#Dexter: The Fifth Season

[badmovieihave]

Bad movie I have Dexter: The Fifth Season 2010

[solarsonicsoda]

Rating 500+ Theme Tunes - #8: Samurai Jack

I don't know about you, but when I hear the name Genndy Tartakovsky, my first thought is always Samurai Jack. More than Dexter or his Star Wars series, this is the Tartakovsky show to me. To the uninitiated, Samurai Jack follows a prince referred to only as Jack as he fights to return to his time and defeat the evil demon who flung him into the dystopian future. He's also a samurai, just in case you were wondering.

Despite being widely considered as one of the greatest shows to ever grace Cartoon Network, there's a reason Samurai Jack has a certain "cult classic" quality to it. The show never received all the backing it needed from the network, being cancelled before its story could be concluded as intended. Fortunately, its fifth and final season was able to release 13 years later and put a cap on this story and unique show. The show is hailed for its focus on animation and visual storytelling compared to its dialogue-heavy contemporaries.

Now, I mentioned the "cult classic" nature of the show to justify the following: I have never seen an episode of Samurai Jack. I was definitely aware of it growing up, and it looks pretty cool, but by the time we got CN on our TV, the revived Season 5 was closer than the original run's end. I feel like it was on late some nights, but that was a rare time to have unrestricted television access. I would love to check it out sometime! For now, I'll just check out the theme tune.

Samurai Jack Theme Tune (Seasons 1-4)

Samurai Jack Theme Tune (Season 5)

For the first four seasons, we are welcomed by an evil monologue from Aku, the aforementioned evil demon. He's voiced by the late Mako, who also voices Uncle Iroh in Avatar: The Last Airbender. Following his passing, Greg Abbott would succeed him, which I wanted to mention as I never would have noticed if I hadn't read it. This narration is suitably informative and of course well-performed, setting the more serious tone the show can take on. In Season 5, this is replaced by narration from Jack which I feel takes on a much less fun tone given the perspective.

As for the music, that remains the same across seasons. It's a relatively simple song, incorporating both hip-hop and Asian inspirations. It definitely drives home Jack's single-minded goal to return to his time, though it isn't a particularly engaging tune personally, largely due to its short length and repetitiveness. That's not to say I don't like it though, I think it's a pretty cool intro and paired with the monologue it makes for a decent primer for some Samurai Jack action.

Taking all of this into account, I have to look largely at my own gut feeling. This intro is largely unique which I have a great deal of respect for, though the end product doesn't exceed beyond the pack in my opinion. Still, it does what it needs to do, and I know my thoughts are definitely in the minority. For me, this intro gets a C. I do feel like watching some Samurai Jack now though.

Stay tuned for more and be sure to send in any suggestions for other shows you'd like to see done (after the 500 already in the pipeline that is). Check out the intro to this series here, and check out the tier list.

[roserysttrpggarden]

Homebrew Class design For Dummies: Part 2: Getting Started

Hi there~! Welcome to the second edition of homebrew class design for dummies, in case you haven't seen the first part of this. Welcome! This is a series of blogs where I go over how to make-what else, a homebrew class for Dungeons and Dragons Fifth-Edition. The previous post discussed the "planning" phase, going over the classes role in and out-of combat, their area and other minutia. This entry will cover the level 1-3 foundation, along with some other design concepts to help your class get off the grounds into becoming something amazing.

But First!

Before we get into making our class, there are a few key ideas you should keep in mind when designing a character option for 5e, some of this ties back into advice given in part 1, but bear repeating here.

Very basics

These things don't require much of an explanation, but just things to well...Keep in mind

Strong and weak saves: Each class has a strong (Constitution, Dexterity and Wisdom) and weak saving throw (Charisma, Intelligence and Strength) make sure to give one of each to your class.

Ribbon features: Ribbon features are like seasoning, while not adding much to the fully course, they enhance the classes flavor, a bad example of a ribbon feature is "Druidic" simply put unless your DM actively gives you a use for it, it is a completely useless feature. So make sure you're ribbon features actually come into affect when roleplaying the class.

Amount of features: Typically classes gain 2 features at these early levels, the only exception in official 5e is paladin at 2nd level, where you're given a fighting style, spellcasting and your divine smite, which all play form core pillars of how the paladin, use with caution.

Dead levels: Dead levels are those levels where you get nothing, nada, bupkis. Spellcasters have the most dead levels due to them getting cantrip enhancements + higher level spells as they level up, use them where appropriate. These are typically seen at later levels of a classes progression.

Bounded Accuracy:

In laments terms, bounded accuracy is meant to keep DC's around a bounds the designer intends for (In 5e's case 0-30) this is why, not including magical items or feature such as the barbarians capstone, this applies to whether you're attempting to break down a door or stabbing a vampire. Bounded accuracy is also accompanied by 5e's horizontal progression system, meaning that rather than your numbers going up, you gain more features to make you better at certain tasks (Damage, healing, etc) rather than bonuses to hit, to damage, etc and such, there are some exceptions (Advantage, Bless) but

Keep an eye on these

Weather you're designing a spell, subclass or a new class in our case, there are a few things in game that you should keep in mind

Barbarian Rage

Bards Magical Secrets

Druids Wild Shape

Fighters Action Surge

Monks Stunning Strike

Paladins Divine Smite + Auras

Rogues Sneak attack

Sorccerers Metamagic (Quicken + Twinned spell)

Warlocks Eldritch Blast and Pact Magic

Wizards Spell Mastery

All of these features not only serve as foundations for their respective classes, but also grant the class a huge deal of power. And in a game where 5e's multiclassing system is a thing, keeping these features in mind is helpful, for an example, say your class allows you to easily get off weapon attacks as a reaction, which, while possibly mediocre on its lonesome can get out of hand when paired with a rouge multiclass, due to how sneak attack can trigger multiple times if using a reaction attack (Since it triggers once per turn, rather than once per round) it's fine if you want to have interesting synergies between classes, just make sure you don't break anything in doing so.

While not class features, some other character options also grant players with them a great deal of power by virtue of their existence.

Feats: Sharpshooter and Great Weapon Master

Spells: Aid, Booming/Green Flame Blade, Counterspell, Conjure animals/Woodland Beings, Pass without trace, Wish.

Laying the foundation

With all of that jargon out of the way, lets begin laying out the first three levels of a homebrew class.

Level 1:

Level 1 is effectively the rookie stage of your classes career, whether they trained at a mystical academy or bonded with sewer rats, the first level of your given class should lay the framework for your class going forward, to give some examples, barbarians at 1st-level are given rage as their core feature, alongside a complementary feature in unarmored movement, rogues get sneak attack and expertise, fleshing out their role as a sneaky skill-monkey archetype. spellcasters (Besides the paladin and ranger) also get their spellcasting at this level.

Level 2:

Level 2 is where your character is starting to get a grasp of their abilities, similar to level 1 many classes get some of their most defining features here at this level, such as Druids Wildshape, Rogues Cunning Action, Clerics Channel Divinity, the list goes on.

Level 3:

Level 3 is where your character has gotten the grasp of their abilities and now can truly be one of their own, this is where the fullcasters get their second levels spells and where the martials get their subclass of choice, speaking of subclasses:

Where do I put the subclass?

