#South of Nowhere Episodes

[chenfordsrollisi]

South of Nowhere Season 1

Note: Let me know the seasons and episode number if links don't work. I'll be adding alt links. Please let me know if they do or don't work as well, thanks. Season 1! Episodes 1&2: Secret Truths [Alt Link: Episodes 1&2: Secret Truths] Episode 3: Friends, Lovers, Brothers and Others [Alt Link: Episode 3: Friends, Lovers, Brothers and Others] Episode 4: Put Out or Get Out [Alt Link: Episode 4: Put Out Or Get Out] Episode 5: First Time [Alt Link: Episode 5: First Time] Episode 6: Girl’s Guide to Dating [Alt Link: Episode 6: Girl's Guide to Dating] Episode 7: Friends with Benefits [Alt Link: Episode 7: Friends with Benefits] Episode 8: Under My Skin [Alt Link: Episode 8: Under My Skin] Episode 9: Shake, Rattle & Roll [Alt Link: Episode 9: Shake, Rattle & Roll] Episode 10: Say It Ain’t So, Spencer [Alt Link: Episode 10: Say It Ain't So, Spencer] Episode 11: What Just Happened? [Alt Link: Episode 11: What Just Happened?]

[herbertpocketsfidgettoys]

Great expectations reference

[andysapril]

2k23 Pride Celebration:

Scenes → South of Nowhere, 1x05

[horsechestnut]

South of Nowhere is so funny. Every episode is just...

A Plot: Spencer thinks she’s gay, but also Aiden is kind of cute. Either her or Ashley makes a new friend and the other gets extremely jealous over it.

B Plot: Clay struggles with racism and/or his own internal struggles about being a black teenager raised by a white family and trying to find his place in the black community. 50% chance of something traumatic happening to him that will never be mentioned again.

C Plot (optional): Glen is a teenage boy. 

[lost-romantique]

Moxxie's Feelings of Gratitude

I just want to talk about one of my favorite scenes from 'Exes & Oohs' because it really shows how much gratitude Moxxie has towards Blitzø.

In this scene, Moxxie looks so utterly betrayed by the fact that his boyfriend, Chaz, whom he had serious feelings for, essentially left him the moment things went south during the hijacking.

The moment Chaz leaves, there's a close up shot of Moxxie’s face and he looks utterly heartbroken.

He immediately gets thrown in jail, and Moxxie is utterly dejected. Suddenly, Blitzø pops up out of nowhere.

Blitzø is talking a million miles a minute, not really listening to anyone or anything, but Blitzø being Blitzø banters about. Moxxie is confused, but his face lights up.

"I got a plan to get us out of this dump but I'm gonna need some help, you think you can give me a hand? I need to get out to my daughter, the babysitter will kill me if I don't get back soon."

I think the reason why Moxxie is so happy is because Blitzø does not hesitate to include the poor guy. Blitzø is just friendly, casual, and determined.

And you know what the fun part is?

The moment Moxxie gets out of jail, he stays with Blitzø, and he doesn't leave. He doesn't even think about returning home. He sticks around with him, forms I.M.P with him, and then meets and falls in love with Millie along the way.

The flashback ends and we immediately cut to Moxxie making this face towards Blitzø, and there is so much appreciation and gratitude chocked up into this one expression.

Despite how harsh and mean Blitzø can be towards him at times, and even though Moxxie can get really annoyed with his boss's bullshit... there's gratefulness and loyalty in that expression. And I love that...

"Once I got out I never looked back..."

And then you see Blitzø looking at Moxxie with a confused expression, because of course he would.

Of course, Blitzø is completely unaware on the profound impact he had towards Moxxie. That fucking dumbass (affectionate).

Looking forward to seeing Millie's backstory next episode, now that will be fun!

[lxgentlefolkcomic]

First page || Previous page || Next page

Start reading Episode 1

Dialogue transcripts:

Panel 1

Irene: I am sorry you ended up quite left out of that, Godfrey.

Godfrey: Nonsense, dear, you would have gotten nowhere if you had to repeat every word in English.

Panel 2

Irene: This seemed like a long shot, but I’ve never been more sure someone knows more than they let on. Did you notice, Godfrey?

Godfrey: It was like he was sweating on the witness stand. There was pain, certainly, but he hardly met your eyes once you began to ask questions.

Panel 3

Godfrey: It’s possible he feared you wouldn’t believe the truth…If his experiences were anything like ours, I’d feel the same.

Irene: Perhaps…but his story didn’t add up.

Panel 4

Irene: Three of them lost at sea near Japan, but found near South America. According to the Professor, a Japanese whaling ship setting out on a three-year journey saved them, but could not turn back.

Panel 5

Irene: But despite months spent with their rescuers, he couldn’t tell me a thing about them—not even their names! No language barrier could explain that. And what he did share was terribly vague.

Panel 6

Godfrey: Ah, that must have been when he looked like he was making answers up on the spot.

Irene: But why? Does he have something to hide, or is he shielding another? Does any of it have to do with our sea creature?

Panel 7

Godfrey: I might have seen something that could answer that, if journal in French means the same as English…

[lazycats-stuff]

You the oneshot where the reader didn't have a choice until batfam rescued him . I kinda want to see the batfam reactions to the thighs he didn't get to experience like chocolate, cartoons and a birthday that shocked them the most and what's even worse is that readers handler just sends him to a very difficult mission like a deserted island to fend for himself on his birthday which reader didn't know about

Aww, some family fluff... You got it my dear anon. Also, the request season has started.

Summary: (Y/N) told his family about his lack of experience with usual stuff. Even more with his birthday. Absolutely no one is having it.

Batfamily & male!reader, PART 2, PART 3,

Warnings: Fluff, family wants to kill someone, mentions of missions from (Y/N)'s past.

After saving (Y/N) from his handler, it was obvious that he didn't... Indulge in certain things as any normal kids would. Sure, Damian didn't too, considering his upbringing, but (Y/N) was on a whole another level of not knowing anything.

It started with chocolate. Alfred has made some chocolate cake out of nowhere and he called the others down to eat if they wanted too. Of course, everyone would do so. I mean, who wouldn't want to try Alfred's delicious creations?

Everyone jumped at the news, basically pushing each others out of the way. (Y/N) didn't understand why they would do it. It's just food. He walked in confused, sitting down. He frowned at the sight of a chocolate cake.

" What's wrong (Y/N)? " Bruce asked, digging into the sugary delight.

" I never had anything with chocolate before. I wasn't allowed to have sugar. " (Y/N) confessed and Jason nearly choked on his piece.

" No. " Jason said, in complete and utter disbelief. Everyone glanced at (Y/N), also shocked that he has never had sugar. Of any kind probably.

" How about you try it? " Bruce prompted and Alfred put a chocolate cake in front of (Y/N). He took a fork and put it in his mouth and everyone saw how gingerly he tried it.

It seemed he liked it by the way his eyes widened and the way he relaxed.

" Do you like it? " Bruce asked, clearly already knowing the answer.

" I think I would like a second slice. " (Y/N) admitted and Alfred smiled widely. It's a win and progress. (Y/N) is never the one to voice what he wants and making him explicitly say what he wants is like pulling teeth.

" Of course master (Y/N), but I'm afraid you can't have more than two per day. " Alfred said, already putting some rules down.

" Okay. " (Y/N) said. Bruce decided to put some rules down because rules are all he knows. But they were very relaxed rules. Such as at least 8 hours of sleep, some exercise and a healthy amount of vegetables.

(Y/N) is kind of afraid of Alfred. He saw that Alfred is the one to not mess with and he respected it.

(Y/N) stayed silent as he ate. Bruce already a mental note to buy more sweets for (Y/N) to try.

After the whole cake fiasco, everyone decided to help (Y/N) experience some actual fragments of childhood. So what do they decide to do?

Cartoon marathon.

Jason wanted to watch South Park because he knows (Y/N) will love it. It's pure satire and Jason loved it. Whenever he could catch some free time, he would watch it and it would take a national emergency to stop.

And that's why Jason is leading (Y/N) to the living room.

" What is South Park even? " (Y/N) asked as he entered the living room, quickly moving to his spot.

" One of the best cartoons ever made. " Jason simply said and (Y/N) shook his head.

" It's pure satire. " Dick elaborated and (Y/N) nodded in understanding. (Y/N) liked satire. He considered himself to be a sarcastic person, more so now when he lived with the Waynes. Damian and (Y/N) just communicated via sarcasm and it was fun.

They started from the first episode and (Y/N) chuckled quietly. Everyone turned their heads. Holy shit. It's a beautiful sound too, coming from (Y/N). When they make him laugh properly, they are going to commemorate it once it happens.

" What? " (Y/N) asked, looking at the all.

" You have an adorable laugh. " Jason explained and (Y/N) turned his head away. He didn't want them to see his blush. Nobody has ever told him that. There was never any type of affection from his handler. If he got a 'good job', he could consider it the best praise.

After months of digging, Bruce found (Y/N)'s birthday. Bruce is definitely going to brag about this for the years to come. And he found out just in time. It's going to be in a few days and they wanted to surprise (Y/N).

(Y/N) is observant by nature and keeping this surprise as a secret is not an easy feat. Bruce could see that (Y/N) was already suspicious, especially with the way everyone brushes him off with the exact same excuses and some times they distract him with sparring, cases and all in all just stupid things.

Alfred made a chocolate cake, now (Y/N)'s favorite and the others got him some things that they thought that (Y/N) would like. Jason had a major task of bringing (Y/N) to the dining room.

They all waited with the stuff, knowing that (Y/N) wouldn't like sudden surprise and sudden noise. (Y/N) stopped as he took in the sight of a cake with candles on them.

" Happy birthday. " Bruce said, with a smile on his face.

" What? " (Y/N) asked quietly and their faces fell.

" You never had a birthday before? " Dick asked, feeling sad for (Y/N).

" Not really. I was usually sent on missions during that time. The last one was spent on a deserted island. " (Y/N) said, shuddering at the mere memory of the mission. Bruce walked towards (Y/N) and brought him into his own embrace.

" From now on, we are going to replace all of those memories with some more precious ones. Okay? " Bruce asked and (Y/N) felt something warm in his core. Something that he has never felt before.

Everyone agreed with Bruce, joining in on the hug. (Y/N) never liked to be touched, but he has grown to like it with the others. They weren't abrasive with it and Dick was the most touchy one, he understood his boundaries.

" Can I eat the cake now? " (Y/N) asked, squished in between all of them. Everyone chuckled at the suggestion and let go of (Y/N). The celebration went by without a hitch and it was filled with smiles, even from members who don't smile to much.

[genericpuff]

bit out of nowhere but LO Hades reminds me so much to Bojack Horseman idk how to explain it

Oh we've talked about this extensively in the ULO chat circles n such, especially when it comes to the most climactic scene in the show, the second interview:

The entire tone of the show showcases a very bitter reality with a lot of celebrities and people in power. There are some messed up things that happen throughout the course of the show, but they always feel like they're being used for comedy or brushed under the rug with comedy, because the show is, after all, a comedy. But I feel like that was the point, because it's not until the final season that everything that happened throughout finally catches up to Bojack, and suddenly... it's not funny anymore. There's no punchline. It really reflects just how much people in power don't see their abuse or wrongdoings as "big deals", sometimes they even see it as "just some funny thing that happened", all while the onlookers and victims of their behavior and abuse either become so acquainted with it they don't even see it as abuse anymore until they finally break away from it (Diana, Todd, Princess Caroline, etc.) OR they fight to be heard while the media tries to snuff them out. So then when the consequences finally catch up to them, there are no laughs to be heard, as much as the perpetrator in question may try their best to pass it off as "not a big deal" or believe they shouldn't be held accountable because "it happened a long time ago".

