#I did not re-read it tho so any mistakes are gonna stay there

[ramp-it-up]

Fresh Squeeze, Pt. 6

Pairing: Daveed Diggs x OFC Linden Marshall

Set in 2023, post-pandemic

Warnings: Cursing, Wild Thoughts™️, Angst, Yearning, 18+, Walmart shopping, Anime discussion, Anthony Ramos. Lots of Plot

Word Count: 2.8 K

Plot: Linden Marshall just finished law school at Columbia University in NYC. Daveed Diggs is still creating magic with his platonic life partner Rafael Casal in the form of their Blindspotting musical, Bay Boys. Linden’s boyfriend WAS Mark Monaco, star of the superhero movie series Invincible.  They were together for years, and her trauma and his addictions were toxic. She knows now that wasn’t love. 

A/N: Keep in mind that this the same AU as Arrivals, with Holly Woods, but is BEFORE Rafa and Holly get together. 

Read the previous chapter.

==================

Isabela, Puerto Rico, May 2023

“We are about 30 minutes from our destination. Please stay seated with your seatbelts fastened. The pilot will let you know when it is safe to do otherwise. Enjoy the rest of the flight.”

The flight attendant’s announcement woke up Daveed. He felt warm and happy. And he had you in his arms.

Daveed moved his head down into your curls, and kissed the top of your head., checking to see if anyone was watching. Everyone was knocked the fuck out. 

You had fallen asleep on his shoulder about 45 minutes into the flight after passing around champagne bottles. You were so cute, but he could tell that your neck was gonna be wrecked when you awoke.

Daveed had carefully maneuvered you so that he could pull up the armrest without waking you. You were dead to the world, so you waking up wasn’t a problem. 

Then, he pulled you to his chest, situating the blanket around you two and leaning back.  If he wanted anything from you right now, at the top of the list would be to be able to hold you like this and to show love.

He questioned that word in his mind. Love, really? He did love you, even if it was only as a good friend. But could it be more? Were you ready for that? Was he?

Daveed looked around to see Craig watching him and giving a thumbs up.  No one else noticed, Rafa was on his laptop and he could have sworn that Anthony and Jasmine were doing something nasty under their blanket behind you.  

He settled back into this feeling of being with you and fell asleep too, happy and content.

You woke up to a strange rhythm under your ear. It was a blue covered heartbeat, you recognized as you opened one eye, and it was insistent and hard, yet warm and safe. You shifted, held Daveed’s torso tighter and tried to drift back off. His arms tightened around you in response.

 Then your eyes popped open.

“Oh shit!”  You realized what was going on. You sat up slowly and squinted at Daveed’s smile and his damn low sexy voice. 

“Hey sleepyhead.”

“Hey.”  

You blushed and wiped your mouth. 

“Shit, I’m sorry…” you wiped at his onesie. “I think I drooled all over  your…” 

You didn’t finish the sentence when you glanced at Daveed and caught his eye. 

What you said that night came back to both of you. D’s eyes darkened and he licked his lips. For a minute, you were trapped by the static energy of your attraction. Daveed could do a lot with those lips right now if you’d let him. 

But of course you fought it.

You took a deep breath and sat up, separating from Daveed more fully. You had to get it together. You reached for your phone and checked your face, making sure you weren’t too crusty.

“Practically perfect in every way.” Daveed was watching you.

“That’s your first mistake.” You clicked your camera off. “ Anything that’s perfect isn’t real. Or alive.”  You had learned a lot in therapy.

“Truth.” Daveed looked at you appraisingly. “Such wisdom from a young one.” He leaned close to you.  “That’s why I said, ‘practically.’”  He was staring at your lips, not wanting to give up on meeting them again.

“I’m not a ‘young one.’ I’m thirty in two days.” 

You lifted your chin as a child would do, Daveed noted.  It was appropriate, because you were being stubborn as fuck right now.

He chuckled and stayed close, not letting you off the hook.  

“And I’m 40. I could be your…”  

The timbre of his voice was causing your pussy to vibrate. Holy fuck.

“...Daddy,” you said, huskily.  

You opened your mouth to breathe, as Daveed grunted quietly in his throat. God, you wanted to fuck him. You remembered that you knew how big he was. Your eyes widened and you watched his mouth.

Daveed would teach you about Daddy. He wanted to rail you until your pussy curved to his dick.  Got damn.

Daveed wanted you and you wanted him. It was crystal clear. He began to reach for you under the blanket when the flight attendant’s voice intruded on your vibe.

“We are beginning our descent into Rafael Hernández Airport, please stay seated with your seatbelts fastened and bring your tray tables and seats to an upright and locked position. The temperature is 75 degrees and the current time is 12:47 am.  We should be at our gate shortly. Thank you.”

That’s it. The moment was gone. You reached for your water bottle and took a drink to cool down. You were grateful.

Daveed was frustrated, as he sat back, brought his seat up, but held the blanket on his lap for a little while longer. It wasn’t fair, he almost had you. He closed his eyes. Now he felt like a child.

---------

The crew finally arrived in town around 2 am, after the two hour flight and renting a couple of cars to get to Isabela, a village on the seaside.

Loud music was playing to avoid falling asleep, Rafael driving one car and Ant the other.

Arriving in town, the two cars headed straight to the Walmart to get some food and things. It was almost 2 am, but everyone was re-energized and playing around, glad to be free for the time being on the island.

Daveed had to concentrate to read the titles in the video section.  His mind kept going back to the moment on the airplane.  But he vowed not to chase you up and down this island. He didn’t want to crowd you.  It had to be your decision.

You had to come to him. And  the thought of you made him want to cum. He’d have you to think about in the shower tonight, or today, whatever.

He needed to stop thinking about it.

Daveed was looking for Black Dynamite to watch in the condo in case it rained. He knew better than to think that Walmart had it, but he tried anyway.

He did see Afro Samurai tho… He picked it up as Rafa approached him with a toy xylophone and a big grin.

==================

Puerto Rico did something to all of you. It was like some weird no inhibitions pollen or something. When you stepped off the plane you decided to not overthink shit. You were just going to respond naturally, fuck the consequences.

This was your weekend, after all.

You walked into the entertainment section and heard some vaguely familiar music. As you got closer, you realized what it was.

Daveed was in the book section rapping “Rubber Duckie” as Rafa played a toy xylophone.

I got my rubber duckie

I'm in the tub with bubblies

He isn't very fuzzy

I know my duckie loves me

Call up my homie Ernie,

You know the orange one, ya heard me

D was going in, being silly and laughing with his bestie. He was fucking adorable.  You grinned at them and turned down the dvd aisle.

“I can’t believe they don’t have Cowboy Bebop.”  

You shook your head as Daveed and Rafa walked up and flanked you at the display, a shopping cart by Daveed’s side.

“It’s a classic.  Children will be referencing the War on Titan and it's after effects a hundred years from now."

Rafa just nodded and stroked his chin, having enough sense to be quiet.

“Wait, Attack on Titan is right here Lindy…” Daveed reached for a dvd and held it up in front of you.

Rafa shook his head and covered it with his hand.

"Spike Spiegel wasn't in Attack on Titan.  That's an entirely different anime series, my dude." 

The sardonic wit in your voice. Daveed just nodded, face on the floor, and put the blu ray down.

You squinted at what D had in his hand. 

"Afro Samurai is 20 years old as well.  You know that and not Cowboy Bebop? You put shame on your house. Old Man.”

You gave him a sexy grin and sauntered away shaking your head.

Rafa had been watching the scene, head on a swivel. All he had to say after you left was, “Boom. Roasted.” 

Daveed just chuckled, surprised and exhilarated at the same time. It seemed that you were up to letting loose a little bit.

He looked at Rafa who just watched Daveed falling. He couldn’t catch him this time.

"Man. Tonight looks like the beginning of an EPIC weekend,” Rafa said as he pushed some more dvds into Daveed’s cart.

Then he pulled a pack of Magnum XLs off the shelf that he had been hiding under his arm from you.

Daveed looked at him. Rafa stared back.

“What?  All these beautiful women on this island. I’m not gonna be unprepared or take any chances.”

Daveed shook his head, grimaced and looked around to see where you went, but you were nowhere to be found.

----

You were busy eating some Hot Cheetos that you’d grabbed on the chip aisle and were turning down the candy aisle when you saw Grumpy Care Bear standing there with a basket full of food, dvds and shit, looking at some sour patch kids.

"Oh hell,"  you said as you turned right back around.

"Ay, yo.  Lindy. You can get your candy. I'm not going to assault you with my inferior anime knowledge."

He laughed that sexy laugh and held up his hands. He sort of regretted calling you back because you walking away...Damn. Even in the Pikachu onesie.

Daveed continued to hold up his hands to show he didn't intend any harm, a smile on the lips that were your weakness earlier.  Fuck me, you thought.

You smiled back at him and went for the Jelly Bellys. You crunched loudly on your Cheetos as you clocked him out on the low. You felt bad. A little. 

"Look, I'm sorry about that in the dvds.  I'm just passionate about what I like."

Daveed wondered if you liked him. Like liked him liked him. He allowed himself to go there. 

You sucked the Cheeto dust off your fingers and it was making D feel some kinda way as he watched your fingers go in and out of your mouth. His eyes began to slide down your body.

He needed to stop. Daveed cleared his throat and looked at your face.

"No problem. I get it. It's all good." 

Diggs unconsciously licked his lips and grinned, causing you to stare for a second at his casual hotness. This couldn't continue. You frowned.

Daveed sensed the change in mood, grabbed his Sour Patch kids and backed away.

“I’ll leave you to it.”

That was a close call you thought as you felt some weird pang of disappointment at him leaving. But it was what it was.

Soon enough, you all left the store.  Rafa stole some of your Jelly Belly’s. You just handed over the pack to him and pulled out some more. You were prepared.

==================

When the crew finally got to the house, you dropped your bags and ran to the beach, celebrating four days of freedom from work, acting, fame, fortune, and expectations.

After a few minutes of staring at the waves, y’all made your way back up to the house.

When you walked in before Jazzy turned the lights on, you recognized a large dark expanse which seemed to be the back wall. As your eyes got adjusted, you noticed the white rolls of the waves on the shore. 

The back wall was floor to ceiling glass.  When the lights came up, it turned into a mirror and 6 characters in onesies stared back at you.

You were at the back of an open concept space with a huge u-shaped sectional sofa and a beautiful, big kitchen with a bar.

Daaaammmmmmnnn! This place is gorgeous!  Craig’s mouth was hanging open. You reached over and closed it.

“Welcome to our home away from home!” Anthony was bleary eyed and smiling wide. 

He pointed to the right of the house.

“Me and Jazzy’s room is over there,” he then pointed to the right of the house. 

“The birthday girl’s room is opposite over there, a mirror of the master,” then he pointed to the back of the house behind you and to the right,  “and the other four bedrooms are here.” 

Ant started pulling their luggage toward their room, talking over his shoulder. 

“Everybody gets their own room, even me, when I fuck up.” 

All of you cracked up laughing whole Jasmine nodded her head.

It was almost 4 am, so you all were tired.  You gladly pulled your suitcase to your room, feeling grateful and warm for being the guest of honor of your friends.  Your room was the bomb.

You walked into a spacious room with bamboo wood floors,and exposed wooden beam ceilings and several floor to ceiling windows.  There was a huge fluffy white rug under a comfortable king sized bed in the middle of the room. 

Two uniquely designed bamboo lounge chairs and white pillow ottomans faced a window where you could look through and see the pool and beach.

It was a luxury get away and right now, all you wanted was a shower and the bed.

You put your suitcase on the floor and got down and opened it.  You shook your head at what you saw.

“HOLY FUCK GOT DAMN SHIT!!!!”

Daveed, Craig and Jasmine came running at your screams.  Rafa and Ant were behind.

“What happened.”

You were embarrassed. But so irritated.

“Craig. You got the wrong suitcase.  This is Mark’s shit that he never came to get.  None of my clothes are here.  I have nothing to wear.”  You felt like crying.

“I’m sorry Lindy, you said that your summer clothes and bathing suits were in the rolling soft Louis bag…”

I mean the large one. This is the medium one. It’s okay, Craig.

“You have nothing to wear hunh?”

Daveed was smirking at you and you ignored it, crossing your arms and tapping your foot.

“But it’s perfect!”  You looked at Jasmine and her chipper British accent.

“We can go shopping for your birthday tomorrow. Treat yourself!”

You couldn’t help but smile at Jazzy’s happiness. She was right. Rafa and Ant went away and left y’all to that talk. Daveed was glued to his spot.

“OOooooh. Good Idea.” Craig was in. 

“Ok.I’m tired as fuck. I just wanna shower and sleep now. I’ll not need anything tonight.

Daveed couldn’t get the image of you in the shower and naked in bed out of his head now. He cleared his throat.

“I can give you something to wear shopping tomorrow, Lindy.”

His voice was soft.  You smiled at him and he was a goner.

“Man, you are like three times bigger than she is?”  Jasmine didn’t understand.

“Hold up. Are you willing to sacrifice, D?  Can we cut up one of your t-shirts and jeans?”

Daveed felt pain. The only t-shirts he had were Oaklandish.  

“Let’s compromise. You can cut my jeans all you want, but not the shirt.”

Craig smiled wide.  “Deal, if you throw in a belt.”

“Damn, Diggs…” was all that Jasmine said, smiling and shaking her head.

“Thank you Daveed. I appreciate it.” You were blown away.

Daveed played it off. “No problem…” And then he just turned around and walked out of your room.

