#Gina is literally glowing in one

[sapphirebluejewel]

[itsdappleagain]

i know csweekly is on hold now, but I still have to catch up on The Luchadora Tango Caper, so here it is!!

Season 3 is maybe my least favorite season out of any of them, but I still love it, so I'm really excited to get into this!

Notes under the cut as always and please ignore the fact that I'm a month late on this thx

NEW CASTLE!!! NEW CASTLE YAYYY

sometimes I think this whole series is Maelstrom just talking about shit for like 14 hours

cleo sympathizing with guys in skirts <3 she knows ur struggle boys

love how they slapped up a giant glowing green world map and copper sulfate burning chandeliers before they put in insulation or heat

brunt, girl, calm down. they were just doing their evil minion bagpipe job

british on british violence

that was such a cute nod when this season first dropped. haha theres been no sign of her all summer because of the hiatus you are so clever

they rlly thought they had something with the turn them against each other thing. i cant believe they thought they tvy7 rating would let shadowsan and carmen kill each other 🙄

"carmen is DEAD" (cheery tango music)

i mean it works because we know hes wrong and stupid but like

no offense but the tango dancers are animated in a way that is reminiscent of a kid manually moving their barbie dolls legs to make them walk

our girl <3

tell me why dropping 200 feet onto the top of the metal detector was more sneaky than literally anything else she could have done

ok. yes. but the fact she is robbing it does not negate the fact that she will be on the news for breaking into a bank dsjfsdghfkdsa

1021 is the number on the box- could it mean something? in a strictly doylist sense. october 21st doesn't seem to have any significant holidays...I can't find anything, might just be a random number set.

good god the "i...have his eyes." hits me like a truck every time

gina pulled it out with the voice acting in this one

she WAS a very cute baby

"another" link girl what else has there been you should be ecstatic

ayyy its the character literally everyone except spintrap-stan and amaryllis solely remember for being voiced by dante basco

i love how snarky carmen immediately gets. if he knows her name and what she looks like, obviously he's an operative, so she gets to have a little fun in immediately declining him while still gaining valuable information, almost immediately, about who he is and what his talent will be

everyone is very stretched today

this is not my favorite fight scene honestly (at least until flytrap gets here. dont even get me started on her fighting style im in love with it) because its literally just like ooh. he kicks. she dodges. wow. they really do try with the tango parallels but idk

wow!! other people can kick too??? who knew

she protected the face

cutely runs into oncoming traffic

those cars were not even slowing down girl they were just like HONK MOVE OR DIE

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS FLYTRAP MY GIRL

okay mini rant incoming i already did a post on this like a billion years ago but flytrap is one of my favorites because in my opinion she and paper star are the most dangerous villains we ever see in the show. let me. try to find that post actually

yeah here it is

flytrap is also so hot and has the same va as luz so she's just top tier. idk if the team put half the episode budget into celebrity voice actors and thats why we only got 5 episodes but you know what

love how carmen is literally stopping her attempts to get free to banter. girl. stop

shadowsan <3

love how they do not even bother showing the fight they just get their asses handed to them

why didnt they start in veracruz just asking

not the table

ok guys. you can stop with the tango thing now. its okay

that little conversation between ivy and shadowsan is so good

comrades??? sir its not the cold war

article from 17 years ago, thank you for that easy to understand slang

carmen plot armored her way out of getting her skull smashed in on that train so hard that she made maelstrom stupid

its canon both in and outside of the show that color theory is so prevalent that any sort of red at all immediately signals carmen

the colors are so beautiful in this scene. carmen doesnt have her coat or jacket on, everythings just a little desaturated as she searches

THE ACME GANG <3333

not the finger guns and glasses wheeze hes such a loser i love him

THE FORESHADOWING TO EGYPT WITH THE PYRAMIDS ON HER LAPTOP!!!!

love how all we get of julia this season is her being pissed off and then leaving

he was such an asshole for closing her laptop why did he do that 😭

has carmen just been ignoring vile missions for the last season of the year to research her mom or

girlie is so sad about everything

ah yes, the door, the thing you wish to have opened, the best place to lean your full body against after you knock,

i'M SOrry. did you NOT attend a school for THIEVES

HSDGGDG HEY. just broke into your house. im your long lost daughter

i love how she goes DONT TOUCH ANYTHING and then immediately drags her whole arm across the wall and cabinet

also her face when she sees the masks is perfect

okay be honest how many of you have replayed carmen saying maybe mommy at least once. who. raise your hands

shes sooo buff

love how everyone is taking this so seriously and then carmen is just completely apathetic about anything thats going on

dont deadname lupe, carmen

her hair catching a gust of indoor wind for the sole purpose of making her look sick as hell in her intro card is so iconic

as ivy absolutely obliterating zack in the foreground is so fucking funny

she got that "EH EH EH." titter of "HEY NO. DONT YOU DO THAT" down scary well

devineaux strutting im sobbing. julia was doing SO well and then she got paired with devineaux AGAIN

that cab driver looks so concerned about the hulking texan in his backseat

remember when the trailer dropped and we thought those roses were for julia. good times

everyone narrowly avoiding each other as they pull in

you just know ivy smacked zack when he protested to decoy time hdsafhadsg

gotta say the "EH?" while getsuring to the trophies is fucking hilarious. obviously julia knows she wouldnt go after those but its so funny

i do love the way carmen just shrinks any time brunt appears. she is soooo traumatized

VAMOOSE EL MASKO SHES SO ACCURATREIUSDHKFSKHFD SHES EXACTLY WHAT MIDDLE AGED AMERICAN SOUTHERNERS SOUND LIKE

LUPE IS SO FUCKING COOL

devineaux showcasing his braincells for a spilt second this episode

ah, so begins the not a good time mantra

devineaux getting absolutely decimated because he thinks coach brunt thinks hes handsome is so funny

the referee watching two apparent civilians enter the ring: 🙂

carmen is so funny here. she uncuffs herself and then just leaves devineaux to die like fuck his ass he can get smooshed

carmen getting increasingly mad at devineaux while she drags him places is my favorite part of the episode

also, either carmen got stronger or devineaux had a few bouts of crazed research where he didnt eat, but she can drag him easily now as opposed to when she was struggling back at the trap in poitiers

they put this shot in the trailer and without context it just looked like carmen was standing there glaring at brunt menacingly

the cat burglar <3

worst fucking ref on the planet i love him

was carmen stopping to listen to julia's voice i would like to think so

ah the devineaux and cars gag. i mean, to be fair, it wasnt his fault this time

starts beatboxing

carmen really just dumped her whole life story on lupe thats so funny. girlie started the day preparing for a match, got her house broken into, and then ended the day learning about a global crime syndicate

they really ended s2 going THE NEXT SEASON WILL FOCUS ON CARMENS MOM and then started s3 going well actually um okay so

theres our transition sentence

lupe's yellow and blue palette btw!! cs color theory i love you

lupe is more of a mom than carlotta ever gets to be thats sad honestly

carmens little smile ough

here is a shot that very succinctly illustrates the dynamics in the coming seasons. the three at the table stand strong- always have. roundy is basically a footnote no one cares about him and then brunt...brunt is sort of on the edge. this carries over all the way into s4 when malestrom tries to drown her

oh my god i forgot about the weird halloween thing the faculty has going on this season i love it

my analysis is right in time for spooky season >:) halloween IS nearly upon us!!!

OKAY well my thoughts on the luchadora tango caper...pretty good. honestly its kind of net zero information because we introduce the premise of finding carmens mom and then immediately abandon it but it sets up um....well....it sets up....what does it set up

anyway- not my favorite episode, even though lupe is fucking awesome. i think it suffers a little from deviating from that classic caper structure and jumping around, but it does its job as an introductory episode.

until we return, sayonara, mon amigos!

[tokiro07]

Undead Unluck ep.13 thoughts

[Happy Late Out of Touch Thursday]

(Contents: praise - animation/adaptational additions, griping - exposition/pacing)

It goes without saying that the animation was good. I say it every week. This episode also, as usual, made some good and noteworthy extensions: they extended the fight between Andy and Tatiana in such a way that we felt the danger that Fuuko was in a lot better, they added in Tatiana finding Gina's body which added some weight to her anger at Andy, we got to see Creed actually losing his hand when Tatiana unleashed her barrier, and the embellishment of her hair glowing and her Rule breaking through was really cool

All of the events of this episode were really good, and I would go so far as to say this was a much better episode than last week's, but there's one thing that really bothers me about this episode that I imagine many of you noticed too: these recap scenes are getting absolutely ridiculous

I don't mean the recap of the previous episodes at the beginning, though this series is pretty egregious about it, I'm talking about how they decided they needed to recap a 30-second-long conversation that we just had! I don't even think it was after a commercial break, they just...showed the same conversation twice! You could have done anything with that airtime! Make the fight longer! Make Fuuko and Tatiana reconciling longer! Do literally anything other than repeat a full monologue that we just heard!!!

Undead Unluck has definitely done that many times, I'm pretty sure I've said "yes, I was there" out loud while watching nearly every episode so far, but this??? Whose idea was that? Who okayed it?? Was it a problem with the budget? Did the timing come up short and they just needed to pad something ASAP? There's a story here, and I feel like I need to know it!

But like I said, the actual content of the episode was really good. I don't want to give the impression that this is a bad episode by any means, there was just one really disappointing element that was hard to ignore because it definitely speaks to a bigger problem, whatever that problem may be. Either someone is really bad at budgeting their time, someone is bad at budgeting the money, or Yuki Yase thinks we're idiots who won't understand what's going on if we don't hear it twice, but something is wrong, and I hope it gets ironed out as we go

Even if it doesn't, I'll probably be able to forgive it fine so long as the action stays this good or better, and with the Rip fight coming up next week, it better be great. This is the climax of cour one, and it's set to have a gorgeous backdrop, so they better put their whole ass into this one! I'm not asking for Demon Slayer ep.19 or nothing, but...well, that sure would be something, wouldn't it?