Anyone who sees Biscuits Braxby as the villain here is missing the overall point - Bojack has been responsible for literally ruining people's lives on several occasions, and has never been held accountable.

And yeah, I see a lot of that in LO as well, but the issue is the framing of the story isn't making it clear if it's actually going to have its "Come to Jesus" moment with Hades and Persephone, or if it's just gonna keep celebrating them as the heroes.

There were no consequences for Hades pulling out Alex's eye. They played the resolution out for comedy.

There were no consequences for Persephone turning Minthe into a mint plant. They played the scenario out for comedy literally by the end of the very same episode and then well into the next one.

There were no consequences for Persephone cornering Tori at his job. The entire thing was played up for comedy.

There were no consequences for Persephone raiding Leuce's home. She was rewarded with sex from Hades and it was, you guessed it, played up for comedy.

Just like with Bojack Horseman, we don't see Hades or Persephone treat these situations as seriously as they ought to. They ultimately don't care how other people feel or how they may be affected by their own actions, they only care about themselves. Just like with Bojack, we see Hades enter sexual relationships with women who are in a much weaker position than him, women who stand to lose far more than he would if the relationship went south.

(I need you all to realize that Hades is literally blackmailing her. He is trying to pay her off with a management position or some kind of severance and framing it in such a way to manipulate her into thinking it's 'better' for her that she take the deal, all for the sake of getting her out of the picture because he's with Persephone now. This is blackmail. And the narrative wants us to root for Hades here.)

Shit, I would argue Bojack is still a better character than Hades and Persephone because we 1.) see how the consequences of his actions do affect him on a deeper level (through his anxiety and self-hatred which he spends a long time wallowing in, making his situation worse, rather than seeking help for) and 2.) he actually does eventually start to seek help, but unfortunately there's only so much one person can do to fix themselves when their actions still haven't been brought to justice and their mindset hasn't truly changed; which is what we see in the final part of the show when, despite Bojack's attempts to be a better person, the Sarah-Lynn case catches up to him, and in his final moments up on that stage with Biscuits Braxby, we see his true nature come out - he thinks being an addict should absolve him from what he's done to others.

Sounds familiar, doesn't it? Except replace "addict" with "traumatized" as many of Persephone and Hades' actions are swept under the rug with "they went through trauma so it's fine". Despite the fact that other characters who have also been through trauma aren't given that same grace (Thanatos, Demeter, Minthe, etc.)

You could also go a step further and call out how the fans themselves will defend their actions as "but they're gods!!! gods were terrible all the time in the myths!" but isn't it funny how myth accuracy only ever comes up when it comes to defending Hades and Persephone? Meanwhile you'll never see anyone bring it up when it comes to Apollo SA'ing Persephone, or Hades having an emotional affair with Persephone, or any of the other number of things that Rachel rewrote for her 'retelling'. It's not funny haha, it's funny yikes.

I can only imagine how the fans feel seeing Hades and Persephone called out must be similar to how first-time viewers like myself felt seeing Bojack be put on the cross by Biscuits Braxby - "you're being an asshole, he's working on himself!" "leave him alone!!!" "the media is making a monster out of him!" "he's really not THAT bad!"

But he is. They are. And unlike Bojack Horseman, I unfortunately can no longer have the good faith in believing Hades and Persephone will have their comeuppance, or the people they've hurt will get their retribution. I have no hope that Persephone will see that she's the Sarah-Lynn of the relationship, a girl who was groomed into an abuser at the hands of an abuser, who had no chance of doing better because the person she fell for pulled her down to his level. I don't have any faith in Rachel whatsoever that she'll manage to end this story with any message besides "it's fine for Persephone and Hades to be who they are, because they're rich and powerful and really horny for each other!"

And Hades doesn't think he has any power over women.

[teacookiesandpeace]

What if Pip had survived somehow?

Well, it's kind of hard to imagine that he even managed to survive after literally turning into bloody pink gum in episode 201, but I tried to fit a few things into context. (I don't doubt anything else when it comes from south park)

Well, Pip would probably be in the hospital for a long time since he was totally crushed and turned into a pink bloody gum by Mecha Barbra. I think Joe or the possible family that takes care of him would be taking care of him in the hospital, after a long time recovering, he recovers but with sequelae, he loses the ability to walk and an arm in addition to having scars all over his body

He would also wear different clothes probably, since his clothes were wrinkled as well, I wanted to keep the boy's style as it is something iconic of his

And as for his relationship with other people, I think he would still be kind and polite, but traumatized (honestly, anyone would be traumatized if a giant dinosaur appeared out of nowhere and just crushed you like a bug) I think the boys would continue to make fun of him like they used to, but only when they were forced to interact with Pip since they probably don't care about his existence anymore

Maybe Pip talks to Damien sometimes, but I wouldn't be too sure, though I'd like to see these two being friends and hanging out together

I'm pretty sure he'd talk to Butters again, they'd definitely get along, and maybe Dougie would do too

Even though Estella has completely disappeared from the show, I think she would at least visit him to see how he's doing

[jewbeloved]

hihihiiii!!!!

can I request the main 4 with an fem s/o who is a actor in a famous tv show? I love ur work SM!!!

Team Stan with an s/o who is an actor in a TV show📺🎬🎬

Warnings: None

Gender: Female

💙 Stan Marsh 🌀

This boy probably never knew you were an actor of a TV show until he was watching Terrence and Phillip and an ad of the show you're acting for came up on the TV.

He was a little annoyed at first because this random TV show out of nowhere interrupted his session of watching Terrance and Phillip.

He was about to change the channel back to Terrence and Phillip until he saw an actress come up to the front of the stage and announce the next episodes they're going to be playing in.

Stan immediately without another second recognized you by your voice as soon as you started talking.

You're an actor of a TV show? Why didn't you tell him? How is this even possible?

When he met up with his friends at school, they told him about this famous TV show that is going around in south park and it's the one that had you as an actor in it.

And that's when Stan saw you organizing your locker for your next class, mostly everyone in the school didn't know you were the same actress that was on TV.

You had no idea how much Stan enjoys watching the show, he mostly only watches the episodes that features you in it.

Stan wonders if he should or should not confront you now that he knows you're an actor.

He will confront later, for now he just wants to enjoy your presence and hearing your voice in this TV show that he's now going to get addicted to watching to.💙💙💙💙💙💙

💚 Kyle Broflovski 🌲

When his mom heard this new TV show that has gotten really popular recently, she had to check out it before she lets her son watch it.

And let's pray that she doesn't find anything wrong with it or else she probably might complain and start a war with the state or country that owns this TV show you're performing for 😭😭😭😭

But anyways, just like Stan. Kyle never knew you were a famous actress for the TV show that has gotten popular.

That was until he saw everybody in school crowding you and talking about how they saw you in the TV show they watched.

Of course Kyle didn't believe it but went to go check it out for himself to see if everyone was lying.

He was actually surprised when he saw you acting as a character in one of the episodes, I guess everyone was telling the truth after all but why did you never tell him about this?

But he brushed it off since you probably weren't comfortable enough to tell him so he won't hold you accountable for that. But he is still curious.

Even if you didn't tell him you were an actress of the TV show, he didn't mind it either way.

This TV show probably might be even better then Terrance and Phillip 💚💚💚💚💚

❤️ Eric Cartman 🍔

Okay kewl.

You actually told him about it yourself and he responded with his normal 'kewl'. It may seem like Cartman doesn't care but he actually watched the TV show you're an actress for.

If the company that owns the TV show is holding an intermission standby where fans of the show can come in and meet the actresses. He's definitely going to go to it so he can see you.

You were actually surprised to see that Cartman came. You don't know how big of a fan he is of the TV show.

If his friends find out they'll probably tease him about it with Cartman also denying and saying that he thinks the TV show is shit and whatnot.

Even if you talk to Cartman about it, he'll still be in denial but you know your boyfriend's ways, he definitely likes it.❤️❤️❤️❤️🏵️

🧡 Kenny Mccormick 🐁

You indeed also told Kenny about it, but he probably won't be able to watch it since the television he has is really old and rusty and it doesn't always work.

But he is also amazed to see you actually being an actress of a show that has gotten popular in his school even his friends are also talking about it.

Kenny probably begs Cartman to let him use his TV so he can watch the episode that has recently aired that involves you in it.

Cartman of course has to be an ass about it so his mom gladly allowed Kenny to use the TV.

And when Kenny is watching the episodes, he barely even sleeps because he doesn't want to miss a single moment when you are on screen. The mf needs some sleep 😭😭

So you decided to step in and help Kenny get some sleep.🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡

[chorusofkhonshu]

Noone was going to die.

Mostly I made this because I guess people on some platforms were saying Noone was wrong for going with the Ferryman or that she should have stayed with Otto. So I guess I made this to inform that, no, she could not have stayed with Otto. Well she could have, maybe, but she would have died shortly after. She made the best possible choice to survive when she didn't know it at the time, and here's why. In the first episode she is already ill, she survived the water sickness but still has these lingering headaches. We even get told that the flower that she got from her parents died that morning as well. Get to that soon. Following the first episode Noone's condition slowly deteriorates more and more. The headaches get stronger, she starts to scratch behind her ear. The EEG machines hurt her head as well, she doesn't like the way they feel, a burning sensation in her head growing stronger and stronger. Then along comes episode 4 where near the end of the episode she starts to react violently to whatever happened to her at the end of the nightmare. Episode 5, back to that flower I mentioned earlier. Otto gets her an exact replacement to the one her parents got her. This is where we find out what kind of flower was given to her by her parents. That flower being a Chrysanthemum. In different parts of the world these flowers have many different meanings depending on their color. However it seems to be in Europe for the most part that these flowers are for gravesides or mourning the dead regardless of color. If this wasn't important they wouldn't have bothered mentioning the type of flower. Finally the last episode. There is a time jump of 2 or 3 days. Otto says so. Noone vanished again, this time a whole night, reappearing at sunrise in the south wing of the institute. She was then confined for two days. When Otto goes to see her, I can only assume she is in a haggard state because A. her illness has progress further and B. While she is scared to sleep, she still wants to and has presumably been trying to sleep, she says the nurse keeps interrupting her, the fire in her head hurting now more than ever. She's been kept awake for two days and nights, not allowed to sleep. Her stomach is also hurting yet Otto forces her to eat the sleep inducing candy. He does not want to wait for her to sleep and needs her to be in a deep sleep. You know the rest, she goes to Nowhere. My conclusion? Everyone one knew she was going to die. Her parents, probably other doctors before coming to Otto, he's a psychologist I guess so it makes sense for him not to find out until he sent her up for radiology. This is why her parents come to see her even once! They are bad parents, this is why her disappearance will be swept under the rug. Everyone expects her to die! They used to live in a crappy apartment but moved into a rich house, probably because of money they got when Noone was pronounced a survivor of the "water sickness" as she was paraded around on television to show the world there is a cure. How do you think that would look if the kid you paraded around as cured just up and died? That the cure was a lie? If the water sickness is a huge pandemic if could even be the case that the government is involved, silencing everything to prevent the truth that no cure exists. Her going to Nowhere was the only choice she had. I don't think Otto knew she was dying, mostly because he is blinded by the pursuit of the Ferryman. But this was her only chance to continue living. Listen, if it was me and I had the choice between staying in our world and going to Nowhere, I'd stay here. Now if I'm dying? You best believe I'm taking my chances in Nowhere.

