uselessandgay

[the-final-sentence]

Alhamdulilah.

Uzma Jalaluddin, from Ayesha at Last

[absurdsoutherner]

Some of my favorite reads for 2022.

What was your favorites?

[saturngalore]

afrofuturism🪐

☆ one ~ solange hair by darknightt (tsr warning) ☆ two ~ loretta hair by @simtric ☆ three ~ bahati braids by @sheabuttyr ☆ four ~ isonoe hair by octetsica ☆ five ~ binah braids by @sheabuttyr ☆ six ~ cornrows & curls hair by @leeleesims1 ☆ seven ~ indie hair by @sashima ☆ eight ~ loc petals by @shespeakssimlish ☆ nine ~ mnemosyne hair by octetsica ☆

mini dedication essay to black simmers and ts4 creators below! pls read if you have the chance! <3

this edit is a small homage to afrofuturism and the various unique black hairstyles (and especially the black creators of most of these hairs) that i have downloaded and admired over the years! some of these are old and some of these are new.

to me, afrofuturism means constantly honoring/reclaiming/challenging the past while constantly creating/dreaming of a better society/world/future. a society/world/future that embraces and empowers all of our differences, ingenuity, aspirations, and unique lived/cultural experiences. a society/world/future that does not limit us through the various systems of marginalization and oppression (racism, homophobia, transphobia, fatphobia, sexism, xenophobia, ableism, classism, colorism, etc.) that often affects how we, as black people, live today.

blackness is so diverse and intricate yet it's always been a struggle to find my culture within a game that's known for being so limiting, bland, and extremely eurocentric when it comes to hairstyles, clothing, food traditions/events, etc. black simmers have always had to figure out how to make this game more inclusive and make it resemble either more like how our ancestors lived, how our current lives are, or how we would want our lives (and even our children's lives) to look like in the future no matter how dystopian the real world look and feel now. fortunately, these hairs and their uniqueness bring a huge sense of culture and style to this game. they have always inspired me and made me feel extremely proud to a part of the lovely african diaspora (and the ever-growing black simmer community).

in a way, being a black simmer and cc creator usually means that we are often digitally creating our own worlds as afrofuturists to varying degrees (whether we know it or not) every time we open our game, make our sims, make houses, and/or make black cultural cc. also, now i know that cc making is not easy to do and is extremely time-consuming so this post is also just me giving all black cc creators especially those who create for free their well-deserved flowers! here are some other black cc creators who created cc that have greatly impacted my game since i first started playing sims 4: @/leeleesims1 @/simtric @/hi-land @/yuyulie @/sims4bradshaw @/ebonixsims @/xmiramira @/sheabuttyr @/qwertysims @/oplerims @/sleepingsims @/shespeakssimlish and so many more im forgetting probably (im too shy rn to tag ppl but i greatly appreciate y’all fr i hope y’all telepathically get this message somehow 😭).

last but not least, i am hoping that this inspires somebody to keep creating or start creating regardless of what they think their skill level is! somebody will absolutely fall in love with your work and/or your art/work will 100% change someone's game forever <333

[adamwarlock]

Which means the squirrel is also. To save ourselves we must bring it to the High Evolutionary before his own people do. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)

[keepyourpantsongohan]

Me ignoring everything about the institution of ANBU in Naruto because I like the uniforms:

[oddishfeeling]

do you have any book recommendations? pls i need lots 💙💙

this is such a loaded question friend. but lucky for u, i am procrastinating assignments, my take out has yet to arrive, and i just finished another book!

horror fic has been my choice for the last several books

the centre by ayesha manazir siddiqi is about a young Pakistani woman living in the UK. she's a translator for Urduru films. language and translation are central to this book. people are becoming fluent in a matter of weeks in complex languages.... the centre is gorgeous if not entirely mysterious, magical even. but whats the catch?? beautifully written. vivid details. anisa is a flawed, honest, and genuine feeling mc, as are the people in her life. i just finished it a couple hours ago n i miss my girls.

slewfoot by brom is set in 17th century Connecticut. our protag, Abitha, is not from this town but she does he best to adhere to the Puritan standards, if not for her well being, than that of her husband's. something stirs in the outskirts of the village, in the forest and beyond. she finds help from an unlikely source while also fostering a deep inner power of her own. these characters felt so well thought out, the writing is magnetic and the action is well paced. it puts so many preconceived notions right on their head. i loved this book and can't wait to read brom's other novel, the child thief, a retelling of peter pan and the lost boys!

sister, maiden, monster by lucy a. synder was oh so gay and oh so cosmically horrendous. this is like h.p. lovecraft wasn't a weird racist. this is like if biblically accurate angels were once just women in love. this is horrifying, visceral, and relevant to our COVID world. i was gawking at so many of the details. there are so many monster themes actually, it's perfect. the story is told through 3 povs of 3 different women. and we love women! and horror! i didn't expect to pick this one up but I'm so glad i did.

mary: an awakening of terror by nat cassidy do u know what it's like to be virtually invisible? forgotten? disaffected? do u know the pure joy of having a precious collection, adding to it over time, and it being almost ur only reason for living anymore?? then you're a lot like mary. and mary is a lot like plenty of women who get the chance to live beyond adolescence, who are cast out by society-- deemed invaluable. mary is utterly lost at a time in her life she feels she should have it all figured out. she goes back to her hometown, an ambiguous small town in the middle of the desert, and some unlikely characters help her piece things back together. i finished this book feeling so close to mary. we are friends now. there is mystique, horror, fables, myths, bad guys, mysterious architecture, and well mary is not the most reliable narrator. loved this one too.