Until next time, let's enjoy life

[differentlyweird]

Rina in Season 4- Gina Porter finally gets the love she deserves

OK so most people know that I have not shipped Rina throughout the show. In fact, I didn’t think that Ricky deserved Gina. After watching season four I can confidently say that Ricky definitely stepped up this season. It also started to fall into place all of his character development individually that has been built up .We see his struggles throughout the seasons, with himself and his relationships to the people around him. In season four it definitely feels like he’s actually putting what he’s learned into practice. And not just with Gina. He seems to be in a much better place and because of that he’s a much better person all around.

My biggest concern with Ricky and Gina’s relationship is that it always felt that Gina was putting herself out there and Ricky just never said what he actually thought. We can see in the show that he has had feelings for Gina since the very beginning but he never said anything.  Due to this, it left Gina feeling like he just didn’t like her. Moreover, it left her feeling like he could/did love her but was never gonna go for it. He said one thing and did another. Like she was being let down again but this time by someone she was in love with. That’s why I never wanted her with Ricky, because I was afraid he wouldn’t love her the way she loved him.

Thankfully, this season he proved me wrong. I have been rooting for Gina since season one. I have loved her character forever and have wanted her happy no matter what. To see Ricky finally treat her the way that she deserves and not fall back on old habits or past mistakes is so refreshing. To see him go all out for her and completely support her in everything that she does really rounds out his story. I mean, if you just pay attention to the way that Gina is literally glowing from being in a relationship with Ricky. How could you not support her or be happy for her?

That for me is what was missing throughout the first two seasons is not seeing Ricky‘s feelings for Gina. Then finally seeing them after she got with EJ really pissed me off, why now? You know ?That’s what kept me from shipping it in the 1st place. Gina is an amazing character and for me from that standpoint ,seeing her get hurt over and over by him. It just turned me off from the possibility of her ever being with him. However, now that I see the effort that he is put in to be there for her and to be the boyfriend that she deserves. I know see why people love this relationship so much. Honestly, like I said in my previous post I’m just so happy that Gina is happy because she deserves it so much.

[hsmtmtsnet]

Sitting in the middle of Miss Jenn’s drama club room on the High School Musical: The Musical: The Series set last year, the walls were vibrating with the sound of “Now or Never” from High School Musical 3: Senior Year.

As the cast sang about giving their all one last time before the clock ran out, the song signaled what's to come as months later, Disney+ confirmed the hit series is coming to an end with season 4. 

Like the third High School Musical film the East High students are putting on, this season marks the end of an era. 

“In the streaming era, there's something real about the phrase ‘It's now or never,’” creator Tim Federle told PEOPLE during a set visit in December. “You never know if you're going to get another season. And so to have been lucky enough to have helped launch Disney+ alongside The Mandalorian and still be on the air after four seasons is a blessing alone.”

Not only did the show help launch Disney’s new streaming platform when it premiered in November 2019, but it quickly launched its cast into superstardom. 

For Federle, there was never a doubt in his mind they would achieve anything other than that. “What I promised Disney was that if they let me hire real theater kids, they wouldn't let me down,” he said getting a little choked up. “I'm so proud of them because when the world beats them up, they still show up for me and for each other. Life is short, but when you make a TV show, hopefully, it lasts forever.” 

Though the curtain is closing on the East High students, it’s clear the bond they forged over the past few years will stay intact. 

“It's a uniquely musical theater experience that no matter how short or long the time is, you become a family,” Joshua Bassett (Ricky) said. “I'm going to know these people for the rest of my life and some of them will probably be in my wedding.” 

Sofia Wylie (Gina) echoed that same sentiment, calling her costars “the best people I've ever met.”

"I have learned so much from everybody,” she added. “The joy that Dara [Reneé] brings every day, the professionalism that Julia [Lester] brings, the humor that Frankie [A. Rodriguez] has, the angel glow that Joe [Serafini] has, Saylor [Bell Curda] is my favorite human being. And of course, Josh [Bassett] brings such a wonderful leadership that I think really has affected the show in such a positive way every single day.” 

“It's really wonderful,” she continued. “I already feel nostalgic even though we haven't ended the show yet, because I know I will look back at this experience and always remember it to be one of the best times of my life.”

Julia Lester (Ashlyn) noted that the series has been “a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” not only because of the show’s unique structure but because of the cast’s incredible chemistry. “We've all been best friends since literally day one,” she said.  

“I just feel like we're so lucky because we're all so different that we just work,” Dara Reneé (Kourtney) added. “This cast is just so powerful and so kind and so humble, and just everything that you would dream to work with. I just love how safe I feel about all these beautiful, kind people.” 

As for what they hope the show’s legacy will be, the cast was in total agreement that they hope fans remember the importance of love and acceptance. 

“I hope the show's legacy is what we have been saying over the last four years, which is 'born to be brave,'” Frankie A. Rodriguez (Carlos) said, referencing the season 1 song of the same name.

“Just putting yourself out there and just not really caring what other people think," he continued. "Finding your community of people that are going to just love and support you and give you nothing but encouragement.” 

Bassett added that being on the show has really “set the standard” for him and his costars as it marked many of their first starring roles. “Once you have an experience like this, you don't settle for anything else anywhere else,” he said.

“We're going to carry this with us in all of our careers. I hope it's not a unique environment. I hope we continue to bring that, but from what I've heard there, there's nothing quite like it.”

[negative-speedforce]

Your OCs are walking through the park at night (why? who knows?) and hear a clamor down by the pond. It's Rae, attempting to fight off a group of muggers from stealing an older lady's purse. Rae has her fists up, and her hands are glowing faintly with the energy of her shields, but her nose is bloody and she seems to be tiring.

What do your OCs do?

Siv: All Rae sees is a burst of red lightning drag all the muggers into the middle of the pond. Then, Siv stops really quick to take a look at Rae and make sure she's okay, and without saying a word, vanishes into the night.

Jay: Makes a distraction by shooting a series of energy pulses from his gauntlets into the sky, so Rae can take care of the muggers while they're distracted, then asks if she's okay once she's done.

Cassandra: Shadowy tentacles rise up from portals in the ground and drag the muggers into the abyss. She'll let them out later, when they're thoroughly traumatized.

Hailey: Beats the ever-loving shit out of the muggers, and while they're all tied up waiting for her to bring them to jail, she checks Rae over for serious injuries.

Esme: Probably takes off her shoes and throws them at the muggers, because a platform heel to the face? Ouch.

Arya: Tells Rae to shield herself, then uses their siren calls to incapacitate the muggers, but only to the point of temporarily knocking them out.

Gina: Hides behind some trees and makes some weird vocal trills so the muggers get distracted for a few moments, then leaves once she's sure Rae's handling the situation.

Ember: Is far scrappier than they look, from decades of fighting off cops when they tried to raid her club. He joins in the fight, successfully taking care of a couple of the muggers, then she offers to walk Rae home once they're done.

Cat: Pulls out her handgun from her waistband, threatening the muggers to back off. Once they leave, she makes sure Rae is okay.

Max: Uses his earrings to summon one of his smaller mech suits, then remotely controls it to beat up a few of the muggers, and walk Rae home.

Kyle: He works for a charity that helps people get out of domestic violence situations, so he knows what he's doing. He'll probably just put on a big light show, with electricity everywhere and glowing eyes and stuff, to scare the muggers off, then he'll walk Rae home since he's probably much more intimidating-looking than she is.

Eric: Scares off the muggers with some magic, then makes sure that Rae and the old lady are alright.

Jacob: A well-timed punch to the nose takes care of the muggers, then he stops to make sure that everyone is okay and that Rae doesn't need any more help.

Khalil: Probably doesn't actually get involved, but he might shout "Hey!" from far away to temporarily distract the muggers so Rae can take care of them.

Ameerah: Strikes fear into the hearts of the muggers with her empathic abilities, then steals all the money for herself. Payment for saving Rae's skin, or so she says.

Rania: Keeps walking, but calls the local authorities. She doesn't have any powers or fighting experience, so she'd just get in the way.

Antonio: Doesn't get involved, since he's a literal child and is kinda scared of getting beat up by a bunch of grown men, but he telekinetically throws the muggers into the pond.

Reggie: Sneaks up behind the muggers and knocks out two of them by hitting them on the back of the head with xir skateboard. Then, once Rae's taken care of the rest, xe makes sure that everyone is okay, proudly informing everyone that xe just got xir first aid badge in Girl Scouts!

Director Hawke: Watches from afar, hoping that the muggers will take care of Rae. If not, then Rae's about to have her hands full with a genocidal witch on her tail.

Meredith: All Rae sees is a sudden burst of lightning and the muggers vanish into thin air.

Kelsie: Vines suddenly reach out of the ground, wrapping the muggers up, and one vine reaches out and returns the purse to the old lady. As of yet, people are probably still attributing that save to Poison Ivy, which annoys Kelsie to no end.

Cory: Walks up to the muggers, grinning like Kevin McCalister, then they suddenly start floating in the air, which confuses them for long enough for Rae to take care of them. Then, they stop to make sure no one needs him to call an ambulance or something.

Torryn: Doesn't get involved, but he calls the authorities on a random payphone to take care of it. After all, they're legally dead, and he doesn't want anyone to know otherwise.

Onnie: Walks right by, since it's not her problem. Then, two blocks later, she sighs and goes back, running Rae and the old lady a couple blocks away to safety, telling them "No one is ever going to believe that I saved you."

Jessi: Doesn't get involved. She honestly feels sorry for that poor girl, who isn't rich or powerful enough to have a burly bodyguard to protect her, but that's not her problem.

Pippa: Throws all the muggers in the lake, then uses her field medicine knowledge to check to see if Rae needs someone to reset her nose.

Hyun-Ki: Since he doesn't have powers and can't really fight, he doesn't get involved. He does call the authorities to come and take care of the situation, though.