“Girlllllllll!!!!”  Craig and Jasmine squealed at you and it took you a minute to get them out of your room.

You walked into the en suite bathroom and marveled at its beauty. It was large, with a huge tub and a walk in glass encased shower with an overhead waterfall  shower head. 

You turned on the shower to get it hot, stripped off your onesie and your underwear, wrapped yourself in a towel and went back into the bedroom.

You stopped short, because there was Daveed standing in your room, clothes in hand.

He had immediately gone to find his least favorite jeans and the Oakland shirt that would suit you the best.  He decided that you would look beautiful in blue.

You just in a towel was a sight to behold. He was sure that underneath that towel was paradise.

You stared at each other for a minute, Your eyes were glued to his.  

“Th-thank you again Daveed.”  He couldn’t discern if your hesitant, sexy voice was for him or from embarrassment.

“Sorry, I…. didn’t think you’d be… sorry.” He put his hands up and backed out of the room.

“Daveed.” You called, softly. “Stop.”

You approached him with a smile on your face. Daveed’s eyes were wide, not knowing what was going to happen.

“Thank you. I mean it.”

You stood on your tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek, your lips lingering. Daveed closed his eyes and fought the urge to grab you and hold you close to him.

“You’re welcome.” His smile wrinkled his eyes as he smiled down at you. 

“Goodnight, Linden. Have sweet dreams for me.”

You just stared at him as he turned and left the room.

Daveed was just outside your door when he heard your reply.

“Yes, Sir.”

==================

Read the Next Chapter.

Thank you for liking, replying, and reblogging! 

Tagging: @einfachniemand @sillyteecup @commandersmiley @ohsoverykeri @theselilwonders @theatrenerd86 @sebastianabucknettastan @imatyoursurrvicesurr @riiyy @ivycomet @lonelydance @curtainremote @biafbunny @id-do-it-for-free-babe

[capricores]

🔥 MARS RETROGRADE GUIDE 🔥

— BASICS/FAQ.

what is a retrograde? a retrograde, put simply, is when a planet appears to be spinning backwards in the sky. during the times of retrograde, the energy of a planet is turned inwards. retrogrades are not usually the best time to try activating the energy of that planet. you may feel blocked, held back, or stressed around the themes relating to that planet. it will be a very internal time for that energy in your chart; wherever said planet is (as well as the planets it strongly aspects), will be pushed into introspective mode by the retrograde planet. consider the word retrograde itself; it is a time to reflect, review, reinvent, repurpose, etc. generally not the best time for starting new things, initiation, and so forth; but it is possible.

what does mars represent? a lot of people make the mistake of just associating mars with sex and lust. and although, sure, it does connect to that; it’s so much more. mars is about our motivation, it’s our energy, our pursuit of our passions and desires, drive, aggression, confrontation styles, self-expression, confidence, etc.

does it affect me differently if my natal mars is retrograde? some people believe retrograde transits affect those with natal retrograde less strongly. personally, i haven’t really noticed that entirely. i have natal saturn retrograde, and i actually usually feel ease when saturn transits retrograde; it’s like my saturn becomes “normal”. however, i have friends with natal retrograde planets who feel no ease during transit retrogrades. so again, i think it’s very dependent on your entire chart and the aspects of the planets currently. even i had quite a difficult time during the last saturn retrograde and did not feel any sort of ease. this time could be slightly easier because you’re used to having mars energy pushed internally, but at the same time, if it strongly aspects your natal mars (especially a conjunction - and even hitting your other planets), it might just makes things even more tense and amplified. but overall, i’d say you’re safe to read the same information on mars retrograde impacts as anyone else.

— GENERAL & WHAT TO EXPECT.

mars in aries does NOT do well in retrograde. i personally imagine those of you that have never felt too affected by a mars retrograde, will absolutely feel this one: and it will hit hard. i’m not saying this as a way to invoke fear: everything will be fine. but the energy of this retrograde is especially heavy, considering all the planets mars is currently harshly aspecting (saturn, pluto to name the standouts). the issue here is, mars & aries are both excited energies. they are bold, brash, reactive; they are initiators. they like to act before thinking. they are full of energy, passion and aggression. the retrograde is about (over)thinking before acting, slowing down, reflecting, turning inwards (mars energy likes to stay outward; noticed; loud), etc. the concept of retrograde opposes everything mars represents; especially when mars is in it’s ruling sign of aries; who greatly reflects mars’ energy.

mars rarely stations retrograde as well; usually every two and a half years (i believe), and it very rarely does so in aries. because most of us aren’t used to this planet stationing retrograde (unlike mercury, who likes to retrograde multiple times a year), it seems to just hit harder. i also want to specifically mention the fact this mars retrograde will be squaring saturn. mars square saturn is a very difficult aspect; i am someone that has this in my natal chart and it’s quite frustrating. saturn is about restriction and caution; mars is more fearlessness and recklessness. right now, it feels like saturn is holding mars’ energy back even more than the retrograde is. it’s not allowing the uninhibited expression of the mars energy. we may feel a lot of blockages in relation to the common themes shared by mars and saturn (especially career, work, pursuit of passion; as well as responsibility, control, power - authority figures, etc).

some general things to expect, regardless of your mars placement:

headaches: unfortunately; this is going to bring a lot of headaches, literal ones (although figurative ones as well). i think general body aches are going to be common due to the fact mars is aspecting so many planets. namely the saturn aspect will probably cause a lot of full body/bones/joint/muscle soreness, and probably a lot of toothaches and similar issues. i can even see abdomen/pelvic pain flaring because the pluto aspect. make sure you’re taking very good care of your health right now and see a doctor when you need to! (i’m not hugely into medical astrology, but i do notice these type of mars and saturn transits personally coinciding with an increase in headaches, toothaches, and overall soreness- for me and friends at least)

passive aggression, irritability, unnecessary hostility, arguments over pointless things, people who tend to bottle finally exploding, high tension

strong lack of energy, motivation, drive: lethargy and exhaustion are common (but again, be careful and see a doctor if these things are extreme)

tension in workplace environments; coworker disagreements, namely issues with management (power struggles)

feeling very blocked in terms of your goals; again especially in regards to work and your passions

you may also feel very blocked in relationships/pursuing relationships

likely an increased sex drive: i think all the tension and energy turning inwards is just pushing some people to maximum overload lol

confusion regarding passions/goals/relationships/etc: because we’re doing so much reflecting on mars themes, you may start doubting your wants/goals/interests/relationships/etc (depends on the transit house/aspects) as you’re thinking about them so much. it’s not inherently bad; reflection is a great thing! just be wary of overthinking. don’t be shocked as new things come to light and you start getting the urge to change paths, methods, etc

realization of mistreatment/acting on such: this is a BIG theme and i think we clearly see it in our world right now. since mars is/will be in harsh aspect to so many other planets representing power, control & authority (saturn & pluto) as well as jupiter who represents expansion, growth & excess; a lot of us are going to start setting boundaries. we’re going to be rethinking the times we’ve been mistreated, taken advantage of, the things we’ve let slide but shouldn’t have, and so forth. we’re especially noticing those abusing excess (jupiter) amounts of power (saturn/pluto/mars) both in our lives and in the world. this is THE time to start making and setting new boundaries; putting your foot down and denying those who don’t deserve your energy any sort of access to you! it may be a bit of a painful time if we’re reflecting on moments of abuse and similar; so take care of yourselves and please stay safe!

if you’re interested in what to expect/predictions based on what house(s) mars is transiting in your chart, as well as what to expect based on your natal planets that square/opposition/conjunct or quincunx mars; i’ll be making a post about such on patreon in a few days (i’ll add the link here when it’s up!). the patreon  post also includes questions to ask yourself based on where mars is transiting for you, to help with your retrograde reflection/healing/journaling/etc! 

if you’re familiar with astrology, just note the house mars is transiting through in your chart right now will show what area of your life is especially inward and lacking motivation. that’s where you’ll especially be needing to reflect on mars-related themes such as power, drive, expression, confidence, etc (same goes for the planets it is aspecting in your natal chart).

— ADVICE.

think hard before acting; don't jump into things without lots of consideration - much like venus retrograde be cautious of starting and ending relationships on impulse (end bad relationships tho pls!!! this is a great time for that!!! i just mean this in a way of like; if your significant other gets on your nerves once in a while and you wanna leave- think it over a few times; and also don’t jump into a relationship with someone you met yesterday)

don't start arguments/confrontations unless absolutely necessary (think: will this fight really benefit me, why am i REALLY upset right now, etc). i think it’s extremely important right now to make sure we aren’t bottling and exploding on people/in situations that don’t deserve it and weren’t the main cause of our frustration

exercise, stretch; do something physical to release energy from your body, if you can! mars is a very physical planet so any sort of movement can help a lot (just again be careful as always)

be gentle on yourself! it's okay if you need more rest during these times, don't be too hard on yourself for hitting roadblocks in goals - take this time to plan, think through what you really want, figure out how you’re gonna go for it and achieve this; then act after the rx or when you have more energy

start setting more boundaries; realize who does and doesn’t deserve to be in your life. realize that self-worth and how amazing you are!

ko-fi for tips 😊

[fireinanhourglass]

going to say some frustrations w/ “Inside” below, but want to preface that I did enjoy the special overall and am/continue to be a lifelong fan of Bo’s comedy.

i’ve followed Bo Burnham’s career since I was literally 13 when a friend showed me his youtube channel (actually this video) at art camp. So its entirely possible that I’m just over-exposed to his content and that’s what’s fucking with my ability to enjoy “Inside” (that, and my suspicion that this was always going to be considered a instant masterpiece and “emblematic of the pandemic experience” from a specific subset of wealthy/“not online” circle of critics who are idly fascinated by internet culture and lucky enough to have been able to at home all last year)

“Healing the World with Comedy” feels like a lyrical re-tread “Sad” (and maybe a bit of “Art is Dead”), but I like both those songs and find his physical humor funny here so....pass

“White Woman Instagram” is “Repeat Stuff,” but without the narrative clarity that shows we’re meant to laugh at the exploitative music/teen media industry instead of the girls in question. It’s funny observational comedy, but it has nothing deeper to say beyond that and reminds me of this section from “We Think We Know You.” “Young people want jokes they can relate to, okay? So...write a...write a silly song about Facebook, you know? Write some jokes about Twitter, or...or sugary cereals, or...razor scooters. Relate to them!” Like damn, you nailed it Bo -- white women be instagramming

I’ve seen a lot of charitable reads of this song, that we aren’t meant to be laughing at the women, etc, but my issue is there is no punchline otherwise. It’s observational comedy mocking the aesthetics of (some, implicitly privileged) white women, and -- while I don’t think it’s malicious or sexist or anything like that -- it’s also not very deep. It should be considered on the same wavelength as “Sexting” or “FaceTime with my Mom;” no one analyzes the former like some sex-positive empowerment song, and likewise no one treats the latter like a revealing study of familial relationships. It’s all quirky observational humor, with a level of self-aware cheekiness (and I love it! it’s all great. just not worth analysis/discourse i’ve seen dedicated to it.)

I wonder if people’s inclination to treat this as a political song stems from the inherent subtext of (cis, skinny, moneyed) white womanhood as a social identity -- specifically that it’s used a the benchmark for all womanhood, and idealized/weaponized against women of color and all trans women. Especially since Bo makes so many other references to whiteness that don’t, ultimately, have much to say, it’s perhaps easier to mistake this observational song as another political song

Ironically, his segments “How the World Works” and “Woke Brand Manager” contain a lot of criticisms that could accurately be levied against this special. He doesn’t say anything new about whiteness or analyze his own privilege/platform -- he’s just reassuring us that he’s against racism and systemic oppression, etc."in theory.” He’s not gonna like...name names, or identify experiences where he professionally benefited from white supremacy, or unpack the socio-political underpinnings of his career (any of which may damage his professional relationships and cost him monetarily...even tho it would undercut the supposed economic incentives for “wokeness” he claims to want to avoid. see Bo? solved your allyship dilemma!). He stays at the surface level he’s always talked about -- he’s privileged and that bothers him.

Again, it reminds me of “We Think We Know You;” “Alright, it's not important whether your material's ‘good’ or not. What's important is that you keep the Bo Burnham brand alive and well.” Bo has established his “brand” is progressive, but does so in an “ironically self-critical” way that disassociates him from his own assertions and requires no material follow-up

Aside from the fact that I think he should have more new things to say after 6+ years and especially during one of the most significant Black liberation movements of this century, his references to a self-identified white savior complex really vex me. References to his white, rich, straight(~?), male privilege throughout the special ultimately paint this nihilistic view of allyship in which he says nothing and does nothing, and justifies doing so because it would be implicitly performative anyways. And like....when you have similarly post-modern specials like Nanette that unpack the power structures inherent to comedy, it feels like a total cop-out. you have enormous influence and power as a producer and content creator, with approx. a decade of Hollywood connections. you could throw your weight behind art and creators and ideas that are legitimately marginalized. to pretend that privilege somehow paralyzes your ability to enact change is absurd, unless you’re strictly analyzing your actions through the lense of optics and your ability to retain your current social position

Honestly, it makes the “should I give away my money?”/”No!” and “so maybe I should just shut the fuck up”/”I don’t wanna do that” lines from “Healing the World with Comedy” seem less like jokes and more admissions of his own hypocrisies/limitations. I don’t think that’s necessarily that case, but there isn’t much within the special itself to contradict that reading

“Problematic” especially suffers from a lack of clarity of purpose and intent -- is he mocking so-called “cancel culture”? Is he satirizing performative public apologies for minors misdeeds no one was seriously upset about? Is this an examination of how accountability is something that has to be done internally, and is not something other people can hold you to/attempting to do so publicly is self-aggrandizing? Take your pick! Is he mocking celebrities attempting to seem reflective for their own benefit, the supposed perpetrators of “cancel culture,” or the audience itself for allowing his career to continue uncritiqued? Who knows!