the last house on needless street by catriona ward i had no idea where this book was going and i loved piecing the narrative together through several characters and their povs. it forces u to confront ur own biases regarding mental health. u are sympathetic to the characters in the most painful, heart wrenching ways. there is murder. there is mystery. there is missing children. there are cats. this book surprised me and it was fun to have to find a couple reddit threads to be sure i was understanding the story correctly. i felt like i read this kind of fast! which is always fun too.

brother by ania ahlborn this one pissed me off a bit. but in a good way because i was so deeply invested. this one is set in Appalachia. i'm not one for stereotypes, especially bc i think Appalachians have a bad rep and it's of no fault of their own. that being said, the insular feel of the book and the absolute claustrophobia those mountains create in this story were like a character in it of itself. our protag, michael, knows there's something beyond. he's seen them on colorful postcards. but his own mind and his own heart seem utterly trapped here. this one is heartbreaking. it's horrifying. and it'll make u dizzy from the amount of times u change ur mind. excited to read her other novel, Seed, because this one stuck with me so much!

a couple honorable mentions that fit the theme:

the vegetarian by han kang korean food. infidelity. art. nightmares. inexplicable mindfucks! this story was scary because it felt very.. possible? no monsters this time. no spells. just... the mind deteriorating. could happen to any of us.

a certain hunger by chelsea g. summers what if girlbossing is just a quick pivot from sociopathy?? what if the crimes are so much more gratifying than say, fame or fortune or even love?? women can be sociopaths too, you know!! this one is fun bc the protag is crazy and it's fun to slip into these characters. cathartic even. omg did i mention, she's a foodie too! just like me :-)

[birdstooth]

When your child has to wear the cone of shame so u wear one too 😌😌😌✊🌼

Bonus outtake

[freensrcha]

This guy with the fierce eyes is Pat. He's born to be my rival. This guy with the dimples is Pran. I was forbidden from being friends with him. True, but we weren't exactly obedient kids.

BAD BUDDY REWATCH - EPISODE 12

[prongsmydeer]

"Kalyani has big dreams. She wants to do a lot. I am just trying to help her. I am not waiting here with the hope that she will accept me later. But because I might become a better person by staying with her."

STORIES BY RABINDRANATH TAGORE (2015): Episode 20 - Aparichita

[alexshenry]

khathadome → mrdumpling

[haveyoureadthispoll]

A modern-day Muslim Pride and Prejudice for a new generation of love. Ayesha Shamsi has a lot going on. Her dreams of being a poet have been set aside for a teaching job so she can pay off her debts to her wealthy uncle. She lives with her boisterous Muslim family and is always being reminded that her flighty younger cousin, Hafsa, is close to rejecting her one hundredth marriage proposal. Though Ayesha is lonely, she doesn't want an arranged marriage. Then she meets Khalid, who is just as smart and handsome as he is conservative and judgmental. She is irritatingly attracted to someone who looks down on her choices and who dresses like he belongs in the seventh century. When a surprise engagement is announced between Khalid and Hafsa, Ayesha is torn between how she feels about the straightforward Khalid and the unsettling new gossip she hears about his family. Looking into the rumors, she finds she has to deal with not only what she discovers about Khalid, but also the truth she realizes about herself.

[britishchick09]

rewrite ayesha and her salami! ;)

bonus scene that takes place literally a minute later:

[cdyssey]

Janine waits with her sister by the bus stop, and together, side-by-almost-brushing-side, they shiver miserably in the cold.

She supposes they should both be used to it by now—(all the nights that their mom forgot to pay the power bill are far from easy to forget)—but, well, cold is cold, and when Ayesha’s breath clouds in front of her chafed lips, Janine instinctively tries to give her her own scarf.

It’s woolly and multicolored—something she picked up while thrifting a few weeks back—and her coworkers tease her about its ugliness almost every day.

But it does its job.

It keeps her warm.

That’s all that really matters in the end.

“No, no,” Ayesha shakes her head, trying to push the scarf away. “You keep it, Janine. I’m about to be on the bus anyway.”

“Nope,” Janine says firmly, all but shoving it into her sister’s palms. “I insist. It’s cold up there in the Rockies, y’know.”

“It’s cold here in Philly!”

“So?” She grins, poking her tongue out between her teeth. “I’ll manage.”

And she knows she’s won this round when Ayesha’s slender fingers finally close over the accessory.

“Stubborn as ever,” she sighs fondly, wrapping it around her neck in a few fluid motions. She’s always been graceful in that way—ever so quick to adapt.

Janine has always envied that about her sister.

Just a little.

(And maybe a whole lot.)

She feels so clumsy sometimes in comparison, painfully juggling all the responsibilities in her life like they’re glass.

“Yeah, well, one of us has to be,” she snorts softly and lightly nudges her on the arm. They both giggle then, and it’s mostly lovely, and it’s a little awkward, and it’s entirely warm all at once.

(It’s sisterhood.)

The red bus eventually comes into the view, and their shadows stretch on the pavement.

Ayesha re-grips the taped-up handle of her suitcase and places a hand on Janine’s shoulder.

“Listen, if she gets out of hand…” She bites her lip, her dark brow furrowed over her eyes, and Janine gets it.

She perfectly does.

The question is not if, but when.

