent the abuse, and you don't, that's seen as a moral failing.

So what does this all mean?

I wish I had an actionable plan here, something to say "this is what you need to stop being weird about abuse" but... there really isn't that. This is a pattern that's prevalent in so many fandoms, and something that'll likely keep happening.

All I can say is that the best way to combat this is to be aware of what abuse actually looks like. Not the sensationalized stuff that's on television, I mean stories from real people. Accept that people who've dealt with abuse will have messy, complicated relationships with their abusers, and that they may have done or will do things that don't fit your view of what they "should've done". Trauma puts your brain into a completely different mindset, and it's hard to think rationally. Especially when the person you're dealing with isn't rational either.

Sorry this isn't the most pretty conclusion, or that I likely missed a few points I could've made. This is a tumblr post and I am just one fandomgoer that cares a lot about niche topics.

[strelles-universe]

Codes of the Clans - The Executioner's Code

ShadowClan is a strict clan that praises loyal to the clan, obedience and faith in the Souls as what makes a proper and respected warrior. With such a heavy emphasis on the needs of the many prioritized over the needs of the few, it only makes sense that they can be harsh when it comes to punishments. One such example of their strictness is the role of the Executioner.

The Executioner is said a high ranking member of the clan tasked with the responsibility of ending the lives of those the leader deems too dangerous for their clan and others alike it. They’re revered and viewed with a degree of awe and wonder by their clan mates as instruments of their leaders’ will. An Executioner is the most loyal, faithful and obedient cat in the clan and many consider the position more prestigious than the role of the deputy. They are loyal in that they are willing to tarnish a bit of their soul to remove a danger from the clan; they are obedient for they will execute on their Star’s Command and they hold the most faith in their strict prayers and devotion to the Souls Above.

Executioners come right after the medics on the totem pole in ShadowClan on par with the clan’s diplomat.

The Executioner is the Paw of the Star

1a. An executioner will not on their own decide to silence someone 1b. An executioner is chosen by the leader themselves

2. The Executioner must be a fully trained warrior

2a. No cat who hasn’t killed someone may be elected executioner

3. The Executioner must pray to Suhakur and Moonsoul daily

3b. The Executioner will fast on the night of a full moon\ 3c. The Executioner will sacrifice a portion of every meal for the Souls

4. The Executioner is loyal to the Souls first and their Leader Second

4a. If a leader is removed from power, the executioner will take oathe to the new leader 4b. If the executioner is unwilling to serve a new leader, they will be removed from their position and outskirts 4c. An outskirted executioner is buried with as must respect as a camp-one 4d. An Executioner will protect the Anaconda at the cost of their lives

5. An Executioner’s paws must always be covered when claws are not in use

5a. Paws are unclothed during: hunting, invasions, executions 5b. An Executioner may not dull their claws unless they risk harming themselves

6. An Executioner may not fight any battle outside of invasions

6a. Any life an Executioner takes from the moment they are elected is to be intentional

7. An Executioner must perform executions with the proper, swift and painless techniques permitted by the Souls

7a. An Executioner who causes intentional suffering will be dismissed 7b. An Executioner is permitted to disobey a leader who encourages the suffering of the executed

8. There may be only two fully trained Executioners at a time

8a. One - an executioner that serves the leader exclusively 8b. Two - an executioner that serves the Anaconda exclusively 8c. Both executioners may be training an apprentice executioner but they must retire once they are fully trained

[sarsootah]

Watch "We Must Protect 2A!" on YouTube

[beansprean]

Queening the Pawn Part 7

End of Act I

Part 1-2 Part 3 Part 4-5 Part 6 Part 7

Act 2

When sketching, I got to this page fully expecting a huge blowout, but... Turns out Guillermo was tired of yelling. :( Let him cry for a bit. Act II is a ways off but coming with new revelations, lies, truths, and, of course, homosexuals having an argument lmao

(ID in alt and under cut)

ID: 1a. Guillermo stands with his back to the viewer, adjusting his glasses on his face while the stake in his opposite hand teeters in his grip. Nandor's last words echo around his head over and over: "like you always do." The background is almost fully black, stained with red blood. Nandor continues talking from offscreen, "Maybe I did not drink enough from you, or too much, or we waited too long before you drank mine. Or perhaps turnings just do not work on Sundays, or-" Guillermo interrupts, "Or..." 1b. Close up on Guillermo as he turns around to face Nandor, a bitter shaky smile struggling to life on his face as tears slip down from his filling eyes. "...Or maybe I just can't be turned." 1c. Close up on Nandor, looking torn and unsure how to respond, eyes large and shaky. There is a clatter offscreen as Guillermo drops the stake, and he repeats shakily, "I can't..." 1d. Reverse shot of Guillermo as he removes his glasses to rub his wrist against his weeping eyes, a frown twisting his wobbly mouth as he tries to get himself together. The blood pattern has disappeared from the background. Nandor speaks up from off-panel, "...I am...sorry. I am so sorry, Guillermo."