[thewriterthatghostedyou]

The Dragon and the Wolf

Chapter 3

Hey guys! Hope you enjoy the next chapter! It’s hard to believe that we only have two more episodes left in season 2. :(

Trigger warnings: canon typical violence, poorly written sword fights lol

Divider by @zaldritzosrose

The heat of the summer sun bore into you relentlessly as you entered the loud and colorful arena where the tourney was held. You felt sweat drip down your back but were still thankful for the lighter dress you had on instead of your preferred furs.

“Lady Stark!” A feminine voice called out to you and you were surprised to see the Queen approaching you with an inviting smile.

“My Queen.” You bowed politely, wondering what exactly the Green Queen wanted from you. “It is a lovely day for the Joust.”

“Indeed it is. I heard that your brother will be riding today alongside my son.” Behind the woman stood her sworn protector, no longer able to participate in tourneys due to his role as a King’s guard. A pity seeing as how his skill would have made for an interesting watch.

“He is, my Queen, but I do hope that my brother does not face your son in the field. I would prefer it if we left the South with no broken bones.” You hoped that the flattery was not too blatant.

“Well these events tend to get bloody but I am certain your brother is more than capable of holding his own.” She looked at you in concern. “But with Lord Stark occupied, where will you sit to watch the tourney?”

You looked around at the crowded stands before shrugging slightly. “I had planned on sitting with House Manderly.” You gestured to one of your house’s bannermen before facing the queen again.

“Well you are more than welcome to join us in the family box.” And that was why the queen had such an interest in you. You remembered the conversation you had with Cregan a short while ago. “My daughter Helaena has wanted to meet you since your arrival.”

You stammered slightly as you spoke. “That is a high honor, my queen.”

You looked up at the box and were relieved to see that Princess Rhaenyra and her children were present so you would not be surrounded by only Greens. After all, to turn down such an offer would be an insult to the Crown.

“Of course, it’s no trouble. We would not want to leave you all by yourself.” The Queen continued, waiting for an answer.

“Well I would be honored to join you.” You flashed her a smile that you hoped seemed genuine before walking with her to the Royal Box. The king was nowhere to be found, perhaps still recovering from all the excitement today had already had.

Princess Rhaenyra gave you a small smile as you entered. She was sitting towards the front of the box with Prince Lucerys and his betrothed in front of her and Princess Baela Targaryen on her right.

The Queen scoffed slightly as the Princess waved you over to sit on her left obviously intending you to only interact with her children. Of those, her oldest and youngest sons were towards the front with the middle one missing, but Princess Helaena was sitting closely to her half sister.

You bowed slightly to all of them before taking the empty seat between the two princesses as the Queen sat directly behind you with her father. You also noticed The Princess Rhaenys and her husband farther back in the stands.

“Lady Stark, it is lovely to meet you.” Princess Helaena spoke softly, meeting your face with a shy smile.

“The pleasure is mine.” There were multiple squires running across the field completing last minute preparations before the joust began. “I must admit I’ve never been to a tourney before.” You whispered to the princesses. “Exactly how does this work?”

It was Princess Rhaenyra who answered. “Well, since my son Jace, Daemon, and Prince Aemond are all competing they shall pull straws to see who chooses their first opponent.” She gave you a wide grin as a large group of knights on armored horses appeared. “From there, the other knights will be paired up in a similar way and the first round will begin.”

You watched as all of the knights lined up before the royal box seeing at least 20 houses present with the higher ranking ones in the front. Your own brother was among them on top of a speckled gray horse wearing a tarnished silver armor fancier than you had ever seen him use before with a metal wolf head as his helmet. Among the more noticeable ones were the Hightowers, Tyrells, Lannisters, and all the other great houses all in expensive armor that reflected their sigils. “I hope that your journey South was pleasant.” Rhaenyra continued, changing the subject.

“It was very long but I am very excited to see the city.” You confessed, eyeing a platter of wreaths confused as they were placed in front of the group. “What are those?”

It was Helaena who answered this question. “They are wreaths.” Her mother sighed behind her obviously listening in on the conversation but Rhaenyra allowed her half sister to continue. “When a knight wins a round they can request one from a lady. If she grants it, it is her showing her favor to the man and wishing him luck in the rest of the competition.” She held up one of the red and black ones that was intricately weaved with flowers and twigs. “This one is House Targaryen’s.” Her eyes followed the curving twigs and she seemed lost in her thoughts as she spoke.

“This one is your house’s.” Rhaenyra added, gently handing you one that had white and gray flowers, your house colors.

The older Princess shot up excitedly as a long row of drummers began playing a repetitive melody. “It’s about to begin!”

Sure enough, a squat man appeared from under the box wearing a bright red ensemble with the Targaryen crest. “Introducing the Princes Daemon and Aemond Targaryen and Prince Jacaerys Velaryon!”

The crowd roared loud enough to shake the stands as three horses trotted into view. There were two black stallions with bright red saddles that had the Targaryen emblem stitched into their sides. On one you recognized Prince Aemond in black armor with red stripes lining the edges of his armor. It shone brightly in the sun as the Prince held his helm to his side. The other rider on the Targaryen mount must have been Prince Daemon. He was fully suited up in a terrifying armor that had exaggerated dragon scales and wings that reached from the sides of his helmet.

The other horse was pure white and wore a light blue saddle with the Velaryon crest. You concluded that it must be Jacaerys. “Is this your son’s first tourney, my princess?” You asked Rhaenyra keeping your gaze on the three men.

“It is, yes.” The Princess was staring at her eldest son as he and Daemon rode closer together while Aemond approached the center of the track farther from the two. “He has been training with Daemon rigorously to prepare.”

Jacaerys’ armor was a sharp silver that stood out next to the Targaryen black that the other Prince’s wore. It had a golden Seahorse engraved on the front with scales that paid homage to his Targaryen ancestry on his arms and shoulders. His helm was also held at his side.

“A first for both princes.” The Queen added in. “My son has also been looking forward to showcasing his skills.” You turned around and gave the Queen a polite smile, remembering how Prince Aemond had claimed that he ‘Didn’t give a shit about tourneys.’

“Well I am excited to see how they both fare.” You said diplomatically. “I know Cregan was also looking forward to the joust. We do not tend to hold such large gatherings up North.”

“Prince Jacaerys Velaryon will now choose his first opponent!” The man shouted, as Jacaerys put on a sleek helmet with a light blue feather before grabbing his pole from a squire at his side. You placed your wreath back on the platter as his horse trotted towards the line of noblemen.

There were hushes across the crowd as everyone waited for his choice and a loud roar rose up again when he pointed his lance at the rider from House Lannister. The Lord of the House you believed.

The other man gave Jacaearys a curt nod before steering his horse a few paces back.

“Prince Aemond Targaryen will now choose his first opponent.” At the man’s loud yell, Aemond donned his helmet and steered his horse towards where his nephew waited. His helmet was black on the bottom but became a more fiery red as it went higher and you could barely make out a line of flames engraved in it from where you sat.

His horse stamped his heavy hoof in the ground seemingly ready to begin the joust as Aemond scanned those available. The crowd quieted slightly again, trying to catch any glimpse of his thoughts.

You heard a loud gasp behind you and a disappointed sigh as Aemond’s lance pointed to the rider who bore the House Strong Crest. Your eyes flitted behind you at the noise as the Queen quickly dropped her hand from her mouth as if not to draw attention to her reaction. Her father shook his head exasperatedly before rubbing the bridge of his nose.

“And finally…” The man continued once more. “The Prince Daemon Targaryen will choose his first opponent!”

The younger of the queen’s sons, Daeron, if you remembered correctly, gave his mother a nervous look as Daemon pointed to the Hightower knight as his horse joined the other two.

You breathed a small sigh of relief that your brother would have time to warm up and acclimate to the spectacle that the tourney is before facing any of the Princes. For all your teasing he is a formidable fighter but you couldn’t help but worry as the field emptied, save for Jacaerys on one end of it and the Lannister lord on the other.

Your focus on them was severed; however, as you heard Princess Helaena mumbling something to herself. “When dragons dance the wolf is separated from the pack.”

Her words made little sense to you, was it a threat for what was to come after the king passed? Or was it a warning of some kind.

“A clash of claws and a clash of talons. The king born of both shall rule only in the night.”

“What?” You whispered softly, but it was drowned out by the sound of metal clashing loudly. You jumped at the sudden sound and returned your attention to the joust below.

Jacaerys led his horse around the fence with his lance still in his hand and his opponent on the dirt floor.

With a small gasp you leaned forward to see what would happen next. When the lord staggered up, he waved his hand dismissively before walking off the field.

“The first round goes to Prince Jacaerys!” The announcer boomed and you clapped excitedly alongside his mother.

“Prince Jacaerys is off to a wonderful start.” You remarked as they cleared the field of any wooden debris.

Rhaenyra beamed at the compliment as she watched her son leave the field on his horse with a proud smile. “Thank you Lady Stark, Jace has trained hard for this.”

You were about to continue the conversation when Aemond rode out on his horse. You felt Helaena nervously grab your skirts as his opponent lined up on the other end.

“Prince Aemond Targaryen will now ride against Ser Germund Strong!”

You grabbed Helaena’s hand and gave her a reassuring squeeze. “Your brother is going to be ok, he is a very adept fighter.”

The younger princess nodded at your words. “That’s what I’m afraid of.”

As a red flag fell, the two men urged their horses to sprint at the other at full speed. You tried not to flinch as Aemond’s lance hit the smaller man in the stomach. The boy was thrown from his horse at the impact and hit the ground with a loud thud. There were loud cheers as Aemond threw his lance to the side and the Strong boy was surrounded by squires. They seemed to fervently check him over before motioning for a stretcher to be brought out.

“Gods.” You whispered. As the men lifted the boy you saw that his arm was at an unnatural angle.

“Prince Aemond Targaryen has won his first round!”

You did not offer the Queen the same compliment you had given Rhaenyra and she seemed too busy picking at her nails to notice. Whether the nervous tick was from her worrying about her son or his competitor was something you could not figure out.

You watched the next few rounds with excitement as your brother won his match against House Celtigar. In between you managed to strike up a small conversation with Helaena about embroidery and the differences in the North from the South. It came easily and as you chatted you watched Jacaerys win his second match against a house from the Riverlands you were not familiar with.

After a friendly handshake between the two men, the prince steered his horse towards the box and removed his helmet to reveal an excited grin. You felt your cheeks blush slightly as his hair had begun to curl around his face.

“My lady Stark, I am confident in my abilities on the field; however with your favor, if you choose to grant it, I believe I will progress much farther.” He tilted his lance to you and you couldn’t stop yourself from smiling as you reached for your wreath.

“Very well fought, my prince!” You ignored the Queen’s pinched expression at Jacaerys’s request and slid your wreath onto his outstretched pole. “I look forward to seeing more of you on the field.”

Jacaerys gave you a respectful nod before steering his horse away from the box. Your heart was beating impossibly fast as he left.

Rhaenyra beamed at you as you returned to your seat. “I am grateful for your favor, Lady Stark.” You fiddled with your fingers, looking down at your hands with a blush. “And I know Jace is as well. He had practiced that request more times then I can remember.”

You smiled wider at her words feeling more heat rush to your cheeks. Your gaze rose from your skirts as you tried to refocus on the tourney below but froze at Prince Aemond’s icy expression.

He was staring at you intently with a scowl on his face that made your blood run cold. Your eyes met for a brief moment and he shot you a cruel looking grin before saying something to the announcer below him.