And it’s a responsibility neither of them should have to shoulder, as sick of her shit as they are—but even still, that’s their mother, and don’t they owe her?

Isn’t that what she’s always said?

I’ve sacrificed so much for you two.

(That’s the only way Marsha Teagues has ever said, I love you.)

“I’ll call you—I promise,” Janine finishes, even though she knows that she won’t, despite the fight they just had about that very subject. She spent so much of her childhood between her mother and her sister that she doesn’t know where to exist anywhere else.

Ayesha nods slowly, though she doesn’t look entirely convinced. She reaches upwards and thumbs something—maybe a bit of dirt—off of Janine’s nose as the bus finally pulls up to them, the doors opening in a telltale pneumatic hiss.

“Love ya, sis,” she murmurs. “Take care, yeah?”

And Janine, with the lifelong impulsiveness that she’s never been able to shake, throws her arms around her sister’s lanky frame in response.

It surprises Ayesha, of course.

Neither of them are entirely used to such uninhibited displays of love.

But after a few tense heartbeats, she relaxes into the embrace. Her thin shoulders unbend, her breath unfurls, and she wraps her own arms around the second grade teacher. She buries her nose against Janine’s neck.

“Love you too, Aya,” Janine mumbles, the words slightly muffled against her sister’s new woolly scarf, but she knows that she’s been heard by the way her sister’s fingers twist into the fabric of her coat.

[keepyourpantsongohan]

Kakashi/Yamato + text posts (Rejected Memes Edition)

[prongsmydeer]

Ayesha Liveblogs She-Ra S5 

“You’re not She-ra anymore, remember?” Unlike Bow, Adora is not adjusted to fighting without her powers LOL

You know, it didn’t really occur to me to question it until now but why do only five of the princesses have runestones? Spinerella and Netossa are princesses but they don’t get to be part of the balance of planet LOL

Scorpia, Entrapta and Micah in the intro ahhhhhh! I love this for all of them

“What is this?” Akorradora trying to access the Avatar state again:

Shockingly tactful for Entrapta to suggest they’ll figure out where Glimmer is soon. You know what that is!! Growth!!!

“You saved me, and you’re gonna save my little girl.” Micah said: Have you heard of father figures. I am available

Ffhkjhg @ Adora defiantly charging every enemy she sees, magicless

“It seems [Hordak] had very little love towards you at the end.” Hordak said: I looked into my brother’s memories just so I could figure out how to hurt your feelings, Catra 

How nice of Horde Clone #1 to warn Team ScorDorBow that their camp was being attacked LOL if Micah hadn’t sent a signal they still could’ve gone back

[Shadow Weaver saves Micah from a bot] [Micah grunts, perhaps in both thanks and resentment] “You’re welcome.” The funky little aunty trauma emerging from Micah and Shadow Weaver. Call me compelled

Horde Prime offering his flagship speciality, Genoc!de Jello: 

How does Glimmer get this whole view of the camp being attacked but somehow DOESN’T see Micah. Feels intentional 

“Ah, here she is, your beacon of hope. Adora.” Horde Prime is smarter than I gave him credit for in identifying Adora as the leader

Though, he saw all of Hordak’s memories. So. Eh on credit

“These princesses are so predictable with their feelings.” “As were you. Elevated heart rate, dilated pupils. Adora means something to you.” I was half-kidding about Horde Prime trying to figure out how to hurt Catra’s feelings but it was true

“Cast aside this false hero and deliver her to me.” Okay Lorde Hordemort

I know I’m like. Technically Millennial/Gen Z cusp. But as a self-identifying Millennial, the way this show was DEEPLY written by a Millennial. The media influences are clear 

I googled it and he was born in ‘91. HA

LMAO @ BOW TOSSING EVERYONE OUT OF ADORA’S TENT INCLUDING THE KING. PRIME MEDICAL ADVOCATE:

I think Frosta should get to punch Horde Prime, as a treat

UNBELIEVABLE THAT ENTRAPTA STILL CARES MORE ABOUT TECH THAN FINDING GLIMMER HAHAHA. DIDN’T YOU JUST SAY LIKE TWO EPS AGO YOUR MAIN COMPLAINT WAS BEING ABANDONED. ONE STEP FORWARD, TWO STEPS BACK LMAO

Whatever, much like Mermista, I’ll take it if she’s not pro-Horde

Also: Djjfkjfkhfkj funny that Scorpia is now the mediator

Also also: Scorpia’s really good at impressions! 

“Little sister, why do you rebel against my commands?” Horde Prime calling Catra his little sister gives me the heebie jeebies. You are nothing like Daddy Hordak!!!! Not that Hordak was a good guy, but like. Hey. He had something to offer as a family dynamic

Ohhhhhhhhh poor Glimmer: 

HAHA @ PERFUMA PUTTING ENTRAPTA ON A CHILD LEASH

“You don’t care about Glimmer or any of us. You only care about tech.” Are we FINALLY going to have Entrapta show some remorse. I hope so. AGAIN. I get that she’s probably representing a specific like. Cognitive situation. But NEURODIVERGENT PEOPLE CAN CARE ABOUT THEIR FRIENDS!!!!!

“I thought maybe, if I could use tech to help you, you’d like me.” This line is a hard sell. Why then, do they have to talk Entrapta into doing anything for/with her friends by offering tech? Literally done so in this same episode? Just lean into the fact that she didn’t realize how much she’d hurt them rather than rejecting responsibility and suddenly deploying a tragic underlying motivation! 

