#I know a lot of people gravitate towards ‘bad boy’ archetypes but like.

[yuutito]

There is something SO sexy about a good guy who’s sweet and charming. Babyfaced, gentlemanly, innocent, heroic, wide-eyed and full of ideals.

[dourpeep]

So like, whose your favorite chars and ships and roles? *rolls all over your blog* I know you like albedo, as you should, but I feel like your big brain hides hidden potential of reasons

Ehe I have a lot to say and a lot of people to go through so...most will be under the cut. Like this is really just going to be me going on about what I like about a bunch of characters.

My works are a love letter to the characters nodnod y'know that quote--

Oh!! Okay okay uhhh here's a few of my faves and reasons:

Albedo:

There's a lot of similar interests-! Also being an alchemist/scientist is my dream.

His personality is very sweet and his interactions with others (like during the Golden Apple Archipelago) are hilarious and endearing. Like...the whole slipping away while Diluc and Kaeya were bickering? His little comment hinting that he had to yell at them while riding Dvalin due to the wind and their volume? Then every interaction with Klee (including his character trailer) are so wholesome uuuuu

Albedo, my beloved-

His outfit!! I want to get Albedo cosplay just for the jacket

Also his movements, attack wise, are very polished and clean-cut! It's pretty obvious that his style is similar to that of fencing, but then you also see that he often will condense his sword into pure geo or thrust it out in a burst of gold!! And his Q???? He snaps and then his burst just---bursts fourth out of the ground???

Man's skilled.

And then ehe...I just really am into the archetype of a smart, gentle, yet modest person and he fits that bill perfectly.

I can't wait to see more about him! We know such a small amount about him since his character story was intertwined w/ introducing Dragonspine and also more about him testing the Traveler--also we didn't get to play as him during it :<<

Xiao

He is a very gentle character who's been through so much and I admire his ambition and willingness and selflessness

I really like his attacks, too--the fluidity of his movements that ties in with his backstory and just his personality in general

I also want his outfit

There's just something about his character that is incredibly appealing--you see him at his worst with the Karmic Debt, the rawness of his personality due to his blunt way of speaking and the earnestness that he displays

Lots of quiet protection nodnod. You have to talk to one of the NPCs to find this out, but he helped a little girl get her doll back after it'd been taken by Hilichurls. He didn't have to do it because it's not something that people would consider important, but his duty extends beyond that. If he can help it, he will lend a hand

Also the interactions we have?? Like when he saves Traveler (the subtle shift of his grip on their hand, a little offer of stability) and then in Moonchase now?? *chef's kiss*

Xinyan

I LOVE HER

First off, she's a rockstar who's taken something and made it entirely her own?? Her guitar is of her own design too!! It's made to work with her pyro vision!!! Like how cool is that????

Her personality is strong, down to earth--ugh man she's so cool

I want to be friends with her so bad

She's absolutely strong-I personally built her as a phys dps so her shield doesn't really do much but man does she carry. If none of the boys can handle the job, I swap her in and she sweeps the field clean. Those mobs never stood a chance nodnod

Her aesthetic!! I also want her outfit. I want everyone's outfit.

While her en voice got a lot of questions/hate, I love it. I can't help but feel pumped up and ready when I use her skill and burst and she shouts out "Time to rock!!"

Her dedication to her music and unyielding determination to get her name out there is incredible, I can't help but admire her passion for music.

I just really love music, even if I'm trained more for classical + operatic ehe rock's actually my favorite genre so it's all the more better!

Xingqiu

Ah! The first time I saw him I immediately decided that I'd adopt him on the spot nodnod kinda like having a kid brother, y'know?? I think we'd get along well

Also the fact that he's a bookworm??? Again, I gravitate towards people who are considered smart--no matter what it's about! You could be incredibly knowledgeable about snails and only that and I will listen to you go on and on

He's a prankster! Poor Chongyun, being the butt of most of his jokes and all.

But like his character is really cute and I had a lot of fun listening to all his voicelines--there's a lot of funny stuff going on with him like his dislike for carrots, his handwriting-- but then he's also dedicated to his martial arts and helping others no matter the task! Very chivalrous indeed nodnod

A few of my other favorites are: Beidou, Kazuha, Scaramouche (it's a love hate)

Moving onnnn!!

I'll do roles first :DD

My favorite to play, hands down, are full on DPS and Support/DPS. Xiao, Kazuha, Albedo, Xinyan, Kaeya-- there's a lot but these are the peeps that I have, am currently, or would main.

I started off as a hybrid Kaeya main (some phys, some elemental), then Xiao's been my main DPS since!