“Prince Aemond Targaryen has chosen to face off against Lord Cregan Stark in his next match!” You gasped as you heard your brother’s name. And the Queen whispered something unintelligible to her father beside her.

It was Rhaenyra who placed a reassuring hand in yours as Cregan lined up on the other end of the field. You were thankful she didn’t expect you to talk as the red flag was raised.

You felt your breathing stop as it fell seemingly slower than before and the two men urged their horses towards the other.

The crowd’s constant screams of approval died down to a dull buzz in your ears as both men’s lances bounced against the other's shield.

The young Strong boy’s broken arm flashed in your mind as the two prepared to go again. You knew your brother was the best you have ever seen but it was in your nature to worry for your older brother.

This time Cregan’s lance hit true and you fought yourself from celebrating as Aemond was knocked off of his horse.

“Sword!” The younger man yelled, hand outreached for his weapon. A young squire ran over to meet him before offering the hilt of a large sword. Aemond unsheathed it with a practiced fluid motion as your brother’s squire ran to Cregan with his sword, Ice. Cregan leapt off of his horse and took the sword with an equally practiced motion before patting the squire on the back.

“Prince Aemond wishes to continue with a contest of arms!” The crowd’s screams returned to a normal pitch as Aemond advanced.

Your brother hung back allowing Aemond to be on the offensive as he studied his movements and tactics. Cregan effortlessly blocked Aemond’s aggressive slashes before swinging his own sword under an attack and landing a strong hit on the Prince’s armor.

Aemond stumbled back, stunned at the hit before throwing himself back at Cregan with more rage than before.

You sat up taller in your seat as your brother used a gap in Aemond’s attack to be the one on the offense. The strength of his blows caused Aemond to stumble back. Using this movement to his advantage, Cregan smashed his battered shield into Aemond’s sword before pointing his own blade at the Prince’s neck.

After a brief moment of unheard conversation between the two, Aemond let his sword fall to the ground before storming off the field like a petulant toddler.

“Lord Cregan Stark has won his second round!” You jumped out of your seat and clapped excitedly along with the rest of the crowd and noticed that Rhaenyra and her younger son had joined you.

“A very well fought battle.” The Queen said tactfully.

“Your son fought very well, my Queen. It was very close.” You couldn’t help it, but anger pooled in your gut and you knew that this was a retaliation for you granting Jacaerys your favor. But alongside your anger was fear.

At least Cregan was skilled enough to defend you and himself from the man this time but you knew that this was far from over. Aemond seemed like a proud man and losing a round in such a public fashion would only anger him more.

It was obvious that Aemond wanted your attention and would not be above petty retaliations if it meant that he got it.

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Joust Outfit

[sayoneee]

☆ HEATWAVES

it's the middle of summer and everything's so hot, but bachira decides it's his chance to sneak into your room (1k)

contains: bachira meguru x fem! reader. possibly ooc bachira (first time writing for him). no mentions of blue lock. ambiguous relationship. not proofread

kashaf’s note: this is very very very indulgent.

“MEGURU? WHAT ARE YOU DOING?” you asked, swiftly sitting up from your sprawled position on your bed, your phone forgotten and abandoned on your sheets as a random tiktok audio looped in the background. propping yourself up against one of the pillows tossed haphazardly across your bed, you watched with a mixture of amusement as he stepped into your room, with a care that he usually lacked, kicking off his converse in the corner and closing your window behind him with a soft click. 

the summer heat had turned your room into an inferno, and you felt as if you were in your own personal circle of hell. the stifling heat clung to your skin, heavy and suffocating, like an unwanted embrace. beads of sweat had formed on your skin, and your hair stuck to your forehead in damp tendrils, despite the air conditioning being on full blast for the past hour. 

bachira grinned, filled with a promise of cool relief, eyes lighting up as they locked on you, a man who had stumbled upon an oasis in the desert, “i missed you?” he offered, running a hand through his hair. 

you rolled your eyes, folding your arms across your chest, a  mockingly reserved posture, thinly veiling your shared enthusiasm at the sight of him, “more like you missed my ac.”

stepping closer, bachira wiped at the sweat glistening to his forehead, grin still in place, “i heard through the grapevine that your room was cold.” the reference to that one south park episode you had watched the first time you had been over at his house causes a carousel of memories—of his cold hands and shy smile in the dark of his room—to float to the forefront of your mind. 

an exasperated groan escaped your lips, accompanied by a melodramatic flop backward onto your bed, “it’s literally a sauna in here, and i can’t even open the window, only hot air will come in,” you paused, “what’s your excuse for being here?”

“decided to brave the heatwave, babe,” he winked, taking a seat on the chair positioned in front of your bed. 

“how aren’t you feeling hot right now—do you ever feel hot?” you twisted onto your side, looking at him critically as he played with the old teddy bear he had won for you set on your desk. 

“only when i’m around you, baby,” bachira grins, proud of himself for drawing out a smile from you at the cringey line. 

“you’re literally impossible,” you smiled, playing with the edges of the blanket folded at the end of your bed. 

bachira’s retort is delivered with confidence, his self-assured grin never wavering, “you love me though.”

choosing not to provide him with the satisfaction of a direct answer, you grabbed a pillow from your side and sent it sailing toward him, a playful non-answer. bachira retaliated with equal enthusiasm, and before you knew it, the two of you were immersed in an intense pillow fight. laughter bubbled forth with each pillow thrown, the tension of the stifling heat momentarily forgotten.

out of nowhere, bachira launched himself at you, his weight toppling you backward onto the mattress. his breath ghosted warmly against your ear, the proximity sending shivers down your spine, "c’mon, pretty, tell me you missed me too."

amid the laughter and mock struggles, your response tumbled out, a concession laced with mirth, "maybe a little." your resistance waned as he pinned your hands above your head, your defeated state bringing an end to the wrestling, "meguru, you're actually gonna get me in trouble."

his laughter enveloped the room, a sound almost as familiar as the call of your own name, “getting into trouble can’t be that bad.”

you met his gaze, unimpressed by his nonchalance, your tone borderline childish, “i won’t be able to see you for like ever.”

“okay, nevermind, it is that bad,” bachira conceded, smiling. his eyes lit up, a tell-tale sign of when he had another bright idea; almost on a separate plane of thought entirely, he suggested, “let’s go to the roof.’

you raised your eyebrows at him, regarding his expression skeptically, “will you be quieter on the roof—so we don’t get caught?”

ignoring your question, bachira grinned, his fingers brushing away the damp strands of hair clinging to your forehead. in a quick moment, he surged to his feet, suddenly standing up and extending his hand toward you, “c’mon, last one there has to give the winner whatever they want.”

used to bachira’s antics, a competitive spark ignited within you, and a grin tugs at your lips, “you’re so on.” wasting no time, with unyielding determination, you shoved past his outstretched hand and propelled yourself out your window. 

bachira was quick to follow, overtaking you with ease, his movements marked by a fluidity only years of soccer training could develop, giving him an edge over you. his laughter followed you, and when in one moment you were in the lead, in the next, you found yourself trying futilely to catch up to him. 

upon joining him on the rooftop, bachira immediately drew you into his side, an arm encircling your shoulder as the cool night breeze danced around you. “i won,” he declared, a triumphant grin illuminating his features endearingly. it’s hard not to smile back, not when he’s looking at you like that. you burrowed closer into his side as he decided on his prize. 

you didn’t have to wait long, however, as he suddenly leaned closer, the mischievous glint dancing in his eyes reminding you of fireflies and your shared childhood, he demanded, “i want a kiss.”

bachira closed his eyes, waiting for you to make your move, and you, gathering your courage—embarrassed at his ability to make you concede so easily—swiftly pressed your lips to his cheek in a fleeting caress, the moment disappearing as quick as it had occurred. 

he opened his eyes, grin still intact, “not what i meant, pretty, but i’ll take it.”

© sayoneee on tumblr. do not repost, translate, plagiarize or claim any of my works as your own.

[theladyrebecca2]

Stranger Things: The First Shadow (My spoiler-filled review and thoughts)

“Nerds, do you copy?”

Buckle up, because this is a long one! I've tried to remember as much as I can from when I saw the play on Dec 5th.

Disclaimer: This is in no way a complete recollection of things that happened. They really packed a LOT into it. This is just what I can personally recall, helped along by other reviews and recollections I’ve found online that sparked my memory. 

If you don't want to be spoiled, don't read any further!

Act 1.

After an epic intro scene, where soldiers on a ship at sea get dragged off by demogorgons (more on this later), we’re shown the Stranger Things intro exactly as though we’re watching an episode.

Chapter One: The Girl from Nowhere.

Hawkins, 1959. 

It opens with a young Bob Newby on air, talking on his radio show (the founder of Hawkins AV club! <3). We learn that he actually has an adopted sister, Patty Newby. She’s black, so she feels like an outsider (bear in mind it’s the 1950s/60s, so… yeah.) Principle Newby, their father and only remaining parent, is also very religious. 

He’s also the pastor (?) at the local church, and often makes Patty go to the church with him. She admits to Bob that she only likes to go to listen in on people’s confessions (some of which are really juicy). She also enjoys the choir there (?) as she likes to sing.  

Principal Newby doesn’t like that Bob and Patty read comic books. There’s talk about how some things are discouraged or outright forbidden because they involve sex (gasp!) and morally ambiguous behaviour. Patty in particular is looked down on by her father for acting rebellious. He disapproves of her answering him back. 

Instead of praying to God, Patty prays to Wonder Woman.

One of the first sections in the show’s programme is dedicated to the impact of comic books and science fiction on kids in the 1950s:

[This has always been the way with fiction. Whether you are talking about adventure, fantasy or sci-fi, stories set in faraway places reflect the anxieties of the here and now. Just as the children in Stranger Things turn to a fantasy game to help them make imaginative sense of a dangerous world, so we escape to alien landscapes to think about ourselves. As South Africa novelist Lauren Beukes once said, “By imagining the unimaginable, it’s possible to make reality more bearable.”]

[As Patty in Stranger Things: The First Shadow is aware, however, whether male or female, superheroes were almost exclusively white. Unless you happened to get hold of a copy of All-Negro Comics, published in 1947 by Black journalist Orrin Cromwell Evans, Black children would not see themselves represented in popular culture.]

[... in this age of technological advance and political uncertainty, [comic books] provided the thrills, the escapism and the imaginative fuel that audiences, young and old, needed more than ever.”] - Mark Fisher

Next, we’re introduced to Joyce. She’s Joyce Maldonado at this point. She’s half undressed and trying to find her clothes, obviously fooling around with Lonnie Byers, who is already talking down to her in a very casual way, telling her she’ll never amount to anything and that she’ll never leave Hawkins like she dreams of. It was another example of only physical attraction existing between two characters - there’s little to no emotional compatibility there. I sort of had the vibe that the scene was effectively introducing Joyce and Lonnie’s unequal power dynamics as they are in the show moving forwards. Lonnie sits with his legs encasing Joyce as they both sit on a mattress, and she’s visibly vulnerable in her bra, listening to him say these casually demeaning things to her. 

Joyce wants to direct the school play, although she’s pretending to Principal Newby that they’re doing Oklahoma. Oklahoma will serve as a smokescreen for the real play she wants to direct: The Dark of the Moon. This has its own page in the programme too: 

[From the depths of Scottish folklore to the Broadway stage, the journey of The Dark of the Moon is as shrouded in mystery and intrigue as the contents of the piece itself. Over the course of several hundred years, the story evolved from humble beginnings (The Ballad of Barbara Allen) into something rather darker and more brooding than its simpler folktale roots.] [In its original versions, it seems to have been an innocent, if tragic, ballad about a young man who dies of unrequited love, only for the grief-stricken object of his affection to follow him to the grave. There, they become a rose and a briar respectively, destined to be intertwined for all eternity.] - The Creel House front door, anyone?