A likely question you'll have have when making your subclass is "Where do I put it" or "What level should they get it, while non of what i'll state is definitive, some general guidelines for 1-3rd level goes as follows:

A subclass at 1st-level is generally done because it is absolutely crucial to the classes fantasy, say for instance your class is about you harnessing the power of a curse (Ex: Ross leisers accursed) getting your subclass at first level would make the most sense, to use base game classes as an example sorccerers, warlocks and clerics get their subclass at 1st-level because said subclass defines the source of their magic. Warlocks for instance derive their magic from a pact, which grants them their magic, hence a subclass at first level.

A subclass at 2nd-level is (offically) only use for both druids and wizards, both representing you coming into your own, such as training in a specialized school of magic. But also on a mechanic level, its done because 3rd-level grants a massive power spike for full casters by granting them second level spells.

A subclass at 3rd-level is typical of many martial and half casters, narratively it has a similar beat to a subclass at 2nd-level, being your character coming into their own as that respective class. Though I assume martials get their subclass at third is to balance the power between martials and casters, due to the previously mentioned power spike.

Subclass Progression

Last thing in relation to subclass, while you can simply use the wizard, fighter or paladin subclass structure for your subclass, feel free to go out of the box (Within reason) with it, want your class to gain its final subclass feature at 20th level? Go ahead! Just keep in mind that subclasses only give you 4-5 features maximum. Though more can be done if you want to put more emphasis on the subclass as a part of their identity.

The Avatar

Now for the moment you've (Maybe) been waiting for, using the knowledge bestowed within this article I shall showcase the first three levels of the Avatar class.

Divine Spark is your avatars subclass, determining the source of your divinity, similar to a cleric divine domain. While I haven't written down any features of their subclasses quite yet, I have four planned for the class so far (With more likely on the horizon) You also gain the Legendary strike ability, which not only increases your weapons damage dice by one, you also give temp hp to your allies when you score a critical hit.

Godly Conduit acts similarly to ki on the monk, you gain a number of conduit dice equal to half of your avatar level + your charisma modifier, which you can use to either leap a number of feet equal to 5 times the number rolled, or gain an expanded hit range with your weapons for a number of rounds equal to the number rolled. My favorite feature so far is the epithets, which are described bellow:

I cannot wait to show off the epithets sometime in the future. I am super proud of how they're turning out as of now. My hope is that they not only allow for a customizable avatar, but also help redefine how you utilize weapons.

at 3rd-level you gain a ribbon feature, exceptional figure, which makes it so that you cannot suffer disadvantage on any strength-based ability checks you make. Alongside that, feasting now counts as light activity for you and your allies while resting, meant to emulate the giant appetite many heroes of myth have, and I love the idea of an avatar and their allies after a long fought battle just pigging out to their hearts content.

You also gain another subclass feature at 3rd-level to for one last power spike in the starting levels.

Summary

To summarize everything covered within this entry, when laying the 1-3rd level foundation for your subclass, you should

Keep the basic rules of design in mind.

Create features that lay out what you want your class to be doing.

Give them a cool roleplay feature to help with your classes theme.

Determine where your classes subclass should go.

Get to Writing.

That's about all I got for this entry, next time we will go over features after 3rd level, going from 5th to 20th level, make sure to follow me if you're interested in that but until then. Thank you for reading, stay cool and go make some homebrew

Homebrew Class design For Dummies: Part 1:

Indestructoboys Homebrew Design Masterclass

Where to put my subclass by Indestructoboy

Two videos on Bounded Accuracy: 1 2

[theaddictedwatcher]

Hello everyone!

Today I'm going to talk to you about a series that disappointed me, but I'll come back to it later. It's a police series that aired on NBC between February and May 2019 and that only had one short season because it was canceled after its broadcast. Produced by Ken Woodruff, I'm going to talk to you today about the series The Enemy Within!

To start, as always, a little synopsis: In 2015, Erica Shepherd is the deputy director of operations for the CIA. When Russian terrorist operations leader Mikhail Vassily Tal threatens her daughter Hannah, Erica is forced to reveal the names of four agents who will be killed. Erica is then arrested by FBI agent Will Keaton and sentenced to 15 consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole. Three years later, Tal strikes again and Agent Keaton is ordered to break Erica out of the maximum security prison where she is locked up so she can join the hunt for Tal and his growing network of spies. And a little technical presentation: - Created by: Ken Woodruff - Music by: The Haxan Cloak - Main cast: Jennifer Carpenter, Morris Chestnut, Raza Jaffrey, Kelli Garner, Cassandra Freeman, Noah Mills.

As I said above, the series was canceled after its first season and unfortunately, the stories built during this season have a botched aftertaste, so much so that they were treated until the end... But I will still try to present this story to you.

PLOT 

The series follows an FBI team led by Will Keaton -played by Morris Chestnut (Rosewood)- during his hunt for the Russian terrorist Mikhail Vassily Tal. On the orders of his superiors and against his will, Agent Keaton receives help from Erica Shepherd, a former CIA agent convicted of treason against her country -played by Jennifer Carpenter (Dexter). Indeed, when four FBI agents were assassinated -including Agent Keaton's girlfriend, Erica had been convicted because she was suspected of being an undercover agent on behalf of Tal and of having leaked the names of these agents.  It is therefore understandable that Agent Keaton does not want to collaborate with her and does not trust her at all. Nevertheless, he still admits that Erica Shepherd's knowledge of the case and her skills as a CIA agent are crucial in capturing the terrorist.

CASTING

Unfortunately, although the basic subject of the series could be interesting to develop and the two leads are used to police series, the development of the subject remains too superficial and the acting rings false during most of the interactions, especially between Keaton and Shepherd. The rest of the main cast - Raza Jaffrey (The Serpent Queen, Homeland, Code Black), Cassandra Freeman (Luke Cage, Atlanta) and Noah Mills (NCIS: Hawai'i, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier) is not left behind in police series and despite everything, I do not know if the lack of credibility of the casting is only due to the script. No real alchemy seems to have been created between the characters or between the actors, and this makes many of their interactions hollow.

We have to wait until the fifth episode (out of 13!) before seeing any semblance of gripping action. And even then, the feeling fades very quickly….

PRODUCTION

But I think what bothered me the most about all this is that I felt like I was watching a bad reboot of The Blacklist. It's a show I'm writing about so I'll tell you more about it then but overall, the story tells the story of Raymond Reddington -played by James Spader-, who was the FBI's most wanted criminal, and his work with the FBI after his surrender to help them capture other criminals thanks to his blacklist. The ins and outs of the story are more complex than this simple paragraph yet the parallels are still quite easy to make. And the show dates from 2013 and was also ordered by NBC!...

I can't say if it's a coincidence or if it was indeed an inspiration that served for The Enemy Within, but I couldn't stop my brain from comparing the two. And it wouldn't have been the worst if the series had been able to reinvent itself and move away from The Blacklist, but  unfortunately that wasn't the case for me. Whether it is the use of a criminal as a key to dismantling other criminal organizations or the relationship between this criminal and their child, the stories overlap too much and sorely lack originality. And I think that, unfortunately, even a person who has not seen a single episode of The Blacklist and who does not know the story of it- would still have difficulty getting hooked on the story and the characters as everything is cold and almost caricatural in the writing. None of the characters are really given much depth in their story, even the two main roles who, despite the few details we know about them, do not emerge more than as simple extras and not stakeholders in the story that is being told to us.

