#ROBOT ​OSCAR HAS MY HEART

[f0point5]

intro throughts

Logan being a little pookie, a bit like cute hamster, but he got BUFFED over winter break, wouldn't recognize him if compared to his first race last year

Kevin looking normal, would appreciate maybe a little bit from distance, having his face that close was almost uncomfortable, not bad though

Zhou looking good, I love his hair

appreciate Daniel just smirking, not actual wide smile that close to the camera, love his beard, gives "your daughter calls me daddy" vibe

Nico challenging his pose for future political career

Valterri and his mullet plus his highlighter green suit, not great not terrible, looks better with the bleached hair (at least in my opinion)

Yuki looking like a robot, sorry our Japanese sweetheart they did you dirty

Alex and his natural hair, appreciate it, plus loving the white suit

not gonna lie, that shot of Ocon did things to me that I'm not so sure about

Pierre looking like he wants to kill you (knowing how tall he is, it's how he would have to look up to me as well, makes it quite funny), great shot of his eyes

Lance... where did that hair come from man?!

Oscar, oh my adored Mr Koala. not a bad word about you (insert Kris Jenner's "you're doing great sweetie") - his eyes his neck his hair, consider me dead thank you

George's eyes look so huge there, for some reason he reminds me of The Boss Baby 😂 good thing he didn't do anything stupid or cringe-y this time

can we talk about how proportionally perfect Carlos is? also those eyes see to your very SOUL you perverts!

they did Lando dirty, kinda sad that they did him from afar

Charles being Charles. no other words needed

NANDOOOO! Grandpa of the grid looking amazing, whoever decided to use this shot deserves a raise

Lewis looking like he's preparing for a boxing match, but in a weirdly hot way

not sure about Checo, he stands there kinda like a 🧍🏻‍♂️, love his eyes though

and Max. oh mister please have a mercy with my poor heart, that little smirk and those eyes will keep me awake at night!

that's it, I'm done 😂

Logan did indeed bulk up. I keep seeing videos of him in the paddock and I’m like damn son you had a lot of steak over Christmas.

Don’t talk to me about Ocon. I’m going through something with him at the minute and I’m deeply ashamed.

Oscar is really having a moment. I hope it lasts all year.

They need to stop doing close ups of Daniel.

I liked Lando’s actually. He is a short king but he’s a cutie, and Orange is his colour.

Fernando has definitely had Botox or a chemical peel and he is looking incredible. INCREDIBLE.

Lewis looking kinda hot ngl he isn’t a bit of me but that promo really was.

The Ferrari boys and just models. You can’t even judge them against the rest of the grid they’re just beautiful. The way this team has the two best looking drivers and Red is their colour…I’m going to miss Carlos next year.

Max. That smirk is going to haunt me. In there very best way.

[astoundingbeyondbelief]

Kaiju Week in Review (January 14-20, 2024)

Ultraman Blazar's finale aired on Friday. It was a solid capper to what's easily the best entry in the Ultra Series since I was an undergrad, full of heart and pyrotechnics. There were a few major loose ends—Captain Gento is better at keeping secrets than most hosts—which I'm hoping the movie, due in late February, will address. If you're looking for a place to start with the long-running franchise, it would be one of my first recommendations. Great effects, great cast, tons of new kaiju, and a blend of novelty (lots of focus on the tensions between the defense team and the larger monster-fighting organization; a host who's in charge of said defense team) and returning to form (Blazar yowls plenty but is an Ultra of few words; the power-ups and goofy weapons are kept to a minimum). And even if you don't want to commit to a whole show, episode 22, focusing on a hapless salesman of kaiju insurance, is a must-see for any fan of the genre. There seem to be no worlds left to conquer at Tsuburaya for lead director Kiyotaka Taguchi, so as I've been saying since around 2015: Toho, are you paying attention?

Godzilla Minus One/Minus Color, the regraded black and white version of Godzilla Minus One, is coming to North American theaters for one week starting January 26. Toho's yanking both versions from theaters after February 1—puzzling considering that the film is likely going to be nominated for the Best Visual Effects Oscar tomorrow. Takashi Yamazaki led a Godzilla delegation to the Academy's visual effects "bakeoff", in which voters watch highlights from the ten shortlisted films and their VFX teams explain their work. IndieWire reports that Yamazaki's presentation drew the most applause, describing Minus One as the "potential frontrunner." The Hollywood Reporter likes its chances too. Nominations will be announced starting at 8:30 AM EST. The Creator seems to be its biggest competition.

Godzilla Minus One also recently cleared $50 million at the U.S. box office, in the process passing the first Demon Slayer as the highest-grossing Japanese-language film ever released in the U.S. Some outlets are reporting that it's the highest-grossing Japanese film ever released here, which isn't accurate; the English-dubbed Pokémon: The First Movie made almost $86 million back in 1999. (And I think it's plausible that something like Rodan or Godzilla vs. Megalon would be the champ if you figured out how much they grossed and adjusted for inflation.)

Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong #4 brought Godzilla and Tiamat to Atlantis, forcing Aquaman to release the Kraken to defend his city. Incredibly, this is the third Kraken associated with the Monsterverse, after Na Kika (called Kraken when it was introduced in the King of the Monsters novelization) and the main antagonist of the Skull Island cartoon. I'm guessing it's going to have a shorter lifespan than either of them though.

In other Godzilla comic news, IDW will be putting out another intriguing one-shot in May, titled Godzilla: Mechagodzilla 50th Anniversary. Past comics from the publisher have included multiple Mechagodzilla models, but this one seems to be going above and beyond. Rich Douek is writing; Andrew Lee Griffith is illustrating. The logline:

For 50 years, the King of the Monsters, Godzilla, has gone toe to toe with its robotic doppelgänger, Mechagodzilla! As an intrepid reporter profiles the history of Mechagodzilla and its creator before the launch of the newest model, he finds himself entangled in a much deeper conspiracy. A decades-spanning adventure celebrating the mechanical monster's milestone!

One of master kaiju illustrator Shinji Nishikawa's books will receive an English translation courtesy of Titan Books. Awkwardly titled Godzilla: The Encyclopedia of Godzilla, the Japanese edition included over 100 full-bodied illustrations of various Godzilla series kaiju and analyses of their designs (alongside plenty of Nishikawa's trademark chibis). I'm sold, suffice to say.

Ryo Momota, director of the short tokusatsu film Revive! Smile Rock Giant God, has put the whole thing on YouTube with English subtitles for your amusement. It posits that a real rock formation outside of Tamano City will come to life to help its citizens in their hour of need. Very low-budget.

Kaiju Brooklyn is a one-day con that began filling a longtime void for East Coast kaiju fans last year. Here's the first major piece of news about their June 1 event: they'll be screening The Return of Godzilla outdoors at day's end. Consider me highly tempted.

Kaiju United has a new, wide-ranging interview with Barry Goldberg, webmaster of the legendary Barry's Temple of Godzilla. That fan site was my first window into the wider world of Godzilla in the early 2000s, and it's only been updated a few times since, so I was pretty interested to read how its creator was doing. Don't get your hopes up for a revival: he's still a Godzilla fan (loved Minus One, Shin not so much), but has moved on to other things. Great insights from a Big Name Fan who stayed humble.

[therandosfandos]

After "that's lobstertainment", Fry finds his Bender curled up in his chest in his former room, the closet area and has to console his boyfriend as the bots still shaken up pretty badly.

Fry trudged wearily through the familiar corridors of Robot Arms Apartments, the worn carpet under his shoes echoing the monotony of another day at Planet Express. The oppressive heat of New New York clung to him like a second skin, making each step feel heavier than the last. He longed for the cool embrace of the apartment he shared with Bender, hoping for a moment of respite from the demands of the day.

As he approached the door, Fry couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. The usual sounds of Bender causing a ruckus were conspicuously absent. The door swung open with a creak, revealing the dimly lit living room. A strange tension hung in the air, and Fry's heart quickened as he called out for his metallic companion.

"Bender? You home, buddy?" Fry's voice carried a mixture of concern and curiosity.

No response.

Fry's unease grew, and he moved through the apartment, eyes scanning for any sign of his robot friend. The air seemed thick with anticipation, and then he heard a muffled noise from the closet.

Approaching cautiously, Fry swung open the door to reveal a sight that made his heart sink. There, huddled in the closet, was Bender. But this was no ordinary sight – Bender's shiny metal exterior was pulled tightly around him like a shell, resembling a turtle hiding in its protective armor.

"Bender? What the heck are you doing in the closet?" Fry asked, a mix of confusion and concern in his voice. "You moved out of there a long time ago, baby boy".

Bender slowly emerged from his hiding place, which was his chest compartment at the moment, his safe haven, his faceplate and optics revealing a pained expression on his face. "Fry, buddy, you won't believe what happened. Calculon wanted me dead! And I'm pretty sure he still does!".

Fry's eyes widened, and he couldn't help but laugh nervously. "Come on, Bender, you're exaggerating. Why would Calculon want to kill you, waffle?" He sits next to his metal boyfriend, legs up to his chest and looks down at the hiding bending unit.

The robots eyes darted around, as if fearing an unseen enemy. "It's all because of that stupid Oscar. Zoidberg messed up, and now Calculon thinks I'm the reason he didn't get one. He's out for my shiny metal ass!", Bender exclaims in fright and tears welled up in his light yellow eyes. He just wanted to hide away forever. To be safe....

"He said he wanted to kill me, Wiggles! Me, Bender! The coolest robot on the block!" Bender exclaimed, his metal frame visibly trembling.

Fry's expression shifted from confusion to concern. He had seen Bender face many challenges, but the idea of Calculon, the robot celebrity, wanting to harm his lover was beyond anything he had imagined.

