#Plus I think the idea of one of the beasts having a redemption despite their corruption is interesting

[screamsofanoutlawbrain]

I have the silliest theory for pt.2 of Dark Cacaos showdown with Mystic Flour. (I'm gonna just call Dark Choco 'Choco' and Dark Cacao 'Cacao')

Cacao is quite literally on the brink of following the rest of his kingdom into flour. Before Choco appears through the flour, reaching out a hand and picking up Cacao's sword. Cacao is stunned silent and is pulled to his feet by Choco, and gets his sword put in his hands.

Choco is basically talking some sense into Cacao (in turn, stopping Mystic Flours hold on Cacao's soul jam) before Cloud Haetae appears, angry that "How dare someone selfishly stop Mystic Flour from reclaiming her soul jams second half!" and Choco argues back with that it's rightfully Cacao's soul jam, Mystic Flour is killing Cacao's kingdom, and that Cacao is here in the first place to protect and aid his kingdom.

Choco, while using only a normal sword, fights off Cloud Haetae while Cacao is still coming to terms with all that's just recently happened. later, while Choco and Cacao are trudging through the flour storm, Choco and Cacao end up fighting the Dumpling Kings(those four Dumpling guys from back in chapter one), having a similar argument that Choco had with Cloud Haetae.

Crunchy Chip, Caramel Arrow, and the rest of the watchers wake up in a place made of flour, and meet Peach Tree Spirit (that pink cookie next to Mystic Flour on the title screen) and learn some more about Mystic Flour from a different perspective, learning that many of Mystic Flour's followers died when outsiders came in to find treasure, and how it greatly affected Mystic Flour, the isolation and grief that came with the years after making her turn to apathy and futility, almost forgetting why she cared about life in the first place.

Peach Tree Spirit tells them that they're in a purgatory for those who chose to become flour, like she has been for many, many years, but she hasn't moved on to becoming fully flour, she doesn't want to leave Mystic Flour alone when she gets there.

Choco and Cacao go forward deeper into the temple, getting out of the flour storm, and finding Mystic Flour in the deepest part of the temple, infuriated that Cacao and this new person (she doesn't know Choco is his son, she didn't even know how Choco got there) survived. Mystic Flour goes off on them, and Cacao fires back with anger, but not a physical fight yet. Until she says that all connections with people are useless, and that's what angers both Choco and Cacao even more. The fight happens, and at its height, a wave of flour is flown through the room by Mystic Flour, which is then combated by Cacao's sword (The levels of magic present in the room is almost sending him into that berserk state), and the magic clash of Mystic Flour's Apathy and Cacao's Resolution, making the Flour start to twist and form into shapes (that kinda look like cookies) and Dark Choco takes a bit of life powder out of a bag, and throws it into the flour.

Due to Mystic Flour and Dark Cacao being busy fighting each other, neither notice that the cookie-like shapes in the flour are starting to look more like cookies and are starting to speak. Cloud Haetae enters and witnesses what's going on in the sidelines, the flour in the air slowly disappearing as it forms back into the cookies who died from the pale aliment, and Choco helping them get a grip on themselves.

Soon, the watchers (+ Caramel Arrow and Crunchy Chip) get to their senses, and nearly attack Mystic Flour, but a scream fills the room, putting everything to a halt, even Cacao and Mystic Flour's fight.

The scream was from Peach Tree Spirit, now just Peach Tree, in horror of everything that is happening. Yeah, she heard from the watchers and dark cacaoions that it was because of Mystic Flour, but surely it must've been a mistake, the Mystic Flour she knew wouldn't have done anything like that! But it was true, the Mystic Flour she knew is nothing like the one that is here now. Peach Tree questions both Mystic Flour and Cacao, and points out the hypocrisy in Mystic Flour trying to take Cacao's half of the soul jam, Cacao has the soul jam to protect and aid his kingdom, a task he has not strayed from unless he has strayed from the soul jam, and that Mystic Flour taking it would go against her own (once) morals. This shakes Mystic Flour only a small bit, but completely shatters Cloud Haetae's view on Mystic Flour, and he points out that what Mystic Flour has tried to do to Cacao's kingdom is the same thing that happened to her temple. Which stuns Mystic Flour more.

Then, Mystic Flour and Cacao fully realize that the people lost to the flour are back (minus those who moved on while in the purgatory). This is what sends Mystic Flour into a crisis, while Cacao directs the watchers to get out of the way of any attack that Mystic Flour might make, Choco goes under the raidar for only a momment, staying behind with Dark Cacao.

Mystic Flour retreats into another part of the temple, Peach Tree following a ways behind, while Cloud Haetae leads everyone else outside of the temple.

On the way out, Dark Cacao, Crunchy Chip, and Caramel Arrow ask Dark Choco how the witches did he do anything of what he did. Choco responds that he followed them and that there's a few more people from the Cookies of Darkness who are planning to leave and are willing to share information on how to combat some of the beasts magic.

They travel back to the Dark Cacao kingdom, get the information they need out of Dark Choco to cure the Pale Ailment, and cure the ones with the Ailment before Choco and Cacao actually have a conversation about what just happened, and Dark Choco goes into the wild of the Dark Cacao kingdom again willingly.

[fanfic-lover-girl]

DBZ Thoughts: Vegeta was a more helpful ally before he joined the Z fighters

Make no mistake, I love Vegeta. Not as much as I did as a teenager but he is still up there in my top 5. Anyway, when you look at Vegeta in the Namek/Frieza arc vs Vegeta in the Android/Cell saga and the Buu saga, he was more helpful when it came to eliminating threats and preventing the rise of the ultimate enemy of the saga.

In the Namek arc, Vegeta was responsible for eliminating many of Frieza's army: Cui, Dodoria, Zarbon and 4/5 of the Ginyu force (or 2 of them since Goku was the one to defeat Recoome and Burter). And Vegeta was responsible for keeping the balls away from Frieza. Vegeta had decent teamwork moments too, albeit reluctant allyship against a common enemy. He takes charge when the Ginyu force shows up: coming up with two attempts to keep the dragonballs away and saving Krillin and Gohan from Guldo. He heals Goku and provided Gohan and Krillin with armor. Vegeta, Krillin and Gohan also have a great team moment where they launch an assault on second-form Frieza. Yes, Vegeta told Frieza to transform...but do you think Frieza needed Vegeta's permission to transform if he felt truly threatened by Vegeta and co.? Plus, Vegeta was strategic in avoiding Frieza - Frieza came to them. Vegeta has to be considered for the MVP spot of this saga, despite being evil still.

Now compare this with Android Saga Vegeta. He saves Goku, but Piccolo was about to do the same anyway. This is probably the first and last good thing Vegeta does in this saga that is unrelated to a mess he made. Because after this Vegeta is a total liability. He puts everyone in danger by confronting the androids. Then, when Vegeta had victory in his grasp and could become the hero of the saga, in the biggest disgrace of the entire series, Vegeta lets Cell become perfect. This put the entire planet in danger. If Cell was not a sadistic, narcissistic bastard, Earth would have been destroyed before Goku and Gohan could even leave the chamber. Then, Vegeta almost gets Earth's last hope killed when he rages against Super Perfect Cell (I think this was a great moment for Vegeta anyway despite how it nearly resulted in catastrophe). I honestly don't care much for Vegeta's interference in the Cell vs Gohan beam struggle because this entire fight was HIS FAULT IN THE FIRST PLACE! Vegeta fired one shot and fan gush over him. As a Vegeta fan myself, while I appreciate the character moment for Vegeta, the person who deserves all the love in this scene is PICCOLO! My man Piccolo always has my baby Gohan's back.

And Vegeta only continues to be a liability in the Buu saga. Vegeta is the main reason why Buu was released and why everything spiralled out of control. He lets himself get possessed and doesn't give a damn about feeding Buu energy (Goku is also at fault here but Vegeta is the instigator). Then, instead of working with Goku to beat Buu, he knocks Goku out and confronts him alone. Then, when he comes back to Earth after Yemma gives him a new body, he puts the Earth at risk because his feelings were hurt at Goku keeping SS3 from him! Oh, Lord. Vegeta's redemption during the Kid Buu fight was great and I liked his idea for the spirit bomb...but this is happening because of him in the first place.

Goku may act as the gasoline for bad situations but Vegeta is the gleeful pyromaniac who sets the place on fire with a flamethrower.

Namek Vegeta was a different beast. It's like going Super Saiyan scrambled Vegeta's brain. Trying to act like a Goku wannabe claiming he wants a challenge and then looking like a total idiot when his ass is kicked.

At least he had a change of heart in the Buu saga :). Post-Buu saga Vegeta is peak Vegeta. GT may have dropped the ball in several ways but GT Vegeta is a good ending for Vegeta's character. GT Vegeta is such a king.

[angelcloves]

Consider Luz also being a Werewolf (Or maybe a Were... Otter? Lol).

Either Hunter bites her during his first transformation. (So he has absolutely no idea what's happening. The idea of that weird beast attack he survived, like a month ago, causing him to transform tonight was not on his radar!)

OR Luz was also bitten during the initial attack and is now going through her first transformation as well. (So she has no idea either, she does know that she and Hunter seem to always have the worst luck whenever they run into each other though! Lol.)

The end result? Luz and Hunter end up having to work together to end their shared curse. Luz would probably be similarly motivated to find a cure for Eda's curse by using her own as a baseline, just like Hunter!

They have something in common now! She'd probably be all for working together with Hunter for a cure, plus Hunter... might not totally hate the idea? He was impressed by her ingenuity with the glyphs after all. Plus despite himself, he does relate to wanting to ease a loved one's pain by putting an end to their curse...

Cue sibling bonding moments under the full moon.

eh. i think i like the dynamics more when luz is still just a human. it opens things up for her to kickstart a redemption by showing him gentleness and understanding even when she has no frame of reference for his suffering. i think the othering is going to be really important here and i would want him to be effectively othered. it just wouldnt hit as hard if he had such an easy respite in luz also being a werecreature

[thewadapan]

Waterworld - Kevin Costner's Weird Fish Guy Mad Max Rip-Off

"They don't make films like this any more" is obviously a cliché, but when the production company spends three months and $22 million scratchbuilding a full-size floating village, plus god knows what else on dozens of custom watercraft, shooting most of the picture out at sea, I think I'm allowed to say, they don't fucking make films like this any more.

But what did I actually think of it? Ride your post-apocalyptic jetski over that "Keep reading" break to find out!

Taking the one-of-a-kind practical stunts into account, the script on this bad boy would have to be truly unforgivably bad for this to be anything other than a monumental artistic achievement. And… it's definitely kind of bad. But it's narratively self-consistent, thematically coherent, and manages to present a vision of its farcical setting which feels like it's had at least some genuine thought put into it.

On paper, it's something of a vanity project for Kevin Costner—but from the very opening scene, which shows a very complicated filtering apparatus the Mariner uses to drink his own piss, it's clear that he at least has a sense of humour about the whole thing. It's surprising just how much of the film he spends being so much of an irredeemable asshole, this absolute beast of a man who cares for no-one but himself. In particular, during the film's biggest action setpiece—where they wreck that aforementioned scratchbuilt atoll, at the end of the first act—he spends the whole thing spluttering in a cage, slowly submerging into a pool of composting gunge. There's a really wicked sense of irony to it.

Despite its often puerile sensibilities, however, this is far from a mindless film. Instead, the post-apocalyptic dystopia is intended to let us reflect on the climate crisis—in particular, the horrific ecological abuse deliberately perpetuated by the oil industry out of pure greed. The villains are a huge gang of "Smokers" who drive boats (and a seaplane) running on diesel—in contrast to the Mariner's sailboat. Their leader, the affably unhinged Deacon, is a chainsmoker who seeks dry land purely as a means of recreating the sins of the past: most specifically, he dreams of an endless golf course. At the end of the film, their massive oil tanker home sinks, and we see on its stern the words EXXON VALDEZ—the name of the tanker responsible for the second-worst oil spill of all time. This disaster occurred in 1989, only a couple of years before Waterworld would have entered production, and I really think you can feel that fresh fury at the people responsible: in particular, the Deacon is seen paying respects to "Saint Joe", Captain Joe Hazelwood, who was almost certainly drunk when his crew crashed the 53.1 million gallon oil tanker into Bligh Reef off the coast of Alaska (of course, Joe's justifiable blame was also a form of scapegoating to shift focus from Exxon's own criminal negligence). It's an incident that feels almost beyond parody, and yet somehow, Waterworld finds a way.

The ecological themes are also reflected in the blinkered attitudes of the atoll community, who seem in denial of the long-term issues of resource-scarcity and inbreeding. In particular, incest is deliberately contrasted against these people's xenophobia and concerns over genetic purity: it turns out that the Mariner is not quite human, but rather has gills. Their rejection of him is ironic when their own genes are being perverted to a greater extent by those very fears. Of course, it does not seem like that much time has passed since the world flooded, which I think suggests the possibility that the Mariner's mutation was in fact caused by ecological contaminants. Much of his arc centres on his own self-hatred, ultimately bringing him to a place of self-actualisation, self-acceptance, and redemption.

One of my favourite ideas the film has is the character of Enola, who acts as a literal McGuffin via the map to "Dryland" tattooed on her back, and who compulsively draws scenes from the old world, which surely she can't have seen… right? I'm not sure the film ever actually makes any of this make sense, but it's just so evocative, so well-used to fuel the narrative and communicate the themes. The way her drawings spread like rust over the cold steel of the Mariner's boat is such a simple way of showing her effect on his psyche.

Similarly, the relationship between the Mariner and Helen is presented with a remarkably complex dynamic—albeit with much of that complexity stemming from some of the film's most collar-tuggingly uncomfortable beats. Early in the film's second act, Helen offers herself to the Mariner in exchange for him sparing their lives; he refuses, but you get the sense that this is mostly because Helen is clearly revulsed by him, rather than out of any particular moral compunction. Later on, he seemingly prostitutes Helen to another drifter in exchange for some paper. The paper has writing on it similar to the tattoo on Enola's back, so obviously he doesn't want the paper itself, he just wants to look at it—but from Helen's perspective, and from the audience's to a certain extent, he really is just abandoning her to this drifter. This recurring threat of sexual violence—beginning as early as the atoll scene, before they figure out he's a fish guy, when the villagers ask that he gives his "seed" to a teenage girl—is something you see in a lot of post-apocalyptic media as a signifier of societal decay and depravity; it's in Mad Max, this film's most direct inspiration, which is a much more vicious film by comparison. Still, the theme of trust between the Mariner and Helen—who is clearly herself an outsider at the atoll—is strengthened by his inability or unwillingness to communicate. Often, the Mariner seems to want her to see him as a monster.

Through this lens—of a man who is independent both by his own choice, and by the deliberate alienation of others—the film's ending is not nearly so neat as one might assume at a glance. The shot where Enola kisses him, then runs away from him, is heartbreaking. During these scenes on Dryland, we see the Mariner reckoning with a choice of whether or not to stay in this Garden of Eden, or to return to the ocean. It's in one deleted scene, restored as part of "The Ulysses Cut" I watched, that Helen gives him the name "Ulysses", and the film explicitly remarks that this is one of the few nontransactional acts of kindness we see in the whole story. But aside from this name forever tying him to these people, there's this beautiful tragedy to it, as the sea calls to him, and he denies himself (or is denied by his nature) a peaceful future.