Kazuha is incredible in tandem w/ Xiao because of his cc as well as his em buffs nodnod. Also Kazuha is just really fun to play in general.

Ngl, I think that getting and playing Xiao basically ruined all other characters for me because you can pry his attacks and burst plunging (very fun) out of my cold, dead hands (/j). The quickness of his attacks and playstyle--lots of poking w/ spear and then dodge + attack at the same time with his skill. 10/10 very fun, absolutely love.

As for support/DPS, this is more fun to do in co-op ehe. I usually end up playing Kazuha, Raiden (her skill gives all party members that passive extra electro dmg whenever you land a hit) or another elemental-based character--

That being said, elemental damage, when paired up to procc reactions is ugh sooo good.

Ships!!

I saved this for last because I know it's not everyone's cup of tea ehe. After all, I'm an x Reader blog!

But that being said--

I like the idea of XiaoVen, but I prefer KazuXiao because I feel like they'd work better together--this kinda goes over why. There'd be a lot of respect between the two.

Though, XiaoVen is really cute because they have complimenting personalities nodnod. Also froggie hat. And the idea of Venti being the one to play the flute that helped Xiao.

BeigGuang!!! Their dynamic is hilarious--not to mention that they do get along well but just so happen to butt heads often because their views are so wildly different-

YanTao! I feel that they'd be really cute together! Also Yanfei would probably make sure that Hu Tao stays out of trouble ehe...

XingYun! Very cute and wholesome--platonic or romantic, either way. The fact that they have matching friendship tassels?? Xingqiu seeking Chongyun out to read to him? OTL

I don't have any NOTPs, at least among the popular ships but I do get a little icky about AlbeRose because of some...unsavory experiences due to someone who overstepped. So ehe. We'll not talk about that.

But like Sucrose is really cute! I love her character and she's very sweet and the excitement that she shows with her research is something I relate to heavily! It's just--ahh the ship itself was ruined for me.

[theoriginalcarnivorousmuffin]

Why do you think Tomarry would work? I see a lot of people hating on it and the only response I ever see is that they come from similar backgrounds or people just like enemies to lovers. Also which horcrux do you think Harry would go best with (including Voldemort)

So, this is probably a more complicated question than you intended, but that’s because I live in bizarre head canon lands that few ever dare venture towards.

With that, let’s get started.

But What Do You Really Ship, Muffin?

First, it probably bears saying that I’m not really a Tomarry shipper. I know, I’ve written more than one Tomarry story, so if that’s not Tomarry what is? Well, remember that those Tomarry pairing tags are a filthy lie. October I committed the grievous sin of breaking up the Tomarry and throwing Tom at Harry’s mother. Lily and the Art of Being Sisyphus is barely a Harry Potter fic in any capacity, and while the ship is the driving force of the fic, it’s also this nebulous, distant, thing that really shows up only in strange side stories where I try to make people laugh. When Harry Met Tom is probably the closest that I take seriously, but I also intentionally subvert all your typical Tomarry tropes for my own enjoyment. 

The only Tomarry story I’d say I’ve ever actually written is “The Burning Taste of Fire Whisky”. It’s a very popular story, sadly perhaps my most popular on Ao3, but I actually loathe it entirely. 

A lot of the time I feel like I just happen to have a Tomarry shirt on and then I suddenly became a subject matter expert. If you want the Tomarry opinions from real Tomarry people, I’m probably not the best person to ask. In fact, if you want really any standard answer about Harry Potter anything, I’m not the best person to ask.

Now, I’m not just saying this to be a hipster but to sort of give some background for why I’m going to give the answer I’m going to give and why it’s going to be 100% different from everyone else’s and yes, sometimes, I do think I came from Mars.

Will the Real Tomarry Please Stand Up?

So with that, the bottom line is: taking canon as JKR intended, completely at face value, Tomarry doesn’t work at all. This is because JKR fully intends a very flat, one-dimensional, and frankly quite boring Tom Riddle. Tom Riddle’s evil, Tom Riddle was born evil, Tom Riddle was evil in the womb because of rape. He is completely and utterly irredeemable and understands nothing of love.

Well, that sort of sinks the ship right out of the harbor, doesn’t it? A Tom Riddle incapable of love is one incapable of growth, especially in a romantic focused story. If you try to write it you just get weird sociopathic whump porn where Tom probably whips Harry in a closet somewhere.

Added onto this we get that, despite what she put down on paper, Harry is supposed to be a straight man. That aside, he’s also a righteous man whose understanding of things like love and friendship mean he’d never sully himself with gross Tom Riddle. Ew, what are you people thinking?