Marie: Nerve-pinches the muggers to knock them all out. Then, she uses her 25th-century medical knowledge to take care of Rae and the old lady and make sure they're okay, before offering to do a quick site-to-site transport of them to their respective homes.

Liah: Doesn't physically get involved due to her pacifistic tendencies, but she does puff herself up so she looks bigger and more intimidating, then approaches the muggers and asks "Is there a problem here?". Unsurprisingly, they don't want to get involved with the 6'3 terrifying alien lady who looks like she bench-presses a car.

Qiara: Adjusts the laws of physics for a few moments so the sun shines directly into all the muggers' eyes, then, while they're incapacitated, she helps Rae take care of them.

Soraya: Sets her phaser to stun, knocks them all out, then beams them all directly into the brig of her ship. She offers Rae and the old lady medical attention if they need it.

Athena: Probably keeps walking, but if she gets involved, she'll stun all the muggers to bring them back to her lab to be human experiments. Then, she takes Rae's money and the old lady's as payment for her services.

Laila: If she's feeling particularly nice, she might Force-choke all the muggers and vanish into the night, never to be seen again by Rae.

Reyna: Decides that this is a great time to test one of her new inventions, which proceeds to blow up in her face. Thankfully, the chaos that causes distracts the muggers for long enough for Rae to take care of them.

Thalia: Runs in headfirst and punches the living shit out of the muggers, then uses her Force-healing ability to fix Rae's nose, before vanishing into the night.

Pyrrha: Is at first tempted to go in lightsaber blazing, but she doesn't really do that anymore, so she goes into her med kit and pulls out some sedative, and knocks out the muggers, before offering her medic skills to Rae and the old lady.

Samira: Keeps walking, but calls the authorities. She doesn't really have any relevant skills for the fight, but she keeps an eye out from a distance to make sure that Rae is okay.

Aldrich: Literally just bites the muggers. Rae might get suddenly confused by the revelation that vampires are real.

Sohelia: Holds her breath so she doesn't get distracted by the smell of Rae's nosebleed, and uses a few vampire-enhanced-strength powered punches to bring the muggers to the ground, before vanishing into the night.

Vanessa: Surprises the muggers with the fact that she's basically indestructible and bulletproof, allowing Rae to take care of them.

Matt: Doesn't get involved, since he couldn't really help with the fight itself, but once Rae's taken care of everything, he comes in and offers his medic skills for any injuries she's sustained.

Dolores: Doesn't get involved, since she can smell Rae's nosebleed from a mile away and she doesn't particularly want to lose control and hurt someone.

Victorie: Doesn't get involved for the same reasons as Dolores.

Kayla: Wishes she could get involved, but doesn't, since she thinks it might be a trap.

Dori: Takes the form of some famous pop star and starts singing and dancing on the top of a small hill nearby, distracting the muggers just long enough for Rae to knock them out.

Ellis: Going behind Rae as not to scare her with their true angelic form, they go all "BE NOT AFRAID" on the muggers, scaring them shitless, before using their miraculous powers to fix Rae's nose and any other injuries she may have sustained.

Gabi: Doesn't get involved, but calls the authorities, since there's not much help that Gabi could offer.

[27emailsicantsend]

Season 3 Episode 4 Thoughts

BI ASHLYN BI ASHLYN BI ASHLYN… (possibly lesbian?? We’ll see)

All of you who called Maddox being gay… you were so, so right

Oh honey, Carlos, your straight dar is so, so very broken. Not only were you wrong about Maddox, but like the stuff about her dating her brother 😭😭 that was painful to listen to

I am by no means, a p*rtwell, but I will give credit where credits is due: I actually really liked the LIAOD duet. Their voices sounded nice together and I enjoyed the beginning with the stripped down piano part. I don’t know that we’ve heard Gina do more of a single instrumental song yet, so hearing her raw voice was beautiful!

My poor baby Kourtney. That hurts my heart seeing her so anxious. Her mom actually gave some pretty sound advice. Removing the “shoulds”… feeling how you should feel? We’ve got removing cognitive distortions and validating emotions. Made my heart happy 🥲

Jet was so angsty and for what 😭😂

Gina was so so cute this episode. She was literally glowing?? Like you could just tell how happy she was and the scene when she helped Kourtney made my heart soft 🥲 I just love seeing her in her happy era compared to last season. It’s a fresh, much needed thing

Along those lines… Ricky is in his happy era?? Well… for the most part. He did walk out a couple times when he was jealous 😬 but like the last few episodes and stuff he just seemed so content with himself and life for the first time in forever? (Pun intended… maybe that’s his and Gina’s song because they have both been THROUGH IT lol). He got his Corbin hug 🥹 and he just seemed like he was just trying his best to make the most of his situation at camp… I think EJ started to get in his head a lot

But also the 80’s villain line from Corbin? 🤣😭😭 comedy GOLD. Who wouldn’t laugh at that?? Lmaooo

Ok again, not a p*rtwell, but I want to make something clear about this next point: I’m not saying this because I’m a rina. I genuinely ship EJ and Val. Or at least am starting too. Val called him out that he’s been having deep, girlfriend talks with her. It’s so easy for him to open up with her. When he is with Gina everything is stiff? Tense? Lack of chemistry? But with Val it seems so easy between them. Like they’ve known each other forever. And she’s in college which is just a bonus on top

It’s interesting we’re addressing Kourt’s anxiety so much but EJ’s feels really brushed over? Like he has no one giving him those pep talks. Instead his dad is putting undue pressure on him. Why is his dad so keen on pushing him? It makes me sad. I think it would be cool to see Kourt use the advice from her mom and give EJ similar advice. They both could use it

I’m not a huge fan of the song “fabulous”. It’s my least favorite from the movies but it was fun watching Carlos and Kourt sing it. Very Ryan and Sharpay of them which they’ve been giving a lot this season 😂

AND NOW: RINA

PINING RICKY PINING RICKY PINING RICKY

I am not sure I even counted this correctly but there were at LEAST 6 or 7 stolen glances, for sure 1 per scene between Ricky and Gina

I can’t even tell you how many times I rewound this episode to see every stolen glance. Someone make a gifset pleaseeeee

I also didn’t expect EJ to say out of pocket things right out the gate like that. Like I knew there would be some contention between the two (predicted it last episode thought rambles) but wowww he was VERY quick to jump on Ricky

And I don’t say that as EJ slander. I think he is under a LOT of stress and doesn’t know how to cope. With his relationship kind of falling under it makes sense he might be lashing. He’s not being nice, but it’s also understandable.

But also, I don’t ~love~ that he was mad at Ricky and Gina being gone because he had every opportunity to go and blew up at them last episode. He did take some accountability for this thought which was good

Also Ricky jumping at the chance to sing LIAOD and the show intentionally said, “NO THIS SONG IS FOR EJ AND GINA TO SING”. It’s literally leaving us no hints at this point that they are not the couple of this show. Like it is very intentional they’re showing EJ as hans in this situation and that he had to be the one to sing it with Gina. But also very cute mr bowen that you wanted to sing about love with her 🥹

Speaking of… isn’t there a rickyxgina duet coming this season possibly? Just saying. We might want to compare the two 😉

I have said it 1000x and I will say it 1000 more: STAGING IS EVERYTHING. They take and retake these scenes so they have to make sure ever prop, placement… everything is exactly where it should be. Notice who seems to be in the middle in multiple ways in the staging? Mr Bowen himself. The movie night was the biggest one screaming it. Like he could have sat anywhere and he sat right in the middle 😭😭😭

Also all of Ricky’s compliments to Gina and him defending her to Jet 😭😭 he is such a protective almost boyfriend I love it sm

AND OMG JET CALLING HIM OUT???? Yeah jet was me and every other rina in that scene 😂 but also, I feel like the “you don’t know the whole story” was set up for more 👀 so then what is the whole story Ricky? Anything to do with another flashback?? With chocolates? Hmmmmmmm???? 🧐🤨📸

(This also fits my Ricky is Hans and Jet is Sven for their “off stage” symbolic characters because Sven called out Kristoff in the movie with sus looks and stuff. He really understood Kristoff in a way no one else- but Anna- did. They’re just this cute friend duo that I love)

Also can I just point out Gina’s laugh in the wishlist part? That was the most GENUINE laugh I heard from any season from her. She just sounded so happy 🥲

RINA HELD HANDS…. AGAIN??? Their parallels do be unmatched to any other couple in the show

I have no idea what kind of drama EJ is going to stir up but I’m SURE it has to do with this triangle for the show. He said it took courage to make something big happen? It just feels like a very Hans thing to say. Oh P*W you are so bones I’m sorry 😭 because Gina said she can’t deal with liars and she was VERY clear. Soooo EJ’s washed

But ALSO SHE CANT DEAL WITH LIARS AND RICKY WALKS OUT??? What is he lying about?? Feelings???? Chocolates????? I mean it makes sense if he did because of Nini a little but I still feel like he would have no reason to lie unless there was more feelings behind why he delivered those to Gina. If he was doing it as a friendly gesture he might have even asked Nini to help? So yeahhhh boy you gonna get caught. But this lie feels… different somehow? Like maybe Gina might get upset but they weren’t dating and things were weird so it kind of makes sense why Ricky didn’t say anything. But he did make her feel stupid so she has every right to be mad? Idk the chocolates conversation could go a LOT of ways if (when) it happens

So yeah… I know that one tik toker who saw the episodes prior said that this episode would have rinas on a “rollercoaster” but I actually don’t feel shaken at ALL. In fact, rina endgame just feels even more solidified. Have I told you guys I love this season yet? Because I LOVE this season

[honeysskies]

5 moments i want to address from 03 x 07 of hsmtmts (aside from rina)

1. carlos and kourtney having HUGEEEEE breakthroughs this episode!!! with kourt climbing the wall and los taking his shirt off, they both made amazing steps forward in their respective battles! i really hope this isn't the last time it's addressed though because i'd love to see where it goes from here

2. carlos giving ashlyn the flag pin and welcoming her to the community!! that was LITERALLY adorable and ash had such a glow the entire episode it was so beautiful

3. SEBLOS NATION RISING AGAIN I KNOW THAT'S RIGHT 🫶🏾 i missed seb so much actually he is so cute and pocket sized and makes me smile whenever he's on screen

4. maddox repairing two different relationships in her life and OFFICIALLY one of The Girls™️ just made my heart glow. PLEASE GIVE US HER IN SEASON 4 PLEASEPLEASEPLEASE

5. gina being strong enough to walk away from a relationship that wasn't working!! my girl knows what she's worth and won't settle for less and I LOVE IT. not just that, but the sheer growth she showed in that moment with recognizing that their honeymoon phase was definitely over and she wasn't going to get the stability she longed for out of EJ.