MUSIC

Not having much more information to give you about this series and no more constructive opinion, I will simply leave you with the link to the soundtrack of the series which, for the pieces listed, is rather nice although not extraordinary either. I advise you in particular to go and listen to the pretty piano minuet on episode 6!

CONCLUSION 

That's it for me! I am sorry for the quality of this article but even though I watched everything, I did not feel more invested in the story and for once, I understand why the series was canceled after only one season. I am disappointed because, having seen Dexter and Rosewood, I expected a lot more from the two headliners, and I was left wanting more. But the failure of this series is not only their fault, so do not ignore them if you see them cast on other programs!

 In the meantime, as every week, I wish you great viewings and I'll see you next Friday!

Eli

[channeleven]

My Problem With Ed, Edd n’ Eddy’s Fifth Season

Okay, this isn't the first time I ever talked about the fifth season, but chances are it was a very rough take that I will only now put right. I used to be a big fan of Ed, Edd n' Eddy, well I still am, though I don't tune into old episodes. The show is over, the fandom is surprisingly well behaved, and I believe the show is superior to the shit people latch onto these days, for one thing it's not corporate, and no I'm not gonna explain what I mean by that.

But it's not all perfect, obviously. Nobody is reluctant to bring up any of the show's shortcomings, but there was one hangup I have with the show that persisted for so long. It seems like a petty thing to complain about, but the last season of Ed, Edd n' Eddy was so... not good, it actually convinced me that I just wasn't a fan of the show, when that is not the case.

To be fair, I'm not saying one season is better than the other, bad episodes are evenly spread out between seasons, and this wasn't necessarily out of Danny Antonucci's control, he went along with what seemed to be right, I mean aside from going digital, go drawn or go home. I really don't like the fifth season, and I feel it not happening would be inconsequential, and it seems I may not be alone with that, as most EEnE diehards actually liked my Tumblr post with the same opinion, and a common consensus is that it has some good episodes, some bad ones, or they're just happy to get more out of their favorite show.

I'm gonna go over why I don't like the fifth season of Ed, Edd n' Eddy, and why I believe it is expendable.

My Experience

I watched Cartoon Network during the early-2000s, so I was able to catch episodes of the fifth season when they were out. I have seen plenty of the older seasons' episides, I played Candy Machine Deluxe and Spin Stadium whenever I could, and I was basically ready for the long ride with the show.

When I saw the episodes new, I'll admit, I did like some of them, even those that would go on to be criticized later on, but even as a kid, something about most of the episodes felt... off, and this had stuck with me ever since then, to the point I found myself avoiding reruns of episodes I didn't like.

So no, I'm not doing this just for some contrarian cred, even as a kid I didn't like the fifth season that much, and that hasn't changed frankly.

Last Season Curse

People have often used the term seasonal rot to note shows that gradually began to crumble in its later years, and yes, I know this point is used ad nauseum, but for ever common complaint lies a kernel of truth. For every final season, it often reflects a lessened budget, like with ChalkZone or Real Ghostbusters for instance, or a creative director change, like the Chris Savino seasons of Dexter's Laboratory and PowerPuff Girls, not counting the Games era of Ren and Stimpy because let's be real, they didn't need John Kricfalusi, well, after he made the charaters. It's not always gonna be bad, but if you've been watching the show for a while, you're bound to pick up on a few differences. Seasonal rot does not always mean a show's last season sucks, it means this is a sign that either the creatives were worn to the bone with it, or the networks wanted it off as soon as possible, with a creative change only occurring if the original one steps down.

Danny was with the show all the way to the end, and that was for the better, he was always around to direct the episodes, but the one time he didn't during this season, we got what is often considered to be the worst episode of the entire series, or at least one that lands somewhere in the top five.

Some of the spirit of the previous seasons has been kept intact, but it is mixed in with some very noticeable tweaks that take away from that experience, often trumping what made the show so popular in the first place, and falling into the same trap that most shows do with new writers going off of notecards or struggling with ideas or stripping character personalities away.

The Little Differences

Now what do I mean by spirit? I mean the slapstick comedy in an otherwise normal setting. Danny, or someone, has said they avoid the prospect of characters growing up to preserve the timelessness of the series, which makes sense. The summer setting may also play into the timelessness by ridding any prospect of time moving forward, this shit could happen in the span of a few days or so and none would know the difference.

So obviously I object to the school setting.

I'm not gonna go all Mario fan on this, but I do have my complaints. That timeless setting, by implying that summer is over and having the kids go to school, it sorta takes away from the timelessness the writers were going for. If the show got more seasons, maybe we would've seen the parents, then you realize The Eds are Coming and Mission Ed Possible did the latter to a degree, Rock a Bye Ed doesn't really count as it was some depiction of Jonny 2x4 for the sake of the plot.

It's such simple things that were unfortunately cast aside, and so close to the finish-line too. Now look, I know this may sound like I'm making a big deal, fine, but I dunno, what do these changes add to the show at large? Granted, it's not just throwing in new characters on a whim, I like how creative they got to avoid showing any new characters, but if anything this marks a contrast between this and earlier seasons because you rarely saw any other instances in the older episodes. Keep this in mind.

The football episode shows the best and worst of making use of a limited cast for so long. While the Lemonbrook football team are depicted by shadows, we see shots of a crowd barely shown in, with the Kankers singled out. It just looks awkward, but like, did we need a football episode in Ed, Edd n' Eddy? That episode sucked balls, I'm sorry.

Our Friends in Name Only

And of course I need to get into how the characters feel just as off. To its credit, the characters have more consistency than other characters from shows that slipped into its terminal days, either that or they were more subtle about it. About the only major change I noticed was Ed, who turned out to be far more annoying than he was in the past, either because he tends to speak louder or may have lost more braincells than we were led to believe.

The big problem with the characters, at least for me, is the writing. The stories they are put into either drive them to over the top extremes rarely or never seen in previous seasons, and of course those on the lower end suffer the worst. Nobody likes Sarah, and of course she pulls a devastating fast one in "The Ed is Falling" or whatever the sky is falling episode name was. It's a Sarah plot without anything more to make it stand out, basically the 55% people don't take away from episodes like that.

And I gotta ask, why are Sarah and Jimmy in the same grade as everyone else? Otherwise why have them go to school if you're gonna treat it like it's still summer? It's almost as if this makes no sense even by an over the top cartoon's standard.

All I can say about Kevin is that he is a contributing factor to Smile for the Ed being seen as one of the worst episodes in the show, and yeah, seeing it brand new as a kid, all I can say is you had one job. On the other hand, maybe this was Danny's way of messing with the network, showing them what would happen if you separate him from the show. If that's true, that is clever, but it may've worked far too well.

But the one character I feel that suffered the worst because of the writing, was Edd. Much like how the season convinced me I didn't like the show, this season convinced me I didn't like Edd. The biggest draw here is when Edd smugly leaves Eddy to suffer for what he did or was associated with, even being involved with most of Eddy's misfortunes, or at least the no neck chump business. If you want to quit, just do so Edd, you're supposed to be the smart one right?