2a. Guillermo, left hand clutching his folded glasses to his chest and the right lifted to cover his eyes, begins to turn and says urgently, “I-I have to go-“ Nandor’s shoulder startles in the corner. 2b. Close up action panel as Nandor’s right hand snaps out to grab Guillermo’s left wrist, shouting, “Wait, don’t!” 2c. Guillermo stops, but continues hiding his face and sniffling softly. We see him from above at Nandor’s height, looking surprisingly small with his shoulders hunched protectively and Nandor’s large hand circling his wrist. Behind him, there is a faint vision of 10-years-ago Guillermo smiling as he unbuttons his collar and promises forever. 2d. Reverse shot of Nandor from below at Guillermo’s height, looking struck by thought as he gazes down at his friend with worry. Behind him, there is a faint vision of 10-years-ago Nandor smiling brightly in response, the word forever surrounding him in bright colors. Shakily, Guillermo prompts, “What.”

3a. Wide shot as Nandor falls to his knees in front of Guillermo, expression painted and desperate with one hand resting hesitantly on Guillermo's waist and the other hovering as it releases his wrist, which is still clutching his glasses to his chest. Guillermo’s other hand is still rubbing furiously at his face. The stake rolls, abandoned, on the ground. Nandor pleads, "Please do not cry..." Guillermo snaps back in a shaky voice, "Don't tell me what to do, I'm still so angry at you." The background is now fully in detail, revealing the open door of Nandor's crypt, a settee stuffed with pillows and furs, a lone chair, and an old painting of Viceroy Nandor. 3b. Nandor puts his arms fully around Guillermo and pulls him in, tucking his head to rest against the human’s chest. Guillermo appears to fall into him, shaking legs buckling slightly as he throws his arms around Nandor's neck and sobs. Nandor says, "Ok. You may cry for now and do the yelling later. Right now, I am afraid. So you must stay. My dear Guillermo..." /end ID

[icubud]

The Redheaded Libertarian @TRHLOFFICIAL

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND: I present you The Bill of Rights written in a way anyone can understand it. These rights are inalienable and endowed unto you by your creator, simply by the virtue of being human. 1A. You have the right to speak freely, practice your religion freely, gather freely, report the news freely, protest freely, and express yourself freely without the fear of the government silencing you. You may freely tell the government what they are doing or not doing that pisses you off. Also, the government is forbidden from creating a state religion. 2A. you are guaranteed two fundamental obligations: 1. the right of a militia— or the body of people— to protect the free state, and 2. the right of the armed individual to defend himself. The government can’t take your guns and the Militias must always be prepared. 3A. The government cannot place soldiers in your home and force you to take care of them. 4A. The government cannot search you or take your things without a warrant issued by a judge and secured by evidence. 5A. You have Five rights or protections here: the right to a jury trial when you're charged with a crime, protection against double jeopardy (tried for the same crime twice), protection against self-incrimination (testifying against yourself), the right to a fair trial & the presumption of innocence, and the protection against the taking of property by the government without compensation. 6A. You have eight Entitlements here: You have the right to transparency and timeliness in a trial, an impartial jury where you are charged, and for that district to be alerted. You have the right to know your charges, face your accuser, gather your own witnesses, and have an attorney. 7A. You have the right to have a jury trial in federal courts with civil cases where the claim exceeds a certain dollar value. 8A. The government is prohibited from charging you unreasonable fines and torturing you. 9A. Just because the founders didn’t write it down, it doesn’t mean it’s not a natural right. All unlisted rights belong to the people. 10A. The powers of the federal government are delegated to what is written down in the articles of the US Constitution. If it is not written there, then that power belongs to the states or the people. The Bill of Rights was written to restrain the federal government, although many of these amendments apply to the states too, whether in their own state constitutions, per the 14th amendment, or the supremacy clause.

