#Props (trope)

[bellesdiaries]

Love Between Fairy and Devil 苍兰诀 (2022) ep. 18 / 26 / 28 - are you okay?

[spop-romanticizes-abuse]

can we stop the trend of putting traumatized and mentally unstable characters into romantic relationships as their “happy endings”?

[cyberoticism]

honestly i think my only beef w mouthwashing and why it didnt hit for me is i was bored by the fixation on jimmy and curly. its a game abt anyas assault but shes barely in the game at all. her trauma is a prop to explore these male chracters complex relationship which i get yes is to illustrate how people enable harm doers and abusers but like. i dont rlly care that curly enabled jimmy bc he liked him and they were BFFsFL u kno like. their story was boring. anya didnt feel like a person and ahe didnt feel nearly as fleshed out as the others. i kept forgetting her name and calling her shelly duvall but a lot of her story happens off screen. which isnt to say i wanted her assault on screen its more to say why isnt she anything outside of her trauma? shes not nearly as humanized or fleshed out as the others and we r fixated on the abuser and whats going thru his mind and how the other men enabled him to go as far as he did. i think that we couldve even had a meaningful narrative about that while still treating anya like a human and still letting her be more of a character and less of a prop to talk abt sexual assault. am i making sense???

[talesfromthebandgeekmafia]

Properly rewatching A Court of Fey & Flowers for the first time I forgot how good this season was it’s honestly even better on the second watch

[doomed-era]

honestly aside from it being an arthurian thing (all things I hate about fantasy seem to come from king arthur. how did this happen.) where does the whole chosen guy kingly whatever protagonist thing come from it's so annoying.

[silver-stake-through-the-heart]

Since early SPN season 6 in on my dash, I'm asking once again how on earth Bobby and Sam are pictured in fics as the best allies on earth and that Dean should be thankful to have them by his side to explain him what he feels when, in canon, they say and repeat it doesn't matter what Dean feels or wants, that he has to hide everything about himself and play house with an attractive woman who has a kid...

...and, later in the season, talk about how Dean should stop trusting Cas.

I'm once again begging for s6 dynamics in AUs 🙏 Let's have Dean being happy with Cas (despite some shadyness about him) and Bobby and Sam doing their best to put them apart and throw Dean in Lisa's arms.

[thewhumpcaretaker]

i yearn to see johns backstory some day. to see the pain and hurt as it happens where he hasn’t yet built up his walls. maybe i just love to torture these men but god damn. i love the idea of young john wick and his complexity.

Overall, I think he started off very innocent and desperate to please his guardian, as children usually are. He tried to follow orders and to earn as much of the Ruska Roma's respect as possible.

As a teenager and young man, he lost that innocence and wasn't so different from Iosef - only much more disciplined. He started to enjoy killing and to enjoy being the best at his trade, or at least he told himself that he did. In reality, he was taking out his anger about his stolen childhood.

It wasn't long before that left him feeling empty and his innocence re-emerged as strong remorse.

Below the cut, there's a snippet about child Jardani from my abandoned fic, The Broken Veil. I had a lot of flashbacks in mind, to various points in his upbringing. Maybe I'll write more of them at some point.

TW: animal death, physical and verbal child abuse

“Choke him, Jardani. Until he’s dead.”

The little boy refused to let his voice break. “I don’t want to.” He was about ten, though he doesn’t remember exactly now.

The Director repeated his words, tutting. “You don’t want to. Tsk.” She had placed a viper in the cage with his pet pigeon. He grabbed him quickly enough, and clutched him just below the base of the skull between his fingers. But he was being trained as an assassin, and assassins do not just grab their prey to hold it firmly by the base of the skull. “Then let him go back in the cage.”

“I would like…to put him outside.”

She laughed uproariously. “That’s not one of the options I’m giving you. Sometimes, life doesn’t give you any options you like, boy. Kill him, or let him go back in the cage and eat his fill.”

He could feel the snake’s strangely malleable throat thrumming against his flesh as he turned his head and flicked his tongue, desperate to escape. Jardani hesitated.

“Too late.” The Director smacked his wrist, hard, forcing his fingers to splay open. The viper fell back to the floor of the birdcage, momentarily stunned. She closed it and dragged him away, his arms twisted together behind his back in a single one of her hands. “Stand still and watch.” He let his body go slack and she released him. The viper, rapidly recovering its strength, sprung forward and sunk fangs into the fluffy white breast that Jardani had so often cradled to his cheek. Red, seeping from the wound. Her body, thrashing as if in seizure. And The Director, standing above him.

In a moment of blind rage, he lunged at her throat. He was already well trained enough to make contact with her collarbone before she flipped him to the ground. Panting above him, she praised his outburst. “Good. You’ll do so well in this world.”

“I loved that bird,” he grunted from underneath her shoulder, seething. “She was my friend.”