Well, what if we take canon just mostly as JKR intended? What if we just look at the characters the way she actually wrote them versus what she was trying to do? Still no dice.

Tom might now be capable of love, be a far more engaging character who can go somewhere, and be pulled out of a pit of rage and despair by someone but that someone ain’t Harry.

First, while I firmly believe Harry is gay (gay, not bisexual, compare his descriptions of Cho/Ginny to Tom Riddle/Sirius Balck/Cedric Diggory/Charlie Weasley, that boy pants after Tom Riddle and Cho’s kiss is “wet”) he’s also a much worse person and much dumber character than JKR intended. It’s really the first that damns the pairing.

I have a whole giant post on how Harry’s a little yikes but the long and short of it is that while Harry thinks he understands friendship and love he’s also someone who will cut out his friends at a moment’s notice if he feels remotely slighted, uses and sacrifices them for his own ends, gleefully uses unforgiveable curses when given the opportunity, and is the kind of guy who would cut someone up in the bathroom, leave them to bleed to death, and only really feel bad about it when it seems he might get in trouble for it.

This Harry ending up even with a Tom who could potentially be redeemed would more likely lead to, well, weird psychopathic whump porn where Harry tortures Tom in his basement to make him pay for all the horrible things he’s done while Harry claims he’s the most moral person ever because his mother loved him.

So, yeah, no Tomarry for you.

But Wait, Didn’t You Say You Believed in Tomarry?

What I believe in are archetypes.

Remove what Harry’s supposed to be, remove what I think he actually is (one maladjusted, violent, dude with a whole lot of anger issues), let’s make Harry what perhaps JKR didn’t even know she wanted: one of those rare fundamentally good heroes who warps an entire story with the strength of their inner nobility.

Harry Potter is meant to be a story about love and friendship. Now, it’s not actually, and we sort of end with Harry being Jesus and none of us are sure why. Except that he apparently forgives Dumbledore and Snape for brainwashing him to be a kamikaze agent. They’re the bravest men he knows. But let’s pretend it actually is a story about love and friendship.

To me, the strongest story of love we could possibly have had in this world is the redemption of Tom Riddle. Here is a man who was supposed to have been irredeemable since birth, he has done many horrific and unforgiveable things, grew up in extreme hardship in a society that spits on everything he ever was, and is mired in bitterness, despair, and rage. Beneath all that, Tom Riddle has given up hope in the world and is now content to burn it down himself.

Harry, through the nobility of his spirit and integrity of his character, somehow managing to redeem Tom Riddle is not only a fascinating story but a very good one at its core. The fact that they are tied together by destiny as well as tragedy, that Harry houses a shard of Tom’s soul (and I do so love horcruxes), only makes it more so.

This is the kind of story that carries epics, and that is why I gravitate towards it.

Now, do I change Harry up to do so? Good god, yes. I wouldn’t say any Harry Potter I have written is anything close to the Harry we know from canon. Some are closer than others, but they always in some way deviate. That said, from what I’ve seen almost nobody writes the actual Harry we remember from canon, so this is a very standard practice I can get away with, without too many people calling foul.

Ultimately ending in tragedy or in the full redemption of Tom: either works with these base characterizations and the world is your oyster.

What About All Those Other Arguments?

I’m not going to get into this too much except that I wouldn’t argue Tomarry works for the reasons you list. At all.

On the similar backgrounds, the fact is Harry and Tom don’t have similar backgrounds, JKR just says they do because she likes that trope (and so do many of the readers).

Harry and Tom have dark hair, they both came from abusive homes, but that’s where the similarities start and end. Upon entering the wizarding world Harry is treated very very very differently from Tom Riddle.

Harry, grows up in this weird sort of pseudo poverty where he dresses in rags because the Dursley’s hate him but he never actually has to worry about money. When he gets to the wizarding world he can afford everything he wants. He can buy a new wand, he can buy new supplies, he can buy all the candy off the trolly cart. Money’s not an object to Harry, is barely even a concept.

Tom Riddle is presumably on scholarship and money is everything to him. He buys a new wand but likely all his clothes and books are second hand. He can’t buy whatever candy he wants, probably can’t afford gifts for his peers, Tom is very aware of the haves and have nots.

Harry similarly never has to worry about a career. He never gets that far, fearing for his life so much, but the fact is that Harry has enough money that he doesn’t actually need to work. More, who would turn down the great Harry Potter? He wants to be an auror, is afraid he might not qualify, but it’s not really desperate.