Honestly, it seems like a call back to “How the World Works,” in which he notes white people often view liberation politics solely as a means for our own self-actualization and/or moral growth. This song could have been an interesting opportunity to name and claim some of his actual harmful behavior over the years (you sure made a lot of f#g and nazi jokes over the years dude!) while still examining the self-serving nature of accountability

I think I’m going to make a separate post talking about all the things I liked about Inside, because overall I did really enjoy the special and appreciate Bo’s vulnerability in many places. looking back, I think it was mostly just the political stuff I didn’t enjoy as much (perhaps maybe because it lacked that vulnerability?) and that colored the rest of my viewing experience. I kept waiting for these ideas around race, gender, and class to pay off when they never did, even if they were once intended to. maybe a re-watch where I skip some of the more explicitly political songs will help me contextualize what he was trying to do here. it is a great special; it just can’t vibe with it like I usually can with Bo’s content

[plush-anon]

Happy Halloween Scooby Doo! Review

Muahahhhahahhahahaha! Thanks to the Walmart tradition of stocking movies for sale weeks before the intended release date, I have myself a copy of what claims to be Scooby Doo’s FIRST Halloween adventure!

…in spite of movies like Witch’s Ghost and Goblin King, holiday specials like WNSD’s A Scooby Doo Halloween (which had a haunted Scarecrow too…), BCSD’s EL Bandito (for Dia de los Muertos - obvs not the same, but most companies act like it) and Halloween, The NSDM’s Halloween Hassle at Dracula’s Castle, and the DTV short film Scooby Doo and the Spooky Scarecrow (which, ironically enough, did NOT take the opportunity to feature Dr. Jonathan Crane). 

So let us take a look now at Happy Halloween Scooby Doo! and see whether this film will be a graveyard smash of a treat, or a black licorice bomb of disappointment.

Full review (and SPOILERS TO GO WITH IT) are below the cut in my new review format; if all goes smoothly, I’ll go with this for future Scooby films.

WARNING: This review is very long.

One minor note before we begin: the Special Features actually include BCSD’s Halloween, WNSD’s A Scooby Doo Halloween, and PNSD’s Ghost Who’s Coming to Dinner

...so they were AWARE this was not the first Halloween adventure of the Scooby gang, and yet still use that tag line. Hm. 

Still, kudos for including them - this’ll help boost the reasons to keep this movie, if it turns out to be a real Milk Dud of a movie *ba-dum tish* :D

-----------

The movie starts off rather abruptly, actually - no slow pan over the setting, just WB Animation credit and BOOM, we’ve cut to a Halloween parade and Elvira is talking. 

I’m of a mixed opinion including Elvira on top of having Bill Nye and a Batman Rogue - while she most certainly fits the Scooby aesthetic, it doesn’t feel as grand an impact after her weird little cameo in Return to Zombie Island (ugh) and I’m not sure how well the movie will balance her in wait a minute

wait just a

WAIT A MINUTE

Did - did that parade float skeleton just sing Crystal Cove as the town’s name?

oh no. 

Oh No.

....also their song is terrible and they should feel terrible.

-------

Fred: We got him! Banh Mi Shop, second floor!

me: the heck is a Banh Mi Shop? *mild googling noises*

So I guess Jonathan Crane really had a craving for a Vietnamese sandwich before he enacted his Halloween scheme.

...you think he’s a lemongrass chicken type of guy or a BBQ pork guy? It’s always hard to guess at these things, esp when coffee and pumpkin spice aren’t on the table (as per fanon, of course)

-----

Velma: We have a flawless track record!

So I guess WB is just gonna ignore the past few DTV retcons established in 13 Ghosts and Return to Zombie Island?

I mean that rather defeats the purpose of them existing at all, but fcuk YEAH I can get behind throwing that retcon garbage out of canon!

And STAY OUT!!

------

Shaggy, talking about ghosts being real: I’m like the boy who cried wolf - I keep warning you but like, you won’t believe me until I finally get eaten!

Yet again, Warner Bros makes a wolf reference to Shaggy. Yet again, I am torn asunder between wanting werewolf!Shaggy in a new Scooby property, and fearing for the appearance of werewolf!Shaggy in a new Scooby property. 

-------

Velma: Point is, being afraid is a waste of time!

Scarecrow, LITERALLY EXPLODING THROUGH A BRICK WALL three buildings away:

------

He’s floating through the air and t-posing to assert his dominance 🤣🤣🤣

Gods bless animation 😁

------

Daphne @ Shag and Scoob locking themselves in the van: Are you serial?

Me: wait, SERIAL? *re-reads captions* yup, that says “serial”.  

Is this an editing mistake? I don’t think that works here…unless that’s supposed to be a joke on how they always do this. But then why would that be an irritating surprise, they literally do this EVERY episode 🙄

-------

Oh hey, Red Herring’s Party Screams truck has Red Herring running out of it

Could this be a hint to how the story goes? The villain appearing on a literal Red Herring?

Naaaaaah, WB’s not THAT smart

-------

So if we take @captainbaddecisions​​ crack theory on Jonathan Crane being Shaggy’s uncle seriously, does this mean that Jonathan is using magic to fly, float fear toxin orbs around himself, and making things explode, a la the family trait of Crack Theory A? 

Logically he’s probs using wires or magnets or some shit, but it’s a fun thought to entertain 😁

------

Welp, we finally get the opening credits! … with Jonathan Crane smashing through the Mystery Machine’s windshield, set to a slow poppy song straight from the 60s, and spewing the title of the film out in glittery pink mist.

All the while Scooby and Shaggy throw candy at each other, deliberately obtuse to the cloud of fear toxin enveloping their friends and the townsfolk, the steady destruction of the Mystery Machine they’re laying in as multiple cars crash into it and send it spiraling, and the general mayhem and destruction that Scarecrow is causing

Never change, guys, never change

--------

I just choked on my lemonade

There’s an article plastered to the roof of the Mystery Machine titled “Talking Dog Confounds, Ignites Ethics Debate Over Dog Labor”

ahahahahaha

-------

Annnnnnnnd there goes the Mystery Machine, tumbling in the air and over the roads with Shaggy and Scooby still inside without seat belts. Will they perish in this horrible road accident? Will Death finally come to claim them at last?

Of course not. This is Shaggy and Scooby we’re talking about - I’m almost positive they can survive anything up to and including a nuclear bomb. This is child’s play to them.

-------

So they “capture” Scarecrow… by pinning his cape to a tree with crossbow bolts. 

And they do not try to at least tie up his arms or his hands in ANY capacity. 

JUST the cape. 

...you know, Velma, for a team with a “flawless” track record, you guys are making a hecking TON of mistakes in facing against one of Batman’s ROGUES GALLERY, ESPECIALLY with no Batman in sight, good freakin’ grief. 😩

------

Yaaaaaaaaas, this Scarecrow design is LUSH

He’s got the lank, the height, the BTAS costume colors, the elongated face with beaky nose and pointed chin and angular cheekbones, the eyebags like Gucci, the furrowed brow… honestly the only thing missing is the more reddish color hair, and even that isn’t mandatory. I love 😍

Not to mention the HOT DAYUM voice he has - low and velvet rough and so godsdamned particular in a way that could either tie in to obscuring a southern accent as in fanon or just as a stringent academic, oh my yes. He’s voiced by someone called Dwight Schultz, who’s most well known for playing Captain ‘Howling Mad’ Murdock in the OG A-Team show, and someone called Reginald Barclay in Star Trek TNG and Voyager, if any of y’all know that character in particular. 

And of course, the first line he says is a delightfully wry “Oh, but I AM getting away with it,” with the sort of smirk that absolutely lends credence to why he’s a threat to Batman, and not some simpering wimp that can be defeated with some crossbow bolts in a tree.

I think I’m going to enjoy this movie at least somewhat, so long as we get to see him 🥰🥰🥰

(tho on a side note: Daphne why on EARTH are you trying to film Crane saying the meddling kids line? Do you have a video compilation of past villains who’ve done that, and you hope to add his to it? Was your phone damaged when you went up against the Riddler a few DTVs ago and you want a second shot at recording a Gotham Rogue saying it? Bc I don’t think a Gotham Rogue would be too pleased with seeing himself as a Mystery Meme on the Youtubes, you get what I’m saying?)

-------

Okay, so the floating orb things are explained away as fear toxin bomb drones somehow… despite looking nothing like the other drones and being much smaller with no visible propulsion, while also flying unassisted through and around objects to explode against places once flung…

(tho interesting note, none of them are aimed directly at the crowds, just behind them - odd, that)

But how did he heckin’ FLY at the beginning?

Yeah, they show him wearing wrist-mounted grappling hooks at the end of the intro song sequence, but they are NOWHERE IN SIGHT at the beginning - and I do mean in sight, since he emerges against a backdrop of flames. There was nothing there (see the T-pose above for further evidence), and nothing there when he FLEW THROUGH THE MYSTERY MACHINE’S WINDSHIELD AND FLEW BACK OUT AGAIN. And these things are pale silver, which stands out like crazy against the darker backgrounds, so no hand-wavy ‘they were always being used’ bullcrap we’ve seen in other movies. 

Hmmm *scribbles in notepad* note to self, add notation concerning Crack Theory A on magic!Shaggy to “Uncle Crane” theory files - evidence denotes that Crane is able to fly (or at least hover in mid-air unassisted) for terrorization purposes. May boost strength of CTA by family association, lending credence to magic inheritance along the bloodline...

------

“Avocado Toast Generation”? Crane, I honestly don’t know if you really mean that, or if you understand just how much that phrase gets under any Millennial/Gen Z kid’s skin. Having seen multiple variations of your character, it really could swing either way (tho kudos on the dead switch idea - very nice 👍🏻) 

Although this does lead to an interesting stand-off: Fred, upon seeing the town threatened with 3 days worth of fear toxin, immediately moves to let Crane go, while Velma stops him and refuses to consider compromising if it means Crane escapes.  They both look legitimately frustrated at the other for taking the stance they do. 

Fascinating~

------

Hmmm

Crane honey, I don’t know if your drones are made of flash paper and hope, or if Scooby and Shaggy are using the reeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaally old candy (the stuff made about ~3 years ago most neighborhoods give out to the teenagers that knock around midnight on Halloween) to shoot them down, but either way you may wish to speak with the manufacturer about this

Then again, this IS Shaggy and Scooby - they probably could’ve spat marshmallows at the drones and brought them down with equal success and explosions 

(and good on them for shooting those down! Atta boy 👍🏻)

-------

Aw dang it

1. They still have Crane captured and now in handcuffs (despite having… you know… NOT been bound by anything except cross bolts in his curtain cape thing)

2. Dwight Schultz has decided to pitch his voice higher and more nasally than what he has. Hopefully this is more of an incredulous sort of pitch than something that sticks for the rest of the movie, ugh.

Also, I think they’re framing the movie to be more Velma-centric this time around - she’s the one explaining to Crane how they tracked him down, apparently through a piece of fan mail he sent Elvira (is that the only reason she’s there? Also why was Velma examining random pieces of fan mail for toxins, Elvira probs gets hundreds a week irl) and it looks like they’re framing something up on how fear isn’t something you can pretend isn’t there. neat!

------

whajit

53rd? 

53rd?!?!

ONLY 53rd?!?!?!?!

Boooo, Scarecrow’s WAY more popular than that! I call foul

---

Okay why is Daphne’s schtick so far to spit laaaaaaame slang after every sentence Velma says

I would rather this not be her schtick

Actually could she go back to filming mystery stuff, bc at least I can pretend it’ll build into the OG Zombie Island Daphne

----

Phew, his voice has returned to its low, raspy goodness

also, Crane needs to learn about personal space, good grief

(interesting clue brought up tho - Crane only steals tech that CAN’T leak his toxin, ergo it can’t be tracked until he releases it. Sensible use, given that Batman probs tracks it if it does.)

----

Velma: I’m not afraid of you, Crane. Fear is an illogical reaction to an imagined threat. 

Crane:

-----

Crane: Fearless, then. Intelligent. Proud and stubborn. You remind me very much of the one person in this world I care about. 

uhhhhhh

Yourself? Harley? Edward Nygma? Ichabod the raven? Idk, I’m honestly curious as to where this thread will go 🤔🤔🤔

-----

Fred, leaning against the Mystery Machine: Guys, it’s gonna be okay. She told me!

O_o

Fred? Honey? Are you sure you weren’t supposed to join Crane in the transport vehicle back to Arkham? 

----

OH SWEET JESUS SHAGGY GREW YAOI HANDS

WHAT THE HECK 

THAT’S WAY MORE UNNERVING THEN YOU GUYS NOT BEING AFRAID ANYMORE

(although the fact that they’re both unsettled by NOT constantly shaking or having their heart racing is honestly kind of heartbreaking. Y’all need therapy, good grief)

----

Shaggy and Scooby just chewed up candy (wrapper and all) to make themselves a Halloween costume of… what looks like barfed-up candy (ew)

Before then proceeding to dance so well that everyone around them also starts dancing in a 60s-70s era rainbow light show and giving them candy

I worry for these two sometimes - that kind of power seems to be getting to their head 😬😬😬

---

Oh hey, acid green toxic waste is spilling from an 18-wheeler onto the Fear Toxin drones and emitting a purple pink haze that envelops a pumpkin patch! That won’t do anything suspicious at all I bet!