“Love? I’ll tell you what love is. Love is a stranger’s body hitting the floor. We kill strangers so we don’t have to kill the ones we love. If you love anything in this world, kill the first thing that tries to take it from you. An enemy, a bystander, even someone you are sworn to. It doesn’t matter. Kill, without hesitation. That is love. If you loved her, that’s what you would have done.”

[houseofbreadpakoda]

I didn't like a lot of things about Pushpa, but what i absolutely loved was Dakshayini.

Dakshayini happens to be the fem villain we've been deprived of in Indian Cinema for years. Her entire look screamsss filthy freaking rich, with all the heavy necklaces and pompous, colourful silk sarees with heavy zari.

I NEED Dakshayini to fling Srinu aside and reclaim the syndicate and manage it by herself. Maybe she can have a gruesome fight with Pushpa, where they both compromise on an agreement that it'd be better if they worked hand in hand. Although Dakshayini is not one to compromise, maybe she'll backstab Pushpa later to avenge her brother's death?

[stagefoureddiediaz]

Actually obsessed with the story telling through the hands in rwrb - so so good and beautiful and powerful

It was so reminiscent of old Hollywood from the 30’s- 60’s - when it was the only way they could show intimacy and sexual attraction and sexuality and get it aired on screen without causing public outcry and being accused of being pornographic. That idea of suggestion and connection and expression. I adore it’s use in queer narratives here - because in the same way that audiences have become accepting of seeing more sexual intimacy in heterosexual on screen romances we are now seeing queer romance on screen charting a similar course to being seen as normal - it is the path to acceptance of queer narrative as mainstream.

[lazlolullaby]

wish rewrite but Queen Amaya has a minor influence on the plot, aka: Divorce arc! + Bonus song context changes

(it sucks that a person with so much potential was put in the story but just utilized as the Villain's sounding board. You could have replaced her with an animal sidekick! She could have been a classic evil cat! Anyway.)

Tl:Dr: Amaya and Magnifico's relationship is utilized more in the movie for both plot and character development.

Plot: the same but Amaya is having a mid life crisis and relationship issues with Magnifico, giving them both more depth than "childhood trauma made me a control freak + evil book possession" and "I'm the indicator that something is going wrong with my husband".

(tw: verbal and emotional abuse tactics.)

Movie opens on a book. It's not adorned or flashy, just a simple journal. Amaya is writing in it, narrating.

Teen Amaya arriving on a boat with a small group of people. She looks up, enraptured by the stars but no one else does and she's left alone. There's no voice, but you can see that she says "I wish". Then someone calls for her and she leaves. The next night Magnifico appears from the forest, performing magic.

Then we get "City of Rosas" montage going through years. Amaya as the singer, giving the tour. You see the 7 friends interact with her as quick help, then Asha pops up, first next to Amaya then taking over the tour guide spot.

There's a quick establishing walk around the Castle. Amaya checking in on the 7, the servants and people. Everything is going well! The Castle is humming along perfectly! Amaya doesn't need to lend a hand, or explain what's needed. She's a bit of a workaholic and doesn't know what to do with herself.

She ends up in the kitchen with the 7 and Asha. Dahlia gets a check in, her new medication is working well so she's just got her crutch today instead of a full wheelchair. Asha is told "you care plenty, but don't let it blind you." Asha is the one who says that her grandpa Sabino is having his 100th birthday. And wants his wish granted.

Simon is sleepy, everyone is concerned. Amaya excuses herself.

She goes to Magnifico. "Mi rey. You need to give Simon's wish back. He's not well."

"You mean grant it? what do we need Knights for? We're perfectly safe!"

And with Sabino - "there's nothing that needs changing! I'm all the inspiration the Kingdom needs!"

There's hints that Magnifico doesn't like people too much. "we have to keep these safe. They are the best parts of our people." Implying that he just likes what he can choose and control out of people.

And cue "At all costs" as a duet between Magnifico and Amaya. Starting as a love song addressed to Amaya, but then his focus shifts to the Wishes. Her face falls as she realizes that he won't do what she asks. And she leaves.

(what happens when your picture perfect life falls apart? When the job you have chosen, put your whole body and soul into, doesn't need as much time or effort? When the person you love, that you have partnered with for over several decades, doesn't have the same goals you do anymore? Doesn't value you like they used to?)

Only to find Asha was eavesdropping the whole time. "Wait. Are you. Having an argument? I thought you were happy?"

"we are. It's just difficult right now. It's a disagreement. We're fine."

Cut to Asha in the kitchen gathered with the 7. "They are not fine." So. Lighthearted scheme to get the Queen and King back in love by setting up a romantic date.

The lunch date fails. Amaya asks questions, probing more into Magnifico's self serving logic. He launches into "This is the Thanks I get?" (Less of a solo tantrum, more of a mocking dialogue between them.) And shuts her down. Amaya is stricken.

"if they break up, who gets the Wishes? Who's in charge? I don't think divorce is a thing that Royalty goes through!"