I do genuinely like Entrapta!!! She is endearing in her way. I just think that they make her so neutral towards most people (save for Hordak, with whom she shares both technology and a seemingly familial-esque bond), and then inconsistently suggest she is people-motivated. Be accountable to your actions, babygirl!

“Glimmer needs us.” FINALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLY

“Focus, Entrapta! Glimmer needs you,” said Entrapta, to herself. Loving Entrapta’s Empathy Era. Good for her!!

Ahhhhh Adora needing to let go of She-Ra to move on. <3333

“Yeah, it turns out I’m an awesome leader, so we’re gonna be fine.” Also loving Mermista’s Rebellion General Era!!!!!!!

“You want She-Ra? Come and get her!” MICAH, KING OF COSPLAY

“See you soon, babygirl.” I SWEAR IF I DO NOT GET A MICAH, GLIMMER AND ANGELLA REUNION, I WILL BE SO SAD

“You remember me, don’t you? Here’s a clue. You don’t like me. Hordak.” RETURN OF DADDY HORDAK AND THE FUCKED-UP FAMILY REUNION:

Bow’s mediation skills and level-headedness are unmatched. If Adora is the Heart of the Rebellion, then Bow is the Head

The powerful healing energy of teenage girls sitting on the floor:

“Your Adora causes you nothing but suffering.” Actually, I think Catra causes most of her own suffering, Horde Prime. This is just the manifestation of her Repressed Furry Space Lesbian Feelings

Platinum Hordak has such sad little eyes as he goes to the memory bath

Poor Bow is clinging onto his hinges for dear life trapped on a ship with the two princesses with the worst impulse control (aside from Bestie Glimmer LOL) kjhgkjhgjh

“You will be exalted, raised up above the other creatures of your wretched home world.” Is this Horde Prime’s way of saying Catra’s gonna be in his museum of war horrors

“I’ll never say sorry to anybody, ever,” said Catra, at age 7, and then she stuck to it for the next ten years of her life

“I want to do that one good thing in my life. Like you said.” YEAHHHHH CATRA AND GLIMMER

(Cannot help but feel this will immediately bite Catra in the ass though)

WAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH CATRA SAVING GLIMMER (AND INDIRECTLY, ADORA) AT THE COST OF HER OWN SAFETY. I LOVE U CATGIRL

“There’s no one left in the entire universe who cares about me.” [Immediate cut to Adora] WRONG

“Adora, I’m sorry, for everything.” I FORGIVE YOU IMMEDIATELY CATRA, THAT WAS ALL I NEEDED TO HEAR

Me last season: Catra/Adora is gonna be hard sell given how hurtful Catra has been for every single episode of this show

Me this season, after seeing Catra be nice twice: IT’S FINE

I keep thinking how unrealistic it seems that no one is being killed but at least with Catra it makes sense that Horde Prime would keep her, as she is the Adora Bait 

Adora is taking being used as a weapon WAY better than I expected jkghkjghg. I mean good for you but you’re allowed to be a little mad at Glimmer! 

“Like, one time, Kyle told me he had a crush on Rogel—” the Lizard Boy who speaks no words??? Kyle please. Also Kyle/Rogelio forever ❤️

“This is all my fault. Horde Prime only found us because—” “Because YOU activated the Heart of Etheria.” Bow is mad enough for the both of them, actually:

”That was forever ago. A lot’s changed since then.” Bow said: Now I have broader shoulders, you have a different hair, and you’re a war criminal, Glimmer. Times have changed

I looked it up on the UN website to see which War Crimes Glimmer has committed, and I count at least two:

“Intentionally launching an attack in the knowledge that such attack will cause incidental loss of life or injury to civilians or damage to civilian objects or widespread, long-term and severe damage to the natural environment which would be clearly excessive in relation to the concrete and direct overall military advantage anticipated.” (Using the Heart of Etheria)

“Subjecting persons who are in the power of another party to the conflict to physical mutilation or to medical or scientific experiments of any kind [...] and which cause death to or seriously endanger the health of such person or persons.” (Turning the princesses into the weapon)

Starla with her boomerangs and magic owl and immediate sharing has already won me over

Do the robot arms imply that Tallstar is a double or quadruple amputee? Wild as hell

“I’m not leaving anyone behind!” YEAHHHH ADORAAAAAAAAA

“Ready to do something that probably won’t work?” “Always.” Oh, how I’ve missed the Best Friend Squad

“We’re going to fight Prime, and take back our home.” Love this for the Star Siblings as well ❤️

“You get to be mad, for as long as you need to be. But I’m not going anywhere.” Glimmer is speaking MY love language

Swift Wind making magic radio calls to Adora every night is v sweet

How have none of the Horde clones alerted Horde Prime about the intruders in their server room lmao

Are we sure this isn’t Hordak? The crying seems kind of on-brand:

Hahahaha, Wrong Hordak is a delight. The implication that all of the Horde clones are incredibly emotionally vulnerable sad boys if left to their own devices kjhgjhgkjgh. Hordak never stood a chance of being well-adjusted lmao

“I brought her to the light. Isn’t that right, little sister?” Hate every part of this for Catra. However. This animation fucking rules:

“But you have already hurt me. Prime has set me free of that pain.” Quit blaming Adora for your repressed gay middle school crush, Catra. If it were about abandonment issues, please see the past five seasons when Adora has repeatedly extended her hand to you