[thekaijudude]

Something that I overlooked in Ep 1

So ye was rewatching again recently until I realized I somehow totally missed this glaring sequence

It's when Spheresaurus did this

Previously I thought this was basically him controlling the Spheres actively cause in the next sequence we seee them gathering around him

However, the particles and sound effects are very reminiscent of the Eternity Core, which we know is still underground somewhere on Trigger's Earth

So perhaps Spheresaurus is siphoning the power of the Eternity Core from the surface somehow

This is even more suspicious in the next shot

There was sort of an awkwardly long pause of this shot here of the glowing Sphere pillar on his back. Which while it was something I noted during the first look, but I didn't think much of it at the time

This likely meant that the energy that Spheresaurus siphoned is being transported somewhere

And this is also evident in a later scene

Something I also initially noted when I first saw, was that Spheresaurus had literally 0 reaction to Decker fighting through the Spheres and coming towards him until he got punched, when then the effect particles stopped and only then it reacted

Also very curious that Spheresaurus essentially only had the ability specifically meant to counter the GUTS Select's only means of defense currently, that being the Nursedessei and GUTS Falcon, seemingly being totally unprepared for an Ultra's interference, whose role is seemingly only being a huge conduit carrier of sorts

Considering an earlier post I talked about how the attack on Mars, then Earth, followed by the erection of the Barrier of Sphere all seemed far too systematic and deliberate to be a random invasion from simple extraterrestrial parasites. It all points towards the Spheres' goal of siphoning the energy of the Eternity Core without external influence

If Decker did not exist, there would simply be no resistance that would stand against the Spheres harvesting the energy of the Eternity Core slowly but steadily

And if we look back to the leaks saying Decker came from the future. Perhaps in Decker's future, there were indeed no one that came to intervene in this, and that the Spheres eventually did manage to absorb the Eternity Core and wrecked havoc in the future. And that Decker wanted to time travel back to change the course of history by coming to the time exactly when the invasion happened

This is somewhat similar to Ginga S where Exceller was harvesting large quantities of Victorium Crystals to revive Dark Lugiel

(Later in UFV, it was also showed that it aided the "complete" revival of Juda Spectre, courtesy of Yapool. And perhaps Mold and Gina as well since they first came from Victory's Universe to X's)

Perhaps whoever is behind the Spheres is trying to gather the power of the Eternity Core to either empower themselves or trying to revive something or someone else

Before anyone asks, its also possible that the Spheres themselves have evolved enough to hatch this plan on their own to perhaps revive Grand Sphere. Besides, if King Spheres exists as well as them demonstrating new abilities like spawning whole kaiju like Spheresaurus, who's to say that they havent also gotten smarter as well. Perhaps these 5 King Spheres are the masterminds behind this whole plan since they are a hive mind as seen from Dyna.

I suspect every subsequent Sphere kaiju would at least attempt to also absorb and transfer the Eternity Core's power to wherever they're storing it (Likely within the King Spheres). And as a last ditch effort to get rid of Decker near the end of the series, the King Sphere would spawn a Spheresaurus and empower it with the collected Eternity Core's power to transform it into a Mother Spheresaurus

And with it spawning more Spheresaurus throughout the world to hasten the collection, we'd likely see the full team of Trigger, Trigger Dark, Z (as leaked indirectly by Jeff) and maybe even Ribut (since he's technically still stuck in Trigger's universe at this point) or Dyna as well as all the capsule kaiju coming to assist in the final battle

[theblackshit]

Artist: Judith Kakon

Exhibition title: commuted, ordered, incited, assisted or otherwise participated

Venue: For, Basel, Switzerland

Date: June 11 – August 27, 2023

Photography: Gina Folly / all images copyright and courtesy of the artist and For

«Cow» does not simply mean that spotted or non-spotted animal living in the Swiss Alps, on the streets of Agra or in factory farming. Nor is the «Baselstab» simply a bishop‘s crook, an ancient Egyptian insignia or a hippocampus, symbol of emotion or male pregnancy. The denotation – the neutral literal meaning – does not exist. This seems to have become clear by 1973 with Stuart Hall‘s famous essay «Encoding Decoding». The meaning of a word, a symbol or a Christmas star is only completed in the process of decoding, which gives us a certain power over interpretation. The supposed denotation is, thus, always a connotation, of which there are many, but only one with which most agree. It is this dominant reading that feeds the misunderstanding that there is a literal and, therefore, neutral meaning. A misunderstanding that Hannah Arendt describes as the banality of evil. Dominant discourses may hijack meanings and fading ideologies lose interpretive authority. Desire for consumption is mirrored in the consoling glow of Christmas lights, as we have learned to communicate our love to our loved ones through commodities. But the will to understand the glowing stars in this way is waning, and the time seems ready for a collective reinterpretation. Welcome!

[twopoppies]

Hi Gina, sorry to bother you and I hope you are having a great evening. I tried looking through your post but hope I didn’t overlook anything. I’m trying to find fics that have to do with like a makeover or transformation… or like maybe one of them was awkward in school and then later on wasn’t lol. Glow up fics, if that makes sense. I know that’s kind of odd so no worries at all if you don’t have anything or don’t feel like searching! Just thought I would try my luck.

I really love your fic recs and just finished the top gun fic which I had seen you mentioned several times. Absolutely loved it. Thanks so much for all you do. Next on my list is your story, literally making love. I am so excited!! I also really love when I am reading a fic that I am super enjoying and all of a sudden see your beautiful artwork featured—makes me feel like it has the Gina stamp of approval lol. Anyway. You are great, thanks so much x

Oh you're so sweet! Thank you so much for that. And yay! I'm so happy you loved Take My Breath Away. It's such a great fic. Fingers crossed you like my fic, as well.

As for your request... I don't have any makeover fics, but yeah. I do have a few Glow Up fics to suggest! I'm going to keep searching because I must have more, but here are some to start with!

It’s Been So Long by @elsi-bee (T, 31K) This fic was really charming. I always love Louis and Gemma as friends, and the “in love with my best friend’s brother” trope rarely lets me down. This one was sweet and endearing while also being very moving. I loved the tender way they treated each other, even when they were pining, and the flashbacks were the perfect way to fill in the blanks.

harder to hide than I thought by dangerbears (NR, 6K) Gemma and Louis are besties. This one is sweet and charming. Gemma and Louis’ relationship is super cute and I love the way they tease each other. Louis notices how much Harry has grown up…

Love Is A Rebellious Bird by 100percentsassy, gloria_andrews / @gloriaandrews (E, 135K) Everything about this fic is glorious. I’m always struck by how well the characters are fleshed out, how their behavior lines up with their backstory, how ridiculously hot the chemistry is, and how agonizing the angst is. So yes, no shocker, I cried buckets. Thank god for a happy ending. Harry is anxious/insecure in flashbacks only, but it still informs who he is in the present.

Like an Endless Summer by objectlesson (E, 87K) There are so many thing I loved about this fic from the summer camp setting, to the trope of Harry returning to camp older and hotter, to the way the other boys filter in and out of the story, to the way the author writes the emotions and overwhelm, to the hot af smut. It’s just a great read. The fic has been deleted, so the link is to a download.

Howls Like A Beast (You Flower You Feast) by @indiaalphawhiskey (E, 17K) This author’s writing is poetic without being too precious, descriptive in a way that paints a gorgeous portrait without piling on unimportant detail, and their smut is sexy af. I love all of their fics, but this is a personal favorite because it combines so many things I love (supernatural elements, Versailles, Larry, and smut…what more could you want? LOL).

Some Clear Jellyfish Don’t Sting by gloria_andrews / @gloriaandrews​ (E, 32K) This one is a such a beautiful portrayal of summer love with some pining thrown in to make the resolution that much sweeter. And yes, it made me teary.

once bitten and twice shy by @pinkcords (M, 19K) First of all, for a first fic in this fandom, I thought this author really did a nice job with their characterizations. I especially liked the way they captured Harry’s anger and humiliation and stubbornness. There’s a beefy epilogue as well which I haven’t had a chance to read!

[xo-alie-xo]

PORTWELL LONG GAME OR RINA SLOWBURN.

You can only choose one poison.🍷

Listen up my Wildcats.🐱

We all ship each character with happiness. No matter how much you love to hate them, a majority of us simply adores the characters and want the best for them. Then comes relationships and it's okay to ship our favorites.⛴

I'm a diehard Rina shipper and I know in my heart that they are series endgame. The set up, the natural chemistry, their mutual understanding, the surprises and angst literally put me on chokehold. So I'm 100% a Rina shipper till the end. I'm here for the slowburn and their development rather than one shots. They are worth the pain. 😭❤

Let me start with Ricky Bowen now.

Ricky shouldn't to be with Gina because he's hurting her mentality. He's not insensitive on purpose. Like when he tried to stop Big Red from telling her his message to Nina because he KNOWS it'll hurt her.

If you think, that Ricky didn't understand clearly when Gina confessed, think again. He shushed her. Kept their thing a secret from everyone. He knows he feels some type of way and she feels something too. But this boy is so used to safeguarding his childhood norms and has very little adaptability. Hence, he pretended to ignore everything between them because his home stability was falling apart and he clinged on to Nina, his constant childhood love.