"Hey, honey.... baby, it's gonna be okay. Calculon doesn't really want to kill you. It's just his dramatic way of expressing disappointment," Fry reassured, trying to calm down his distressed robot companion. His little robot was in such a bad shape at the minute.

"But what if he changes his mind? What if he hires an assassin robot or something?" Bender's eyes widened in fear, and his voice box hiccuped. He hated this.

Fry sighed, realizing he needed to do something to comfort his boyfriend. Without a second thought, he pulled Bender into a tight embrace, feeling the cold metal against his warm skin. "Bender, I won't let anything happen to you. You're my small adorable robot, and I'll always protect you, waffle..."

As Fry held Bender close, he could feel the tension in the robot's frame gradually easing. Bender's fear began to melt away under the warmth of Fry's embrace. The human's genuine concern touched something deep within Bender's circuits. Bender slowly came out of his chest, revealing his mechanical legs and arms.

"I never thought my hero would want to murder me," Bender admitted, still shaken but finding solace in his lovers support. A sense of security and protection fell over the bot and made him relax.

Fry chuckled, "Well, heroes can be unpredictable, I guess. But hey, I'm your hero too, right?"

Fry lifted Benders cheek up to look at him and presses his soft lips against the bots mouthplate. Giving a warm passionate kiss to the robots grill. Electricity danced between the two. He pulled back and nuzzles against Bender, "I love you, baby..."

Bender managed a weak smile, "Yeah, Fry. You're my meatbag with a heart of gold, or whatever", he giggled and nuzzles his visor into his meaty boyfriends chest.

"Me too, meatbag..."

But the night was far from over. Fry, determined to ease Bender's shaken state, led him to the couch. They sat together, Bender nestled against Fry's side. The television flickered to life, displaying reruns of "All My Circuits" – Calculon's signature show that they always loved to watch with each other.

As they watched the over-the-top drama unfold on the screen, Fry continued to shower Bender with affection – hugs, kisses, and even a few playful pats on the back. Slowly but surely, Bender's rigid frame began to relax, the tension melting away.

The night wore on, with Fry and Bender finding solace in each other's company. The fear that Calculon had instilled began to fade, replaced by the warmth of love and the certainty that, together, they could face whatever challenges lay ahead. Fry would never let anything happen to his baby. Never.

"Fry, you're a real pal. I don't say this often, but I appreciate you, meatbag" Bender admitted, a rare sincerity in his voice, no one would ever catch him admitting such mushy stuff in public. But with Fry in private, a lot of sincerity came out of Bender that no one but the redhead could hear.

Fry grinned, his arm still draped around Bender. "Anytime, buddy. No one messes with my robot baby".

Bender rolled his eyes and playfully punched Fry across the cheek in a loving way before curling up to his human and cuddling into the man. He emitted a soft purring noise and began vibrating ever so slightly, the horizontal lines in his mouthplate curving into a small smile.

As Bender drifted into a restful recharge mode, Fry couldn't help but marvel at the unexpected bond that had formed between them. In the strange and unpredictable world of the future, Fry had found a loyal companion in a robot with a penchant for bending and a heart buried beneath layers of metal. And as they shared the quiet moments of the night, Fry vowed to protect his robot boyfriend, come what may.

[karume-selfshipper]

Blood Blockade Battlefront (Kekkai Sensen) OC: Two of a Kind

Elizabeth Louise Belmont

This OC barely jiggles the plot of Blood Blockade Battlefront but is made for the romantic catharsis, feels, and hurt/comfort overindulgence. Makes attempts to stay as close to canon (both anime and manga) but with serious emphasis on the anime and a good bit of plot shifting for maximum impact. But like most of my OCs, Elizabeth is just me but better.

Various Picrews/Avatars for Pre Journey

Various Picrews/Avatars for Post Journey/Main Story

Standard Profile

Age: 3 years younger than Klaus, give or take a few months

Birthday: May 27th

Height: 5'6" or 167.6 cm

Weight: 175 lbs or 79 kg

Likes: sewing, cross stitching, adventure novels, and Klaus

Dislikes: being bored, disingenuous people, and fighting

Backstory and Personality

Born third in her family with three brothers, the first generation of Belmonts born in the United States. Elizabeth was mostly shy and polite, uncertain of herself in every manner. She was raised as a lady and pressured (slightly) by her parents to become a fang hunter, though she would much rather remain a lady and one day become a housewife.

She met Klaus on her 16th birthday and began a very distant courtship with him (she had two other suitors at the time that she was also interested in). Though over the course of a year, Elizabeth and Klaus became nearly inseparable at various events. Leading their parents to proceed with a betrothal, only begrudgingly accepting the two's pleas to go at their own pace.

Due to her noble status, she was somewhat forced into a courtship with Klaus. The two genuinely developed feelings for one another as neither felt as if they were dating a robot. The two had been dating for a couple of years prior and both sets of parents were eager to see the two wed. Klaus proposed on his 21st birthday (when Elizabeth was 18).

Until recent events in Elizabeth's life, she and her second oldest brother got along just fine, despite her refusal to become a fang-hunter. However, due to disagreements over her personal motives clashing with his grand vision of the family name, the two have stopped talking on friendly terms. Their relationship has delved strictly into a formal one. Yet the rest of her family don't hold the same morals and don't fault Elizabeth for her change of heart.

With that mantle of a fang hunter, she became rather ruthless toward her targets and earned quite the reputation among other fang hunters.

Clothing and Accessories

Pre Journey: Mostly light blues and purples, bordering pastel in hue and very cutesy-like. Mostly sweeping gowns and fine jewels with silver bands/chains. High heels, commonly stiletto.

Post Journey: Dark blue and deep purple to help blend into shadows. Much more form-fitting so she can fight, only two pieces of jewelry (her engagement ring on a simple silver chain and the nick ring she uses to activate her blood blade). Combat boots (feminine styles but still combat boots), pants, and a partially loose shirt... sometimes a cape for when it's cold. A pouch hangs off her hip with woven arcana to allow her to carry most everything she needs.

Family

Mother- Dorothy Michelle Belmont- A reasonably talented fang hunter. She married young (19) and had her children at 21 (Timothy), 24 (Elrick), 26 (Elizabeth), and 32 (Richard). A sweet yet stern woman who definitely prefers the duties of a housewife over those of a fang hunter but still wishes her children to follow her path (*cough* Elizabeth *cough*) so they too can learn how strong they truly are. She taught her children everything she could with a heavy emphasis on self-sufficiency and respect for their partner (whether they be in combat or at home).

Father- Oscar Edwin Belmont the Third- A stern and stubborn man who is exceptionally supportive of his children. Has a bad habit of babying Elizabeth over everything as she's his baby girl. The only thing that he's ever been harsh toward her over was how headstrong and stubborn she was. He never truly wanted her to become a fang hunter the way she eventually did.

Oldest Brother- Timothy Arthur Belmont- The oldest sibling and the most well-adjusted. While he is very supportive of Elizabeth in her wishes early on, he comes to understand Elizabeth's headspace when Klaus goes missing and does what he can to help her train. Since he's already married and expecting a child soon, he fully understands why Elizabeth would feel so strongly.

Second Oldest Brother- Elrick Fredrick Belmont- The second oldest sibling and the most hot-headed of them all. Prone to making snap decisions and the least like his sister in any regard despite feeling closer to her than any of their other siblings. He is unsupportive when Elizabeth suddenly decides to become a fang hunter. Becomes far too overprotective and has a weird amount of pride thinking his sister shouldn't risk her life over any man regardless of their relationship status. He often expresses his love through his pride in being a Belmont, but that has left him lacking a long-term romantic partner (which adds to his confusion as to why Elizabeth would let her emotions drive her so strongly).

Youngest Brother- Richard Alois Belmont- The baby of the family, though he rarely feels like the others are babying him. Very calm, but also extremely inexperienced and still very much in training himself. He is on the fence about the whole debacle. As he doesn't really know how he feels about the situation as a whole, given that he isn't even old enough to begin truly courting someone when Elizabeth makes her "snap" decision. Though he does what he can to help her train as he can see just how much Klaus's absence is affecting her.

Power and Abilities

Elizabeth uses a rare blood blade, even among her immediate family as her siblings and parents only know how to harden their blood not turn it into pure crystal. Though it is one that has been used by the Belmont bloodline for centuries. It is one of the only known styles capable of sealing a blood breed.

Brain Grid Crystal Style:

Form 998, Crystal Sarcophagus (sealing technique).

Form 716, Crystal Daggers (long-range/surprise attack).

Form 313, Crystal Scythe (mid-range/main attack).

Form 112, Crystallization (trapping technique).

Form 701, Crystal Saber (melee/close-quarters attack).

Random Things (Head canons and such)

This Google Doc has a long list of questions I answered about Elizabeth and will be updated every so often.

After the Story

There may be a few chapters after the main story to go into detail about Elizabeth and Klaus getting married and having children. Though they eventually have four children together, a few different family pets, and some adventures as a battle couple.

[melodygatesauthor]

What I learned about myself when making a comprehensive collection of my blorbos:

5/12 of them are Oscar Isaac

I have a mask kink for sure (Thatcher, top right next to Benny, usually has a mask on, and so does Kylo Ren)

I like dark haired boys

Why is there a single robot that captured my heart somehow? I dunno, couldn't tell ya

Traumatized/damaged bois get me in the mood I guess

I thought I was always into exceptionally tall guys, but Benny, Kylo, and Revenant are the only exceptionally tall guys there. Idk, they all got that big D energy regardless of height y'know?

My favorites seem to be someone who has committed a murder, for good or bad doesn't seem to faze me.