(wait is Poison Ivy going to come into this at some point)

(also major kudos to the music here - very 80s horror synth, I like)

----

So the Pumpkins have grown faces, limbs, consciousness, the ability to fly and a lust for human flesh

And they appear to be led by the Pumpkin King of the Pumpkin Patch mentioned in the Charlie Brown Halloween special

He’s not as friendly as I pictured him being, sadly 😕

---

Why is this random ass cop coming up to FD&V to say that they’re in over their heads… AFTER the mystery’s been solved?

Like dude, you’re only making yourself suspicious at this point, go home

----

Huh, interesting - the gang are being interviewed for a tv news network while they’re considered the town heroes

Why am I getting bad vibes from this…

Eh, it’s probably nothing

----

Velma: {Shaggy and Scooby} are, um… REALLY into the Halloween spirit. 

Shaggy: THIS ISN’T COSPLAY, VELMA!

I’m dying 😂

------

Holy Shit

Velma just snapped and went off on Shaggy and Scooby for acting scared and doing nothing to help wrap up the mystery

(even though these guys are the ONLY reason that the gang didn’t have to choose between setting Scarecrow free and poisoning the entire town for 3 days straight, but hey, what do I know - I’m just writing an in-depth reaction post to this movie and taking note of details like this, clearly I know nothing *eye roll*)

Last time I saw Velma critique the guys’ usual mystery solving shenanigans, it was much more low-key and without knowing they were nearby

But I’m sure that’s just a coincidence

------

What the

Bills?

Bills?!?!

Fred just mentioned that fixing the Mystery Machine was going to leave a hefty bill and that they may need to get dishwashing jobs to earn money

Which is more of a job you might expect a high schooler to get on the go and yet

They actually have to pay bills 

How old are they here??!

------

wait a tic

THIS is how they introduce Bill Nye?

He just calls up Velma with no explanation other than Velma saying “Oh hey, it’s Bill Nye!”

I just - what?!?!

How do you know him so well that he can just pull up your number and call you, and then geT YOU A NEW FREAKING CAR LIKE

WHAT?!?!?!?

Was there a Scooby episode with him in the past two years where the fcuk did this come from

------

Also the car is dressed like Bill Nye

And he can talk to the gang directly as the car

So that he can solve mysteries with them whenever he wants

This… this was not what I was expecting to come about from the Bill Nye cameo 

(alas, poor predictions of being Crane’s roommate, you will not come to pass this day) 😔

-------

Ooooo, purple haze throbbing on the horizon! That’s always a good sign of things to come! 😀

------

 And now Daphne’s… asking Elvira to mentor her fashion wise. And Elvira’s taking her on as her unpaid intern/personal assistant.

Yooo, movie, can you pick a direction and stick with it for Daphne? You’ve gone from her spewing outdated slang to wanting a costume for trick-or-treating, and now this. 

-------

Welp, now I can say I saw a giant pumpkin dog vore an old woman

I didn’t WANT to see that mind, but I guess I can say it now 😐

------

OH SHIT NO

IT TURNED HER INTO A FLYING PUMPKIN SHAPED LIKE HER FACE

ABSOLUTELY UNSETTLING, 0/10 WOULD NOT RECOMMEND

-------

At least we get a nice scene of Daphne kicking the pumpkins’ collective butt

Something normal

------

Elvira: WOW! You’re a regular Mary Sue!

*falls over cackling*

------

And now there’s a giant purple fissure opening up in the concrete to swallow the town of Crystal Cove whole 

(good, i whisper softly into the darkness of my living room. Let it fall)

--------

Man, I feel so bad for this single father right now

He’s gotten wrapped up in all of this nonsense with his daughter, and he is just Distraught at being chased by Jackal Lanterns, having the town collapsing under his feet, and having to gorge jump in his sedan to get away from the worst of it

It’s okay, Mike Dad - we would feel the same way in your shoes

-------

Hologram Bill Nye is wearing Cat ears and cat whiskers/nose, and is cleaning his hands like a cat cleans its paws

Why was this the movie we found out Bill Nye was a furry

Why Warner Bros 

Why would you inflict this upon us in a Scooby Doo-Scarecrow mystery

-------

Hey, can Jonathan Crane return now? The movie needs its dignity back. 

------

A clue on the whys here - the town was built on top of a MASSIVE lithium deposit, with the talks to mine it being scrapped due to environmental concerns. That’s actually a decent lead in for why some 

-------

Welp

The Jackal Lanterns just went full Mad Max with the Halloween Parade floats and cars

No, I don’t have any idea why either, just roll with it

-------

Nice, they confirmed that Fred’s full name is still Frederick Herman Jones XD

Also a great little action sequence with Daphne - while there’s not much movement, they frame the scene dynamically, with some good quick wordplay. Very nice. 

--------

Velma has a mind palace

Aight

--------

Velma: Shaggy, I could kiss you!

Oh, to hear this as a child, when I still hardcore shipped Shelma *sigh*

------

Oh thank gods we’re going back to Scarecrow again

------

Shaggy ate some Scooby Snacks, leapt out of a moving vehicle, and onto the backs of two flying pumpkins that he promptly reined in to fly to Crane’s prison transport

...yet again, I am amazed at the sentences I am led to type for Scooby Doo DTVs

------

Ah, how very Hannibal Lector of you, Jon 

Man, he actually looks very meek in normal clothes - red long-sleeved shirt and grey slacks

-----

Hmmm

So Crane ISN’T behind the Jackal Lanterns - in fact he’s outright befuddled by them. This means his whole spiel to Velma earlier about both of them being caught in the same trap was… metaphorical? The breakdown doesn’t actually go into WHY he thinks they’re in the same trap - Crane’s whole schtick is tied to accepting fear, not denying it, so why would they be the same?

Either way, someone is using both him and Mystery Inc to do something to Crystal Cove (please be Red Herring, please be Red Herring, please be Red Herring)

Actually, that reference at the beginning really WAS a red herring - they framed it as being Jon the whole time when it wasn’t. Kudos!

Additional kudos to having Jon be seen more out of mask than in - he is a looker, and I aim to look as much as I can ;)

-------

Annnnd Daphne’s now trying to convince Elvira to switch clothes with her

I don’t get it - how on earth did we get from Daphne trying to find a good costume for trick-or-treating to asking Elvira to switch oh there it is nevermind.

-----

There is literally a scene where a giant buzzsaw is slicing towards Crane

and he just

stares at it

going “huh, that’s different”

And I LOVE IT

------

And here we have another fascinating scene: Velma going to free Crane from his cell, as Daphne tells her to just leave him to die by pumpkin

I’m wondering if they meant to draw a parallel between the two here - Velma starts by reciting a nursery rhyme, then overcoming her fears in order to release madness to take control. It’s not done very cleanly - mainly bc we barely have any time with Crane in this movie - but I wonder if they meant to insinuate that Crane was like Velma once, where he refused to acknowledge he was afraid, which caused him to lose focus on his initial goals

Idk, ignore my ramblings

---

Crane, smirking: I’ll need my personal effects - extenuating circumstances.

Me, fanning myself: I’ll need you to remove yours first

(i am not even kidding, Crane is an absolute DILF in this movie and it flusters me. Stupid sexy animation)

---

YAAAAAAAAAAASSSSS

SCARECROW TO THE MOTHERFCUKING RESCUE BABY, SCYTHE AND FCUKING ALL!!!

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

----

FCUK YEAH THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING

HE HAS A DANCE LIKE QUALITY WITH SOME OF HIS FIGHTING MOVES

VIOLENT DANCING BRINGS THE GIANT JACKAL LANTERN DOWN BABY

THEN HE BACKFLIPS AND GYMNASTIC SWINGS INTO THE VAN

ROCK IT SCARECROW FCUKING ROCK IT

(minor note here, but the subtitles show Dr. Crane instead of Scarecrow - unsure if that’s more that the movie calls him Dr Crane or if it indicates he’s acting more heroic than villainous)

---

GODDAMNIT

THE GIANT PUMPKIN SNUCK VINES INTO THE VAN AND STOLE HIM BACK 

WHEN CRANE WAS... wearing a seatbelt before, but isn’t now.

...

BOOOOO

---

Yet again, we find a Scooby movie that attempts character development, but with Velma

Unlike Shaggy’s Showdown however, I’m mixed on how successful it is.

For starters, Velma hasn’t been this cocksure in other DTVs we’ve seen, so it’s a bit odd to see it now. While not 100% out of place - after all, the gang DID capture one of Batman’s Rogues Gallery on their own - it still feels a touch forced. Compare that to Shaggy’s Showdown, where Shaggy has ALWAYS been a coward (one that, in more recent years, writers have had willing to abandon his friends for safety), so the character development there feels more natural. 

The progression of events with Velma actually work somewhat okay - but again, here’s where past DTVs come to bite them in the ass. The past handful have had the gang be wrong, have had them fail, or catch the wrong guy. This makes Velma’s attitude here at odds with the other films, something that sticks more due to a character that’s appeared in the past few films as a minor inconvenience - a Sheriff who keeps telling the gang not to interfere, they’re doing things wrong, etc. If this had been a character who was completely wrong in the past AND SHOWN TO BE WRONG FOR HIS OPINIONS, while the gang never guessed wrong, this would work much better. Unfortunately, it doesn’t, and here we are. 

I think it would have flowed better if Velma’s cockiness came solely from catching Crane on their own. Have a random cop character or reporter or whatever (just not the recurring cop), insinuate that the gang is in too deep with Scarecrow, that he should be handled by the adults or professionals or whatever. Velma could bristle, overcompensate, and THEN fall from her pedestal like we see, reach out to the gang and commiserate over feeling scared, and grow. Again, it’s not too far to reach for, but they handle it poorly; as a result, the outcome feels a little more shoehorned in. 

It’s an honest shame, bc we haven’t had a Velma centered story since Frankencreepy, and we all remember what a hideous fcuking mess THAT was *shudders*. Still, it somewhat gets its point across, I guess.

---

Fred why did you rip your shirt off

Actually better question why do you not have nipples

--- 

Awwwwwww

Velma just apologized to Shag and Scoob for snapping at them earlier, and admits how she doesn’t appreciate how much they make Mystery Inc what it is

Also she eats a Scooby Snack with them and admits they taste pretty good

----

Huh

Velma’s mind palace is the Mystery Machine driving through space

Also Shaggy and Scooby are able to telepathically follow her in and communicate with her

Literally, they actually followed her into her head telepathically, and show her their memories of things she hasn’t gotten to see tonight (while also possibly enhancing her ability to remember things, given how much DETAIL she captures perfectly of things that she would maybe have glimpsed in a millisecond AT MOST)

...another tally for Crack Theory A of magic! Shaggy and Scooby *scribbles*

-------

Fred, be very very thankful that there are no people operating those pumpkins in person cause uhhhh

Those traps would be spraying red instead of orange

------

Another weird music choice - the gang goes up to fight the Jackal Lanterns, but the music is the same 60s bubble we heard earlier 

Not terribly atmospheric, really

(wouldn’t a Smashing Pumpkins cover of Scooby Doo be more appropriate, or did you guys spend all your money on hiring Elvira and Bill Nye?)

------

Dang

Velma just admitted her fears and jumped into the mouth of the Mega Pumpkin, before getting Fred to use the app from earlier to shut it down, revealing it to be a giant drone surrounded by smaller pumpkin drones

This feels… counterintuitive, but I’ll try to explain at the end

---

Okay

I’ll admit it

The Whodunnit is actually pretty decent in concept

There was a sprinkling of tidbits that could be assembled for the final conclusion and still make a decent amount of sense, all to find the sheriff doing it 

Only he isn’t a sheriff

He’s a former Tech CEO who was also busted by the gang years ago in a case the Sheriff kept bringing up throughout the movie - due to his prison sentence, he lost more than half his wealth and the opportunity to expand it further with the Crystal Cove Lithium deposits

He was also someone who sold tech to Crane for his fear toxin distribution, where he got the idea to frame him for it

(tho on a side note, Crane is an absolute dork and a terrible liar - just look at the email he sent XD and that profile pic, my gods)

He deliberately picked at the gang for the past few DTVs (specifically 2: Return to Zombie Island and Curse of the 13th Ghost) to fracture their confidence, undermine them, etc - all so that in one fell swoop, he could retake his fortune, frighten everyone in town away from the mines so they couldn’t interfere, frighten away the gang (while also ruining their reputation as mystery solvers), and take Crane off the docket so he couldn’t identify the CEO when he pretended to be the sheriff

This… is actually a pretty damn good plan, for a Scooby villain. He was patient, manipulative, and clever, learning how best to tie up loose ends and win back what he lost. A clever revenge story that came so close to coming to fruition, and could have honestly been sold convincingly… 

...if it hadn’t been done so much better in Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed. 

Yeeeaaaah, this movie basically lifts the rough framework up from that one - past mystery villain comes back to attack the gang and ruin their reputation (tho this one decides to also make his fortune back and tie up loose ends with former criminal contacts, a la Crane). Gang is embarrassed in front of the news folk, another villain is framed for it (like Old Man Wickles of the Black Knight fame), and the gang must reconcile to foil the villain for good.

Although it also??? Merges elements of Frankencreepy in it?? The movie is focused on Velma, who is struggling to admit when she’s wrong (which ties into her fear, somehow… I’ll think on that point a little) and things purportedly go haywire when she won’t bend. This… isn’t illustrated as well here, since there’s very little direct cause-and-effect from Velma’s actions that would prove this point - that insisting her way is the right, best, and therefore only way to go ends up making things worse.  