Tom Riddle is to the world an impoverished muggle born. He tries for the Defense position and is turned down mostly because Dumbledore threw shade. Dumbledore tries to make it seem like Tom desperately wanted to work in this weird shop in London’s magical back alley, but probably that was the only position Tom could get (everything Dumbledore ever says, especially in those pensieve lessons, must be taken with a large grain of salt). Everything else goes to friends, family, and purebloods.

Adding to this, Harry has this glowing reputation. Now, Harry might not like it, he might want to be just Harry but the fact is that everyone has heard of him and most people worship the ground he walks on. Doors are open to him everywhere. His first introduction to the wizarding world is from a man who loves him and gushes about Harry as a baby.

Tom Riddle is someone with a muggle last name, who comes from a muggle orphanage, in other words he is nobody from nowhere. (For reasons I won’t get into here I find it very doubtful Tom ever revealed he was the heir of Slytherin until he became Voldemort and let Tom Riddle fade into obscurity). His first introduction to the wizarding world is some asshole lighting all his stuff on fire because the matron talked shit about him.

Harry wants to stay at Hogwarts because the Dursleys are abusive. Yes, this is terrible, but Tom wants to stay because Nazis are bombing London and Dippet says, “So sorry, Tom, no exceptions. Enjoy those luffas!” Harry’s concerns are never treated with the same disdain.

To make a long story short, they do not have similar backgrounds, at all. To say they do is utterly laughable and not much better than saying “they both have dark hair, they have so much in common!”

They both came from abusive homes, yes, but even the nature of those homes were very different and when they went to Hogwarts they were worlds apart.

... So much for not getting into it, eh?

As for Enemies to Lovers, well, it’s a trope and people enjoy it but it’s not my jam. I could go into why, but I think I’ve said enough.

Which Horcrux Do You Think Harry Would Go Best With?

We see so little of the individual horcruxes I’m not sure I can really take a stab at this. I sort of just make up their personalities as it suits me every time I write them.

With that I suppose I’m partial to the one in Harry’s head? Given that he has a front row seat to Harry, has seen Voldemort’s tragic demise, I think he’s in the best position to end up with Harry in a meaningful manner.

Especially as, if you think about it, he could represent the very last of Tom Riddle’s humanity. The single shard of humanity that remained in him until the bitter end.

[damianfitz]

                                                 MEET DAMIAN

1. Full Name?

Damian Elliot Fitzgerald.

2. Preferred Names or Nicknames?

Damian doesn’t have any nicknames and he’s not really the type to go by one.

3. What does their name mean? Does it have any significance in their family? Do they like their name?

Damian means “to tame”, chosen by his father who took inspiration from St. Cosmas and Damian -- the patron saints of pharmacy and medicine. Context: the Fitzgeralds are a hoity toity family full of doctors, at least on his dad’s side. Elliot is his father’s name. Damian very much enjoys his name and likes to think that he’s very special and great things are meant for him because he carries his father’s name. (Unlike his ridiculously perfect older brother who is only named after their grandfathers, ha!)

4. Age and Date of Birth?

He is 18 years old and his date of birth is April 19, 2001.

5. Gender and Pronouns?

Cis Male. He/him.

6. Hometown?

Boston, MA.

7. Does your character fit into any well known archetypes or tropes?

The Chief? The Gentleman? I’m bad at archetypes. He’s also a very stereotypical Aries dude. (Me, pretending I know anything about zodiacs.)

8. How long have they been at Broadripple?

Damian has been enrolled at Broadripple since Freshman year.

9. What led them to apply to Broadripple? Was it a decision made by them or by their parents/guardians or somewhere in between?

Before his father even graduated from Broadripple, he planned that his children would attend the academy. They’re a staple there; it’s tradition and the Fitzgeralds are all about that.

10. Whether they’ve been at Broadripple four days or four years, do they enjoy it? Do they like Broadripple?

Damian absolutely adores Broadripple. He’s been fed stories about house Fenwick and the academy since he was old enough to understand words. Growing up, he fantasized about Broadripple the way some kids fantasize about attending Harvard or Yale. Every school he’s attended prior to Broadripple was just a stepping stone as far as he’s concerned.

11. What house are they in? Do they care very much about their house?

Fenwick. And abso-freakin’-lutely. He treats the house like he’s their dad and often refers to its members as his ‘Fenwick family’. He tends to go out of his way to befriend and develop close bonds with them, whether or not it seems like they’ll get along. Damian fully believes that the best kind of leadership is respect-based, so he’s relentlessly proactive -- always trying to take care of and encourage his Fenwickians with the hope that all of his hard work and toil will pay off in the long run. He 100% intends on winning the Clary Cup and getting his name engraved on the Clary shield before graduation so it’s important to him that his ship is always tight and out of trouble. #fenwickpride

12. Who do they share a dorm with, or are they on their own for the moment? What are they like to live with? Are they clean or messy? Early risers or night owls?