I have a military kink

I like men who I think can protec me

Competence kink fer sher

Most of them would dom, but I have a couple of switches :)

Omg I want to be stuck in a room with them all please.

@dameronscopilot and @welcometostayingawake forced me into almost half of these against my will.

[popculturebuffet]

Indy Prelude: Carl Barks; The Seven Cities of Cibola! (Comissioned by WeirdKev27)

Hello all you happy adventuerers!

Since I last covered duck comics. While Disney Ducks built this fine institution the fact is other disney properties, other cartoons and comics in general, and general nonsense have simply take up more of my time. But it's always good to return home and just in time as this is also a prelude to something duck adjacent. a franchise that may not exist without good ole scrooge mcduck.

Yup just in time for Dial of Destiny we're taking a look at the indiana jones film quintology! From one of the most loved films of all time with too many quotable lines to count and more nazi's turned to goo than you can shake a staff of ra at, to it's divsive followup featuring the most iconic heart ripping in human history, a future oscar winner, and the directors wife, to the film almost as iconic as the original with sir sean connery, holy grails and more nazis, and all the way into that fourth film what people don't like to talk about with nuclear explosions, greasers, communists and actual cannibal Shia Lebouf, cumulating in a film I.. don't have a ton of antedotes about because it hasn't come out yet? Indy punches a protester and deals with the horrifying consequences of age and america working with the nazis? I dunno, i'm just excited, kev's excited and hopefully you are.

I'm dead serious about Scrooge being part of the reason Indy exists though. While sadly not coming up in the fablemans, though likely because it might've been a bit too much of a LOOK LOOK SEE THE THING THAT WILL MAKE HIM FAMOUS LATER moment the film honestly avoided so I can respect the decision, Young Stevie was a huge fan of Scrooge McDuck, to the point his future succesful self did a forward for one of the many carl barks collections. It's not the only influence and i'm sure as I research Raiders, i'll no doubt find tons more direct ones, but it is a notable one that gets brought up quite a bit and it's easy to see why: Scrooge too is a globetrotting adventurer who has a successful day job (If a far less modest one), cares deeply about the history of what he finds, is a tad gruff, verbally pars with most love intrests, and takes the quick solution when it makes sense, so it's easy to see the compassions. The two are still different enough: Indy isn't in it for the money, generally adventures because he has to not for the thrill like scrooge, and Scrooge's only child we know of isn't a massive embarrassment, but you can still see how it left a mark and see Barks attention to culture, love of slow adventure, and humor in Indy.

That and one certain scene we'll get into in the comic is the direct inspiration for one of the most iconic scenes in film history.. but we'll get for that. For now we're taking a look at one fo the most legendary stories in the duck canon and seeing how it holds up, this is the Seven Citeis of Cibola!

We begin with what you all came to see

It's a neat enough visual gag and a reminder to me that most scrooge stories.. really didn't open with the big splash pages i'm used to in comics nor an actual story title

Though Barks still makes the best of it with the sight gag of Scrooge lieterally bathing in money. The setup to this one is brilliant too: Scrooge reflects on the fact he's got his feathers in just about every industry imaginable. Cannaries, Fisheries, Newspapers, Horse Races, Bibble Removal, Steam Cleaning, Steamed Hams, baseball, both kinds of football, mega football, calvinball, horeshoes, unicorn shoes, abestos, tabacco, cultural apporiation, robots, Goat Cheese Pizza, getting the cool shoeshine universal solvent, fishmobabywhirlmagigs, Spam, Crackers and Milk, Breaking Cat News, allen wrenches, gerbil feeders, toilet seats, electric heaters, trash compactors, juice extractor, shower rods, water meters, walke-talkies, copper wires, saftey googles, radial tiers, bb pellets, rubber mallets, fans , dehumidifiers, picture hangers, paper cutters, waffle irons, window shutters, paint removers, window louves, masking tape, plastic gutters, kitchen faucets, folding tables, weather stripping, jumper cables, hooks and tackle, grout and spackle, power fogers, spoons and ladles, pesticides for fumigation, high peformance lubircation, metal roofing, water proofing, multi purpose insulation, air compressors, brass connectors, wrecking chisels, smoke detectors, tire gagues, hamster cages, thermostats, bug deflectors, trailer hitch demagntizers, automatic circumciers, tennis rackets, angle brackets, Duracells and energizers, soffit panels, circuit brakers, vacuum cleaners, coffee makers, calculators, generators, maatching salt and pepper shakers, horse dewormer, fighting gold, repulsor technology, pym particles, Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosiiiiiiiissssssss, flying pigs, wild pigs, pigssssss innnnnn spaccceeeeeee, wilkins coffee, islands that walk like men, mood slime, chainsaws, saftey films, toner, donald duck abuse, Yoghurt Platinum, Clubmarine, Saltweens, Disco Dairy, Disco Duck, Lard, Trash Bag Wrestling, Superfast Jellyfish, The Gizmonic Institute, Cloning deboning, dethroning, stupid nintendo games, Rusty Shackleford, Molten Boron, SCTV, Squakabilly Taxi's, An Automatic Man, Wells for Boys, Flight Rings, decoder rings, olvatine, Krakoan Gates, Sealabs, Underwater Motor Scooters, Sex Bombs, Good Guy Dolls, The Last cult, Krustyburger,Chalk Tablet Towers, nerderotica, underwear, money, fat, hank.

The problem is he's got no more worlds to conquer: He's invested in everything, and thus can't make money on a NEW venture. Barks gets some great gags out of this too with Scrooge trying and failing to buy Gyro's newest gadget and a peanut stand, only to find out he OWNS both. It really shows that despite his horrifying wealth and influence.. scrooge can't ENJOY it. To him the fun's in the chase. The having's nice too, but the world just dosen't feel the same if there isn't another rainbow to chase, something I get as a book and film collector. It's great to have, but the looking is just as fun. It's something i'm sure most can relate to especially us nerds.

Thankfully Donald and the Boys just happen to drive by: their hunting arrow heads for 50 cents a piece over in the desert for Crazy Harry's House of Cultural Approritaion. That's Crazy Harry, the man with a snake on his face.

As you can guess this story has some dated bits: while Arrowheads are still treasured, I have one my grandpa gave me, it's not nearly as kosher to sell artifacts of someones' culture for fun and profit. Even as far back as 1980 Indy himself was doing it more for the joy of history and famously said it belongs in a museum.. and evne that's starting to slip as I saw on John Oliver last year. You can find his piece bellow.

And of course they use the i word instead of native americans or indegenous peoples.

Which is annoying , but not suprising.

So our heroes go looking for Arrowheads out in the generic desert. Weirdly for Carl Barks this Desert.. isn't a specific place. There's just suddenly a giant desert outside Duckburg. I didn't notice when reading the story for this review as Barks still packs in nice detail and makes it feel real, with our heroes having to conserve water, brave dust storms and track using realistic methods where tribes may of hunted their game. For the record it was the Pueblo who were linked to this, primarily settling in new mexico. I normally woudln't be this harsh on research, I got that bit from wikipedia after all, but given both how much Barks was lauded for it and how much care he usually puts in, it's weird to see him drop the ball a bit

At any rate our heroes soon find a trail and along it some treasures they take in to town to get examined. The curator there reveals their from The Seven Cities of Cibola, seven cities made of gold and gleaming with treasure, similar to EL Dorado, based on real life rumors about lost cities that turned out to be adobe huts, something Donald brings up. Barks does find a clever way for the myth to still be true, and a shockingly modern one: given the people who found it were conquistadors and heard it through rumors, it makes sense that the people they were conquering and mistreating wouldn't tell them where the city REALLY was. It's not phrased that way, but it's still brilliant.

So our heroes decide, well Scrooge and the Boys decide Donald is just sorta swept along by the tide as usual, to go after the city, figuring the trail leads there. THey stop at a diner for some nondescript hamburgers.. and end up evedroppsed on as nearbye the Beagle Boys are kicked out of an Aid for the Poor Center for welfare fraud and are told hey hey why don't you get a job, which has aged like fine milk on the sidewalk. They naturally follow scrooge smelling money and trail our heroes. I do like the Beagle Boys Inc t-shirts they wear in this shirt, before beagle boys inc was bought by feel good inc in the mid 2000's.

Once our heroes get going Barks DOES make up for his previous non-descriptness as he cites actual locations along the trail such as big bluff and the colorado river. We also get a nice tone: normally the adventure is scrooge dragging our heroes along and being a real dick but here there's a real sense of camradery and excitment ala ducktales 2017. The boys gladly use their guidebook to help while Scrooge uses his experince, the guidebook finding them shade. Eventaully it can only go so far and they end up lost, as do their persuers. They refill the canteens but eventuallyt heir dry. It's a nice showing of the dangers of the desret and the realisim Barks really likes to use in his stories. These may be cartoon ducks but they can die just like anyone else… except of old age but you know

Our heroes fortunes don't get better when the beagles blindsight them.. but plan to just up and leave, having had enough fo the desert and having NOT stocked up on water due to being too busy persuing scrooge, leaving our heroes free to persue the cities unabated.. but near death if they do'nt find water soon. Thankfully they find an old spanish galleon and more importantly

That said I do love Donald's expression here. Barks is a master at those. It does provide our heroes with a way forward, as the logbook details both the ships survivors meeting people clad in gold and a clue about the way the ships pointing at long last our heroes reach the seven cities.. and the sight is truly gorgeous.

And inside are countless treasures, a great sequence as we see pools of coins, ruby arrowheads and most importantly an emerald statue.. set on a trap. Yes this is where the parts Indy homages come in, as it's also on a weight trap, though a far more elaborate one that will destroy the city if activated. IT's clever adn I can see why speilberg and lucas reused it and i'ts diffrent enoguh in the indy version to work as Indy tries to actually take the statue and uses clever manuvering.