As much as I despised Frankencreepy (and I DESPISED IT), it did do that part well - showing that refusing to budge on something can lead to you hurting your friends (literally, in that one), and that admitting you were wrong and need help isn’t the end of the world. 

(that movie also had former villains returning to gain vengeance upon the gang using psychological warfare, hm - may need to go over that one again, unfortunately).

It’s a shame, too -  the basic elements for this plot are all here, they just need to be polished and reworked a bit to make a really fascinating movie. 

------

Anyways, back to the asshat CEO who just… faked being a sheriff. Because white people can get away with that so long as they have the outfit and the car *throws up hands* (the sad part is this is probably something that actually happens)

As he drives away we see a familiar silhouette looming in the cornfields, watching him approach

Velma had Bill Nye on speaker, so he could record the entire confession for the federal officers nearby (who were taking Scarecrow back to Arkham), and track the phone signal to his exact location

And right as his holographic call cuts out, we see the shadow of a Scarecrow looming over him, causing him to scream.

When the feds arrive at his final location, both his body and the money have vanished. The car still sits, engine running, before the crows leering over him from the field vanish into the sky. 

-------

Now that he’s dead, the gang walks and finds themselves at a Halloween party, with friendly faces and good food. The mystery is solved, though the culprit may never be found again. 

Then Daphne admits to NOT trying to steal Elvira’s costume for Halloween, but instead trying to steal Elvira’s identity and replace her. 

Something that she’s apparently nearly gotten away with on past mysteries working with Phillis Diller

*sighs* movie, why couldn’t you just stick to the costume schtick? This is just… so much worse. 

-----

From there, Elvira walks off to wrap things up, reveal the monster face on the back of her head sans wig (which was also a monkey), and start the credits, where we see the gang working to bring the Mystery Machine back to its former glory a la Frankenstein pastiche. 

This movie… this movie is a hot mess, but at least it’s an OKAY hot mess. 

It really does feel like someone started writing a decent Velma-focused movie concerning the Scarecrow and a past Mystery Inc villain interfering, but was bogged down by notes from higher-ups: Wait! Write in Elvira! Also write in Bill Nye! Hey, let’s have a Mad Max car chase with the Jackal Lanterns! And have Daphne obsessed with literally becoming Elvira! Also make reference to things that we’ll insist be explained this way instead of a way that makes sense! Great!

(seriously tho, we never find out who Crane cares about most that reminds him of Velma, what the heck?)

It’s like two or three different scripts were smooshed together without being cleaned up - stuff is said that doesn’t get resolved, the celebrity guests don’t get to breathe much and feel squished together, and the build-up for the villain feels… less impactful, even knowing that he’s been in the past two films. 

It might have worked if he’d been in… let’s say like 5 or 6 DTVs in a row, speaking roles for dissing the gang growing in each (ex start with “Good job kids! But maybe next time, leave it to the professionals, okay?” and growing more bitter from there), but only 2 feels kind of meh. Still, I do appreciate the clues we got to collect together, and they all work in the final breakdown of the scheme - some DTVs can feel like they pull stuff completely out of nowhere, so kudos there. 

I appreciate what they wanted to do with Velma - give her a character development arc similar to Shaggy’s in Shaggy’s Showdown. Unfortunately, it wasn’t set up quite so neatly: they blended her ‘refusal to admit fear’ with her overconfidence that she was always right, and it led to a weird conclusion. To face her fears, she leapt into the Giant Pumpkin, which… proved that she was right all along about it being fake, and that solves things somehow. It doesn’t address how she can get something wrong sometimes, it doesn’t really address what she’s afraid of (which is honestly quite good: she’s afraid of failing in a way that allows bad guys to escape justice and in a way that hurts her friends), it’s just a bit of a mess. Points for aiming the focus the right way (and in a way that DOESN’T sexualize the underage teenage girl, unlike some DTVs cough cough Frankencreepy cough cough), but it’s very very messy how it goes about it. 

The movie actually balanced pretty well for the whole gang - no excessive focus on one leaving the rest in the dust (too much at least - Fred was a touch underdeveloped, but nowhere near as annoying as past iterations have been. Shaggy and Scooby were kind of meh in some places but great in others, while Daphne was just odd. I think they were trying to recapture the BCSD Daphne characterization, but they failed. Still, she did spend some good time kicking ass with the pumpkins, so that was fun.

Now for the Rogue, Jonathan Crane. If you like Crane, this movie gives you: maniacal Scarecrow, calm and creepy Crane, a brief glimpse at fanboy!Crane (he admits in his own awkward way that he’s a fan of Elvira, and later tells her he loves her work - it’s fun), and (best of all for me) a heroic Crane - one who helps the protagonists and ends up kicking ass pretty damn well, brief as it was. And while DILF Crane is always a treat, he feels underutilized in this. In comparison, Scooby Doo/Batman Brave and the Bold really utilized a lot of different aspects of Riddler, to the point he actually does feel pretty menacing by the third act. It’s a shame we don’t quite get that with Crane, but I do love seeing him 1. More out of mask, and 2. Acting as a good guy (in his own way), so he’s enjoyable on the whole. 

I kind of wish that the whole movie was spent more with Crane, but again, the script is a bit of a mess on this part - the fact that he’s not completely screwed over is a goddamn miracle. 

Elvira was… okay. She didn’t have much of a purpose beyond getting the plot started and giving Daphne some hooks to play off of. Bill Nye (abrupt as his introduction was) did provide some necessary elements to the mystery, as well as the tech; he wasn’t too bad by the end. (still a touch bitter we didn’t get ex roommate Nye, but hey, what can you do)

Humor was… mixed. Some good, some meh, but very few long enough to feel painful. Some bits felt extraneous at times, but they did help to build to the conclusion, so points for effort.

At the end of the day though, I’m probably keeping this more for Jonathan Crane than anyone else. It does have a lot of fanfic potential tho 🤔🤔🤔

That’s all from me tonight, folks! Hope you enjoyed my own little breakdown of the movie. 

[freshtomatoesddd]

A TyZula Fanfic i wrote to avoid burnout.

A fanfic inspired by Lewin's Hyperventilation.

Ty Lee has always had difficulty breathing whenever she was mentally or physically overwhelmed, often hyperventilating. When she was a young girl, this was never much of a problem, as her life was comfortable. But as soon as she turned fifteen, her father chose to ship his kids to America for their senior education. As such, Ty Lee arrived in a foreign country with her sisters, realizing her life would never be the same. Having no real way to cope, Ty Lee would often leave home for long stretches of time, doing whatever it was she felt like doing. In high school, however, she fitted in quite well with her spoiled peers. She did so well, Ty Lee was awarded a position in Azula's posse. Confident and well put together, the young girl had difficulty not falling for teenage Azula, and their relationship soon evolved past platonic relations.

Five years later, Ty Lee found herself back in America at some reunion party her father made her attend, stuck in an old bar with people she'd rather not meet again. Mai couldn't come, leaving her with Azula. Through gritted teeth, Ty Lee allowed Azula to follow her back to her hotel, angst following suit. If you're interested, read after the cut off. :p

HYPERVENTILATION

An enigma, that was the best way Ty Lee could describe Azula. It wasn’t as if she didn’t know her, for it was only after high school did they grow out of touch. But graduating did that to people, especially if one made it a point to leave their past behind and start anew, away from the people and environment which brought one so much misery in the first place. And so, Ty Lee questioned why she had agreed to come to the high school reunion, the bar chalk full of people she had wished to never see again. Not that she despised them, she just wished they wouldn’t have showed up. But then again, she knew that it was her fault for accepting the invitation and for actually presenting herself in the stuffy, old looking bar.

A part of her wished she never opened her mail that day, begging and praying that by some miracle she hadn’t seen the invitation sticking out of her mailbox like a sore thumb. But another part of her knew that it was pointless to complain of it now, most definitely after she made the effort to dress herself and show up to an otherwise unremarkable party. It was lively, yes, but Ty Lee saw no need to further rub elbows with her former classmates. She didn’t even bother to drink, as the rather loud and cramped bar hadn’t given her the impression that such an occasion was one to celebrate.

“Why aren’t you drinking?” a voice called out to her.

The brunette looked up; met with the same golden gaze she had grown accustomed to throughout the years—the same person who caused her train of thought in the first place. Azula didn’t bother to drink herself, though she’d never been much of an alcohol enthusiast.

The brunette fiddled her thumbs for a moment, unsure of what to say, nor how to feel. Her juvenile crush had faded, but some feelings still remained. Not passionate by nature, but warm nonetheless... But this wasn’t high school, and Ty Lee soon found her words.

“I guess I just don’t feel like it.” Ty Lee leaned against their booth; eyes still fixed on her former classmate.

“Strange, I assumed you would be one to enjoy the bite of alcohol.”

Ty Lee shrugged, giving Azula a polite smile. “Guess I’m just not feeling it today.”

Azula stared at her for few more moments, Ty Lee counting down the seconds before she turned away. Even after five years, she was the same old intense Azula. But Ty Lee would be lying if she said she hadn’t grown more mature, crimson lipstick running along her lips. She made it a point to look professional, wearing quiet a business-looking pair dress pants and sweater, accompanied with a suit and black watch. How very boring, lacking the distinctly fiery aura Azula once bore back in high school. But along her dull outfit, Ty Lee caught a glimpse of gold on her finger, her ring finger. There was no mistaking it, that was a ring, Ty Lee uncertain how to feel about it.

Of course she’d be married, or at least engaged. Someone of her status and importance would practically be married off by the time they graduated high school, especially with Azula’s rather traditional father. For so long, he insisted she mingle with only the best, most prestigious group of people he chose for her, including her potential spouses. Being a conservative man, Ozai insisted Azula to marry men. But Ty Lee and Mai both knew she didn’t have any type of fancy for them, describing the entire male species as a ‘collective of lecherous creatures.’ But seeing as she had a ring on her finger, her father’s wishes finally got the better of her, though Ty Lee doubted she had any say in it.

“You’re awfully silent, did college finally calm you down?” Azula asked.

“Uh.” Ty Lee paused. “Actually, I think I’m gonna go.”

Azula was silent for a moment. “You mentioned you were staying near China-town.”

“Yeah.” Ty Lee scratched the back of her head, unsure of whether she should disclose her hotel location to Azula. “What about it?”

“Do you have any other plans for the evening?”

Ty Lee shrugged. “Not really.”

“Splendid, I’ll accompany you back to your hotel then.”

“What—why?” She gripped the fabric of her dress, her mouth agape.

Ty Lee’s eyes widened, taken aback by the suggestion. Though, she knew Azula well enough to know that her suggestion was a command, and that there was no use in arguing her out of it. Still, she was rather shocked.

“Who knows?” Azula stood up, grabbing her suit. “Call it a whim.”

Ty Lee narrowed her gaze, standing up not long after as she put on her overcoat and purse.

“Um, okay. But I’m not staying at the fanciest hotel, so sorry if it kinda sucks.”

“Very well,” was all Azula said.

They promptly exited the bar together, a few people whining and asking them to stay longer. Ty Lee nodded and smiled, stating that she really must go, otherwise she would wake up late for her flight. Azula, however, did not bother with pleasantries. She merely followed her outside, buttoning up her suit as they stepped out.

The cold air rudely greeted them, a quick chill running down Ty Lee’s spine. She wondered why she chose to wore a dress to the reunion, and heels as well, knowing full well that ice and snow were soon to follow the chilly cold. Well, at least she looked good, and that was all that mattered to the brunette then. She reached into her purse and pulled out her phone, ordering a taxi over, the two left standing in the freezing streetside.

“Unbelievable, you still have the same phone case.” Azula smirked. “You haven’t changed at all.”

Ty Lee looked down to her phone case. Yes, it was true, she didn’t bother to change it past high school. She fiddled with the bunny’s ear, the street lights illuminating the star shaped stickers on the back of it. It was pink, her favorite color, the same one as her dress at that. The brunette turned to her former classmate, a small smile on her face.

“Well, it’s still cute.”

“Perhaps.”

Azula re-adjusted her watch, her golden ring shining form the street lights. It shone almost like the sun on a winter morning, nearly blinding Ty Lee had she not squinted her eyes. She wondered what sort of a man Azula was married to, whether he was present in her daily life, or more likely absent. She wondered of whether their union was completely orchestrated by Ozai, or if Azula at least had some say in which man she’d spend the rest of her life with. And most of all, amid all her thoughts and queries, she wondered if Azula herself had changed. Not just physically, but emotionally as well. The last time they spoke, she wouldn’t allow Ty Lee to even run her hands up Azula’s shirt.

But now, it seemed that she had a better hold of herself, perhaps even able to handle the hourly stress of running a company like her father always hoped. But then again, Azula had always been amazing at projecting her best qualities, not allowing her weaknesses to show. That was who she was then, Ty Lee wondering if that was who she was now too. She looked the part of a well put together adult, only at age twenty-three, but Ty Lee wondered whether she had the emotional maturity of keeping the role. Whether her demeanor was nothing more than a facade, or if it were her true self. Such questions only confused Ty Lee, the brunette turning away to rub her temple.

“How long till the taxi comes?” Azula asked.

Ty Lee looked back to her, striking golden eyes piercing the brunette’s being. “Five minutes.”

Azula stared at her for a moment. “I hope you don’t think I’m pursuing you.”

“Yeah well,” Ty Lee clutched her purse, “Why else would you talk to me?”

“Is it so hard to believe I enjoy your company?”

“What kind of company?”