Watching this extended cut, years after I caught a TV broadcast as a teen, I honestly could not identify any scenes which struck me as superfluous or overlong. So much happens in this film, it covers pretty much everything you'd expect of its premise and more, and all of it is in service of the characters and world. I love the bit with the mutant shark, it's exciting and hilarious at the same time. The oft-remarked-upon cut twist of Dryland being the summit of Mount Everest is something the entire film builds towards, and its omission from the movie as originally released is unjustifiable.

Really, the only section of the film that I felt was genuinely mediocre was the third act confrontation aboard the Deez. It's this huge setpiece, this massive oil tanker swarming with rabid freaks, but it fails to remotely compete with any of the other action scenes in the film. I can see why, on a production of this scale, they'd choose to frontload their budget with the atoll material—but by this climax, it just feels like there's not enough gas in the tank.

Rating: 8/10

If you’ve enjoyed this review, you can find dozens of similar essays over on my Letterboxd account.

[melis-ash]

have you watched elite's season 4 finale already? what are your takes on caye and phillipe? no judgements here tho, just want to know your opinion on them

 Hello, nonny! Yes, I did. My opinion about Caye and Philippe has several different aspects (which a litle bit conflict with each other).

Lets write long post.)) Sorry for mistakes and typos, English is not my first language and I`m not really good with grammar.

1) Caye and Philippe story is feminist retelling-reverse of the Beauty and the Beast, where main characters didn`t became couple and The Beauty left her Beast not for Gaston other romance, but for her own path. And their relationship helped the Beast to realize his past mistakes and make to want to fix it, even if it`s too late . Comparing with many other things in that season that storyline was not bad. Really. There MANY problems with s4, I think the best stolyline had Rebe and Mencia, it was really good, and in my personal opinion, despite many flaws, Caye and Philippe storyline is second one for me. Kinda it was not really good, but it had plot, idea, composition and message. Writers knew very clear, what they tried to say, and despite obvious lack of screen time, they handle it, and this story, despite it doesn`t connect with main plot, resonate with main storyline on the level of their ideas. (About it later.) I know, Georgina is feminist, so I wonder, could she give some advice writers? Kinda “it can work better if...” something like it.

2) Personally I`m very disappointed how OOC was Caye in that season and how few screen time she had. For me Caye from s4 feels like too much different person than in s2-3. I wanted character development for her, but something more slow and realistic. S4 Cayetana feels like all her character development happened between s3 and s4 (and partly in special, which really was very good), and I don`t believe in it. Caye from s4 is good character, but there is no real connection with Caye from s2-3.

I knew, she was very upopular character in s2-3, so maybe creators afraid to gave her too much screen time. But also they still wanted she was part of story and write redemption arc for her. And honestly, anon, these two thing can`t work together well. When you write redemption arc for well written nuanced character that Cayetana was in s2-3, you need give character enough screen time and nuances. But it seems, s4 writers don`t care enough about writing S1-3 characters in character. In s2-3 Caye was bad girl, but also she was comedy relief (but s4 has very few comedy moments), she had family (where the fuck her mother and granddad now? We know only that her mother cannot work in Las Ensinas, but don`t know, why), we saw, that she did`t sleep almost, because she learn in Las Ensinas, worked as janitor and still hung out with rich kids. (I think I began feel compassion for her, when realized it). It that seson she almost has not other scenes than with Philippe. OK, she was pariah in school during previous year, but if writers began that things with Caye and Rebe friendship, can they continue it. Rebe and Caye both had problem with their love interests and they never discussed it. Only time they speak about Philippe was in 402. Also Benjamin fired Azucena, and wanted to expel Samu and Omar, but Caye still works there? And Benjamin still protects her even? Why? I mean, after whole thing with scam in s2. Maybe it because protection of Polo`s mothers, but it never was said in s4 even. It seems, Benjamin knows things about her story with Polo (like he knows about Philippe`s past), and it could be really interesting possiblity to bring on scene that aspect of situation and Benjamin`s character and him and Caye interaction. 

Also there is something with Georgina`s acting in s4, in most of scenes she acts as different character, so maybe it was and her (as actress) decision too. I wrote before, she is feminist, and maybe she wanted to bring more feminists vibes in s4 Caye, because it makes storyline works better? Given how few connection with previous seasons on script level her s4 story had, it make sense even, it`s just feel OOC for me, because Caye is not feminist at all. She is strong and ambitious, but she is not type of women what call themselves feminists, and when she said “I became my own Fairy Godmother” in s2, she meant that she was forced to do it. Caye was girl who wanted to be princess from old school Disney animation. In s3 she wanted to live and study on Polo mother money in London and was fully OK with it. When she refused their proposition, it was because thoughts, that Polo could be alive and even more or lesser happy in other school without those her messages, haunted her. Plus when Polo died, he thought Caye was with him more because his money than because Polo himself. I remember, in her first scene Caye read  The Second Sex, but it was spectacle for her schoolmates. And when she spoke with them about her fake rich life, it always was “look how rich and glamour I am”. Partly she spoke in this way because she knew very few about rich people`s life, but also there were some of her dreams. She wanted to be rich and and be part of this glamour life. In s3 she became in some way, and she had a lot of possiblities to understand how many shit, pain and tragedies can hide for glamour facade. Theoretically she knew it before. But she was exctremely poor, so it was a little bit difficult for her to think about it too much.

3) So I think more mention of Caye`s story from s2-3 could make her and Philippe story better. Philippe himself have same problem as Polo in some way: he is rich guy, and his mother indulged him too much. Caye saw how Polo`s mother indulged him and saw where it ended. Not good for Polo and many other people. Marina and Polo could be alive and Samu`s family could live with him in Spain, if Polo`s mothers raised their son better. Even if Caye don`t care much about Guzman or Samu and she never knew Marina, she had enough time between seasons to reflect of situation. So with more s2-3 reference that “matter of education thing” Caye says to Philippe`s mother could sound not only as sort of feminist  slogan, but as something very personal and painful for Caye. She was in love with boy, who was spoiled too much by his parents (like Philippe), and it brought a lof pain him, his friends, Caye. I don`t say there are not at all attempts include previous Caye experience in s4. For example, when Caye does google research about Philippe and finds nothings, she is still suspicious because she know, how easy money could erase some thing.  Also that thing with Pilippe`s mother. I think after conversation with her,Caye realized that Philippe`s and Polo`s promblems had very much same roots. But such moments really have not enough space. Guzman had at least one scene, where he speak about his reflection on s1 evens (where he compares Mencia and Marina). I would like to see something like it with Caye.

4) Many things in Caye and Philippe storyline feel offscreen. We know they regularly talk in school, but see very few of it etc. Actors have good chemistry, and since they both like fashion design, it feels enough for beginning of communication, plus Caye had crush on Philippe long before they met, plus she was first who was really friendly with him in new school (in some way it`s repeat of Caye and Polo story, but with more positive vibes). But I want to see more illustration, why Philippe fell in love with Caye so much.

5) Now about Philippe himself. I saw many hateposts and hatecomments about him, and it`s really funny, because I constantly see how many people in this fandom love Polo and think he deserved better, despite Polo is murderer. Yes, he killed Marina out of emotion, but she is fucking dead. She will never resurrect. Guzman will remember till grave that his best friend killed his sister and then was killed by Guzman`s ex-girlfriend, because policy failed to handle their job well. Samu`s brother was forced to left Spain because it. But it took 2 seasons for Polo to understand he needs go to policy and confess he killed Marina. Caye didn`t understood how wrong her actions were till Polo`s death. I don`t know how long was Elodie`s rape, but at least Philippe didn`t need someone`s corpse to realize his mistakes. Inside standart of this show that guy isn`t hopeless. “Everybody deserve second chance” was important point in Caye`s story in s2-3, so now I wonder how writers will play this card in s5 in relationship between Philippe and Caye. 

Also I want to say I was wrong, when doubted in Pol Granch acting, he`s good additon to Elite cast.

6) Caye x Philippe storyline and main storyline. In that seson Elite brings of scene, in additon of another murder and drug traid, sex crimes. Prostitution, rapes. It`s interesting, that connection here takes place through Ari, girl, who has serious problem with sexual behavior, when she`s drunk. She`s know it`s perfectly, but also she knows, that when woman says “no”, it`s means “no” and end of story. I really like her role in Caye and Philippe story and I hope in s5 there will be at least some scenes with her and Caye. Also interesting point were Ari`s word that she never report to the police without prove. It feels ambigous. She knows, Phillippe is not angel at all. But also there is other side of coin. I think, she also knows, reputation can be ruined very easy. During s4 there was subplot with discussion club. And Samu speak that ex-criminals cannot become somebody else, even if they wants. Their reputation in society was ruined. In final of Philippe story he sent Elodie his confession. So maybe writers tried to write about theme “can criminal, who admitted his mistakes, to became somebody else?” through season and I think they will continue it in s5.

Sorry if this all sounds muddled and too long. Maybe later I will make some additon into reblogs to this post, I don`t know.

[needs-to-stop-looking-at-valves]

Transformers RID2015 final review!!;

Oh boy. This was a long time coming. Let's go over what I gotta say about this show!

*pls note all these are my opinions, and may contain swearing/spoilers.

Pros!!;

Some bad guy designs. Take for example bots like Thunderhoof or Stockade, who genuinely look SO good? (I particularly like the rusty nail cigar detail on Stockade, THAT was some good shit).

The voice acting, on the whole, was VERY good. Yes there were a few bots who shook me (like Ped, that shit made me spit out tea), but honestly? I was impressed for the most part. 

Sideswipe.

Minicons. No seriously, 97% of minicons in this show were ADORABLE! My only complaint is that they didn’t get more screen time, if anything.

 The whole ‘camouflage’ thing they did? SO good, SO creative. They did other such creative stuff like this, (recalibrating optics, Springload’s acid skin, alloy hives, Uv lights, etc. cool shit).

How they made so many decepticons look like animals. Call me a furry, but I honestly like transformers designed to be animals. Thunderhoof, Steeljaw, Saberhorn, Stockade, and Zizza are particularly ones I enjoy.

 Denny. I demand he be in the next dream daddy update immediately.

Bumblebee’s night off. Literally all of it.

The fact that NO bot is spared from stupidity/awkward moments. Decepticons, autobots, don’t matter, everyone’s fucking gay and stupid. Fucking great.

Bumblebee’s failed rallying cries. So cringy, and I feel like they REALLY signified his growth as a leader.

Battlemasks. Seriously, I LOVE how there’s more of them in this series. I just wished they had more, especially for the baddies. Bad guys deserve to look cool dammit. 

Sideswipe’s OBVIOUS crush on Jazz. Fuck outta here with that Sideblade shit.

'Guilty as charged'.Literally everything about it. The twists, the background, the fact that they MADE AN AUTOBOT A BAD GUY. So fucking good of an episode.

Cons!!;

The constant references to tfp. The nods to tfp are few and far in between, but they do exist. One would think this is a plus, and the idea itself is, but RID focuses on all the wrong things. Like in the episode, ‘History lessons’, they bring up the base, but never really delve into the history of it, choosing to focus on the bad guys.

The character design. This isn't for ALL of them, but this show has an awful habit of making some characters too big. Take for example, Optimus. His thickness works against him, as it removes the lack of details that made him so GORGEOUS in tfp.

The re colors/clones. I get it, reusing some assets saves money. But the colors tend to be just awful, and most designs are VERY hit and miss. Aka Airachnid.

Bringing up tfp again. Now I'm not going to be like ‘oh tfp was first= better’, because the first isn't always better. What I hate is the fact that RID sort of ignores tfp for the most part, despite being only FIVE years apart. I feel like if they made this a separate continuity or MUCH later time wise, this wouldnt annoy me so much.

Episodes are honestly 90% filler. Like armada, it's very gimmicky, using a LOT of episodes to sell toys. The plot of the show is really just ‘catch decepticons’, vs tfp, where the challenge changed in pretty much every episode.

Speaking of decepticons, I hated how they made so many. Don't get me wrong, I love variety, but I feel like the designs of these random baddies took up WAY too much time, especially to just have them thrown out after one appearance.

Thunderhoof. I know, queen of hoof thirst, saying this. Let me explain. I LOVE him, but like many decepticons in this series, he was more or less ignored. Don’t get me wrong, he was given more time compared to most, and that I appreciate, but they gave him SUCH a background of a mafia boss, only to just demote him for the sake of Steeljaw. I was just honestly offended that they didn't do more with him when they could've (though DAMN he was hot in Decepticon Island Part 2, and his introduction episode).

Characters do not progress very much. Strongarm and Sideswipe somewhat did, Bumblebee as well, but I wasn't truly believing a character grew up for the most part.

 Decepticon hunters. I just don’t understand them. At the beginning, they were neat tools, but combining them just suddenly made everyone way too OP. I don’t understand it, and I don’t really like it.

This brings me to the topic of weapons. In G1 they did the handheld weapons, and that worked, given it was G1, but this is canonically AFTER tfp, so removing those weapons doesn't make sense, and it’s honestly kinda fucking lame. This is a HUGE gripe for me tbh. It wasn’t even that they couldn't, bots like Fracture had built in blades and the like, so ultimately, what's the excuse?

 Octopunch and Clampdown. Kill them with fire. 

‘Even robots have nightmares’. Not the entire episode, just the fact that Chop shop’s moment of kindness in that episode wasn't really explored, and the missed opportunity there ACTUALLY upset me. Even bad guys deserve redemption.

Speaking of, I hate the fact that only Grimlock got redemption. Yes tfp also didn't have much luck in converting the baddies, but there were at least ATTEMPTS, and I feel like having those attempts turned the black white and sides onto a more gray area, and sort of showed the audience that no one was inherently BAD. If they had that in this series, I’d be MUCH more into this.

Minasaur. Was just such a waste of time. Decent design, but the character was shit. He apparently destroyed an actual solar system or some shit, and yet, he can't properly control his combined form for two seconds.

Stunticons. They were decent looking in design, I'll give them that, but they were wasted, and rushed. RID has enough bad guys that desperately needed attention, adding these new ones was a choice that really made this show a struggle to watch.

'Prisoners Principles'. The way they covered the legal rules of Prisoners wasn't too bad. What WAS bad was the normalized brutality of Clampdown. Now I hate the fuck, but he's a willing prisoner. Bots like Strongarm and Sideswipe willingly putting him in danger just REALLY seemed like boot kissing. Don't appreciate it.

The episode with Dropforge kinda made me realize something. That the whole situation with the government could've been covered a LOT sooner. If they were going to touch on it, at ALL, they should've done it properly. You could've literally scrapped the stunticons and replaced it with issues of Cybertron's justice system. It would have saved them money on voice actors, and the thought of collaboration between Cybertron and earth would've been GOOD shit. It would've been a good opportunity to bring in Dropforge, who was genuinely a cool character.

Ratchet meeting Optimus. Was so disappointing, so lackluster, and really, really undermined their relationship in tfp.

There was SO many musical talents for some fucking reason. Sideswipe, Jazz, Steeljaw, Thunderhoof- all VA's were singers, and they did NOTHING with that.

The way the council was handled. I couldn't remember a time where I've ever given less of a shit about their characters. You fucked up CYCLONUS. How the fuck you gonna ruin CYCLONUS.