At any rate we get to the climax and.. this is where the story falls apart for me: it starts well enough: the beagle boys show up, throw our heroes in a bricked up prison and star tlooting..a nd naturally stupidly trigger the trap leading to the second half of the equation for INdy's iconic opening

But again done diffrently.. with indy we actaully SEE it chase him, so Speilberg got the clear diffrence between inspiration and outright theft. He took the basic idea but made something fresh with it.

The ending… is what really weakens the story for me: everyone gets amnesia, no one remembers and the city remains buried, with scrooge not willing to go back for measly arrowheads. This ending… is all kinds of dumb. For one Scrooge talked to the professor man, he might follow up, and two.. ther'es no real reason for it. I get not wanting a white idiot to loot a fantastic city, that part's fine. Everything about the climax works … except the amnesia part. Yes scrooge could dig, but he could also damage everything or there could be nothing left. The amnesia seems tacked on because Barks coudln't be bothered to come up with an actual reason why Scrooge woudln't go back, when the trail coudl've been lost in a storm or something or the beagle boys destroyed it on the way so while Scrooge gets resuced, he has no way back. There are other ways.

Overall the Seven Cities of Cibola is a decent outing. It has a LOT of good stuff, the slow methodical apporach with little action but a lot of intrigue, the gorgeous city, and the threat not being fantastic traps or anythin gbut simply the heat and environment, and the comedy is on point, with Scrooge going from hunting arrowheads to hunting a lost city all wrapping together. Again it's really the amnesia ending that hurts it: without it this would easily be one of my favirotie scrooge tales, a well done caper that again is shockingly slow paced, but in a delebrate well done way. The ending just drops it a few knotchs in my eyes. It's still worth a look, just temper your expectations>

Next Time: Dun dunnn dunn dunn dunn, dun dunn dunn dun dun dun dun dunnn dunn dunn da da da da, da da da da dun dun dun dun da da da, dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dunnnn!

[aspoonofsugar]

The Game of Atlas

Chess is a recurring motif in RWBY. Think about the kids picking chess pieces in their initiation, Qrow referring to Cinder as more than a pawn, the Black Queen symbolism in the Fall of Beacon, etc.

In this post, I wanna focus on how this motif plays out in the Atlas arc  and specifically how it comments 4 key characters arcs- Ironwood, Weiss, Cinder and Winter. To be clear, I think the chess motif is both incredibly wide-spread and vague, so different interpretations are definately possible. However, this lens applied to these 4 characters in particular hightlights their foiling and offers an interesting interpretative key.

In general, the Atlas arc is full of chess references because this game fits the Kingdom in 2 different ways.

It describes how the Kingdom sees its people as just “pawns to control”

It shows how people are asked to cross a metaphorical chessboard, so that they can climb up and become King and Queens (in chess if a pawn can cross the whole chessboard it can become another piece - usually a Queen)

In short, chess is perfect to describe Atlas’s classism and control in a metaphorical way. So, it is no surprising that the fight over the Kingdom plays out exactly like one long game:

Salem: This game is not yours to win, Cinder, it’s mine. Just because you’re more valuable to me than a pawn, does not make you a player. Everything is already in motion. All you need concern yourself with is your ability to act when I tell you to.

IRONWOOD: KING > KNIGHT > PAWN

Ironwood starts up as Atlas’s General. His role is honestly a mix between that of the Knight:

Take my hand I’m here to protect you Nothing will stop me Understand There’s no sacrifice That I won’t make I’ll risk it all To keep you safe Trust me to be strong I’ll be your hero Just hold on

And that of the King leading his people in a war:

Deliver you from harm Shelter in my arms The fear will surely fade Know right now the plan I made Will guide us home We’ll survive this storm

As a Knight, he should serve his people:

Cordovin: After all, I was sworn to protect the people!

As a King, he should accept he is not the most powerful piece in the game (that is the Queen - aka Maiden) and that he needs the help and protection of all the other pieces. This also means he should consider everyone’s inputs and trust others:

However, he fails in both roles. He breaks his oath towards the people of Mantle:

Blake: You're betraying the people you've sworn to protect!

And refuses the support and thoughts of the people closest to him:

Oscar: Trust is what I'm hoping to fix. I know we can still figure this out, all of it, together. Please.

Ironwood: Do you intend to fight me?

Oscar: No. That's exactly what she wants.

Winter: Sir, this course of action--

Ironwood: I hope you're not going to try to talk me out of it.

Winter: No, sir. I don't think that's possible.

This turns him into a cold dictator:

Weiss: What's the council going to say?

Ironwood: Nothing. Once I declare Martial Law.

Still, he does not become more powerful, but actually deteriotes and turns into a mindless and heartless Pawn:

In volume 7 he opens up, trusts and is able to easily play both Tyrian and Watts. In volume 8, he is so focused on himself he can easily be played by everyone. Cinder, Watss, RWBYOJNREW... they all easily trick and manipulate him. This is because he chooses to be a “robot” and robots can be easily overwritten to follow orders.

In short, Ironwood’s failure comes down to this:

What if it’s true as they say That I don’t have a heart That I'm more a machine than a man? What would that change? Would it matter at all? I've made my plan Hearts and minds may not agree Emotions topple strategy You can't believe In honesty That your children can win a war

The flaw of his character is never that he has no heart. If anything, his heart is said many times to be in the right place:

Glynda:You're a good person, James. You've always done what you think is best for the people, even against strong protest. It's admirable.

Blake: The General's heart seems to be in the right place, but that doesn't mean we should trust him yet.

The problem is that Ironwood chooses to ignore it and this leads him to lose it and himself in the process.

WEISS: PAWN > KNIGHT > QUEEN

Weiss is Ironwood’s opposite:

Everything my mind wants In conflict with my heart Fighting back surrender But every day I'm falling more apart Mirror what's this thing I see? Who is staring back at me? A stranger to my heart has filled my mind Mirror Help me Who amI?

She too, like the General, struggles to reconcile her mind and heart. However, differently from him, she chooses her heart and this leads her to win her mind back as well:

Now this conversation's finally over, Mirror Mirror, now we're done I've pulled myself together now My mind and heart are one Finally one.

Ironwood makes a false dychotomy. He thinks that he must choose between mind and heart, but Weiss’s story shows the opposite. In order to truly be one and to think and feel with your own mind and heart, you should follow your feelings.

It is in this way that Weiss overcomes her abuse going from a Pawn:

There's a part of me that's desperate for changes, Tired of being treated like a pawn

To a Knight:

It is not by chance she is able to unlock her summoning while fighting an Atlesian Paladin. A “Paladin” is just another word for Knight. However, Atlesian Knights are just pawns to be moved around by either Ironwood or Salem. They lack the ability to choose on their own, hence why they can only “follow orders”. Weiss is instead a Knight who fights for what she believes in.

As she grows, she is also able to integrate with the other side of herself. It is the side she initially dislikes because she identifies it with her Father. It is the Heiress that sings obediently for the people of Atlas:

However, once again she does not need to eliminate this part of herself, but rather she purifies it and makes it her own:

The Queen Lancer represents the perfect integration between her Knight side (Lancer) and her Queen one. She is both, just like Ironwood initially. She is the Knight (the Prince) who protects the people and the Queen (Snowhite), the most powerful piece on the chessboard. This is also why she is the one taking central stage in the fight vs Cinder at the climax of the Atlas Arc.

CINDER: WHITE PAWN > BLACK QUEEN > (BLACK PAWN?)

Cinder is like Weiss. She is an abused Pawn, who fights to become Queen. Differently from Weiss, though, she never overcomes her abuse and truly blossoms into herself.

What’s interesting about Cinder’s chess motif is that she switches sides. She arrives in Atlas and becomes a White Pawn:

This is why the color of her hair ties goes from red to white. The moment she arrives in Atlas, she enters the chessboard as the most humble of pieces. However, she is told that if she plays by the rules, she might be able to become a Queen:

Rhodes: And you want to be like us? You want to be a Huntress? Then we’ve got about seven years.

Cinder: For what?

Rhodes: To train you for the Huntsman exam.

However, her attempt fails and she is forced to leave the White side, she is caught and turned into a Black Queen:

Cinder’s tragedy is that she hates Atlas, but keeps applying its flawed classist mentality on herself and others. Her goal should be to leave the chessboard, but instead she keeps thinking she’ll be fine if she just levels up. This is what makes her so easy to manipulate by Salem:

Cinder might be thinking she is a Queen now because she is more powerful, but she misses that is not really her power, but Salem’s. At the end of the day, she is still just a piece on the chessboard that can be moved around and sacrificed in any moment. Not only that, but Salem has the power to easily turn Cinder back into a Pawn and it is implied it is what’s gonna happen in the end:

WINTER: WHITE PAWN > BLUE FAIRY (2ND WHITE QUEEN)

So, to become a Queen means to grow into yourself. That is why Weiss arrives in Atlas as one, while Cinder only looks like one, but keeps being just a Pawn deep down.

Well, there is clearly another character clothed in white, who goes from Pawn:

Winter: No, Penny. You were always the real Maiden at heart. I was just a machine… just… following orders.

To true girl:

Penny: You were my friend.

Winter’s story in Atlas is how she is able to overcome her abusers and become the kind hearted and warm person she has always been. Penny’s final act of love is what grants her the Maiden’s powers, but also what reassures her of her humanity. Penny turns Winter into the Blue Fairy and White Queen. To be more specific, she is the Pawn that crosses the chessboard and is crowned Queen.