Azula chuckled. “Lee, what we had in high school has long passed.”

“I know.” Ty Lee pursed her lips. “Especially since you stopped talking to me.”

Azula scoffed. “How are you still upset about that?”

“How could I not be?”

Azula’s eyes widened for a brief moment. “I see you’ve become more vocal. Tell me, do you still hyperventilate?”

Ty Lee sighed, gripping her purse once more. “Why do you care?”

Azula fell silent for a moment, taking a few steps towards Ty Lee.

“Seeing as you’ve seen right through me, fine—I’ll be honest. I am pursuing you, but I won’t drag it out like I did in high school. It will only be one time, that’s all.”

“That’s what you always said.” Ty Lee turned away, praying for the taxi to arrive faster.

Azula placed a hand on her shoulder, the brunette flinching under her touch. The woman chuckled.

“You’re still sensitive when I touch you.”

Ty Lee gripped her hand. “Just get to the point.”

“I’m sure you’ve noticed by the number of times you’ve stared at me.” She paused. “I’m getting married, to a man I’ve never met at that. Father says that it would be beneficial for the company if we merge our assets together, though I’m certain he just wants me married off.”

Azula leaned in, whispering into Ty Lee’s quivering ear. “In light of that, I’d like to enjoy my freedom while I still have it.”

Though she felt bad that Azula would be forced to marry someone she’s never met, Ty Lee still faced the other way.

“Why does it have to be me?” she asked in a low voice.

Azula slowly trailed her warm hand down Ty Lee’s arm, snaking her arm around the brunette’s cold waist, Ty Lee now forced to stare at her former friend. Though her face bore a rather blank stare, Ty Lee could tell through her golden eyes that Azula wasn’t as excited as she initially thought. She wasn’t lying, this really would be her last chance at enjoying the little freedom she had.

“Because there’s no one else like you,” was all Azula said, the woman gently dragging her fingers along the brunette’s cold cheek.

Ty Lee bit her lip. She hated the idea of it, all of it, but she was sold either way.

“Just this once,” she muttered.

Hey there, thanks for reading all of that! If you want to keep reading the fanfic, i've already uploaded the 2nd chapter here Anyway, thanks again for reading the fanfic, and i hope you have a wonderful day.

-FreshTomatoesdevilish

[clarisrenaldis]

Since Unus Annus is ending today, I’ll just give a list of my favourites videos and a short explanation on why:

Cooking with sex toys: Started so serious with the first video and this just threw a curve ball at us, I love it. Also hilarious.

Purging our sins with a Neti Pot: “Mom no”

Baby hands operation: Waterboarding a fucking table top game and the butterfly flying off the body because Ethan hit it. Hilarious.

2 truths 1 lie- waxing edition: “How do you feel about Korea?”

Helium therapy: Abigail.

Drawing memes from memory: Ethan tried but only made for excellent comedic drawings.

An AI predicts how we’re going to die:  It was really funny. Don’t know what else to tell you.

Mark and Ethan attempt an escape room: It was just these two trying to be as logical as possible and being idiots at the same time.

Ethan gives Mark a Viking funeral: I still perfectly remember Mark sliding down the stairs at tremendous speed and getting stuck in the cardboard coffin.

The great meat mistake: Ethan struggles to speak.

We made nude paintings of each other: Any frame looked like was straight up p0rn.

Ethan’s relaxing and totally normal nail salon: Mark has an existential crisis.

Hiding our sins from Amy’s holy peepers: “agh my wound” and “this is for a bit but how long is this gonna stay there”.

Who can make themselves taller: Mark has an existential crisis: I could’ve been an engineer edition.

We took an IQ test: I…how do you get a 3?

Mark and Ethan go casket shopping: just two pals shopping for a coffin that best suit them.

We take a lie detector to uncover our darkest sins: it was just fun to see the spikes.

Learning to breath underwater: Grade A material for memes.

2 absolute beginners experience the dancing glory that is salsa: super fun, another great grade A meme material.

Mark and Ethan learn about the human body: genitalia.

DIY cheese: it’s the dance of Italy OooOoH

Looking at long lost memes: it was just the two of them looking at memes.

Literally eating fire: ‘twas interesting! Also the face.

Nutball: the most dangerous game: Fun, don’t do it tho.

Our perfect (and last) valentine’s day: BENJAMIN KETCHUP and tiny will smith.

Being attacked by a fully trained body guard dog: I couldn’t understand the man because of the heavy russian accent but still loved the video.

The ultimate trolley problem: Just really fucking fun, really made me laugh.

Real ghost hunting at an abandoned zoo: kinda scary, but Mark and Ethan were great comedic relief.

DIY chiropractor: *stabs a soda can* *chugs the whole thing from the incision* *in an accent* “You ready?”

What does astrology say about our friendship: *thrusts* “sorry”

Amazon shopping for the apocalypse: it was just them buying supplies and it was fun to watch.

Ultimate youtuber boxing showdown: It was really funny how they imagined their dramatic entrances to the boxing ring.

We made every youtuber battle in the hunger games: Beware of Zoella.

The creepiest videos on youtube: I just like scary stuff and two idiots bringing comfort with their presence.

What the hell is a pink trombone?: This is not a fleshlight.

We played strip poker: Beginner’s luck  is amazing.

Mark cooks blindfolded while Ethan guides him through facetime: This is just Ethan getting stressed out while Mark did whatever he wanted.

Reacting to your hilarious green screen memes: y’all are amazing.

Mark teaches Ethan to read with hooked on phonics: E E F

Mark and Ethan become United States citizens: it’s just them roasting the us government.

Finding the most cursed image on the internet: it’s them either laughing our cringing.

Creating Mark FISHbach: Ethan likes to swim and is a graceful merman, Mark not so much.

Dummy THICC for dummies – a tale of two butts – Pushing our butts even further beyond: “Oh what’s that? A tier 3 sub?”

Dunking oreos I literally anything but milk: Soy sauce is always higher than what you’d think.

Preparing a 5-star meal for our youtube famous dogs: it’s adorable, also you can smell chaos in that video.

Mark teaches Ethan how to play the trumpet: Ethan struggles and makes Mark upset.

Momiplier teaches self-defense: she’s SO funny.

Mark’s outdoor escape room: AVADA KEDABRA

Mark teaches Ethan how to march in a marching band: His form was like an S, literally.

2 adults take a 4th grade math class: Ethan’s reaction to “welcome to math class” hit deep.

We accidentally made an SCP while Amy was away: “I FORGOT ABOUT THE DEMONS INSIDE”

Learning to use the force: think thiiink THIIIIINK

This is for fun and not a fetish: this was my birthday video J

Mark conquers his fear of night swimming: THE GONGOOZLER

We bought every Grinch costume on Ebay: It was great.

Pressure washing our sins away: Ethan was really excited about the pressure washer and I liked it because I get really excited about vacuums so it felt relatable for me.

The Unus Annus Annual Costume Contest: You know.

Ethan kidnapped Mark: Ethan doesn’t remember his own puzzles but Marks plays along anyway because he doesn’t want him to feel bad.

The Unus Annus last supper: Amy popped off with the foods.

Being brutally honest with eachother: made me cry, but from inspiration and a pinch of sadness.

Recreating every single Unus Annus video: “Siri, call us daddy” “I don’t see a father in your contacts”

All our video ideas that never happened: really fun to imagine the videos, and lowkey would’ve loved to see the Youtuber Graduation that Ethan thought of for the youtubers that never went or finished college. And Fuckmachine Thanksgiving

Everything’s legal If you’re dead: Mark’s lawyer struggles because Mark is trying to commit fraud and in the meantime Ethan makes breakfast with a fuckmachine .

I loved all the videos but this are just my personal favourites. As of posting this, in 44 minutes the last video will be up. And it’ll all end.

I won’t be able to re watch the magic but I can still remember. Thank you everyone, and of course, please don’t harass anyone that posts anything related to Unus Annus once the channel is deleted. Mark and Ethan expressed that they don’t want archive channels but it’s still their desition. I’m sure that those who made channel explicitly mmaking edits or those that made blogs centered in Unus Annus are those who have commited to the idea of the channel.

Let people make edits, memes and art, don’t be mean.

Memento Mori.

Unus Annus.

[mieczyhale]

a messy explanation of things and unnecessary information about life lately

soooo... right. i’m sorry i haven’t really been around aside from popping in here and there, and that i’ve been taking longer than usual to reply to things / not replying to things at all. it’s NOT that i’m upset with anyone or trying to ignore / avoid anyone, and it’s not that i don’t care / don’t love talking to you (whomstever you may be) i love chatting with y’all and wish i could get myself to reply to things quicker but i do not control the me lmfao honestly my sleep has never had a schedule but in recent weeks it’s kinda been operating like there’s a lil gremlin in my head who spins a wheel and picks my sleeping times at random - and it’s either like.. two hours or most of a day. there hasn’t been a lot of in between so that’s a thing!!

also in a fun added mix of maybe sleep?, missing meds, being stuck in the house more often than not, and the FUCKING EVERYTHING happening in the world right now my mental health is... probably run by the same goblin that runs my sleep schedule lmao consistency whomst?? since the lockdown started the depression has of course been around more but actually, worse than that, is how my anxiety - and by extension: my ocd - have really amped up and i need y’all to know that the struggle is painfully real (and another thing that affects shit like my replies and writing. reading as well. fics have been kinda stressful and that should be illegal. who authorized this?) i don’t hate talking about it but i don’t really like it either?? especially like.. in depth. but i will say there has been crying, screaming, pain!, and i’ve acquired a few physical injuries.

so

yeah

on a personal level - a ‘just me’ level - shit is an even bigger mess than usual lmao but all these things will get better eventually - they always do. 

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

NOW

ON A PERSONAL LEVEL - THE FULL LEVEL - THINGS.... are pretty great actually! i mean aside from the state of my fucking house e__e but Josh has been working from home for two (2) months now and it’s been really nice - people complaining about their partners being home?? can’t relate. yknow what?? i just might love that tall bastard even more from all this.fuck all y’all miserable fucks

we’ve been going out for drives and we’ve gone fishing and the only place i’ve gone too that’s re-opened is goodwill. because i require.. the shop. they do have a masks required rule! (at least at the one here) and, alongside that, the places we’ve gone that never closed (like grocery stores and the gas station and the hardware store) have social distancing rules and stuff in place which i love. can we keep social distancing after this is all over?? more things here in wisconsin are opening up and we might go to some. idk though. we also might not. either way its still a weird kind of exciting to see things opening back up?? even though i do think we’re not totally in the clear because most of our gov. sucks (our mayor tried to extend our stay-at-home order - keyword there is TRIED. we are the land of cheese, cows, and no fucking braincells for anyone) 

having pets is obviously not a new thing for me but it’s still a thing. so it takes time and effort and energy and patience and love and a certain disregard for your own safety (claws. they really be as sharp as you think) so... it can be stressful, especially cuz we’ve had to keep them inside more as it gets hot out and something keeps breaking our porch screens (our cats are allowed onto our screened in porch or they can go out in a harness but we will never let them run free outside. fuck that noise)  my bbies are all so cute and their personalities and idiosyncrasies are just... *chefs kiss* i love em and they’re definitely a part of what has made quarantine better

i’ve seen my mom a few times, like for my birthday and when she needed help moving Isaiah from one dorm to another and such, but that’s primarily been an option because she has become anti-mask and anti-stay-at-home-order. initially she wasn’t - she gave Isaiah and i fun lil masks since at that time trying to buy them would be impossible and she thought nothing of staying home - but i guess either as its dragged on or as she’s consumed her middle-right wing news that changed s o. she does take social distancing in public very seriously though, so at least there’s that. our favorite coffee shop, where we - pre-lockdown - always went one (1) or two (2) times a week to do art for hours re-opens on monday and that’s one of the few things i’ve truly missed.

josh’s camping trip for this weekend with his friends had to be cancelled because the parks weren’t going to open in time. so today they’re going somewhere to do at least some of the things they would have done if they had gone camping. bikes, bonfires, and cigars. i’m kinda jealous negl but he was really excited about it so mostly i’m happy

trying to figure out how human services was running things during lockdown was rough but thankfully it didn’t take much to get it sorted. mostly because my mom made the phone call i was supposed to lol (the phone anxiety is on its own level) so wednesday afternoon my mom sat with me while i had the appointment with my psychiatrist over speakerphone (which was.. an experience)

ummm.....

OH YEAH! Probably absolutely my favorite thing that’s happened is: WE’RE STARTING THE SEARCH FOR A NEW HOUSE!!!! it doesn’t mean we’re gonna be moving soon or anything, we don’t want to make the same mistake twice (buying the first house you tour that you love) because while it is a great house ultimately it is way too small for us. i mean there’s me and josh, all six cats, and ALL OUR SHIT. listen: i have an entire room dedicated to my various hobbies. and a walk in closet that isn’t big enough. and we both have collections we love and want to display (right now upstairs its hello kitty and downstairs its astronomy and the titanic. and then there’s pop figures, mtg, collectibles, our bottle collection and various knickknacks, etc.) plus all our books! then furniture and cat furniture (i.e towers) and all their shit because they are spoiled babies. and god forbid we ever have a human kid?? yeah. it’s just not big enough. 

so we’re gonna take more time with this choice but what we do know is:: we wanna live out in the country (i’m paranoid and don’t like to be looked at and he loves the outdoors, lived on a farm for awhile. i also enjoy the outdoors but mostly since we moved into this house i’ve struggled with doing anything outside... while we only have one neighbor on our road. but there’s one across the road and one at the other side of our backyard and that’s just too much lol) 

lets see.. um.... my birthday was may 2nd and that was pretty nice, for a pandemic birthday. there’s been a lot of stuff happening involving josh’s family but that’s not something i really wanna get into on here, tho i will say things have been better in recent weeks and it’s been... really nice. josh and i went to his mom’s house the other night and got drunk with her for fun and i actually had a really good time?? and didn’t complain about going?? that’s kinda unheard of.

i don’t have a job anymore - haven’t since early march-ish - and it kinda sucks but also the universe really did me a solid because my choices were either allow myself to work until i have a mental break again or quit. and i was leaning towards quitting (things had been going down hill with the owner and other employees and just the business as a whole for awhile and there’s a limit to the amount of bullshit i can take thanks) but now it doesn’t seem i have to. why do i think i’m jobless? i was barely working anyway, bc of the snow business was slow, and in march i got really sick and stayed home for a week. the day i was supposed to go back i was still sick, and covid19 was starting to become more of a serious situation everywhere, so josh called in for me and explained that between still being sick and my anxiety over covid (asthma + a not so great immune system) i wasn’t going in that day. i never heard from them again. so. 

but it’s all good - there are some options but i’m not looking into them seriously until it’s safe to.