I also like Catra’s new haircut. The hair changes in this show are good

“We both know I don’t matter.” “You matter to me!” 💞

BABYGIRL BACK IN ACTION. NOW I BELIEVE SHE’S 8 FEET TALL:

I really hope the Helpful Hordak that they brought with them IS actual Hordak. I want to see him and Entrapta reunited

Update from thirty seconds later: It was not him, but he knows she is looking for him. Daddy Hordak will get his favourite daughter reunion soon enough

Helpful Himbo Hordak is my new favourite character. If anything happens to him I will [redact] everyone on this ship and then myself:

IGFHKJFHKFJH SCREAM THEY ADDED HELPFUL HORDAK TO THE INTRO. I’M LOSING IT HIM HOLDING THE WRENCH AND SMILING 

“What do you care? I know you all hate me.” “I never hated you!” I am glad Catra is literally the first ex-Horde soldier to actually be dealing with some lingering guilt and complex dynamics emerging of her actions

Also. also. For the final time. Someone desperately needs to fix the captions of this show and stop dropping important words. The captions here drop the words ‘I know,’ which are important, because it signifies 1) Catra’s pre-empted conclusion (i.e. I don’t need to talk to anyone, I know how they feel about me) and 2) That this feeling of being hated is entirely rooted in herself (I feel that I am hated). I get that it probably has been outsourced and done as quickly as possible. But it is deeply inaccessible to people who rely on captions to understand what’s being said 

All of this caption mess is really a piss-poor-how-dare-you-say-we-piss-on-the-poor moment

Also. Kind of unrelated but something I’ve been thinking about since I looked up the Millennial who wrote this show. Why do the credits use a name he doesn’t go by anymore? The show is recent enough to reasonably be updating it. Like Umbrella Academy also had someone involved in the change their name, and they changed the credits on every prior episode to say Elliot. Did the creator for She-Ra choose to leave it? On Wikipedia it describes his production credits for this show as ‘credited by deadname’ which like, to me, suggests it’s not something he actively chose. For a show which tries to weave representation and inclusion into its fabric, its Netflix presentation is bizarrely thoughtless when it comes to real people!

We interrupt all the meta concerns to say: Hee hee, leetle kees on the volleyball court

“Did you think she was going to just instantly become a different person?” LMAO @ ‘a different person’ being Glimmer and Adora’s code for ‘Catra trying not to be mean for more than 30 seconds at time’

There’s something very poetic and funny about Micah desperately wanting Frosta to accept him as a friend, like Frosta wanted from Glimmer

[Ominously] “Why don’t you stay for supper?” I KNEW something would wrong with Elberon ever since the Flutterina thing. Something has been brewing in the water here

“Horde ships coming right for us,” from Entrapta also sounds kind of like, “hardships coming right for us,” which is also true

I really feel like Adora should’ve yanked the chip out of Catra when she was still in She-Ra mode. Is it like. Connected to her brain stem?

[Groaning] “My daughter’s gonna hate me.” Micah is the love of my life

“It’s like they’ve been replaced by totally different people.” Hmmmmm

Elberon has gone full Spooky Mode. I love the constant Haunting Lighting:

Entrapta clearly remembers every time she’s been wronged (being left in the Fright Zone, Catra taking her work and sending her to Beast Island). But somehow NEVER retains anything she’s done to wrong others (hacking the Black Garnet, creating the portal which took Glimmer’s mother). What kinda selective memory jkghkjghgjh. [Entrapta as Aslan meme voice] I forgor 

Wow. Catra admitting she wants Adora to stay is a real breakthrough!

“Just stay with me while I do it okay.” It’s a day of breakthroughs for Catra. I’m very proud of her!

You know. Aside from Adora being a literal alien. They’ve already established that she’s impervious to the cold, so why not, to her free-floating in space? 

Bold of her to jump out without checking though!

“Chip appears to be fused with the subject’s nervous system [...]” I guess Horde Prime did put it in her brain stem!

Catra said: I do apologies AND thank-yous now. I’m a new catwoman!

Glimmer and Bow immediately moving aside so Catra can sit between them. I love the Best Friend Squad!

Not Spinerella being chipped!!!! Don’t harm our happy background emotional support couple

“Onward to a secret underwater party adventure.” Screaming over the fact that Scorpia, Perfuma, Mermista and Sea Hawk have decided the way they’re going to deal with the citizens of Etheria being turned into robot spies is by having a fancy dress party:

I love that Perfuma is an excellent actress, good for her

LMAO @ MERMISTA AND SEA HAWK HAVING TO BEAT UP HALF OF THE PEOPLE THEY SEE. Feels like perhaps the easiest version of this plan would be leaving Sea Hawk at home 

“I just wanted to know what [setting someone’s boat on fire] felt like.” [Gasps] “You are everything I’ve ever wanted.” Mermista x Sea Hawk 5ever

The ratio of musical numbers really does increase as the shows goes on. Also losing it at Scorpia literally singing her deception to a room full of people: 

“Strangest thing but I think we’ve met before.” DHJKDHDJHD has Prince Peekablue been replaced by Double Trouble

Update from 30 seconds later: Yes

Good for Netossa for noticing right away but for someone who has full access to his victims’ brains Horde Prime is sure not good at acting in-character for them. He should take a lesson from Double Trouble 

I should’ve figured that Mermista would be the one to get chipped at the incredibly convenient and inconvenient location of underwater but NOOOOOOOOOOO MERMISTA

They are messing with ALL of the emotional support background couples this ep

This party is not really going well for Team Princess at all: 

THEY GOT PAPA GLIMMER TOO??? OH MICAH 😭😭😭

“That’s your cue, Hot Stuff. Let’s go.” Hahahah is Double Trouble calling Sea Hawk Hot Stuff because he likes to set boats on fire or just because they think he’s cute kjghkjghgkjhg

Kind of bizarre that Scorpia, despite being under water, has seen no impact of water conducting an electrical current. SHOULDN’T THAT BE A MAJOR ADVTANGE? 