You may think 'oh, you see though, it's his way of showing he has backbone, just like in Momma's Little Ed.' And I can understand where you're coming from, but Eddy deserved it at the end, more importantly because he targeted Edd directly.

Really, the best way to compare Edd in most season five episodes is Sorry, Wrong Ed, the similarities are astounding, namely Edd's I don't give a shit about a guy I'm possibly friends with. If this was to set up some big argument, like in Big Picture Show, it wouldn't work because what set him off there was Ed and Eddy screwing with him during the journey to Bro. If it was as you thought it was, the series proper would've ended with Edd joining the Cul De Sac kids, arguably darker than the fourth season finale, because at least there the trio was still in effect.

It feels like sometimes the writers had it out for Eddy. We had some more brutal takedowns by the Kankers, even his own friends would turn against him, something was definitely not right with this, but what do I know?

The Core Element

I'd like to touch upon the slapstick real quick, I'm sure someone is gonna bring that up as a consistent element to the show. Yes, the sight gags and slapstick are here, but compared to those in the older seasons, even these feel off. Sure, they do happen, but... best way I can put it is that the older seasons had some slight restraint, pulling it off when you'd least expect it or having a really good gag pulled. Somehow, the fifth season feels even more cartoony, with faces and gags done that I would have never expected to see in older episodes.

It doesn't feel like they were included because they suited the series they were part of. In this season, it felt like they were included for the sake of being included, but it's as if the writers forgot their own work, or the network demanded more of it that we go overboard most of the time.

Check out an old episode, then one of the fifth season episodes, and tell me if you see something similar.

Its own

Interestingly, it was here that the show transitioned to digital animation, so me going on about the little differences hones in on how alien this season feels compared to others. With the gag execution, the treatment of most characters and the common setting, you can remove this season from the show and, really, what harm would it do? Anything new that occurred had done so in this season anyhow.

But you may be thinking, well without the fifth season, we wouldn't get Big Picture Show. Okay, maybe you have a point, but by then Ed, Edd n' Eddy was still very popular so I'm sure we would've gotten the movie regardless of the fifth season occurring or not. Especially so, since the movie occurred in the Summer, when the older seasons did. The use of digital animation in it helps make the spectacle more believable and feel like a grand finale. For one thing it looks better than The Loud House Movie, possibly even the Casagrandes Movie.

The fifth season has similar animation to Big Picture Show, and that dulls the spectacle aspect just a tad. The fact the fifth season throws in a new setting placement and hints of other characters ruins the mystique the movie would offer, in terms of the Eds exploring the world outside of the Cul De Sac, seeing small hints of new people, especially Bro at the end. Now, of course the kids make peace at the end, so that is a good thing at least, but we could've come to that without the fifth season.

If anyone was gonna bring up releasing the movie earlier because there would be no new content between when the movie came out and the fifth season did, how about a compromise? They could waste less time on a, quite frankly divisive season and just produce the holiday specials and participate in CN Invaded, new content in small increments, building up to a grand finale. I won't say some traces of the fifth season's writing didn't get into this movie, but at most it feels like the spirit of the older seasons was kept. Hell, even the over the top gags make more sense as this was a TV film with higher ambition than the previous seasons.

And I'm sure someone is gonna say if we didn't have season five things would end on a very dour note thanks to Take This Ed and Shove It's ending. But let's be real, you can wonder about that. It's not tragic, just a sarcastic yearn for lost youth, by this point everyone was on good terms and just got old. People say the last episode of the fifth season was a good finale, but honestly it felt kinda forced, and it was as if Danny gave an exasperated sigh of relief that he was finished with it. It was like a wet fart basically, especially since, lol, that wasn't even the last episode, and I don't mean Big Picture Show, I mean the lost episode that came from the proposed sixth season, of course they were planning more, but something happened and we never got it. Maybe somewhere, it was because the fifth season was such a groaner that people feared what other seasons would entail.

Final Thoughts

I understand Ed, Edd n' Eddy is a heavily respected show, and I can certainly agree with it. But even as a kid, I didn't like the fifth season's episodes very much. It felt like the show in name only, and it made me feel like I wasn't a fan of the show anymore. It has in quality what it has in expendability, and had this never come out, beyond the holiday specials, I think it would've made Big Picture Show a hell of a lot more satisfying.

[hierarchyproblem]

1, 2, 19 for book asks

1. book you’ve reread the most times?

I don't really tend to reread books tbh. There's so many other books I wanna read that I'd get more out of than a second go at something I already remember, y'know? That said, I have read the bible cover-to-cover four times. Normal behaviour.

2. top 5 books of all time?

Aw fuck. I dunno. I'll assume "books" here means "novels" and I'll list five of my top books of all time:

The Dispossessed, by Ursula K Le Guin. I need not labour the piont here 'cause I know you've read it, so I'll simply say that Le Guin is possibly my favourite writer of all time, and this is her at her best.

Ubik, by Philip K Dick. This book gets weirder by the page. PKD loves poking at the nature of reality, and this is the exemplar. A lot of his output reads as surprisingly adventurous work to come from a 60s sci-fi guy, and this is among his most interesting. Several carefully-crafted "wait - oh, shit" moments in a deliberately-contradictory narrative. Head-spinning stuff.

The Fifth Season, by N K Jemisin. A lot of SFF is, like, fun, and that's cool; I like to read that stuff too. This is art, no two ways about it, and of a kind I'm not sure you could easily translate into a different genre or medium. Bold and nuanced exploration both of the apocalypse and of parenthood. Also rocks are magic, and magic is rocks. When people ask me to recommend a book, this is my go-to.

Version Control, by Dexter Palmer. This is pretty lit-ficcy compared with my usual intake (ie. genre fiction that wears it's genre-ness like a tiara). If an act 1 full of normies having brunch doesn't put you off - and it shouldn't, because the characters are extremely well-drawn - then it'll be very satisfying when all the little bits of wrong-ness come together. Also far more prescient as near-future spec-fic than any cyberpunk.

The Traitor Baru Cormorant, by Seth Dickinson. Unlike most in the tumblr-popular "SFF imperialism but with lesbians" genre, this one sketches out an imperialism that's mostly plausible and worth exploring. The worldbuilding is really very good. This is mostly a pretty light read, for all it deals in heavy themes. I basically don't believe that spoilers diminish one's enjoyment of a story, though that might just be me, so I still think it's worth reading despite your having looked up the ending on wikipedia. The rapid series of increasingly-punishing gut punches in the final few chapters is worth experiencing first-hand.

19. most disliked popular books?

I'm sure I've bitched about this to you before, but I thought Harrow the Ninth mostly sucked. I respect the ambition of the book's structure, but I felt that it fucked the pacing unbearably. Gideon is way more interesting to read about than anyone else in these books, and I might have felt better about being dragged through 400 pages of Harrow moping by having "you're gonna find out what happened with Gideon soon, I swear!" dangled in front of me like a carrot for a donkey, if the payoff was worth it. Unfortunately the denouement largely consisted of everybody standing there and stating out loud what their master plans were, I guess because the stupid B-plot where I'm somehow expected to care about Ortis at all(??) took up too much space so there was none left for a proper ending. There were some fantastic scenes, but in my opinion they couldn't save the book. I thought Gideon was truly excellent, so this was a bit of a let-down.