SO

THAT’S ALL OF FUCKING THAT ON THAT

i felt it wouldn’t be a bad idea to come on here and explain A. what’s been going on and B. where i’ve been and C. that if i haven’t responded to you or acknowledged something you sent me / tagged me in it’s literally just because i either forgot to (for all reasons and none) or i don’t have the mental space / energy to. but that doesn’t mean you have to stop talking to me! even if i don’t respond or respond immediately i do read everything and i would die for any one of you fuckers (especially my clowns and the tom hardy movie) 

oh! and just btw - sometimes i don’t get notifications (quelle surprise) tumblr and skype should really pair up and talk about their truly great systems that function so well /s 8| ANYWAY: the best and most reliable ways to get my attention are twitter ( @/mieczyhale) and discord (same name) because i have yet to see their notifications fail. ahem.

i feel like i’m missing things / forgetting things but honestly this post is long enough and also enough of a rambley mess that i’m just gonna try and ignore that feeling and carry on with my goddamn day so i might actually accomplish something. sorry if there’s spelling off or missing words. i’m not taking the time to re-read this and might even delete it bc it’s already giving me anxiety bUT WE’LL SEE ALRIGHT HI AND BYE I LOVE YOU GUYS <3

[wroteasongabouther]

I'm definitely gonna need a morning after with that best friend post

bestfriend!harry part 2 please???

Bestfriend!harry is the best consept in the whole world, I love you for writing it and PLEASE post more asap! Literally the best thing I’ve read in ages

That bestfriend!harry was amazing! Will there be a part 2?

You and your best friend did that? HOLY SHIT that’s hot af WRITE A SECOND PART PLEASEEEE

pleaseee do part 2 bestfriend!harry

I would DEFINITELY like to read a pt two of the best friend Harry one is you want to write one !!!!

Could I request a pt 2 to the bestfriend!harry??

YUP SO AFTER ALL THESE REQUESTS I DECIDED TO GET ON THIS AND WRITE A PART TWO

AND YET AGAIN I WENT OFF OOPS

HERE’S PART ONE

“Holy fuck I have the worst headache,”

“Drank too much?”

“Shut up Niall this is your bloody fault and that disgusting flavoured vodka,”

“Didn’t think it was disgusting last night,”

Harry glares at the blonde haired boy while he opens the cupboard beside your fridge and grabs a single serve Keurig cup and pops it into the Keurig. Before he starts it up he grabs a mug, funny enough it’s the one he had bought you for a house warming gift. Printed on the plain white mug was a photo of him in his stupid Miley Cyrus costume, which was oh so flattering. You have a good laugh from it whenever it gets used though.

Remy and Niall start arguing about something in the living room - which was open to the kitchen - as you open the fridge and fill up your glass with more filtered water. As you’re drinking half the glass, the fridge still open and water jug still in hand, you caught Harry’s side glance at you. Your body feels like it’s burning and your head feels like it’s about to explode. Half of this could’ve been prevented if you just stopped what had happened last night. But you knew you wanted it. Question was if Harry wanted it or not.

You fill up your glass again, eyes focused on what your doing, then close the fridge. “Feeling alright?” You ask Harry as he rubs both his eyes.

“Might throw up,” he states.

“Gross,” you chuckle and walk out of the kitchen.

You weren’t going to be the one to bring up last night. Maybe he just didn’t remember, you could live with that right? Pretend that you had blacked out as well and go about your life as normal. Send Harry stupid memes and have him over alone to binge watch The 100 or make ridiculous jokes and sing along to music in his car. Things didn’t have to change because you two got a little too drunk and handsy.

“Rems, are you still gunna hang out today?” You ask while taking a seat on the couch beside Niall. Remy sat on the carpeted floor with a blanket draped over her legs.

“Yeah,” she shrugs, “my roommate had been seriously annoying lately and I like you better anyways,”

“You better,” you stick out your tongue.

“I should probably get goin’, gotta let the dogs out or me mum will freak,” Niall says while standing from the couch.

“How long are you house sitting for again?” Remy asks.

“A week,” he replied while gathering his things. The two of you nod and say goodbye. “Tell Harry goodbye for me,” he says, causing you to look around for Harry. He must’ve felt real sick, probably hugging the toilet for dear life and cursing Niall for giving him more shots after the club.

You had woken up an hour ago, Harry’s body no longer touching yours in any way. Immediately imagines of last night flooded your brain as you heard the light snores from beside you. A stinging feeling was felt in your chest as you overthought everything. Harry didn’t like you, he never did and never would. Last night he got too drunk and blacked out while his horny side took over and got you off. That was that, and now you had to live with it and ignore the hurt inside.

“Jesus, took you long enough,” Remy grumbles while getting off the floor, “first Y/N’s bed and now the loo, what’s next ya gonna steal my car to drive home too?”

“Sod off,” Harry mumbles as you watch Remy walk passed him towards the washroom. Your eyes follow Harry as he walks into the kitchen and grabs his mug full of coffee.

“Feeling any better?” You ask as he takes a seat next to you and sets his mug on the coffee table. You have to curl your legs up as he sits down, but Harry is quick to do as he usually does and grabs your ankles to let you rest your legs in his lap. It’s not out of the norm, yet after last night it felt awkward.

“Not really,” he admits, “Niall leave already?”

You nod your head, “had to let his mums dogs out,”

“Fuckin’ twat didn’t look a bit hungover,” Harry grumbles as he reaches for his coffee, taking a sip before setting it back down. His hands casually rest on your calves and your body sets fire again from his touch.

“Did you sleep alright?” you ask to fill the awkward silence between you two.

Harry nods, “did you?”

“Oh, uh, yeah,” you mumble and look away from Harry as his eyes are on you.

“Good, thanks for letting me crash in your bed,”

“No problem,” you clear your throat and meet his gaze. He had to of remembered, this can’t just be eating you alive. “But next time maybe let Remy sleep in the bed, cause if I have to hear her complain about sleeping on the floor again I’m going to go crazy,”

Harry chuckles and nods, “for sure,” he says.

“I am freaking starving,” Remy shouts while entering the living room again. You sit up striaght, taking your legs off Harry and watch Remy. “Let’s get some McDonalds and then sit and watch shit tv all day,”

“Works for me,” you say while standing up and stretching, “you gunna come along, H?”

“No, I should get home,” he states and gets up slowly from the couch. He reaches for his coffee mug and finishes it before walking into the kitchen and putting the mug into the dishwasher.

You and Remy get ready by the door and as soon as Harry joins you feel tense again. He’s not watching you more carefully than any time before, he’s not making an effort to touch you, he’s just slipping into his boots and jacket before holding open the door for you. Both Remy and Harry wait for you to lock the door then you all make your way downstairs.

“Are you even gunna make it home?” Remy asks Harry, who had to stop once outside to potentially throw up some more.

“Yeah,” Harry swallows and shakes his head, “fuck Niall, that fuck,” he mutters.

You chuckle and bump into him, “maybe I should’ve stayed up, seeing as I’ve got a bigger dick than you,” you tease. It was an inside joke. Harry sniffled during sad films and he complained more than you did. Therefore, your metaphoric dick was bigger than his.

Remy had kept walking towards your car while Harry stood up straight again and took one large step towards you. He was so close, and your breath gets caught in your throat. Flashbacks from last night flood in as you see Harry lips turn up into a smirk.

“Don’t recall you having a dick last night,” Harry says in a low voice.

Your eyes widen in shock from his words as he steps past you. He remembered. He remembered and he wasn’t going to do or say anything else about it either? You shake your head and turn around, seeing Harry step up to his car that’s parked beside yours. This was really happening. You and your best friend casually fooled around last night and were brushing it off casually too. You could do this. Taking a deep breath, you get into your car and start it up as Harry pulls away.

“What’s up with you two?” Remy asks as you drive down the street.

“Nothing,” you say with a shrug.

It was nothing. A one time drunken mistake, right? That’s the page you and Harry were on, right? Fuck this.

Hey you busy tonight?

nope just was gunna stay in tonight actually

Oh, well wanna start re-watching The 100? The new season starts next month

yeah sure! come over whenever

K, probably will be sometime after 7, just at work. There’s so many punks trying to play the guitars today it’s annoying.

show them who’s boss lol

…

pick up some liquor i wanna make it a drinking game lol

I’m down! You need something too?

nope im good thanks tho

…

Come open your door

Hello?

Y/N!!!!!!!!!!!

shut up i’m coming!!!!

“Were you in the shower?” Harry asks as you answer the door with a towel in hand while drying the ends of your hair.

“Bath, actually,” you correct him. Harry closes the door behind him and you want to the couch.

“Nice,” Harry nods and walks into the kitchen. “You use one of those bath bomb things I got you for Christmas?”

“Yup, it was blue and pretty,” you smile.

“Want a mixed drink or the cooler drinks you’ve got in the fridge?”

“Cooler please,”

Harry moves around in the kitchen and you click through your smart TV to get to Netflix to start up The 100. As Harry takes a seat on the couch with you, he passes you your drink before leaning back and relaxing into the cushion he claimed as his own over the years. He once went off about how it had shaped to his bottom one drunk night - arguing with you and Niall, of course Niall was more into the discussion.

Things felt normal. Not like he had fingered your last weekend and now you hadn’t talked about it since. You made up a few starter rules for drinks, ending up chugging half pretty early. By the second episode you were resting your legs in Harry’s lap and finishing your second drink.

“Bellamy is kinda a dick in this season,” Harry states before finishing off his drink too.

“Want another?” you ask while standing up from the couch.

“Yeah, thanks,” he smiles and hands you his glass.

It was the liquor getting to you, as you pour Harry’s drink a bit too strong accidentally, you were day dreaming about dirty dirty things. Screw drunk Harry last weekend touching you like that. Now with a simple look you got even more turned on than before. Before it was a crush sorta feeling, but like you’d always love him and want him. Now you had a little taste and wanted the whole damn cake. You crack open your drink and have a long sip.

How could you do this? Friends with benefits, that is the best angle right? You ponder these things while taking your seat again and give Harry’s his glass. He grabs your ankles and brings your legs up into his lap again - a giggle escapes your lips from his action. While the show plays, you have trouble paying attention. Harry’s gently rubbing your ankles and up your calves.

“So,” Harry draws out the word, causing your head to spin as you look towards him, “are we not talking about last weekend then?” he asks.

“Uh,” you’re so thrown off, “I mean, we can, yeah, sure,”

“You didn’t like it?”

“Uh,” this was really happening, you suck in a deep breath and have a sip of your drink, “I mean, yeah I liked it,”

Harry chuckles and lets his finger tips tickle across your skin, “yeah, stupid question I guess,” he seems nervous.

“Was it a mistake?” you question, the most burning one of all.

“I don’t think so,” he shrugs and keeps brushing his fingers along your skin, “it was kinda nice,” Harry admits.

“Yeah,” you breathe out.

Harry looks up and meets your eyes now. You take this moment to have another sip of your drink. You definitely needed the liquor to get through this conversation. You catch Harry let out a low chuckle before he moves your legs from his lap. Thinking he’s getting up, you sit up some more and move out of his way - only suddenly Harry’s holding himself over top of you, his face is so close you can feel his breath.

“How nice?” Harry smirks, “do it again, kinda nice? Did you want me to get you off again, pet?”

Your eyes flutter closed and then back open again as your stomach twists and turns. “If I’m correct,” you pause and take a few seconds to look into Harry’s eyes, “I owe you one,”

Harry states down at you for a moment, as if he’s trying to figure you out. Then he smirks and moves away from you completely, sitting back in his seat and finishing off his drink. You watch him, confused by what was happening - had you said something wrong?

“As you wish then, pet,” Harry’s voice is rough but then he clears it and motions for to his pants. Your eyes fall to his crotch, and yup there’s a growing bulge against his jeans.

You lick your lips, sitting up and getting off the couch slowly. Nerves come over you as you end up between Harry’s legs. As the show continues on in the background and Harry leans back while his hooded eyes are on you, it’s obvious this night took a turn. You’d blame the alcohol. Finally you suck it up and pull out whatever sort of sex machine was inside of you and reach of the button of Harry’s jeans.

You don’t think, instead you just imagine how good this will be. Pulling down the zipper slowly, you can feel his hard cock. Swallowing hard, you push down the material and let out his pulsating cock. Without looking up you know just how much harry is controlling himself by the throaty sound that comes from him as you run your thumb over the tip of him. So many things are running through you head. But you let them fade away as you lean forward and lick all the way up his shaft before closing your lips around the top of him. You let go on him and look up to see Harry watching you, the list in his dark eyes was obvious.