[In 1939, it had somehow become part of the Appalachian mountain lore of the north-eastern USA… [sometimes] with a central theme of divorce rather than death. But perhaps its oddest reincarnation is as a regular feature in the annual school play catalogue across the United States… retitled The Dark of the Moon, the play recasts Barbara Allen as a young maiden desired by a witch boy whose request to be made human is granted on the condition that she is faithful to him for a year. When that condition is tested to destruction, tragedy naturally (or unnaturally) ensues. The play is rich with allegory, including themes as knotty as religious fanaticism, demonic possession and mob psychology, and with its plot of star-crossed lovers meeting across the divide between this world and a mystical parallel one, it’s a kind of Gothic Romeo and Juliet.]  -Michael Davies

In the next few scenes we’re introduced to a whole host of characters as they come into the high school, and eventually gather around for the casting of Joyce’s play:

Ted Wheeler, school jock, Mr Popular. Very much a ‘peaked in high school’ vibe. 🙈

Karen Childress, Ted’s popular cheerleader girlfriend. Ted and Karen are depicted as two teens who can barely keep their hands off each other. They constantly make out. It’s suggested that Karen is only dating him because he’s popular and um… well-endowed. 

Walter Henderson (who must be Dustin’s dad) is a total dick. He’s openly racist towards Patty at one point, earning him glares and snappy remarks from both of the Sinclairs who are present at the time. Patty has a horrible nickname at school, “mystery meat”, because of her unknown origins. But it’s clear with Walter's comments that her race also plays a factor in her general ostracisation. 

Claudia Yount (Dustin’s Mom). She has a cat called Prancer, and is dating Walter. I thought it was very fan-servicey to include Dustin’s parents at all, because we know canonically that Dustin and his mom only moved to Hawkins when he was 4th Grade. So I guess Claudia and Walter moved away, had Dustin elsewhere, then Claudia came back to Hawkins again with Dustin after Walter had left/divorced her?? 

Sue and Charles Sinclair. Again, it was a cute Easter Egg to include them, but all the parents of the OG boys being there felt very fan-servicey - especially with them all already being coupled up in high school. It felt too unrealistic and a bit jarring. I’m choosing to take this as they were literally intended as cute little Easter Eggs, and as prime opportunity for comedic relief (e.g. seeing Ted Wheeler as a total player, in total opposition to the Ted we know). 

Alan Munson. He’s a little strange and quirky, a lot like Eddie. He has a rock and roll vibe, and sticks out his tongue and does devil horns with his fingers, lol. The others don’t seem to know what to make of him, but there’s no animosity or anything. He’s really funny in all his scenes.

And of course, Jim Hopper Junior. To me, Young Hopper was like… a weird mixture of old Hopper from the show, and Steve! The actor did a great job, but yeah, it was giving Steve more than Hopper in some places (to me, at least). I don't know if this was intentional.

Hopper has some dad issues - his father is the chief of police, and they don’t get on. There’s a whole scene later on in the show where they even have a physical fight in the police station (although this isn’t depicted super seriously, and is actually part of a larger comedic section that involves some of the other cops in the station getting involved for laughs. At the end, Hopper and his dad sort of come to an agreement.) It’s kind of slapstick. They’re all falling over each other, and there’s even a part where one male cop falls against another face forward onto a desk, and it’s pretty suggestive (one is sort of mounted behind the other). Idk if this was supposed to be a standard ‘gay joke’ just for lols, or if it was more that the cops had an unexpected ‘moment’ together (they take a while to part from each other, and then they avoid each other’s eyes, so… idk). Just something I noticed happening off to the side.

Anyway, back to Act 1. We’re taken away from Hawkins High to outside the Creel house, and introduced to the Creels moving into Hawkins, just like they appear in the show’s flashbacks. They’ve moved from Nevada, and the reason they’ve moved is because something had happened with Henry, and this is meant to be a new start - it’s left ambiguous as to what exactly happened, but there’s mention of a kid that had been ‘left in a wheelchair’. 

At first, Virginia Creel seems somewhat loving towards her son, hugging and kissing him and trying to act ‘normal’, but she’s clearly unsettled by him. Henry is unpredictable, and almost seems to switch between different personalities: one that’s familiar, shy but friendly, and one that quickly rages and turns violent. 

Whilst it’s not explained WHY yet, we clearly see that Henry is somehow ALREADY under the influence of the Mind Flayer - and that he has powers.

Virginia becomes more and more openly terrified of Henry as the play goes on. Meanwhile, Victor Creel is generally absent the whole time as he’s dealing with his own ‘demons’ (severe PTSD from the war). People in Hawkins think he’s odd and weird. Remember that nobody understands PTSD at this point in time. 

Again, we get a spread in the programme about this: “These are the tranquilized fifties… the legacy of trauma in post-war America”:

[It is very likely that Corporal Victor Creel, 9th Airforce, missed the birth of his son Henry in 1945… Getting their bodies back to the US would be a huge undertaking… getting their minds home would be another problem, and one which no-one had thought to predict.] [Victor Creel is a familiar figure to us now: shellshocked, prone to outbursts, turning to alcohol to numb his trauma… what to do with the man who has seen atrocities - who is in himself a living testament to the fact that they exist, that they happen - who, in Victor’s case, may even have committed them himself? The answer was to bury him. Though shellshock was first given its name in the aftermath of the First World War… there was no widespread study of PTSD until after the Vietnam War, even though more than double the amount of American soldiers showed symptoms of PTSD during WW2 than WW1… Those suffering on the front were sedated and told they were exhausted… once they made it home, they were told not to talk about it: that they were lucky to be alive.]

[One response in particular would have been familiar to the Creels - the child who becomes aloof from their father, and who disengages from the emotional life of the family… Much like Jim Hopper and his father, there was often immense love between these children and their fathers, but they had no way to talk about the pain they were feeling.] -Beth Kelly

Henry is clearly lonely and feels misunderstood when he first moves to Hawkins. It’s like he’s aware that there’s a darker side of him that’s dangerous, but he can’t fully explain why he does certain things (e.g whatever he did to the kid left in a wheelchair). There’s a scene where he sees the smoke of the Mindflayer swirling around him in the void, and he yells, "What are you??"

He’s the new kid at Hawkins High. People at school think he’s strange. They’re not necessarily cruel to him, but they’re not really sure how to take him either. Joyce is pleasant to him. But the only person he really connects with is Patty Newby - who we know is also a bit of an outsider at the school because of her peculiar origins and skin colour.

It’s clear there is an instant connection between Henry and Patty. Henry in particular is obviously crushing on Patty, and acts awkward around her. They bond over their love of comic books, and decide to be friends. 

Anyway - back to Joyce’s play. So the reason she wants to direct the play in the first place is to impress some visitors from a university, so she can achieve a scholarship to study theatre outside of Hawkins. 

It involves “witches, satanism, religious allegory”. Lots of things that Principal Newby would definitely disapprove of (hence why she pretends that they’re doing Oklahoma). 

Joyce talks about the overarching message: “That’s what it’s all about in the end, isn’t it? Whether love can conquer fear.” (paraphrased). I think that was perhaps a really meta moment, and applies to THIS play and even Stranger Things as a whole.

Also there was something like, “they’re witches, not lesbians!”/ “They were witches as well as lesbians”… “Does it matter?” (again, paraphrasing, I can’t recall the actual lines, and I think this was either said at this point by Joyce and someone else, or a conversation that happened earlier between Bob and Patty when they were talking about a comic or story they had read. I’m sorry, I can’t remember!) But I thought it could be a reference to the Fear Street trilogy, maybe. I was on the lookout for any kind of LGBTQ+ imagery or dialogue, and yet my brain still managed to forget details by the end of it all (Act 1 needed to be 20 minutes longer, seriously. They went through so much dialogue so quickly, it was difficult to keep up. I feel like I need to see the whole thing again to properly take it all in).

Maybe I was tripping, or maybe I misheard, but I thought there was also a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it line about “the ending is happy and gay”. I wish my brain would have held onto those lines, but it happened so quickly. Something like, “the ending will be happy and gay”… “isn’t that what everyone wants?” Now, I’m certain they meant ‘gay’ as in ‘happy’ in the context, but I couldn’t help but side-eye that moment a little because it’s an outdated term in today’s language. It was, I believe, a quick exchange between Joyce and… I want to say Bob? Or possibly Walter? I honestly cannot remember. I'm begging people not to run away with this because it’s also totally possible that it was said in a derivative sense, like, “this story is dark, gothic and tragic... not happy and gay”, you know? "That's what everyone wants, right?" "Maybe, but this ends in tragedy." I really hope someone, ANYONE else caught these lines, and can give me their own two cents on it. (Curse my shit memory and also just how FAST those lines were coming at us during those scenes in Act 1… like guys, please slow down so I can actually take in what you’re saying!) 

Anyway. Joyce is having trouble casting the main leads, John and Barbara Allen, as the two are lovers and will need to kiss, and nobody seems to have the right chemistry or is taking it seriously enough. 

At one point, Karen (acting as the female lead) confidently and passionately kisses Bob (acting the male lead), who’s awkward and flustered afterwards (this is done for the audience lols). 

After hearing her beautiful singing voice (encouraged by Henry), Joyce decides to cast Patty as her female lead. Meanwhile Henry has unwittingly found himself in this room along with everyone, and accidentally gets involved in the casting process. Joyce sees that Patty and Henry have chemistry together, so she decides to cast Henry as her male lead too. 

Henry and Patty grow closer. Henry tells Patty that he’s bad, and she should stay away from him. She doesn’t listen, and says just because someone has done some bad things, it doesn’t make them a bad person.

At one point they sit side by side by the confessional at church. Henry admits to her that he has powers. He tells Patty that he can hear what people are thinking - all the time. It drives him crazy (and says people are always ‘pretending’ to be normal. The vibe is very much in tune with his speech in Season 4 about how everyone is just in a silly little play, all playing pretend with each other, all trapped in these notions of living their lives in a way that society thinks is acceptable or desirable).

As an example later on in a separate scene, he points to Karen and Ted and tells Patty, “she thinks he’s an idiot, and he’s scared of her.” He points to more characters in this scene and says more about them (like Claudia and Walter, Sue and Charles, maybe even Joyce and Hopper?) but unfortunately I can only remember Ted and Karen’s. 

Patty convinces Henry that his powers are not evil, and that he should be able to control them and use them for good. Henry then creates a "vision" for Patty, where she can freely sing with people listening, and everyone around her joins in and appreciates her talent (I think she sings "Dream a Little Dream of Me"? Unless this happens later on. There’s definitely a moment where she sings a bit of that song. Henry associates it with Patty.)

In this vision, even Patty's father is supportive of her and her singing, and it’s quite a funny moment how she imagines him dressed in a saucy red cape, dancing in a way that he *definitely* wouldn’t approve of in real life.

So it seems Henry is actually able to show people their dreams as well as their nightmares. It suggests his powers are his own at this point (at least to an extent), and not necessarily always controlled by the Mind Flayer. 

Victor sees Henry talking to Patty at school, and mentions this to Virginia. He describes it as “harmless, just Puppy Love”, a first crush. 

Virginia is still worried, and tells Henry to stay away from Patty (for her protection). Henry gets angry. We keep hearing his voice change when he changes, like a deep, monstrous voice. It’s creepy, like it’s not really him in those moments - it’s like the Mindflayer using Henry’s body, speaking through him. 