Also - if you'll allow me a brief tangential rant - I can only assume the publisher (correctly) decided that the meme references were highly marketable, because otherwise an editor that let that shit through should surely have been let go. It's baffling, because these books are frequently hilarious, but never when referencing Bone Hurting Juice or whatever the fuck. "Oh it's a worldbuilding thing, it shows that John-" no. It's stupid. Piss off.

Thanks for the questions!

[dennistamayo]

My future plans after I move to Los Angeles

Soon, I’ll make my proposed 2D animated short films with dialogue at the Animation Academy in Burbank, California which will premiere next month & continue until late next year.

This fall, I should have to work at Cartoon Network Studios in the new & current Second Century building in Burbank, California by writing scripts & developing new characters.

First, I’ll develop new characters for the fifth season (Seasons 7 & 8) of Dexter’s Laboratory for both Netflix & Discovery Family Channel (owned 60% by Warner Bros. Discovery) in early 2026.

Second, I’ll develop a Saturday-morning animated prequel/spin-off of the 1990s sitcom Friends by making the 6 main characters into preteens (ages 10 to 12) set in Central Perk for both Discovery Family Channel & Max (streaming service) also in early 2026.

Third, I’ll develop a Cartoon Network crossover show with the 2 main stars of Dexter’s Laboratory, Dexter & Dee Dee which it will premiere on both Boomerang & Max in mid 2026 similar to the old Hanna-Barbera crossover shows led by Yogi Bear.

For me, the character designs I made will be done in a thick outline UPA style which Genndy Tartakovsky & Chris Savino used instead of the thin line noodle arms style which Pendleton Ward & J. G. Quintel used last decade.

I hope I should not fail after I update & finish scripts of Dexter’s Laboratory Season 5 (7 & 8) episodes 1 through 22 here in Limay.

[bramblewatchescharmed]

That moment when Charmed (2018) entirely by accident (and bad writing) made Ray Vera, absent dad, look completely sympathetic.

Compared with Victor Bennet from the original, he doesn't re-enter his daughters' lives until after they've known they're witches for about a year. (Victor suddenly showed up and tried to steal the Book of Shadows for a trio of demons after the Halliwells had known about their powers for ~two weeks.) Keep in mind: for Ray, this is also after the attack from Jimmy on Vera Manor in the season 2 opener when everyone in Hilltowne thinks the Vera-Vaughn sisters are dead; he more or less found them by accident (after having faked his own death, no less).

Ray and Marisol were professors together at Hilltowne University before they married, with Ray teaching archaeology and often going away on work as an archaeologist. His being away for so long, so often, after the birth of their daughter Mel is what made Marisol go to her ex-lover Dexter and conceive Maggie with him. And then she fully expected Ray to raise the result of her affair with her. He eventually found out the truth of Maggie not being his biological child, could not handle Marisol having cheated on and lied to him, and left after Maggie's fifth birthday, moving to Minneapolis, MN.

By the time he shows up in-person in mid-season 2, it is revealed he faked his death earlier in that season to hide from enemies he'd made, thanks to stealing a powerful magical artifact. It is the Charmed Ones who tracked him down, not the other way around. He also reconciles with his daughters faster than Victor Bennet did in the original series, and it's clear that he loves both Mel and Maggie (despite the latter not being his biologically; he legally became her father and considers her his daughter).

Amazing how the writers made Marisol look completely shady and was only stringing Ray along when her heart belonged to Dexter. (Ray knew it, and that was part of the reason he left.) It's also amazing how once you learn Ray's backstory, it turns Mel's behavior toward him into her being even more of a judgmental hates-all-men asshole than she already is.

I've said this before, but damn. At least Patty waited until she and Victor separated for good (possibly even divorced) before her relationship with her Whitelighter Sam turned romantic, eventually resulting in Paige. Again, this was after she'd already had three daughters with Victor before Grams magically intervened and the two of them realized that with their disagreements over how Prue, Piper, and Phoebe be raised, it was better that they divorce/separate.

Marisol didn't even give Ray that option, holy cow.

[paddy2066-blog]

Rowing News | Oregon State Women Open 2024 Spring Season at Home

CORVALLIS, Ore. – Beaver women’s rowing is back in action this Saturday, hosting the Miami Hurricanes and Washington State Cougars at Dexter Lake in Lowell, Ore., for the team’s first regatta of the 2024 spring season. OSU finished its 2023 spring season with a fifth-place finish in the 2023 Pac-12 Championships, posting times of 6:53.249 (3V8+), 7:23.485 (1V4+), 6:34.801 (2v8+) and 6:29.460…

[honeysfashion]

Men’s New York Giants Dexter Lawrence Nike Royal Classic Player Game Jersey

Dexter Lawrence is the first player in NFL history to record 2,000 yards and 20 touchdowns as a rookie. He's also one of just six players in NFL history to record 2,000 yards from scrimmage and 20 touchdowns through the air in his rookie season. Lawrence was drafted fifth overall by the Giants in the 2018 NFL Draft and has wasted no time making an impact on the field. In his first game as a Giant, Lawrence recorded 128 yards on 24 touches against the Broncos. He followed that up with a performance against the Redskins where he tallied 191 yards on 33 touches. With Saquon Barkley sidelined due to injury, Lawrence is stepping up into a major role for New York and is showing why he was so highly regarded in college. This Nike Royal Classic Player Game Jersey is perfect for fans who want to show their support for Dexter Lawrence while they watch him put on a show on Sundays.

[lboogie1906]

William Brown (born October 30, 1970) is an actor. In 2014, he began starring as Detective Nate Lahey in How to Get Away with Murder. He is known for his roles in the television series Lights Out, Dexter, Sons of Anarchy, and Hostages. He was born and raised in Inglewood, California. He is known for his role as detective Mike Anderson on Dexter from 2011 to 2012. Previously he starred as boxer Richard "Death Row" Reynolds in the short-lived series Lights Out. In 2012, he landed the recurring role of August Marks in the fifth season of Sons of Anarchy. He provides the second voice of Cliffjumper in the animated series Transformers: Prime. In 2013, he portrayed Agent Troy Riley in the first season of The Following. In 2017, he was cast in Proud Mary. He voices recruiting commercials for the Marine Corps. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence https://www.instagram.com/p/CkWCPN0rrwn/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[theuiucollegian]

From across the pond, Garrett at home on pitch for UIU

By Luke Hanson/Collegian Staff

Dexter Garrett made the 4,000-mile trip across the Atlantic Ocean from England this summer to play soccer in Fayette for Upper Iowa University. 

Garrett has had a bright start to his collegiate career, scoring his first goal in just his fifth collegiate game, and has logged the third most minutes on team through 14 games. He has played and started in 13 of the first 14 games, while playing through a broken wrist for the last five games. 

“The opportunity to play Division II soccer in the U.S.” is what brought Garrett to Fayette this summer, who was accompanied by his former club teammate Edward Stephens-Truman. Garrett and Stephens-Truman are two of five English players on the team this season, and having a couple of teammates who he can share the experience with have helped ease him into the change. 