[tvobsessed96]

2022 TV Recap

It’s been a while since I’ve posted anything, but I wanted to bring back something I used to quite enjoy doing! Reviewing and ranking the best TV I watched in a given year, that is. I kept track of all the new TV I watched last year on Twitter with the intention of picking a top 10 or top 5 episodes at the end. But after giving it some thought, I want to try something a little different. Since the pool is actually a lot smaller than I thought it would be and I don’t particularly have the motivation to rank all the episodes anyway, I’ve decided it might be better if I simply recap and review the shows I watched last year and list a few standout episodes at the end! With that explanation out of the way, let’s get into it. 

The Shows

This Is Us (Season 6)- One of the most talked about (and cried about) shows of the past decade came to an end in 2022, and I can honestly say it was pretty spectacular! The main focus of this season was how the Pearson family handled Rebecca’s declining health, and it was pretty effective. The performances all around were incredible, but I was especially stunned that Mandy Moore didn’t get her long overdue Emmy win or even a nomination! She’s long deserved it, and it’s a shame the show has ended without her getting that recognition. I know some fans said this season (particularly the finale) lacked some of the flashiness one might expect, especially considering how long they’d been planning this ending. But honestly, I can’t imagine a more perfect way to end this cozy, emotional family drama than what we got. Was it the best season of This Is Us overall? Maybe not. But it was certainly a very good one, and immensely satisfying in a number of different ways.

Ghosts (US) (Seasons 1B and 2A)- I decided to tune into Ghosts when it premiered in the fall of 2021 because it looked like a lot of fun and I’m a big fan of Rose McIver. Having never seen the British version, I didn’t quite know what to expect. I’m so glad I tuned in! The beginning of season 1 is a little bit rough around the edges. But as the show has grown into itself and found its own voice, it’s become a true delight! Throughout the second half of season 1 and first half of season 2, the show just kept getting funnier and sweeter! I love all the ghosts, I love Sam and Jay, and I’m excited to see what fun stories the writers come up with now that the B&B has been fully operational for a bit. If you like charming, hilarious stories about a group of people who love each other having wacky adventures, this show might be for you!

Good Trouble (Season 4)- Good Trouble continues to be one of the best shows not enough people are talking about. I know a lot of fans were nervous going into this season when it was announced that Maia Mitchell would be leaving, but I think the writers handled it very well. The Coterie crew still feels like the Coterie crew! One thing that stood out to me the most was the character growth. Everyone feels so grown up and mature compared to when we first met them 4 years ago! Alice standing up for herself and regaining her confidence as a performer! Malika figuring herself out and making smart career moves while also not losing the passion for social justice that makes her who she is! Davia standing up to her mom, setting boundaries in her relationships, and finally having the courage to stop beating around the bush with Dennis! Gael becoming a father!! There’s a lot to look forward to in season 5, including the resolution of that insane cliffhanger, and I can’t wait!

Raven’s Home (Season 5)- I’m actually...not fully caught up on Raven’s Home. Oops! But I have watched enough of the season to be able to say that I’ve really enjoyed it! I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel given the huge changes that were made and the absence of some beloved characters. I’m happy to say the show still brings a huge smile to my face! Ivy, Neil, and Alice are my children and they must be protected at all costs! And bringing Alana back as the principal was a brilliant choice!

So You Think You Can Dance (Season 17)- I enjoyed this season of SYTYCD. I did! I really liked the cast and there were some really great routines! Unfortunately, there were some things that disappointed me as well. For one, it was way too short. They’d been doing shorter seasons with smaller casts for a few years, but something about this season felt extra rushed and condensed. It felt like we barely had time to get to know the dancers before we were down to the final few. Additionally, as much as I tried to put a positive spin on it when it was first announced, limiting the voting to just the studio audience was not a great choice. If Fox can’t give SYTYCD the time and freedom it needs to truly live up to the potential of the format, maybe they shouldn’t have brought it back at all. That’s not to say I won’t be tuning in for season 18, which I assume is happening. Let’s hope the network hears the fans out!

Only Murders in the Building (Season 2)- I absolutely LOVED the first season of OMITB, and season 2 was also excellent! Funny, an acceptable amount of suspense, some great twists, and excellent character work! I’m not sure the mystery was quite as well crafted as the first season, but that didn’t make it any less engaging to watch. Really looking forward to season 3!

Reboot (Season 1)- As a TV nerd and a sitcom nerd specifically, there’s pretty much no way I wasn’t going to check this one out! It’s about the cast of a fictional sitcom from the 2000s coming back together to do a reboot. I expected it to be a silly good time, but it’s also surprisingly deep. It’s very funny, that’s for sure, but there’s also some great character work and satire going on, too. I recommend checking it out!