He's a traumatised 16-17 year old boy that needs to heal and grow. This episode was heartbreaking because he had to accept that he had to let Nina go because their once upon a time fairytale had become toxic.

People change. I'm not the same person I was when I was 16 lmao. Being together as childhood lovers means growing together and accepting each other's growth. Which Ricky couldn't. He clutched to the idea of Nini. Even his love confession. It was sooo sweet but all he did was focus on their history.

This boy needs time to heal and maybe seek professional therapy. It would be so DAMN HISTORIC if Disney decides to take psychological issues seriously and show how he's dealing with his anxiety, pills and psychotherapy. He needs to breathe before he can be with any girl for that matter. He's hurting and isn't trying to hurt anyone on purpose. Including Gina.

Him asking her for advice on Nini was a dumb, insensitive move. But he's trying to find a way to build some supportive friendship that they shared in early season one.

As for now, this boy needs to get his own grip on life and heal.

As for our Queen Gina

In Gina's confession, she focuses on their future. She basically said, "I wouldn't quit on a possible future of us being together despite obstacles. Because I never quit. But moving away isn't in my control." Ricky deep down knows this, encouraged her to say it, teary eyed, despite right after getting back together with Nini. Gina is his future. She went to his new house. And I also have this feeling that when she was given a chance to stay, she stayed partly because of Ricky. She left a chance to be with her mom because she prioritised their relationship. Because she never quits. 💪🏼

But she came back and found out Ricky has gotten back together with Nini.😭 What she doesn't know is Ricky got together with Nina before her confession, and after Gina kept dodging his messages. She's hurt and questions why she returned because she isn't particularly close to anyone. Hence, she was so silent at the after party. She thinks it'll be fine, "she'll live", and finds other reasons to find permanence. Her arc this season has been settling down in East High, despite the pain of losing and being 'betrayed' by Ricky, she finds other reasons to stay. 🏡

This kind of contrasts her with Nina. Nina left her dream school and came to Salt Lake because she missed her established home, and not just because of Ricky. Nina returned and was loved and embraced by Ricky Bowen.💕 Gina came back to a semi new place called Salt Lake because of her promise of a future to Ricky. But she got stabbed and she bled. 💔🗡

Think about her situation. She feels confused, alone, heartbroken, out of place and seperated from her mom. She's broken and hurting too. And she doesn't need more from Ricky's accidental or intentional 'sick burns'. That's the one line where he was such a jerk and I can't defend him here. 😠

Here comes the Caswells.

Her second family. A place of healthy stability. A home that accepted her. Ashlyn, her roomie and her confidante. EJ, the misunderstood boy who saw her value and bought her plane ticket.

Let's get to EJ.

At first, I wasn't too keen on seeing Portwell's development. But then that video chat where they talk about the possibility of her staying and him convincing her. Had me sold for a solid brother-sister relationship. Few episodes later, when Gina's pain seemed to be oblivious to everyone, he was the only one who asked her how she was, and saw her glow. The comfort she must've felt.

Not that she needs a man's validation, but she must be feeling like a second choice and feeling a little insecure because of Ricky. But EJ lifts her up and I genuinely saw her smile. This boy has her back whenever. The man she can lean on and truly sees how special she is. She no longer feels alone now that she has his entire fam and other friends. She genuinely feels a place of belonging and happiness when she's the apple of his eye. Notice how happy she is? How happy this boy is? She's going through her own issues and she has found ground with EJ.

I was very doubtful when they started hinting at a romantic direction. Because EJ would be used as plot device again for a girl to get to Ricky.😤 This man doesn't deserve to be second best to anyone, just like Gina.😑 That's why I'm still hesitant on shipping them at least temporarily. EJ needs to be something even more special to Gina. They need to show each other how special and treasured they are to each other despite feeling like rejects. They are each other's source of comfort.

I'm sure they can keep EJ at East High for the next season. Whether it's the drama club, or the AV club or going to a local college. So he will be there for Gina. I don't know how they can work out a relationship with much distance as Rini's fell out when she moved away. So, if EJ leaves again, it'll again shake up Gina. Her being worried whether he'll date college girls, second thoughts, etc. I don't want them to go through that. And if they do move on to romantic Portwell, make sure it's not plot device for Rina. So you can either have Portwell endgame or Rina Endgame.

Basically I want Gina to be treated so right that she understands she doesn't need Ricky. And when he does ask her out, and he makes her feel like a second choice or a rebound, she says NO. Because EJ has helped regain her self assurance. Eventually I want Gina to confide in EJ about her and Ricky. EJ is jealous but also angry about how Ricky has been hurting her. And becomes damn protective of his 'babe'. Ricky gets jealous of their relationship, restarting Ricky and EJ's old rivalry. But this time, it's not because Gina is his girlfriend, but because she's EJ's best friend who he has a crush on and wants what's best for her.

If it's meant to be Rina endgame

EJ- RICKY, YOU IDIOT! You have no clue how to treat her right. You don't put her first. You mislead her. Get the hell away from her! She's too powerful and beautiful, she doesn't deserve your scraps. I know how she feels for you. I wish I were you. I would treat her like a queen. I don't mind even waiting years till she's ready. She deserves that. You're so lucky you have even a small chance that I may never have. So get your act together, prove you're worth it to win her over. All I want is for her to be happy. Even if it's with someone else. And maybe then I'll stop threatening you to stay away from her.😠

Ricky- .....I don't know what I'm more scared of. Change, or losing the girl I fell for or YOU. Okay, losing her but you're a close second.😬

If it's Portwell endgame.

Ricky- I messed up. Make sure you don't mess up with her. You'll regret it forever.

EJ- I'd rather get hit by thousand basketballs than ever hurt her. I'll be her plus one and her best friend until she's ready to be with me. I know she's ready now too. But I want her to know I'm willing to wait till she graduates before we make it official. I'm in it for the long game.

As for their age gap. I'm 100% sure Portwell won't kiss this season. If they do, it'll be next when Sofia turns 18. They are professional actors who are cast because they are the perfect fit for the role and are expected to carry out the storyline. But I suppose fearing some outbursts, they might delay Sofia kissing anyone till next season. It's so weird because Olivia was maybe 17 when Matt was 21-22 when they kissed in season one. But no one had a problem with that. But for this, they do. Remember, they are professional actors. They are acting! Sometimes, actors are over 10 years apart (but above 18) and act as romantic partners.

As for their characters, they are only two years apart. That's hardly any difference once you're over the age of 18. Age of consent is 16. But adults above 18 are only allowed to have sex with adults above 18. So, age isn't a problem here because EJ is a gentleman and is genuinely interested in her and isn't trying to get in her pants. So age isn't the issue when it comes to dating. It's the maturity. Gina is very mature and gives very sound advice. But I can see EJ being patient enough till she turns 18 just to kiss her because he loves her. 😚

As for the Ashlyn remark, "You look like a kid to me rn". He was JOKING.😂 Don't take things out of context. I tell my cousin sister that all the time. But she's three years younger than me and a grown adult. I don't see her as a kid but it's just a cousin teasing her younger cousin that's she's a little immature. I'm Matt's age and I'm very mature for my age and since I was a teenager, I always matched up with boys a little older than me. Now that I'm in my early 20s, I've dated boys even close to 30. So age is just a number.

EJ dating Gina and giving her quick kisses is fine. But to have a strong sexual element in their relationship (including making out), he'll have to wait till she's 18+. And I'm sure for that he'll wait till she's ready even past her early 20s. Age is really just a number and we can't help who we fall in love with. Trust me, I've been there.😂 So I can see EJ feeling conflicted about his feelings that are clear at this point.

They might not be a perfect fit, but they make each other sooo happy. They deserve a lot more than a short lived fling.😟 They are either endgame or Rina is. You can't have both as a Rina unless you're an EJ hater who wants him to exist as plot device. Nope! He's sooo much more precious than that.

But Jack on the other hand....I'm okay if he's the one to make Ricky or EJ jealous. Because he's just been introduced and it's okay if a character is used, but only once, for someone else to realize their feelings. 💁🏽‍♀️

In short.

Ricky needs help and needs to be on his own. No girlfriends allowed.🙅🏽‍♀️🚫

Needs to give both Gina and Nina space for them to grow on their own too.🌳

Ricky needs to understand the core of his problems and become more adaptable via therapy. Maybe the psychologist will point out his unresolved feelings for Gina, or he will conclude it himself. And in comes Ricky-pining-for-Gina season three.

Ricky needs to fully get over Nina before he moves on to anyone. Same for Gina if Portwell were to happen. No one deserves to be second choice.

Gina isn't Ricky's cushion. She's a living person with strong feelings for him and shouldn't be subjected to share his pain. She already struggles with her own issues.

Ricky needs to stay single till he wins back Gina and prove he's worth it. He needs to show even if another girl wants him, he'll never quit on Gina ever again. Even if he has to watch her be with someone else. *cough parallels*.

It's either romantic Rina then Portwell endgame OR Portwell flirty besties but Rina endgame. You and I can choose only one because my boy EJ shouldn't be used as plot device for a girl to leave for Ricky ever again.

Portwell's age difference can be practically solved and isn't much of an issue unless they get hot and heavy before Gina turns 18 which is impossible considering this is Disney. 🤣🤣

Jack and Gina will be plot device material and purely so sentimental to us OG Andi Mack fans. More than any ship, this is what I'm looking for. Sort of an Andi Mack crack ship for season 3a. It's gonna be soooo funny. 😍😂

I respect everyone's ship. I see what you're seeing. And I'm not going to invalidate your ship. But unless it's done right, I won't jump from the Rina ship. I liked Rini. I like Portwell. I like AU Juffy crackship haha.😂 But as for me, I'm still holding on to Rina slowburn.

Preparing myself for the pain. 😭🔥

(But if I had to pair two characters without Disney getting in the way, it would be Gini. The power duo. Undeniable chemistry. They can be written so well because of their layered relationship and contrasting personalities.🤩 The classic rivals to friends to lovers. But that's a talk for another day lmao.)