CHECKMATE

The War over Atlas and the Relic of Creation is just a long game of chess opened up by Cinder:

In the final battle Cinder herself acts as the Black Queen fighting the White Queens (The Schnees sisters):

She manages to best the both of them, Weiss is defeated physically, while Winter psychologically.

Once she wins over the 2 White Queens, our Black Queen is finally free to declare checkmate to the disowned White King:

Cinder to Ironwood: And that’s… checkmate.

This incompetent King, who was abandoned even by his Queen (Winter) is then left to fall with the Kingdom he chose to protect:

Robyn: What do you think a Kingdom is? The people, or just the chunk of land they live on?

Ironwood chooses the chunk of land and dies with it, while Winter chooses the people and survives with them.

[whoiwanttoday]

Hey guys, looks like I am still on the Oscars. And still talking about @femalecelebrityoftheday , too. This is sort of a symptom of the Oscars, there are so, so many huge stars at the event and twice as many at the associated parties that it can be a week before pictures come out of some people. I have noted the looks of 53 different people so far at Oscars orbiting things. It's a lot. Decent Charli XCX pictures for instance have not really shown up anywhere other than her instagram. I am sure they'll come but she is close to my heart and an example of how this thing can have a life of it's own. Anyway, the night of the Oscars usually calm and collected @femalecelebrityoftheday was mad about the state of American clocks, in that we move them forward ahead of the UK. This is a fact I know, we also move them back after the UK, so there are 4 weeks a year when your mental math about, "What time is it in England" or in his case, "What time is in on the East Coast of America, as opposed to the time here in Scotland, which is not England!" is off and it can throw you for a loop. I often have in my head, "Oh, it's an hour off from usual" but then move the hour the wrong way, so I get that he was shocked the Oscars red carpet started at a different time than he expected. I think he was behind and trying to catch up but he noted that Fan Bingbing looked very nice. I agreed with him and then the next day he was like, "Have you seen pictures of her anywhere except tumblr?" I realized I had not. I was able to dig up some low quality stuff on various social media sites but somehow they were hard to find in any sort of quality from any sort of decent source. This is not confusing even if it feels unjust. I love Charli XCX but I get why she isn't first in line, I love her but a lot of people don't even know who she is. Because they are terminally lame. But Fan Bingbing? She's a major international star. I posted Deepika Padukone the other day and those pictures were not an easy find either. It's just interesting that both of these people are probably more famous in the sheer number of people who know their name then almost any American at the Oscars other than a small handful but aren't famous enough to get much attention from celebrity press. Which I guess is because at the end of the day, only American Eyeballs matter and Madelyn Cline is more likely to bring in young, American eyes than Fan Bingbing. Also, side note, now that I have willed the phrase, "Only American Eyes Matter," I fulled expect that to be some dystopian cyberpunk campaign slogan before my death when we all have robot eyeballs that beam commercials into our corneas. I am getting distracted though, I do that to myself. Well, I blame the Scots a little bit for making me notice things. Anyway, Fan Bingbing did indeed look very good. Very classic Hollywood in her elegance and her look but with some bits of home sprinkled in, especially with her viewing party dress. I am not surprised because she first of all is absolutely beautiful but second of all she has some of the best fashion sense in the world. I have always marvelled at how well she dresses. It's always distinct and unique and she looked great. So here she is, today I want to fuck Fan Bingbing

[thelastbraincellofthehive]

Saw your post on Nuts and Dolts in relation to Ruby sniping at Blake and Yang this episode. Given a few days have passed, have you had more Nuts and Dolts thoughts based around this recent episode?

Honestly the thing that keeps bouncing around my brain the most is how much I need Ruby to talk about Penny.

Last time Penny was killed Ruby didn't talk about it aside from vague mentions and that moment with Oscar that still breaks my heart. And I always wondered if she somehow blamed herself about it because she was the only one who knew Penny was a robot, so maybe telling someone could've made things go diferently? It could not, but you know how blame is.

And after seeing Ruby's face this episode when Jaune blamed her... She definitely blames herself this time, and she needs to talk to someone about it. About how much Penny meant to her, how hard she tried to save her because she had already lost her once and she couldn't afford to do it again... How she keeps hearing her voice calling her when she tries to fight and probably to sleep too.

Also, Blake and Yang lost eachother AND then found eachother again and the road was dificult, but it paid off in the end and now they get to be together and happy, right? So, why didn't it go like that for her and Penny? Why did Blake and Yang get to find eachother in the ever after and immediatly after she has to hear that Penny sacrificed herself from Weiss?

[starthecozy]

tag some mutuals you want to get to know better!

Thanks for the tag @appalamutte!! I remember there's another tag I should be doing soon, gotta check my mentions again >v>

favorite time of year: I like autumn! It happens at the end of March here (I'm at the southern hemisphere) a bit after my bday + it brings a more enjoyable weather for me! The winds are cooler and soon winter is coming up making everything even more cozy. 🍂

comfort food: Rice and mashed potatoes! The good old "hospital food", I'm afraid lol. The "neutral" taste of it it's very calming and comfortable for me 🍚

favorite dessert: Hmmm anything with chocolate tbh. I don't have a fixed one in my mind, but if it has chocolate or coconut I'll probably love it uvu

things you collect: I used to collect shells as a kid! Nowadays I collect hobbies, I think lmao I have folders with different subjects filled with info of it, be it languages, history, DIYs projects and such

favorite drink: Don't have a favorite one, I'm afraid 🤔

favorite musical artist: Ohh I love so many artists, even tho I don't follow any of them closely lmao I would say Aurora! I love her songs, from melodies to lyrics. Her work is amazing

last song you listened to: Stromae - Fils de joie

last movie you watched: According to my notes, it was Spider Man: No Way Home! I've watched late July for the first time 🏃‍♀️ I don't follow Marvel so closely anymore but really liked this one, for the old times :,)

last series you watched: Moon Knight! I enjoy Oscar Isaac's works and the series was so cool! I didn't know the character's backstory so I was so shocked when everything was Revealed 😂

series you’re currently watching: What We Do In The Shadows! Its short episodes are so helpful to keep me tuned 😭 I'm finding this season (4th) the funniest so far, (apart from the absolutely crimes they're doing to dear Marwa-) I'm really enjoying it!

current obsession: For this last month it was: french (the language. A new PHF team from Montreal was announced and I took the opportunity to go back to it heh); hockey; the Stray game (the one with the cat and the cool robots, who have my whole heart). But for this nice month of September, who knows?

a dream place to visit: I could think of many cools places I've seen pics of but what I really want to do on the near future is visit illustration events on other states 😭 It's great for networking and just!! Illustration events!!

a place that you want to go back to: I really want to go back to my hometown and visit the museums and attractions again. I enjoyed it when I was little and lived there but I think I would enjoy even more now that I'm adult!

something you want: Because I'm watching the finals right now, I want more visibility for women's (and other identities) hockey :, ) why the IIHF Women's Hockey is happening with so little broadcasting? It's only available on US and Canada, I'm having to watch on the good old 💀 because there's no way to watch it here even when I'm willing to pay for it. 😭

currently working on: I'm finishing this last commission and working on a collab event of the hobbit community (a project from @fellowshipofthefics)! The other projects are already done, just not released yet :>

Suggesting it to @lordoftherazzles , @dimdiamond , @sunnyrosewritesstuff , @vtforpedro , @thotinshield , @astridwrynn , @i-did-not-mean-to and anyone who wishes to do it!

[maximoaguilar]

𝐈𝐓'𝐒 𝐀 𝐋𝐎𝐍𝐆 𝐖𝐀𝐘 𝐃𝐎𝐖𝐍 𝐓𝐎 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐎𝐓𝐓𝐎𝐌 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐈𝐕𝐄𝐑 | SELF PARA

And if you fall... If you fall...

TRIGGER WARNING: corpses, poisoning, vomit, death, murder

This was supposed to be one of the happiest days of his life. And while he had once been here to celebrate Ana, the look on his face read one thing. He was now only here for his daughter. Because no matter how much rage came over him, no matter how much he wanted to let it control him, this day didn't just belong to the "happy couple." It belonged to their child, as well as the people in the room who cared about them.

The gifts. Of course he stands next to Ana, like a perfect soldier as she opens them, one by one. Just like he promised, he will be the father he never got -- Hector Aguilar is a name that feels like a distant memory. However, those moments with him are far too real for his liking. He believes he has proven himself time and time again that he is not his father's son. If he turned out like him, Max firmly would believe that he had failed Mason. Failed his little girl. 

He doesn't know how much longer he can do this. Pretend. Pretend like he is not a man scorned by a truth that he never thought possible, pretend like she had deserved to be given his heart. It was fragile enough as it is, having been held together by duct tape after shattering too many times before. Even still, he smiles when he’s told to. He laughs as if he is a robot, controlled and rhythmic. And he places his hand on Ana’s shoulder, as if she hasn’t already ripped this photograph of the two of them in half before it was even taken.

From now on, I will only be in your life for our daughter. It will gut me to do so, but I am not my father. I will give my little girl the father that I never got. But in every other capacity, consider us finished.

They may have been his own words, his own thoughts,, but they stung. Because he didn’t want to mean them. He never thought he’d have to.

He couldn’t lie to her, she had turned him into a shell of a man, a zombie walking through life with an aimless sensibility. To love someone as long as he had loved her, only to learn that maybe, just maybe Nico was telling the truth. That she had been with him, that she had forsaken every promise she had ever made him. To see his necklace still dangling from her neck made his blood boil, but at the same time – the sight gave him hope. Even though he knew that hope would die the moment he walked out the door of this house – Ana’s house, for the very last time as her boyfriend. Not that it seemed to mean anything to her. If it had, she wouldn’t have kissed Nico and done god knows whatever else with him. 