The Standout Episodes

“Kiss Me and Smile for Me” (Good Trouble 4x02)- How do you properly say goodbye to a character that’s been a huge part of your life for the better part of a decade? As a writer, as an actor, or as a fan? That was the task Good Trouble was presented with when Maia Mitchell decided she would be departing the role of Callie Adams Foster, and I think the writers did a very admirable job! The episode did a good job of closing this chapter of Callie’s life while making it clear that she has a very bright future ahead of her. From the goodbyes Callie got to have with each member of the Coterie crew, to the sometimes complicated but always heartwarming bond between the Adams Foster sisters, to the callback to Callie and Mariana’s first party at the Coterie, it was a truly lovely episode from start to finish! Callie Adams Foster will always be a very special character to me and watching her growth from the terrified teenager who didn’t believe she was worthy of love or a family to the confident woman who got on that plane to DC was incredible. I hope we get to see some more guest appearances before the show eventually ends!

“Miguel” and “The Train” (This Is Us 6x15 and 6x17)- Death and grief have always been themes that This Is Us has been pretty skilled at handling, but these two episodes took that to another level. First, we got “Miguel,” an immensely moving portrait of a character that never got the love he deserved from the fandom. I honestly believe Jack would be thrilled that his two best friends eventually ended up together. Miguel was there for Rebecca when she needed him the most and he was there was for her until his final days. And then there’s “The Train.” The fact that the show wasn’t nominated in multiple Emmy categories for this episode alone baffles me. Visually stunning, incredibly well written, and impeccably performed. Truly the sendoff Rebecca Pearson so richly deserved.

“Flipping the Pieces” (Only Murders in the Building 2x07)- It’s kind of hard to pick a favorite episode from OMITB season 2, but I think this one fits the bill. Mabel and Theo make a great duo, both comedically and dramatically! And I absolutely loved the metaphor of the puzzle pieces as it relates the repression of traumatic memories. The one thing I may have changed is the way Mabel kept talking at Theo even after he specifically told her he couldn’t pick up much of what she was saying just by reading her lips. But I get why the writers probably thought it was necessary and seeing her learn a little bit of ASL along the way was very sweet!

There you have it! Looking forward to another year of great TV!

[desmondkane-of-ao3-fame]

whats so bad about gus's plot in through the looking glass?

Well, I wouldn’t say it’s the worst thing in the show, but I do have a few problems with it. Mainly…

THE THREE BIG PROBLEMS WITH GUS’S PLOT IN LOOKING GLASS

1. The Opening Scene

If you’re going to be a writer, word of advice: Don’t start your story with the characters talking about the inciting incident that happens offscreen. It’s not exciting or interesting, and it sets a very bad tone for the rest of the story.

The opening literally breaks the textbook definition of show, don’t tell. Instead of showing Gus trying to help Willow with the pixies and his illusions causing them to attack her, we’re told that’s what happens, which makes the event feel less significant and real to your audience. It’s the difference between something like, say, hearing about a murder by accidentally eavesdropping on two people and seeing one; the former makes the audience feel detached from the event and uninterested, while the later makes the event more visceral and real. If we saw Gus trying to help Willow using an illusion, and then saw the pixies attack her, then you have a solid action-based opener that can help showcase just how bad it must have been. But instead, we get Luz just asking him about it, and it both has less of an impact and sets a bad precedent for the rest of the episode.

2. Willow… Really Doesn’t Matter Here

Maybe I’m stupid and this has been confirmed already, but maybe part of the problem was that Tati Gabrielle, Willow’s VA, was busy with another project? That would certainly explain why she plays virtually 0 role in season 2A, even when her being hurt is meant to be the inciting incident of an episode. 

Gus and Willow are supposed to be the best of friends, thick as thieves, outcasts united. Before Luz came along, they seemed to be the only friends the other had, and in later episodes like *sighs* Any Sport in a Storm, he’s clearly protective of her. So you’d think if he led to her getting hurt so much that she ended up in a cast, he’d spend the entire episode trying to help her: he’d be by her side the entire time, doing everything he could to make her time in a cast as painless as possible. 