Garrett’s favorite part about his time in the United States so far has been meeting new people and hanging out with the new friends he has made. Over 4,000 miles from home, the hardest part of the transition to the United States for Garrett has been, “leaving (his) friends and family for a long period of time.” 

Before coming to Fayette, Garrett played for seven clubs in England, among those were Fulham, Chelsea, Portsmouth, and most recently, Aldershot Town. Reflecting back on his moves across soccer clubs in England, Garrett said, “Everything happens for a reason, and if you focus on the negatives, you’ll never see how great things are.” 

Finding the right fit can be hard at some points, especially when it comes to highly competitive teams in England. Though there were many ups and downs, Garrett’s experience from playing at multiple high-level clubs in previous years is shown through his work on the pitch. 

Garrett was able to make his first start in a Division II match as a freshman, having come to a new country and a life on his own just less than three weeks prior. His motivation for coming across the pond to play collegiate soccer came from, “the chance to play the game (he) loves while getting a degree.”

“The freedom and competitiveness” were two characteristics Garrett used to describe the reason he fell in love with the sport of soccer. His own competitiveness has come to fruition this season, as after he suffered a broken wrist in a match versus Purdue-Northwest, Garrett missed just one match and has played 88 or more minutes in every match since, a staple point of the Peacocks’ backline. 

Garrett says his best quality on the pitch is his heading ability. He has backed up that statement this season, winning many aerial duels and smashing in a thunderous header off a corner kick in a rainy September match against UW-Parkside, a header that gave the Peacocks the lead early in the first half of that match. As for leading up to games, Garrett’s pre-game rituals consist of two tuck jumps just before kickoff. 

Throughout his time here as a Peacock, Garrett hopes to “continue to play every game and help the team do well in the playoffs.” While it has been a tough first season, the freshman has a bright future ahead of him and can help to turn the Peacocks back to winning ways. 

Alongside soccer aspirations here at Upper Iowa, Garrett is pursuing a major in business and has dreams of starting his own one day. Like most college students, Garrett loves spending his free time outside of soccer hanging out with his friends, or in English terms, “chilling with (his) mates.”

[pinermeeting]

Julia stiles movies

#Julia stiles movies movie#

#Julia stiles movies series#

Pakula's The Devil's Own (1997) and in M. She also had small roles as Harrison Ford's character's daughter in Alan J. Stiles's first film role was in I Love You, I Love You Not (1996), with Claire Danes and Jude Law. She started acting at the age of 11 performing with New York's La MaMa Theatre Company. Stiles is of English, Irish, and Italian descent. She is the oldest of three children her siblings are John Junior and Jane (a fellow actress). Stiles was born in New York City to parents Judith Newcomb Stiles, a Greenwich Village artist, and John O'Hara, an elementary school teacher.

#Julia stiles movies series#

She currently stars in the Amazon series The Lake (2022–present). From 2017–2020 she starred as Georgina Ryland on the Sky Atlantic series Riviera. From 2012–14 she appeared as the titular character in the web series Blue, for which she earned two IAWTV Awards for Best Actress. Outside of film, Stiles played Lumen Pierce on the fifth season of Dexter (2010), earning nominations for the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress and the Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actress. Her other notable film credits include Hamlet, State and Main (both 2000), O (2001), A Guy Thing (2002), Carolina (2003), The Prince & Me (2004), Edmond, A Little Trip to Heaven (both 2005), The Cry of the Owl (2009), Silver Linings Playbook (2012), Out of the Dark (2014), Blackway (2015), 11:55 (2016), Hustlers (2019), and The God Committee (2021). Stiles transitioned to adult roles with films such as The Business of Strangers (2001), Mona Lisa Smile (2003), and The Omen (2006), and became known to audiences worldwide with her portrayal of Nicky Parsons in the Bourne franchise (2002–2016).

#Julia stiles movies movie#

Her accolades include an NBR Award, a CFCA Award, a Gold Derby Award, a Teen Choice Award and two MTV Movie Awards, as well as Satellite Award, Gotham Award, Golden Globe Award, and Emmy Award nominations. She rose to prominence with leading roles in teen films such as 10 Things I Hate About You (1999), Down to You (2000), and Save the Last Dance (2001). Her film debut was a small role in I Love You, I Love You Not (1996), followed by a lead role in Wicked (1998) for which she received the Karlovy Vary Film Festival Award for Best Actress. Born and raised in New York City, Stiles began acting at the age of 11 as part of New York's La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club. Julia O'Hara Stiles (born Ma) is an American actress.

[realitytvpros]

Happy the original creaters are involved in the Clone high reboot, I hope the reboot is still happening. Anyway happy they're involved and love the series. It's good that reboot has people behind it that actually care and have love and respect for the series. Like with Animaniacs reboot the writer care about doing it.

agree!! i wish creators who actually Want reboots and to continue their shows got the chance to do so more often instead of franchises that clearly ended and are just being revived for a cash-grab

[dexmas-month]

We are extraordinarily pleased to announce a brand new Downton Abbey fanwork fest, namely…

DEXMAS MONTH 2022

Now, let’s get to know what, why, how, where and when.

What? Fanfiction, fanart, craft, analytics, playlists, cosplays, cocktail recipes… we welcome each and every possible type of fanwork! Well, as long as it is recognizably and undoubtedly Dexmas vel Hollywood Husbands vel Thomas Barrow/Guy Dexter.

Why? Because after sixteen years, six seasons and two movies Thomas Barrow gets to ride off into the sunset and towards a happy ending. Because kindness is one of the sexiest traits that can be found in a man. Perhaps even because we’re a shallow bunch who can’t resist a good swoon in the arms of a handsome Hollywood star. Whatever our reasons, we’re gathering this month to celebrate our ship!

How? In order to get creative juices flowing and stretch out the submissions across the entire fest, we’ve divided the month of October into four weeks, each one with its own general theme. The themes in question are: Fabulous Fluff, Amazing Angst, Smouldering Smut and Audacious AUs. And since it just so happens that October ends with a bang, we couldn’t resist adding a bonus theme of Haunted Halloween.

Where? Here, on this marvelous blog (dexmas-month-2022.tumblr.com). We accept all kinds of submissions here and via mail (dexmasmonth(a)yandex.com). Of course, if you use our tag on tumblr (#Dexmas Month 2022), you shall be found and promptly assimilated, pardon, re-blogged. For fic submissions, there is a dedicated collection on Ao3, which shall be open from October 1st.

When? Our most glorious Official Opening falls on October 1st. Then, each theme has its own dedicated week, starting from each subsequent Monday, among which Haunted Halloween will be the fifth. Prompt Potluck starts on September 1st and lasts for two full weeks. Get it yet? No matter, let us show you.

Fabulous Fluff (October 3-9)

If your jam is staying sugar-free, you’d better beware!

Amazing Angst (October 10-16)

True sadness lives inside, outside and wherever else the author puts it, we guess.

Smouldering Smut (October 17-23)

Smut! Give me smut and nothing but, a dirty fanfic I can't shut!

Audacious AUs (October 24-30)

Bravely bring us cowboys and aliens, medieval castles or those awful pandemic days.