Damian shares a dorm with Connor Roberts, who he decided he quite likes so he’s been making an effort to develop a friendship with him. Damian likes to consider himself a very good roommate -- an ideal roommate even. He’s always mindful that his side of the room is tidy, with everything in its place and that his bed is always made when he’s not sleeping in it. He sleeps early and rises early. Since the start of November, he’s been a little restless for obvious reasons so he’s gotten a bit... nitpicky. If he sees something of Conny’s that’s on the floor or seems out of place and Conny’s not there, he’ll pick it up and put it where he thinks it belongs. He’ll also like, fluff a pillow if he thinks it looks a little flat, smoothens out the sheets if it looks a lil creased. You could leave your books open to random pages all over your bed and leave, and when you come back, they’re all neatly stacked on your desk and bookmarked and Damian’s just like :) I hope you don’t mind. You might have wanted to rest on your bed upon return so I took the liberty of tidying up for you. He’s just a little more intense than usual since Izzy’s disappearance.

13. How is your character’s dorm decorated? Is it bare or bursting at the seems with personality? Any particular sentimental items from home?

It’s very classic and masculine. All of his desk accessories are matching and made of tan leather and accented with brass. His mattress is fitted with fancy white Hotel™ bedding but his duvet is deep red because #fenwickpride. There’s a large monthly planner that adorns the wall that his bed is pushed against so he can review what’s in store for him tomorrow/for the week before he falls asleep. A bi-fold picture frame sits on his desk. One half holds a photo of him, his sister, and their parents. (Where is Joseph? We just don’t know.) The other half holds a photo of the 3 Fitzgerald beagles looking cute as hell bc obvi. Everything clearly has its place except these 3 photos that are stuck to the wall in front of Damian’s desk with tape (gasp!). One of the God Squad being pure having a picnic somewhere, one of Alpha being cute just because, and one of him and Eliza that he took that she doesn’t like because her face is in it and she’s laughing and that obviously isn’t allowed but like it’s Damian’s favorite so sucks 2 suck.

14. What is their favourite subject at school? Do they even have a favourite? Why?

Of all of the classes he’s taking right now, Damian’s favorite is World Culture. He likes learning about other cultures and ways of life; he thinks it’s interesting.

15. Are they involved in any clubs? Which ones?

He’s been a member of the Buddy Club since his second half of his Freshman year. He’s Vice President of the Student Weekend Activities Team. He’s also the secretary for the Student Council.

16. How does your character feel about Broadripple’s Unofficial Clubs? Do they know about them? Are they a part of any of them?

Damian thinks the Broadripple Boys Club is childish and in poor taste. He avoids associating with them if he can help it but he’s civil with them for the most part even if he thinks they need new hobbies other than destroying property, lives, and their livers.

He’s a member of the Unofficial Chastity Club because celibacy is important and you should always leave room for Jesus. 👀 (It's also a very good reminder that he shouldn’t listen to his hormonal teen body no matter how incessant.)

He doesn’t know about Broadripple Unsolved but if he did, he’d think it was a waste of time.

17. Does your character participate in any sports? If so, what made them join the team?

Damian is Swim captain and a member of the Cross Country team. 

The Fitzgeralds think it’s important that their children grow up involved in at least one sport because the physical/social/mental benefits are far too great. Swimming just happened to be what Damian naturally gravitated toward and was best at, so it was no-brainer that it’s the team that he wanted to join upon arrival four years ago. (It may have also been about wanting to assert dominance since he’s been swimming competitively and kicking ass since the age of 8.)

As for Cross Country, Damian’s parents have always encouraged a healthy lifestyle. They’re the type of parents that jog in the morning and make the family run a 5K every year. It was familiar. He also just wanted to be able to workout and not worry about becoming a prune.

18. What afternoon activities does your character do? Do they just do the one mandatory one or are they involved in multiple? Why?

Damian is an animal shelter volunteer. He’s a big dog lover and he cares a lot about the city’s furry friends so it was the obvious choice. He’d honestly do more than one if he had the time -- he was a nursing home volunteer during his Junior year and he loved it -- but considering his involvement in literally everything else, he decided to stick with just one.

19. Do they miss their home when they’re at Broadripple? Do they often go home for the weekends or do they only go home during holiday breaks?