Instead, he just kinda mopes around feeling sorry for himself, and sends little illusions to help her? And it’s not like Willow getting hurt is important to the rest of the episode: After this scene, Willow isn’t seen or even mentioned again. You could have made it Ed or Em who got hurt and it would have mattered as much. Which is to say... barely at all. It cheapens Willow and Gus’s relationship a little, and makes me question why even bother with this plot point in the first place since she’s completely fine next episode? If you want to go with the ‘Gus feels bad for being an Illusionist’ route, have it be he screwed up an illusion in class that hurt one of the student’s there. Heck, if you insist on not showing the inciting incident, you could do the Illusion class idea, but have Willow be the one who tries to chear up Gus instead. Even if she didn’t show up for the rest of the episode, it at least would be a positive display of their friendship, and doesn’t involve Willow getting hurt to justify a plot to help another characters story arc again *cough cough* Understanding Willow *cough cough*.

3. Gus’s Whole ‘Wanting to Use Other Magic’ Arc Feels... Fake.

Luz’s expression here is mine everytime I think about Gus’s arc.

This, I think, is the biggest problem with the storyline: At its core, Gus’s sudden self-loathing and feelings that Illusion magic aren’t good enough seems to come out of nowhere. I get what they were going for: Gus hurt his friend, and now he wants to try to distance himself from the thing he did that hurt them. Ok, cool. But even if we saw the full event that led to Willow getting hurt, and even if Willow being the one to get hurt really mattered, Gus suddenly feeling bad about doing Illusions would feel out of left field. He’s never shown any sort of distrust or frustration with Illusions that wasn’t outside a one-off joke, and even then it isn’t often. It feels especially weird because the episode seems to muddle Gus’s reasoning for why he’s feeling this was about Illusion magic in the first place: at first, it’s ‘He hurt Willow and he feels bad about it,’ but when the Glandus crew gets involved, it seems to shift into ‘Gus thinks Illusion magic is weak,’ which is such a dumb idea since Gus’s illusions have always been presented as incredibly strong. It feels like his reasoning is too muddled and confused to make sense.

(Also, if his problem was ‘Willow got hurt,’ why does he not consider... you know, learning Healing magic? A thing that would have maybe helped Willow?)

If I had to put on my tin-foil hat, I’d suspect Gus wanting to do different forms of magic is an idea that was originally meant to be expanded on had the show gotten a full season 3: Perhaps he and Matt would join together to dual-track as Illusion and Construction students in Hexside. But because they didn’t have the time for that, they settled for making it a one-off episode idea, which I don’t feel really worked for Gus’s character.

These all are issues early on, but they all come together to make the plot feel off, a bit like an afterthought. Which, honestly, given how genuinely amazing the Lumity subplot is in comparison, I wouldn’t be surprised if that were the case. They put so much effort into writing Luz and Amity as adorably and brilliantly as possible, they sorta forgot to really make Gus’s issues feel like something Gus would actually have, or making the opening scene with him actually set up the conflict in an emotionally impactful way.

To be fair, though, I will give the episode this: Matt, the little gremlin boi, is surprisingly solid.

(And yes, I think Gustholomule is kinda cute.)

[red1990hondavfr750]

Oh, gang violence you say? No shit? Sounds like something you may wanna protect yourself from.... but that’s just most of the world. Don’t worry though. The cops will show up in time to put a chalk line around you. Self defense is a human right, regardless of what your shitty country says or what laws it deems you must follow. What a fucking cuck.

i mean you can deliberately ignore the part of my response where i said i'm pro 2A and pro gun ownership to misinterpret what i'm saying if you want. you can pretend like you're the worldwide defender of liberty making a stand if you want.

All i'm saying is IF the UK gov make knives illegal, they should enforce that law and prevent people from carrying them, which is what the police are literally doing in this video

[moonlit-trolls]

Hi i put too much thought into EVERYTHING, This is a long post so beware

[the art is a bit off but i just needed to get this off brain]

App Δ. will be added at a later date

Casing for the Hydraulic Pump located on the shoulder part of the Lifter Class Robotic arm, Which will hence be called: LCR Arm. Casing is made of 1/4 of an inch Tempered steel, Bolts that affix on top of the Iron casing must be 1/2 of an inch at the bottom, and 3/4 of an inch, Bolts must be made of Carbonated Steel.

Hydraulic Pump. The Pump is used to siphon blood and mix with hydraulic compatible/ Troll Blood compatible (Compatible only with Fuchsias and Violets) Oi. 2a. Connectors to the Steel Plaque that holds the Hydraulic pump in place, Connectors are secured with a Grip, Recommendations are that they be soldered on if LCR arm is for Permanent or Semi-permanent Use. 2b. Oil Additive Tube, and Return Tube are located in the same 2 inch thick cylinder which pumps blood with the Added Blood Compative oil into the mechanism to make it's many functions work properly

Support beam located in the 'forearm' section of the LCR arm, It is made with a carbonated steel casing and Iron in the center, Able to support around 1000 kilograms before suffering breakage or bending.