While in the attic (his new favourite spot), Henry keeps becoming influenced by the Mind Flayer. He travels to the void frequently, from where he proceeds to start killing animals - the first of which is Dustin’s mom’s cat. It’s just like the Vecna attacks in Season 4, snapping their bones and blinding them. 

Henry seems to be aware that he’s the one responsible for these killings, and he keeps on going back to the attic, and the void, to keep doing it - but it’s unclear just how aware or remorseful he is about all this, or whether it’s 100% possessed!Henry during those moments. It certainly seems like it’s the Mindflayer making him want to do those things. When he first approaches Prancer, he’s friendly, calm and softly-spoken. The attack happens very suddenly and afterwards, I think Henry sort of ‘comes to’ and cries out in distress/remorse? 

Either way, Henry is definitely under the Mind Flayer's control at that point, and you can see the Mind Flayer smoke flying around in the void next to him. 

After Claudia’s cat turns up dead, Hopper is immediately on the case, wanting to find the culprit. He starts questioning people, and ends up approaching Henry at school.

I want to clear Hopper’s name in something here! I saw someone say that, in the play, it’s stated that Hopper says he hates cats. Whilst this *is* something Hopper tells Henry at this point, it was clear to me that Hopper was only playing mind games in the way an investigator will try to get a suspected criminal to confess: ‘The truth is, I hate cats. So I actually just want to shake the hand of the person who did it - they’re a hero in my book!’ He’s totally bluffing, and it’s just meant to show that he’s already thinking and working like a detective. Regardless, the tactic doesn’t work, and Henry brushes him off. Hopper remains none the wiser. 

When more animals start being killed in the same way, Hopper is the one who figures out that they’re all pets of Hawkins High School students who are taking part in Joyce’s play. He goes to her to request her help, and she and Bob both end up going out to look for clues with him (complete with torches, this gave major Season 1 vibes). 

Joyce and Hopper’s relationship is mostly antagonistic, but it’s clear they like each other and they flirt a bit. Meanwhile Bob admires Joyce from afar, wanting only to impress her and to find the courage to tell her how he really feels. There's some love triangle imagery throughout with where they stand. (Note: Bob does eventually admit to Joyce how he feels at the end, but she casually rebuffs him. I'm so glad they eventually ended up together because Bob was just too pure.)

Henry continues to be haunted by images of a monster reflected back at him in a mirror. I think we’re meant to take that as a representation of Mind Flayer!possessed Henry. He’s clearly afraid of himself, and what he’s capable of. 

The Mind Flayer appears to him as Patty, and taunts him by saying cruel things, like saying that he will end up killing her. In the vision, Patty starts pulling off her own hair until we see her brain. We hear a deep monstrous voice taunting Henry, saying he “will kill many, many more” - that they have seen it happen, and it is his destiny. (Time travel hints? The Mind Flayer can apparently see into his future, unless this was just an empty taunt that unfortunately came true, or a self-fulfilling prophecy). 

[Evidently, there’s something deeply disturbing at the heart of the human psyche about the possibility of uncovering the horrific within itself. When that horror is externalised… it creates a symbolic representation of our own nightmares, perhaps allowing us to tackle them more objectively and overcome those dark, disturbing impulses within us all.] 

[By investing fictional creations with the qualities we most fear - the horrifying, animalistic sides of our nature - we can, perhaps, face them more objectively and convince ourselves that we do, ultimately, have control over them… and ourselves.]

[... Perhaps the monster we fear most is the one we see reflected in the mirror. As Professor Mulrooney puts it: “The monsters in these tales are not necessarily the people we would call the monsters - Frankenstein’s creature or Dracula. The scariest part of these books is the humans.”] -Michael Davies 

The real Patty then interrupts the vision, and asks Henry if he can help her find her mother using his powers. He’s wary of doing so, but agrees to help her. He says she will have to come with him to his attic. 

Once inside, Patty tells him that it’s cold in there. Henry says he likes it cold. 

When Henry enters the void, he successfully locates Patty’s mom. She’s a singer, a show girl, working on a stage in Vegas. Patty asks him what she looks like. Henry says she looks like Patty. That she’s beautiful.

Suddenly, he loses control, and is once again visited by the Mind Flayer. Patty’s mom morphs into a terrifying figure who chases Henry through the void… and eventually catches him. 

We see the Mindflayer going into Henry inside the void, very similar to Will in Season 2 on the school field. (This happens either at this moment, or in a flashback at another point of the play. But it’s at some point!!) I think this was showing us that whoever Henry was, he’s fast disappearing into the darkness of the Mind Flayer, and vice versa - it’s like a fusion. 

Meanwhile, Mr Newby learns that Patty and Henry have been hanging out together a lot. He’s greatly displeased by this, and decides to go to the Creel House to fetch Patty and put an end to the budding romance. Romeo and Juliet vibes be vibing hard.

Downstairs, he speaks to Victor Creel, who is having a PTSD related episode and acting strangely. He says his wife believes the house is haunted by an ancient demon, and with everything that’s happened (and by how the lights keep flashing), he’s beginning to believe her. He feels like his demons have followed him from the war. 

Mr Newby then overhears the commotion from upstairs, and goes up to investigate. In the attic, Henry is holding Patty’s hand very tightly. He’s twitching and yelling as he fights against the Mind Flayer’s possession, and this frightens Patty. When her father walks in, he demands that Patty lets go of Henry’s hand. She tries, but he’s holding on too tightly. “I can’t!” Patty cries out.

Mr Newby is then attacked by Henry, controlled by the Mind Flayer. His body starts to rise up. Patty encourages Henry to fight back by telling him that she believes he is good, and that she loves him.

“Say it back!” she pleads to him. “Say it back!”

Henry responds and says he loves her too. Because of the love exchange, he manages to momentarily break out of the Mind Flayer’s control: Mr Newby drops to the floor, alive but badly injured. 

Joyce, Hopper and Bob were downstairs at this point, having followed radio anomalies to the Creel House (which they did via a machine that Bob built for them). They freak out and run away, and all come to the conclusion that creepy, crazy Victor Creel is the one responsible for Mr Newby’s injuries, as well as the string of violent animal deaths. 

[Joyce has some basis for believing Victor capable of violent crime, based as this may be in her own father’s war experience… When Joyce opens her copy of the DSM, first published in 1952, she will find no entry for PTSD… Instead, the symptoms she might recognise from her father were incorporated into depression or schizophrenia, rather than their own diagnosis. Short of a name for what they were suffering, traumatised veterans were left to find their own way through nightmares - through violence, alcohol or isolation.]  -Beth Kelly (from the Stranger Things: The First Shadow programme)

After the commotion, Henry removes his blindfold. Patty's father has broken through the attic floor, and he’s seriously injured. Patty is very afraid and upset. After a brief time skip (to the next day or two I think), we learn that Patty is staying away from Henry, who is worried that he’s ruined everything. The Mind Flayer starts to creep back in. We see a possessed Henry back in the attic, and Virginia comes up to him and says that she wants to help him, but she doesn’t know how. She reminds him that he needs to stay away from people to protect them. She talks about Patty, telling Henry that he shouldn’t see her anymore.

Possessed!Henry smirks and asks her if she’s jealous. There’s something insidious and disturbing in the way he asks it. Virginia recoils from her son and her “everything-is-going-to-be-okay” facade crumbles. We see she’s absolutely terrified of who Henry has become.

Henry creates a vision, so that it appears as though his pet spiders escape from their jars, and they run all over Virginia as she screams. She flees from the attic as Henry’s dark taunts follow her.

Henry’s sister Alice comes to the mouth of the attic. "Where is Henry?" She asks.

Henry: "He’s right here."

Alice: "You’re not him."

At this point, it was like the Mindflayer had almost completely merged with Henry. The lines had become more and more blurred as the play went on, and now it’s becoming hard to separate them - the ‘real’ Henry is finding it hard to come through and fight the possession. The Mind Flayer is winning. 

This really reminded me of Will and his own possession with the Mindflayer in Season 2. How they described it like a virus taking over, and how Will could have continued ‘disappearing’ until there was no more Will left. 

After the incident with Mr Newby, and her terror with Henry in the attic, Virginia has finally had enough. She willingly hands her son over to an “interested party” who describes himself as a doctor (who we know is Dr Brenner). He vows to take Henry to Hawkins Lab, where he’ll be safe, and contained. 

When he wakes up in the hospital, Mr Newby reveals to Patty that he actually stole her as a baby (?) in an effort to revive his relationship with his wife by having another child to care for - but it didn’t work, and his wife left him. He feels guilty about it, and wants to confess this to her after he almost died.

He tells her that he was attacked by a monster who made him relive his worst nightmares, and that “the boy”, Henry, actually fought back and saved him from death. He then draws the Mind Flayer on a piece of paper, hands it to his daughter, and tells her that this is what he saw.

After learning that Henry actually saved her father, Patty returns to his house to search for him, but it’s too late - Dr. Brenner has already taken him to the lab. However, she is able to communicate by calling out to him.

Henry contacts Patty through the void, where she is able to both speak and see him, despite him being at the lab. She tells him that she knows he is still a good person, and that he should return home.

———

Act 2.

On screen:

Chapter Two: Captain Midnight

So here’s the thing - the play paints us a totally different picture than Season 4 did in regards to Henry/Vecna. 

Henry was not inherently evil, like S4 suggested to many people - he was actually just a regular boy until ‘an incident’ occurred when he was younger, which is what gave him powers and started his possession in the first place. The end of S4 makes us think that El sent Henry to the Upside Down, which is where he meets the shadow monster and morphs it into the Mind Flayer with his powers.

But that wasn’t Henry’s first time there, nor was it the first time he saw the Mind Flayer. That was all just a REUNION.

It’s revealed that Henry actually disappeared into another dimension (Dimension X/ Upside Down) for a period of 12 hours when he was just a kid. He got lost near some caves in the Nevada desert, and when he returned, he had "completely changed in personality". 

He came back odd, ‘not normal’, and couldn’t socialise well. He also returned with dangerous powers, which he violently inflicts on animals. The Mind Flayer had clearly started possessing him from that early point, way before he even came to Hawkins. 

Let’s go back to the very beginning of the play - to the soldiers on the ship. It was Brenner’s father and his crew that were aboard this ship, the USS Eldridge, which had accidentally travelled into Dimension X/The Upside Down as a result of electromagnetic activity. 

This is based on The Philadelphia Experiment, or Project Rainbow, said to have taken place in the Second World War. The programme had a double spread on this: 

[Allegedly, wartime experiments caused the supernatural disappearance of a US naval ship… Project Rainbow was based on Einstein’s research into unified field theory through which [he] hoped to create a single theoretical framework to encompass all fundamental forces, including electromagnetism and gravity.] 

[Carl Allen claimed to have witnessed a strange event in October 1943 involving the naval destroyer escort USS Eldridge and scientists who were working on highly confidential technology which would make ships invisible to the enemy by using powerful electromagnetic fields to ‘bend’ light around them. According to Allen, they succeeded in doing just that. In fact, Allen said the ship was also briefly teleported 275 miles away to Norfolk, Virginia, before reappearing in Philadelphia. …It’s been suggested that the Eldridge’s official logs could have been deliberately altered… with the whole of Project Rainbow moving beyond top secret clarification.]  -Catherine Jones

Brenner’s father is the only survivor of this terrifying event. After returning from Dimension X and taken to a hospital, injured and dying, we learn that his blood type is now “unique” from any other human being. He won't survive a blood transfusion. His ravings about Dimension X before his death haunted and inspired Brenner for the rest of his life. Brenner started an experiment focused on finding and travelling back to Dimension X; his ultimate goal was to "create a gate" to reach it again.