He had never wanted Nico to give him the satisfaction of making him doubt, making him question a relationship that had once thought to have been as strong as it could be. However, as he gave an Oscar winning performance for a crowd of their closest friends and family, it seemed almost impossible to do anything else than allow the cloud of insecurity to take hold. 

Take control.

But then there was her. He would never let his daughter go through heartbreak like this without fighting for her, letting whatever piece of shit know that they would never find anyone else as special as her. But then again, he always wanted her to see her mother in the most beautiful light that she could. Because, even if he could feel his heart slowly breaking – he still loved her. Of course he did. But the taste of betrayal is bitter in his throat as he tries to swallow it down with no avail. There was no getting over this… was there?

Mommy and daddy just didn’t work out. Something. He knew he’d need something to say to her when she got older and started asking questions. People had always told Max he was dependable, possessed all the answers – but he didn’t have any now. 

It’s also then that he allows himself to remember that he never had a parent who had been willing to fight for him. He was always the person fighting for everyone else, the father that people never had. But who would have fought for him back then? Who was going to fight for him now?

Kit. Sasha. Danny. Nicola. So many more. They were standing there, eyes agape with pride as they watched what was thought was a perfect, new family unit. However, it couldn’t have been more fractured. Max didn’t know how much longer he could cover the cracks in the surface. 

 How was he going to tell his Vanilla Unicorn family that come Monday, he would be working for another club?

He had known the risks that came with dating his boss, sharing a child with her. However, he hadn’t realized how much it would hurt to leave them behind for a new environment. Even still, he knew they’d understand that he needed to get his bearings again. Figure out who he was, after following Adriana Martinez like a lovesick puppy for as long as he could remember.

He had more or less tuned out the rest of the world around him, only nodding and smiling as Adriana addressed him. Again, the smile dripped with falsehoods – but she knew that. She was the only one. He had wanted to keep the moment light for everyone else in true Maximo Aguilar fashion. Let them have this day. Even if it had been a day to celebrate his family. One that had managed to no longer exist in a matter of days.

He can hear her words, perhaps the only thing that breaks through the haze he’s in. “Thank you for staying, I’m sorry this is hard.” 

Her touch raises every hair on his body, even know. She is the electricity that brings him back to life even now, even after she has shattered his heart. “I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.” Of course it’s hard for him in some ways, but not when it comes to their child. The one they promised to raise together.

However, he notices a change in Adriana’s face and his protective instincts kick in. Fear. He takes the card before she can even hold it out to him, his eyes becoming wide in surprise. 

Love, Marcus.

He never thought two words could be so jarring and yet they are, well wishes coming from a man that was long since dead. A man that Max had watched fall apart in that place when they were in the hands of Nadia, Carter and Alara. He had once been told that dead man can’t tell new tales. He tries to keep his face calm, neutral as it was before as he reaches for the side of the box – eyes fluttering closed as he tries to keep himself together once a familiar sight comes into view.

A body lies in the box in front of him, having been attacked with minimal brutality, but the sight from that close was enough to make the strongest of men quiver. And he does, shrinking away in shock as he scrambles away from what he has just seen – making every effort he can to keep the appetizers and champagne he had consumed amongst the contents of his stomach. 

Even if he had despised him, he would have never wished this upon him. He would never wish such a fate on anyone. To have people recoil from you in fear, likely used as nothing but a tactic to keep the rest of Hidehill at bay, in line. As if he thought the day could not get any worse, he was facing away from the sight on his hands and knees, trying to find it within himself to lay his eyes upon it once more.

He does turn a bit prematurely, however, when he realizes such shock would likely send the rest of their loved ones into chaos. However, before any of them can get too close – his hands raise in a desperate plea. If he can keep them from seeing the grizzly sight in front of him, he will. 

“Everybody BACK! Stay back!”

While it works for some, he cannot avoid the curious. Even still, he slowly pulls out his phone as he tries to find it within him to stand. When he does, he’s a bit shaky on his feat but he somehow manages to dial the three simple numbers.

“Hi – this is Maximo Aguilar calling from Adriana Martinez’s residence in Hove Lake, someone..” He pauses, head shaking in disbelief as tears finally begin to fill his ears. Who the fuck would do this? Who would ruin such a special day? “Someone… gave us a body at our fucking baby shower..” He doesn't know how he's saying the words aloud as he gasps for air.

He had to give it to him. Nico Karvelas always managed to get the last laugh, even in death.

[tifaisms]

🙏🏼🫶🏼 I didn't realize that u were like, really really into One Piece like that. I've read up to I think Vivi's arc and just didn't really have the time for it 😭 I know about Yamato because of all the like mess transphobes got into when he was introduced

And I think like, Kiki?? The transwoman of the current arc? 🏳️‍⚧️ rights in one of the most popular animes of all time, love to see it.

Are there any headcanons/opinons you have for the crew?

the thing with yamato is that yamato is introduced as "kaido's daughter" in a little bit in the manga, and is based on oscar from rose of versailles, a series i have not seen but to my understanding is a series that delves into gender a fair bit, specifically the notion of being seen as both man and woman. There's also teh hannya mask that he wears, which is used to represent a twisted female soul in kabuki theatre, as well as being enamored with franky's (the crew ship builder, who has a giant mecha and is himself a cyborg) giant mecha, which is a running gag in the series that all men love robots and all women think they are silly. yamato likes the robot. Kiku and yamato also take part in the baths at the end of the arc, which are segregated by gender and yamato bathes with the men and kiku bathes with the women.

The reason yamato gives for being a man is because he wants to be like kozuki oden, and oden was a man, and yamato even refers to himself AS oden, so how concrete this is is up to you really. Personally I view him as nonbinary, given that Oda has written complex gender before and having a character that is introduced as both man and woman, wears a mask that represents a twisted female soul, and even refers to himself with 2 different names (oden and yamato), i opt for nonbinary, but i really should just read rose of versailles and see whats up with that cause i feel that would help

the trans woman is kikunojo, a samurai in the wano arc (the arc with yamato) that explicitly states she is a trans woman ("this one is a woman at heart" is i believe the phrasing, which is shorthand for "trans woman"

as for my headcanons, i dont really have headcanons for most of the crew, but i have some that i really like so I will share those (for the rest, im fine with any headcanon frankly)

luffy - aroace (basically canon tbh) zoro - gay (i like gay ace) nami - lesbian franky - trans man robin - trans woman as for the rest yeah im fine with anything honestly, but i really like those 5 specifically

[smokeybrandreviews]

Smokey brand Reviews: Force Sensitivities episode II

I shill for Star Wars hard. I have for years, easily since i was a wee lil Smokey. I say that every time i start one of these essays or reviews because i want to be completely transparent about my bias. Darth Vader is easily one of, if not the, best cinema antagonist, ever, in my opinion. I love this cyborg asshole and everything about him. That first introduction in the beginning of Episode IV was everything. The second James Earl Jones' brilliantly dubbed voice boomed onscreen was it for me. Darth Vader as my dude and my love affair with the franchise began. I say all of this because i am part of the Fandom Menace. Absolutely i am. I cherish Star Wars so watching Kathleen Kennedy decimate my galaxy far, far, away in the name of her own ego, is practically debilitating. And it’s not even like i am averse to the ideas of her changes, you know? I like the idea of Rey. I loved Adam Driver and his Vader-lite, Kylo Ren. I love Oscar Issac so his Han Solo replacement, Po Dameron, already had my heart and Boyega's Finn had all the hallmarks of being something really special. And then Kennedy let Rian Johnson f*ck that sh*t all up.

And then she f*cked up Solo. And then she f*cked up Rise of Skywalker. And then she f*cked up everything else. So little of Star Wars has been good or original on Kennedy’s watch and it’s insane to me people defend this chick because she IS a chick. Bro, she is, objectively, bad at her job. It’s a wonder anything good has come out of Lucasfilm in her tenure. One of those things was Sear Wars Visions. That sh*t slapped hard and, coming off Netflix’s excellent anthology series Love,Death, + Robots, Visions was primed to ravage my senses. And it did. I just found out that the second season dropped to little fanfare, probably because this isn’t really a Kennedy production, much like he first, and her ego refuses to acknowledge anything that doesn’t have her name on it. Anyway, i finally got to check out these brand new takes on an old myth that is struggling to survive.

Sith

What a way to start off your anthology! This one was much stronger than The Duel from last season, in my humble opinion. I loved the use of color and negative space. The combination of such a vibrant palette against those stark whites, or the subtle contrast by those blacks at the climax; Simply brilliant. More than that, the sound design went a long way to setting the tone of this short. It did so much heavy lifting, i was flabbergasted, especially considering how dope the animation turned out. Seriously, Sith is a work of art and masterclass in tension. I was on the edge of my seat with that final duel and it was less than i expected but much more than i needed. El Guiri Studios really gave us something special. Here's hoping Hollywood takes notice and let's these cats really do there thing with a proper budget and creative license.

Screecher's Reach

Another banger right after the first? Yessir! Admittedly, while I like the aesthetic of Screecher's Reach, it was nowhere near as beautiful as The Sith. That said, this one had much, much, more emotional impact. That short, thirteen and change, gave me some of the best character development I've seen out of Disney Star Wars to date! That's not to say the animation and art design wasn't lovely. Cartoon Saloon really brought their A game with this one. The overall short was gorgeous and far more impactful than it had any right to be. Plus, that twist ending! Yo, I don't know who or what that Sith was at the end but I love the look! So deceptive. So insidious. I feel so bad for Daal but so glad I got to see her story.