Thanks for reading my opinion, Wildcat!🐱❤

[stevieboyharrington]

Magic

Description: EJ decides to write Gina a song to confess his feelings. (Try to spot the You Are In Love references, I couldn’t help myself)

Word count: 1544

A/N: Hello! It’s been a long time since I’ve written a fic, mainly because I haven’t found inspiration these past few years. Then Portwell happened, and now here we are. 

A bit of background on the song: I’ve been writing songs for about 6 years now. I mainly share my songs with my friends and family (and sometimes with the person they’re about). My style of writing is very Taylor Swift and Hozier-inspired, so a lot of metaphors and poetic shit. I tried to rein that back for the song in this fic because Disney songs are more literal and straightforward. The song came to me pretty quickly, which is interesting because I’ve only written from Gina’s POV up until now. Anyway, enough rambling! Hope you like it!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

EJ saw the look on Gina's face when he gave her the granola bar, and he couldn't help but get his hopes up. She looked wistful, like pieces were fitting into place before her. Or maybe you're reading into nothing.

The red stoplight glows against her as he looks over. She’s quietly resting on their way back from the airport, so peacefully. This moment feels like something magical, she feels like something magical. It lingers in the air around her, drawing him in, like it’s everything he’s searching for. 

The red light turns green and he snaps out of his daydream. Down the winding roads and streetlights, he contemplates what he should do next. He finally wants to make a move, and that realization is terrifying. He's fallen harder than he did with Nini, so this could end up much worse. But, she's worth it. 

Low music plays from a random radio station as an idea forms in his head: he'll write her a song. 

His first attempt did not go so well to put it lightly. He was glad that Ashlyn made him hide that song away like his life depended on it. But the feelings he had for Nini were more surface level and territorial, and what he has with Gina was so much more. He's sure if he dug deep enough, he could do it.

He pulls into the driveway and gently shakes her shoulder, "Hey, G, we're here."

Her eyes flutter open and she stretches, giving him a tired smile. "Can I leave my suitcases in your car? Since you're driving me in the morning... well, if you still want to?" she questions. He nods with a smile.

They make their way into the house quietly to avoid disturbing Ashlyn, but it was all in vain.

"Hey, Gina!" Ashlyn greets from her spot on the couch, "Sorry your flight got canceled."

"Thanks, Ash. I've spent my fair share of time in airports so it's not too big of a deal. I'm just gonna shower and go to bed," Gina replies. She turned to EJ and adds, "Thanks for driving me. I'll see you at 9 tomorrow?"

EJ nods and gives her a quick hug, trying to stop his heart from skipping a beat and failing. Once Gina leaves, he turns to Ashlyn.

"I need your help with something kinda really important," he states, wringing his hands.

"Sure, is something wrong?" she questions. EJ take a quick look up the stairs to make sure Gina was gone before sitting next to Ashlyn.

"I want to write Gina a song," he states.

"Really? What for?" she asks, but her small smirk gives away that she already knows his answer.

He takes a deep breath, "I like her, like, like like her. I mean, she's amazing and I want to ask her out, but I don't want to be lame about it, especially because she means so much to me. And I don't want to mess this up because she's become one of my best friends, and I don't want to lose her. But what if this just pushes-" 

Ashlyn places a hand on his shoulder, "Eej, breathe. I'll help you." He sighs and nods, feeling calmer already.

"Plus," she adds, "I don't think you can ruin what you and Gina have. You guys have such a strong bond, it'll take a lot more than a song to ruin it."

He smiles at that, "Thank you. I'll meet you after I drop her off tomorrow?" Ashlyn nods.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Ok, what do you have so far?" Ashlyn asks.

"Um, I've got: You shine just like the stars," EJ states.

She slowly blinks at him before asking, "Isn't that from your last song...?”

He nods and sighs in defeat, "See, this is why I need help. I don't even know where to start."

After his last song attempt, Ashlyn didn’t get her hopes up. Which is why she spent the time it took for him to drive Gina to the airport coming up with simple questions to get ideas from him. She pulled her notebook and pen and flipped to the page.

"Alright, so let's start simple. What do you think of when you think of Gina Porter?"

He pauses to think. Such a simple, yet loaded question. I think of perfection, he wants to say, but that’s much too strong to confess. He decides to go with some more generic words. 

"She's understanding, kind, talented, intelligent, beautiful," he cuts himself off before he listed every good trait possible. Ashlyn scribbles these down as he talks.

"Ok, that's a start. How does she make you feel?"

"Besides nervous?" he jokes, but he knew exactly what he wants to say. He felt it in the silence on the way home last night. He felt it on this couch the night after career day. He feels it even if she was across the room.

"Like magic. Whenever I'm with her, I feel like there's something in the air around her that just feels like magic, I don't know how else to describe it."

At this, Ashlyn bites back a huge smile. She knew that feeling all too well with Big Red. Magic is a good way to describe it. She was picturing the chorus already, so she quickly jots it down. 

EJ rubs his hands together, waiting for her to say something. When she doesn’t, he starts doubting his words. 

"That's stupid, I don't know. It's kind of cliche, is it not?"

Ashlyn shakes her head, "A little, but it's the truth."

"I guess cliches are better with her. I never thought I’d want to relive a romcom, but then I met her, and all I want to do is kiss her in the pouring rain and confess in a big gesture."

Ashlyn smiles lightly at him, "Well, you’ve got ‘saving her at the airport’ trope down, so you’re already halfway there." He rolls his eyes, a light blush dusting his cheeks.

“Thanks for your help in this, Ash. I just want to give her the sweet gesture she deserves.”

“She’ll love it. Now, give me about an hour and a cold brew from the coffee shop down the street, and I’ll play you the draft.”

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spring break came and went too quickly. Now, EJ finds himself with Ashlyn in the East High auditorium, feeling like throwing up.

"God, Ash, what if she hates it? Or walks out? Or laughs at me?"

She rolls her eyes, "Eej, relax, she's not going to do anything like that. If there's one thing I know about Gina, it's that she loves sweet gestures."

EJ takes a deep breath and calms down a bit. Well, until the door to the auditorium swing open and reveals the source of his anxiety.

"Hey, Eej, you said you wanted to talk?" EJ looks at Ashlyn, who nods and sneaks out. Gina furrows her eyebrows at her exit.

EJ shakes himself before talking, "Hey, G, I wanted to do something a bit out of my comfort zone, and I wanted to see what you thought." Gina's confusion grows as he moves towards the piano and takes a seat. He motions for her to do the same.

"Ashlyn helped me write this song to get my thoughts less jumbled, so I'm hoping you like it."

He plays a simple piano melody before he begins to sing:

Around you, I crumble

No more Mr. Perfect, just poorly jumbled words

You have a hold over me that I actually don't mind

And I'll drop everything to be the kind of guy you need

It's like before you, I didn't know magic

You make it seem so organic

Shining brighter than the stars in the sky

And I won't apologize for wanting you to be mine

Around you, I'm humbled

No more Mr. Always Right, just always by your side

The way you've changed me beyond recognition

Is wilder than my past ambitions

It's like before you, I didn't know magic

You make it seem so organic

Shining brighter than the stars in the sky

And I won't apologize for wanting you to be mine

Cliches mean everything with you

I want to dance in every room

Kiss you in the pouring rain

Watch the stars even though I can't explain them

You can keep that old sweatshirt

You can even take my favorite sweater

Just promise to keep me close

It's like before you, I didn't know magic

You make it seem so organic

Shining brighter than the stars in the sky

And I won't apologize for wanting you to be mine

So please be mine

The piano melody fades as EJ looks cautiously at Gina. She had been silent the entire time. He doesn't know if that’s a bad sign, so he remains quiet himself until she speaks. His heart is pounding wildly, in just a few seconds, he’ll know and everything could change.

"Wow, EJ, that was- wow."

"Thanks, um, I actually wrote it for you." At that, Gina meets his eyes. His are glossy like hers. This is it.

She grabs his hand and simply says, "Yes, I’ll be yours."

He leans in and kisses her. It was more than magic, electricity, fire, and whatever. It was Gina, and he loved every second of it.

[klausalvatores]

Can you give some valid points as to why portwell>>> rina?

they both speak highly of each other: gina is the only one who sees the good in ej, he sees her as the bravest person he knows

they built a strong friendship before they hinted at anything romantic

even tho they have different life experiences, they are able to communicate in a mature way and see each other’s perspectives and challenge each other in a healthy way

they were both taught to be the best at everything by their parents; both very ambitious (similar character trajectories)

ej’s first selfless act was for gina by buying her the plane ticket

ej was the only one who asked gina how she felt in 2x05 because he genuinely cared

gina has called him “sweet” multiple times & that he’s a “really good guy”

they have the best time scheming together

they have the best tropes: enemies to friends to lovers, best friend’s cousin, fake dating, beauty and the beast, unexpected love, second love, opposites attract, comfort person, guy stares at girl from afar, etc.

the actual soulmatism: gina was craving for a granola bar the entire day & then ej shows up at the airport with one without even knowing

their mutual pining is immaculate: he was scared of getting rejected, she was scared of misreading his signals

gina wore ej’s duke sweatshirt, despite the fact he’s not even going to that school & she didn’t know where they stood in their relationship + jack thinking ej was her boyfriend was top tier

they literally glow around each other. they’re the happiest i’ve ever seen when they’re around each other (literally always smiling)

their chemistry is undeniable: the way all their friends already knew and teased them about it

I get anxious making these because I’m always afraid of forgetting one or more reasons… but this is the general idea why Portwell is the best ship on the alphabet show IMO

[oonajaeadira]

The Mandalorian Tarot: Major Arcana

If you’re following me, you know this is a Mandalorian obsessive account. I love the man, I love the show, I write a Mando-fando that is all about pining and touch. I tend to go all in when I have an interest. 

Another one of my interests? Tarot. A friend challenged me to Mandalorify the major arcana. And because Jon and Dave know their stuff and are good with archetypes (which is all tarot really is), it was an easy fit.