Funnily enough, not really. Damian isn’t the type of person to miss places. The person he would miss the most from home is his sister, Eliza, and since she attends Broadripple with him so he doesn’t really ‘miss home’. He does go home every weekend though unless there’s a SWAT outing planned because he misses his dogs and his parents think it’s nice if the family sits and has a meal together at least once a week. Also often, there’s a schmancy event the Fitzgerald kids need to show up at so their parents can boast of their achievements and show off what good parents they are, so :)))

20. Did your character know Izzy De Santis or Maggie Monroe?

Yes. They were all part of the same Bible-loving group of buddies that the Weekend Warriors cleverly dubbed the God Squad. Izzy was also Damian’s best friend and right-hand man, so he’s terribly saddened by the sudden hole the Melleray Senior left in his life. And while he wasn’t as close with Maggie, Damian does feel quite disturbed by her sudden departure as well. He just finds it rather difficult to keep in mind that her disappearance is just as important as Izzy’s when Maggie wasn’t the one who spotted Damian at the gym every other day.

21. Has your character heard of Edith Lynch? Do they know the story?

Yes and yes. It was a topic of conversation at the dinner table once and never again because his parents think it’s that ridiculous that people have made it some ~haunting tale. His parents, having both attended Broadripple, described it as a ‘terrible mishap that people have blown out of proportion’ and that’s exactly how Damian chooses to describe it if he hears anyone speak of it and need his two cents on the matter.

22. How does your character feel about Nighmore? Have they noticed the recently closed shops yet?

To Damian, Nighmore is just your everyday quaint little town. He doesn’t see anything wrong with the fact that they’re all very friendly and always willing to engage in a bit of conversation. He just thinks it’s good manners. He would even go as far as to say the rest of America needs to be a little more like Nighmore. 

Yes, he’s noticed they’ve closed down. Though, he’s more bothered by The Kettle being closed than Hill’s Wholefoods. He was a really big fan of their lattes so it’s a bit disappointing to him that he can’t enjoy that product anymore. He quickly got over it though and hasn’t paid much of a visit to Nighmore since then.

23. Have you made any aesthetic Pinterest boards/WeHeartIt collections for this character? Or playlists? Anything you would like to share!

Pinterest / Playlist / Musings / Schedule

[yourdailykitsch]

Dylan O’Brien And Taylor Kitsch Talk AMERICAN ASSASSIN And Modern Action Movies

American Assassin is the latest entry into the action boom that’s taken over genre cinema. An introduction to Vince Flynn’s counterterrorist operative with an axe to grind, Mitch Rapp (Dylan O’Brien), Assassin could be the first entry in a new franchise looking to fill the void where Tom Clancy’s ace boy scout, Jack Ryan, used to be. His foil is the mysterious “Ghost” (Taylor Kitsch), who was trained by the same violent guru (Michael Keaton) who taught Rapp how to hunt. Michael Cuesta’s picture is a dad rock greatest hits compilation, where three familiar archetypes show down to the death.

We were lucky enough to sit down with Dylan and Taylor, where they talked about training for the film, and how they were careful when tackling terrorism within genre cinema trappings…

Birth.Movies.Death: Thanks for taking time out here with us.

Taylor Kitsch: No problem. Austin is home. You guys are home. I’ve had so many great memories here. Dylan have you watched a movie at an Alamo?

Dylan O’Brien: Nah.

TK: It’s amazing. Grab a beer immediately. [laughs] They bring it to you at your seat.

DO: Shit. That’s awesome.

TK: This is the first time they’ve hosted a screening of a movie I’ve been in, though. So I gotta give ‘em some shit for that.

BMD: So, American Assassin is part of this new resurgence in the action genre. What do you think people are responding to that’s allowed action movies to come back in such a big way?

TK: I don’t think we ever sign on in terms of just what genre we’re working in, but I know that this film is very “grounded”. That’s a big part of what I think audiences are gonna get out of this movie. No offense to John Wick, but the gun work in that movie…it’s almost surreal at times. It’s crazy.

But that’s part of the pulpy appeal to John Wick. That’s not to say we’re not making pulp, but [American Assassin] is probably a bit less “escapist” than something like John Wick.

DO: These are very real world topics we’re dealing with in Assassin, but we’re doing so in a way that’s entertaining. But there’s a bunch of training that goes into our motions and movements in the shoot out sequences. We trained a bunch with two and three gun experts to get our characters down just right. Plus, we’ve built this very personal story inside the narrative, where we meet Mitch, and we get to know what drives him. It’s an intimate relationship, too, between Mitch and Stan Hurley (Michael Keaton).