SCORPIAAAAA. I THOUGHT THIS WAS GOING TO BE A NICE LITTLE REPRIEVE NOT HALF OF THEIR FRIENDS BEING LOST TO THE HORDE. THE FANCY DRESS OUTFITS BETRAYED ME:

Very haunting when they end episodes with just silence ahhhhhhh

Ohhhhh the chipped friends going into the antagonist slot in the intro 😧

“Your plan is to ram through an armada of ships?” “No... Maybe!” Rare voice of reason moment for Catra LOL

Dhdkjhdjjdh Helpful Hordak immediately spilling Horde Prime’s vulnerabilities at the slightest prompting. Me oversharing about my health problems when people ask how I am 

Someone please clarify how they had a spacesuit with cat ear slots so readily available to them in the middle of hiding from a nearly omnipresent enemy. Was Adora just keeping this on board always in the hopes Catra would get her act together hahahaha: 

LHFKJHFJHFKJH Bow and Glimmer looking between Adora and Catra perplexed whenever they make Lesbian Eye Contact 

Lesbian Eye Contact Count 1: Adora giggling at Catra as she tries to take off her unexplained custom-made helmet 

“So, wait. The plan is to barge ahead into the structurally unsound building to find some mystery person that we know nothing about, in the hopes that they somehow know how to defeat Horde Prime?” Catra is experiencing culture shock from the Rebellion planning strategies

It really takes Shadow Weaver like seconds to figure out how to get under everyone’s skin: 

You know, surely there’s some kind of risk in plugging Helpful Hordak into this new building. You don’t really know what his reset button is

Lesbian Eye Contact Count 2: Adora staring as Catra makes a new door in their mysterious abandoned building:

“Seems Wrong Hordak has begun to question the meaning of life. [Sobbing] “Who am I if not an exaulted brother of Horde prime?” Helpful Hordak bursting into tears the moment he has to deal with anything that he’s not used to. Relatable content

Catra was right to hesitate to take her helmet off, I think. Just because they can breathe doesn’t mean those glowing spores are safe

“I think the feeling I had about this place is a bad feeling,” said Glimmer, as they were chased out of a hallway by numerous spikes trying to impale them 

[Deadpanned and emotionless] “Go through the door on your left.” That Entrapta message doesn’t at ALL sound suspicious

Update from 1 minute later: It was not Entrapta speaking 

“I thought it was bad but it’s not. It’s magic.” Ohhhhhhhh love that Glimmer’s understanding of magic has grown with time!!! Her being the first to understand the illusions they’re seeing: 

Is the illusion creature a cat or did it just choose to be a cat for Catra?

“I���m sorry I got angry. It’s something I’m working on.” [Endeared] “Oooh. You are?” Me and Adora being impressed and endeared whenever Catra shows the bare minimum of growth hahahaha

I can’t believe the payoff for Catra’s five season fursona is that she can speak alien cat hahahaha

“They dug into the ground. Built machines.” “The First Ones. That’s what they were doing. They were mining this planet’s magic, just like on Etheria.” Everything eventually circles back to space colonization

God I love the addition of Melog, Space Cat to Team Princess

“Brothers, Horde Prime lied to us. He is a false ruler. We must rise up against him and free the universe from his unjust reign.” We love the self-radicalization of Helpful Hordak. He said we will seize the means of production and overthrow the bourgeoisie (his rude brother)

“Etheria isn’t a weapon. It’s a living creature.” Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh Shadow Weaver said I see your Space Cat Friend and Raise You Planet Friend

“We can destroy the restraints the First Ones built, set the magic of Etheria free and use it against him.” Didn’t work too well when you tried that on Daddy Hordak, did it, Shadow Weaver? Shadow Weaver said: Never forgive, always forget

“What is this tingling sensation?” “That’s warmth, buddy.” That’s Rough Buddy vs. That’s Warmth Buddy stand-off in the streets

I was wondering if Melog was going to be added to the intro in this ep and while Melog wasn’t, I did notice how the Catra and Adora fight has changed to more of a friendly and playful ahhhh I love when intros match the emotional stories of the protagonists

What good is the Hive Mind if it can’t see She-ra right in front of them LMAO

“Oh... expressing facial emotion is a privilege reserved only for Prime,” said Helpful Hordak, like doesn’t burst into tears every time he’s stressed

Obsessed with Helpful Hordak mimicking any expression he sees ❤️: 

[Horrified gasp] “Princesses? Where?” [slams door] wild that the princess propaganda that Catra and Adora were raised on as Horde children has eventually circled back to being true 

Hahahahah Glimmer and Bow are incapable of not trying to recruit people to the Rebellion for even 30 seconds in a shop

I like that Melog is now Catra’s means of using magic. If you're not born into royalty, adopt a giant cat with whom you develop a symbiotic magic relationship and it’s basically the same

“My fight is over. Lord Prime has given me peace.” [popular Netflix show voice] There’s no war in the City of Light

HAHAHAHAHA @ CATRA BEING OFFENDED AT ADORA HESITATING TO FIGHT HER CHIPPED HOMIES, WHICH IS NOT AT ALL THE SAME AS FIGHTING A FRENEMY WHO WAS A BELIGERENT BELIEVER IN TYRANNY UNTIL 4 EPISODES AGO

Adora: How are we supposed to fight our own friends?