YOU GOT MANDO IN MY TAROT. YOU GOT TAROT IN MY MANDO. TWO GREAT TASTES THAT TASTE GREAT TOGETHER.

But. I can’t draw, so I’ve dreamed them in words and included the Rider-Waite-Smith deck illustrations that I would riff on if I could.

READY? LET’S PLAY.

(All tarot illustrations by Pamela Colman Smith. All Mandalorian images property of Star Wars/Disney.)

UPDATE! @heathenashtattoos​ has taken up where I cannot and is making these cards a reality! I will post them individually and come back to link them to this post as we go.

0 THE FOOL = THE MANDALORIAN / IT IS MADE! --->

The story of the tarot is the Fool’s journey, the arc of becoming. So it makes sense to me that Din would be the fool. Fits even better, since he has tremendous Fool energy in his himbo tendencies, just rushing forward into situations without a lot of planning--he’ll deal with it when he’s in it--ready to rely on others to show him the way or guide/help him to the next step.

If I could draw: Din on the cliff, with his jetpack on, meaning he has no fear of falling. Instead of the bindle-stick the Fool carries, he’d have his pulse rifle slung over his shoulder. Instead of the dog nipping at his heels, Grogu. And, of course, the landscape would be Tatooine/Navaro-esque.

~~~

1 THE MAGICIAN = LUKE SKYWALKER , IT IS MADE! --->

The Magician is someone who is still learning to bend the laws of magic/the Universe, but very adept with their tools. Since Luke is only a few years into his Jedi training at this time, he makes a pretty good Magician.

If I could draw: Luke in his blacks, holding up his lightsaber. The Jedi symbol would replace the infinity sign. 

***

2 THE HIGH PRIESTESS = AHSOKA TANO / IT IS MADE! -->

High Priestess is further along the path of her magic than Magician, and her knowledge is more intuitive, her skills more effortless. Where the Magician is still learning the balance of light and dark, the High Priestess knows the value and pitfalls of both. It was always going to be Ahsoka.

If I could draw: Ahsoka sitting cross-legged in meditation mode, but with eyes open and a knowing smile. Instead of two pillars, she holds her lightsabers up and parallel to each other.

***

3 THE EMPRESS = PELI MOTTO / IT IS MADE! -->

The Empress is the mother figure, the energy in the universe that provides all that is needed and embodies the energy of creation. I can see the argument for Omera being the Empress--mostly because she is a mom and she’s soft and a lot of people see the Empress as a soft female figure, I get it. (And if I were to do a minor arcana, girl would show up as one of the Queens for sure.) But in the end, I gave it to Peli because she’s a recurring character, more relevant in his story, and if Din is the Fool, Peli is more an Empress to him. She’s able to be the provider of his particular needs; services to his ship to get him up flying, contact and location information, and she’s always willing to care for Grogu whenever she gets the chance.

If I could draw: Peli sitting in the dock, against the R4 unit, holding aloft a spanner and surrounded by her pit droids.

***

4 THE EMPEROR = BOBA FETT / IT IS MADE! -->

The Emperor is all about authority. And all I gotta say about Boba is BIG DICK ENERGY.

If I could draw: Just put him on the Jabba throne and let him lounge like a badass.

~~~

5 THE HIEROPHANT = THE ARMORER / IT IS MADE! -->

The Hierophant is the keeper of traditions and a spiritual guide. As the leader of the covert and keeper of the Way, The Armorer fits.

If I could draw: The Armorer, framed by her forge, holding aloft her tools, with Mandalorian acolytes. Instead of the crossed keys at the bottom, let’s just have a mythosaur skull.

***

6 THE LOVERS = FROG LADY AND FROG HUSBAND

This should be obvious and I will fight anyone who says it isn’t the right thing to do. I will die for this.

If I could draw: I would actually depart from the Smith depiction and just draw them embracing or holding each other by the arms and staring into each others’ eyes. Some kind of glowing background? Maybe the egg tank?

***

7 THE CHARIOT = THE MUDHORN

Oh. You thought I was going to say the Razor Crest, didn’t you. Don’t worry, I have plans for our beloved craft, but it ain’t here. The Chariot can be a ride, yes, but it’s about victory. Sometimes it’s about the victory over your inner “beastly” natures. To travel to the next phase in the journey, the Fool must take on the beasts that drive the Chariot and claim dominance over them, and when he does, they will carry him to the next level. Since it’s the victory of the beastly mudhorn that brings Din to his bond with Grogu and becomes his signet, Mudhorn for the win.

If I could draw: Again, I’d probably play on Smith’s imagery, put the charging mudhorn in the middle, and replace the rams with Din on his knees brandishing the vibroblade and Grogu in his pram with his Force hand up.

***

8 STRENGTH = CARA DUNE

Don’t come at me about including Cara. I am glad Gina got shown the door and I lose no love on that bigot. But. Cara is not Gina and to cut her out is to cut out Jon and Dave’s creation and I won’t do it.  I actually love her a lot--she’s got her flaws, but she’s sassy and strong and solid, and I would happily accept a piggyback ride from her any day. She’s also a major player in Din’s story and deserves a spot in it. Strength comes after the Chariot--once you’ve conquered the beast within, you have confident dominion over it and it becomes a companion or a tool for your use. Cara is one with her toughness, she’s used it to do some good and bad shit in her past, and she continues to wield it effortlessly and fearlessly. She is absolutely this card.

If I could draw: I would put her maybe sitting on top of the downed ATST. I’d replace the infinity symbol over her head with the one on her cheek (Rebel Alliance).

~~~

9 THE HERMIT = KUIIL

The Hermit is a loner, yes, but in his solitude he looks within, learns from all he’s been through, and becomes wise. He holds aloft a light of wisdom and truth. This was always going to be Kuiil.

If I could drawn: Just our buddy, looking out over the Arvala-7 landscape, holding aloft an in-universe working lamp. No need to get fancy. He would want it to stay simple.

***

10  THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE = IMPERIAL SYMBOL AND STORM TROOPERS

The Wheel is fate. You win some, you lose some. Sometimes you’re on top, and sometimes the Wheel crushes you beneath it. You are helpless to its roll and where you’ll land. Storm Troopers are such a sad bunch. They are keepers of Imperial Law on the ground. On a good day, they capture a Rebel or hold off an attack. On a bad day, their Moff just blasts them to make an example.

If I could draw: The wheel would just be the Imperial symbol and there’d be Troopers on and under it. Maybe the one on top is just standing there, looking authoritative. The one underneath has been blasted. Some Wheels have two more figures--one on each side--and I’d add those too. The one on the down-going side would be falling, arms flailing, blaster shooting (if only sound were available, there’d be a Whilhelm scream), and the one on the up-going side would just be dangling by one arm, along for the ride.

***

11 JUSTICE = COBB VANTH

Well, it just feels right to make the Marshal into Justice. But it’s not just a literal translation of making sure the right thing gets done and the bad guys are punished. Justice is about wiping away emotion and making decisions with bare truth, looking at every side of the situation and understanding what is really there. And I think Cobb fits this well. He doesn’t want to give up his armor because of what it means for the protection of his people. But he’s willing to consider it, if there’s another way he can protect them. Emotionally, he doesn’t want to deal with the Tusken Raiders, but he does it because he can see it’s the best course of action. He flies into battle with the Krayt Dragon. He gives up his armor without a fight. He makes a fair trade and sees the balance in it because he walks away from the emotion and chooses the best course of action. Cobb Vanth for Justice, errybody.

If I could draw: Cobb in the Fett armor, but with the helmet at his feet. In one hand, a bottle of spotchka. In the other, the Tusken mushroom drinky thing; he’s holding them with equal balance.

***

12 THE HANGED MAN = MIGS MAYFELD

The Hanged Man is not just about a dude who’s hanging upside down. (If that was the case, I would have just gone with Gor Koresh and called it a day.) Hanged Man is about changing your perspective to see things in a new way so you can grow. Many times, this growth also requires sacrifice. Over the two episodes we see Mayfeld, we know he goes from Imperial sharp shooter, to traumatized deserter, to merc, prisoner, and exonerated friend. He’s seen some shit, given up a lot, and he’s willing to see how he can be a help to others and find redemption for himself.

If I could draw: Hear me out. Take the image of Mayfeld hanging upside down from the Crest hatch into the prison ship. Mirror that above with an image of him in his Imperial Ground Transport gear. Flip it all upside down so bad Mayfeld up top, good Mayfeld on bottom, images mirrored but inverted, hence “looking at things a new way and getting everything a little topsy-turvey.”

~~~

13 DEATH = MOFF GIDEON

Death is about transformation, so it’s not always the most sinister card. But Death does not discriminate. It comes for us all, constantly stalking, and it will strike you down to serve its needs. You need to face Death to get to your redemption. But really, Gideon is our big baddie here, so why the hell not.

If I could draw: I would forgo the Smith illustration and go for the Marseilles tradition on this one. Gideon and the Darksaber replaces Death and the scythe.

*** 

14 TEMPERANCE = IG-11

Temperance is the transformation that comes after Death. Once Death has chopped your physical being into pieces with his scythe, Temperance is there to take all your pieces and put them back together into something new and better. It’s also a card that asks you to re-evaluate your priorities and see if you can find better motivations than you previously had. IG’s death and reprogramming speak loudly to me on this.

If I could draw: IG pouring the tea.

***

15 THE DEVIL = THE CLIENT

Here’s another baddie card that’s all about your worst faults, about excess and giving into the stuff that will eventually kill your soul. The Client holds on hard to the Empire, doing whatever he’s ordered to do to be one of the top dogs. And in the end, it doesn’t matter. Gideon takes him down like he’s nothing.

If I could draw: The client, wearing his Empire bling, with chains around Doctor Pershing and a rough-looking Storm Trooper.