TK: That’s a huge part of what makes this movie work so well. There’s this triangle between me, you, and Keaton’s character that really creates this tension that you can feel in the whole film.

BMD: Now, you call the movie “grounded”, and the author (Vince Flynn) prided himself in the level of detail he’d bring to these stories. How did you both work to bring that authenticity to the project?

TK: Working with the guys who actually do this stuff. We had a special operative [note: who both actors referred to as “Yost”] who we worked with the whole time while we were filming, and who was making sure every move we made felt real.

DO: He’s the real hero in this movie. We would’ve never been able to do this without him. It was a real priority for us to honor this community of individuals who do engage with this type of counterterrorist activity in the real world. Sometimes, the only way the public has to engage with these guys and what they do is through film, so it’s our job to bring the details of their profession to the screen as accurately as possible. Even if its something as simple as how you walk into a room, we wanted to get that right.

TK: I remember, I had to work a couple days with one of the consultants who, you know, obviously wanted to get on screen with me. But they’re not the best at understanding that every single movement you make has to look a certain way or else the reality of what you’re trying to create is going to be lost. It looked so bad, though, that I’d go to [director, Michael] Cuesta and say, “hey, we gotta work on this”, and he’d send Yost over to give a quick five-minute primer on how to even grab a gun. [laughs] Because we wanted it to be real, but he was doing it so badly that it was taking me completely out of the scene!

DO: There’s a piece of the movie that we completely designed after Yost – it’s a moment that occurs at this local gun range where [Mitch Rapp] is putting himself through this kind of personalized training – where I cross the line and take my gun and start firing at all the targets, to really try and make a point of how serious I was regarding my mission. That was all Yost. He designed that scene.

BMD: So, how was it working with Michael Keaton?

DO: Who?

TK: Terrible. That guy is just so full of himself. [laughs] No, his involvement was what got me to sign on, to be blunt. I have a great admiration for the man…

DO: Oh, it wasn’t to work with me?

TK: No. All Keaton. But seriously, I was doing Only the Brave with [producer] Lorenzo di Bonaventura, and he came over and told me Dylan was on board, and we got Michael Keaton, and there were some other key crew members, but that’s all I really needed to hear.

BMD: But what about Dylan? His feelings seem hurt here.

TK: He was alright, I guess.

DO: That’s fair.

TK: No, it’s broad strokes for me to discuss – but one of the main reasons I gravitated toward this whole idea was the notion of an American citizen planning an attack on his own country, and the relationship “Ghost” has with both Dylan and Keaton’s characters. But with “Ghost” not being in the book, I got to create him from the ground up, and a lot of that honestly came from being able to work with both these guys, and it was just really incredible. I loved doing that.

DO: And there’s no bad guys in this movie. Nothing is done without reason. Once you learn the background of “Ghost”, and why he’s attempting to perpetrate the attack on America, you actually understand and sympathize with him as much as you do Mitch.

TK: The trauma that “Ghost” goes through mirrors what Dylan’s character goes through. But then you have Keaton in the middle; dealing with both of these men and the pain they endure that really creates this intimacy.

BMD: Now, I want to be sensitive when asking this question: but making a movie about terrorism, and especially an American committing an attack against his own country, were you ever really sensitive about that storyline?

DO: Yeah, absolutely. It was our first concern. A lot went into the decision as to what we were making. Terrorism is always going to be a very sensitive topic to fictionalize. But American Assassin doesn’t have an agenda. It’s not trying to make a grand statement or take a side in the war against terrorism. Yet we are still trying to convey a level of “grounded” understanding regarding its real world consequences. We’re commenting, but it’s not the focus of the film. In the end, it’s about relationships.

BMD: Do you hope for Mitch Rapp to get his own franchise? Did you even approach it with that mindset?

DO: Well, it’s like sixteen books or whatever. So, there’s definitely a potential…

BMD: Also the potential for you to be replaced by Ben Affleck in the future.

DO: If I’m lucky. Old Ben Affleck and play Old Mitch Rapp.

American Assassin is currently playing in theaters. Get your tickets

[renewedmotionforjudgment]

10 + 11 questions tag

Thank you @shenmeizhuang for tagging me!

A. Always post the rules. Answer the questions then write (10 or 11?) new ones.

B. Tag 11 people and link them to the post. Tell the person who tagged you that you’ve answered their questions.

My questions:

Favorite heroine.

Favorite drama trope.

Name a character that you initially liked but came to dislike.

Least favorite drama trope.