Carbon Muscle fibers, Fibers made with plastic adjacent materials threaded within each other to resemble trollian muscular structure, it is able to contract and relax faster than any normal muscle could attempt without any breakage in the insides of the carbon fibers. 'Elbow' of the LCR arm is must have two 1/2, 3/4 bolts attaching the Support beam [See 3] to the rest of the LCR arm. Bolts must be made of Steel. 4a. Casing for the Arm's Central motor block [See 5] The casing is made of Ferroaluminum, and must be washed at the very least once a week due to the piston's it encases. 4b. Ball Joint Wrist functionality. A Ball joint is located at the "wrist" part of the LCR arm, it is able of 360 degrees of rotation, as well bending forwards and backwards without the assistance of the ball joint. Ball joints are made of Copper with Steel casings, Protecting the ball joints there are two Lock Casings made of Polymer to cushion blows from the Piston Punching Module [see 5a and App. Δ]

Custom Motorblock. A motor block that allows for 4 low action Variable Pistons. The pistons can be exchanged alongside the upper part of the motor block for the variability in the weaker hydraulic powered one or the stronger ignition powered one. [Addendum. 5. Piston Punching Module] As an additive, When the arm's sensors feel the bracing for a punch, Lift or general type of movement that would require force more than precision, it's pistons begin a low-regimen work, after 6 seconds the pistons will begin to move at normal pace and then it will be safe to utilize them. Punching with the module will cause the forearm to extend 4 inches off of the elbow socket, It is held in place by Springs and two Heavy weight bolts so it wiill return to place, This causes the fist to move at a speed higher than the one of the punch, Allowing the "Piston Punching" to occur, This can be used to dig Railway nails to the ground, punching holes through rocks or exposing someone's insides to the outsides [Addendum Finalized] 5a. Variable Pistons. The pistons have a rubber upper socket and must be made by vehicular specificity, The rubber cap is used to cushion blows to the Low Ceiling or the Motorblock. With that in mind it is warned that the motor block cap be changed every Two to three months.

[orangameelectronics]

# 10000mAh Power Bank USB-C in & out Pd QC3.0 22.5W External Battery Pack

So you're in the market for a new power bank, huh? Well, let me tell you about this amazing 10000mAh Power Bank with USB-C in & out Pd QC3.0 22.5W External Battery Pack. Trust me, once you get your hands on this bad boy, you'll never have to worry about running out of battery on your devices again.

## Support Display and LED Lighting

One of the coolest features of this power bank is the support for Display and LED lighting. Not only does it look sleek and stylish, but it also lets you know exactly how much power you have left. No more guessing or surprises - you'll always be in the know with this power bank.

## Output Voltage/Current: 5V/3A 9V/2A 12V/1.5A 5V/4.5A 4.5V/5A

Now, let's talk about the impressive output voltage and current of this power bank. With a wide range of output options, you can charge multiple devices at once without any issues. Whether you have a phone, tablet, camera, or any other device, this power bank has got you covered.

## Power: 18W, 15W, 20W, 22.5W

With power options ranging from 18W to 22.5W, this power bank is a powerhouse when it comes to charging your devices. Whether you need a quick charge or a slower, steady charge, this power bank can do it all. Say goodbye to long charging times and hello to fast, efficient charging.

## Protection: Over-Discharging, Short Circuit Protection

Safety is key when it comes to charging your devices, and this power bank has you covered. With over-discharging and short circuit protection, you can rest easy knowing that your devices are safe and secure while charging. No more worrying about damaging your devices - this power bank has your back.

## Applicable Models: Mobile Phone, Tablet PC, Camera, etc.

Last but not least, this power bank is compatible with a wide range of devices. Whether you have a mobile phone, tablet PC, camera, or any other device, you can rest assured that this power bank will work seamlessly with them all. Say goodbye to carrying around multiple chargers - this power bank is all you need.

So there you have it - the 10000mAh Power Bank USB-C in & out Pd QC3.0 22.5W External Battery Pack. With its impressive features, versatile charging options, and safety protections, this power bank is a must-have for anyone on the go. Say goodbye to low battery anxiety and hello to reliable, fast charging with this power bank. Trust me, once you try it, you'll wonder how you ever lived without it.