Haunted Halloween (October 31)

On All Hallows Eve, all the horrors, all the pumpkins, and all the authors come out to play!

[Yes, the themes can absolutely mix, the posting schedule is flexible as well; treat the above as more of a guideline, if it makes things easier!]

Prompt Potluck (September 1-14)

Are you a potential participant? A convivial commenter? A rapacious reader? Perhaps a passer-by? Whichever is the case, starting from September 1st, we will be accepting your Dexmas prompts via ask and to our e-mail account (dexmasmonth(a)yandex.com). If at all possible, please assign them the appropriate weekly theme to make things easier on both participants and mods. All prompts will be placed on our lovely list to be made (optional) use of, with the most riveting ones being highlighted on our blog under the tag #Prompt of the Day. Let’s get those creative juices flowing! Remember, ideas are like rabbits. The more you have of them, the more they breed.

[yurimother]

How 'She-Ra' Delivered on Queer Promises and Helped Revolutionized LGBTQ Representation

DreamWorks's She-Ra and the Princesses of Power has already cemented its place among the short but rapidly growing list of children’s animated shows with impactful LGBTQ representation. Showrunner Noelle Stevenson made it a point to push and fight for more diverse characters in every aspect from race, to personality, to sexual and gender identity. However, the finale of the GLADD Award-nominated program delivered on a revolutionary promise built up throughout all five seasons and completed one of the greatest queer narratives ever seen in children’s media.

As She-Ra progressed, Stevenson became more encouraged and inspired to pressure executives to allow more and more explicit LGBTQ characters and relationships. While ever-present in the series, season one only featured a background couple, Spinnerella (Noelle Stevenson) and Netossa (Krystal Joy Brown), and of course, the famous dance sequence between Catra (AJ Michalka) and Adora (Aimee Carrero). While this amount of representation is comfortably leagues ahead of the vast majority of cartoons, the show only upped the ante and the amount of representation from there. Season 2 introduced viewers to George (Chris Jai Alex) and Lance (Regi Davis), Bow's fathers. The series presents them in a normalized fashion as a happy gay couple in love that built a family together. Jacob Tobia's non-binary Double Trouble featured heavily in season four, making them one of the first non-binary characters in children's animation and one of the first to holding an integral role in the show, a major step in representing such identities.

The many achievements and strides She-Ra in LGBTQ representation featured in She-Ra will doubtlessly affect other projects in the industry and help further programs walk a similar path. However, the greatest queer story inShe-Ra is the spectacular series-long arc exploring the relationship and dynamics between de facto antagonist Catra and protagonist Adora. The former friends, who grew up together in the ranks of the Horde, turn enemies at the start of the series after Adora gains the power of She-Ra and betrays Catra, joining the Rebellion.

Fans quickly began speculating on the nature of Adora and Catra's relationship during season one, mainly because of the Princess Prom dance scene. After the young women shared a charged and sinister dance, fans quickly began supporting and analyzing "Catradora." The next three seasons would gradually and gracefully define both characters' complicated feelings for each other. Initially, Catra attempts to rationalize Adora's leaving as a relief or else forces herself to appear apathetic towards it. She continuously uses the excuse that she is no longer living under Adora's shadow to gradually build up more power, rising through the ranks of the Horde while stepping on those who helped her.

While Catra's motivations are appropriately layered and complex, it becomes clear that she is attempting to win approval, to be less alone than she has felt since Adora abandoned her. She seeks others' approval, including her abusive maternal figure, Shadow Weaver (Lorraine Toussaint), and the cruel Hordak (Keston John). However, Catra does not realize until confronted by Double Trouble's gut-wrenching and emotionally resonating analysis of her psyche. They inform Catra that the reason she is alone and abandoned, she pushes others away. The realization that her problems and loneliness are by her own doing combine with her guilt for betraying her allies Scorpia (Lauren Ash) and Entrapta (Christine Woods), leads Catra to an emotional breakdown.

Thee fifth and final season of She-Ra opens with Catra still plagued by loneliness and self-doubt. She starts to form a bond with Prime's captor Glimmer (Karen Fukuhara), seeing her guilt reflected by Glimmer's regret for trying to use the Heart of Etheria's power. Eventually, Catra learns about Adora's impending rescue attempt and the villainous Prime's plants to capture her once she arrives. Ultimately, all the feelings and circumstances surrounding Catra clash together as she remembers a childhood promise that she and Adora would always be friends. The revelation that she loves Adora finally causes Catra to turn and do "one good thing," protect Adora. She frees Glimmer to prevent Adora from walking into Prime's trap; thus, Catra becomes the Horde's prisoner.

Adora's character arch is much less tragic than Catra. The "frenemies" clash multiple times throughout the early seasons with an ever-shifting dynamic that hints at their intricate relationship and confused romantic feelings. But, at the end of season three, Catra's reckless plan against Adora almost leads to Eternia's destruction. As Catra taunts and blames Adora for her suffering, Adora seemingly ends their conflicted relationship, noting that Catra's misdeeds are all her own, "You made your choice, now live with it."

In the final season, Adora has lost the powers of She-Ra. But, she continues to charge into battle headfirst, exposing herself and her tendencies to put other's wellbeing before her own. This tactic mirrors why Adora left Catra's side in the first place all the way back in the first season. She places more importance on duty and service to others than herself and her friend. Later, while Adora, Bow (Marcus Scribner), and Entrapta are traveling towards Horde Prime, Catra sends a signal to their ship, apologizing for everything she has done while teleporting Glimmer to them. Adora decides that she cannot leave Catra behind, and the Best-Friend Squad hurries to rescue Catra from the Horde. Adora saves Catra not only from Prime's vile clutches but her loneliness too. Adora's exclamation "You matter to me" is a powerful and victorious moment, as the two friends turned enemies unite, and acknowledge their connection.

Unfortunately, even after the Adora and Catra are together again, conflict continues to rise between them and with themselves. Catra feels unlovable because of her past and so convinces herself that Adora will not accept her feelings. She continues to struggle with abandonment, especially when Adora willingly takes the responsibility of a suicide mission to destroy the Heart of Etheria, yelling, "It doesn't always have to be you." Sadly, Adora again abandons her, putting the good of everyone else above herself and Catra. Acknowledging that Adora, "Always sacrifices everything for everyone else," Catra runs away. However, upon realizing that Prime is moments away from taking control of the Heart and killing Adora, Shadow Weaver and her run to rescue the girl she loves.

As Adora journeys to the Heart, she sees and an illusion of Catra, envisioning that her friend meets her to approach the suicide mission together. Soon, Adora faces a vision of Mara (Zehra Fazal), the previous She-Ra, who tells her that she does not always need to sacrifice herself and is deserving of love too. She becomes trapped without her powers by a first-ones' guardian until Catra and Shadow Weaver save her. Telling Adora to go on, Catra stays to fight the beast in vain. Moments before destroying the Heart and herself, Adora finally chooses to return to Catra, to put Catra and her own happiness over her sense of duty.