There's a specific post talking about this shows villian problem (written by my buddy bae, give em a follow), and there's lots of points i agree with; https://baebeyza.tumblr.com/post/190875674229/robots-in-disguise-2015-and-the-villain-problem.

They also made this post that I think has some solid points; https://baebeyza.tumblr.com/post/621992774922797056/rid15-and-what-it-could-have-been-waited-foruys of the episode. 

So all in, this show is....okay. I've seen it twice now, and both times, they have something in common; they're exhausting to go through. Don't get me wrong, it has some good moments, really does. But on the whole, this show wastes a LOT of your time. I don't think it's too much to say that you could cut at least 30% of content, and STILL get to the plot. For a show, that's a LOT. This is a show you should definitely NOT start this franchise with. Treat yourself, watch TFP or TFA. Maybe even beast wars. Just...not this.

Final verdict: 6/10.

[alphaofdarkness]

I wish to know more of your awesome OCs!! So, 19, 22(or maybe as an alternative if they don't, something you mischaracterize on some of them by mistake? Odd, but I sometimes mess up my own ocs XD), 23, 24, 26, and 32 for the OC questions!!

Oh! You beautiful person you! 💖🥺 Of course I shall tell you more about my many, many ocs! Hopefully I can fulfill! 🥰🤗

More undercut because this turned out to be very long ~ 😅

19.  Introduce an OC that means a lot to you (and explain why).

Aw, honestly all my OC’s mean so much to me! It is hard to play favorites sometimes lol. Though, if I had to choose, I’m going with two of them!

Samantha, or Sam, is definitely my baby and has definitely developed so much from her original self. Nonetheless, still the same shy, curious girl who has a big role to uphold as chosen Beta to her Alpha. Plus, being a Legendary Wolf Warrior of Light, even more so! Still, despite many the many hardships and obstacles she has faced, she is still hopeful and a total sweetheart. She just wants a settled life and live her with her closest pack mates. 

I have definitely put her though the ringer a lot, emotionally and even explored just several internal things with her. I know Danielle is meant to be me in a sense, but personality and emotional wise, I am more like this lovely Angel. Best girl and everyone loves her!

Second is definitely Danielle (my BsD self insert). Personally, because I have started to embrace her and give her more of my personality and who I really am. Still keeping her as her own person with her struggles, in some aspects, but giving her more of me as well. She has definitely allowed me to have some more self love for myself. Even if it is come and go on most days. She has just grown to be more of a gradual part of me in the recent years since I got into Bsd. I truly love her as she gives me a reason to embrace the parts of me I never would have considered so much or even just not like about me.

Self shipping has definitely also helped, I just love Dany very much and hold her close, please she may be stubborn but she is hella fragile ;;;w;;;

22. Is there any OC of yours people tend to mischaracterize? If yes, how?

Hm, I wouldn't say anyone has mischaracterized my characters so much that I know of, maybe my parents whenever there is a moment they see my Oc’s and just make a judgement on them on the spot lol.

I suppose me mischaracterizing my OCs would probably be the Seven Deadly Soul Sins? Maybe ^^, These seven, practically, ghost entities of the Seven Deadly Sins are meant to be perceived as the worst possible people/wolves. Their existence is the reason people do bad things and are the negative contrast to the Legendary Wolf Warriors. 

Take an old, unfinished draw of all 7 of them together~

I know what they are, how they behave, what their very existence and presence entails. However, I have come to the bad tendency of redemption in my line of story telling, I often find myself back and forth whether there is any redeemable qualities that should be given to them considering their very existence and such. Envy, or Evelyn, is one that I can definitely see having something on that accord, but she is still at her core bad. 

I don't know if I am saying this correctly or even answering the question well lol. But yeah, I say my Deadly Sin OC’s often can be mischaracterized in a way. I can definitely picture them being top favs if my story was an actual thing. I support the fans in all they come lol ^^

 23. Introduce OC that has changed from your first idea concerning what the character would be like?

I can't think of one I changed too much out of concern for what they are like that I can remember to be quite honest ^^, 

I guess maybe Wisler? I know when I first came up with the start up concept of the LWW, I never intended for him to be a previous Warrior. It was always meant to be Dany’s Aunt who possessed it and Wisler was just a precautious elder wolf who needed to teach her to better her powers, less she gives it up like his daughter had. 

Of course, the whole concept and idea, just gives way for him to have been a possible warrior in the past. If anything I just the developed the idea more and made it more of a tragedy for Wisler. Normally, the concept of being a LWW is meant to be a blessing, a gift bestowed by a greater power, but to him, after giving up his power and remaining upon the world, he just sees it as a curse. Pride only solidified that into his mind. Nonetheless, he becomes a mentor to the other warriors to better themselves and keep them from giving up their power.

Second, was more of a momentary interest in the Chronicles of Narnia and being ever so salty about Susan being left behind, while her family died and went to Narnia ;;;w;;; 

Silly thing really, but literally chose, out of all the warriors, Lidia to be the one to be left alive, from whatever scenario I had at the time, because she refused her soul gift of the LWW’s. It was a momentary silly concept, I don't know why I would chose her for this scenario at all, she doesn’t deserve that ;;w;;

If anything, the ones that I can picture are Yamato and Danielle, just because of their mental state and emotional turmoil under such a heavy weight of loss. It was a silly concept I had thought of once, and just cry little at the thought ;;w;; 

24. If you could meet one OC of yours, who would it be and why?

Heck, I would love to meet all of them... and heavy apologize for all the hell I've put them all through ;;;w;;;

But Jason~ most definitely...Not cause I self ship myself with him or anything but UwU,,, He is a sweetheart and a beautiful boi ~ I want to love him and give him a soft life pls.

26. Have you ever had to change your OC’s design or something else about them against your will? 

Ahh,,, All of them, in a way? ^^; my middle self was something else entirely~

I think design wise, most if not all my warriors, are still the same. Maybe just a few new upgrades in their fur shade, colored eyes, and maybe their human designs too. Most definitely will change more in the future, just for the sake of bettering myself to draw people.

Old, high school art~ Cringe 

Any new design change is purely out of being in a more better mindset of design and just development of what make them unique. I have definitely changed all of their Soul Markings, I have changed Lidia’s name from Leafia recently, Taka’s formerly sky blue eyes to more of a pale green, Sora’s former tail scar to the claw ones on her shoulder, etc.

Origin, personality and relation wise on the other hand, GRADUAL SHIFT! Some points:

Sora, Yamato, and Takaru are heavily inspired by the Digimon Adventure kids of the same name, I kept their surnames of the ones from the series for a long time into at most Junior Year of High School. Til I learned, if I want to make them my own, I have to change this entirely!

So Sora, Yamato, and Takaru are definitely different entirely from their original selves, personality and kind of design wise.

Sam was kind of meant to be like Kari from Digimon in a way, but heavily refused to name her that or make her in similarity of the character.

Another Oc of mine named Jacob Wolfe was originally going to be the Warrior of Earth before I came up with Lidia.

There was originally meant to be just 5 Warriors, Lidia and Jason not yet part of it and, surprisingly, neither was Danielle.

Jason was originally named Damien and was kind of, for a while, Danielle’s twin sibling... Changed that drastically and entirely after renaming him to Jason.

Originally, had some other mythical beasts living amongst them in the Forest of Dreams, like dragons and gryphons for a while.

Originally, played with the idea of the warriors coming back to life if they didn't give up their powers, but... after much though it just became more of a “too cheesy of choice?” Especially for an ending thing before the next generation kids come in, it was just not an option after a while.

These are just some that I can think of at the top of my head at least, I am sure there is much more scrap things in my mind lol.

32. Which one of your OCs would be the most suitable horror game protagonist and why? 

...God I don't want any of them to fecking die grueso-(I should shut my mouth actually),,, even though I will admit I did internally put my warriors into a shitty thought-out idea of them in a Final Destination scenario...

Ahh, may Yamato in a way as that stoic, hardened protagonist with the will too try and survive, Wrath is his counter self sin, I find that fitting in a way. Same with Jason, just because of his slight nativity to being a warrior and how he left his former abusive living from his alpha and stepfather. Oddly enough, maybe Sam? Just because of her ability to see the worst things to happen in the future, but I am not sure lol.

Am thinking of the new Resident Evil game I see floating around with some gamer youtubers and I can see Yamato and/or Jason in the position and setting.

—✨——✨——✨—

I truly enjoyed all these questions! It gave me time to think and reflect on my ocs! I do hope you enjoy some old, blurred and unfinished art from ya wolf girl~ I truly appreciate this and gives me the feels of validation! ;;;w;;;

[luminousbeansarewe]

what are your takes/version of how the sequel trilogy went down? because i also have my own version in my head, not.... that, but im really interested in the ideas other people have had for it

hoo boy there’s a lot of ground to cover here lmao i will try to keep them as short as i can... i also enjoy multiple versions of events and outcomes for the sequels as long as they’re in-character so i’m not trying to say no other version of the sequels is good or cool bc only a sith deals in absolutes amirite? (i won’t apologize for that dumb joke.) first the jumping-off points:

first of all, i fully support Force-sensitive Finn. even if he didn’t become a full-blown Jedi, if the entire concept of the Jedi was reforged and we don’t see him become the kind of Jedi we saw in the prequels (more on that later), i see him as someone who was attuned to the Force in a way that is similar to how i conceive of Barriss; empathetic to the suffering and joy of others. this would drive him to defect from the Empire and fear it, too. i also saw him becoming a reluctant leader for the rebellion, and there’s a GREAT fic which i’ll link here that riffs on the idea that he creates a spark within the stormtrooper ranks and more and more of them begin to defect... which i love

Rey being a nobody is cool to me. the ONE character moment where she became super relatable for me was when she realized how frightened she was of her own Force abilities. but i don’t think she has to be the legacy of Palps to have that. she doesn’t need supercharged powers to be spooked by them in a post-Jedi Order world where the most recent memory anybody has of the Force is Vader. (also Rey being a Kenobi seems more out of character for Obi-Wan than anything else lol he was pretty committed to the ways of the Order even after they were destroyed, plus he already had one kid to furtively watch over... just imo). this also ties into my expansion on the Force.

Poe being not a carbon copy of Han. i think Leia looked after him, found him somehow after she sent Ben to the Jedi Academy and was a motherly figure in his life. i like the idea that he was a little shit, and she’s the one who taught him to turn his reactive defiance of authority into bravery when fighting for the rebels. i think he looked up to her, wanted to be a leader like her. i saw him in the position of generals like Akbar by the end, as he learns to balance risk-taking with steady leadership. I wanted to see that growth, how those leaders are formed, see Leia get to impart her wisdom to someone. (also i fully support Finn/Poe and Finn/Rey/Poe, i’m not a committed shipper so i’m down with no romance at all between them but those ships are choice af and Stormpilot is all Oscar Isaac wanted anyway, so...) plus can u imagine the dichotomy of Ben the fallen son with Poe, the “adopted” son who became what Ben couldn’t? the guilt of Leia for not knowing how to teach her son about the Force, doing better half-raising a nobody who had the same shitty attitude as Han when they met but no Force ability? THIS IS JUICY CHARACTER CONTENT

Rose was given cheesy lines to introduce an important topic: that fighting is all well and good but throwing away your principles defeats the purpose of the fight in the first place (an important theme in the Clone Wars era, too.) she was there to be the voice of the truly little people in the gffa, who we don’t hear much about in the other trilogies. Finn’s sensitivity puts him at risk of the sorrow-to-hate arc i described for Barriss; Rose is there to be the empathy that sustains hope rather than becomes a crushing weight. i love the idea that she might rally volunteers from blue-collar places (like... Lothal, for example?) and spearhead the notion that the New Republic should be very different from the old one, calling out the fact that working conditions didn’t change with the shift from republic to empire and the First Order simply took it to an extreme that left her and her sister with nothing else to lose.

Ben Solo, hoo boy. so here’s the thing, we don’t KNOW Ben Solo. we were expected to want him to be redeemed because he was the son of Han and Leia, and that’s it. that’s lazy as fuck. him killing Han in the first movie (if it happened it should have been in movie #2, that’s how fucking second acts work) was an excuse to shock people, subvert the ‘i can’t kill my own father’ thing, and make sure we knew he was “evil” even though we’re supposed to also want a redemption arc? you have to read the Rise of Kylo Ren comics to learn that he was a) hounded by the voice of Snoke in his head from childhood, manipulated by it, which is horrific bc it’s like grooming... or b) that he felt HUGE pressure as a legacy Force-user to save the galaxy, lead the New Jedi Order, etc. these are much more empathy-generating and we should have learned them in TFA. echoes of Anakin much? which is why i think him being redeemed in a way other than self-sacrifice (which made sense for Vader given his long history of being a terrible person, knowing it was too late for him in the end, and really just wanting to save his son rather than “become good again”) is more interesting than him just falling (which is too much the same as the prequels.)

it should have been Finn’s call, a moment of Truth that held the balance of Finn as either falling prey to darkness or learning forgiveness, whether or not Kylo got redeemed. Finn and Rey working together to get to that point while Rose and Poe took on the military aspect of the Big Finale would have been great. Finn with a lightsaber to Kylo’s throat, feeling the temptation to murder him instead of making him face what he’s become in a meaningful way? Rey trying to urge him away from darkness as she’s been tempted before, but this is the first time Finn’s really been tested, and he was the one who so often reminded her of her own humanity? Rey calling up Rose’s point of creating a new paradigm instead of recreating the old one, of Poe’s growth or Leia’s willingness to take Ben back showing it’s possible? shiiiiiiit

the rest is going under a cut!

SO... given those things as a basis...

there being no scene where Force-ghost Anakin bops Kylo on the head (but you know, more subtly and with gorgeous metaphor ofc) was a travesty. we needed some version of that, also imo that reaffirms that Anakin was the chosen one... as him redirecting his grandson away from that path would be restoring hella balance

Snoke should have had his own fucked up backstory, if he was even there at all. a dark sider fucking with Ben Solo is reasonable to me, but Snoke could have been someone who looked up to Palps as much as Kylo supposedly looked up to Vader. that would have been interesting... maybe there are multiple “nobodies” who are being touched by the Force, just like there always were in the prequels era, but some are going dark with no Jedi to try to convince them otherwise? or, maybe Snoke’s life was ruined by the Empire and he chose to become the beast that harmed him, whereas Kylo becomes the version where you think you want to do that but then realize that it’s just as bad and you still have empathy and regret what you’ve done?