Catra, scoffing, like she didn’t instigate 98% of their fights: It never stopped you before

I think Spinerella’s use of the word beloved (a term Netossa has said they don’t use) is Horde Prime being purposely cruel ☹️

“I must access the memories stored in this version.” Can’t believe we’ve graduated from Daddy Hordak to Grandpa Hordak 

Speaking of Daddy Hordak, I have been waiting all season for him to find Entrapta and join the Rebellion. It feels like a matter of time 

Side note though: I do think he will sacrifice himself for the Rebellion and Entrapta. He’s done a lot of damage so I can only imagine that’s how his story will end with four-and-a-half episodes remaining

“So the only person I’m fighting here is... my own wife?” WIFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HER WIFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OH MY GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD

“We were gone. We weren’t here to help our friends.” Bow you literally were helping your friends!! You can’t be every at once, sweet boy

“We won’t abandon Erelandia,” said Glimmer, before teleporting away

Perfuming crying because she hates managing people. Same girl:

“But can we circle back to your not-at-all-weird-and-very-detailed theories on our weaknesses?” Netossa said: I have a had a lot of time and trauma while you were gone

“Glimmer: Crippling self-doubt mixed with overwhelming hubris.” “Whoa, whoa, whoa, that’s like, really personal compared to fire.”

1) HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

2) True

3) Same

“Your negative vibes aren’t appreciated here, Catra.” Perfuma directly calling Catra out for being a vibe killer

“They can’t defend themselves. They’re dads.” This is such a wonderful line, I feel like they just breeze past it jkdhkdjhdj

“’What did the First Ones say when they burned dinner? It was ruined.’” Bow’s parents leaving him a note about their secret hiding place with a doodle of themselves, drawn hearts and a joke inside is peak parenting. Lance and George deserve an award for this kind of communication:

“This one’s mine.” Perfuma wants to stay above fighting her friends but Netossa truly has no such qualms about fighting her wife. She said: Are you kidding me, my wife will kill us, we gotta kick her ass

“Mara wasn’t alone. She was working with a group of rebels going against their First One’s leaders.” OOHHHHHH ARE WE FINALLY GOING TO RESOLVE MARA’S PLOTLINE? I LOVE

My money is on Arxia being the Fright Zone or Bright Moon

“Friendship isn’t a weakness. It’s my greatest strength. And Scorpia’s too.” Is this cliché? Yes. Do I adore Perfuma being too nice to hurt her friends anyway? Also yes!!!

“Because Spinny, you’re my weakness.” AHHHHHHHHH NETOSSA:

Perfuma reassuring Catra that it’s okay to keep your heart open is why I think she should date everyone she interacts with. She just has the vibe of everyone she knows living in her heart

Well, colour me incorrect! Arxia is on Mystacor, I kinda forgot about Castaspella and Shadow Weaver LOL

Netossa and Spinerella being reunited in the intro with a kiss 🥺💘 I’m love them

“Would a ‘please’ kill you?” Fjlfjfjhfjkh that ‘a’ really sounded like an ‘I’ and was really thinking Castaspella was escalating hahahah

“Micah was an exceptional sorcerer even then. It’s a shame it didn’t run in the family.” Shadow Weaver is determined to antagonize everyone who has joined her on the Arxia Rebellion Field Trip

“This isn’t about tech. It’s about our chipped friends. If I can get this to work, I can save them.” THAT’S RIGHT BABYGIRL, ENTRAPTA’S EMPATHY ERA HERE TO STAY

Lesbian Eye Contact 3: Adora loving that Catra is trying to rescue her and Catra being embarrassed about it

RIGHT IN FRONT OF THEIR TERRIBLE FOSTER MOM LMAO

“I see you and Catra are close again. Do you really think that’s wise?” Yaddah Yaddah Generational Trauma: Emotional Distance Edition 

Also this is horseshit, every time Adora has transformed this season has been in the interest of protecting a loved one

Speaking of generational trauma, DADDY HORDAK IS BACK BAYBEE:

This is certainly a rough way for Glimmer to reunite with her father 

“Adora, it doesn’t always have to be you!” Ohhhhhhh Catra

Vhjkvhjvhkjvh I know it’s like. To prevent them from wreaking magical havoc. But wild for Adora cave-in Micah and two other sorcerers in a hidden magical prison without food or water 

“[Sacrificing yourself for Etheria] is what you’ll always choose. I don’t have to stay and watch it happen.” Someone was listening to Shadow Weaver’s emotional distance lecture a little too hard

“Adora doesn’t want me! Not like I want her.” It took her 51 episodes but Catra is finally admitting that her feelings for Adora are not entirely platonic LOL

Having non-verbal communication and comfort from an animal friend was really an element we’ve been missing until Melog. A talking horse just doesn’t hit the same feelings: 

YEAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH GO REBELLION:

We are back to the realm of the Romantically-Charged Friendship Simulation. I wonder what Bow and Glimmer will see in here, if anything