In the Stars

Not gonna lie, I didn't care for this one. I respect the gumption, for sure, to make a claymation short because they are always so fun to watch but there are several practical limitations to creating animation this way. I'm immediately struck by the lack of color and fluidity in the overall animation. Coming off the first two shorts, this really took away from my viewing experience. On top of that, there is a lot of “Tell, don't show” in this fifteen minutes. Way to much exposition dumped early on. It's like Punkrobot Studios didn't trust the audience to infer all of that from the natural plot progression. It doesn't help that our main protagonist, the one we're supposed to be rooting for, is a reckless ass child. It's such a stark contrast the kids in Screecher's Reach. Yeah, there are merits to In the Stars, they're just not for me. I know this is supposed to be a metaphor of colonialism or whatever but it's just so poorly executed. Plus, I mean, everyone is still dead, the f*ck?

I Am Your Mother

And as if to drive my point home about the claymation thing, I am Your Mother comes along and absolutely puts In The Stars to shame with the same goddamn technique! Aardman really put together something4 special with this short and I mean short. I Am Your Mother is only ten minutes and change but it uses every second of that run time to tell a really heartfelt, coming-of-age, narrative. The overall plot might be a bit derivative but I'm a softy for these types of narratives so I had a great time with it. It's nuts because this is basically the same, overall, plot as In The Stars but Mother does it so much better. More than anything, this feels like Star Wars. You can plop this thing right in with the Prequel era of films and it wouldn't feel out of place at all.

Journey to the Dark Head

So I really, really, liked this on. I think I liked it as much as The Sith and that's saying a lot because that one is probably my favorite of the season. Dark Head is the first traditionally animated short and Studio Mir really put their best foot forward. This f*cking thing was epic! I'm a sucker for anime and, while this technically isn't proper anime, they pay solid homage to that aesthetic. It feels a lot like Avatar in that way and lord knows I love me some Misadventures of Aang and Friends. Probably because Mir is the studio who did Korra. My affection for Korra is much less but I'd be lying if I said that animation wasn't solid. This one was the longest of the lot so far, eighteen minutes, but they used that time to tell a strong story. It's wild to think they'd be able to pack in so much character development, in such a short amount of time, and entire, theatrical length, Star Wars films can't do the same. Rogue One, I'm looking at you.

The Spydancer

Yo, what the f*ck was that?! Holy sh*t, was that solid storytelling! Look, the emotional weight of this sixteen minute was incredible. I mean, of the top, I love the look of the art. The animation was fluid, particular the dancing, and the sound design was everything but the goddamn story, man! How the f*ck did Studio la Cachette do so much, in much little time? Seriously, this was a straight up roller coaster of emotion and I didn't expect that at all. I thought Journey to Dark Head told a complete narrative but The Spydancer does all of that and so much more. Seriously, it's hard not to put this up there with the best of Disney Star Wars and thy did it in sixteen goddamn minutes!

The Bandits of Golak

Another miss for me. Look, I love the Indian inspiration and the CG animation is solid but I don't particular care for the story being told, especially coming off something as emotionally weighty as The Spydancer. Still, 88 Pictures really made the most of their sixteen minutes. I can see why so many people enjoyed this short, even if I, personally, didn't really care for it. That final duel was solid as f*ck, though.

The Pit

Black folks in Star Wars? Let's go! Seriously, there is a distinct lack of color in a galaxy far, far, away so anytime I can get some melanated representation, I'm all in. What do we have so far? Mace, Finn, and Lando? Three prominent black characters over, what is it now? Four goddamn decades? Almost five? Motherf*ckers should be ashamed of themselves. Still, The Pit goes a long way to bridging that gap. Now, I support the f*ck out of D'ART Shtajio but I'd be lying if I said this wasn't the weakest of the shorts in season two. That, and I kind of really hate the Lucasfilm co-sign. None of the other studios needed it. This feels like a Kennedy thing. Gotta take as much credit for the diversity hire as possible, you know? If you didn't now, D'ART Shtajio is the first black owned anime studio. Thy do a lot of support animation for a ton of anime series but this is their first stab at a recognizable franchise like Star Wars where they are allowed to fully do their thing. All that said, The Pit is easily the weakest entry into this season. The narrative is solid and it does a great deal with it's sixteen minutes but this thing doesn't leave nearly the impression of every other short the anthology. Seriously, this thing has a strong message that is kind of undermined by the lack of quality when stood against the rest of the shorts presented.

Aau's Song

Auu's Song closes out this season's entries and, just like the opening, it was a strong choice. Aau's Song feels like a quiet story, intimate and personal, awash in a sea of stars. We  should be fortunate that her tale was told to us with such reverence and respect by Triggering. I was a little suspect at first, being that the two other stop-motion entries were hit-and-miss, but Auu's Song was definitely a hit. I am in love with this aesthetic. It feels like Final Fantasy IX and, if you know me, you know IX is top five for me. I loved the look, but I loved the sound design even more. Auu's song was lovely. Just the vocalizations, alone, were enough to catch my attention but couple that with the underlying tribal drums when sh*t got hairy, and you have a complete story told through your ears. Seriously, you can close your eyes and just listen to this story without missing a narrative beat. I find that absolutely amazing. It's wild to think that Aau's Song can be so god with absolutely no conflict. There are no Sith here, no Empire, no malevolence, just redemption and I kind of love that. The Sith, and to a lesser extent the Empire, were so prominent throughout this season but arguably the second strongest short of the lot, was devoid of anything resembling the dark side, outside of bled Kyber. Absolutely spectacular watch.

[smokeybrand]

Smokey brand Reviews: Force Sensitivities episode II

I shill for Star Wars hard. I have for years, easily since i was a wee lil Smokey. I say that every time i start one of these essays or reviews because i want to be completely transparent about my bias. Darth Vader is easily one of, if not the, best cinema antagonist, ever, in my opinion. I love this cyborg asshole and everything about him. That first introduction in the beginning of Episode IV was everything. The second James Earl Jones' brilliantly dubbed voice boomed onscreen was it for me. Darth Vader as my dude and my love affair with the franchise began. I say all of this because i am part of the Fandom Menace. Absolutely i am. I cherish Star Wars so watching Kathleen Kennedy decimate my galaxy far, far, away in the name of her own ego, is practically debilitating. And it’s not even like i am averse to the ideas of her changes, you know? I like the idea of Rey. I loved Adam Driver and his Vader-lite, Kylo Ren. I love Oscar Issac so his Han Solo replacement, Po Dameron, already had my heart and Boyega's Finn had all the hallmarks of being something really special. And then Kennedy let Rian Johnson f*ck that sh*t all up.

And then she f*cked up Solo. And then she f*cked up Rise of Skywalker. And then she f*cked up everything else. So little of Star Wars has been good or original on Kennedy’s watch and it’s insane to me people defend this chick because she IS a chick. Bro, she is, objectively, bad at her job. It’s a wonder anything good has come out of Lucasfilm in her tenure. One of those things was Sear Wars Visions. That sh*t slapped hard and, coming off Netflix’s excellent anthology series Love,Death, + Robots, Visions was primed to ravage my senses. And it did. I just found out that the second season dropped to little fanfare, probably because this isn’t really a Kennedy production, much like he first, and her ego refuses to acknowledge anything that doesn’t have her name on it. Anyway, i finally got to check out these brand new takes on an old myth that is struggling to survive.

Sith

What a way to start off your anthology! This one was much stronger than The Duel from last season, in my humble opinion. I loved the use of color and negative space. The combination of such a vibrant palette against those stark whites, or the subtle contrast by those blacks at the climax; Simply brilliant. More than that, the sound design went a long way to setting the tone of this short. It did so much heavy lifting, i was flabbergasted, especially considering how dope the animation turned out. Seriously, Sith is a work of art and masterclass in tension. I was on the edge of my seat with that final duel and it was less than i expected but much more than i needed. El Guiri Studios really gave us something special. Here's hoping Hollywood takes notice and let's these cats really do there thing with a proper budget and creative license.

Screecher's Reach

Another banger right after the first? Yessir! Admittedly, while I like the aesthetic of Screecher's Reach, it was nowhere near as beautiful as The Sith. That said, this one had much, much, more emotional impact. That short, thirteen and change, gave me some of the best character development I've seen out of Disney Star Wars to date! That's not to say the animation and art design wasn't lovely. Cartoon Saloon really brought their A game with this one. The overall short was gorgeous and far more impactful than it had any right to be. Plus, that twist ending! Yo, I don't know who or what that Sith was at the end but I love the look! So deceptive. So insidious. I feel so bad for Daal but so glad I got to see her story.

In the Stars

Not gonna lie, I didn't care for this one. I respect the gumption, for sure, to make a claymation short because they are always so fun to watch but there are several practical limitations to creating animation this way. I'm immediately struck by the lack of color and fluidity in the overall animation. Coming off the first two shorts, this really took away from my viewing experience. On top of that, there is a lot of “Tell, don't show” in this fifteen minutes. Way to much exposition dumped early on. It's like Punkrobot Studios didn't trust the audience to infer all of that from the natural plot progression. It doesn't help that our main protagonist, the one we're supposed to be rooting for, is a reckless ass child. It's such a stark contrast the kids in Screecher's Reach. Yeah, there are merits to In the Stars, they're just not for me. I know this is supposed to be a metaphor of colonialism or whatever but it's just so poorly executed. Plus, I mean, everyone is still dead, the f*ck?

I Am Your Mother

And as if to drive my point home about the claymation thing, I am Your Mother comes along and absolutely puts In The Stars to shame with the same goddamn technique! Aardman really put together something4 special with this short and I mean short. I Am Your Mother is only ten minutes and change but it uses every second of that run time to tell a really heartfelt, coming-of-age, narrative. The overall plot might be a bit derivative but I'm a softy for these types of narratives so I had a great time with it. It's nuts because this is basically the same, overall, plot as In The Stars but Mother does it so much better. More than anything, this feels like Star Wars. You can plop this thing right in with the Prequel era of films and it wouldn't feel out of place at all.