Brenner enacted these experiments in the Nevada desert, where one day, one of his agents ran away with some of Brenner’s equipment near some desert caves. The agent was never found, but a Captain Midnight spyglass was - which was the exact spot where Henry went missing in Dimension X as a little boy for 12 hours. Brenner therefore began searching for the mysterious Captain Midnight comic-book fan who went to Dimension X and returned, watching him and keeping an eye on him. This is what led him to Hawkins: following Henry. 

Brenner tells us that Henry’s powers emerged after he visited Dimension X, and just like his father, his blood type is “unique”. He collects several samples from him. He also tells Henry that his powers become stronger each time he kills, and that’s why he gets so much satisfaction out of it. Brenner also tells Henry that he would get even stronger if he kills human beings, rather than animals.

During one scene, Brenner uses special equipment to see into and hear Henry's mind. He pushes Henry to the limit so he can hear and catch a glimpse of Dimension X. We hear noises similar to the Mind Flayer in Season 2 when Will goes into the Upside Down on Halloween night. The shape of the Mind Flayer appears on the screen (or was it the head of a Demogorgon? It was definitely something Upside-Downy), while Henry convulses. After this incident, Henry asks Brenner, “Can you take me back there?" 

Brenner also introduces the idea of anger to fuel Henry's power. On several instances he riles Henry up to get him angry, insulting him - and the result is always violence. He succeeds in getting Henry to kill a mouse/rat, which explodes into a bloody mess inside its cage, and then tries to convince him to kill a criminal who has been transferred to the lab with an agreement to be killed (he has a date with the electric chair later that week regardless). 

Henry refuses. He’s been speaking to Patty in the void, who has convinced him that he’s good and that he should return home. Brenner is frustrated with this, and becomes sure that Henry has someone that is "holding him back". He vows to find and remove this obstacle. But after Henry leaves the lab, Brenner tells his agents to let him go. He cannot force Henry to kill. “It has to be his choice."

Brenner is shown to have significant influence over Virginia. He’s been providing her with medication/tranquilisers, and tells her that her son desperately needs his help. He encourages Virginia to tell him who the person Henry is attached to. She does. Brenner promises her that he will take Henry back into the lab and that he won’t leave again. 

After Henry returns home, he reads his family's minds and learns that they are all afraid of him and unhappy with his return. He goes into his mother's memories and learns of the last interaction she had with Brenner, including that she wonders if he “may never have been good”, and whether "this was who he was the whole time." He knows that she was willing to give him up to Brenner forever. 

This is when the Creel murders happen, just like they’re shown in Season 4. Virginia Creel and Alice Creel are both murdered at the dinner table - and we know Victor is going to be blamed for it.

Is this Henry’s own mind now, turned to darkness and hate, or is it the Mind Flayer intent on eliminating all of Henry’s attachments? A monster who’s made a monster. I think it’s all left open to interpretation on purpose. 

After the death of his mother and sister, Henry goes straight to Hawkins High to find Patty, hoping to reach her before Brenner does. While at the school, he runs into Joyce, who voices to him her suspicions surrounding the animal killings, and what happened to Mr Newby at the Creel House.

At first, Henry thinks Joyce has worked it out, and that she knows it was him all along. “I wish you hadn’t done that…” he says, stepping closer. But Joyce clarifies just in time that she believes Henry’s father is the one who is dangerous, and that she believes he’s responsible for the terrible things that've happened in Hawkins recently. Maybe this is what gives Henry the idea to frame his father. Either way, he leaves Joyce alive. 

Both Brenner and Henry find Patty on the stage rafters, up on a high catwalk, ready to perform her part in the play. She’s initially wearing a set of wings as a prop, which are attached to the rafter to be lowered. Henry unties her from these wings, pleading with her to run away with him. An argument ensues with Brenner, where he attempts to convince Henry that Patty is his weakness, and that he needs to kill her to let her go. Patty tells Henry not to listen to him. 

During this argument, Henry loses control once more, and the Mind Flayer takes over. This results in Patty slow-motion falling from the rafters as the shape of the Mind Flayer overwhelms the stage. She hits the floor on her back, presumed dead. 

(The stage effects for this particular scene were absolutely incredible, by the way.)

Henry is later seen back at the lab. He’s fully subdued, confined to a straitjacket, mouth gagged, and sat in a wheelchair. Brenner says the implant (Soteria) is in, about to take effect.

If we believe what Season 4 showed us, the play skipped the part where Henry appeared dead alongside his mother and sister (just before Victor is then blamed and incarcerated at Pennhurst Asylum). So assuming that Brenner played a part in covering up Henry’s involvement in the Creel murders, Henry is presumed dead by the town at this point too. Unfortunately the play doesn’t address this, as instead we see Henry run immediately from the dinner table murder scene, straight to Hawkins High to find Patty. It’s a big inconsistency which I guess they want us to explain away with Henry being an “unreliable narrator” in the show. I guess he gave Nancy the abridged version of what happened!

Anyway, it appears that Henry later finds Patty in the void, despite Brenner telling him that he killed her. It seems she has successfully left Hawkins and found her mother in Las Vegas, just as she always dreamed of doing. She uses a walking stick, but otherwise appears alive and well. 

We hear and see static as Henry watches the scene unfold, and Patty glances over her shoulder, like she senses him. But then she turns her back and walks into the distance with her mother. 

An alternative take that I heard from someone, was that perhaps Patty is truthfully still seriously injured and is actually in a coma (similar to Max). They thought that maybe the final scene of Patty with her mother was actually just something that Henry was creating for her in her mind, as a sort of last semblance of goodness and love. I don’t think that’s what was intended, but it was an interesting take that I wanted to include! 

As the show nears its end, we’re presented with a series of newspaper articles relaying the tragic Creel Murders in Hawkins (possibly the same ones that Nancy and Robin find in Season 4). The Creel family all dead, Victor is blamed and sent to the asylum. The empty Creel House remains, a reminder of the horrors. It then shifts back to Hawkins lab, who are now recruiting pregnant women for experimentation. 

Brenner introduces a pregnant woman to Henry (who is still bound to a chair and fully subdued) and explains to him that the "blood transfusion" finally worked on a subject. He points to the woman's belly and remarks, “One, meet Two!" “You are as much a father to them as I am,” Brenner says at one point. Then, “Come… meet your brothers and sisters.” Even though we know Henry is not in any way related to the lab kids, they definitely played into the father/guardian/creator metaphor in the play. If not family by blood, then by circumstance. 

We see photos of the babies created in the lab, with their numbers underneath. We can recognise Eight as young Kali. Eventually we get to Ten, at which point the stage focuses on a now older Henry, wearing his recognisable Season 4 orderly outfit. He kneels beside a child with buzzed hair. 

"Hello, Eleven. Come with me.” He takes her by the hand, and they walk into the distance together. 

———

Some final thoughts:

Because of the incident with Patty during Joyce's play, we can infer that's why she is unsuccessful in her goal to impress the university, and remains stuck in Hawkins - just like Lonnie said she would.

Lonnie is awful, and I’m in two minds about how he’s handled in the play. They did a good job to show he’s always been a douchebag, and unlike what I’ve seen some people say, I actually think it was horribly believable that Joyce (who they establish likes 'bad boys') ends up going back to him and having kids with him. We know from Season 1 that there’s emotional abuse with Joyce and Lonnie, and to me, it makes horrible, horrible sense that it all ends up the way it does. I’m just not sure how I feel about Lonnie being used as any kind of comedic effect in the play (he makes a brief reappearance at the police station, where he’s been lying drunkenly handcuffed on some chairs the whole time during a scene... “It wasn’t me! I didn’t do it!" he says, or something to that effect). I feel like using him in that way diminishes how truly awful he is as a character. Maybe I’m just being too sensitive, but I’d much rather they had kept all the laughs and jokes for the other characters, and treated Lonnie completely seriously the whole way through. I don’t want to see him in any way ‘likeable’ or ‘relatable’ or ‘funny’, you know? Not even for cheap audience laughs. This is a guy who called his own kid son a f*g. Let's treat that with the gravity and solemnity it deserves, please.

Louis McCartney and Ella Karuna Williams as Henry Creel and Patty were great, and Isabella Pappas as Joyce was amazing. Dr Brenner was nicely emulated by Patrick Vaill (I personally think he was one of the most believable characters from stage to show). The best performance of all though was Christopher Buckley as Bob. Like, damn, give that kid all the awards! He was so believable as a young Bob, I actually forgot it wasn’t somehow a young Sean Astin on stage. *chef’s kiss*

As previously mentioned, all the parents of the kids are present in the play (and already coupled up). None of these characters are particularly fleshed out, and I think they’re mainly just there as fun ‘Easter Eggs’ to connect it with the show. E.g having Claudia own another cat that gets killed, seeing Ted Wheeler ironically as some kind of jock god who gets all the ladies (and cheats on Karen with, by the way!), Joyce holding an axe prop near the end mid-rant (“Why am I holding this??”) and Hopper making a remark about breaking his own foot (which he does in Season 4). 

They definitely seemed to be going back on the whole ‘it was Henry/Vecna the whole time’ thing from Season 4: the Mind Flayer has been pulling the strings from way before El sent Henry to Dimension X/Upside Down. We even see the Mind Flayer in the shape of a giant eldritch spider during the play, way before Henry appears to ‘shape’ it in Season 4. However, I think it’s also possible that Henry DID actually manage to take control of the Mind Flayer the second time he arrived in Dimension X (as we see at the end of S4). At that point, he’s killed all the lab kids and staff at Hawkins Lab, so he will be much more powerful now compared to the Henry from the play. By now he’s completely embraced the Mind Flayer’s philosophy, and is acting in its stead entirely on his own volition. Honestly? I think they’re going to leave it ambiguous on purpose. I think that’s why the play is technically canon, but totally not necessary before seeing Season 5. I think Henry and the Mindflayer are 'one' (lol) at this point - I think that’s what Vecna technically is. He’s like an amalgamation of this terrifying eldritch being that we can never begin to understand, but at the same time also something that is still deeply, deeply human.

The Henry side of him seems to be lost, but in a way Brenner was right - his feelings for Patty, whether ‘Puppy Love’ or real - was his one redeeming weakness in his early teen years. Judging from the play, I think it’s possible we might see a tragic sort of redemption moment in S5 (which I personally have mixed feelings about). But I do believe the play is supposed to be entirely separate, and that it’s possible Patty will continue not to be mentioned or relevant in the show (I hope I’m wrong). I just can’t help but be cautious in assuming the Mind Flayer is still the one in control after what they set up at the end of Season 4 (especially with Will saying, “it’s weird to know who it was this whole time” re: his own kidnapping and possession). I think Henry has become his darkest self as Vecna.

Speaking of Will… there were noticeably a LOT of parallels with him in Henry. Henry wears pretty much exactly Will’s outfit from Season 4, yellow tones with beige and brown. Meanwhile Patty wears a blue cardigan and a blue dress - at least in Act 1. I’m not hugely into the blue-and-yellow thing in a serious way, but even I noticed there were blue and yellow motifs for Henry and Patty. She wears a bright yellow top with her blue cardigan at one point too. I think there was definitely a mixture of both Will and El in Henry’s character.

Meanwhile Patty had noticeable similarities to Mike. She’s rebellious, outspoken, loves comic books, and worships superheroes.