You’re telling me instead of needing a bunch of princesses, all Horde Prime needs to do to activate the Heart of the Etheria is to invest in an auger drill? LMAO

"I never could’ve done any of this without you. Thank you for being the best friends anyone could ask for.” ADORAAAAAA ☹️☹️

Catra going back to warn Adora only to stumble on to Shadow Weaver getting drunk in the middle of a war while Adora takes all the world’s burdens. Incredible. Truly representing the average parenting energy of this show

FINALLY they’re acknowledging that water conducts electricity. Just as the planet is about to explode

I can only imagine Entrapta being captured will trigger Daddy Hordak to turn. [Rafiki voice] IT IS TIME

“Take care of her, Horde Scum.” “That’s the plan, Sparkles.” I LOVE CATRA BEING IN THE BEST FRIEND SQUAD 😭❤️😭❤️😭❤️😭❤️

“Bow. I love you. I love you. I love you.” “I love you too.” Kind of figured Bow and Glimmer were headed in that direction. Every single friendship in this show is romantically charged hahahaha

More like the Best-Friends-To-Lovers Squad, am I right? 

“You’re worth more than what you can give to other people.” MARA 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

“Doesn’t it remind you of the first time we met? You also tried to kill me then. 😌❤️” Sea Hawk for Most Boyfriend in the History of Etheria

Everyone’s suddenly being really forthright about their romantic feelings. That’s TWO I love you exchanges from the Team Princess and self-admission from Catra. They said if we’re gonna die we might as well speak our feelings

“Hello Babygirl.” Micah for Most Haunting Use of Babygirl Award:

“How strange. I must have fought her. I must’ve known her face. But I have no memory of it.” Last minute theory of Light Hope/Mara/Horde Prime love triangle. I don’t really think it’d happen, but it would HILARIOUS to me if it were true 

CATRAAAAAAAAAAAA (also Shadow Weaver). Ex-Horde reunion LOL

“My mother raised me to be brave. My friends taught me to be kind. And I’m stubborn. I get that from you. I will never stop fighting. And I won’t lose another parent.” GLIMMER 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

Side note: Until this point I have kind of been assuming Angella would be freed from her dimensional trap during the finale, but it doesn’t seem like that’s going to happen 

I love that Bow and Entrapta’s knowledge together is what takes down the chips!!!! TECH BOY AND TECH GAL FORCES UNITE

“It’s time to take back our world. It’s time to fight.” BABY BOY BOW INSPIRING ALL OF ETHERIA TO FIGHT BACK

WHAT DO YOU KNOW, IT SEEMS SHADOW WEAVER CAN LEARN SOMETHING:

“It’s too late for me. But you, this is only the beginning for you. I am so proud of you, Catra.” Shadow Weaver said: The cycle ends with me, actually

“Whatever happens, I am staying with you.” Catra said: ‘Til death do us part, Adora

“I made a life of my own. I made... a friend. I am Hordak, and I defy your will.” I knew Daddy Hordak was incapable of killing his favourite child: 

Hordak didn’t really think through the whole Hive Mind thing when he threw his brother/parental figure/supreme overlord into a bottomless pit

Adora’s dreams for the future are so sweet ahhhhhhhhhhhhh:

(On a less serious note: What wild hair choices for everyone LMAO)

“Don’t you get it? I love you. I always have. So please, just this once, stay.” They got there eventually! GOOD FOR THEM 

Not to be dramatic but lesbian love is literally going to save the whole universe. I repeat: GOOD FOR THEM ❤️❤️❤️

I’m not sure if I fully understand why the hell the First Ones did all of this planet weaponization if all it took to defeat Horde Prime was She-Ra finding a lover she could find strength in. They really took the path of Most Resistance 

“I remember you.” I cannot believe that She-Ra just exorcised the Horde Prime out of Hordak as if he were a particularly vindictive ghost and not his clone brother/paternal figure/supreme overlord controlling via Hive Mind:

“Hordak! I’m so glad you’re back.” AWWW ENTRAPTA AND DADDY HORDAK REUNION 

(Does no one care that Hordak has been terrorizing society for over a decade prior to this, and is probably responsible for killing a bunch of their parents? No? I really thought he was going to die, LMAO)

Edit after posting: Befuddled by what the creator had to say about this relationship, DO BETTER AT DEPICTING AGE AND DYNAMIC LMAO 

“Hello! I’m your dad.” GLIMMER AND PAPA MICAH REUNION 😭❤️

Scorpia said, to Catra: My kekkei genkai is forgiveness

“So are we all just like, okay with this?” asked Mermista, glancing at Hordak suspciously, verbalizing what I believe they should all be thinking jgjhkgh

The Fall of Salineas could not be THAT long ago omg 

“Look at us. From capturing you to us now being buddies. This is so dope.” Hahahaa, the off-screen dialogue in this scene is def improv

“What a sweet and optimistic ending of everyone having a peaceful friendship, familial and romantic reunions and the protagonists deciding to plan a fun little road trip to bring magic back to the universe, which could not possibly backfire on them given the amount of space colonization that has happened in order to harness magic as a weapon thus far. As with Hordak, we will pretend we do not see it 😌❤️:

[belle-keys]

4 :)

Top comfort reads:

Any Cassandra Clare book highkey, but mainly Chain of Gold

Ayesha At Last by Uzma Jalaluddin - wholesome Muslim romcom

Kill Switch by Penelope Douglas - objectively unserious dark romance but touched my soul and whatnot