Thrawn being the main military antagonist, since they couldn’t be arsed to make Hux into anything but a sniveling baby fascist (despite his really upsetting backstory of an abusive father, also found in the comics... noticing a trend here?). Thrawn was already established and beloved in the legends. why would you not use him. whY?? he’s like a foil for Tarkin. contention between him and the Force-users in charge (Snoke and Kylo) would have been VERY interesting, esp with the character of Thrawn in the new canon seeing the Empire as a ‘necessary evil’ and now maybe having the potential to make it into something else? how’s JOINING WITH THE NEW REPUBLIC for a subversion of the classic tropes, Rian?????? you fucker????

if Thrawn’s history is “too storied” for a bunch of cowards to "fit” into a new movie trilogy, invent another antivillain to take Thrawn’s place whose history is a little more concurrent with the sequel era... you cowards

Luke fucking off after his failure isn’t out of character IMO. he was THE STRONGEST JEDI EVER and his star pupil still fell? maybe he broke under the same pressure Ben did. maybe that’s what allows him to reach back out towards Kylo and reconnect, admitting his failure. i want to hear more about him cutting himself off from the Force bc i LOVE KOTOR 2 and Kreia, but maybe that’s too much for one trilogy to delve into meaningfully, i dunno

Han fucking off after Ben wrecked the temple isn’t OOC either. i think Han was always a little frightened of the Force, the way many non-sensitives are. I think he was critical as a father, because he was critical of himself and Han is the king of projection. i wanted more of the dysfunctional relationship between him and Ben.

if Kylo kills Han, the scene needs to show more of the fact that Kylo actually regretted it, which Snoke only alludes to in TLJ, foreshadowing his future. i rewrote Han’s death scene for a friend and got a lot of good feedback about it so maybe i’ll post it here sometime. i can get behind a version where he doesn’t die, too, i just haven’t fleshed it out in my own head.

i like the idea that the Jedi Order needed to be remade, and that Luke saw the failure of the old order when he saw Ben turn like so many of the Jedi in the Order did. i like that Rey and Finn might spearhead this, and maybe Kylo’s role is to know the dark side intimately enough now that he can actually teach how it works, how to deal with it... how inevitable its temptation is. because...

in this canon, i don’t think the Force has light or darkness. i think it’s Force-users who do. it is their internal landscapes which cause them to “fall” or be redeemed or not, after all. Finn can attest to the same, so can Rey and Luke... so like, all the Jedi need DBT therapy or something i guess. lmao hold the dialectic, you nerds

the Force has shown time and time again that it cannot be “balanced” so maybe it is ourselves who need to become balanced instead

the Force is chaos, a never-ending series of colliding butterfly effects that to us will always and inevitably be seen as turmoil, cause and effect on a cosmic scale. if you drink too greedily of its power, or try to exert total control over it, by its nature it will consume you because it is beyond your mortal ken. whatever you hunger for, the force will give you more and more of it until you are overwhelmed, drowning in it

this is why peace was a central teaching of the Jedi... peace, the antithesis of chaos, which can only ever be created from within, the eye of the storm which must be sought time and time again

anyway thanks for coming to my ted talk? i’m always down to hear other people’s ideas for these characters tbh. and always down to get more into these topics if you want to know more... esp as it relates to the failure of the Jedi Order, or KOTOR 2 and Revan and Kreia, or OF COURSE my OCs because Sol has a very interesting relationship with the Force.

thank you for this ask lordimperius!! ^_^

[clonetrooper1403]

Star Wars Personal Canon

I recived a bounch of notes htat people liked my headcanon about the Episode IX Duel of fates, and many have being asking about other headcanons of mine, if you are interested in my opinion, I decided to give you how I like to see SW univers.

There is so much content so Ill just mencion those whose I am familiar. Including some media I decided to investigate myself.

PRE-PREQUELS ERA

-SWTOR Canon

-KOTOR Canon

The idea of an ARMY of Sith Lords fights against an ARMY of jedi knights is too awesome to be ignored, also the lore of the Old republic or the pureblood Sith specie. Besides, all that was 4000 years before the actual saga, so you can put it in without messing with the actual canon.  And accepting this I also accept the “background” lore, like the Great Hyperspace War or the Rakata Empire

PREQUELS ERA

-PHANTOM MENACE Canon, expect for the midichlorians part, really, in there you are trying to explain MAGIC with SCIENCE and that just sound dumb…by extension, EVERY mention of the midichlorians are not canon for me…I just change it by “the force is strong in *insert subject in here*”

-ATTACK OF THE CLONES Canon

-REPUBLIC COMMANDO Canon…and it NEED a remake…or a sequel

-BATTLEFRONT 2 (PS2) Im afraid I cannot consider it canon, beside how much I LOVE the 501 trooper missions intros…in there the clones already know they would betray the jedi (was before canonized the chips lore) BUT I canonize how the still clones stormtroopers had to face a clone uprising in Kamino, that would explain why the new Stormtroopers will be recluted by civilians and indoctrinate

-THE CLONE WARS (3D SHOW) Canon

-CLONE WARS (ANIMATED SERIE) Even if I LOVE…LOVE I TELL YOU! the show and the animation, I can´t consider it canon…BUT there is some scenes that I consider it happened during the canon clone wars out of screen, like:

This guy:

Anakin Jedi Knight conversion

Anakin’s quest on Neelvan

Mace Windu being awesome

Grievous debout

Grievous kidnapping Palpatine (And Shaak Ti failure):

-REVENGE OF THE SITH Canon, but that also include a couple of deleted scenes:

Shaak Ti’s death for her failure:

Padme, Bail Organa and Mon Mothra secret meeting, being the firs “Rebel” Cell.

An early concept that showed Padme trying to kill Anakin with a dagger in Mustafar after realice what he did, I consider it a plus in Vader’s inner conflicts and remose.

ORIGINAL TRYLOGY ERA

-THE FORCE UNLEASHED Not canon Even if I liked the idea of Vader rising an apprentice in order to kill his master, I think comics and novels shows that plan much better and more subtle…beside, starkiller can lift star destroyers, and shows how HE created the rebellion. Too much power and value for just one guy

-JEDI FALLEN ORDER Canon

-REBELS Canon

-HAN SOLO MOVIE Canon

-ROGUE ONE Canon

-A NEW HOPE Canon

-EMPIRE STRIKES BACK Canon (But I can live without Leia and Luke kiss)

-RETURN OF THE JEDI Canon

-MARA JADE I dont know all the details in legends, but I kinda like the idea of a romance between a jedi an almost-sith (an inspiration for my ocs) so I consider a rival-lover relationship durin the first years after the defeating of the empire and Mara being an inquisitor or a backup Vader. Before her death in a redemption situation or something like that.

-AFTERMATH SAGA I didn’t read them, but I saw some critics and fragments, I kinda like the reasons why Palpatine created a plan B with the First Order (And even if their reasons are selfish and insane, it suits on him) and also there is some fragments that show what happened with some secondary characters, like Jar Jar, Boba Fett or The Rancor’s Beast master of Jabba’s Palace (The last one is actually a pretty cute story) So is mostly Canon for me despite how much I hate ROTS

SEQUELS ERA

-BATTLEFRONT 2 (2017) The Inferno squad campaing, beside plenty of fans didn’t enjoy it…I kinda like the characters (specially the Duros Shriv) adn the plot so is canon for me.

-MANDALORIAN Canon

-RESISTANCE Still have to watch it…but As I know, there is no reason for not consider it canon

-FORCE AWAKENS Canon

-LAST JEDI Canon, but I can’t take seriously Leia’s force pull in the void space…I...I just can’t

-RISE OF THE SKYWALKER No-Canon

-DUEL OF THE FATES by Colin Trevorrow Canon

OTHERS

-COMICS Of course this would be too long, but most of the comics (new canon and legends) are short tales of plenty different characters, protagonist and secondaries, so even if I would have to read and make a review one by one, I think I would consider it most of them canon.

- THIS BOOKS If you have the chance, read them, because is a great add to any SW fan and I consider them canon, specially the characters handnotes

-LIGHTSABERS AND KYBER CRYSTALS Legends showed much more diferent kind of lightsabers, not only the crossguard, double blade and curve handle…Im talking about lightspears, protoblades…even light tonfas…and I think is a really cool idea.

The color Kyber Cristal for me would include almost all the espectrum, yellow, White, orange, purple and pink being rare  and Green and blue palettes being the most common. 

The red palettes would be obtain only after corrupted a crystal, making it “bleed”.

So...ALL my SW content would be mostly based on this data...if you read untill here, thanks and hope you respect my choice.

May the force be with you.

[templarhalo]

Templarhalo reviews Birds of Prey. (It’s pretty fantabulous)

HERE BE SPOILERS YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED

Ok without this movie, I would have not been a Cassandra Cain fan.  I would have not four, yes four ongoing fics with her as the main character.  I would not be emotionally and financially invested in the DC cinematic universe or the comics side of things. 

Which baffles me because this movie is perfect in almost every aspect,...   Except how they treated Cassandra Cain.   Which  is a fucking shame because her actress is perfect, her chemistry and relationship with Harley is perfect, and the idea of Cass growing up as this pickpocket foster kid, taken in by Harley is unconventional, but I fucking love it. 

Here’s a brief summary. After breaking up with the Joker  Harley Quinn has to make her own way as the strong, badass, indepent woman we all know she is, while dealing with the fact that without Mistah J’s  fell reputation as his significant other to shield her, a lot of people want her raped, tortured, killed and left for the crows…  Not necessarily in that order.    

To get these people off her back and save her own skin, from one of them, the infamous Black Mask. Harley agrees to recover the Bertinelli Diamond, a diamond encoded with the info for a source of 30 million dollars, Black Mask needs to fiance his take over of Gotham. Which was pickpocketed from one of his associates by our Lady and savior Cass.   

The problem is, Cass kind of ate it( (I shit you not) and Black Mask’s guys would rather cut it out of her than wait for the poor kid to take a dump   Not to mention Detective tReene Montoya (played by her Gotham Actress, which would have been a nice bit of world building if Gotham was actually in the movie continuity) building a case against Black Mask, with the aid of Black Canary   Plus Huntress is indirectly gunning for him and Harley in her own quest for revenge.   All these plot points converge into  a very satisfying climax and fight scene with a somewhat  emotionally satisfying ending. 

From  a technical standpoint this film is a spectacle.   Gotham in the day is colorful but rundown, with markets, suave evil bad guy clubs, dilapidated Chinese restaurants and abandoned amusement parks.   The fight scenes are AMAZING  with a wonderful tension and energy that makes them incredibly visualising satisfying.  Everything flows, the ladies move with an enthralling  grace that makes them breaking bones, crushing legs,and tearing through people visceral and heartstopping.  (And arousing. Like goddamn Jurnee Smollett-Bell could kill me with her legs and I’d thank her)

The problem, is none of this applies to  Cass, and this is the films major flaw besides how short it is. (One hour and forty five minutes).  If you had problems with how Harley was handled in Suicide Squad, the movie fixes it.  Black Canary gets a short but satisfying emotional arc that feels natural. She goes from a cynical, lethargic woman, content to be Black Masks “Little Bird”; A singer at his club, driver and symbol of his power/dominance over other women until her own conscience kicks in at Harley and Cass’ predicament.  Huntress also has a short but satisfying arc in which she gets her vengeance on the people who murdered her family and clearly finds a new one to fill the hole in her life, in the form of the Birds.  Reene and her portrayal is a love letter to the 80s cop/hard boiled detectives, a pure, simultaneously complicated/uncomplicated woman seeking to do good for Gotham.       

But Cass… Doesn’t feel like Cass and is criminally underutilized except as a walking mcguffin by dint of eating the Mcguffin.   She’s introduced to us a snarky tween, stuck in a cycle of shitty foster homes and a pickpocket to get by.  And that’s it.  T

here are moments where you think she'll get a cool fight scene.  Moments where you think she’ll have an emotional heart to heart with Harley,   moments where you think…she’ll do something besides run from the bad guys and get saved by the Birds of Prey/Her four moms. 

 In the end she drives into the sunset with Harley and Bruce the Hyena, but it doesn’t feel earned, satisfying as the scene is.  There is nothing implying or hinting she’s the daughter of two of the deadliest assassins in the DC universe, nothing about her running away from David Cain, nothing on her learning disabilities/selective mutism  and NOTHING, setting her up to be adopted by Batman and become Batgirl 

And this is a fucking shame, because Ella Jay Basco has a real chemistry with Margert and the rest of the cast.  She’s adorable, funny, snarky and wonderful as Cass. She brings energy and spunk and I would cut off my left hand, to see her act as Cassandra Cain, not this  generic punk kid with the name.

And I feel like this is  a HUGE problem because the movie sets up this Mother/daughter relationship, with Cass being Harley’s motivation to be a better person.  She goes from willing to hand her over to Black Mask to taking the kid under her wing.   Cass is the glue that bands the Birds of Prey together.   These lovely, dangerous, women coming together to keep a little girl safe,  doesn’t feel as emotionally satisfying as it should because Cass isn’t Cass.

While I will praise the movie for Harley’s arc of seeking her own emancipation and agency outside her abusive relationships and life of crime,  I feel like Harley’s arc should have been a question of redemption.    Cassandra’s motivation to become Batgirl was her refusal to kill again.  (Hey WB remember how in Batman Begins Bruce refused to kill a man because “I will not be an executioner.”)  

Here Cass is fine with killing. She chucks a bomb at some goons chasing her and  she kills Black Mask with a grenade in the end.

Yeah… Cass “I refuse to kill because my dad made me kill an innocent man at eight years old and killing is wrong” kills people.  

*head meet desk*

Sucide Squad, set up Harley and the squad, for an unconventional redemption arc, spite motivated it may be, yet Harley despite her line to Cass “You make me want to  be a less terrible person”  isn’t seeking to make amends for what she did as the Joker’s henchman.  (Like being an accomplice to Jason Todd’s murder).   

.Cass pickpots and steals to survive, because she’s a kid with no family passed from foster home to foster home, Harley steals because she can, steal a truck to blow up a chemical plant because she can.  Kills because she can.   (granted she does use an M79 grenade launcher with bean bag shells for one scene but besides that.) 

I like the idea of Harley taking Cass under her wing, its an unconventional but fresh idea, but it doesn’t feel entirely satisfying, and Cass not being Cass, not having an arc beyond “Go along with Harley as her apprentice” really undermines the excellent themes and message the movie is trying to convey.

Now maybe in the Suicide Squad reboot with James Gunn or a future DC film , Cass is going to leave Harley because that life of crime and killing doesn’t suit her and she realizes she’s trying to be something she’s not and I’m just being overly critical, but I still feel like “Harley and Cass seeking redemption and moving past their abusers together”  should have been where this movie left off, and it baffles me that it doesn’t from a narrative perspective.

Anway the overall themes and message of Birds of Prey are represented in Evan Mcregor’s Black Mask, a walking talking example of repressive toxic masculinity and misogyny.   A flamboyant, all but stated to  be a repressed Bi, crime lord seeking to take control of Gotham, Black Mask moves with confidence in his loud suits, and charming quirkiness,   He’s cruel, sadistic and repulsive  His mannerisms ooz terror,and insanity. He moves like a love child between Heath Ledger and Joaquin Phoenix’s take on the Joker, Gaston from Beauty and the Beast and Joffery Baratheon from Game of Thrones.   He’s a control freak, trying to  be a badass. 

 One minute he’s the Godfather, the next he’s a brat.  He views Harley as nothing without the Joker, telling her that she needs him to protect her.   He enjoys asserting his dominance over Harley during her brief capture by having his men beat her while he eats popcorn.  He objectifies Black Canary for her singing voice and beauty..   

Black Mask asserts his power and authority over the underworld by  his control over women.  In one  frightening scene, he believes one of the women at his club is laughing at him for his failure to capture Cass, so he orders her  to stand on a table, then for her boyfriend to rip open her dress with a knife because he finds it ugly.

In summary he represents the patriarchy.  He represents sexist, abusive men.   He’s a representation of social norms and ideals that are repressive and disgusting, and rob women of their agency, and self-worth. He represents the use of violence, not for noble reasons, but as a means to control women and lash out at those that defy him and supposedly wronged him .