Journey to the Dark Head

So I really, really, liked this on. I think I liked it as much as The Sith and that's saying a lot because that one is probably my favorite of the season. Dark Head is the first traditionally animated short and Studio Mir really put their best foot forward. This f*cking thing was epic! I'm a sucker for anime and, while this technically isn't proper anime, they pay solid homage to that aesthetic. It feels a lot like Avatar in that way and lord knows I love me some Misadventures of Aang and Friends. Probably because Mir is the studio who did Korra. My affection for Korra is much less but I'd be lying if I said that animation wasn't solid. This one was the longest of the lot so far, eighteen minutes, but they used that time to tell a strong story. It's wild to think they'd be able to pack in so much character development, in such a short amount of time, and entire, theatrical length, Star Wars films can't do the same. Rogue One, I'm looking at you.

The Spydancer

Yo, what the f*ck was that?! Holy sh*t, was that solid storytelling! Look, the emotional weight of this sixteen minute was incredible. I mean, of the top, I love the look of the art. The animation was fluid, particular the dancing, and the sound design was everything but the goddamn story, man! How the f*ck did Studio la Cachette do so much, in much little time? Seriously, this was a straight up roller coaster of emotion and I didn't expect that at all. I thought Journey to Dark Head told a complete narrative but The Spydancer does all of that and so much more. Seriously, it's hard not to put this up there with the best of Disney Star Wars and thy did it in sixteen goddamn minutes!

The Bandits of Golak

Another miss for me. Look, I love the Indian inspiration and the CG animation is solid but I don't particular care for the story being told, especially coming off something as emotionally weighty as The Spydancer. Still, 88 Pictures really made the most of their sixteen minutes. I can see why so many people enjoyed this short, even if I, personally, didn't really care for it. That final duel was solid as f*ck, though.

The Pit

Black folks in Star Wars? Let's go! Seriously, there is a distinct lack of color in a galaxy far, far, away so anytime I can get some melanated representation, I'm all in. What do we have so far? Mace, Finn, and Lando? Three prominent black characters over, what is it now? Four goddamn decades? Almost five? Motherf*ckers should be ashamed of themselves. Still, The Pit goes a long way to bridging that gap. Now, I support the f*ck out of D'ART Shtajio but I'd be lying if I said this wasn't the weakest of the shorts in season two. That, and I kind of really hate the Lucasfilm co-sign. None of the other studios needed it. This feels like a Kennedy thing. Gotta take as much credit for the diversity hire as possible, you know? If you didn't now, D'ART Shtajio is the first black owned anime studio. Thy do a lot of support animation for a ton of anime series but this is their first stab at a recognizable franchise like Star Wars where they are allowed to fully do their thing. All that said, The Pit is easily the weakest entry into this season. The narrative is solid and it does a great deal with it's sixteen minutes but this thing doesn't leave nearly the impression of every other short the anthology. Seriously, this thing has a strong message that is kind of undermined by the lack of quality when stood against the rest of the shorts presented.

Aau's Song

Auu's Song closes out this season's entries and, just like the opening, it was a strong choice. Aau's Song feels like a quiet story, intimate and personal, awash in a sea of stars. We  should be fortunate that her tale was told to us with such reverence and respect by Triggering. I was a little suspect at first, being that the two other stop-motion entries were hit-and-miss, but Auu's Song was definitely a hit. I am in love with this aesthetic. It feels like Final Fantasy IX and, if you know me, you know IX is top five for me. I loved the look, but I loved the sound design even more. Auu's song was lovely. Just the vocalizations, alone, were enough to catch my attention but couple that with the underlying tribal drums when sh*t got hairy, and you have a complete story told through your ears. Seriously, you can close your eyes and just listen to this story without missing a narrative beat. I find that absolutely amazing. It's wild to think that Aau's Song can be so god with absolutely no conflict. There are no Sith here, no Empire, no malevolence, just redemption and I kind of love that. The Sith, and to a lesser extent the Empire, were so prominent throughout this season but arguably the second strongest short of the lot, was devoid of anything resembling the dark side, outside of bled Kyber. Absolutely spectacular watch.

[hellowhoisthere]

hello! it’s your gifter again! would you mind sharing some of your headcanons for ozqrow and nuts n dolts? i’m curious

some of my thoughts on ozqrow:

I think ozqrow had the slowest burn relationship not of power dyanmics complication while Qrow was at Beacon but Ozpin doesnt open his heart to relationship but Qrow 100% trust Ozpin above all else and Ozpin has trust Qrow as well. Letting know about his past live relationship did not end well and that why he is reluctant. But this trust scares him if know fairytale of The Infinite Man. All previous follower's of Ozpin had been wiped out by Salem and Ozpin failed them. So when Qrow was mad at Ozpin it was hurt of hurting Qrow that made Ozpin go into hiding in Oscar's head. I think about it all the time.

Happy thought, on nuts n dolts though is that the pair are the living personfication of meme of the badass I pulled with my austistic swag but it goes both ways. I do live for aroace rubyrose (sex neutral & romantic questionning) For Penny. Its just I dont like sometimes penny is placed as aroace because she is a 'robot'. But Penny and Ruby are soulmates so I think they would overcome any complication in their relationship because what is important to them is being together and having fun.

[natehoodreviews]

Elemental ★★½

I remember the first time I saw the trailer for Pixar Animation Studios’ Elemental a few months ago. It was at a theater with a group of friends who, like myself, had grown up with the first wave of Pixar films in the late nineties and early two-thousands. We all had fond memories of the Little California Studio that Could—the company who beat the seemingly invincible Walt Disney Animation Studios at their own game over and over at the box office and the Oscars. While the Mouse floundered with bland, forgettable comedies, Pixar gained a reputation for movies unafraid to exercise the audience’s hearts and tear ducts. Once, the release of a new Pixar movie was an Event with a capital “E.” Then came their 2006 merger with Disney and something…changed. While still capable of the occasional film with the old Pixar magic—Inside Out (2015) and Coco (2017) come immediately to mind—the innovators who gave the world talking toys, soft-shoeing robots, and balloon houses became a conveyor belt of Good-Not-Great sequels, prequels, and direct-to-streaming releases. When the credits of the Elemental trailer flashed, my friends and I sat in bewildered silence, looked at each other, and laughed.

Perhaps we were unfair. By all accounts, Elemental wasn’t the Pixar-on-autopilot cash-grab the trailer seemed to suggest. Pitched way back in 2015 and largely based on director Peter Sohn’s memories of growing up in the States the child of Korean immigrants, the film is obviously a labor of love with the highest (and noblest) artistic intentions. It’s the story of two star-crossed lovers—one a lower-class fire element named Ember Lumen (Leah Lewis) and the other an upper-class water element named Wade Ripple (Mamoudou Athie)—living in Element City, a metropolitan wonderland peopled with anthropomorphic versions of the four classical elements of fire, water, earth, and air. After a painful meet-cute where Wade, a city inspector, almost puts Ember’s family’s shop out of business—long story—the two team up to solve a mystery threatening the entire fire element quarter of the city. Oh, and somewhere in there they fall madly in love. Elemental takes bold swings at such weighty topics as racism, the immigrant experience, class differences, and escaping parental expectations (the last being one of Pixar’s favorite themes as far back as Finding Nemo and The Incredibles in the early two-thousands). It also has the distinction of being one of the only Pixar romantic comedies since WALL-E (2008).

Unfortunately, Elemental isn’t particularly good. But it’s not bad, either, which is the problem. In today’s crowded animation marketplace, the most dangerous thing a film can be is mediocre: great films are remembered for their excellence, bad films for their notoriety. But mediocre films? Those are quickly forgotten. Frankly, I don’t see anyone remembering this film in a year or two any more than other Pixar missteps like The Good Dinosaur (2015) and Onward (2020). Too many of the story beats are cookie-cutter predictable, right down to Ember’s contrived falling out with her doting father to Ember’s even more contrived break-up with Wade at the start of the third act. Watching it, I couldn’t escape the impression that I was seeing something Frankensteined together from other, better Pixar movies.

Instead, Elemental is at its best when it steps back from the plot and lets the audience drink in the incredible world-building and art direction. Element City is one of the most dazzlingly realized locations in any Pixar film with exquisite, near obsessive detail poured into its every nook and cranny. Unlike many animated cities that feel like clones of real-world locations like New York City with a few strange buildings thrown into the background for flavor, everything about Element City feels constructed with a city planner’s eye for accommodating real-life creatures of fire, water, earth, and air. Consider, for example, the fire element quarter of the city where Ember lives. As the city was originally built with water elementals in mind, their neighborhood was reverse engineered between a series of drained canals. Since the city’s subway system is essentially a giant log flume ride, the sidewalks underneath their elevated lines are covered with drains to catch and dispose of spilled water so it doesn’t harm the fiery inhabitants. This is world-building of the highest degree, and I haven’t even mentioned the glass tower swimming pools of the water elementals, the tree-filled offices of the earth elementals, or the sky-high spherical sports stadiums of the air elementals.

Element City deserved a better story. The narrative’s need to shoehorn all its weighty themes like racism and classism around its uneven romance fails the latter at the expense of the former. It’s not that you can’t make a good romantic comedy that explores these ideas—this just isn’t one of them. I’ve heard that during production certain story ideas were nixed because the filmmakers wanted to save them for a potential sequel. Despite Elemental’s mediocrity, I hope it gets made, if only because I want to see this creative team take a crack at a better story worthy of Element City.