What dramas do you think should be 20 episodes shorter?

Favorite example of trope dissection/dispellation. 

Favorite time travel drama.

What historical figure would you like to see a drama about?

What type of plot twist would you like to see more?

What is the worst plot twist you have seen in a drama?

Favorite villain or antagonist?

Hua Fei, from the Legend of Zhen Huan/后宫 甄嬛传.  For all of her bad traits -- callousness, selfishness, a tendency to want to murder her enemies -- you can’t help but to feel bad for her.  And at Yongzheng for treating her like he did.  And I think that’s what I truly loved about Zhen Huan -- even the antagonists were fleshed out and multi-dimensional.

A honorable mention would be Ulanara Yi Xiu/Huang Hou from Zhen Huan.  

Favorite character trope/archetype?

Interestingly, when it comes to female characters, I am willing to give any character trope a try if the storyline is good.  That said, I notice I do gravitates more towards dramas where it’s “carefree young woman getting entangled in political drama and then internalizes too much.”  Aka Bu Bu Jing Xin, Glory of the Tang Dynasty, Imperial Doctress, to some extent Singing All Along.

As for guys, because I inevitably end up watching palace dramas/court dramas, I am a sucker for “I am a prince/emperor with all the duties in the world including polygamy but I only have one true love” type of character  (see above dramas).  I swear this post will not become my rambling on Glory of the Tang Dynasty, Part 3.

Least favorite character trope/archetype?

The Evil Secondary Girl(TM) in modern dramas.  I give the trope a little bit more leeways in palace dramas because backstabbing and all are I guess historically accurate (maybe? lol) but the evil second girl trope in modern drama makes my eye twitch.  

The biggest example I can think of is Ha Jae Kyung from Boys Over Flowers.  I have many many issues with that drama (don’t get me started on what they did with Jun Pyo that even Lee Min Ho can’t save), but the drama never gave a reason for why she was the Evil Secondary Girl (TM).  Yes she’s betrothed to Jun Pyo, whichl from all indications was arranged by her parents.  The drama never gave an indication as to why she’s so attached to Jun Pyo, other than this supposed betrothal that was arranged by other people. 

Least favorite drama trope

Love stories where the jerk of the main character (always the dude) remains a jerk to everyone else but the Main Love Interest(TM). 

Blackmail stories, like Sealed with a Kiss.  It’s not as much romantic as just plain creepy.

Name a character that you initially disliked but came to love

Wei Zi Fu from The Virtuous Queen of Han.  It wasn’t even that I initially disliked her character -- I just found her character really boring and a little bit insufferable by how good she is as a human being.  But then by the end of the drama I was pretty much HURT ZI FU AND I CUT YOU, YES INCLUDING YOU LIU CHE.  

Favorite multi-season drama?

I don’t really watch a lot of multi-season drama that’s not in English, to be honest? I guess if you count Glory as multi-season.

That said, I have high hopes for the 2nd season of Dr. Qin Medical Examiner. 

Favorite example of trope dissection/dispellation.

Bu Bu Jing Xin.  It took the trope of “amazing heroine that everyone loves” and shred my heart to pieces.

Favorite time travel drama.

Bu Bu Jing Xin again.  I haven’t watched the Myth yet (honestly, I know that it ends up super angsty and I keep chickening out because of that), and while I enjoy Gong for the time traveling palace Boys Over Flower adaptation that Yu Zheng kept denying, Bu Bu Jing Xin is just so tightly and well written, well acted, beautiful, and dramatic but never over the top.   

Choose a period drama, sageuk, or wuxia that you would like to time travel to

Most of the period drama and wuxia that I watch end up with 90% of the cast dying so I am not sure if I actually want to time travel to any of them.  At this point, probably Glory of the Tang Dynasty so I can talk some sense into Li Chu and Zhen Zhu during certain plot points.  And also because I feel like Li Chu occasionally needs a Get A Grip Friend.

Historical event/time period/historical figure(s) that you want to see a show explore.

I am not sure, really.  I would love to see an epic political drama of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period that wasn’t overwrought with romantic melodrama a la Qing Shi Huang Fei.

Name a show with the best (most intensive yet reasonable/plausible) plot twists.

Bu Bu Jing Xin.  I guess it was not a plot twist because I knew history and what happened between the fourth and eighth prince, but the deterioration of their relationship throughout the drama was actually made in a way that was super reasonable and plausible even though it broke my heart.

I’m tagging @cdramaddict, @dangermousie, @shenmeizhuang.  I realize that I don’t talk with my mutuals a lot, but anyone who wants to answer can :)