Furthering this line of thought are  the costumes. Black Canary’s costumes represent the amount of control, Black Mask has in her life.  When we first see her, Dinah is wearing a long black netted evening gown that accents her legs as she sings “It’s a Man’s Man’s World”. Later she wears  a blue tank top and gold, tightfitting pants clearly meant to draw our gaze to her ass and thighs. When she’s Black Mask’s driver, she’s wearing a Bra/crop top that bares her midriff under a short blue blaze, but when she decides she’s going to defy him, she wears a yellow tank top and jeans with  a gold belt.

Harley’s costumes are as eclectic as she is, with her DIY caution tape shawl, stamped tops and cut up shorts.  Huntress’s outfits are all black leather and punkish athletic wear, utilitarian and elegant in their simplicity while Reene wears  a  “I shave my balls for this” t-shirt reflecting her uncouth, blunt demeanor, as well as button down  dress shirts and slacks for the climactic asskicking montage .  

Cass is a kid,who clearly doesn’t have the funds for super nice clothes. She;s running around in ratty shorts and a worn out hoody with  a red windbreaker, with an orange bandanna askew on her head.  At the end, when she rides off with Harley, she copying Harley’s style.

Speaking of costumes, one thing I appreciate is that instead of the male gaze and sexualisation, we get what I like to call “passive fan service”  What I mean is that instead of tracking shots on Harley’s ass or boob shoots, like in Suicide Squad  the camera just lets these women’s beauty do the talking. 

 Huntress is wearing a sports bra and tactical pants for the climax, but the camera doesn’t linger on her boobs.  A primary example of this is a lot of Padme’s scenes in Episodes II and III of Star Wars.  Lucas knows Natalie Portman is a gorgeous woman and he doesn’t need to remind us by deliberate camera shots.  He lets Natalie herself and Trisha Biggar’s excellent costumes do it for us. 

Also one thing I really… really liked was how in the big penultimate fight, Harley actually passes Dinah a hair tie so she can get her hair out of the way. So for like a minute, she’s beating the ever loving fuck out of goons with her legs as she ties up her hair.  A very nice case of reality ensures.

In conclusion Birds of Prey is another notch in the belt for the DC cinematic universe, a solid, fun film with  an excellent cast with clear chemistry, hampered by character derailment that undermines its sorely needed themes and message it's trying to convey.   The plot is  fast paced, but doesn't feel rushed even though it’s only a little over an hour long.  It’s uncompromisingly  bold, bloody and hilarious. The lack of a proper post credits scene is somewhat annoying and I'm very disappointed how Cass was handled , but this is by no means a terrible film. 

Overall I give it a 8.9 out of 10.  Highly recommend you go see it. Drag your friends, smuggle in as much candy and drinks as you can.  Buy it when it comes out on DVD.   If you’re a Cass fan, reread the Puckett run or pick up her new graphic novel Shadow of the Batgirl to wash out the bittersweet taste this will give you.  Speaking of Kelley Puckett, he was actually listed in the “Special thanks to…”  in the credits, which i’m sure many will appreciate.

These following posts and thoughts on the film I recommend.

https://dcwomenofcolor.tumblr.com/post/190693985900/how-would-you-fix-bop-cass

https://wits-writing.tumblr.com/post/190718974642/birds-of-prey-movie-review

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YeFJjoQoec

[chacusha]

Trials of Mana remake liveblogging (3/...)

From the last benevodon to the postgame:

I like how the original handled the Jungle of Illusions and Pedda a bit better. I liked having enemy encounters in the jungle (in fact, I spent a while in the SNES version grinding here). I also liked the dreaminess of stepping into an area and the screen going wiggly (uh I don’t know how to describe it) and suddenly you see more signs of a town that wasn’t there before. Having the town be blocked/inaccessible until you defeat 7 benevodons and then you sleep at a ruined inn (why would you even do that...?) and then the town appears isn’t as trippy/dreamy. I don’t know how you would convey the same effect without the screen wave effect (maybe things materializing in front of you?) but it’s very effective on the SNES at conveying that your senses might be deceiving you or that you’re only reliving a memory/dream.

I got very excited seeing young Prince Richard and Duran with a pencil mustache Loki, though!

I’m a bit confused by what exactly happened to the Darkstone here. Shade said it was destroyed and Zable Fahr was released. But Belladonna said the Darkstone was in Mavolia and they brought it back to this world. And we see the Darkstone shatter in front of our eyes right before encountering Zable Fahr (whereas the other Manastones shattered earlier). So is it that the Zable Fahr was re-sealed in the Darkstone after being defeated and then unsealed (again) in the real world after Belladonna and co. transported it? Or are the Zable Fahr and Darkstone we encounter from the past?

The Darkshine Knight encounter was less “feelsy” than the one in my Collection of Mana playthrough, since Duran wasn’t in my party. But I like how he also alludes to the fact that Angela is Richard’s daughter.

Ooh I got a rainbow item seed. I have no idea what that does.

The Crimson Wizard was a bit of a tedious boss fight with his teleporting and spells that knock you down. But ultimately, for both him and the Dragon King, I was basically never in any danger of dying despite not being very leveled up, and only having a partial set of ultimate equipment (especially not with the Crimson Wizard’s link ability equipped on Kevin - so much free MP!).

I feel like the original SNES ending feels both a bit more bittersweet and more incomplete. In the original credits, rather than seeing how the world is coping with no mana (largely it seems like everyone is doing fine), you just see Flammie flying mostly all alone. It’s a very beautiful ending but it also feels rushed/incomplete and very lonely. The remake ending feels a bit more fleshed out but also less sad.

This is the first time I’ve seen Kevin’s ending and I really do not like it. While I like the fact that Karl is in fact still alive (Kevin deserves it) I feel like the whole ending gives a pass / extremely rushed moral redemption to the Beast King, and that’s not what I’m here for! The Beast King is one of the most interesting characters in this whole game because he’s the only protagonist-related antagonist who isn’t being brainwashed into being eeeevil. That makes him one of the legit most grey characters in the game and his psychology and motivations fascinating! But the game just glosses over that, and it and Kevin forgive him too easily. I would have liked to see the Beast King begin the journey to redemption and show at least a bit of remorse for his actions, while also implying that journey is longer than what can be shown at the end of the game. They skip this redemption arc and manage to make Kevin look like an idiot in the process -- I definitely don’t think it should have been done this way. I’m mentally rewriting this whole scene.

That said, Kevin training with Ludgar in the ending was adorable.

I thought I multishipped everyone in this game, but I was wrong. I really did not like the Hawkeye and Jessica interaction in the credits (I’m just pretending this is platonic), nor the ending scene where Angela blows a kiss at Kevin (he’s too young/innocent for her! ToT). It’s actually really funny -- I saw someone on the /r/secretofmana reddit being like “Why was I led to believe that Hawkeye/Riesz was the big pairing in this game when they barely interact and Hawkeye is thinking about Jessica all the time” because like, yeah, I get that there isn’t a lot of interactions and that they’re fairly subtle, but also these games are very platonic, which makes even a tiny hint of romance Very Significant, as well as ANY time there is character-specific interaction or dialogue -- it seems very HMMMM. (Also, I think the remake, when it had to fill in dialogue, played it “safe” by giving Riesz only Elliott-related thoughts and (I assume) Hawkeye only Jessica-related thoughts, rather than drop shippy hints.)

Anyway, I’m in the postgame content and really enjoying the new stuff! I like how the three characters have very different battles and content. Riesz gets a group battle against the guardian of the sphere and gets to talk to her dead parents again, which is really sweet (I hate King Joster’s voice though). Kevin gets a one-on-one duel with his dad which is kind of what I expected from his plotline because of how easily his dad pwns him in the beginning of the game which just sets up a rematch in his arc, so am surprised that this WASN’T an aspect of his story before. Angela also gets a one-on-one duel, but it’s with a copy of herself (apparently the Class 4 version of herself that she will eventually become), a nice throwback to Secret of Mana. Despite the fact that my characters are the three royalty characters, their stories play out very differently.

Riesz’s Meteorite class looks very... Aquaman.

Wow, this postgame dungeon is REALLY long. Interesting how you go through the castles of the six main characters. Lazy level reuse, but I appreciate the sheer length of content here, especially since it gives you the chance to try out the characters’ Class 4 skills.

There’s also Class 4-specific ultimate equipment too! Neat.

Anise wasn’t too difficult. I ended up getting game overed once on her second form because I wasn’t careful, but overall it was fine.

I went back for the Black Rabite boss in the Crystal Desert. I got pwned a lot -- that one-hit KO Jumbonk really gave me issues especially when the four Black Rabites come out and they’re all doing it, but I finally beat it after 20 or so tries. Ended up controlling Kevin again (my healer/fighter) to win this one but probably Angela did the most damage to the Black Rabite by spamming Ancient Curse. What I ended up mostly doing as Kevin was just being more proactive with the healing to prevent the other characters from being KO’d prematurely, as well as attracting the attention of the Black Rabite’s attacks and doing a better job of dodging them. Kevin had dark saber on his fists for maybe a third to a half of the fight so I didn’t do a lot of attacking, really.

New game plus time! To be continued...

[aftermathdb]

DEATH BATTLE Review: Johnny Cage vs. Captain Falcon

Two punching stars do battle for the title of most famous man of punches.

The Community DEATH BATTLE from DBC 120/121 comes back to see the real deal.

Johnny Cage′s Preview.

Mortal Kombat. A deadly tournament where only the best of the best can hope to survive. From four-armed gladiators seeking konquest, to ninjas seeking vengance, there’s nothing that can surprise you.

Even if one of the fighters is an actor.

Johnny Cage was an actor and a stuntman. Known for his many over the top action films, like Ninja Mime, Citizen Cage, Time Smashers, and one of Boomstick’s personal favorites, Tommy Scissorfists.

But, as with many actors, Johnny’s fame was fleeting. His time in the spotlight was becoming a detriment because he was accused of being a fraud.

So, what better way to prove them wrong than to enter a tournament to the death?

Luckily, Johnny wouldn’t have to do it with a stunt double or anything. He’s mastered all sorts of martial arts, from karate to Bruce Lee’s self-made style of Jeet Kune Do.

These skills would be a good thing, because Rayden was in big trouble. Shao Khan was one win away from taking over the Earth… Because I guess he doesn’t know how much it sucks.

Anyways, Johnny didn’t have to rely on his martial arts alone to win fights. As it turns out, he’s actually descended from an ancient Mediterranean war cult that bred warriors to fight among the gods.

With these powers, Johnny has access to a variety of powers that lets him do all sorts of crazy stuff. He can shoot out balls of green energy to hit opponents from afar, the Shadow Kick can knock them that distance, or he can do a Guile impression with the Eclipse Kick (Speaking of Street Fighter, Wen Vega?).

But since Johnny is still a mortal human being, he needs a move that can get him out of trouble. And he came up with one alright. It’s the Nutcracker, the Berry Buster, the Infertilizer, the Beanbag Barrage, the "Not that kind of blow" Blow, and Boomstick’s personal favorite, the "Help, Doctor! I think they're in my ribcage!" Special! It’s even a fatality!

Of course, Boomstick give it a shot…

(Looks like Wiz learned his lesson from the preview)

Anyways, Johnny‘s got a list of feats to pull from as well.

From being able to chop through diamond, to dodging point-blank automatic gunfire, Johnny isn’t a slouch in the strength or speed department. He’s taken on deadly foes multiple times, and has even defeated the fallen Elder God Shinnok thanks to his powers.

Now, Shinnok can reasonably scale to Rayden. Rayden on his own was able to destroy a large temple.

Now, Buddhist temples tended to shy away from stone, so by using wood and concrete as a base, the estimated destruction comes out to about…

A little over 250 tons of TNT!

But Johnny is far from invincible. He’s been beaten before, and his power does have it’s limits.

But despite his arrogance, Johnny has proven that he’s a capable fighter and a powerful protector. And after having a family, Johnny has shown that he has matured to truly earn the title of Earthrealm’s protector

Incidentally, Shokan do have yamsacks.

Captain Falcon′s Preview.

In the year 2560,the Earth has gone crazy. Aliens are everywhere, space travel is a norm, and the newest sport is all the rage. F-Zero! A deadly sport where racers use anti-gravity technology to race along the tracks of insane courses. One wrong turn can lead to death.

However, the champion of this sport is a mysterious man known as Captain Falcon.

Little is known about Blue Falcon pilot. However, what is known is that he is a respected bounty hunter, one who protects the universe from the forces of evil like the vile Black Shadow.

But in order to take on Black Shadow, Falcon needs a powerful arsenal to get the job done.

From his mighty Raptor Boost, to the Falcon Dive, this is no ordinary racer. Falcon can imbue his pyrokinetic power into a variety of powerful moves.

But the most famous, and powerful is his, say it with me, FALCON PUNCH!

How he does this, is really up to anyone’s guess. However, it���s reasonable to say that the secret lies within the Captain’s Blue Falcon machine.

As it turns out, it’s powered by a thing called a Reactor Might, a fragment of power that was created by the Big Bang. As for why it’s in a racing machine, that’s anyone’s guess.

The Reactor Might can also let Falcon do some other crazy techniques with his power as well. Like the Boost Fire. And thanks to some weird mystic power that the Reactor Might uses, the Captain can call upon it at any time. No matter where he is, Falcon is never without his ride.

Reactor Mights are powerful. One of them destroyed a space station, an explosion that yielded over 6 megatons of TNT!

Of course, Falcon has to go out with a bang. In his final fight with Black Shadow. While it may look like he exploded part of a galaxy, Falcon had destroyed a prior device known as a Dark Matter Reactor. Which has the power to rewind the Big Bang using the six Reactor Mights- It’s a long story.

However, defeating Black Shadow is impressive. Since Shadow has tanked attacks from other powerful beings without even flinching.

He’s defeated multiple robots at once, torn apart a metal cage, seen a sniper miles away, and tanked bazookas.

And while Falcon accomplished his mission, it took more than one man to do so. And we’re not talking about that typical “Power of friendship” thing either. As it turns out, the name of “Captain Falcon” is a legacy title, similar to The Flash, or the Dread Pirate Roberts.

Each new Falcon is hand-picked by the previous one, so long as they can prove that they surpass them. Since Ryu Suzaku is the current one, anything the other Falcons can do, he can also pull off.

Falcon may fall, but the legacy will live on. And he will save people one raceway at a time.

One more time people.

FALCON PUNCH!

The Battle Itself.

Kervin, Luis, Kiid, Zack are using Jerky’s spritework for this animation. Johnny Cage will be voiced by Kieran Flitton and Captain Falcon will be voiced by Kestin Howard. Brandon Yates composes Falcon Uncaged (Soundtrack unavailable as of this review). Chris Kokkinos lead on audio.

The battle starts with Johnny getting footage of the F-Zero track, where they’re getting clips of a movie about Captain Falcon whom which, Johnny will be playing.

Which comes off as a bad thing when you remember that only those that surpass Falcon can be Falcon. So, as far as fight stories go, this one is actually pretty good.

So after a flurry of punches and blows, Johnny takes up the challenge.

The Falcon charges Johnny, but Johnny uses his reflexes to not only dodge, but to also hit Falcon back.