Seeing the play hasn’t impacted my beliefs or hopes for Byler in any way. I think there are potentially good things to be taken from the writing, and potentially bad things too. My current confidence has neither been raised nor lowered, but what I will say is that it’s undeniable that the Henry x Patty relationship mirrors both Mileven and Byler, but especially Mileven. Hentty is obviously a star-crossed tragedy, deliberately set up like Romeo and Juliet, which we know is NEVER a good thing. I do find it interesting that their love confessions were an exchange, unlike Mike’s monologue. Patty is the one ‘present’, whilst Henry is the one trapped in the void with his eyes closed/blindfold on. It’s a high stakes moment. Patty tells Henry in desperation that she loves him, but she follows this up by pleading with him to say it back. I didn’t see anyone else talking about this, but it really stood out to me.

The play’s themes and messages still reflected what I believe the show to be about: rejecting forced conformity (it dealt with people’s ideas about what it means to be “normal” to fit in, about sex not being taboo, harmful black and white morality, and the damage that can occur from enforcing religious dogma)... and of course, like Joyce said, that love will ultimately conquer fear. Over and out!

[This kind of introspection throws up unsettling and complex ideas about the nature of human morality. What does it mean to be human? Who gets to decide who is “other”? How do we treat those who are different from us? These are huge issues, and far too esoteric for most of us to deal with in abstract. So the way we choose to explore them is in stories.] - Michael Davies

[tvckerwash]

@joltning I present to thee the elaboration requested:

When broken down to the bare essentials Wash and C.T fulfill the same function within the story, and the differences between them as characters mostly results from how the story was executed when it came to them fulfilling that function. 

For example, everybody (myself included) complains about how C.T exists solely as a plot device in the Freelancer Saga, but nobody complains about how Wash also exists solely as a plot device in Recovery One and Recollection. I mean Reconstruction is literally the ‘omg theres a plot!?!?!?!?” season of RvB, and without Wash there is no story. 

The main reason Wash isn’t perceived in the same way as C.T is due to the level of freedom the writers had when it came to telling the story they wanted to tell. The Blood Gulch Chronicles and Out of Mind set the foundations for Recovery One and Recollection, but it was through Wash that the lore of RvB was reconstructed into a cohesive story. The unexplainable was explained, the unelaborated was elaborated upon, and all the wacky hijinks and random bits and bobs of the previous seasons were tied together in a way that answered the question asked in episode one: Why are all of these idiots stuck in a canyon in the middle of nowhere while being separated into color coded teams that are fighting each other?

C.T however did not have the same level of freedom as Wash, and this is because of pfl’s nature as a prequel combined with the pacing of those seasons. We pretty much already knew everything about her that there was to know, so there was no point in hiding anything or taking it slow because of that, hence the painfully obvious foreshadowing. This approach to the Freelancer Sage, and C.T’s story is what leads to her essentially having the same arc as Wash, just reversed—or more accurately described; mirrored, like Chief and Arbiter in Halo 2.

A majority of the reversal and/or mirroring between them manifests in their personalities, which I actually talk about some here, but some examples of the phenomenon in regards to actual plot points are:

They are both introduced as recovery agents (or rather fake C.T, who was the real C.T at the time, was introduced as a recovery agent). Wash is a single agent recovering human technology from dead Freelancers, and he uses explosives to destroy the rest of the equipment to prevent information leaks. C.T is attempting to recover alien technology from a long dead civilization with the help of other aliens, and he uses explosives to make sure anyone who knows of their operation and presents a problem will be destroyed to prevent information leaks. 

We knew exactly who Wash was, who he worked for, and why he was reassembling the blues. We didn’t know who C.T was, who he worked for, and why he was fighting Tucker in the desert. 

Wash was shot in the back and survived, but failed to subdue the enemy. C.T was shot in the chest and died just as they were going to subdue the enemy.

In regards to the real C.T, some examples include:

The Meta was portrayed as the primary conflict for Wash, but in reality he had always been aiming for the destruction of Freelancer. On the flip side, C.T’s fight to take down Freelancer is portrayed as the main conflict, but in reality, while poorly explained, tracking down the alien artifacts seemed to be her real goal (which is not as insane as it sounds when you remember that Charon Industries was more aligned with the UNSC proper than pfl was). 

Wash never hinted towards his plan of taking out the Meta in Recovery One to South, or his plan for destroying Freelancer to the Reds and Blues until he had the perfect opportunity to strike, and by then he had built enough trust that they were willing to help him out despite his secrecy. If they weren’t, well, he knew what to say to change their minds. C.T however wasn’t exactly subtle with her thoughts and feelings, and she didn’t build any trust with the people around her, so when she finally defected—which didn’t take a genius to see coming—no one was willing to listen to her or take her at her word, and there was nothing she could say or do to change their minds except offering concrete evidence. “I’m starting not to trust you.” vs “I can’t trust you.”

This one isn’t a plot point, but I’m going to mention it anyway because I think it’s a nice example of this subtle yet obvious mirroring I’m talking about, and shows what I was trying to replicate in my blurb that spurred me to finally write this analysis:

Counselor: Agent Washington? Agent Washington? Washington: Sorry, what were you saying? Counselor: Were you thinking about Epsilon again, Agent Washington? Washington: No. Counselor: What happened with Epsilon was not your fault, Agent Washington. Washington: I didn't think it was. Counselor: We have safeguards for the unstable emotional patterns of an artificial intelligence. Sometimes these algorithms fail. Washington: Oh. So then it's your fault. Counselor: We prefer to think of it as no one's fault.

Vs:

Washington: It wasn't your fault, Connie. Connie: Easy for you to say. You didn't drop the ball. Washington: The ball got dropped. We were all there, it's everyone's responsibility. Connie: Dammit, why are you doing that? Washington: What am I doing? Connie: Making excuses for me. I'm not making excuses for myself...why are you?

All I've mentioned above is also why C.T’s relationship with the leader and the plot twist that the C.T in the desert wasn’t the real C.T are disliked by so many, as there was nothing to justify the sudden bait and switch like there was at the end of S6. I mean, considering we see both Tex and South use voice mods to sound like men, it reads as though that was supposed to be the case with C.T as well, which makes it feel like it was changed at the last second because everyone saw it coming.

This is an issue because A) There's nothing inherently wrong with being predictable—a good plot twist always has foreshadowing, even if it won’t be registered as foreshadowing until the twist happens in certain cases—and B) The story of the Freelancer Saga as a prequel was confined in a box created by the previous seasons, and all they were doing was connecting the aforementioned events to tie up a few loose ends and properly establish Carolina's driving force in present day S10.

[noodles-doodles01]

HOTD EP 1 Rewrite

Ep 5 is giving heavy season 8 of GoT vibes so I'm saving myself the pain and just rewriting all the mistakes they made so far so I dont go insane in the coming weeks. I will reblog this post with each episode rewrite as they come, but heres ep 1:

*Disclaimer* I am making sure most of the plot points are still included in the rewrite whether I like them or not.

As much as I love the north opening, we save that for a bit later. Instead, we get a rainy shot of King's Landing. Its dark out and there i thunder and rain etc. We see a pair of boots walking through the halls, rushed and hasty and the music matches as well. The person's breath is also huffy and puffed, and we get shots of the water on their coat, and then a shot of Aemond's eyes as he rushes to a room.

The door barges open and Aemond comes into a room where Aegon is being lectured by Alicent and Otto. They become quiet and Alicent gets up to see what's wrong. Aemond admits what he did and Alicent slaps him, crying out "Mother help us all". We get a quick shot of Aegon witnessing the slap (yk, for character parallel reasons), and Otto begins yelling at him "my grandson is a fool" style. The camera focuses on Aegon a while and we see him almost sympathizing with his brother, so he puts on this fake act and laughs, saying that they should hold a feast, celebrating their first victory.

Back at Dragonstone, we watch as Rhaenyra rides Syrax out to find Luke in the sea, and follow Daemon and Rhaenys as they leave the dragonpit to discuss with the team. Daemon has his dialogue with Rhaenys about Laena and they make their way to the council. Team Black is all there minus Jace, and they discuss how to set up the best defence in the time they need to raise an army and attack again, since Aemond's move is OFFENSIVE. They mention how Dragonstone is unsafe, they mention how another threat is Daeron in Oldtown with his dragon, and they mention what good the North can realistically provide and how they can strategize with their travels south. Daemon then suggests using Harrenhall as a fort, since it is the crux of the Riverlands and would give them the best land defence. When contested that Harrenhall is in ruin, Daemon will explain that they have the advantage with dragon numbers and the sea with the blockade, they have some leverage that can be spent on the necessities that Harrenhall requires.

We are taken back to Rhaenyra where the sun is beginning to set, and the fishermen find a wing. Rhaenyra flies in on Syrax, finds Arrax's wing and we get the fantastic performance by Emma D'arcy that brought us all to tears. The sounds of Rhaenyra's sobs are manipulated by the audio to transition into the laughter and fun that the Greens are having at KL during the feast. Alicent is PISSED and leaves early, meanwhile Helaena and Aemond sit next to one another in discomfort. Maybe some dialogue here but idk what, but these two need more interactions.

Aegon ofc is the only one having fun, he's drunk off his mind and laughing with his idiot kingsguard friends. During this, Aegon drunkenly makes a toast and jokes about Aemond being a kinslayer, Aemond does not like the title and it comes off as Aegon's weird form of bullying (since we have to transition this kinda buildup and not bring it out of nowhere between the 2 years of s1 and s2) At Dragonstone again, Rhaenyra is coming back and Daemon is facing the fireplace holding a scroll. When he looks at her, he slams the scroll into the table and tells her that he will bring Aemond to his knees. Rhae is confused but its comforting bc she's in shambles. Daemon storms out and Rhaenyra reads the note, which gives word about the feast.

(Insert something here about Daemon and Mysaria setting up B&C)

(Insert Aemond brothel scene #1 here, and he reveals he regrets killing Luke etc etc)

When Daemon meets B&C, he tells them a son for a son, find Aemond Targaryen. if not, slay Aegon's heir. The men share a weird glance but they agree. We get the montage ofthe pair going into the castle as ratcatchers, with Aegon drunk and Helaena and Alicent putting the kids to bed. BnC burst into the room, blood binds Alicent whilst Cheese grabs the twins (who are still awake). Since the kids are so young, they cannot tell which is the son, so they force Helaena to pick. Helaena, dazed, begins to cry and says to kill her instead. Cheese tells her they only want the boy, so she lies and points at Jahaera. Cheese laughs and says the line, "Do you hear that little girl? Your mommy wants you dead", revealing that they know she's lying. At that, they shove Jahaera at Helaena and go to kill Jahaerys. Helaena starts screaming and freaking out. Bc of how gruesome the scene is I wouldn’t have the the acc death shown, but rather how her screams echo in the halls. Aegons reaction to the sound, the guards rushing towards her room.

Aegon bursts through the doors and sees Helaena on the ground crying and screaming saying “they killed my boy”

A final shot of Aegon having it dawn on him that the war is in full swing and absorbing the first “consequence”.

*end*

lmk if you have any questions about any decisions I made!

Edit; I removed Alicole entirely, bc as much as I’ve tried to rationalize it I hate it. FnB has Alicent calling Cole out for being a creep when Rhaenyra is young, so if the show has Alicent experiencing years of this kind of experience, why would she choose to be with someone like him once she gets fo leave the relation with Viserys? Plus, Alicent experiencing this moves her character forward in fully dealing with the fact that her push for the throne doesn’t go without major pushback.