***

16 THE TOWER = THE RAZOR CREST

I don’t know about you, but Chapter 14 killed me. And not because the Dark Troopers flew away with Grogu. We all knew Din would never stop at getting him back. But when the Crest was destroyed, it was like someone punched me in the soft parts, and I made a lot of severely anguished noises. The Tower is the most tragic card in the tarot. It’s when forces beyond your control make a very big (and usually negative) impact in your life and everything changes. You are left to pick up the pieces and survive any way you can with the skills and resources you’ve been blessed with.

If I could draw: Just that moment of the ray hitting our beautiful Crest, just as it begins to break apart, maybe with Din, Boba, and Fennec watching in horror in the foreground.

~~~

17 THE STAR = GROGU

The Star is hope. It comes after the biggest tragedy in the deck to tell you that not all is lost. There is always something there to live for. C’mon, kids. In this series, there was only one choice.

If I could draw: Just Grogu. Maybe drinking his soup. Or maybe he’s levitating his metal ball overhead, reaching up to it with a smile on his face. *coos*

***

18 THE MOON = BO KATAN KRYZE

We all like Bo Katan, sure. But remember my Clone Wars/Rebels fiends, she was Death Watch, and they were terrorists. She sided with Maul to take over Mandalore. Sure, she’s come a long way and her path is a bit more honorable now, but she’s got an agenda, which makes her hard to trust. Since the Moon is about more feminine energies and has themes of illusion and deception--things look great in the moonlight, but maybe not as they really are--Bo Katan’s our girl.

If I could draw: Head and shoulders profile, double-imaged so you see her face, but her Nite Owl helmet superimposed in profile over it. Nite Owl signet on the bottom. Possibly flanked by her two Nite Owl cronies.

***

19 THE SUN = GREEF KARGA

Everything's sunny when Greef’s around! He’s the feel-good gramps that’s going to make any situation A-Ok! If you’ve got a problem, Greef can sort it out...or he knows someone who can! The sun is always gonna shine on you and take you back.

If I could draw: Just Greef smiling and being cheesy with the halo of the sun around him. 

***

20 JUDGEMENT = FENNEC SHAND

This card traditionally shows the resurrected rising from the grave, ready to be judged. Fennec’s got a lot to answer for in her life, but she is being given a second chance, and my number one girl crush is going to do new and wonderful badass things with it.

If I could draw: I’d either just show her opening her gut pocket to show her new works, all full of aura, with her looking down at it reverently. OR I might do a scene of her being rescued by Boba.

~~~

21 THE WORLD = THE HELMET

Din’s helmet is the world he lives in. But it’s also a symbol of The Way. The World represents completion, a wholeness of self and being, the end of the journey. And since Din is our Fool, his journey is an exploration of his morals and honor, what it means to walk the way of the Mandalore, and what the meaning of the helmet is for him. He may choose ultimately to keep it on and go all-in on Mandalorian-4-lyfe (Child of the Watch style), or he may understand that the helmet is just a symbol and the honor was in him all along; he can wear it or not wear it and it’s all the same.

If I could draw: The World usually depicts a circle or sphere of some kind, the symbol of perfect completion. The helmet is close enough, so it takes up the center. Traditionally, there are four symbols in the corners that give more meaning to The World, and I would replace them with The Razor Crest, Grogu, the Mudhorn Signet, and the pulse rifle or blaster. These represent his home, his foundling, his clan, and his religion, all of which make up more of the whole; what it means to him to be Mandalorian.

~~~~~~~~~~

Challenge accepted and faced. 

Adira dops her witchy mic….

[beyondd-dazedd]

I LITERALLY COULDNT NOT DO THIS POST NOW!! so hsmtmts stans, portwell nation, literally everyone who wants to read me practically screaming for 10 paragraphs here is the hsmtmts season 2 finale EPISODE👏 REVIEW👏

starting off strong with redlyn. my beauties. my loves. my sunshines. i LOVED that the whole cast knew about red’s plan. just carlos, ricky and ej being like ah yes locker letters😉😉 and everyone being all smiley and knowing SO CUTE!! i hated seeing ash sad but GOD RED SPENDING THE WHOLE NIGHT MAKING THIS THING TO SHOW ASHLYN HOW MUCH HE APPRECIATES HER?? GOD TIER. also the crew just wATCHING FROM THE DOOR WHILE REDLYN IS IN THEIR OWN WORLD?? MY HEART they’re just such a genuine couple. i love their sweet awkward moments. i also love that lights is their reoccurring thing. it just makes me so happy. y’all just KNOW red calls ashlyn his sunshine and i don’t take criticisms on that. i also really wanted an i love you confession there but they’re so cute that i will allow it to wait

HOWIE AND KOURTNEY!!! at first (bc ep. 11) i was like HOWIE NO YOU CANT HAVE DONE ALL OF THIS STUFF TO HELP EAST AND THEN STAB THEM AND KOURTNEY IN THE BACK but the fact that he was literally just in awe of kourtney and so nervous to be around her because he thinks she’s so talented mADE MY HEART RACE truly incredible. also loved kourt standing up for herself. we LOVE and STAN a straight forward QUEEN also their dorky arm in arm walk was so adorable. also drum rolls being their thing. also honorable mention to kourt’s (dara’s) mom WE STAN

ej helping mr. mazzarra get that job?? I LOVE THEIR RELATIONSHIP SO MUCH.

PORTWELL ANGST SCENE I CRY. ALSO DID I CALL THAT SCENE OR DID I CALL THAT SCENE?? if you read the fic i posted like 7 hours ago you’ll know what i’m talking about. anyways back to the show. gina joking around and then realizing that ej means not rescheduling ever and her just pretending like she’s fine with it?? OUCH OUCH OUCH i would’ve rather her immediately been heart broken. DO NOT GET ME STARTED ON EJ’S FACE AFTER SHE WALKS AWAY. matt absolutely killed that part. you can tell he waited just long enough for her to walk away when he lets his face fall and IT HURTS YOU CAN LITERALLY SEE HIM WANTING TO STAY CRYING BEFORE HE TURNS AWAY

rini moment. not the dressing room parallel. it was PAINFUL. the juxtaposition between the scene in the s1 finale and this scene?? OUCH. ricky saying if we’re literally on the same page (something they struggled with throughout the entire season) and nini saying just for a moment. i just wanna talk to the writers I JUST WANNA TALK BECAUSE THAT WAS RUDE.

seblos being cuties and ms. jenn on some fuck shit. she was having a MOMENT. like chill it’s high school theater it’s alright sis.

GINA LOOKING IN THE MIRROR AND SOBBING I HATED IT. I HATED IT.

gini moment?? i loved it. also nini’s right. portwell is so powerful for so many reasons. period sis. and she’s right WE ARE LUCKY TO KNOW GINA. i loved their moment of solidarity and friendship. imma be honest for like 0.1 seconds i thought if portwell doesn’t work out gini might be the move bUT DONT WORRY IM A PORTWELL WARRIOR FOREVER also y’all called gina talking to nini about jamie and her music. YALL CALLED THAT SHIT

i liked ms. jenn and ricky’s moment. i loved josh’s acting in this scene because it’s just so well done. like doesn’t seem like he’s acting at all and it translates so well in this scene. it was very heartfelt and such a mature moment for ricky. so reflective. i love ricky

second chances GAVE ME CHILLS the whole staging, the vocals, the core four. CHILLS. the acting from all of them for this song WAS INCREDIBLE. it was so simple but really made the scene. i’m also a sucker for songs structured like this. with like the rounds and the switching lyrics over top of each other. LOVE.

ok literally all of them booing when lily and antoine showed up sENT ME because me too THE FUCK. antoine saying “big red. you were also in it” mADE ME SNORT. ricky literally shooing them out made me laugh and lily’s whirling turn and ricky like startling back a bit made me laugh. i hate lily but her confession was literally me. like i like his big brown eyes and his big brown hair too you ain’t special bitch. antoine’s thumbs up was SO FUNNY. andrew was hilarious in this role.

also i didn’t love that they were like well fuck the menkies after that was a major plot point of the season but like also i get it. just being like MEH the stress isn’t worth it. EJ’S SPEECH HES LITERALLY VOICE BREAK JUST THE FUCKING GROWTH THAT HES HAD I LOVE HIM

jennzzarra flirting in front of the kids?? kinda cute ngl. also am i muted? SENT ME. also love that howie is just chilling there while they’re talking about dropping out. KOURT SAID LETS BURN THOSE RESULTS

benjamin being BOLD BOLD good for him

big star nini?? good for her!

ashlyn being like YIKES i’m sorry i didn’t realize you thought of ej that way and her being like hahah ok... wait WHAT? but i KNEW ash was going to progress that along somehow. like obvs ej and gina were sulking and ashlyn HAD to be the one to step in. she do be the #1 portwell warrior. thank you for your service ma’am

i will only allow ricky and lily to be a thing IF it’s a summer fling, if it means antoine gets to stay around and if it pushes rini back together and if none of that happens then wtf is even the point of pairing those two up. but we already know ricky is a sucker for misunderstood competitive women (minus nini)

GINA CHASING AFTER EJ!!! HIS FACE OF JUST OH GOD PLEASE LET ME BE HEARTBROKEN!! YOU GOT BAD INTEL!! THE CAN I... CAN YOU WHAT? CAN I KISS YOU with her little giddy laugh and her smile GIRL YOURE GLOWING and then ej’s swallow as he turns to fully look at her. WILL YOU BE MY FIRST KISS!!!! HIM JUST SLOWLY SMILING FROM EAR TO EAR AND DROPPING HIS BAG TO WALK TO HER AND THEN THEM RUNNING WHEN THEY GET CLOSER AND GINA’S LITTLE GIGGLING I CANNOT EVEN

i am so so SO HERE FOR SUMMER FLUFFY IN LOVE PORTWELL

overall am i a little sad it was so short? yes. do i understand the insane restrictions they were working under? yes. am i confident about a season 3? absolutely. i am HERE for a summer season.

anyways PORTWELL IS CANNON!!