Of course, Falcon recovers and counter attacks.

And he combos (kombos?) Johnny into a Falcon Dive

Johnny, not one to give up so easily, gets back up.

Falcon goes in for a FALCON PUNCH but Johnny…

So, while Captain Falcon recovers from a “Doctor, help! I think they’re in my ribs” special, Johnny takes some time to quip.

Falcon quips back. But the two end up on a F-Zero machine and continue the fight there.

Falcon then opts to use his famous Falcon Knee Of Justice to knock Johnny into the boost pads.

Johnny uses the pads to get back at Falcon. So Falcon then grabs his ride and starts attacking Johnny.

Finishing Blow in

5…

4…

3…

2…

1…

Ninja Mime needs a new star now.

Verdict + Explanation.

So, Johnny had the better martial arts, and he could even match mach speeds. But Falcon has dealt with tricky opponents before, and his other stats beat out Johnny’s.

Remember that final punch Falcon dealt?- Well, Falcon was able to create energy from the impact. Accounting for the conditions of space, this would mean that Falcon’s best energy output would be over 150 billionn joules of energy.

For reference, that’s like dropping twelve elephants onto Black Shadow, but is also thousands of times greater than Johnny’s best feat.

Now, Johnny might have defeated Shinnok, but that’s not exactly on the same level as Falcon.

Now you might be thinking “Wait, shouldn’t Johnny’s green glow help him out?”- Well, yes and no. Johnny’s powers are, well, powerful, but they’re kinda limited. While it’s a great power to have in the realm of Mortal Kombat, where deities are basically everywhere, it’s kinda restricted to Elder Gods. Even allowing for it to extend to other gods wouldn’t really help, since 1: Falcon isn’t a god, and 2: Johnny has been killed by non-deities before

So, Johnny can tank blows from god-beings, but that’s mainly because his powers let him do so. A bullet to the head or heart will still kill him unless it’s a god bullet.

The winner is Captain Falcon.

Overall impression.

Overall, this battle is really fun to both watch and look into. It takes two characters that are well known for the hype they generate and brings them in to see how well they stack up.

To be honest, I wasn’t expecting Johnny to match Falcon’s speed stats at all. It was pretty surprising. Plus, seeing Falcon in action after mainly being associated with Smash Bros is a real treat, I hope that the F-Zero fans got some enjoyment out  of the episode… Bummer that the DEATH BATTLE Curse couldn’t kick in for Falcon, but them’s the breaks.

Great fight, interesting research, and awesome music.

8.7/10. Will watch again.

Next Time…

Oh, an excuse to rewatch Avatar that doesn’t involve my constantly pushing the idea of Zuko vs. Dinobot (The Beast Wars guy (It’s two warriors known for their redemption arcs. Let me have this))

And a reason to at least take a look int FMA.

Is there a fight that you want me to review? - Send an ask/request, and I’ll look into it!

Do you want to read my fanfic based around DEATH BATTLE itself? click here!

Thank you for reading, and I hope to see you next time for…

Elemental Masters.

[awesomethingsandsuch]

Hold on, this is going to get long

I want to talk about Dennis and work out some timeline and psychological stuff I’ve been thinking about. 

Dennis’s struggle with younger women is never really explained in the movie, but I think we can work out some good theories. 

For one thing, timeline-wise, we know that the full takeover of Kevin by Dennis and Patricia took place in 2014 (3 years before the events of the movie). But while it may be tempting to assume that this was the same day as the incident at the zoo, It wasn’t. We know this because Dennis and Patricia had apparently come out of banishment before that secretly and were taking the light from Barry at times without him knowing; this went on long enough for Barry to start suspecting something (according to his video diary). We don’t know how long, but let’s rough it and say a year. 

However, we then also have to add in the time that Dennis and Patricia actually spent banished. Even if we only give this a year too, that means that Dennis was banished at least 5 years before the movie. If we go with how old he looked on that train platform and guess at his age being 29 in Glass, that means Dennis was 25 or younger when banished (because he was the first alter at 3 years old, I’m going with the idea that he aged concurrently with Kevin because that’s how close he was to him, even though some of the other alters seem to have set ages). 

This means that Dennis, as a 25-year-old man, was attracted to girls around 17. Now, I know this will shock tumblr which likes to inaccurately through the word “pedophile” around, but this actually isn’t that strange. Most guys around this age notice when 17-year-old girls are attractive. However, guys who don’t suffer from compulsive disorders can probably put those thoughts aside as inappropriate and go about their business. 

But Dennis does have compulsive disorders, specifically OCD connected to punishment for “doing something wrong”. I’m not an expert on OCD but I think it’s likely that even when everything is clean and “perfect”, Dennis probably still dwells on what if’s. I’m sure he can’t stop thinking about what he could or might do wrong. These are probably extremely upsetting and intrusive thoughts that plague him all the time. 

Now, this connects to my own personal headcanon that Dennis is NOT actually preoccupied with young girls or only young girls in any kind of real pathological way. 

With run-of-the-mill men who gravitate to younger women, there tends to be a desire for dominance; they like the power imbalance. However, despite what some people assume, I actually don’t think there’s a whole lot of canon material to suggest Dennis is a control freak in that way; in fact, he seems pretty submissive to Patricia and let himself be banished by the other alters; I know many have the headcanon that he’s uber dominant, but I don’t know ... I think that’s a facade. I think the main person Dennis desires to have ultimate control/dominance over is himself.  Plus, while we could apply that sort of psychology to Dennis because it’s the most common in real life, I don’t think there’s actually anything “common” about Dennis or Kevin’s situation. 

I think Dennis had some pretty normal thoughts about attractive teenage girls, but because he has so much shame and worry connected to “doing something wrong”, he simply couldn’t put them aside as other men would. 

He probably dwelled on it; at first in a paradoxical way because he knew it was wrong and shouldn’t think it but that simply made him think about it more. Then it likely escalated (because thoughts you dwell on tend to escalate) until those thoughts became intrusive enough for the other alters to intervene; and the fact that - I’m going to guess - Barry told Dr. Fletcher that Dennis struggled and knew what he was thinking was wrong, makes me think the other alters may have even been trying to protect him by banishing him. 

(There may be some other reasons for his attraction twisted up in there too; perhaps he’s attracted to their innocence or maybe even a little bitter about their innocence. Some have mentioned that there is some indication that Kevin’s mom may have even engaged in some sexual abuse towards Kevin, which would open a whole other bag of worms when it comes to attraction and maybe an instinct to gravitate towards women who do not in any way remind him of his mother ...but I think any of those possible reasons are still blanketed by the larger issue of compulsion and there aren’t as many canonical clues to back them up as the driving force behind his issue)

This would also explain his very strong reaction to what those girls did to Barry or Kevin. And I think it’s really telling that his reaction was not to be intrigued or happy about the contact with younger girls, but apparently super protective and angry (let’s be real, those girls doing that is the reason why the “impure” are often teenage girls - because Dennis is super pissed off about that “attack” and how ignorant those girls were to other people’s possible trauma; not because he just wants to surround himself with temptation; in reality, I think Dennis would actually go out of his way to NOT surround himself with temptation under normal circumstances). 

Now, none of this excuses his behavior (which is actually way worse than simply creeping on Marcia - the dude was prepared to let them be sacrificed to bring a supernatural being to life, so in the grand scheme of things ....) but I’d like to think that this aspect of Dennis wasn’t just added to up the tension/horror in the movie but was actually thought out when it comes to his character, and to me that most logical, careful way of doing that is to connect together these two primary struggles Dennis faces and then connect them back to his primary purpose as a protector/shield, and most likely the alter who experienced the most direct abuse and humiliation from his mom (or “Kevin’s mom”, as his says, which is an interesting detachment). 

I also want to point out that I think it’s clear that Dennis’s problem probably wouldn’t go further than the dancing thing because I think he has issues with touching people too much, or at least people he doesn’t know or trust at all (Hedwig even says that in Glass when the guards start getting handsy about escorting him into the caged part of the hospital, and he reacts very strongly to Casey touching him even though it kind of melts into something nicer after his first instinct to pull away) 

He can probably also justify to himself that the dancing thing is less harmful than it is (he even refers to it as simply “bothering” them and not molesting or rape). He would have to do this to protect himself; it’s clear he has a sense of compassion because he shows it to Casey and reacts emotionally when Dr. Fletcher tells him that the girls are “suffering” like he’s been trying hard not to believe that. 

I fully admit I like Dennis, and I was happy to see him finally see the error of his ways and the Beast’s methods in Glass, but I feel like if he were just a straight up molester/raper, then giving him that redemption would actually be irresponsible of the writers if they never really address this elephant. There would have to be a more complicated, sympathetical psychology behind his redemption in order for the audience to be accepting of it, and I want to appreciate the character arch I saw which is why I need to work this out for myself. 

[noonewasharmedinthisxenarecap]

Season One: Dreamworker

Next up, Episode three Dreamworker.

In my opinion this episode is one of the standouts for this season. It is highly relevant to Xena’s redemption arc. Having an episode like so early in her story is perfect because we are treated to a visual representation of Xena’s internal struggle between the light and dark side of her being. It is also a good outing for season one Gabrielle and is an important step in the mentoring relationship between Xena and Gabrielle.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. Lets dive in and see what we are dealing with.

We open on Gabrielle role playing with a sword. Not that kind of role playing get your mind out of the gutter. It seems so unnatural seeing this version of Gabby with a sword, or any weapon really.

It really looks like a young peasant girl play fighting with her fellow village kids. She is not a warrior and she is not a fighter. It is important set up for the rest of her journey throughout this episode. Gabby may have skills but this isn't and shouldn't be one of them.

Xena comes along and scolds her for playing with her sword. Its not a toy. We learn through this exchange that gabby is frustrated by the fact that Xena won't teach her to fight with a sword. Gabby was under the impression that if she travelled with xena she would learn to be xena. Unfortunately xena has other ideas. Gabby wants to be able to defend herself and we get this little gem from Xena:

“Don’t confuse defending yourself with using a weapon.  When you pull a sword, you have to be ready to kill.”

Simple words of wisdom from someone who really knows. Xena took her first life at about the same age as gabby when defending her village by taking up arms against its invader. There was no turning back from that and she wants to spare Gabby that loss of innocence. Plus Xena knows that Gabby isn't ready to kill. She wants to teach gabby but not how to kill; she wants to teach her to survive. Weapons do not necessarily equal survival. This is the first time we really see Xena offering some real training and wisdom. Her first step as a true mentor.

We are then treated to Xena’s rules of survival:

Xena: “All right.  The rules of survival.  Number one.  If you can run, run.  Number two.  If you can’t run-- surrender, and then run.  Number three.  If you’re outnumbered, let them fight each other, while you run.  Number four--”

Gabby  “Wait-- More running?”

Xena:  “No.  Four is where you talk your way out of it, and I know you can do that.  It’s wisdom before weapons, Gabrielle.  The moment you pick up a sword, you become a target.  And the moment you kill--”

Gabrielle:  “The moment you kill-- What?”

Xena:  “Everything changes.  Everything.”

The most important lesson that Xena could teach Gabrielle as this point in their journey together. Don't be so quick to lose your innocence because there are no take backs.

And yet despite Xena, the one in this friendship with all the experience imparting some life saving wisdom, Gabby ignores it all. They are attacked and while Xena is fending off the bad guys Gabby decides to not only pick up a sword but also to do Xena’s war cry drawing attention to herself. And then they come for her. Of course, teaching her a valuable lesson about following Xena’s advice.

Or so we think.

Into town we go and its super creepy with its lack of women and people salivating at gabby’s innocence. Xena goes to get some necessities and Gabby decides to go and scope out a sword because you know thats working out so well today. Xena meets the creepy and inhospitable shopkeeper and a blind mystic who is being poorly treated. Someone get that man a discrimination lawyer pronto. Meanwhile Gabby is trying out different swords pretending she is some amazing warrior, but alas she can't lift most of them. Enter the breast dagger:

Gabrielle: “You mean, it’s designed to pierce the breast into the heart of your enemy.”

Careful Gabrielle, your inexperience is showing. Of course its designed to fit snuggly between a woman’s breasts. Seems really uncomfortable to me. That blade rubbing against your breasts. No Thanks. Also what if you have a small bust? No breast dagger for you.

Gabby walks out breast dagger inlace, chest pushed out and Xena immediately knows something is up. She is pretty sure that Gabby’s bust didn't stick out so much earlier. And then the dagger falls out and I'm not sure how that happened but it did and Xena is equal parts disappointed and unconvinced at Gabby’s attempt to lighten the mood. Gabby clearly learned nothing from the earlier attack and decided ignoring Xena’s advice was a good idea. Xena confiscates the dagger and “pockets” it:

Gabrielle: “Its not like your breasts aren't dangerous enough.”

Admittedly i giggled at that line.

Then Xena turns around and suddenly she is alone and Gabby is gone. Just like that. But Xena being Xena she noticed what we all noticed, something is off about this village and that creepy ass shopkeeper. Xena goes off to do what she does best, intimidate people into giving her information.

We learn from the shopkeeper that every year the mystics come down to the village and take a young maiden to be the bride of Morpheus. Thats why the village sends all its young women away until after the Solstice. I have so many Questions:

1. Surely this town relies on travellers, how has no one heard about how travelling women are abducted from this town every year

2. Why would Morpheus target this village? If there is something special about the girls here surely taking travellers would defeat the purpose of targeting this village?

3. Why don't the mystics just follow the girls to the river and take them from there? Why do they need to take them from inside the village.

Seems like too much stupid for my liking.

Gabrielle being innocent is the unlucky winner of the Morpheus marriage stakes and has been whisked away to her probable doom. Xena decides that she needs to save Gabby so goes off to find the blind old man because he used to be a mystic and we finally get into the heart of the episode.

FYI this episode has so many candles its a damn fire hazard. Just imagine every scene in the real world with an entire candle shop of lit candles and you can already picture the atmosphere.

At the temple of Morpheus, Gabrielle has changed into her virginal white and we are told that she will need to face a series of tests to determine if she is the perfect bride for Morpheus. Its becomes clear that the point of this whole affair is to take Gabby’s blood innocence. That is the real bride. Gabby is a smart arse despite being held captive, and its one of the reasons i love season one gabby.

Meanwhile Xena is told by blind mystic that the only way to save Gabby is to enter the “dreamscape” Morpheus realm. He says it will take months for her to break through until hefts Xena’s arm muscles and decides, nope will only take this beast of a woman days. But still probably too long to save Gabby. Xena decides she has no choice but to try anyway.

Xena needs to be unconscious to enter the dreamscape but don't worry the blind guy who couldn't get the shopkeeper to sell him a halter for his horse is going to guard her. Cant say I'm confident. But don't worry he is a gentleman.

From here, the focus is on Xena and her internal struggle so i don't want to spend too much time on Gabby’s journey. In her first challenge, she is given a sword that breaks almost immediately, because if you want her to lose her blood innocence definitely give her a sword that wouldn't kill anyone. She manages to trick the goons into killing each other by putting Xena’s rules of survival to good use. She employs a similar tactic in the second challenge and manages to avoid killing anyone.The second challenge has an awesome 1970′s Doctor Who set (i use awesome in the ironic sense) and a fiery pit. Fiery pits are a staple in gabby’s journey over the next few years. After two challenges, Gabby doesn't kill anyone and talks her way out of everything.