They retreat - Magnifico to a wish granting and Amaya to the kitchen. Asha wants to convince Amaya to keep going, keep pushing for the wishes.

"Has he always been like that?"

"Magnifico - oh he always wanted an audience. He hasn't changed since the day we met. He was fun. We needed that support, people who believe in him, in our rule. back then, when there were so many unknowns."

"But it's not back then anymore. We deserve our wishes. Maybe if we can show him that a dangerous wish won't be so bad, he'll come around!"

"Asha, don't tell me-"

"my Grandfather Sabino! He just said wanted to play the lute, right?"

"not exactly..." Amaya felt the true nature of the wish, to inspire.

"what more time does he have! My father already lost out on his wish! I'm not letting anyone else lose!"

"this is what I can do. For now. Go home."

"I can't wait for this change. Until I'm 18? Then what? I'm just supposed to give up my wish like everyone has? Be like Simon?"

Amaya doesn't have an answer to that. Asha goes home. She talks to her family and has her solo "This Wish" song.

The Star shows up. But as in the concept art, it's a mute boy! He starts the animals singing "You're a Star" - and eventually joins in once he gets the hang of talking. "Here I are!" Is his first line.

Once that's over, Star explains. "The Stars grant Wishes. Sometimes they come down to help out personally. But that was a while ago. I want to find them, but you're the first person in a long time to make a wish on a star." They make a plan to release the Wishes themselves.

Meanwhile, Magnifico and Amaya see the light show from Star coming to the Kingdom. Amaya has vague recognition, Magnifico is mad. "Absolutely not. No one is stealing my Wishes from me."

Amaya takes this time that he's distracted to find Simon and Sabino's wishes. She sings a solo version of "Knowing what I know now" with more personal touches and she sends the wishes down the dumbwaiter.

Asha sneaks Starboy into the Castle. Gets her friends to help. They open up the dumbwaiter and find the wishes. Simon gets his back, starts to feel better. Asha grabs Sabino's and runs.

Magnifico starts to build up power. He gathers the town and tells them that there's a rogue magic user on the loose.

Asha brings the wish to Sabino. And he immediately starts to inspire people to question Magnifico. (Seriously. That was the easiest thread to follow through. And it didn't happen!!! What- who dropped the ball?)

Asha regroups with her friends. Does the full "knowing what I know now" song. Runs away to distract Magnifico while her friends release the wishes.

Star looks at Amaya - "your wish wasn't granted. There's a trick to it, if you want to hear." Amaya looks sad again.

Big courtyard confrontation. Magnifico has been absorbing Wishes to get more power.

"I haven't granted my first wish. A lot of them, actually. I won't leave." Magnifico stands his ground.

"unless I retract it."

"you won't." Magnifico laughs. "Who would love you? You're past your prime, far too bossy-"

"You. Wanted love?" Asha asks.

"I was younger than you are. I had lost everything. When I came here and looked at the stars, I thought I could have anything I wanted. And I wanted love. After everything that happened, I wanted love. That was only mine. But not like this."

"we love you. We see you. Even if you can't do magic or fix everything. We love you." Asha and the 7 say to Amaya.

So she reaches into Magnifico, pulling out her wish herself. Everyone sees that and starts to pull theirs from Magnifico.

And it leaves him as a slip of a silvery man. Star taps on him and Magnifico turns completely into his silver white star form. "That's where you've been!"

"so Stars can't stay on earth for too long or they'll go mad?"

"pfft. No. It's just this guy. C'mon let's get you some perspective." And Star takes him away into the sky.

It fades into a picture that Asha is drawing. Her and Amaya are making a book to explain what happened.

Amaya narrates the ending, telling us that it doesn't really end.

The 7 friends and Asha are made apprentices to Queen Amaya. Amaya starts to give the Wishes back, setting people up to achieve their dreams. Star pops back to say hi and go and grant more Wishes.

The handwritten book closes and Amaya stamps "Wish" on the cover with leather tools.

The end

[gothimgem]

chapter 11 pt.1 because there are a different chain of events, we’ll get back to it after the other two endings

but long story short, incest is not wincest and caim is a chad for thinking it’s gross as hell

[blmpff]

......do they not get funding or something, if they don't do a throwing up scene.....?

[soullessjack]

yeah sure you can apply “beware the nice ones” to jack but can you actually fully acknowledge that underlying violence and ruthlessness as a part of his character and why he’s constantly conflicted about being evil

[aprilblossomgirl]

if we are the series gonna pull that fine arts and architecture university setting, they better do it right

[inspectorspacetimerevisited]

Many Inspectators were thrilled that Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery

included an extended scene in which the Third Inspector’s P.E.N.I.S. detector turned up as a prop, the Swedish penis pump.

[muse-write]

The actress playing Zelena is very hammy. Not sure what I think about it tbh. Its fun but I’m getting tired of all the intense close ups of her face as she does a dramatic line reading.