“Ready for me already, huh?” You question, letting the thickness in your voice stay in hopes it sounds more sexy. Harry let’s out a groan as you flicker your tongue over his tip.

“Don’t be a tease, pet,” he grumbles.

“Not being a tease, am I?” You say jokingly, using an innocent voice while peering up at him again.

“Oh baby,” he struggles as you blow out dramatically through your mouth, only an inch from his tip. “Just put those pretty fuckin’ lips around my cock, pet,” he groans and without another second to staple you close your lips around him. Bobbing up and down on his cock, you hear him groan again and again.

You should’ve known he’d have a long thick cock, especially after last weekend with it pressed up against your bum all night. But it’s surprising as you’re sucking him off, gagging every few motions as you try to force as much of him into your mouth. You like it though. The feeling of his cock hitting the back of your throat. It’s a slutty feeling, but it’s one you’re dreamt of before. Harry whimpers and moans as you keep moving, occasionally popping his cock out of your mouth and working fast with your hand only to have it back in your mouth again.

“Fuck, let’s it, take it all,” Harry let’s out a long loud groan as you push his entire length into your mouth and stop at the base. Your eyes are watering and then you let go as you feel as though you’re about to gag.

There’s no wasting a second as you feel Harry’s hips buckle. He’s close, liking what you’re doing to him as much as you like what he had done to you. You bob up and down near the tip of his cock, lapping your tongue over the tip every few seconds. Harry moans some more and you feel his hand on your head, fingers threading into your hair.

“You like it don’t you, being on your knees in front of me, huh? Like my big cock in yeh mouth, pet?” Harry says through clenched teeth. You peer up at him through your lashes, popping him out of you mouth but working his shaft with your hand as a smile curls upon your lips.

“You like my lips around your big cock, don’t you?” You tease back. Harry cursed under his breath as you quickly suck him off instead of waiting for a response.

You work faster as you feel his throbbing in your mouth. He’s about to burst, you just know it. The hand he had in your hair tightening, guiding you down into his cock as he throws his head back and groans loudly again. His cock twitches in your mouth, any second now and he’s be filling up your mouth. You feel it hit the back of your throat suddenly, the hot salty taste causes you to sit back and stick out your tongue as he comes. It all goes into your mouth, grunts and groans with each spew. After a moment you wrap your lips around his cock, causing another string of moans, before letting his cock free and swallowing.

“Jesus fucking Christ,” Harry mumbles with an arm over his eyes and his other hand on his stomach as his chest heaves. You smile, turning around to grab your can to wash away his come.

“Now,” you pause while taking you seat on the couch again, “we’re even,” you smile.

Harry let’s out a chuckle while situating himself back into his pants again. You catch him shaking his head as you focus on the tv across from you. There’s no more words, you know you’d sucked the damn life out of Harry as he stays leaning back in the couch with his legs apart. You can’t wipe the smile from your face as his hand rests on your thigh and you two continue to watch the show and play your drinking game.

“Ha! Murphy threatened someone, drink,” you say before lifting your can to your lips. Harry drinks and pats your leg, pointing at the fact Clarke was giving some shit speech to “the people”, meaning another drink for you both.

Any more of this and you’d be passing out soon from the amount of liquor you’ve had.

[glynnisi]

Infinity War- first thoughts (lots)

Spoilers, so don’t read below the cut unless you want that sort of thing...

I’m WARNING YOU!

I saw IW last night for the first time and am glad I already have tix for showing 2 (tomorrow morning in IMAX).  Last night I was a coiled spring, ready to go to pieces over the death of Steve Rogers.  Every time Thanos got near him I flinched. I get to watch it on repeat viewing w/o that fearful filter.

I feel so sorry for Loki fans!  The biggest trailer misstep Marvel made was having Thor say he had nothing left to lose.  That had me going into the movie 99% sure that Loki would die near the start of the film (since we saw the ships meet up at the end of Ragnarok AND since an early interview promised Thanos would shock/make us hate him in the first 5 minutes).  I was semi-shocked by Heimdall’s death, hated it but have long heard that Idris Elba wanted out of the franchise.  What the hell happened to Valkyrie?  No sign of her, and I guess that is a good thing.  I would’ve liked a post credits scene where she was wandering around NYC giving civilians classic side eye and preventing petty crime, maybe she could’ve been in the background of the Fury & Hill post credits scene  (could she have gotten sent away by Heimdall along w Bruce?).

Again, I wasn’t wild about Bruce Banner’s arc.  I get that Hulk felt fear for the first time and hid the rest of the movie.  (I liked Loki saying “we have a Hulk” in throwback to first Avengers movie)  But I’ve hated Brutasha fr the start and don’t want more.  Hints of that make me roll my eyes. RE fear? He needs to suck it up and get over it for the next movie.

I liked the Guardians w Thor just fine, esp Rocket & Thor.  Nidavellir part w Dinklage the giant (heh) dwarf was a bit slow to me, tho I loved that they delved into more Thor mythos.  I studied it while writing my long fic (Riding Out the Day’s Events).  Really liked that the dwarf called out Asgard for failing the nine realms... another acknowledgement of Thor history, unlike ALL of Ragnarok. :P   I didn’t like that Thor made NO mention of Jane Foster, would’ve liked him saying that he loved an Earth woman and though she’d moved on... Earth remained in his heart and under his protection. Would it KILL Marvel to acknowledge her existence?  I kind of feel like so many Marvel women have already blown away in a fall of dust... :P

I enjoyed Tony & Strange, but regret the lack of any Sherlock references.  I LOVE Peter Parker/Spiderman.  He’s precious. I always feel like RDJ gets the lion’s share of screen time in any movie and he’s not my fave so... meh.

Cap. Oh, Cap.  Oh, beardy & manly Cap!  I wish there’d been more of him in the movie.  Wish he had more to do.  His exchange w Groot might’ve been my fave thing in the movie.  The way he and T’Challa ran and leaped ahead of the others was the best thing I saw all night. And I loved his “save the day” aura throughout.  Cap is BAE. Noble and decent and full of honor!  (oh my!) And Marvel has forced me to watch movies through the lens of “is this it for him?” entirely too damned much! *scowling*

I LOVED having Red Skull show up!  Carrie was spot-on/RIGHT when she pointed out that the Tesseract sent him somewhere instead of killing him. :)

So happy to finally get a Steve & Bucky hug. :) RE Bucky, I also liked him shooting in a circle w Rocket in one hand. :)  And THANK YOU, Marvel for Rocket coveting Bucky’s arm!

I was a bit impatient w the way the Gamora/Peter & Thanos part was written.  Quill pulled the same over-emotional, gut reaction he and Tony live by (”you killed my mom”).  This time it was his undoing and took half the Universe with him.  That’s not really fair to the character, too much of a burden/lesson.  The parallels & contrast w Wanda/Vision were kind of interesting.  Wanda was entirely unselfish.  Peter TRIED to be unselfish.  Both were thwarted, but Peter had the chance to react and his reaction broke the hold the rest of the gang had on Thanos and kept them fr getting the gauntlet away. I honestly thought that Gamora should have sacrificed herself earlier, committed suicide when she realized how close Thanos was to success.

So, um, WHY did Thanos know Tony?  I think that’s a key to whatever comes next.

If there is just ONE path to success against Thanos, keeping Peter from screwing up the group attack is a step.  Putting Wanda in the fight in Wakanda  to give Shuri enough time to separate Vision fr the Time stone is another. Thor going for Thanos’ head instead of heart is another. And, sap that I am, I really think the biggest mistake was not having the Avengers back TOGETHER to fight Thanos.  I don’t know if they’ll find a way to hop/skip TIME or REALITY in the next movie, but... if they somehow go back in time, I’m working on a wish list. :)

Cuz, that ending?  FUCK ME UP.  It was NOT what I expected at all.  When I saw Bucky fading, I thought something had been messed up w TIME so that he would be gone.  And then others faded.  LOTS of others.  I was so SURE that Groot ought to be safe! :(  It was a spoiler of sorts to have T’Challa and Peter Parker die... there is no way Marvel is done w either of them (not to mention nearly all of the Guardians). Peter’s death was the harshest (pooooor Tony!).  I sent a message to my niece reassuring her that he has a movie coming out, so must come back somehow! I knew she was seeing IW same time as me next town over.  Anyway, it was shocking and stunning.  I felt like my jaw was on the floor and stayed that way for hours after. :O

I may REVIEW more after 2nd viewing.  Anyway, for me it was a good movie.  In my Top 10 Marvel flix. Gonna be a long wait until the next Avengers’ movie!

[hamphobicbasil]

Thoughts on Byakuya!

me, in tears: finally,

i am so sorry this took like, 3 days to write. i wanted to get my point across on how i exactly feel about this character in general

TD;LR: byakuya togami isnt a perfect saint, and probably will never be, but i find him to be an interesting character to analyze, and his character development should be appreciated a bit more than it seems to be.

and uh, its not like, perfect in captialization and stuff but look its late and i dont really mind rn

i remember my first thoughts on him when i played the first game were really negative. admittedly, i hated him when i played the game two years ago, hell my friend told me that apparently i even said something along the lines of “ew rich boy” 

but after kinda dropping danganronpa then coming back around and re-analyzing it all? i find byakuya to be one of my favorite characters. and it’s mostly because of his logical, analytical, and generally intelligent personality. that and the development he went through, but that’s for later.

personally, i can’t stand characters who are constantly letting their emotion’s guide their actions. i understand that character’s at time are going to have a weak moment that allows their emotions to judge the situation, that’s understandable and a good way to develop a character! but for all the time? i find it kinda annoying. not to say i hate those type of characters, i just dont really care for them i guess. whereas, obviously, byakuya is the opposite. he’s very logical during trials and investigations and mostly a big help to naegi along the way, whether or not he would allow himself to be considered a “helping person” in any sense but thats not the point right now. hell, during the 5th trial when hagakure had his “KYOKO’S A FUCKING G H O S T” moment i was practically banging my head into the table as byakuya was just “????? how are you this stupid?? how did you pass grade preschool??” (i know those arent the exact words or anything but i exaggerate for humor. even tho that probably didnt come off as humorous but anyways) and during other trials as well, he’s very blunt when it comes to conclusions and honestly? that’s needed in the situation they were all in. 

now yeah, that blunt sense of logic does backfire, main example being the 4th trial. but its the fact that every other situation that needed it, he provided it. and dont worry, im not forgetting kyoko’s logic in those situations, i appreciate her as well but it’s byakuya time. this goes the same for makoto, although he can have his moments of allowing his emotions to take his judgement’s control, it works for him in the end as development and that’s just who he is. 

the fact that he is logical and can keep his composure in most stressful situations is a big factor on what i appreciate about his character. although you could argue that this can make a character “weak” in the way it makes them seem less human, but for byakuya i think it works, especially keeping in mind his history and how that’s affected him. 

now i also wanna talk abt his history real quick: because i’ll be honest i enjoy diving into his situation and trying to figure out how exactly that affected him in the long run. 

so there’s the obvious factors: he was (probably forced) into a competition against his 14 other siblings, (whether or not he actually had an attachment to them before hand is up to you, but i personally like to think that he may have not exactly liked the idea of fighting his siblings to keep his title, but hey, thats just me, and i really read too much into things that dont need it) and he came out on top, which resulted in him gaining his superiority complex. but i like considering the tolls that took on him as an emotional result. because come on, byakuya hasn’t always been the emotionally withdrawn person we see him to be, i dont think that would be, in a realistic sense, humanly possible. 

i like really considering his background and how it all shaped him. i commonly wonder a lot of things regarding his family, seeing as its a major part of him. did he have to leave his mother to participate in the fight for his family name? did he even know his mother at all, or because of the way the togami family works, has he never known the concept of having a motherly figure in his life? did he know his siblings well before having to fight them in the competition, if so, how do you think he would have felt on initially exiling them from the family because he won? sure, its possible that he never knew his other siblings, which just made his success easier, but i have no clue on such things so, ya know. 

but that’s enough on his history and background. i could go on for hours about all the ways it could have affected him and his current mindset, but thats for another day. >:3c maybe idk tho

then there’s all the growth he’s gone through. tbh if he would have stayed the same as he was back in the first game i would probably hate him, but its also because of all the character development he’s went through that really makes me appreciate him. sure, in comparison to other characters its not a lot, but its the fact that he has changed from that snarky, lying, bastard from the first game into a less snarky, lying, bastard that he is now that really makes me like his character. 

i love the fact that by the end of the first game, he’s learn to appreciate the people around him and the relationships he has with them, i love how he grows and allows himself to care for these people by ultra despair girls and such. 

the fact that he was developed and grew up is what really makes me like him, that he’s grown to have what could be considered a protective sense over these people he went through something hellish with. 

and sure, he’s not a saint, i’m aware of that. i know that he could be a lot nicer than he is now, but in the long run and comparison to how he started, i’d say its a considerable leap. and dont worry, im not going to excuse his actions in the first game, or just his mistakes in general. ignoring all of that and even going as far to try and excuse it kinda just?? doesnt feel right if that makes sense. 

he’s a cruel dark hero, and that should be acknowledged when it comes to his character, but that isnt to say to ignore the growth he’s gone through.

anyways, im gonna end it here because this took me several days to put together and 2 rewrites to finish. i am so sorry anon, you probably wanted a super short answer with something like “yeah he’s cool i guess” and you got an essay. i am so sorry.