Back to Xena because her journey is much more interesting. She enters the dreamscape which is a bluish misty set of tunnels from what i can tell. She has had a change of uniform and we are treated to our first set of chinese inspired fashion:

Purple to match the atmosphere, really cumbersome long sleeves. She looks like she is wearing pjs. I don't hate it.

Xena’s dreamscape plays on her past and her conscience. She will face a number of challenges intended to screw with her mind and to distract her from her purpose. She is about to face a difficult and distressing journey.

First challenge: She is surrounded by an army, her army. They have taken another village at her orders. She is feared and obeyed. Lucy plays the unease so perfectly. This was her life, the life she left behind. This isn't the Xena she is now or wants to be. They cheer her name and you can tell that every chant hits her like a knife. She doesn't want this.

We then enter a burnt out village. A throwback to the Gauntlet and the beginning of the end of dark Xena. There is a woman wailing in the background, unseen but definitely heard. The first villager she meets reminds her that this village was destroyed in her name. Xena did this. Then he reminds her that he is just one of millions on faceless victims. She doesn't know his name and she says it “I’m sorry” We aren't meant to think that the apology is just because she wants to get past this without a fight. She is sorry she doesn't know his name. But it feels much more than that. Like she is apologising for the village, for her past for the millions of faceless lives she has left in her wake. She is truly sorry. More and more names are thrown at her and you can see it weighing on her heart. Up to this point she has not had to face her past head on. She may have had to stare down rumours and stories but these are the faces of her past. Each and every one of them is a reminder of the evils she has perpetrated against the world. As they crowd her you can see the fear in her face, in her voice.:

Xena: “No, I left this behind me.”

Thats the point Xena, you can't leave this behind. It will forever be with you. Its your conscience reminding you that you did this. This was you and you need to make amends for it. You can't ignore your past and you certainly can't change it. You did this. You can see the realisation in her face. I did this. These are my victims.

Xena: “You’re using the past of a Xena long dead!  I’m not her anymore!”

You may not be here anymore Xena but the past is not dead. Not for you and not yet. Morpheus now knows how to hit Xena. Xena needs to believe that because she has changed, what she did in the past is someone else. Something she can leave behind. Morpheus is about to give her the greatest gift of all.

The crowd disappears and she runs to the next area where again she is met with a single man. Her last kill. Then we meet that catalyst for everything in her life, her first kill. Im impressed that despite all her years of killing, Xena still remembers his name. You never forget your first i guess. They taunt her. You were once like gabrielle, an innocent. Now look at you, a life of death and destruction in your path. This is what awaits Gabrielle. She will soon be like you. Xena then realises she can take control and uses the dreamscape to her advantage. I think this scene says a lot about where Xena is in her journey. When its about her she is filled with fear, resentment and an impossible need to forget. She loses control over her surroundings when the focus is on herself. But when they start talking about gabrielle and the fact that gabrielle could possibly be faced with a similar challenge in the future, then she has the ability to take control of her surrounding. Xena is able to put aside everything to save her friend, but is not yet in a position to put it aside to save her own soul.

The final challenge in Xena’s journey is of course the most important. Morpheus takes heed of the emotions Xena has shown throughout the dreamscape and jumps on the one thing that Xena has not yet figured out, what to do with the two parts of her soul. Xena thinks she can push the darkness away and treat her past like the past of someone else, another Xena. Morpheus uses that to his advantage but in doing so ultimately loses the battle.

Xena’s next challenge is....

Dark Xena.

I need to say straight up, its very clear that Lucy has a lot of fun playing evil xena. That evil, joyful laugh and the facial expressions as she taunts our xena. there is a lot of joy and letting go in the performance. Sometime i think Lucy is more suited to Evil Xena than our Xena. Its a chance to tap into that dark side of the soul and let it flourish, particularly when our Xena is working so hard not to let it out at all.

This exchange between the two Xena’s is important. Its really where Morpheus gets it wrong.

Evil Xena:  “You can’t go through that door until you have the key. And you can’t go through life trying to deny that I’m the real you.  We were so happy all those years.  Don’t you remember? Putting fear into all.  Pushing aside those who stood in our way. Taking what we wanted.  Ah, those were the days.”

Xena:  “That wasn’t me.  That was never who I really was.”

Evil Xena:  “Oh.  Well, let me ask you this.  Back then, didn’t it feel right?  Everything we did felt right.  If felt-- good”

Xena:  “But it wasn’t.” 

Evil Xena:  “Oh, how would you know?  You think this goody-goody act of yours is going to last?  There’s no glory in being a hero-- ask around.  You’re weak without me, Xena.  But the fire is still there.  Join me.”

This exchange really shows how naive Xena is about the ease in which she can move beyond her past. She wants to forget the past. That wasn't me, thats not who i truly was. Its not who i am. This is the true me. I will fight for good, i will be good and i can pretend that i was never bad. But we have talked about this before. In Sins of the Past, Xena rescues her buried armour and fights because she knows thats who she is. She knows that she can't truly leave the past behind her and instead she should embrace her strengths and use them to save others. This Xena in this episode appears to have forgotten that moment. Over the last few weeks she has acted like SOP is the awakening of the true her and she can leave everything else behind. She is convinced that she has almost been reborn and that means, carving off her past and focusing only on the present and the future. That was always going to hold her back.

She decides that she needs to kill the past, and that means killing her darkness. She is so very wrong.

There is a nicely shot battle between the two Xena’s. Of course they are well matched but Evil Xena always seems to get a slight apprehend. And thats because our Xena is trying to block that part of herself that comes from her past deeds. She is trying not to tap into that dark part of herself and is putting so much energy into that that she can't battle to her all potential. She needs to let go. Stop trying to be something you are not. Stop holding back. Then finally we reach the key, Morpheus final misstep:

Evil Xena:  “No, no, my sister.  You can’t leave.  You still haven’t found the key.  You take for granted all your gifts and talents-- me.  Everything you are today came from me.  Every spark of noble quality that made you a great leader-- me.  The strength that made men tremble at your name-- it all came from me!  You understand?”

Xena:  “I understand.  If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t exist. Whether I like it or not, you’re the key.  You’re the key. There’s only one way out of this Dreamscape-- you!”

Finally Xena realises that she can't ignore her past, she can't ignore the darkness, she can't pretend that was a different person. Suddenly she realises, without the dark i wouldn't be Xena. Without the dark i wouldn't be standing here today, i wouldn't have met Gabrielle, i wouldn't have the opportunity to do good in the world. I’m a warrior because of my darkness, i have these skills because of the darkness. I can't ignore it anymore. It is a part of me. I need to embrace it, and use it but not give in to it. Together, my light and my dark are the essence of who i am. I will used my darkness and my past to inspire the good i will do in my future. In this moment we see the merge of the two parts of her soul and she can finally be the Xena she needs to be.

Its a massive step towards her redemption journey. Redemption is meaningless if you pretend that was someone else. If you recognise that you screwed up, its going to make your redemption more meaningful and interesting. I love this episode because of Xena’s journey to understanding. Its important and interesting.

Our Xena defeats Evil Xena by throwing her into a rock. This will come back in later episode. This throwing your soul into a rock thing is apparently really popular. This final win oversleep allows Xena to break trough the dreamscape and save Gabby from being forced to protect herself by taking a life.

Xena wins, the blind guy is not blind anymore and he gets his job back at the temple of Morpheus and promises to turn the place around. We find out that the bad guy has been punished to live out his own dreamscape. Seems like a really extreme punishment if you ask me but its not my religion.

We then see gabby and Xena sitting by the lake and we get our He-Man-esque moral of the week moment. Xena throws a stone into the lake and imparts some more wisdom.

Xena:  “See how calm the surface of the water is.  That was me once. And then-- The water ripples and churns; that’s what I became.”

Gabrielle:  “But if we sit here long enough it will go back to being still again.  It will go back to being calm.”

Xena:  “But the stone’s still under there.  It’s now part of the lake.  It might look as it did before, but it’s forever changed. Come on-- let’s go.”

I feel like this is for Xena more than Gabby. She realised throughout this episode that her past has changed her and she can never go back. All she can do is recognise it, embrace it and use it so inspire her.

Summary

Even though its only been three episodes, it has been a massive journey from Sins of the Past to this episode. At the beginning of SOP, Xena is turning her back on her life because she was afraid her dark side would pop up. Xena thought she would struggle to keep it hidden and that it was a curse she needed to put behind her. Here she realises that she can't turn her back on her past. Her darkness made her, it is her but she controls it. If can't take over if she doesn't let it. Its such an important moment in her journey towards redemption.

TL;DR: Gabby decides she needs a sword. Xena says no. Gabby is abducted by mystics and they try to make her kill people but she decides to listen to Xena’s advice. Xena enters a dreamworld faces her demons and accepts her past in time to save Gabby. Finishes with a He-man Moral of the Week.

*Screencaps taken/borrowed from http://www.angelbacchae.com.

*Script extracts taken/borrowed from www.whoosh.org.

[disneydreamlights]

So, the other two members of of Wayward Wind. Black hair would still be the loner type and be somewhat hostile towards the Player, with Ventus being introduced arguing with him. However, he does have a heart of gold and is perfectly willing to challenge a Foreteller to protect Ven, which we'd see in Back Cover. Fortunately that Foreteller is Ava so he doesn't die. He also gets irritated when people crack jokes in serious situations.

Then there's white hair. He's the heart of the trio. He breaks up fights between his two friends whenever they occur, to varying degrees of success. While nice, he does have his limits, and legit threatens to kill the Player if they ever tell anyone about Ven's darkness. He also likes to tease black hair. Whenever Ven starts being rebellious, he'll typically say something like "he gets that from you" to black hair. Might be his way of flirting.

First and second honestly sound like they’d make a really cute ship. Xp (Plus it keeps up the “Ven is a third wheel” joke. XD)

On the subject of first though I feel like he’s a complete tsundere with a side of “Touch my friends and I’ll murder you.” But very much towards the party he’s loyal as hell and wouldn’t let anything hurt any of them.

White hair is open about his love for them and really wants to keep Ven safe in the meantime because the poor boy is a cinnamon roll and needs to be protected from harm.

As, the two of them aren't hypocrites. Despite Vanitas' worries upon reuniting with them, they'd still accept and over protect him and Ven as much as they did back in Daybreak Town. They'd still ground him though. They'd also very much appreciate Terra's willingness to fight Eraqus to protect Ven. I mean, they'd be willing to fight a Foreteller and die as slowly as possible just to keep Ven safe, why wouldn't they admire Ven's protectors?

GOOD SHIT this right here is good shit they’re the over protective siblings (because Terra and Aqua are his parents) Ven never had but now gets to have.

As for Ven's recruitment scene from Back Cover? It would be very tense, if it wasn't from Ava's perspective. The Wayward Winds would misunderstand Ava's intent when she asks for Ven, prompting them to try and get him away from her. Black hair would face her first intending to die as slowly as possible. Once Ava non-lethally subdues him, she runs into white hair, who actually tries to beat her, only for him to get knocked out when she stops pulling her punches. Then she recruits Ven

I’m imagining Wayward Wind must’ve been terrified for Ven. He’s got a Foreteller chasing after him so they must’ve been so worried but it shows how selfless they are and how much they care for Ven and each other in that they were willing to drop everything and stop Ava, even at the risk of their lives. I’d imagine there was a huge fight before one of them was forced to stay behind over which one would go first.

So, bear in mind that Ven would go from about 3 years younger to 2 years older than his party members by the time they have their reunion. Not to mention that he'd also now be two people, both of whom are more powerful than them. We'd have two children trying to overprotect their teenage sons and that is a mildly amusing mental image to me. That and the fact that the situation is even possible in the first place.

All I can say about this is yes. Because yes.

Vanitas would have no sympathy for Eraqus. He'd know that he's only alive because Eraqus isn't. Eraqus would have killed Vanitas for being made of darkness regardless of his moral standing and he knows it. He detests Eraqus as much as he detests Xehanort. This would be a point of contention between him and his family. Strelitzia wouldn't really have an opinion on Eraqus as a person but would tell Terra he was right to defy him in the end.

Agreed. I love my old man masters but I one hundred percent agree to this. There is no way within reason that Vanitas wouldn’t hate both of the old masters. One was the epitome of “Darkness will prevail” and the other is the epitome of “Light will prevail” and seeing as Vanitas would very much be the embodiment of twilight, darkness and light in balance is very important to his arc and survival, and both of them disagreeing with that policy would not only cause him a lot of shit but their treatment of Ven makes it worse.

(I want to note that in my thinking on this that would very much make Ven more an embodiment of Dawn if this is the route you kinda wanna go with which would be interesting since while one is more dark than the other they are also both perfect balances for light and dark which highlights everything in the balance is key that the MMO AU seems to strive for.)

Pretty much the only reason Aqua gives Vanitas a chance is because Ven guilt-trips her into it, pointing out that any Keyblade master from their day (sans Xehanort) would have killed Vanitas on sight, meaning that he didn't really have the chance to be anything BUT evil. And Vanitas would actually have gone to multiple Keyblade Masters for help pre-BBS only for Xehanort and/or his Unversed to have to rescue HIM from the darkness-hating Masters of that day. Hence why there aren't many left.

I mean that doesn’t surprise me. Most of my Vaniqua ideas as a Vaniqua shipper tend to start off with “So Ven convinces Aqua to give Vanitas a chance...” so like...I can definitely understand where that’s coming from. Poor Vanitas and all the masters he would’ve went to. I mean I know Eraqus would’ve probably had him killed on sight but sometimes considering how Vanitas was treated I can’t help but wonder if that would’ve been better.

Okay, out of all the Wayfinder family, I think Vanitas would get along with Strelitzia the most, partially because she never knew him as a villain, only as that cute little cinnamon role in Daybreak Town and her somewhat overprotective Big Brother in the Land of Departure. She would not have run into Vanitas during her quest for revenge. So, there'd be far less tension between them than Vanitas would have with the others.

I agree. Honestly Strelitzia probably adopts him into her created family. (The thing that finally convinces Aqua to warm up to Vanitas is seeing him interacting with Strelitzia. and taking care of her.)

At some point after Lauriam is defeated but before the Player wakes up in Enchanted Dominion, we'd get a cutscene which is basically just Vanitas monologuing on how hatred has kept him going. Hatred of Lauriam, hatred of Ephemer, hatred of Xehanort, and hatred of "the coward [he] used to be" [Ven]. It would then be revealed that the speaker is actually the Vanitas Remnant, about to confront Sora for the first time, vowing to die in the Keyblade War, and bring "Ephemer's lie" down with him.

Speaking of the Remnant, it would only be sentient when close to Sora. Things is because it is a being of pure emotion. However, since Vanitas sleeps in Sora's heart, the Remnant would awaken and act on his will. Needless to say this makes the Remnant difficult to predict. Vanitas would try to use the Remnant to get out of Sora's heart and regain his physical form. Good thing his redemption arc happens DURING KH3 in this AU, otherwise there'd be trouble.

Damn Vanitas Remnant actually sounds kinda terrifying. I can feel him on a lot of that hatred though.