As Adora and Catra approach the Heart, the former almost succumbs to Prime's power and has one final vision. Adora dreams of living a life in peace in Brightmoon alongside her friends, Glimmer and Bow, and with her loving, playful partner Catra by her side. In the apparent final moments before her death, Catra reaches out to Adora. At last, the two confess their love for each other and embrace in a momentous kiss, restoring She-Ra's power to Adora. Renewed in strength and standing beside her beloved, Adora finally destroys Horde Prime. The series ends as Adora and Catra plan to travel together and restore magic to the universe and fades to black as the couple prepares to take their next journey together.

as Adora and Catra plan to travel together and restore magic to the universe and fades to black as the couple prepares to take their next journey together.

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power has always been a powerhouse of LGBTQ representation, especially the final season. For example, it heavily features former background characters and married couple Spinnerella and Netossa in leading roles, as Netossa attempts to recover her wife’s mind from Prime. However, the relationship between Catra and Adora is not only the series highlight but a revolutionary in LGBTQ representation in children's television.

LGBTQ history in children's media and cartoons is disappointingly brief and, at times, unpleasant. Early examples mostly featured coded queer characters with harmful and stereotypical traits, such as the Silver Spooner from Dexter's Laboratory. Some works were able to include less harmful depictions. Networks allowed characters like Richie from Static Shock, who is gay, to exist as long as their identity was kept extremely subtextual.

Slowly some more limited progress was made, and a few less offensive or hidden characters were permitted to appear in one-off and minor roles. Nelvana's Canadian animated sitcom, 6teen included many vague but most neutral references to homosexuality and eventually a one-off character Jean, who says that she is "gay" and has a girlfriend. Notably, this 2009-episode marks not only one of the first moments of a character confirming their sexuality but also using the word "gay." This feat is so rarely replicated even in LGBTQ family media that even giants like Steven Universe do not include it. Outside of pedantic educational programs on minor networks, it may be the only time someone said "the-G-word" in such media until 2019's Kippo and the Age of Wonderbeasts  (live-action sitcom Andi Mack on Disney Channel also used the term that year). Sadly, American showings cut 6Teen's references to homosexuality, and the episode featuring Jean never aired at all outside Canada.

When most people look back to the beginning of the recent small boom in cartoon LGBTQ representation, they point to The Legend of Korra. In 2014, the series finally ended with female leads Korra and Asami taking hands and going on a private vacation in the spirit world. The Korra moment set the LGBTQ fandom on fire. Even so, the show faced incredible resistance and backlash. After the final episode aired, creator Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante DiMartino had to go online to confirm that the somewhat ambiguous finale indeed depicted a same-sex romance. They then began to face backlash from a section of the fandom who believed bringing this badass bisexual moment to television was only for fanservice or to forward an agenda.

The Legend of Korra was a revolution in modern children's television, putting cracks in the oppressive dam that kept such dynamics out of the limelight and slowly pushed back against the status quo, allowing for more LGBTQ representation. Now, over five years after Korra, numerous children's programs feature queer characters in minor and supporting roles, often more explicitly than Korra was able to do. The Loud House includes a main bisexual character, and there are queer characters and couples in multiple works, including but not limited to Gravity Falls, Adventure Time, and Craig of the Creek.

The most notable LGBTQ representation in a children's cartoon comes from Rebeca Sugar's incredible creation, Steven Universe. As with She-Ra, LGBTQ characters make up a large portion of the cast and it features several groundbreaking LGBTQ scenes, including the iconic wedding of Ruby and Sapphire.

Sadly, many of these works had to fight tooth and nail or suffer through horrific backlash because of their dedication to diversity. Alabama banned an episode of Arthur that featured a gay wedding, and the depiction of lesbian mothers in Clifford the Bid Red Dog caused some parents and organizations to speak out against it. Perhaps most famous of all, Rebecca Sugar had to struggle to put LGBTQ representation on the small screen. Ultimately, to make the wedding scene happen, Sugar had to lay everything on the table and was willing to see themselves separated from the show and have it end to bring their vision to life. Unfortunately, many other countries censor the show to remove LGBTQ content. Still, Sugar's tireless work has pushed the boundaries of LGBTQ representation in children's media so incredibly far, allowing shows like She-Ra to exist.

The recent rapid progress of LGBTQ representation becomes apparent when comparing She-Ra to the "originator," Korra. The series share similar themes and mutually place importance on diversity in its main cast. At the climax of both programs, two female main characters became romantic partners for the other. However, the differences are what truly sets them apart and highlights the progress representation has made. Back in 2014, holding hands and staring into each other's eyes was the most action Korra could feature.

However, a myriad of queer characters and identities perforate She-Ra, all of which are more apparent and obvious thanks to actions including kisses, confessions, and other actions. This difference is especially true in season five, where even the title cards feature Netossa and Spinnerella engaged in a passionate kiss. Of course, the main couple was permitted a full on-screen confession and kiss, as Catra and Adora locked lips in the final episode. Finally, many "critics" complained that Korra and Asami's relationship came out of nowhere, despite it progressing the show’s last two seasons. If one were to assert the same claim about She-Ra, they need to completely ignore how Stevenson built Adora and Catra's romantic relationship as a fundamental aspect of the show from the very start.

She-Ra's depiction of queer characters was deliberate, explicit, and incredible. Not only did LGBTQ side characters express their identities in a variety of ways, but the main couple also got to show their love with both words and a kiss. Furthermore, and perhaps even more importantly, the main couple in She-Ra got a happen ending and a future for them and the viewers to imagine and look towards with excitement. Sadly, many LGBTQ characters and couples do not get to experience such conclusions. For decades, queer relationships ended in tragedy, often with the death of one or more queer characters killed off as part of the "bury your gays" trope. Even if the characters live, narratives rarely provided a happy future for those with queer identities. Sadly, this trend is alive and well. Recent examples include Adam from Voltron: Legendary Defender and Annika and Neha from The Dragon Prince.

Stevenson actively set out to avoid this trope in She-Ra, telling the Los Angeles Times, "I can't see another gay character die on TV for the moment." Not only did she not kill Adora and Catra, or any of the show's other queer characters, she gave Adora and Catra, the two lesbian leads in love, a happy ending. The show even offers viewers and Adora a glimpse of one possible future for the couple in the final vision of domestic bliss in Brightmoon. Both Adora and Catra struggle and suffered greatly, but they were allowed a happy ending and the opportunity to look forward to a life together. For the two main characters of a children's cartoon to achieve such a fantastic ending in such an explicit way is a genuinely revolutionary moment of representation, proudly standing alongside defining scenes like and Ruby and Sapphire’s wedding in Steven Universe. Importantly, both shows are made by queer creators, showing young viewers that people like them can achieve and create great things and that there are those out there fighting for them. For these reasons, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power is one of the single most significant works of LGBTQ representation in children's media.

Queer representation in children's media matters so much, likely more than it does in any other medium. It normalizes LGBTQ identities for families and sends a powerful message to all LGBTQ children who may be feeling sad or alone or sacred: 'You are not alone, you matter, and you are accepted.' These words, implied with every positive depiction of queer identities, save so many children and young adults from unnecessary suffering and sometimes even saves lives. Noelle Stevenson and She-Ra will likely create giant waves in the medium just as Steven Universe did before it, and generations of queer people, myself included, wait with bated breath to see what results from it.