So, "Enter the Darkness" would play during the battle against Ventus in Dwarf Woodlands (unless you think "Enter the Void" is more appropriate), while "Vanitas" would play during the boss fight against the Large Snowman in Beast's Castle at the end of that arc, because "Ventus" is way too melancholy a track for that boss fight and he and Vanitas WERE the same person back then, so it works. But still, I did get some more ideas for that arc.

Nah, Enter the Void sounds fine. And agreed, Ven’s theme would be way to melancholy for any fight in KHUx sans maybe the Darklings.

Okay so, you know how in the canon game the white-haired Keyblade Wielder in the "Friend or Rival" arc is injured by the Large Snowman offscreen? We'd actually see it happen in the MMO AU. Black Hair (working name) would have simply been trying to distract it so Ven could escape, while White Hair would realize that Ven wouldn't flee until the Heartless was defeated and so would basically try to defeat it so Ven would listen to them, only to get taken down (but not out) in one hit.

So, that would basically be where the Player comes in, Black Hair would take White Hair back to Daybreak Town while the Player and Ven fight the Huge Snowman (turns out the Large Snowman was an event Heartless in the original game) together. Ven deals Speed Type Damage while the Huge Snowman would be a Magic Type enemy. After defeating it, the next Story Quest would be to talk to Ven in Daybreak Town. Talking to him would trigger a cutscene where he takes you to see White Hair. Cue wrap up.

So yeah, there we'd get the big heartwarming scene where Ven would learn his party members had known about his darkness since the day they basically adopted him, just like what was established before. I just wanted to give you my newer idea for how things would go down. Also, Ven's attack as a boss would be based off his original Attack Medal, meaning he'd deal 4 hits, inflicting more damage the lower his HP is. Just figured that would work.

Honestly this would be super cute and a great way to wrap up the entire arc for the trio. Also on that note Ven using the same attack as his medal would be a great way to foreshadow that BBS!Ven and Ux!Ven are the same person since I’d like to think initially that would be very ambiguous. 

So, in the MMO AU, most Keykids' Keyblades materialize when they're 10. Ven's materialized prematurely when he was 7, the night his parents discovered his darkness and tried to drown him. They lived the rest of their lives unaware that Ven was saved by 2 children who saw a beam of light from the water. As for how the Wayward Winds found out? Ven used the darkness unconsciously one night when he had a nightmare about getting dragged under water.

Damn, Ven’s had a really rough life. I want to fight his parents and I’m honestly glad that the Wayward Winds didn’t have a bad reaction when they found out about all this.

[weekendwarriorblog]

The Weekend Warrior Home Edition June 12, 2020 – THE KING OF STATEN ISLAND, DA 5 BLOODS, ARTEMIS FOWL, YOU DON’T NOMI and more!

Sorry about the delay in this week’s column. Some stuff came up that was out of my control… like the actual summer.

If this were a normal weekend, I’d be writing about the box office prospects about a few movies, including Judd Apatow’s new comedy THE KING OF STATEN ISLAND (Universal), which teams him with “Saturday Night Live’s” enfant terrible, Pete Davidson. Instead, I’m once again writing about movies mostly not playing in theaters except for a few sporadic drive-ins across the country.

I already reviewed The King of Staten Island earlier this week – you can read that here – and though I know it will be playing in some regional drive-ins, I have no idea how many nor do I think Universal will report any box office if it does make decent bank. I think there will be general interest among younger people who like Pete Davidson on SNL but I’m not sure anyone over a certain age, say 30 or 40, will have much interest in what Davidson and Apatow can do together. The general gist of the movie is that Davidson plays Scott, a Staten Island slacker whose widowed mother (Marisa Tomei) starts dating a fireman, much to the chagrin of Scott, who lost his fireman father at an early age. You can read my review to see what I think, but it’s relatively tame for Apatow compared to his earlier films. I’m not sure that makes it necessarily better but people seem to be digging it.

One of my favorite movies from last year’s Tribeca and what is essentially this week’s “Featured Film” is Jeffrey McHale’s YOU DON’T NOMI (RLJE Films), which takes an in-depth look at Paul Verhoeven’s 1995 movie Showgirls, thought to be one of the worst movies and biggest bombs in its day but also a movie that has grown a built-in cult audience that adores it. It’s a pretty straight-ahead doc that relies on a number of experts to discuss the problems and virtues of Verhoeven’s film, including David Schmader, who did the DVD commentary for Showgirls, and author Adam Nayman, who is responsible for the book, “It Doesn’t Suck: Showgirls.” While I never fell into either the love it or hate it camp for Showgirls, I love how McHale’s doc acts as a thesis piece to explain exactly why so many critics took issue with Verhoeven’s much-maligned follow-up to hits Basic Instinct and Total Recall.

I won’t spoil the movie’s climax showing Showgirls finally achieving redemption, but it’s a pretty amazing event from 2015 that shows that maybe Showgirls has gotten past the hatred and ridicule that followed it around for decades. If nothing else, You Don’t Nomi will make you want to rent and watch (or rewatch) Showgirls almost immediately after seeing it. You might even agree with this film that it’s a misunderstood masterpiece on second viewing.

I’ve also decided to scrap the sections in this column, since two of the other big movie releases this week are going straight to streaming services, although both would probably have gotten some sort of theatrical release if not for COVID.

One of the other major releases of the weekend is Netflix’s streaming of Spike Lee’s DA FIVE BLOODS, his look at the Vietnam War through the eyes of four black Army vets who return to the country to retrieve the body of their fallen comrade… as well as a cache of gold bullion they found and hid during their previous tour.

I’ll be the first to admit that the quality of Spike Lee’s filmmaking over the past couple of decades has been somewhat spotty at best, although BlacckKKlansman was probably one of his better films over the past couple decades. Da Five Bloods reunites Lee with his BlackkKlansman co-writer, Kevin Willmot, and though it’s a fictitious tale, there are a few themes and elements in common.

Delroy Lindo and Lee regular Isiah Whitlock Jr. star as two of the Bloods, Paul and Melvin (along with Clarke Peters’ Otis and Norm Lewis’ Eddie). We meet them as they’re reunited in Vietnam, soon joined by Paul’s son David (Jonathan Majors) along to keep an eye on his father’s health. Chadwick Boseman plays the group’s leader, “Stormin’ Norman,” in the flashback sequence to the war era showing what happened to the Bloods on the fateful day their chopper went down behind enemy lines. There are a few satellite characters, played by M​élanie Thierry and Paul Walter Hauser (making a return from BlackKklansman), as well as Jean Reno, ​Jasper Pääkkönen and Johnny Trí Nguyễn, who all become involved in the Bloods’ search for gold

When you think of Vietnam War movies, it’s impossible not to think of Apocalypse Now, and Lee throws in a few obvious nods, whether it’s using “Flight of the Valkyrie” or the Chamber Brothers’ “Time Has Come to Day” but in general, the musical choices are solid. I wouldn’t say that the screenplay is particularly enlightening, the story being far more simple than

Just when you have settled into what you think is a fairly laid-back pace, Lee throws a “Holy shit!” moment at you that completely changes the complexion of what you’ve been watching, and that’s when the movie starts breaking into a few more action setpieces, some better than others.

Honestly, it’s a little strange seeing all these old black guys running around and shooting guns without Samuel Jackson being among them. Make no mistake that this is first and foremost Delroy Lindo’s film, as he gives a strong if not somewhat erratic performance, and he’s the crux of the story, but Whitlock and the other actors have some nice moments, as well. The bonding between the four guys is pervasive, to the point where it almost feels like the other characters are interfering, maybe because they are.

It’s a great time to release Da 5 Bloods, due to what is going on in this country, and like with BlackKklansman, Lee throws in a few shots at Trump, the guys referring to him as “President Fake Bone Spurs.” At least in this case, it’s incorporated into the story, but I hope Lee realizes that these Trump references will ensure these movies will feel dated if watched ten or twelve years from now.

That all said, Da 5 Bloods is a decent Spike Lee Joint, maybe not quite on par with BlackkKlansman but better than his last attempt at a war movie, 2008’s Miracle at St. Anna.

Rating: 7/10

As expected by quite a few people earlier during this pandemic, Walt Disney Pictures decided to send the Kenneth Branagh-directed ARTEMIS FOWL movie directly to their Disney+ streaming service, despite the movie having been in various stages of development for a decade or more. Unlike Da 5 Bloods and The King of New York, this movie based on Eoin Colfer’s book series, is far more streamlined with a kid-friendly running time of 95 minutes. Phew!

It centers around 12-year-old super-genius Artemis Fowl (Ferdia Shaw) whose father (also named Artemis Fowl and played by Colin Farrell) goes missing, forcing the young “Artie” to look for a powerful mystical device called the Aculos. Joining him on this quest are his non-butler Domovoi (Nonzo Anonsie), Dom’s daughter Juliet (Tamara Smart), an elven police officer named Holly Short (Lara McDonnell) and an oversized dwarf played by a bearded Josh Gad. Oh, yeah, and in this world, fairies, trolls and dwarves are real, but most humans don’t know about their existence due to their secrecy as well as having a way to erase humans’ memories ala Men in Black.

I’m quite sure the latter will be a qualifying benchmark for those who review the movie without having read any of Colfer’s fantasy series – like myself -- but it takes similar ideas as David Ayer’s Bright and the Amazon series Carnival Row and transforms them into something that attempts to be in the vein of Harry Potter or Fantastic Beasts but maybe comes across more like Percy Jackson. The irony is that Chris Columbus directed the initial chapters of both Potter and Jackson, but Artemis Fowl benefits from having Branagh at the helm.

I will freely admit that I’m very much a bonafide Branagh stan, and much of that is due to the way he’s handled bringing fantasy worlds to life in movies like Thor and Cinderella. Artemis Fowl is right up his alley, and he does an exemplary job even if most of his cast other than Gad… oh, yeah, and Dame Judi Dench, who plays the head of the “fairy police” – are fairly inexperienced. You can kind of tell that’s the case with first-timer Shaw, and his inexperience might be one of the tougher things for which older viewers might have to contend. Younger viewers won’t take issue with any of the problems that might throw off those expecting more from Artemis Fowl, because the storytelling is kept at a fairly brisk pace with a few decent action setpieces.

Artemis Fowl could have been released theatrically and been one of the summer’s sadly forgotten films. It finds a fun way of setting up the characters and ideas – presumably most of them taken directly from Colfer’s book – plus it sets up the possibility for even more fun family-friendly fantasy storytelling.

Rating: 7.5/10

There are a few other movies below I was hoping to get to, but see my note at the top of this column about why it was delayed by a day. If I get to any of the ones below, I’ll update and mention on social media.

One of the movies delayed from March but now getting a digital release is Carl Hunter’s drama SOMETIMES ALWAYS NEVER (Blue Fox Entertainment) -- not to be confused with Never Rarely Sometimes Always with the two movies at one point in danger of coming out on the same weekend!  It stars Bill Nighy as tailor Alan, who has been searching for years for his missing son Michael, who stormed out after a Scrabble Game. When a body turns up, Alan must try to work things out with his younger son Peter, played by Sam Riley, and an online player they think could be Michael.

Jonas Alexander Arnby’s Danish film EXIT PLAN (Screen Media) stars Nikolaj Coster-Waldau from Game of Thrones playing insurance claims investigator Max, who follows the clues of a death to the remote Hotel Aurora, a facility that specializes in assisted suicide, uncovering some disturbing revelations in the bargain.

Joshua Caldwell’s  INFAMOUS (Vertical Entertainment), which will be available via VOD and in select Virtual Cinemas, stars Bella Thorne as Arielle, a down-on-her-luck dreamer seeking popularity who runs into Jake Manley’s Dean, an ex-con working for his abusive father who dies in an accident sending the two of them on the run.

The dance drama, Aviva (Outsider Pictures/Strand Releasing), directed by Boaz Yakin (Remember the Titans, Max), was supposed to premiere at the SXSW Film Festival in March, but it will instead get its premiere through Virtual Cinema this Friday. It’s a love story that explores gender dynamics with dance sequences choreographed by Bobbi Jene Smith of the Batsheva Dance Company. Aviva is a young Parisian who gets into an online romance with a New Yorker named Eden, eventually meeting and getting married with the story told by four different dancers/actors simultaneously.

I haven’t had a chance to watch Flavio Alves’ The Garden Left Behind, starring Michael Madsen and Ed Asner, but it was a winner of the Audience Award at the 2019 SXSW Film Festival, so I’m definitely interested in learning more about its story of a young trans woman from Mexico who lives with her grandmother as undocumented immigrants in New York City.

Released in a union between Shudder and RLJE Films, The Dead Lands (Shudder/RLJE Films) hit Digital HD yesterday.  The supernatural fantasy set in New Zealand is co-directed by Peter Meteherangi Tikao Burger and Michael Hurst, and it stars Te Kohe Tuhaka as Waka, a murdered Maori warrior who has returned from the Afterlife who goes on a quest with with a young woman named Mehe (Darneen Christian) to discover who broke the world. Not quite sure why didn’t get to this one, as I’m usually interested in New Zealand-based films as well as supernatural fantasy.

Daniel (For the Bible Tells Me So) Karslake’s new doc For They Know Not What They Do (First Run Features), which will hit virtual cinemas this Friday, which looks at the intersection between religion, sexual orientation and gender identity in America through a number of families of faith learning to accept their LGBTQ children. It has pretty much run the festival circuit through most of last year, winning a number of audience awards.

Coming to the Film Forum’s Virtual Cinema this Friday is Bill Duke’s 1985 directorial debut The Killing Floor and Alastair Sim’s 1954 schoolgirl romp, The Belles of St. Trinian’s. Uptown at Film at Lincoln Center, besides the Human Rights Watch Film Festival (see below), they’ll be debuting Hong Sangsoo’s 2014 film Hill of Freedom (Grasshopper Films) in their already quite robust Virtual Cinema.

A few other films I wasn’t able to get to this week, include Return to Hardwick (Gravitas Ventures) and The Departure  (October Coast), so I guess I did better than last week?

A few film festivals taking place mostly virtually this week include the annual New York edition of the Human Rights Watch Film Festival, running from June 11 through 20, and the Fine Arts Film Festival in Venice, California (June 8 to 14). The latter is offering 92 films from 27 countries with different packages including the entire festival for $20 or individual series for $10. Also, the Oxford Film Festival continues its virtual festival with two music docs, Dillon Hayes’ short All I Have to Offer You is Me about country-Western singer Larry Callies, as he tries to get his voice back after a degenerative disorder, and Dennis Cahlo’s feature In Flowers Through Space, in which the filmmaker tries to use the Fibonacci Sequence to try to create a unique music album. You can also check out Ben  & Bo Powell’s Mississippi doc Nothin’ No Better about Rosedale, Mississippi, and more short blocks, all available on Oxford’s Virtual Site.

Also, the June episode of Hulu’s horror series “Into the Dark” is Good Boy, a movie directed by Tyler MacIntyre, starring Judy Greer, Steve Guttenberg and Ellen Wong (from Scott Pilgrim!) that has Greer adopting an emotional support dog that kills anyone who causes her anxiety. Just in time for Pet Appreciation Week! Yeah, I’m gonna have to see this one.

Next week, more movies (mostly) not in theaters!

By the way, if you read this week’s column and have bothered to read this far down, feel free to drop me some thoughts at Edward dot Douglas at Gmail dot Com or drop me a note or tweet on Twitter. I love hearing from readers … honestly, I do!